**Swoosh.**

*Pop.*

With a cute little sound, I was able to pop out of the gourd.

I’d thought I’d have to walk back, but thankfully, it brought me right back to where I had been.

Still, I can’t afford to let my guard down.

While the Snake Queen would never lose, the enemy could easily take the gourd and run off. I might need to fight the moment I step out.

“Krek!”

An enormous mountain loomed in front of me, blocking my view.

"…Astounding," I muttered.

The Snake Queen, as usual, stood there proudly with her impressive core pouch on full display.

And I realized I was nestled right up against her.

"Krek-krek."

This is a misunderstanding.

I quickly rolled away to escape and stood up naturally to assess the situation.

Since she was still in human form, it looked like she’d already dealt with Pilbang and the Nagal Tzo.

Seeing no corpses around suggested they might have fled.

…Judging by the stone wings lying around, though, it doesn’t seem they made it out in one piece.

Maybe they’re inside the Snake Queen’s belly by now.

The Snake Queen simply stared at me.

“You defeated the Biyi Bird?”

“Krek-krek.”

I nodded slightly, and the Snake Queen’s expression shifted.

Of course, a kidnapped little lizard returning after taking down the Biyi Bird was bound to be surprising.

What’s more, I’d completely recovered thanks to leveling up, so I returned without a scratch.

“You’ve done well,” she said, closing her eyes.

Then, as if dealing with a headache, she massaged her temples gently.

“Krek?”

Was she hurt?

I moved to support her with my tail out of concern, but she waved it off with a calm smile.

“No need. This isn’t due to the battle.”

Does she have anemia?

She glanced briefly at my now plump—no, larger—belly, then said, “It seems you consumed quite a bit of divine energy.”

Kekec’s faith is impressive, yes, but its followers aren’t that numerous.

It seems there’s still a long way to go to match the powers Nephila demonstrated.

Even so, I’m guessing her display was only possible because of the Snake Queen’s help.

"Krek-krek."

I bowed my head in gratitude, and the Snake Queen raised an eyebrow, much like Nephila Jurassica would.

“What is it you’re wearing around your neck?”

What else would it be?

The token you gave me…

“Krek…”

I watched her carefully, wondering if this would be like adding another ring on top of an engagement ring.

“What an amusing design. I’ll have to meet her in person one day.”

Truly, the Snake Queen’s generosity is as vast as her core pouch.

It seemed she didn’t mind much.

“I suppose it’s best to keep it hidden,” she said, subtly flipping the necklace around so the lizard image didn’t show.

…Doesn’t that mean she *does* mind?

“This outcome is more than I expected. The henchmen of Ketsalgahautl all attacked together, yet you managed to take down the Biyi Bird. Just like during the battle with the Gadorisu… it feels like I’m always in your debt.”

Oh, no, it’s not like I’m just helping you out.

“Krek-krek.”

It’s mutual. This has been a great experience for me, too.

After all, facing off against two flying Dimetrodons flapping their crests and soaring around together isn’t something you experience every day.

“…That was what the Snake Queen had to say.”

“Krek?”

Thud.

The Snake Queen’s hand grabbed the back of my neck.

Even though I’d leveled up and grown larger, for some reason, I felt weak in her grip.

“Kreeek…”

Why is she doing this all of a sudden?

Women’s feelings are hard to understand sometimes.

I looked up at her warily.

“And now I speak, not as the Snake Queen, but from another perspective.”

There was a hint of anger in her tone, and I couldn’t quite grasp why.

After all, hadn’t I fended off Ketsalgahautl’s attack?

I’d even achieved the tremendous feat of hunting down the Biyi Bird.

I’m not one to brag, but isn’t this something to be proud of?

I let out a frustrated *krek*.

“Do you truly trust me that little?”

I was at a loss for words.

I knew exactly what she meant.

“Why would you do something you weren’t asked to do?”

“Krek…”

This trap wasn’t meant for the Snake Queen in the first place.

In other words, the attack from Nagal Tzo was unlikely to harm her.

I’d thought I’d risked my life to help her, but I was mistaken.

“You think I’d fall to such a minor attack?”

Why help if she hadn’t asked for it?

She might sound as if she’d want to give me a smack on the head, but that wasn’t her intention.

“If you had died, did you consider how those left behind would feel?”

Those left behind.

This wasn’t only about the Snake Queen and Shikshik.

She meant everyone I was connected to.

If I threw my life away meaninglessly and died like that…

“They would refuse to believe it, shed tears, and then rage.”

They would grieve, feel sorrow, and burn with anger all at once.

“Like children, they would cry all day, wasting away in meaningless despair.”

They’d lose their sense of purpose, wandering aimlessly.

The Snake Queen’s hand trembled slightly.

Would my absence truly mean that much?

Maybe I’m overestimating myself.

But I couldn’t dismiss her words lightly.

If I died, there were indeed those who would react that way.

That’s exactly what the Snake Queen was telling me.

I am the pillar of Kekec’s faith.

If I disappear, those tied to me would suffer.

Their lives may well be intertwined with mine.

In other words, she was telling me to cherish myself more.

That’s what she meant.

The Snake Queen’s face was calm and expressionless, but I knew she felt deeply.

I’d seen her smile warmly over a simple dumpling.

This wasn’t just the Snake Queen speaking; it was someone who carried memories of the past.

Perhaps this was tied to her history.

Ketsalgahautl had killed every last disciple of Honhui, betraying them all.

The bottled-up emotions she’d felt then… she was sharing them with me now.

Her hand stopped trembling.

“Forgive me. I seem to have thrown a small fit.”

Her voice carried a mix of emotions.

