Chapter 75 The Snake Queen’s Reward
It felt like the weather had gotten even hotter, but the journey back wasn’t difficult at all.
It made sense, considering I was returning after successfully completing a task and anticipating a reward.
My steps toward the temple were light.
I soon spotted the familiar shape of the temple.
The Black Dragons lurking around it stared at me.
They were certainly intimidating creatures.
If it was a one-on-one fight, I felt like I could win, but somehow, I had the feeling that if these guys got into battle mode, they’d stand on two legs just like me.
Then they’d probably swing their tails like swords.
…Was I overthinking it?
“Kurwoar.”
One of the Black Dragons tilted its head.
It didn’t seem particularly pleased to see me, but it didn’t attack either.
After all, I was a lizard endorsed by the Snake Queen.
“Gegegegek!”
“Kurwoar….”
The Black Dragon swung its sharp tail, pointing toward the temple.
It probably meant I could go straight in without stopping anywhere else.
Alright, you too, take care.
“Gegek.”
I scurried into the temple.
The traps had been deactivated long ago, so I didn’t have to worry as I walked through.
Even if the traps were still active, they wouldn’t be a problem for me.
…But why did everything feel so cramped?
Did I level up too much? My size seemed to have grown quite a bit.
The hallway, which I used to pass through with ease, now felt narrow.
If I evolve like this, I might not be able to get out at all.
Well, the Snake Queen will handle it somehow.
There are a few holes in the ceiling, so she could just toss me up and I’d be able to get out.
After passing through the narrow hallway, I arrived at the garden.
Kwaaaang!
A massive burst of light suddenly appeared.
No, it wasn’t just a burst of light.
It was a destructive beam.
A destructive beam of immense power shot toward the ceiling with holes.
Kukwaaaang!
The one who fired that beam casually looked at me and spoke.
“You’ve returned safely.”
Yes, I returned safely.
Except for almost getting swept up in the destructive beam the Snake Queen fired as a celebratory cannon.
“Piyaaak!”
Shikshik also eagerly fired a beam into the air.
Does she even know what she’s imitating?
Kwaaang!
…Wait a minute, why is that beam so powerful?
The first time I saw it, it was just a small beam.
But now it had grown to a level where it could even pierce through my dragon scales.
Is this the difference that talent makes?
She truly had the qualities to be the next queen.
“Religion, huh. You’ve grown a lot in such a short time. Thanks to you, my daughter has also become so strong.”
That’s right.
Shikshik’s power had been enhanced by the effects of the Gecko Faith.
My level had risen significantly, and with the creation of the religion, it was no wonder she had grown so rapidly.
“Piyaaak!”
After firing the celebratory beam, Shikshik crawled into my embrace.
No, since she has no legs, it’s more accurate to say she slithered.
“Byak!”
Shikshik rubbed her head against me.
…You’ve grown a lot, haven’t you?
She had become even plumper and longer.
She sure was growing fast.
“Hmph. Does it please you that much, princess?”
Ssss.
The Snake Queen also slithered toward me.
“You’ve worked hard. You accomplished something far more difficult than what I entrusted to you.”
The Snake Queen extended her hand toward me.
I knew what that gesture meant.
I lowered my head so she could stroke it properly.
“Hieek!”
Chomp!
Shikshik immediately bit my foot.
“Ufufuf.”
The Snake Queen laughed and stroked my head.
After being thoroughly petted from both sides, it happened.
“By the way, did you bring the core?”
Of course, I did.
I pulled out the top-grade core that was tucked between my scales and handed it to the Snake Queen.
Just looking at it made my mouth water.
If I weren’t such a well-behaved lizard, I would’ve gobbled it up and fled.
“It’s certainly the core of Gorgodoros.”
The Snake Queen gazed at the core with slightly sad eyes.
Come to think of it, she did say it was once her subordinate.
I wasn’t sure of the details, but there must have been a story behind it.
One of the Cockatrice’s abilities was mind control.
Even I had almost succumbed to it several times; it was an incredibly powerful ability.
Maybe Gorgodoros had fallen under its control too.
And the Snake Queen, with tears in her eyes, had to purge such a creature.
“That damned thing. It sided with them even without being mind-controlled, huh? Serves it right.”
Oh, never mind.
“This core is useless to me. The princess might need it, but it holds too much power for her to handle right now.”
Come on.
Anyone would think you’re doubting me.
I’ve always trusted the Snake Queen.
“…So relax your grip.”
“Gek….”
I cautiously loosened my grip.
Was I still suffering from the aftereffects of the mind control?
I wasn’t usually like this.
“This core still contains the venom and petrifying power of Gorgodoros. There wouldn’t be any major problems if you ate it as it is, but it would be difficult to fully make its power your own.”
The Snake Queen took the core from my hand.
“We need to discard what needs to be discarded and add what needs to be added. I’ll turn it into the perfect core for you.”
How reassuring.
I already got to eat the Myriad-Year Golden Spirit Fruit; is it really okay to receive such generosity again?
“…Your expression is a bit strange. Why are you grinning and drooling?”
“Gek!”
The top-grade core of the Cockatrice passed into the hands of the Snake Queen and was placed into a vessel she called a Yangdong.
I thought it was just a tool for drawing water, but it turned out to be a type of divine artifact.
“I’ll set the core aside for now, but I should give you the promised reward.”
“Piyaaak!”
The moment I’d been eagerly waiting for had arrived.
