"Sishishi."

"Stop pulling, Sishishi."

“Pipak…”

“Tus, Pus.”

Stop biting my tail.

“Keeng…”

“Kioong…”

While I was collapsing, Tus and Pus were tugging at me from both sides.

“Gekgek.”

Have I drunk too much?

It always feels like I'm falling for the same trick.

“Geek…”

I staggered and stood up again.

I might have acted a little carelessly, but I trust my followers.

There’s no way my divine beasts would do anything terrible while I was drunk, right?

I just had a little drink and rested comfortably.

Nothing more, nothing less.

…My body feels a little stiff, but that’s within the expected range.

It always happens when I sleep in the Snake Queen’s temple.

Just as I was about to tap Pus on the rear,

“Are you awake?”

The Snake Queen, with a strangely satisfied expression, lifted her head.

I could feel the slippery texture of her scales on my body—she was holding me with her tail.

And on top of that, Nephila was lying down.

It seemed like the snakes were all coiled up together in one spot.

“Gekgek.”

“Hmm.”

Nephila smiled brightly as she massaged my shoulders.

My upper body is so thick that I don’t feel much, but I guess it’s a kind of massage.

“Th-That was amazing.”

Tang So-Yeong wasn’t tangled up in the coils.

Her clothes were slightly disheveled, but that’s probably because she’s a bit clumsy.

“Gek.”

“Swallowing that huge thing in one bite…”

“Shh. Quiet.”

The Snake Queen playfully put her finger to her lips.

So-Yeong.

You saw what they were doing, didn’t you?

Just tell me.

“Ah, this is our secret, okay? Hehe… I think we can expect the emergence of a new species. Great Hero, you should be able to have twenty descendants in one go…”

“Gek?”

What exactly did you do?

After hearing that, I couldn’t just ignore it.

I quickly scanned the faces around me.

Sishishi and the Snake Queen’s scales looked shinier.

Nephila’s skin seemed firmer.

Tus and Pus seemed puffed up.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t crossed any lines.”

Oh?

Well, then I guess I don’t need to worry.

…

I’m not an easy gecko to fool.

You did something, didn’t you?

“Gekgek!”

You fed me alcohol when I was still so young!

“Ah, we didn’t do much. We just tested if we could swallow Great Hero in one bite.”

Really?

I almost misunderstood there.

“Gekgek!”

You didn’t just do nothing.

You tried to swallow me in one bite?

Even the Snake Queen’s true form couldn’t do that.

What the hell were you trying to swallow?

“Curious, huh?”

The Snake Queen laughed playfully.

“Hehe.”

Nephila tightly hugged my neck.

“…Gek.”

My danger sense is going off like crazy.

If I make a wrong move, I’ll end up as a dry gecko corpse.

*

I dragged my tired body out and back onto the path.

I had a feeling that if I stayed any longer, only my bones would remain.

Before I left, the Snake Queen kissed my cheek as if it had become an everyday occurrence. Nephila, seeing this, became furious and tried to fight, but I managed to stop it without much trouble.

Right cheek to the Snake Queen.

Left cheek to Nephila.

It seemed like both were somewhat satisfied after that.

Sishishi, who had gotten used to this exchange, didn’t even try to greet me anymore.

When I left, she just wagged her tail indifferently, and when I returned, she made a squeaking sound as if she was happy to see me.

Of course, before I left, she had wagged her tail so fiercely that she was now proudly showing off the ring that had gotten caught on it.

I gave one ring to each of the Tang sisters to resolve the issue.

Tus and Pus got bracelets for their torsos.

“Kioong!”

Nephila got one on her left pinky.

“Hehe.”

Tang So-Yeong got a ring made of spider silk, which she put around her neck.

“My goodness, I can’t believe I’m getting a ring, especially from the Great Hero!”

The others might not understand, but it seems like Tang So-Yeong took the ring in a slightly different way.

Tus, Pus, and Nephila were content with simply receiving the ring, but Tang So-Yeong seemed more focused on the fact that it was a valuable-looking piece of jewelry.

“If this is a ring given by a spiritual being… its value…”

…Does she need money that badly?

I don’t know the exact situation with her, but from the way she acts, she seems to be a bit poor.

She always seems to want my scales and is constantly trying to collect my poison.

Since human currency isn’t really useful, I think I should throw some treasures at So-Yeong as a kind of allowance.

I don’t think she’ll need it outside, but for now, I’m sure she’ll be happy to accept it.

Tat.

Everyone was clinging to my back, and I was running on all fours, almost like I was flying.

Strangely, I didn’t have much strength in my body, but I still had enough to move with them on my back.

Flap!

If I went too fast, these light creatures would probably fly off, so this speed seems just right.

“But Great Hero, don’t you think it’s getting a bit cold?”

Even though I slowed down, Tang So-Yeong complained about the cold.

It’s obvious that it’s cold with so little fat.

“Kioong.”

I was about to say something but stopped.

The spiders seemed to agree with her, letting out sounds as if they were acknowledging her words.

It really has gotten cold, it seems.

Tang So-Yeong stuck closer to my fur.

Even though she was so close, I couldn’t feel a thing, which made me realize just how frail she was.

“Shouldn’t autumn be coming, but instead, it feels like winter has arrived right away? Of course, I know the climate here is unusual, but… still, it feels strange.”

As we got closer to our destination, the surrounding temperature seemed to drop.

It doesn’t feel like normal weather, just like when we first climbed the volcano and felt the heat.

