I was writing diligently in the neatest and most readable handwriting I could manage, fully focused on my task.
But as I continued, a sense of injustice crept in.
I am an incredible dragon, a divine being of the lake, yet here I am, crawling on the ground, scratching at the floor with my claws just to write.
This feels like a punishment.
If that wretched human had listened to me, even in the slightest, I wouldn’t be in this ridiculous situation.
But no, they refused to listen no matter what.
If only the High Priest had seen this, they would have taken care of that human for me.
That wicked human.
Sob, sob.
If, after making me endure this humiliating ordeal, things don’t turn out exactly as they should…
I think I’d be as angry as “five breaths.”
Is it finally time to cleanse the corruption…?
I hope they understand me properly this time.
“Wow! Our adorable IF-017 can even draw well!”
Kang Hana.
You.
Yes, you.
You absolute lunatic.
I shot Kang Hana with a look filled with dissatisfaction.
And just a little while later—
Just as I was about to swear vengeance and promise that I wouldn’t let this slide—
Beep!
A familiar sound rang from a familiar direction.
The door began to open.
Finally!
I immediately stopped writing.
I had even considered moving to the walls when I ran out of space on the floor, but at last, they understood!
What a relief.
I decided to let this slide—just this once.
They should be grateful. Hmm hmm.
I extinguished the burning rage that had been simmering inside me.
I waited with bated breath for the door to fully open, but I didn’t rush out immediately.
It seemed like a human had been prepared to meet me.
A man in a black vest, holding something in his hand.
I had never seen this particular human before, but his outfit—
I had seen it before.
Yes… The humans who carried me to another room.
And that black-haired woman who had poked my cheek alongside Kang Hana… What was her name again?
Ah, Kang Hana called her “Senior Giselle.”
The humans who had escorted them out of the room had also worn that outfit.
With just those fragments of information, I realized—
That attire…
It was the modern equivalent of a palanquin bearer’s uniform!
A palanquin bearer.
A human devoted to carrying and serving me.
At last, have my humans returned to their rightful senses?!
“Gyaaah…!”
Yes, humans were supposed to be kind, affectionate, and devoted to me.
They had lost their way for a while, but they’re finally back to normal.
I’m moved to tears.
I rushed over to the palanquin bearer and conveyed my destination.
I told him—Take me to where the plump little snake is.
I made firm eye contact and sent my will through my gaze.
The bearer bowed slightly in response.
Good. Let’s go!
But my expectations were completely shattered.
Instead of picking me up, the “palanquin bearer” simply started scrubbing the floor.
…Huh?
This is unexpected.
Why is the palanquin bearer cleaning the area where I was writing… so meticulously?
No, wait—
Was he not a palanquin bearer, but… a janitor?!
That doesn’t make sense.
If he was just a janitor, then why did the previous janitors escort Kang Hana and Senior Giselle out instead of cleaning?
At that moment, a stray thought drifted into my mind—an annoying, unwelcome intent.
“Sob, sob… I should have taken a picture of IF-017 smiling… I should have brought a camera. Can I make them laugh again somehow? Hmm, tickling might be too much… What should I do…?”
Ah-ha!
So it’s because they’re human garbage?
Oh-ho… If that’s the case, they’re truly the best janitor.
Honestly, I wish I could keep them by my side forever.
Every time Kang Hana annoyed me, I could send them to drag her away.
But alas, that’s not possible.
Even if janitors seem lowly, without them, the entire temple would collapse into chaos.
The High Priest once said that.
I patted the janitor on the back, offering my encouragement.
“I’ll go fetch the plump snake, so in the meantime, you should finish cleaning this place.”
I was disappointed that they weren’t a palanquin bearer to carry me, but oh well.
Alright.
Time to go.
I left the janitor behind and set off on my way.
—Beep!
As I walked out, I heard a familiar noise behind me.
Turning back, I saw the door automatically closing.
Out of all the awful features of that room, at least its security system was decent.
Good.
The Small Snake’s Dream
The small snake dreamt.
A dream of long ago—when it was even smaller than it was now.
A dream of the peaceful days when its mother and siblings were still alive.
