Chapter 153: Flushed Cheeks
I was about to leave right away, but I couldn’t.
It was because I had been affected by an invisible status effect.
Although the status window didn’t mention anything, I felt as if my body had been weakened.
If I had to name it, it would be something like “energy plunder” or “debilitation.”
It was probably something like that.
Shikshik and the Snake Queen clapped their hands in delight.
…I still couldn’t figure out how Shikshik managed to make clapping sounds, but I believed she used her tail.
Thus, I decided to stay a few more days at the Snake Queen’s temple.
The trial at Dragon Gate didn’t seem like something that would end quickly, so it wouldn’t hurt to spend more time with her.
After all, I wouldn’t be able to see this smooth texture and soft energy pouch for a while.
And since I was here, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to figure out how the jungle was functioning.
Currently, the jungle was ruled by the Snake Queen and Argentarvis, who had regained its position as king.
Both planned to step down once their successors had matured.
And all of their successors were somehow connected to me.
There was no need to even mention Shikshik, and for some reason, Jjaekjjaeki seemed to like me a lot.
In other words, if I spent enough time here, this jungle might eventually become the Gecko’s domain.
“Gek, gek, gek.”
The ruler of the jungle, Komodo-Lania.
Honestly, half of it was already mine.
The Snake Queen and Argentarvis both thought highly of me.
And even Soaring Dragon, who lived with the smaller beings, seemed to think favorably of me.
“Kiaaaak!”
A triangular face glared at me.
Old Kompi seemed to have mended his relationship with the Snake Queen somewhat since the last war.
He would sometimes visit the temple.
He would even bring gifts, like a large beehive cradled between his tiny arms.
Of course, the moment he saw me, he would drop the gift onto the ground.
“Keekeeek!”
Seeing Shikshik and the Snake Queen wrapped around me seemed to enrage him, but I was innocent.
I hadn’t done anything—those snake women just wrapped themselves around me out of nowhere.
“Saaaaah!”
Of course, with Shikshik’s face sharp from adolescence, I wasn’t too worried.
“Keek….”
The old man stomped his feet in frustration, but what could he do?
No parent can win against their child, and no grandfather can win against his granddaughter.
It would be easier for him to accept it.
I silently swallowed a joke I was about to make, though Old Kompi seemed to sense my wicked thoughts and began shaking his triangular head furiously.
Of course, the Snake Queen punished him this time.
“Hmph.”
“Keeek….”
With Old Kompi’s invasion thwarted, I spent my time leisurely.
I ate the Okbong’s rice balls and the food the Snake Queen prepared for me.
I ate as if I were a bear preparing for winter.
But for some reason, I wasn’t gaining any weight.
In fact, I felt like my body was getting thinner as time passed.
Despite devouring so much food, why was this happening?
Meanwhile, Shikshik and the Snake Queen’s scales grew shinier by the day.
“Uhuhut.”
“Bep bep bep.”
The snake women smiled meaningfully every time they saw me.
You two know how old I am, right?
I hadn’t been counting the days exactly, but I guessed about six months had passed.
…Maybe they thought I was fully grown by now?
Based on my size, I probably did look like I was fully grown….
“Biyaak….”
I started to feel like I shouldn’t stay here any longer.
My current age seemed to be nearing some sort of threshold for the snake women.
In other words, if I stayed here and matured, the snake women’s restraints would be lifted.
I could clearly envision a future where I ended up as a shriveled-up lizard roast.
“Gekekek!”
So, on the seventh day, I decided it was time to leave.
“It’s a shame.”
“Shikshik….”
Perhaps because I had stayed longer than originally planned, both of their faces seemed to reflect satisfaction.
“As we discussed, show the emblem to him, and he will understand.”
“Gek.”
I nodded lightly.
The Snake Queen said she wanted to help me herself, but she couldn’t leave for an extended period. She had to help Shikshik with her training and manage the jungle.
…Although, for the past week since I arrived, she seemed to do nothing but laze around here. I trusted that she did her work while I was sleeping.
“Biyaak!”
Shikshik naturally coiled around my leg.
Even in adolescence, it seemed she couldn’t suppress her instincts.
This was probably her way of saying, “Take care.”
“Alright. Take care of yourself.”
“Gekek.”
Just as I was about to leave the Snake Queen’s temple.
“Oh, I almost forgot something.”
“Gek?”
I looked at the Snake Queen with anticipation.
Our Snake Queen always gave me something good.
Medicinal herbs, Cores, you name it.
It seemed like she was about to give me something similar again.
“Since the emblem has changed like that, it might be hard for him to recognize at a glance.”
I looked at my necklace.
It had indeed changed significantly from its original form.
So, was she going to give me a new emblem?
That might cause some issues.
I had a feeling that if the spiders saw it, I would end up wrapped in their webs.
“Don’t worry. I’m not planning to change the emblem.”
“Gekek.”
The Snake Queen responded as if she had read my mind.
“You probably have memories attached to it as well, so how could I change it carelessly?”
Thanks for understanding.
“However, I suppose it’s fine to leave a new mark.”
Why did everyone feel the need to leave their traces on this?
Since it originally belonged to the Snake Queen, it was her freedom to carve whatever she wanted.
