So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

「Killed Ruin Sand Babun lv22.」

「Killed Ruin Little Sand Babun lv11.」

The burning sword pierces and cuts through spiders.

It's common knowledge that fire attribute attacks are effective against insect-type monsters.

As my elemental magic rose to intermediate level, the flames I could store in talismans also became more powerful.

After cutting through a few legs, the other legs shrivel in the flames.

「Killed Ruin Sand Babun lv12.」

「Killed Ruin Sand Babun lv24.」

「Killed Ruin Little Sand Babun lv11.」

Being spider monsters that inhabit the desert, they seem drier.

Which means, they're more crispy.

Hmm, I'm curious about the taste.

But I should hold back from crunching on spiders here, or the students would scream.

The students who were just screaming earlier.

Whether first or third years, they were equally terrified.

Except for a few, most had never properly faced monsters before.

But now they were quiet.

The students gathered around me, or more precisely around Obern, were even expressing admiration now.

"Wow..."

"Amazing."

Low-intelligence insect-type monsters tend not to retreat once they start attacking.

They jump ferociously and bare their venomous fangs as they charge, but none of them reached me or the students.

They die as meaninglessly as moths flying into flames.

「Your level has increased.」

After killing so many, my level increased despite the significant level difference.

Nice!

I've roughly cleared the spiders around here.

It seems only the smaller, lighter ones crawled out this far.

'The summoning magic circle is amazing, bringing so many.'

"Usually they only summon a few powerful ones because of magic circle efficiency... hmm."

Pelerian made an ominous sound.

"There might be a queen specimen inside."

That explains a lot.

The small ones are the queen's army.

They probably received orders like 'catch prey that comes outside' or 'repel intruders.'

Then now, I just need to get Amain and the kids out.

Hmm, I'm curious about this queen.

Being a Queen, wouldn't it have an inner core?

But this wasn't the time for such optimistic thoughts.

Professor Daemon returned with the children.

The Second Prince, the Knight Commander's son with a swollen face, the witch's daughter.

And Rania...

End.

...Huh, where are Amain and the Second Prince?

Looking at Daemon's face gives me a bad feeling.

He wore a bewildered, helpless expression.

"The, the spiders."

Why are your lips twitching?

Surely you're not smiling.

It was the expression of someone extremely flustered, with no other choice.

"The spiders took His Highness the Third Prince."

What about Amain?

"Couldn't be helped. That commoner followed to save His Highness."

So you just came back leaving that alone?

"His Highness the Second Prince was injured..."

Obern silently glared at Daemon.

Maybe he felt guilty under Obern's gaze, though he was probably just flustered himself.

No, probably not that.

"Let's escape outside first, then call people to go in and save them!"

"...Then, it might be too late."

"We must evacuate first! I heard an eerie cry just now. His Highness the Second Prince has been poisoned!"

The Second Prince was clutching his arm.

It was swollen from a spider bite.

But it's not like he's dying right this moment.

Rania cried out.

"We have to save Amain and Phili! The spiders wrapped them in webs and dragged them away!"

Guilt washed over her features, etching deep lines of remorse across her brow and drawing her lips into a taut, troubled line. The emotion was raw and unmistakable - a stark contrast to Daemon, who responded with nothing more than an exaggerated roll of his eyes, his casual dismissal speaking volumes about their different approaches to the situation.

Some people, when confronted with the heavy weight of crisis bearing down upon them, instinctively reach for their first desperate comfort: the act of pointing fingers and establishing blame, as if determining fault could somehow make the disaster easier to bear. This impulse takes precedence over actually addressing the problem at hand.

Professor Daemon Richmond seemed to be such a person.

"You'll have to take responsibility for this situation."

"...What are you saying?"

"Weren't you the one who forcibly brought in the first-years and His Highness the Third Prince! I'll report this clearly to the Dean."

His twisted lips trembled.

"If something happens to His Highness, this will go up to His Majesty the King..."

I couldn't even hear what Daemon was saying.

Without even intending to.

Tss tss tss-

My scales turned black on their own.

「Using Black Scales lv3.」

Others must have seen me turn black atop Obern's staff.

Yet Daemon didn't even notice as he continued speaking, spittle flying.

"With injured Prince Leon and Philberk too..."

Ah, no one thinks about Amain.

Except for Rania, that is.

Poor Amain, how much will Roil resent me when he learns of this.

"I clearly said several times not to go in..."

I gained 'dignity' through evolution.

But even before that, from when I led hundreds of monsters.

From when I led goblins to war.

I developed something called 'presence.'

Stay tuned to empire

An ethereal force radiates from deep within whenever powerful feelings surge through me, rippling outward like invisible waves into the surrounding space. This intangible energy manifests itself unbidden, flowing naturally from the core of my strongest emotions.

The atmosphere thickened with an unsettling weight, pressing down with an otherworldly chill that seemed to seep into every corner. The air itself became dense and oppressive, carrying a bone-deep coldness that made even breathing feel labored.

Sensitive students unconsciously started trembling.

And Professor Daemon, who had been running his mouth, shut up.

He rolled his eyes back and forth between me and Obern.

I gave instructions to Obern.

He was a bit flustered but read the atmosphere and quietly nodded.

Then extended his staff.

Professor Daemon stepped back startled but.

I jumped from the staff and flew at him.

I just couldn't take it anymore.

Take some hits from me.

「Using Acceleration lv7.」

「Using Tail Whip lv3.」

I swung my tail without holding back at all.

Whack!

My crystal scale-covered tail struck Daemon's cheek.

Several teeth flew out with a clatter.

"Kyaaah!"

I almost tried to physically take his heart, but held back.

I wrapped around his neck and squeezed.

"Kak, kaak!"

This is revenge for Amain and Phili!

In this situation where the snake that decorated Obern's staff was strangling Professor Daemon.

The students screamed.

==

A cocoon wrapped tightly in spider webs.

The spiders carried it on their heads and scurried deeper into the dungeon.

Their summoning here was accidental.