I intended to leave right away, but that wasn't possible.

I had been afflicted with an invisible status ailment.

The status window didn’t reveal anything, but I felt strangely weakened.

If I had to name it, perhaps something like "Energy Drain" or "Debilitation."

Something along those lines.

Shikshik and the Serpent Queen clapped their hands in delight.

…Though I still couldn’t quite understand how Shikshik made the sound of clapping, I believed she must have used her tail.

So, I decided to stay a few more days in the Serpent Queen’s temple.

The trials of the Dragon’s Gate wouldn’t conclude that quickly, and it would be better to see their faces a bit more.

After all, I wouldn’t have the chance to admire this smooth texture and the soft inner energy pockets for a while.

And since I was here, it wouldn’t hurt to understand how the jungle operated.

Currently, this jungle was ruled by the Serpent Queen and Argenta-bis, who had regained her throne.

Both planned to step down once their heirs came of age.

Moreover, all those heirs had some kind of relationship with me.

Shikshik had a lot to say, and it seemed that the little birds liked me for reasons I didn’t know.

In other words, if I spent an appropriate amount of time here, this jungle could become mine.

“Geck geck geck.”

The ruler of the jungle, Kompi-Rania.

In fact, it was already partially mine.

Both the Serpent Queen and Argenta-bis held a favorable view of me.

And it seemed that the small creatures living alongside them thought well of me too.

“Kiaaaak!”

A triangular-faced creature glared at me.

It seemed Kompi had somewhat restored his relationship with the Serpent Queen since the last war.

So, he occasionally visited the temple.

He brought gifts, like a bundle resembling a beehive, tucked under his tiny arms.

Of course, he dropped that gift on the ground as soon as he saw me.

“Keheh!”

He seemed enraged at the sight of me nestled in the Serpent Queen and Shikshik's embrace, but I felt wronged.

I hadn’t done anything; the snake women were the ones who wrapped themselves around me.

“Sahhh!”

Of course, I didn’t worry too much because of Shikshik’s pointy face entering puberty.

“Keheh….”

The old man stomped his feet in frustration, but what could he do?

No parent can win against their children, and no grandfather can win against his granddaughter.

It would be easier for the old man to accept that.

I wouldn’t let a drop of water touch his tail, so he didn’t need to worry.

I swallowed such a joke internally, but it seemed the old man noticed my wicked thoughts and fidgeted his triangular face.

Though this time, the Serpent Queen punished him.

“Hmph.”

“Keheh….”

With the old man’s invasion thwarted, I spent my time leisurely.

I enjoyed the rice cakes from Okbong, as well as the food prepared by the Serpent Queen.

I stuffed myself like a bear preparing for winter.

But for some reason, I didn’t gain any weight.

As time passed, I felt myself growing thinner.

Despite eating an enormous amount, I couldn’t understand why this was happening.

In contrast, the scales of Shikshik and the Serpent Queen glistened more and more each day.

“Uhuhuh.”

“Bbeang bbeang bbeang.”

The snake mother and daughter duo smiled knowingly whenever they looked at me.

You two know my age, right?

I hadn’t kept track of the days precisely, but it seemed roughly six months had passed.

…Perhaps they thought that was enough time for me to have matured?

I looked fully grown in size, but…

“Piyak….”

I felt a nagging sense that I shouldn’t stay any longer.

At my current age, I was approaching a threshold that would trigger some change concerning those snake women.

In other words, spending time here would lead to a lifting of the snake women’s restrictions.

I could easily imagine a future where I would end up as a withered, roasted lizard.

“Gegegeck!”

So, on the seventh day, I decided it was time to leave this place.

“What a pity.”

“Shikshik….”

Perhaps I had stayed longer than initially planned, but their faces looked as if they bore the inscription of satisfaction.

“Just as we talked, you need to show the token to that fellow.”

“Geck.”

I nodded lightly.

As much as she wanted to help me directly, the Serpent Queen couldn’t be away for long. She needed to assist Shikshik in her training and manage the jungle.

…Though I felt like I had done nothing but laze around here for a week since my arrival, I trusted that she had been working while I slept.

“Piyak!”

Shikshik naturally wrapped her body around my leg.

Even in her adolescence, it seemed she couldn’t suppress her instincts.

That was likely a message wishing me a safe journey.

“Alright. Take care of yourself.”

“Geck.”

Just as I was about to leave the Serpent Queen’s temple.

“Oh, I forgot something.”

“Geck?”

I looked at the Serpent Queen with eager eyes.

Our Serpent Queen always gave good gifts.

Whether it was elixirs or inner energy.

It seemed she was going to give me something similar this time.

“It might be hard to recognize at a glance since the token has changed so much.”

I examined my necklace.

It indeed looked quite different from its initial form.

If that were the case, was she giving me a new token?

Then I could foresee various problems arising.

The moment I got discovered by the spiders, I felt like I would be entangled in their webs.

“Don’t worry. I’m not saying I will change the token.”

“Geck.”

The Serpent Queen answered as if she had read my thoughts.

“Surely you have memories associated with it, so how could I change it recklessly?”

I appreciated her understanding.

“However, it’s fine to make a new engraving.”

Why did everyone feel the need to leave their marks?

