My soul immediately left my body.
I wish the ground would just open up and swallow me. That way, I wouldn't get swallowed by this snake.
What should I do?
First, I plucked my soul that was leaving my body and stuffed it back. Where did it think it was going?
It was too early for us to die.
But where do I even begin?
Should I begin by begging for forgiveness?
He seems like a prideful snake.
I wrote about snakes being prideful and treasuring the scales on their tails more than anything in the world. Same habit as mermaids and mermen, who also treasure the scale on their fish tail more than anything else.
That was why when they meet a female they like and want them to be their mate, they would rip a few of their scales, make them into a necklace, and gift it to her.
That was the highest form of their affection.
Well, since a few things seemed the same in this world as in my book, maybe that was the case.
But how does that help my situation right now?
Maybe if I praise his scales, he'll forgive me.
I gulped, my insides trembling in fear.
Snakes are violent and incredibly fast, so I couldn't even think of outrunning them, and they are cannibals, which means they eat other beastmen without a second thought.
Was I going to become food to this snake if I didn't manage to please it and get it in a good mood?
Then, as I was about to begin showering him with praises, one of my specialties as a side character who had to survive somehow with an ugly face in modern society, he suddenly shifted.
His shift made me anxious.
What? Had he decided to eat me?
I gulped.
As if he had caught on to something, he leaned closer, and I froze, stiffening even more. I couldn't stop the light tremble of my body even though I was shocked stiff.
His amber eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unyielding. And then… he sniffed.
Huh? Sniff?
I could feel it. Every inhale he took was deliberate, deep, and consuming. Then, he let out a satisfied groan.
My heart started hammering like a drum in my chest. What was happening?
"What is… that scent?" he murmured, voice low, almost mesmerized.
Before I could even process, his long slim tongue, slitted at the tip, shot out, and then... He licked my face.
My soul left my body, again.
The color drained away from me completely and my stomach flipped upside down. My tail and ears straightened in alert.
A snake just… licked me?
"Oh god, oh god, oh god—" I whispered, voice trembling. 'A snake just licked me. My face. My face! He licked my face!'
His gaze didn't waver. His head lowered even closer, lowered to my neck as he sniffed again, taking in my scent as if it were the air he couldn't live without.
Then… his upper body leaned completely over mine, muscles coiling, and his scales glinting under the moonlight.
My mind went completely blank. Every nerve in me screamed in panic, humiliation, and… something else I didn't dare name. This bizarre situation, never did I expect such a thing to happen.
The snakes were the enemy in my novel. So, no snake dared come close to the female lead who was always protected by her numerous spouses.
There were only three instances where snakes were mentioned.
One, was when they found tracks of snakes moving around the area on their adventure, two, when a snake was peeping on their mating session, and three... When a snake, the same one that had been peeping, tried to take Veyra, his mate, with the necklace he made from his scales, but was hunted down and killed by Veyra's spouses.
So, this situation is beyond my control.
"I will ignore your insolence," the snake said suddenly, voice calm but dangerous, like the air before a thunderstorm. "But… in return, I will take you to be my mate."
I choked.
"W-what?" My voice cracked like a frightened pup.
My ears twitched nervously, tail flicking, and my heart skipped several beats at once.
Did I hear that right?
Mate?
He couldn't be serious.
Why was a prideful snake suddenly asking me to be his mate?
I hadn't even begun to flatter his beautiful scales yet and this happened.
He leaned just a little closer, nostrils flaring in excitement. His amber gaze held mine but I wasn't enticed.
Even if he was handsome, had a great upper body, gorgeous eyes, and irresistible scales on his tail, the fact that he was a snake still remained.
Every instinct in me screamed to run, hide, plead, anything—but my body refused to move an inch.
It could sense the danger that was lurking right in front of me.
His words, rather than a threat, were a declaration.
And the terrifying thing that caused this? My scent… my face-licking scent… had made him decide this.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to pass out. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. I wanted all of it besides going along with this man.
But mostly… I wanted to vanish entirely.
And yet, I still couldn't move.
It was as if he had me under a spell where I couldn't move an inch unless he allowed me to.
I stared into his eyes that seemed to be enchanting me. His beautiful amber eyes were glowing at me... they were...
I immediately snapped out of it.
Jesus, what was wrong with me?
He was a freaking snake for crying out loud. An enemy in the beast world.
And I hate snakes. They scare me.
He suddenly leaned in again, and I jolted.
What was he going to do now?
Then, he asked with a voice devoid of care and intimidation. His voice was simply plain as he sought my honest opinion,
"Do you fear me, Female?"
No, I fear your lineage. Your face is just too handsome to instill fear, welp. I want out of this situation.
How can I get out?
"Female, I want to make you my mate." He boldly declared again. "I'll even give you my scales."
What?
I was struck shocked. Flabbergasted.
What was making him do all this?
I wasn't even pretty. I was ugly with freckles.
My sides were rough, I have a visible scratch on my belly... It was a scar that didn't fade even with time.
But somehow, for some reason, he was asking me to be his mate?
What could be the reason?
I would've assumed he just wanted to make me spare a snack for when he hit the road, but then he mentioned his scales. Snake beastmen do not joke with their scales for any reason whatsoever.
"M-may I ask why?"