So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Chugota's voice echoed faintly in my mind.

"Gruuuuu!"

"Dweodededede!"

"Kweoreorereorero!"

That affectionate cry.

If translated, it probably meant 'Take care, my youngest'.

Though she was a crazy wyvern of course.

And though she tried to kidnap me from Celeta's arms and run away.

There was something about her that couldn't be hated.

Even more so after learning about her pitiful past.

The reason Chugota went mad was because her child was taken away before.

Chugota's child, who lived captured by humans all her life, is now praying for escape.

'Ah, conflict of heart.'

I am an intern employee at the zoo.

Moreover, an excellent employee who might be selected as employee of the month at this rate.

However...

Where lies the weight of fate and priority?

Obviously with Chugota.

Then should I let her lost child live as a human's toy in the zoo?

Or should I let her fly freely and return to her mother's embrace?

There was only one answer.

'The game ends now.'

I turned to Rila and said.

'You be employee of the month, Rila.'
Continue your saga on empire

I'm returning to being the prince of monsters.

「Absorbing lightning spirit from the spirit stone」

「Absorbing lightning spirit from the spirit stone」

「Absorbing lightning spirit from the spirit stone」

It's definitely not because a sweet opportunity to strengthen Heavenly Thunder Spirit came along.

But there was a problem.

This wasn't something that could be quickly devoured here.

'Isil, will this take long?'

Isil's thin roots had dug into the fine gaps of the restraints and reached the spirit stone.

That's how this was possible.

But trying to absorb the spirit stone's power through tiny Isil, the speed wasn't great.

It would take at least an hour.

"We need to hurry."

The rabbit urged.

The zoo must have detected the restraints activating.

And the other black and white monsters are definitely not friendly towards us.

'Then there's no choice.'

I naturally climbed onto Raota's restraints.

'Let's fly away first!'

And I can slip away in the middle.

I need to tell the escaping Raota the direction to the wyvern nest in the mountains too.

That's when.

The rabbit tried to quietly climb up too.

I pointed out the obvious fact.

'No no, not you.'

"Ah...?"

While there was reason to return Raota to Chugota's arms.

That wasn't the case for the rabbit.

Not because we didn't get along, but from the position of a former zoo intern employee...

"If only Raota can escape."

The rabbit seemed to understand my words quickly.

He knelt down again with a thump and bowed his head to me.

"I am simply grateful. Please..."

Raota cried sadly.

"From here, save, just her..."

What a fine man, rabbit.

Really admirable except for dramatically splitting his words into three parts.

I was somewhat moved too.

But looking around, the atmosphere seemed strange somehow.

All the other monsters were looking at me with odd expressions.

Even Madam Rila had her mouth hanging open.

Above all, the pouched rat.

"Woo..."

Jeered.

"Woo, woowoo..."

I'll deal with you later.

I quickly changed my stance.

"Ssaak!"

What are you saying! Be careful not to fall and get on!

Grab my tail and climb up.

Fortunately, the rabbit had tact.

He quickly grabbed my tail and climbed up.

I quickly looked for my advisor.

'Rila!'

"Boss..."

Rila saluted with a stern expression.

"Take care."

'I'll come back this time!'

For a moment I thought it was déjà vu. Like when I was swept away by the monster wave before, they thought I was leaving for good.

'Once we get past the imperial road, I'll find a way to return somehow. Just hold on until then.'

They should be fine as long as they don't get caught up in the fight between the lion and bear while I'm gone.

Madam Rila nodded.

And finally Raota took off.

With each flap, the altitude increased.

Isil and I were continuously sucking up the lightning spirit from the spirit stone.

「Absorbing lightning spirit from the spirit stone」

「Absorbing lightning spirit from the spirit stone」

And finally we approached the altitude limit.

If we went just a bit higher, Raota would receive a powerful electric shock and fall.

An anxious cry.

The rabbit reassured her.

Flap.

Finally we broke through the altitude limit.

...The restraints didn't activate.

'Good.'

Then now it's the great zoo escape.

'Let's go!'

That's when it happened.

Perhaps because so much heavy rain was pouring.

The metal restraints were very slippery from being wet.

I slipped and slid down.

"Sak!"

Fortunately the rabbit quickly grabbed my tail.

'Thanks!'

I was looking for something to grab onto but there wasn't anything suitable.

That's when.

Isil stretched his body and wrapped around me tightly.

Thus I was fixed to the side of the restraints, that is, Raota's flank.

'Uncomfortable but stable.'

Well, I can just untie and get down after a while anyway.

I decided to stay like this for a moment.

==

"Di-Director!"

Kadam, who had finally allowed himself a brief respite to eat, turned his head wearily from his meal. The muscles in his neck were stiff from hours of tension and concentration.

He was eating fish cake skewers, a humble but satisfying dish made by meticulously grinding fresh white fish with wheat flour until smooth, then shaping and boiling the mixture in a rich, aromatic broth until perfectly tender. The savory aroma wafted up, mixing with the steam that rose from each bite.

On such an important day, when every second seemed to carry the weight of hours, there was nothing more appropriate than food that could be quickly consumed without ceremony or fuss. The skewers were practical sustenance for someone who couldn't afford the luxury of a proper seated meal.

The one who appeared before Kadam as he was chomping on fish cake skewers was none other than Daisy.

"Raota's restraints activated again!"

"Wh-what!"

Fish cake fragments sprayed all over Daisy.

Daisy wiped her face of rainwater and answered.

"A report came in!"

"How could the one who just crashed!"

Kadam had observed the black and white monsters' fight all day.

And he had just observed the rabbit and Raota's absurd plan and its failure.