Chapter 76 The Lizard Drained of Qi
“As I said before, I don’t dislike those with ambition.”
The Snake Queen flicked her long tongue.
I often forgot, focusing on her inner power pouch, but seeing this reminded me she was indeed a snake.
“But your ambition is too great. I can’t handle it alone.”
“Hieek…”
Shikshik nodded in agreement with her.
But is eating two fish that ambitious?
“Shameless and arrogant.”
Really? Just for two fish?
“Hieeeek!”
Shikshik nodded vigorously again.
What kind of fish are these?
You just gave them to me to eat.
I only ate them wisely.
“Actually, I created this situation to test you.”
To test me?
A test from the Snake Queen.
It sounded like there would be all kinds of rewards if I passed.
And eating fish was the test?
“My daughter and I debated a lot about what choice you would make. Whether you were just a slightly strong lizard or someone with the potential to become a dragon.”
Hearing it put that way, it didn’t sound bad.
If I hadn’t passed the test, a destructive beam might have come my way.
“You passed beautifully. You really have the potential to become a dragon.”
“Hieeek…”
The potential to become a dragon.
Well, I was starting to look at dinosaurs now.
“Truly amazing potential.”
Oh, it’s not that much.
But it felt good to be praised.
“Your potential is truly excellent.”
You’re talking about potential, right?
“Potential…”
Snake Queen.
And Shikshik.
Where are you looking?
And why are you emphasizing potential so much?
“Gek!”
Gah!
I felt so embarrassed I hid myself.
“Hieeek…”
Shikshik smacked her lips as if disappointed.
This was getting scary.
“Uhuhoot. Just kidding.”
The Snake Queen said, turning her head away sharply.
Not being able to see her expression made it even scarier.
Did I feel more in danger now than when fighting the cockatrice?
“We can’t just sit around. It’s a good day, so I should bring out the aged liquor.”
The unexpected word left me momentarily stunned.
Liquor?
Is it the liquor I know?
The Snake Queen smiled and disappeared somewhere.
I wasn’t much of a drinker, but I hadn’t touched a drop since coming here.
Sometimes I missed the food I used to eat, and liquor was one of them.
Of course, there should be liquor in a martial arts world.
…Though I didn’t know why a snake would have it.
Now that the Snake Queen had gone to get the liquor, I was left alone with Shikshik.
“Hiek…”
Shikshik stared at me.
Glancing around, she slowly crawled over.
She placed her tail on my head and tried to place her head on my tail.
So, she stretched her body out to measure my size?
I didn’t know her intention, but it was kind of cute.
Maybe comparing because she got bigger.
Okay, Shikshik.
Stay cute like that.
While enjoying Shikshik’s antics, I felt my heart heal.
“I’ve been waiting for a day like this.”
The Snake Queen reappeared.
Holding a bottle and a cup in each hand.
Why did she have a cup, not just the liquor?
She’s half human, but essentially a snake.
“No matter how magical a creature, its nature is a snake. You must be curious why I have this.”
Her reptilian eyes stared at me.
They seemed to read my mind.
“Gek.”
“It was a gift. To be exact, from a human much younger than me.”
A gift for the Snake Queen?
Not something she just took after eating them?
“He was smaller than me, but his strength was incomparable to mine.”
No human like that exists.
…Unless it’s Baek Yeonyeong.
“I thought I was dead for sure, but he generously gave me miraculous medicine, artifacts, and liquor like this.”
So, not Baek Yeonyeong.
If it were her, the Snake Queen would be a skewer by now…
Or maybe not.
She did seem strangely friendly to reptiles, so maybe it was Baek Yeonyeong.
The resemblance in their faces might be because the Snake Queen had seen her.
“I wasn’t fond of appearing human, but after seeing him, I changed my mind. Realizing how strong one could become in a human body.”
Whoever it was, they seemed nice.
Thanks to them, I could see the Snake Queen’s inner power pouch.
If not for them, I’d be watching a giant basilisk pouring liquor.
“Here, have a drink. I’m curious about the taste too.”
I accepted the cup the Snake Queen handed over.
It was a bit small for me, but it was still liquor.
Just seeing the brilliant color after so long was intoxicating.
I downed it in one go.
Sip.
“Gek!”
I let out a surprised sound.
This taste.
Definitely alcohol!
The first taste of liquor since reincarnating in this world!
A sensation like swallowing a cold fireball.
It felt like I could sense every part of my body.
Strong, but not unpleasant.
I could tell it was good liquor.
“Ah… it’s quite delicious.”
The Snake Queen seemed satisfied with the taste too.
“Squeak!”