Since it was originally the Serpent Queen’s, she was free to engrave whatever she liked.

I stood still, waiting for her to leave a mark on the necklace.

The Serpent Queen approached with a slight smile.

Just when she seemed about to touch the necklace.

Peck.

Her soft lips touched my cheek.

I was dumbfounded, unsure of what was happening when Shikshik screamed.

“Piyaaaak!”

Furious, Shikshik bit the Serpent Queen’s finger.

“Uhuhuh.”

The Serpent Queen managed to deal with her daughter while looking straight into my eyes.

“Hehe, your scales are warm.”

“…Geck.”

The spot where her lips had touched felt heated.

It must have been due to the unexpected attack and the heat from the fire energy concentrated there.

“If the owner finds out, he will be very angry.”

The Serpent Queen laughed as if it amused her.

“But it was a situation where I couldn’t avoid going first. You think the same, right?”

I couldn’t respond.

I was too busy trying to hide my flushing face.

It was strange.

Naturally, I had often cuddled into the pouch I called my inner energy, yet I had never felt this way before. Why did I feel so hot from her recent actions?

“Hehe. What a lovely name.”

The Serpent Queen stroked my cheek with her hand.

“Speaking of which, I don’t think I’ve told you my name.”

Name?

Right, she hadn’t been called the Serpent Queen since the moment she was born.

It was only natural that she had a name.

“Pashil.”

Pashil.

“That’s my name.”

So, that was the name of the Serpent Queen.

“Remember it. The name of the one who stole your cheek.”

….

Could you please turn on your turn signal before coming in?

“Gegeck…”

After a proper reply, I turned away.

“Piyaaaak!”

Shikshik quickly climbed up my body and licked the spot where the Serpent Queen’s lips had touched.

“Piyaak!”

Shikshik wrapped around my neck tightly.

…She was gripping a bit too hard.

“Geck…”

Just before I fell over in disbelief, I managed to escape Shikshik’s grasp thanks to the Serpent Queen’s help.

“Don’t get distracted and come back safely.”

“Piyak!”

It wasn’t just a warning to be careful but a reminder not to get distracted—truly typical of the snake mother and daughter.

I left the Serpent Queen’s temple, feeling their send-off behind me.

I passed by familiar statues.

There was one statue that looked particularly familiar.

It was a large lizard-shaped statue.

…Isn’t that me?

Why is my shed skin over there?

The shed skin had petrified and turned into a statue.

The problem was that the statue had bite marks on it.

If it were from Shikshik, I could brush it off as a casual thing.

After all, she was at the age where she’d be biting everything.

But the bite marks were too large to belong to Shikshik.

If anything, it looked more like the bite of a Basilisk.

…Huh?

I had no idea what had been practiced, but it seemed best not to dwell on it any longer.

If I were caught looking at that statue, I felt like I would be locked in the temple for a

 month.

“Gegegeck!”

I quickly ran away.

*

To cool my hot cheeks, I had to run quickly.

The road to the Dragon’s Gate was long, but it wasn’t treacherous.

With the Serpent Queen’s token, most beasts wouldn’t dare attack me.

Of course, even without the token, there were few brave enough to assault a lizard nearly 10 meters long.

Besides, I sometimes walked on two legs or demonstrated strange behavior by bouncing with my tail like a spring, so even confident creatures would likely pass me by.

After traveling for a while.

Though I had set out during the day, night was beginning to fall.

The darkness posed no problem.

I possessed night vision and could also navigate using my unique sense of smell as a lizard.

I flicked my tongue out, maximizing my olfactory senses.

“Shirrik….”

I felt like I was going in the right direction, but when would I reach it?

The surrounding scenery had definitely changed.

The enormous trees of the jungle had disappeared, and I could see some tall mountain peaks in the distance.

Since the Dragon’s Gate was said to be a type of peak, the gate must be over there somewhere.

However, the issue was that I didn’t know which peak was the Dragon’s Gate.

In other words, it was crucial to meet that unfortunate fellow the Serpent Queen mentioned.

As I got closer to the Dragon’s Gate, beasts influenced by its power would likely appear, so I might have to fight regardless of the Serpent Queen’s token.

Should I wait here?

No, let’s go a bit further.

Just as I took a few more steps.

“Auwooo!”

The howling of a canine echoed.

Yes, that was the howl of a wolf.

Thud!

Massive gray wolves began to encircle me.

【Dire Wolf lv30】

【Dire Wolf lv25】

【Dire Wolf lv33】

__________________________

【Dire Wolf】

The ancient canine creature is about 1.7m long and weighs between 60-80kg. Its appearance and lifestyle are not much different from that of a wolf, and it is a top predator that hunts in packs based on its high intelligence.

__________________________

I could see about seven Dire Wolves.

They were much larger than what the status window had told me, but compared to me, they were certainly smaller.

No matter how many there were, they shouldn’t have the guts to hunt me.

“Grrooar….”

They growled, baring their teeth.

…The Serpent Queen.

No, Pashil had called this unfortunate situation.

Despite knowing that, they still threatened me like this.

I lifted my head high.

A massive white-furred wolf was perched on a rock, looking down at me.

【White Wolf lv75】

The White Wolf.

That wolf was their leader and the guide introduced to me by the Serpent Queen.