Chapter 36 On the Log Bridge
Is it some kind of culture to talk to lizards?
Baek Yeonyeong does it, and so does this person.
Baek Yeonyeong, I understand. She’s overwhelmingly stronger than me, so it could be considered a form of amusement.
But what about this woman?
If I were a wicked Komodo King Lizard instead of a kind Crocodile King Lizard, I would have already swallowed her.
My wild instincts told me that getting involved with her would be very exhausting.
I had treated her and given her energy, so I had done my duty.
I could go on my way now.
I mustn’t get entangled.
“Wait, wait a minute.”
She suddenly grabbed my tail.
Her face said, ‘I’m shy,’ but her actions were bolder than I thought.
It was dangerous since I was holding a knife with my tail.
“Grr….”
I growled lowly to warn her.
“Eek! T-that’s….”
The dumpling-haired woman quickly started trembling.
How silly.
Well. It was nice meeting you, and now it’s goodbye.
“P-please take me with you!”
….
I looked around, but there was no one else.
So, did she say that to me?
There were two big problems.
One, I was a lizard.
She was talking to a lizard.
And she seemed convinced that I could understand her.
Of course, I could understand her, but an ordinary lizard couldn’t.
One eccentric who talked to lizards was enough for my master.
The second problem was that, in her imagination, I was an extremely evil man-eating lizard.
Just a moment ago, she was trembling, begging me not to eat her, and now she was asking me to take her?
Denied. Denied.
There was definitely some scheme.
She might tie me up while I slept and turn me into a lizard skewer.
“Grrrr….”
I growled lowly in refusal.
The brown-haired woman put her hand inside her pocket.
She was trying to take something out.
It seemed to have a lot inside; she fumbled for a while.
I worried it might be a weapon, but seeing her fumble like that, it probably wasn’t.
Go ahead and try.
I’m leaving.
“It’s not much, but… here!”
She confidently presented a brown object.
It was covered with a powdery white substance.
No, that wasn’t sprinkled powder.
It was just the sugar from the inside that had dried and surfaced.
“This was really hard to… Kyah!”
Swish!
I snatched the dried persimmon from her hand with my tongue.
Munch munch.
The sweetness spread through my mouth.
I felt dizzy with pleasure.
The unique sweetness of dried fruit filled my tongue.
Humans are really something else.
They can even make such things to eat.
Some people think gourmet means just eating raw fish.
“Grrr.”
Is there more?
“Haha… It was true that the stronger the creature, the more they liked dried persimmons… S-see? I’ll give you all of this….”
Swish!
I snatched the additional dried persimmon she took out.
Carrying dried persimmons around, regardless of whose daughter she was, she was well-educated.
Sweet food is always right. Except for that unknown dumpling I ate in the Silver Dragon Cave, I hadn’t had sweet food in ages.
Even though the amount was small, the energy and taste were very satisfying.
I licked the dried persimmon stuck to my lips.
The woman who had given me the dried persimmons was looking at me with expectant eyes.
“Y-you liked it, right? Now, please take me with you!”
Huh?
Did she say something like that?
“W-wait! Why are you just leaving like that?”
Lizards don’t usually understand human speech.
I just ate the dried persimmons because they were there.
It’s the person’s fault for not taking care of them properly.
Sure, that’s right.
“Hey, you shameless lizard!”
Shameless, huh.
I gave you those tree roots, remember?
I only took a fair price.
“I won’t stay long! Just until my leg heals….”
I paused.
Turning my head slowly to examine her, I saw there was still some swelling.
It wasn’t like that herb was a cure-all, so it was a predictable outcome.
Hmm.
But it didn’t seem like she couldn’t move at all.
If I scared her a bit, she’d probably run off.
“A-and….”
Her face lit up.
Did she take my pause as a sign of agreement? She seemed determined to hold on to me somehow.
Sorry, but I don’t intend to take you.
“I’m Tang So-yeong from Sichuan!”
Alright. Greetings and introductions, I see.
I’m the ruler of the Silver Dragon Cave, the lord of the swamp, and beloved by spiders, the Crocodile King Lizard.
…Wait, Tang from Sichuan?
The Sichuan Tang Clan?
I flicked my tongue as I slowly examined her.
If it’s the Tang Clan, isn’t that one of the Five Great Clans?
If it were just any of the Five Great Clans, I would’ve had a ‘so what’ reaction.
But it’s the Tang Clan.
Tang Clan = Poison, which is a well-known fact.
And poison is one of my areas of interest.
“Geke.”
Hey, Tang something.
Would you like to have a deep conversation with me?
“Grr….”
I lightly tapped my back with my tail.
“A-are you telling me to get on?”
Tang something hesitated even when told to get on.
After placing the sword in my mouth, I wrapped my tail around her waist.
“Kyah!”
Lighter than I expected.
“Nice to meet you, please take care of me!”
…You need to eat more.
*
When I returned to my nest, Tus and Pus rubbed their sleepy eyes and crawled toward me.
Those guys.
They could just keep sleeping.
“Kieeeng….”
Is this the pride of parenting?
Go back to sleep quickly.
The sooner you sleep, the faster you grow.
