The underground crystal cavern had become strangely peaceful.
Blue mana crystals illuminated the darkness.
Countless crystal formations stretched across the cavern walls like frozen stars.
The corpses of slain serpents had already been moved aside.
The battle had ended.
The negotiation continued.
And for the first time in centuries...
The ancient serpent woman was speaking about herself.
Not as a monster.
Not as a guardian.
Not as a predator.
But simply as a living being.
"I wanted a life that belonged to me."
Her voice echoed softly through the cavern.
The words lingered in the air.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Filled with countless years of solitude.
Kel quietly listened.
The knights quietly listened.
Even the surrounding snakes remained unusually silent.
The serpent woman looked toward the glowing crystal ceiling.
Lost in memories.
Lost in centuries.
Lost in thoughts she rarely shared.
Kel was about to speak.
Perhaps ask another question.
Perhaps continue the discussion.
Perhaps finally move toward the actual negotiation.
Then—
"HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
A loud hiss echoed from behind.
The atmosphere immediately changed.
The serpent woman's expression darkened.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
She turned her head.
A small black snake had raised its head from among the crowd.
The serpent woman narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
The snake hissed again.
"HISSSS HISS HISS HIIIIISSSS!"
Several knights blinked.
Then something unbelievable happened.
The woman answered.
"No."
The snake hissed louder.
"No."
More hissing.
"No."
More hissing.
"Absolutely not."
The snake became even more agitated.
Kel stared.
The knights stared.
Everyone stared.
Because they were witnessing an argument.
Between a woman.
And a snake.
The discussion continued.
"HISSSSSS!"
"No."
"HISSSSSSS!"
"I said no."
"HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"
The woman slammed her hand against the table.
"I DON'T CARE IF YOU THINK HE LOOKS EDIBLE."
Silence.
The cavern froze.
Kel blinked.
Several knights instinctively took a step backward.
The snake looked offended.
Then slowly lowered its head.
Defeated.
The woman rubbed her forehead.
"...Idiots."
A long sigh escaped her lips.
Kel finally spoke.
"May I ask what that was about?"
The serpent woman looked embarrassed.
Which somehow felt stranger than seeing her angry.
"The idiot wanted permission to eat one of your knights."
The entire knight formation instantly became alert.
"What?!"
"Which knight?!"
"Why?!"
The serpent woman pointed.
A young knight immediately froze.
The snake also pointed.
The young knight looked ready to cry.
The serpent sighed.
"Apparently he smells delicious."
The young knight suffered emotional damage.
His companions immediately moved away from him.
"Stay over there."
"You attract danger."
"It's for the safety of the group."
The young knight looked betrayed.
Kel covered his mouth.
Trying very hard not to laugh.
Far beneath Scarder Lake.
Seiren was already laughing.
"The mighty defenders of Frostbound Coast are being evaluated as snacks."
Kel chose not to respond.
The conversation resumed.
Or at least it tried to.
Because another snake suddenly raised its head.
"HISSSSSS!"
The serpent woman immediately pointed.
"No."
"HISSSS!"
"No."
"HISSSSSSS!"
"YOU ALREADY ATE THREE THIS WEEK."
The snake slowly lowered its head.
Ashamed.
The knights stared.
One eventually whispered.
"...What is happening?"
Another whispered back.
"I think we're watching a mother discipline her children."
Unfortunately.
The serpent woman heard him.
Immediately.
Her head snapped toward the knight.
"THEY ARE NOT MY CHILDREN!"
The roar shook the entire cavern.
The knight nearly dropped dead from fear.
Kel quietly drank water.
Pretending innocence.
The serpent immediately pointed toward him.
"This is your fault."
Kel blinked.
"How?"
"You put that idea into their heads."
The young Count looked genuinely confused.
"I merely asked a question."
The woman's eye twitched.
"Repeatedly."
"That's because your reaction was interesting."
The serpent almost flipped the table.
Far away.
Seiren laughed harder.
"You are absolutely doing it intentionally now."
"Perhaps."
"At least you're honest."
The conversation attempted to continue again.
Then—
"HISSSSSSS!"
Another interruption.
The serpent slowly closed her eyes.
Several seconds passed.
Then she pointed toward a nearby crystal wall.
"No."
The snake hissed.
"No."
The snake hissed louder.
The woman grabbed her forehead.
"No."
The snake continued.
Then finally—
"IF YOU WANT TO COURT HER THEN GO TALK TO HER YOURSELF!"
Silence.
The cavern froze again.
The snake immediately hid behind another snake.
Several nearby serpents began hissing.
The serpent woman looked horrified.
"Oh no."
The hissing spread.
Then more hissing.
Then even more.
The entire cavern suddenly erupted.
Thousands of snakes began hissing.
The sound resembled a marketplace.
Or perhaps a family reunion.
Nobody could tell.
The serpent woman immediately stood.
"NO!"
The hissing continued.
"STOP IT!"
More hissing.
"YOU ARE NOT HOLDING A MATING SEASON MEETING RIGHT NOW!"
Even more hissing.
The knights stared.
Kel stared.
A veteran knight slowly approached another.
"...Can she understand all of them?"
The other knight nodded.
"I think so."
A pause.
"...That sounds exhausting."
The first knight nodded.
"Very exhausting."
Meanwhile.
The serpent woman was rapidly losing patience.
"You."
She pointed.
"No."
Another.
"No."
Another.
"Definitely no."
Another.
"What do you mean she's out of your league? You're a snake!"
The entire cavern became silent.
Then several snakes lowered their heads.
Defeated.
The woman looked exhausted.
Truly exhausted.
Kel quietly watched.
Then asked.
"Do they always behave like this?"
The serpent slowly turned.
Her eyes contained centuries of suffering.
"Every."
A pause.
"Single."
Another.
"Day."
Kel immediately understood.
The woman pointed toward the sea of snakes.
"They fight."
Another point.
"They argue."
Another.
"They court each other."
Another.
"They steal food."
Another.
"They complain."
Another.
"They ask stupid questions."
Another.
"They create problems."
The woman looked genuinely tired.
Then she sat down heavily.
"And somehow."
A pause.
"They bring every single one of those problems to me."
The knights slowly nodded.
Because suddenly...
They understood.
This wasn't a monster queen.
This wasn't a terrifying serpent overlord.
This was an overworked administrator.
A very overworked administrator.
Kel quietly looked at her.
Then toward the thousands of snakes.
Then back toward her.
Suddenly.
A terrifying thought appeared in his mind.
"You're managing them."
The woman looked confused.
"What?"
Kel pointed toward the snakes.
"You're effectively governing them."
The serpent blinked.
Then blinked again.
The realization slowly appeared.
"...I suppose I am."
Kel smiled.
The serpent immediately felt danger.
Because that smile looked exactly like the smile he wore before creating new departments.
Far beneath Scarder Lake.
Seiren groaned.
"No."
Kel's smile widened.
"Yes."
The Guardian immediately understood.
And somewhere deep inside her soul...
The serpent woman was about to become involved in Frostbound Coast's administration whether she liked it or not.
She simply hadn't realized it yet.