Chapter 152: Sleeping with the Snake Mother and Daughter
For a moment, I almost lost myself in the shocking sight, but soon after, I felt ashamed of myself for thinking it wasn’t that bad.
“Hissss….”
Wait, now that I think about it, is there really a reason to feel ashamed?
Our Shikshik wasn’t a snake that would be outdone by any other in terms of cuteness.
In the first place, snakes were naturally cute creatures.
Their mouths were round, and their eyes were bright and shiny.
And among those snakes, Shikshik was especially adorable.
Even dressing her up was no exception.
Don’t people often dress up other animals?
There was no reason not to put clothes on a snake.
Of course, it might be a bit excessive.
But as I continued to stare at Shikshik’s long body, I felt like I was being pulled into some deep abyss.
I quickly shifted my gaze towards the Snake Queen.
“Ufufu. It seems you really like this outfit, don’t you?”
“Gehk…”
“The texture is difficult to get used to, but this black-and-white outfit is quite elegant.”
The Snake Queen seemed to like her maid outfit, as she ran her hand over the fabric.
That fabric exposed her chest, revealing her magnificent internal power.
It seemed dangerous to keep looking at it for too long.
I decided to avert my gaze.
“Hisss…”
This is no good either!
“Fufu, where are you trying to look?”
“Gehk…”
How could this happen?
What kind of thing have I unleashed upon the world?
“For now, let’s head inside the temple.”
“Chirp!”
“I’m not used to wearing clothes, so honestly, it feels a bit embarrassing.”
If she felt embarrassed, she could always take them off.
No, wouldn’t walking around in her original form be even more embarrassing?
…Though I’m not sure if that could even be called a form of clothing.
Snakes must have their own values.
“Gehkgehk.”
Led by her hand and Shikshik’s tail, I was brought into the temple.
“Ufufufu….”
“Hiss hiss hiss…”
The laughter of the mother and daughter was somewhat eerie, but there was nothing to worry about.
* * *
The Snake Queen and Shikshik laid out a delectable feast for me.
The food I’d eaten inside the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was certainly delicious, but the portions were too small.
In contrast, the meal prepared by the Snake Queen and Shikshik was on an entirely different scale—a whole terror bird was roasted, rather than a simple large chicken.
“Gehkgehkgehk!”
Sure, the seasoning might be lacking a bit, but that was no big deal.
What mattered was being able to eat a lot.
“The Dragon Gate is a place where trials are given to those who aspire to become dragons.”
As the Snake Queen fed me meat, she began sharing information about the Dragon Gate.
“Even beasts that aren’t spirit creatures possess a desire to become dragons. As a result, even creatures unaware of the Dragon Gate’s existence are drawn to it by its power.”
It seemed that the spirit creatures and beasts of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains regarded dragons as their goal.
If the goal of martial artists is to reach the Flowering or Celestial stages, then for beasts, that equivalent goal must be becoming a dragon.
“There have even been cases where beasts lost their intellect and transformed into monsters, slaughtering others to attain that power.”
“Gehk…”
For beasts to kill other beasts wasn’t exactly a big deal.
After all, I’d hunted creatures myself to secure food.
However, spirit creatures and higher-level beasts typically carried a **core** within them.
In other words, the monsters near the Dragon Gate had been continuously absorbing those cores.
“Because of such monsters, the trials became meaningless.”
Climbing the Dragon Gate to become a dragon.
However, monsters blinded by power blocked the gate, and no one could ascend it.
“The strange thing is, even though these monsters gained immense power, they never attempted to undergo the trials.”
That was indeed strange.
Surely, they were drawn there by the power of the Dragon Gate, so why didn’t they attempt the trials?
“Over time, those monsters came to be known as the Guardians.”
Guardians.
I was starting to get a sense of what I had to do.
“They dwell midway up the mountains and prevent anyone from undergoing the trials of the Dragon Gate. In fact, it could be said that the trials have been replaced by them.”
“Gehk.”
“Exactly. Defeating a Guardian means you can walk the path of the dragon. In fact, there was even a spirit creature that evolved into a red dragon by defeating one.”
A red dragon!
Just hearing that made my heart race with excitement.
“Well, seeing as it transformed into a dragon with wings, it probably wasn’t a true dragon. But it’s true that defeating a Guardian allows you to advance to the next stage.”
It seemed that the dragons here were more like the Western dragons—**dragons**—rather than the Eastern **ryu**.
And in this world, dragons seemed to be a lesser existence compared to true dragons.
“Of course, had it undergone the trials after evolving into a dragon, it might have become a true dragon. But it didn’t.”
The trials of the Dragon Gate must be incredibly difficult.
Even after becoming a dragon, it didn’t attempt them.
“I don’t know why it didn’t. But first, you’d have to defeat the Guardian to even approach those trials. And just by defeating the Guardian, you might achieve the form you desire.”
The Snake Queen was right.
Even defeating the Guardian alone would give me the chance to pursue my next evolution.
“With your current strength… You might become a being greater than me.”
The Snake Queen said as she touched my tail.
A being greater than the Snake Queen.
I was already getting excited.
“And now I understand why the Mirror of Possibility shattered.”
Now that I thought about it, I had broken that mirror before.
“Gehkgehk….”
I subtly glanced around.
“Ufufufu…. To be captured from such a low point….”
The Snake Queen muttered something I couldn’t quite understand.
She continued feeding me.
“Anyway, rest here for the day and prepare to head to the Dragon Gate tomorrow.”
“Gehk.”