I stood still, waiting for her to leave her mark on my necklace.
The Snake Queen approached me with a soft smile.
She reached out toward my necklace.
*Smooch.*
Her soft lips touched my cheek.
I was dumbfounded by what just happened, and before I could process it, Shikshik let out a scream.
“Biyaaaaak!”
Shikshik, enraged, began biting the Snake Queen’s fingers.
“Uhuhut.”
While playfully fending off her daughter, the Snake Queen looked me straight in the eyes.
“Heh, your scales are heating up.”
“…Geh.”
The spot where her lips had touched burned.
I hadn’t expected such an attack, and the heat from the Fire Carp’s flame had surged to that spot.
“The landlord would be furious if he knew.”
The Snake Queen laughed as if she was thoroughly amused.
“But I had no choice but to act first. Don’t you agree?”
I couldn’t answer.
I was too busy trying to hide my flushed face.
It was strange.
I had naturally nestled into what I called her soft energy pouch countless times before.
Even then, I hadn’t felt like this. So why did this simple action make my face burn?
“Heh, it’s truly a lovely name.”
The Snake Queen raised her hand and gently stroked my cheek.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever told you my name.”
Her name?
Of course, she hadn’t always been called the Snake Queen.
Naturally, she would have had a name.
“Fasil.”
Fasil.
“That is my name.”
So that was the Snake Queen’s name.
“Remember it. The name of the one who stole your cheek.”
….
Couldn’t she have given me a little warning before doing that?
“Gehgek….”
I answered awkwardly and turned away.
“Biyaaaak!”
Shikshik quickly climbed up my body and began licking the spot where the Snake Queen’s lips had touched.
“Biyaak!”
Shikshik tightly coiled around my neck.
…She was putting a bit too much strength into it.
“Gehk….”
Just as I was about to collapse, the Snake Queen stepped in and freed me from Shikshik’s grip.
“Don’t get distracted while you’re out.”
“Biyak!”
Rather than telling me to be careful, she told me not to get distracted. Truly a comment befitting the snake mother and daughter.
With their parting words, I exited the Snake Queen’s temple.
As I passed the familiar statues, I noticed something strange.
There was a familiar statue.
A large lizard-shaped statue.
…That’s me, isn’t it?
Why was my old skin there?
My shed skin had petrified and turned into a statue.
The problem was, there were bite marks on the statue.
If those marks had come from Shikshik, I would’ve just shrugged it off.
After all, she was at the age where biting everything was normal.
However, the bite marks were too large to be from Shikshik.
Unless they were from the Basilisk.
…Huh?
I had no idea what kind of training she had been doing, but I decided not to think too much about it.
I had a feeling that if I got caught looking at that statue, I’d be locked up in the temple for a month.
“Gehgekeck!”
I quickly ran away.
*
To cool my burning cheek, I had to run fast.
The path to Dragon Gate was long, but it wasn’t treacherous.
With the Snake Queen’s emblem hanging from me, most beasts didn’t even dare to approach.
Of course, even without the emblem, few would have the courage to attack a 10-meter-long lizard.
Plus, I sometimes walked on two legs or hopped around using my tail like a spring, so any creature confident in their strength likely avoided me after seeing those odd movements.
I had traveled for quite some time.
I had left during the day, but the sun was now beginning to set.
Even in the dark, there wasn’t much to worry about.
After all, I had night vision, and I could use my lizard’s keen sense of smell to find my way.
I flicked my tongue to heighten my sense of smell.
“Shhrik…”
I was going in the right direction, but when would I get there?
The surroundings had definitely changed.
The enormous trees of the jungle had vanished, and I could now see several tall mountain peaks in the distance.
Since Dragon Gate was said to be a kind of peak, it must be over there.
The problem was, I didn’t know which peak was Dragon Gate.
In other words, meeting the troublesome creature the Snake Queen mentioned was crucial.
The closer I got to Dragon Gate, the more likely it was that a beast affected by its power would appear. In that case, I might have to fight regardless of the Snake Queen’s emblem.
Should I wait here?
Hmm, maybe I’ll go a little further.
Just as I took a few more steps.
“Awooooo!”
A howling sound echoed.
Yeah, that was definitely the howl of a wolf.
*Thud, thud, thud!*
Large, gray wolves began to surround me.
【Dire Wolf lv30】
【Dire Wolf lv25】
【Dire Wolf lv33】
__________________________
**Dire Wolf**
These ancient canines measure about 1.7 meters in length and weigh around 60 to 80 kilograms. Though they resemble wolves in appearance and behavior, they are top predators that hunt in packs, utilizing their high intelligence.
__________________________
There were about seven Dire Wolves visible.
They were much larger than what the status window indicated, but they were still smaller compared to me.
No matter how many of them there were, they had to know they couldn’t hunt me.
“Grrrr….”
They bared their teeth and growled.
…Snake Queen.
No, Fasil must’ve meant these when she said I’d encounter trouble.
Despite knowing they couldn’t take me down, they were still trying to intimidate me.
I raised my head.
A massive white-furred wolf sat on a rock, looking down at me.
【White Wolf lv75】
The White Wolf.
The leader of these wolves and the guide the Snake Queen had mentioned.