“This isn’t something to be upset about. I’m sure you had your reasons.”

A bit of anger at my reckless leap into danger.

“And your feat was so great that even repeated thanks wouldn’t be enough.”

Gratitude for my return after defeating the Biyi Bird.

“But next time, please think of those who would be left behind.”

And the regret stirred up by memories of the past.

“…That’s all.”

The torrent of her emotions concluded with those words.

*Drip.*

*Drip.*

Warm droplets fell.

Could it be… was the Snake Queen crying?

I quickly looked up to check.

“Peeek…”

Staring at me with teary eyes was a cute little snake.

Not the Snake Queen’s tears—Shikshik’s.

“Well, since you’ve caused such mischief, I suppose you should at least calm my daughter down,” said the Snake Queen playfully.

It seemed she’d already processed everything we’d just discussed.

Now, my only task was to soothe this round and adorable snake.

“Peeeeek…”

Shikshik slid off the Snake Queen’s shoulder and clung tightly to me, rubbing her face against me.

“Peeek…”

It must have been a shock for Shikshik.

Not only was the sudden attack terrifying, but she also saw me disappear into the gourd in an instant.

And with the Snake Queen protecting her, the battle dragged on without her using her core abilities. She probably thought I’d been captured because of her.

“Peeeeek…”

Shikshik sobbed, clinging to my front leg.

…Can snakes even cry?

Setting that thought aside, I focused on calming her down.

…But how?

“Peeeek…”

It’s not like I’ve ever comforted a crying child, let alone a crying snake.

Should I cut off a piece of my tail as a gesture?

But considering how large my tail is, she probably couldn’t even swallow it in this state.

…Right.

I pulled out an inner core I had tucked under my left arm.

“Hiss?”

Shikshik tilted her head, curious.

With trembling hands, I offered it to her.

“Krek-krek.”

She sniffed at it—well, flicked her tongue to taste the air.

Yes, smell it carefully.

I’m giving it to you out of generosity.

After all the elixirs I’ve received, giving one of the two inner cores isn’t too much.

…And this victory is also due to the followers’ dedication to leveling up.

Think of it as an investment.

Yes, an investment.

Not a hint of regret.

“Hiss? Hiiiss?”

Shikshik’s eyes sparkled, as if wondering if this was truly meant for her.

Her tail wagged furiously.

Not a hint of regret, but I gritted my teeth as I nodded.

“Peeeeek!”

Shikshik squealed with joy, rubbing her face against my chest.

Though she didn’t seem particularly interested in inner cores or elixirs, she seemed delighted just because it was from me.

*Chomp!*

…I’d barely let go, but she snatched it quickly. Guess she’s not entirely without greed.

Curling up tightly, Shikshik nestled the core against herself.

Such a peculiar sight.

Is it because she’s a ball python? She looked almost mystical.

For a moment, I even felt like shrinking down and crawling into that cozy spot myself.

“…Krek!”

There I go with strange thoughts again.

Could there be something wrong with my mental technique?

Maybe I need to examine it more closely once I have time.

I’m fine, so it must be the technique that’s flawed.

“So you think you can fix everything with a gift, hmm? And to think my daughter forgives so easily. I wonder where she got that from.”

The Snake Queen fixed me with a piercing look.

It seemed everything had worked out.

In the end, we’d fended off the Biyi Bird without any major losses.

The Snake Queen gave me a proper warning.

I gained a sense of caution.

And Shikshik, having stopped crying, could become stronger.

No one suffered—not a single reptile lost anything.

“To be forgiven with a single gift from her partner. Hmm…”

The Snake Queen mumbled to herself, almost as if talking to me.

“To be forgiven with a single gift personally given by her partner…”

After all, it was the inner core of the Biyi Bird.

And for Shikshik, her greatest wish is to become strong enough not to be a burden.

“For her to forgive her partner’s shamelessness with just one gift, despite him leaving marks on the token I gave him…”

…Are you even breathing while you’re saying all this?

I glanced at the Snake Queen.

Her expression was the same as usual, yet there was something different.

If I ever gain the skill *Divine Insight*, I’m sure I’d see “expectation” written somewhere on her status.

“Kreek…?”

I gave Shikshik a gift.

But I hadn’t given the Snake Queen anything.

Was this her way of asking for one?

Just in case, I offered her my remaining core.

Feigning indifference, she glanced at it, a hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth.

“You’re giving it to me?”

You asked for it, didn’t you?

“Krek.”

“It’s fine. While a Biyi Bird core is indeed valuable, it doesn’t hold much significance for me.”

…What?

Then why the silent pressure?

The Snake Queen seemed unusually cheerful.

…Even though we’ve known each other for a while, I still can’t always understand her thoughts.

Is it because she’s a divine creature, or just because she’s female?

Understanding a woman’s heart truly is a challenge.

“Krek-krek.”

Slightly flustered, I realized the matter was truly settled.

I’d kept the core, calmed Shikshik, and left the Snake Queen seemingly satisfied.

Now, we could either chase down the escaping birds or return to the temple for rest and recovery.

Since she seems in no rush to pursue them, I guess we’re heading back to the temple.

Once Argentavis fully recovers, the Snake Queen’s side will gain a significant advantage from having hunted down the Biyi Bird.

So I should be able to absorb the Biyi Bird’s core and strengthen myself while he’s recuperating.

“I’ll assist with your core absorption.”

“Krek-krek!”

I can trust the Snake Queen with this.

“In exchange, you’ll give me another gift.”

The Snake Queen left that cryptic remark hanging.

Woooon.

An alarm sounded in my head.

The core!

Take the core instead!

“KEEEEEEEK!”