The timing was perfect, so spending the night at the temple wouldn’t be bad.
I should also spend some time with the Snake Queen and Shikshik, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.
“I can’t accompany you to the Dragon Gate, but once you reach the entrance, there will be someone who recognizes my emblem. They’ll give you more information, and you can choose which peak to climb.”
I glanced at the Snake Queen’s emblem.
It had changed quite a bit from its original appearance. Would anyone still recognize it?
“Chirp!”
Not wanting to be outdone, Shikshik kept feeding me more food.
“He’s an annoying fellow, but since he lives near the Dragon Gate, he knows a lot.”
I wondered who this “annoying fellow” the Snake Queen mentioned was.
Considering the way she talked, it sounded like he might be a spirit creature…
And since he hadn’t participated in the last war, maybe he wasn’t very friendly?
“It’s getting late. Let’s eat before the food gets cold.”
“Gehgehk!”
For now, I focused on the food in front of me.
After devouring the meat ravenously, it was time for the next course.
“Now that your belly’s full, I’ve prepared something you’ll like.”
“Gehk?”
The Snake Queen disappeared for a moment and then returned with another tray.
It wasn’t filled with a massive slab of meat.
Instead, there were a few fish laid out.
“Ufufu. They may not be large, but their effects are very beneficial.”
Could it be a fish like the Myriad-Year Fire Carp?
Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like that.
It looked like a regular fish….
Wait, was that an eel?
“Chirp!”
After Shikshik diligently removed the bones, she fed me a piece of eel.
“That’s right, eat plenty.”
Where did she even find eel?
“My dear, do you happen to prefer a vegetarian diet?”
Vegetarian?
I like meat, but I’m fine with some vegetables too.
I nodded slightly.
“That’s perfect!”
The Snake Queen clapped her hands.
“Here, vegetables and fruits to go with the meat.”
She offered me vegetables and fruits.
They seemed familiar.
“Open your mouth.”
Chomp.
Munch.
“How is it? Isn’t it good?”
Wait, isn’t this chive?
It does go well with the meat.
“Here, eat this too.”
“Hiss hiss!”
Next, Shikshik and the Snake Queen took turns feeding me fruit.
Judging by the sweet and sour taste, it seemed to be bokbunja.
“You’re eating well. Now, have a drink.”
Alcohol!
I can’t resist that.
Feeling a pleasant buzz and the tanginess of the fruit, I realized the drink likely contained the bokbunja I just ate.
For quite some time, I kept eating the food that Shikshik and the Snake Queen offered me.
“Gehk…”
I felt hazy.
Even with my **Ten Thousand Poisons Immunity**, I was getting drunk like this.
Thud.
I collapsed into a corner of the temple.
I felt so sleepy.
It was as if my body was turning to stone, but it was probably just because I was drunk.
“Fufu… You won’t wake up for a while now.”
Huh?
Something approached me.
Smooth.
Soft.
Smooth.
Fluffy.
What in the world was this sensation?
It felt as if I were being held in the Snake Queen’s embrace.
…But why did it feel like it was happening twice?
It felt like there were two Snake Queens.
“There’s no time, so let’s get it done quickly….”
“I-I’ll go first…!”
I heard a voice I hadn’t heard before.
It was similar to the Snake Queen’s, but a bit higher.
If Shikshik could speak, she would probably sound like that.
…Though she’s probably still far from turning into a human.
“That’s true. You can’t maintain that form for long, after all….”
Just as I was wondering what they were up to, I barely opened my eyes.
Crack!
Two snakes had coiled around my body.
“Gehk… Gehkk!”
Let go.
Let go, you snakes!
*
Gasp!
It seemed I’d had a dream for the first time in a while.
A dream about being devoured by two snakes.
Honestly, how could I fall asleep like that?
Was my training still lacking?
As I tried to stretch—
“Hmm… You’ve already woken up.”
“Chirp…”
The Snake Queen rubbed her eyes.
“Hisss…”
Shikshik coiled her tail around my body.
“…Gehk?”
The snake mother and daughter looked unusually shiny today.
The Snake Queen had her tail wrapped around my torso, and Shikshik had hers coiled around my front legs.
What did you two do?
I touched my cheek with my hand.
Strangely, despite not having shrunk, my cheeks felt hollowed out.
“Gehgehgehk?”
“Ufufu. What are you so worried about?”
I understood immediately.
Just like last time, they must have fed me a **core** while I slept.
…Shouldn’t my body feel better, then?
For some reason, my body felt stiff.
Meanwhile, theirs looked radiant.
“Gehgehgegehk!”
So you did it.
You actually did it!
You defiled this innocent lizard who didn’t know anything….
“Gehhh…”
No, I still don’t know for sure.
Even though their gazes were a bit suspicious, these two weren’t the type to ply me with alcohol and do something improper.
I let out a questioning **gehk** sound.
“Ufufu. Don’t worry. No matter how much, we wouldn’t take advantage of someone while they’re asleep.”
“Gehk!”
Right?
I misunderstood, didn’t I?
They just coiled their tails around me and slept, nothing more, right?
Whew, I almost lost my title as the pure lizard.
“We only held your tail while we slept, so don’t worry too much.”
Why did that sound just like the phrase, “we only held hands while we slept”?
Well, some people do just hold hands, so I guess I shouldn’t doubt them.
“One princess, one for me, and yet there was still one left over.”
Huh?
I glanced down at my tail.
No matter how I looked at it, I only had one tail.
“Ufufu.”
“Chirp chirp chirp.”
…What exactly did you two hold while you slept?