Shikshik also demanded liquor.
Sorry, but you’re still young.
“…Well, it’s about time the princess could drink too.”
Oh, right, she’s older than me.
The ball python lightly licked the liquor in the cup the Snake Queen handed over.
“Hieeeek!”
The ball python was shocked by the taste of the liquor.
Why drink something so bitter?
That’s probably what she’s thinking.
But I saw her tongue flicker again.
“…Hiek!”
That’s how everyone starts.
“Good. Good food, good liquor. And…”
The Snake Queen trailed off, staring at me.
“Lizard with legs. Do you know why I brought out this liquor?”
Well, because today is a good day, right?
The day we defeated the cockatrice.
A very reliable partner.
Obedient.
Sometimes helps with tail cutting.
“This liquor is called Yeohong. Even though I’ve had interactions with humans, you might not know what kind of liquor this is.”
No, I know it well.
Yeohong is a staple in martial arts novels.
It’s often described as extremely expensive.
In fact, calling it expensive is an understatement.
You could buy it with money, but it’s hardly ever sold.
Yeohong is brewed to celebrate the birth of a daughter.
“This liquor was buried when I accepted this child as my daughter.”
A liquor beyond monetary value.
Though frequently ordered at local inns in stories, doing so in reality would get you scolded or kicked out.
Yeohong was drunk when the daughter grew up and got married.
A liquor you can’t just drink because you’re rich.
“I brought it out sooner than expected, but it’s fate.”
…Then why are we drinking it now?
“Here, have another drink.”
No, Yeohong…
Isn’t it for a daughter’s wedding?
“There’s delicious meat here too. Why not continue drinking? Just think of Yeohong with this greasy meat. Doesn’t it make your mouth water?”
Gulp.
“Right. Now, drink up.”
…Just one more cup?
Sip.
Ah.
It’s really good.
“After eating such a yang-rich food, you need this liquor to balance it out.”
The Snake Queen put more meat in my mouth.
Chew chew.
“Now. Drink another.”
I opened my mouth and accepted the liquor from the Snake Queen.
Was Yeohong always this delicious?
My whole body felt hot and cold at the same time.
Yes, the cold.
The internal heat in my body seemed to harmonize with the cold in the liquor.
Even if it was said to be a fish as good as a miraculous medicine, it just looked like a Black Piranha.
So, it was likely a normal fish that was good for the body.
Creating such a taste with just a normal fish and liquor.
The Snake Queen was indeed remarkable.
“Keep drinking.”
Sigh, but isn’t this too much?
Shouldn’t I be immune to alcohol with the Thousand Poisons Immunity?
Why do I feel so lethargic?
Maybe I should stop.
“Squeak!”
Shikshik handed me the cup with her tail.
“Ho. What’s taking so long? The princess’s tail would be embarrassed.”
Alright. Just one more drink from Shikshik.
“Gek…”
Sip.
Ah.
It’s delicious.
If I felt better, I’d drink more.
“Now, keep drinking.”
No.
This is my limit.
…Just one more?
“What a big-hearted person. There’s still plenty of liquor left.”
Yeah.
If not now, when would I drink again?
Just a bit more…
Thud.
My head felt dizzy.
“One more…”
I felt happy for no reason and started to feel sleepy.
“…Finally asleep.”
—
I felt like something was pressing on me.
It was hard to breathe.
It felt like something was continuously entering my throat.
…
Gasp!
I woke up with a start.
I had dozed off.
“Already awake?”
In front of me was a majestic inner power pouch.
On a usual day, waking up to this would have been great.
But now it was different.
The Snake Queen and Shikshik were wrapped around me.
I felt the smooth touch of their skin.
“You could sleep more.”
“Squeak!”
This must be a peculiar way for snakes to sleep.
Coiling together to maintain body temperature or something.
…But both of them had wide-open eyes?
Their skin seemed unusually smooth too.
What did they do while I slept?
“Don’t worry. I have principles. How could I covet someone sleeping?”
“Squeak!”
“…I did consider it a lot though.”
“Hieeeek!”
You did nothing?
You
expect me to believe that?
“Gekekeke!”
I was definitely taken advantage of by the snake mother and daughter.
I had become a lizard drained of qi.
See, I had no strength…
Wait.
Why did I feel so energetic?
[You have consumed 【Thousand-Year Fire Carp】.]
[You have consumed 【Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng Liquor】.]
[You have consumed 【Top-grade Core (Yellow)】.]
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Snake Queen.
I apologize for doubting you.
“If you’re truly grateful, secretly…”
“Squeak!”
Never mind.
“Gekekek!”