But, of course—
It was all an illusion.
Its mother and siblings had been captured by two-legged beasts, disappearing without a trace.
The small snake had been taken from its birthplace in the mountains and imprisoned in a cage made by these creatures.
“Longing.”
Awakening from its dream, the small snake let out a soft squeak as it yawned.
It had grown plump, being fed while confined in such a tiny space.
Even without this, it would have gained weight.
But lately, it had been even more inactive, obeying the Ancestor’s intent to remain still.
So, naturally, it had begun sleeping more.
But now was not the time to stay drowsy.
A message—a thought more vivid than even its mother’s—pierced into its mind.
“Ancestor.”
Its mother had told it to call this being by that name.
“Plump snake, I’m on my way. Stay put.”
“Understood. I. Will. Stay.”
The small snake responded, sending its thoughts back.
It was the only skill it had learned from its mother.
Even though its abilities were weak, it understood how much of a blessing this skill was.
Compared to reminiscing about old memories—
This was far more important.
Because this skill had allowed it to accomplish something truly significant.
How much time had passed?
Sensing an approaching presence, the small snake instinctively flattened its body to blend in.
Step, step.
The two-legged beasts appeared again.
The small snake was afraid of them.
But it didn’t move.
Usually, it would have scrambled around in its tiny prison.
But today—was different.
It gathered its courage and stayed still.
The Ancestor had commanded it to wait.
“Wait. Then, help will come.”
The small snake endured the torment of the two-legged creatures.
Instead, it let its imagination wander.
What does the Ancestor look like?
Was it like a big snake?
Or did it have legs?
Thinking about this helped it endure its fear.
And then—
Thud. Thud.
A sound echoed from beyond the countless walls.
A sound that the dull two-legged beasts could not hear.
A wave of unease.
The small snake could hear it.
A familiar yet foreign noise.
So unknown—yet so ominous.
“Fear.”
The Ancestor was powerful enough to send such vivid thoughts.
Perhaps… it also knew the source of that sound.
The little snake thought so.
But it could not ask its ancestor.
“Ancestor… where…”
With its meager ability, the little snake could not even tell where the ancestor was unless the ancestor sent its thoughts first.
With its meager ability, the little snake could not freely and clearly transmit its will like the ancestor could.
So, the little snake waited silently.
“Plump snake, can you see me now? I’m quite close.”
“Where? Where?”
“Hmm… Just wait a little longer, and you’ll see.”
“Confirmed. Waiting. Help.”
It eagerly responded to the ancestor, who was remarkably skilled at conveying thoughts.
And as the ancestor instructed, it remained still and waited.
—Boom, boom, boom.
The sounds grew louder, to the point that anyone could hear them.
The little snake could feel it.
The roar of a beast.
The screams of the two-legged creatures.
And the scent of blood.
The two-legged creatures that had tormented the little snake no longer did so.
Now that it was their turn to be tormented, they had disappeared in an instant.
Tick. Tididik.
The light on the ceiling that had illuminated the little snake’s space flickered dimly before fading into darkness.
Darkness was familiar, but the little snake could not feel relieved.
Surely, the beast felt the same way.
“Plump snake, I’m almost there.”
“Danger. Help.”
The only thing that brought the little snake some reassurance was the thoughts the ancestor sent.
To avoid disappointing the ancestor,
Even as the sound of the approaching beast grew louder,
The little snake held its ground.
Boom. Boom.
Boom.
The steadily approaching thuds suddenly stopped.
The little snake knew.
Beyond the door that the two-legged creatures had failed to lock in their rush to escape—
Just beyond that door, the stench of the beast was seeping through.
—Tatang! Tatatatang!
“Kyaaaaa!”
At the deafening explosion, the little snake let out a shrill squeak and thrashed in fear.
It knew this sound.
The fire-spitting sticks the two-legged creatures wielded.
Even fanged, hulking four-legged beasts and feathered flying creatures fell lifelessly, bleeding, once those sounds rang out.
The little snake understood the terror of those sticks.
That was why—
“The magazine is jammed…! Just die already, you son of a—!”
—Crunch. Crack. Snap.
“Aaaaaaagh!!”
