So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

I couldn't cover my eyes since I have no hands.

"Wh-what are you doing!"

A servant, either brave or foolish, blocked the two.

For good reason. The two had returned carrying objects totally unsuited for a banquet hall.

What they were carrying, two in each hand, were none other than human heads.

They appeared holding the hair of heads twisted in terror or pain, like shopping baskets.

"Guards, call the guar- Ugh!"

Dana kicked the shouting servant in the stomach.

The servant rolled over and fainted with a thud.

The two walked steadily forward without even glancing at us.

Toward the private room the Margrave and administrator had entered earlier.

A soldier who seemed to be the administrator's subordinate was guarding it.

"St-stay back."

He drew his sword and pointed it at Rahan.

The sword tip trembled.

Rahan didn't draw his chain sickle, didn't swing his prosthetic arm, didn't even shout.

He just stared at the soldier with sunken eyes and dark circles.

After silently staring for a while, surprisingly, the soldier lowered his sword first.

And looking down, he quietly stepped back.

'Killing intent. Hmm.'

He clearly subdued the soldier by emanating killing intent.

Since the soldier collapsed on the floor right after Rahan and Dana entered.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

And soon, screams burst out from inside the private room too.

"Kyaaah!"

"Uheek!"

The first to run out were women I hadn't even known had entered.

Their nearly naked appearance was extraordinarily indecent.

"Saak!" (Cover your eyes!)

I quickly whipped my tail over the minor Phili's eyes.

Phili went "Uwaah" and rolled on the floor clutching his eyes.

But there was no need to worry about such things.

Soon, the Margrave and administrator appeared again.

When they went in, the administrator seemed to be supporting the Margrave, but this time it was the opposite.

The Margrave was dragging the administrator by his arm.

The administrator's legs had given out and he could barely stand, but the Margrave's strength seemed extraordinary. He was dragged along like a paper doll, fluttering weakly.

"Hahaha, I asked you, didn't I? To bring girls who wouldn't scream at the sight of blood."

"Uu, uhu."

Your next read awaits at empire

"I thought my ears would burst. What's this, did you wet yourself?"

"I-I'm sorry!"

"Did you think hastily fabricating and hiding the ledgers would work? Even putting drugs in the drinks?"

"J-just to help sleep better... hup."

When the Margrave released the administrator's wrist, he collapsed face-first onto the floor.

"Rahan, Dana."

At the Margrave's signal, Rahan threw one head.

"This is the head of the accounting officer. He was busy falsifying the ledgers."

"Uuu."

Thunk!

"Who's this, the left minister. You say the left minister brought the women? Bringing some unknown prostitutes for entertainment? Are you making light of His Majesty's inspector?"

"No!"

"Well, I was planning to be lenient, but it's worse than I thought. There's the family minister too, Rahan."

Thunk!

The dropped head rolled until it reached right in front of the administrator's nose.

The administrator looked like he might really faint.

Inspectors are often treated as synonymous with 'grim reapers' by local officials.

And that wasn't just a metaphor.

"If you'd been reasonable, I would have been reasonable and left. Dana."

"Yes, Margrave."

"By the authority of inspector granted by imperial decree. Summary judgment."

And Dana did so.

Fortunately or not, the administrator probably didn't feel any pain.

Slash-!

Since his severed head didn't twist in pain.

"Record it well Rahan, Dana. We'll need to submit a report after all."

The Margrave spoke in a completely sober voice, as if he'd never been drunk.

Looking at it now, he must have quite a high alcohol tolerance.

"Now then, were you surprised?"

The Margrave asked Obern so.

"A little surprised."

That's a lie.

Not a little, but tremendously surprised. His pulse was beating as violently as when he received the duel challenge from the Tower Master.

"Let's go have a drink, just us."

"Uh..."

Obern didn't have the courage to refuse right now.

He nodded, practically being dragged along.

==

You could say the Margrave made a rough debut.

Through his arms and legs, Rahan and Dana that is.

For Rahan, it wasn't a particularly pleasant task.

Even if the target is guilty, killing people is never enjoyable.

Though he was used to getting blood on his hands, that sticky blood seeping into his fingertips.

Rahan always felt gloomy on days like this.

But it's not that he didn't understand the Margrave's intentions.

Regardless of how much he personally hated the Margrave, today's bloodshed would actually reduce bloodshed in the future.

'Margrave Sareb, appointed as imperial inspector, killed Gaun City's administrator.'

Because such rumors would spread widely.

In other words, the Margrave set an example.

He demonstrated that the Emperor's power reaches throughout the Empire by beheading an administrator.

Both visiting Gaun City and killing the administrator were planned from the start.

So there was no problem.

Just one regrettable thing.

"Ah..."

Phili avoiding his gaze.

Like that, their new companions grew wary of them.

It was natural.

Who would feel close to assassins who appear carrying human heads?

Of course they would be intimidated and keep their distance.

The talking snake would be the same.

...No, is that so?

"Saak!"

The snake suddenly hissing like that seemed to be from wariness.

But reading the words the snake wrote, that wasn't it.

'Stop acting cool.'

Acting cool? When did Rahan act cool?

Rahan wrote to ask:

'What did I do that was acting cool?'

'You made that lonely expression looking at Phili and me after acting a bit villainous.'

Well that's true, but how did you know.

'Thinking "Ah, they fear me again, it must be my fate."'

'...'

For some reason, Rahan's face turned bright red.

'The real villain is right here. Want to see?'

'Yes, please show me.'

The snake said so and brought a flower pot from somewhere.

A small sprout was planted in it.

Though it wasn't an ordinary plant. The leaves waved around like a living animal.

'This is Isil.'

'Isil...'

'Yes, Isil destroyed about three cities. I'd rather not go into detail.'

Are you joking right now?

It's too serious to be a joke. Even more so since we're communicating in writing...

'And hunted one demon too. Though he destroyed three cities, he saved one dwarf city, so he needs to save about two more cities before he can be called a great villain.'

'I-I see.'

Though it makes no sense, is this comfort right now?

Feeling grateful, I carefully tried to pat the snake's head.

"Saat!"

'Ack!'

Then the snake bit Rahan's hand.

It seems it didn't inject poison, but it stung.

'How impudent.'

'I'm sorry.'

If that was comfort, it was truly strange comfort.