Tus, who was stealthily crawling toward my tail, suddenly jumped into the air.
“Kieeeek!”
Tus was startled.
Now that I thought about it, I had forgotten about the creature clinging to my back.
“Heh, heh….”
Guys, say hello.
Starting today, you’ll be staying with us, or rather, she’ll be your poison teacher, Miss Tang.
“Gekgek.”
“Kioong….”
For some reason, Tus backed away.
Tang So-yeong, who had regained her composure, climbed down from my back.
“As expected of Komodo Dae-hyeop…! Raising venomous insects in your nest.”
I’m not a Komodo, nor a Dae-hyeop.
She wasn’t talking to me.
But Tus, why are you trembling like that?
“Kieeeng….”
Maybe it’s because you’re seeing a person for the first time.
Considering you are naturally timid, it made sense.
“Kiek?”
Pus came forward as Tus retreated.
Wiggling her legs back and forth, she suddenly assumed a defensive posture.
“Kiaaaaak!”
“Kyaa! W-what’s wrong…?”
Tus’s cries could be heard from the corner, emboldened by Pus’s reaction.
“Kieeeek!”
Well, I guess it’s understandable since it’s their first meeting.
Don’t worry.
She might seem a bit odd, but she’s a good person.
“Geggegek.”
But Tus and Pus didn’t calm down even after I spoke.
They should know they’re safe since I brought her, so why are they reacting like this?
“W-wait. These spiders….”
Huh?
What’s with your reaction?
“Eek! N-no, it’s a misunderstanding! It’s a misunderstanding!”
Are you two acquainted?
“Kieeeek!”
Tang So-yeong flailed her hands, babbling incoherently.
“No! I didn’t do anything! I just….”
Tus and Pus charged at her.
“I was in charge of a different area! It wasn’t me!”
Despite her explanations, Tus and Pus didn’t lower their guard.
The spiders’ eyes were on me.
Were they waiting for my command?
Tang So-yeong also glanced at me anxiously.
“Grrr.”
If there’s something to resolve, do it now.
“I-if it helps, hit me until you’re satisfied!”
Wow.
You really have no shame.
Since she’s from the Tang family, the spider venom wouldn’t affect her. How painful could those tiny spiders, no more than 10cm, make it?
“But we forget about this afterward!”
“Kieeek!”
Tsk.
Why is this woman conversing with spiders as if it’s normal?
Well, I’ve talked to the neighbor’s dog a few times, so it’s somewhat similar, I guess.
Thud!
Pus’s body slam struck hard.
“…Ouch! It hurts! Why does it hurt?”
Oh dear.
Not only shameless but also an exaggerator.
Tus, excited, struck Tang So-yeong repeatedly with her short legs.
“Aagh! W-what’s wrong! You shouldn’t have changed this much! You’re not even human-faced spiders yet!”
Thud!
Pus delivered a second body slam.
“H-how are you using internal energy?”
Thud!
“Eek! What have you been eating?”
Hmm.
I did feed them too well.
“S-stop! Please stop hitting me!”
*
“Sob….”
Tang So-yeong sobbed in the corner.
…Isn’t this a bit too harsh?
“Kieeng!”
Tus and Pus ground their teeth, seemingly still unsatisfied.
What had happened between them?
Well, let’s put this behind us today and get along from now on.
Her leg should heal in about a week.
Just endure until then, Tus and Pus.
“Gekgek.”
The spiders, exhausted from beating Tang So-yeong, soon fell asleep.
They had been a bit scary earlier, but now their soft breathing was adorable.
They’re like angels when they sleep.
After covering the spiders with a web blanket, I also headed to my bed.
I curled up to maintain my body temperature.
The days were getting colder.
“…Hey.”
Tang So-yeong cautiously spoke.
“A-are all the spiders asleep?”
Pururung.
Relieved by the sound of snoring, Tang So-yeong quickly moved closer to me.
You said your leg was hurt.
“Hehe….”
She glanced at me and sat nearby.
“K-komodo Dae-hyeop.”
It’s Crocodile King Lizard, not Komodo, but I didn’t correct her.
Not that I could, anyway.
“I know you have trouble regulating your body temperature.”
That’s a chronic problem for reptiles.
“So….”
Tang So-yeong trailed off, her cheeks blushing as if she had an embarrassing thought.
Or maybe it was from the spider beating.
“Can I help you warm up?”
Tang So-yeong inched closer to me.
What did she mean by that?
It seemed suspiciously suspicious.
“You just need to stay still. If I can get some of Komodo’s venom, I can make up for…. No, it’s nothing.”
Do you need my venom?
I could give it to you.
But what are you going to use it for?
And why do you keep clinging to me?
“Y-you need to be warm for the venom to come out well….”
Tang So-yeong trailed off again.
“I’m also a bit cold….”
Tang So-yeong quickly leaned her cheek against me.
“For a moment, let’s just stay like this.”
But Pus, glaring fiercely at Tang So-yeong, used her web.
“Kiaaaaak!”
“Kyaaaak!”
Pus, looking very angry, pulled Tang So-yeong’s hair.
Oh dear.
They’re fighting again.
They’re fighting again.
…Go, Pus.