So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

But Administrator Jalo, despite appearing weak, had quite a strong spirit.

Dana and Rahan dragged him to his official residence.

His family members were already bound there.

"Where's that sick daughter?"

But good heavens, the daughter wasn't there.

When had she been hidden?

"Already smuggled away? Are you really crazy?"

The Margrave grabbed Jalo's face.

"Children can be born again. But you ruin your life trying to cure a sick daughter? I don't understand."

"...Do you have no children, Margrave?"

"I do. That's why I understand even less. Well..."

The rest of Jalo's family were all bound too.

"Time to take responsibility for your wrong choices. You'll be tortured then executed, and your family too..."

"...Ptui!"

Jalo spat at the Margrave but Dana blocked it with her hand.

The Margrave laughed.

"Search and find the daughter. Once you find her, torture her in front of him. Then he might remember where the stashed money is."

The Margrave ordered his servants so and beckoned to Dana and Rahan.

The 'job' was almost finished.

Dana and Rahan followed the departing Margrave.

And when Rahan took a step.

The old floorboard let out a small cry.

Creeeak-

It was nothing special, nothing worth paying attention to.

If not for Rahan's enhanced hearing catching that small sound.

"Eep-" gasp

A surprised yelp, and the sound of holding breath.

Rahan had no choice but to stop for a moment.

Someone was hiding below.

Probably a secret space.

And surely, the administrator's daughter who wasn't present was hiding there.

He grasped all this in a truly fleeting moment.

The time Rahan spent considering was just as brief.

He only stopped for a very short moment.

But complex thoughts rushed through his mind like a tsunami.

'Should I tear up the floor?'

'Should I pretend I didn't notice?'

'They'll find her eventually anyway.'

'No, maybe she won't be discovered.'

'Money recovery is already impossible. Is there any need to further shorten this poor girl's life?'

'What weak thoughts. Get a grip.'

'...But.'

A storm raged in his mind.

Like a professional, Rahan's hesitation probably wasn't very long.

"What are you doing?"

But when he looked up, the Margrave was already looking back at him.

"...Nothing."

There wasn't a hint of trembling or hesitation in Rahan's voice.

But the Margrave tilted his head.

And looked down at his own wrist.

The tattoo drawn there.

It was linked to the magic of the tattoos on Rahan and Dana's necks.

"Doesn't seem like nothing."

"..."

The Margrave approached with heavy steps.

And slowly grabbed Rahan's neck.

Though it looked like he was strangling him, he didn't apply force.

"Your heart is beating too fast."

You can fake expressions, but how to control heartbeat?

The Margrave looked down.

And when he stomped his foot.

"Eep."

A small scream rang out from under the floorboards.

Foolish thing.

That's what Rahan thought about the girl hiding below.

And then stars appeared before his eyes.

Smack!

The Margrave struck Rahan without hesitation.

Then kicked the fallen Rahan repeatedly.

"You haven't learned. I pick up and raise a stray dog, and yet? Huh?"

Violent beating.

Dana stood still with a pale face, while the servants quickly tore up the floorboards.

The beating was painful, but perhaps that would suffice as punishment.

A girl was dragged out from under the torn floorboards.

A skinny, sickly-looking child.

The screaming, struggling girl and her father's wailing.

Even while being beaten, Rahan squeezed his eyes shut.

==

Humming.

"Saat~"

Sleeping in the carriage today?

Since the atmosphere in Badangje City wouldn't be ordinary, the carriage might actually be more comfortable.

I, Obern, and Phili were spending time leisurely.

There seemed to be a commotion inside the government office, but we weren't sure what was happening.

The Margrave returned after night had fallen deep.

"Saak!"

I was shocked.

Rahan's face was a mess.

Someone had beaten him black and blue and swollen.

When he met my eyes, he smiled sadly.

Acting like that really makes him look foolish.

"Obern."

Just then, the Margrave called Obern.

"I'm tired, won't you have a drink with me?"

More commanding than suggesting.

Obern nodded with an unwilling expression.

Since there would be no other place, Obern entered the Margrave's carriage.

The Margrave's carriage didn't just have tea.

The glass cabinet held what looked like expensive brandy and whiskey.

The Margrave plopped down on the sofa and poured whiskey into a glass, downing it in one go.

He sure drinks boldly.

When Obern tried to sit across from him, the Margrave waved his hand and said:

"Not there, sit here, it's hard to talk loudly."

"Ah... yes."

When Obern sat next to him on the sofa, the Margrave poured whiskey for him too.

And immediately proposed a toast.

Clink.

After lightly touching glasses, the Margrave again downed all his whiskey.

Almost drinking too much, it seemed.

Obern also sipped the whiskey.

It must really be good liquor.

His expression was admiring.

And then we noticed something.

"Margrave, blood..."

"Ah."

The Margrave's knuckles were scraped.

The knuckle part of his fist - could it be that the Margrave was the one who beat Rahan?

"When a dog you're raising doesn't listen, you have to beat it, what else can you do?"

"..."

"Huhu, are you scared?"

He must be scared.

Obern answered with silence.

But no way.

"No need to worry."

Who knew the Margrave would gently place his hand on Obern's hand?

You could see goosebumps rising on Obern's forearm.

"I like you. Really."

The smell of alcohol came from the Margrave's mouth as he said so.

"Margrave, what is this?"

When Obern tried to pull his hand away.

Squeeze.

The Margrave applied force.

"Are you going to embarrass me?"

Crazy.

This bastard is crazy.

Obern's heart beat violently.

Of course it was beating from fear. Even I was terrified.

"Close your eyes."

"I don't want to."

"Close them!"

How cowardly is this Obern.

He really closed his eyes.

And the Margrave puckered his lips.

That horrifying kiss didn't happen.

Just as I was about to flee.

Because Obern desperately cried out in his mind.

'P-please save me!'

I couldn't watch this tragedy any longer either.

「Using Heavenly Thunder Spirit Lv2」

If I controlled the output, it could be used indoors.

Zzzzzap-

Like someone hit with a stun gun. The Margrave convulsed and collapsed.

Bang!

And hit his head on the table as he fell.

"Huk, huk!"

Obern jumped up.

And started stomping on the Margrave.

"You crazy bastard!"

Obern, calm down!

Only after doing that for a while did Obern come to his senses.

"Whew, let's quickly escape. We'll return to the kingdom."

'Get a grip...'

Since I just lightly electrocuted him, the Margrave wouldn't even know how he collapsed.

If we handled the aftermath well...

That's when it happened.

"Squeak, squeak."

A bright red ferret-like creature jumped out from the Margrave's clothes.

Ah, the Margrave's pet magical beast - had it been there from the start?

The ferret lingered in front of the Margrave's face.

Perhaps he was at least kind to his pet magical beast.

It seemed worried about its master.

Until it suddenly bit down hard on the Margrave's neck.

"S-sasak!"

"Huk!"

The magical beast sank its teeth into the Margrave's neck and stayed still for a moment.

As if waiting for poison to be injected.

Then it slipped away through the ventilation.

"Uh...?"

Obern checked the Margrave in confusion.

The teeth marks on his neck were already turning purple.

"Uhh?"

The sound of rain could be heard outside.

It had started raining at some point.

Crash!

With that thunder...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om