So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

I analyzed Isil's recent condition while walking.

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[Demon Hunter's Vine Grass Isil lv19(-)]

[Traits]

[Baby], [World Tree], [Hellfire]

[Skills]

[Intuition lv4], [Perception Expansion lv3], [Absorption Growth lv7], [Leaf Shaking lv4], [Vine Hands lv2], [Empathy lv3], [Cultivation lv10], [Fire Immunity lv.-], [Hellfire lv2]

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'Isil, daddy's sorry!'

Isil was still a baby.

Maybe it was natural since he wasn't born that long ago.

Compared to me, it was a modest status window, but he still had unique skills wrapped around him.

However, there was a problem...

The minus sign next to his level won't disappear!

I couldn't help but feel infinite responsibility.

'Baby, you've been through a lot.'

Previously, I had made the vines as large as possible to save Lady Rilla.

Since Isil's 'main body' was two small and tender cotyledons, cutting the rest of the vines wouldn't affect Isil.

But I'm not sure if 'no effect' is the accurate description.

At least it seemed clear that he had used a lot of energy.

Isil was just wriggling in his pre-evolution small form.

Isil considered me as his parent.

Ever since he was a 'chimera snake'.

So, I had endless responsibility for Isil.

'Why, just why...'n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Usually, Isil either sticks to me or stays planted in his pot.

When he's in the pot, I water him and stroke his cotyledons.

We're using the pottery I stole from the Count's warehouse as a new pot, and for whatever reason, Isil really liked that pot.

Maybe it was thanks to the pot that Isil was able to grow his body so enormously last time.

That was really good then...

But now there's a problem.

'Why aren't you eating!'

Isil's 'food' isn't just water. Being a magical beast, he ate meat too.

Originally, if I put small pieces of meat in the pot, they would disappear before I knew it.

This time, I found dried-up pieces of meat in the pot.

When I looked through it, there were quite a few pieces of meat left abandoned.

I felt my insides burning with worry.

I once saw my aunt having a hard time because my baby cousin wouldn't eat baby food.

Now I think I understand how my aunt felt back then.

This time I tried giving him boiled meat, but Isil didn't even pay attention to it.

"It's the first time I've seen someone worry about a plant not eating meat."

Although Pelerian said with disbelief.

'But he used to eat well!'

How could I not worry when someone who used to eat well is now starving?

Isil climbed onto my tail, ignoring the meat.

I had no choice but to leave him be.

That's when it happened.

When Isil started behaving differently than usual.

After climbing onto my tail, he shook his cotyledons and pointed in one direction.

That direction was none other than where the Margrave was.

When Isil showed interest in him, the Margrave, whose mind had returned to that of a child, smiled brightly.

"Ye-es, ehehe. Seedling..."

He reaches out his hand.

I handed Isil over to the Margrave as he wanted.

Surprisingly, Isil started climbing up the Margrave's hand.

The Margrave clapped excitedly.

"Wow."

"Aah..."

We also clapped at the heartwarming scene.

Isil finally climbed onto the Margrave's head and started shaking his cotyledons.

It was like watching a family looking at a child showing off.

Such a warm atmosphere lingered for a very brief moment.

Until the Margrave screamed while grabbing his head.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

"Urgh!"

When Obern rushed to the Margrave in surprise, Isil was extending his roots into the Margrave's head.

I quickly pulled Isil off.

"Sc-scary."

The Margrave quickly backed away, forgetting when he was clapping happily just moments ago.

Isil, why did you do that?

'Don't tell me, you wanted to eat his brain?'

Flick flick.

Isil just fluttered his leaves.

I guess that's why he wasn't eating well.

Actually, this might be good.

It seems like the 'education' for the Margrave could be more effective.

I approached the crouching Margrave and placed my tail on his hand.

After using the Crown of Connection, I said.

'Margrave, you saw that. Isil got a bit angry because you weren't listening.'

"Sorryyy."

This is the Margrave whose vocabulary has become worse than Lady Rilla's.

We had to give the Margrave minimal education.

Obern stepped up and spoke to the Margrave.

"Margrave, from now on, when given a signal, just say 'hmm...' and nod, that's all."

"Hmm..."

"Yes, that's right. But don't make that expression."

The so-called 'Project to Look as Normal as Possible'.

"Don't nod your head so vigorously, just slightly like this, hmm..."

"Ahem..."

"Not ahem, hmm!"

Obern, the acting expert, gives a crash course.

This was immediately put to use when entering the Imperial Capital.

==

The city where the sun never sets.

The largest city on the continent.

Where the Emperor resides.

The Imperial Capital, Sian.

Sian's size is ten times the area of Solion.

The population is seven times larger.

The walls protecting the capital consist of the enormous outer wall and the inner wall within it.

Just the area of the inner city where the Imperial Palace exists is as large as eight districts of Solion combined, showing its majesty.

Naturally, a procedure called inspection is required to enter the inner wall.

None of the eight gates - East Gate, Southeast Gate, South Gate, etc. - have easy inspections.

Especially around nine in the morning, which could be considered rush hour, there's always a line.

The West Gate that day was no exception.

The gate commander in charge of the West Gate is Asada Jungin, a 4th-rank military official.

He could be called an elite official who rose to the position of inner wall gate commander at a young age.

Asada was looking down from the wall with arrogant eyes, while below, people were lined up waiting for their turn.

They were spending time grumbling quietly enough that the gate guards couldn't hear.

Basically, the inspection would normally proceed in order, but.

Things in this world don't always go as they should.

"Hey, hey."

"Move aside, everyone move!"

A commotion erupted from the back of the line, with townspeople hurriedly pressing themselves against vendor stalls and building walls. Children were pulled close by anxious mothers, and merchants hastily gathered their wares from the street.

What appeared through the parting crowd were two magnificent carriages, their polished wooden frames gleaming with inlaid silver scrollwork that caught the afternoon sun. The craftsmanship was extraordinary, from the intricate carvings adorning the doors to the plush velvet curtains visible through spotless windows.