Although it’s not life-threatening like that time, I can definitely feel the cold wind coming from afar.

I guess it’s due to the guardian of the snowy mountains.

Is it already starting to move?

I’m not ready, but if it moves first, I’d be thankful.

Ten Bicorns attacking in unison.

The cold of Baeklang and the fire of the Red Dragon.

The situation will probably be over before I even get involved.

“Hmmm, by the way, I’m really excited. We have a newcomer in the Cult of Gaegeuk.”

A newcomer.

From the followers’ perspective, they might think of it that way.

After all, Tang So-Yeong has a position as a founding member of the cult.

Though, she’s now working as a regular member.

“Ahem, I guess as a senior, I’ll have to teach you a lot of things.”

I just hope she doesn’t cling to me, whining.

The wolves are easy to deal with, but the Red Dragon will be unforgiving.

“But it’s probably an animal, right? Maybe it’s a spiritual being? Whether it’s an animal or a spiritual being, I don’t mind…”

Well, spiritual beings are rare, so it’s not that surprising to think that way.

Tus and Pus aren’t spiritual beings, but Nephila is about the level of one.

But there are plenty of spiritual beings and animals in the Cult of Gaegeuk.

“Gekgek.”

We finally arrived at the volcano.

“Kioong!”

“This place is better than I thought! It’s nothing like that swamp area we were in last time!”

That comparison is a bit of an insult.

Wait, maybe I should visit the swamp area later when I have time?

I remember leaving a lot of things behind there.

The piranhas that can create whirlpools, the golden frogs and turtles…

Come to think of it, weren’t those Ha-ri, Geum-wa, and Geum-gu?

I don’t need them that badly, but my followers would love them.

Alright.

I’ll visit it sometime later.

We were walking slowly when suddenly,

“Ilbuwoo?”

From afar, one Bicorn noticed me and started calling out.

“Gekgek.”

Yeah. Have you been guarding the home well?

“Ilbudacheoer!”

You guys haven’t changed at all.

“Ugh! It’s… It’s a Bicorn?”

The spiritual being enthusiast Tang So-Yeong couldn’t contain her excitement.

“A spiritual being I read about in a book…! Could it be that the Great Hero has tamed it?”

Well, I guess you could say that.

The Bicorn, who had been far away, looked at Tang So-Yeong and made a sly expression.

“Ilbu… Dacheoer!”

In response, the other Bicorns also started making their own calls.

“Dacheoer!”

“Dada-da-da-dacheo!”

“Ilbu-baekcheo! Ilbu-cheoncheo! Ilbu-mancheo!”

“Shishishish!”

The Bicorns were cheering

.

“Not just one? I’ve heard that Bicorns live in groups, but it’s my first time seeing it in person!”

It seems like she knows a lot about spiritual beings, especially since she’s from Tang’s side, but she probably hasn’t seen a Bicorn before.

Moreover, based on her reaction, it seems similar to how she first mistook me for a lizard.

I guess Bicorns are rarer spiritual beings than I thought.

Since I now know how Bicorns are born, I won’t question their rarity.

They must be pretty special.

“Kioong!”

“Hi-ohng!”

Tus and Pus climbed onto my horns and waved their short arms.

“Ilbudacheoer!”

“Shishish!”

The more I see Bicorns, the more I like them.

Tus and Pus may be weaker than them, but they don’t hesitate to treat them well as their allies.

“Kioong!”

“Ilbudacheoer!”

Every time they waved their arms, their calls grew louder.

Good.

No need to worry about rank.

“Um, um… Great Hero.”

“Gek?”

Tang So-Yeong stuttered, possibly finding something strange.

“Wha, wha, what is that?”

Did she spot a Red Dragon?

I looked in the direction she was pointing.

“Ge, ge, gek?”

I also stuttered after seeing it.

“A, a palace?”

“Ge, geeeek?”

No, what is that?

I clearly told them to make a nest.

“Ilbudacheoer!”

Did you guys make this?

“Hapgung! Hapgung!”

The Bicorns snorted and nodded their heads.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

To be precise, calling it a palace wouldn’t be right.

It was a grand and large nest.

But it was divided into sections, and the floor was covered, with some areas even having a ceiling.

Large spiritual beings like the Red Dragon could rest comfortably without issue, while smaller ones like Tus, Pus, and Tang So-Yeong could also have space to relax.

“Furuk!”

And that wasn’t all.

In the center, there was a very large room.

It seemed to be made with a very thick material, which made it seem well-soundproof. The floor was made of a very soft material. It was hard to believe, but the ceiling even seemed to have mirrors.

…How did they do this?

“Hehe… Hapgung… Hehe…”

The Bicorns laughed slyly, as if it was nothing.

“Gekgek.”

Did you guys really do this?

“Furuk!”

I’m grateful, but… wasn’t this a bit too much?

“Ilbu-Maancheo!”

They made a sound, as if telling me not to worry.

No.

This isn’t what I expected.

Ugh…

How do I show my gratitude for this?

Alright.

Bicorn, sorry, but I think I’m going to have to capture you next time I see you.

First, I’ll catch you, and then we’ll see what happens.

Before I fall into Bicorn corruption, I think you guys will enjoy yourselves first.

“Guktaeeeyaaang!”

The Bicorns seemed to read my thoughts and knelt down on one knee.

Is it just me, or does it look like they’re swearing lifelong loyalty?

“Hehehe… Takjeong…”

…Sorry, Bicorn.

I still have to live.