That was why the little snake was even more terrified of the beast that had devoured multiple two-legged creatures like they were nothing more than insects.
“Fear.”
The little snake trembled.
Even though the ancestor had told it to stay still, so it lay flat in the middle of its prison—
It watched the door more intently than anyone.
—Grrrrr.
The beast was searching for food.
Unlike the little snake, which could go a long time without eating.
The beast was still hungry.
The beast, growing tired of the monotonous taste of two-legged creatures,
Finally discovered something new.
“Grrrr…”
—Creak. Sniff, sniff.
The beast pushed its snout through the door crack.
Then, it turned toward the little snake’s prison.
The beast was enormous.
Compared to it, the little snake was no bigger than its toenail.
Even the largest and strongest creature in the little snake’s old mountain—the giant hibernating beast—was still a head smaller than this monster.
And now, this beast was staring at the little snake, its jaws dripping with blood stained saliva.
Shivering.
The little snake curled up and trembled.
—Crrrack, craaack.
The transparent prison that had confined the little snake so securely, making escape impossible no matter how much it jumped—
Was shredded apart in an instant.
And what the little snake saw—
A massive shadow looming in front of it.
And just beside it—an open gap.
“Run…”
The little snake thought.
If it leapt toward that opening right now, could it escape?
It was fast—fast enough that most four-legged creatures couldn’t catch it when it jumped.
Maybe there was a chance.
But the little snake did not move.
“Ancestor. Waiting.”
Because the ancestor had asked it to.
The little snake stared straight at the beast.
Despite the dozens of bullet wounds, the beast seemed unbothered.
Its jaws widened, seeking another bite.
Desperately, the little snake sent a thought.
“Help. Ancestor. Help. Help…”
The beast’s breath was so close that it tickled the little snake’s snout.
And at that moment—
“We finally meet.”
A familiar thought reached the little snake.
The ancestor.
A being that looked somewhat like the two-legged creatures but was fundamentally different—something ancient, noble, and magnificent.
It was nothing like what the little snake had imagined.
But there was no doubt.
This was the ancestor.
With light, graceful steps, the ancestor appeared.
Compared to the beast, the ancestor was several times smaller.
But the ancestor was utterly fearless.
The beast tilted its head at the sudden appearance of this tiny figure—
And then, it lunged toward the ancestor, jaws wide open.
The little snake panicked and sent out its clearest thought ever since it had hatched.
“Ancestor! Danger! Danger!”
Drip.
Blood-streaked saliva was about to land on the ancestor’s head.
And then—
Swish.
A soft sound cut through the air.
The little snake couldn’t even see what had happened properly.
Something pure white extended—
And passed through the beast.
All the little snake could understand was—
The terrifying monster that had filled it with fear—
Had been cleaved in half.
The ancestor gently shook its small wings once, flicking away the blood.
“Gyao.”
Then came the ancestor’s thoughts.
“So, plump snake, how exactly do you use your thoughts?”
When their eyes met, the little snake felt the ancestor’s thoughts more clearly than ever before.
There was no concern for the little snake in that thought.
But because of that—
The little snake thought the ancestor was even more amazing.
Because it meant the ancestor had never doubted its ability to save it.
At that moment—
To the little snake, the ancestor looked cooler than anything else in the world.
“Ancestor… Amazing!”
“Yeah, I am pretty amazing. And now, we can finally have a proper conversation, right?”
The ancestor extended both hands.
And the little snake leapt into them.
Only then did the little snake pause.
Would the ancestor dislike it for moving so recklessly?
“I wouldn’t dislike you for something like that.”
And then, the ancestor picked it up and hugged it.
The little snake was shocked.
With its meager ability, it couldn’t send thoughts without focus—
But the ancestor had read them effortlessly.
“Plump snake, you can see me properly now, right?”
Hearing those words, the little snake looked up at the ancestor.
The ancestor’s eyes shone like jewels.
And in those eyes—
The little snake saw its own reflection.
“Hehe, I can hear you clearly now too!”
And just like that—
Nestled in the ancestor’s arms—
The little snake smiled along with them.
“Ancestor. The best.”