The Snake Queen’s reward!
Shikshik too!
I had refrained from evolving just to get here for this reward.
If I evolved after receiving the reward, I’d have more choices.
“Now, close your eyes.”
Close my eyes?
What kind of reward is this?
“Gegek….”
I felt a little uneasy, but I did as I was told.
Kukwaaaang!
Puuuuuuuong!
I heard another earth-shaking roar.
It sounded like the Queen and Shikshik were using destructive beams for something.
I clenched my eyes shut, thinking the beam’s trajectory might change if I opened them.
How much time had passed like that? The Snake Queen’s voice finally called out to me.
“You’ve waited long enough. You can open your eyes now.”
What in the world had they prepared that caused such noise?
“Gek?”
What I saw when I opened my eyes was something quite different from what I had expected.
A wooden table came into view.
And on it were various kinds of meat.
Judging by the slight charring, it seemed they had tried to mimic cooking with the destructive beams.
It looked like a full-course meal, but all meat, which was unusual.
Wait, could snakes do something like this?
…But is this it?
Is there no elixir or anything?
“This is what the princess and I prepared together, and we each have something separate.”
Right.
An elixir!
“How about this? Doesn’t it look like a truly delectable fish?”
The Snake Queen brought out a platter with two fish on it.
…Fish?
How did she even find that in the jungle?
It was certainly an unexpected reward.
But it felt a little lacking.
“It’s a fish as good as any elixir. I prepared the big one, and my daughter prepared the small one.”
That changed the story.
“Gegek!”
I began shoveling the food they had prepared into my mouth.
I had expended a lot of energy, and with the Cockatrice turned to stone, I hadn’t been able to fill my belly.
The meat prepared by the Snake Queen and Shikshik was just to my taste.
It was moderately bloody, and the texture was quite good.
“Do you like it?”
“Gegek!”
Of course, if this had been the end, I would have made a grumpy face.
But as the Snake Queen said, the main course was yet to come.
Two fish that were as good as an elixir!
They were probably similar to the Myriad-Year Fire Carp.
…They also vaguely resembled Black Piranha.
I was about to reach for the fish after finishing the meat.
“Wait.”
The Snake Queen stopped me.
She held me back and then, with her clean white fingers, tore a piece of flesh from the large fish.
“You know that older fish or meat is tastier, right?”
Was that true?
“Some might prefer young fish, but the true taste of an aged fish is incomparable.”
“Piyaaak!”
Shikshik seemed to be upset for some reason.
The Snake Queen blocked Shikshik’s approach with her other hand.
“Open wide.”
I do have hands and feet, you know.
Chomp.
Munch.
“How is it?”
…This fish.
It was incredibly delicious.
The firm yet tender flesh left a strong impression.
“It’s
a rich and firm flesh. A rare delicacy.”
Just as she said.
“This fish would be the mother of that fish. So, what do you think? An older fish is definitely more delicious, isn’t it?”
I nodded vigorously.
I had never tasted a fish this delicious before.
The Snake Queen smiled contentedly.
“Here, there’s more. Keep going….”
“Piyaaak!”
Shikshik’s angry beam hit the Snake Queen’s fingers.
“…Alright. Now it’s the princess’s turn.”
The princess’s turn?
Shikshik quickly approached me.
She grabbed the small fish that was next to the big fish with her mouth and tapped me with her tail.
It seemed like she was asking me to try this one too.
Well, I ate the big one, so I should try the small one too.
Chomp.
Munch.
…This taste.
[The 【Ball Python LV18】 looks at you with eager eyes.]
It was delicious.
It was incredibly delicious.
The tender flesh melted in my mouth the moment it touched my tongue.
The unique sweetness of the young fish combined to create a heavenly flavor.
“Gegek!”
I let out a very satisfied gegek sound.
“Piyak!”
The Ball Python wagged its tail.
I could eat as much of this fish as I wanted.
Just as I was about to continue eating the fish, the Snake Queen looked at me with a cold expression.
…Why did she suddenly become so scary?
“Was it that delicious? Better than the big fish?”
“Gegegek….”
No, not necessarily.
“Did you prefer the big fish? Or….”
“Piyaaak!”
[The 【Ball Python LV18】 asks if you liked the small fish better.]
What’s this?
I felt like I was approaching some kind of crossroads.
My crisis detection was giving me intense warnings.
Both the Snake Queen and Shikshik were staring at me intently.
Not metaphorically, but it really felt like they were going to bore a hole through me.
Why were they doing this?
It seemed like they were asking me to choose between the two….
To heck with it, I didn’t care anymore.
Chomp.
Munch.
I ate both fish at once.
“Oh?”
Why choose just one?
No, if I eat them together, the problem is solved.
I wanted to praise myself for my clever thinking.
I didn’t know why, but it seemed like the Snake Queen and the Snake Princess were having some kind of competition with the food they had prepared. Well, it seemed like a trivial family matter.
They probably wanted me to resolve it, but thanks to my flexible thinking, I managed to get through it.
Family issues should be resolved within the family.
Don’t drag outsiders into it.
“Gegegek!”
The Snake Queen slithered toward me.
Shikshik did the same.
[The 【Ball Python LV18】 looks very embarrassed.]
Right.
It seemed like you both felt guilty, so that’s good.
I’m letting it go because the fish was good.
Talk to each other and work it out.
“You really are greedy. Trying to take both at once….”
…Huh?
“Gegegegegegek!”