So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Even so, to show such clear dislike right away.

Maybe I shouldn't have come. Phili thought for a moment.

"Rania, this is Phili. Yes, he's the prince. Turns out he's my roommate."

"Phili?"

"We agreed to speak casually. Phili, you greet her too. This is Rania."

The prince reflexively held out his hand to greet Rania.

"...I'm Phili Aden. You can speak casually too."

"Ah... okay."

Though awkward, Rania agreed to speak casually without hesitation, just like Amain.

No wonder these two got along.

The prince waved awkwardly.

It was truly awkward, but.

That was the beginning of their friendship.

==

"Haah."

Obern sighed.

'Don't worry about it.'

He's too worried about disciplining that arrogant prince.

'No, the Court Mage asked me to stay close to the prince...'

For some unknown reason, that corrupt old Court Mage apparently made such a request to Obern.

A patron's request is essentially no different from an order.

'You have to establish dominance with guys like that from the start.'

My position was firm.

If I had to compare that prince to a magical beast, he'd be like a long-tailed monkey with flashy fur and bottom.

So fierce he bares his teeth even at those who feed him.

With those types, you need to establish dominance from the start to get along well.

Obern, who knew his own way around relationships, nodded right away.

'That's true.'

'Right, so focus now.'

Obern took the lotus position again.

A meditation posture.

Right now, I was teaching Obern magic.

"Your system of learning magic so far has been crude. Your mana circuits are too narrow for high-output magic."

'You see, your way of learning magic has been quite crude. Your mana circuits are too narrow to use powerful magic freely.'

More precisely, it was Pelerian teaching, but.

As someone who had walked the path of magic, Obern quickly noticed how sharp and helpful my advice was.

'Your talent isn't bad.'

'Really...?'

'Yes, while I can't call you a genius, I can't call you slow either. With proper training, you might even become a tower magician.'

Since Pelerian saw it that way, it must be true.

He didn't view Obern's talent negatively.

'It would have been better if you hadn't gotten distracted. You touched too many miscellaneous things trying to inflate your abilities.'

'...'

That was the problem.

Obern frequently used magic reagents and such as catalysts to cast spells.

It was to compensate for his insufficient magical power.

But that had hindered his growth. If he corrected these bad habits from now on, he could become a proper magician.

'Why are you doing this for me?'

There was a tremor in Obern's mental question.

I answered.

'I'll be leaving in the near future. You can't continue being a professor like this, can you?'

'...!'

Suddenly Obern's expression contorted.

I wondered if I had said something wrong, but he didn't seem upset.

'To do this much for me...'

He was clearly moved.

Is this really such a big deal?

'No need to overreact. It's written in the contract.'

'Thank, thank you.'

His eyes even got teary.

This is a bit burdensome.

"It is a big deal, what magician would teach so easily?"

'I see.'

I guess so.

「A magician is sincerely moved by your benevolence.」

「Due to the 'Royal' trait, 'Majesty' increases.」

Obern wasn't faking his emotion.

To gain Majesty like this, it wasn't my intention.

'Then keep meditating.'

'Yes...!'

I came down from Obern's shoulder and headed back to the staff.

After using Majesty once to use the Crown of Connection on the staff, I could use the Crown of Connection on the staff afterward without consuming Majesty.

When I focused after getting on the staff.

Tsutsusu-

The staff started emitting hell's magical power again in waves.

Magical power transformed by hell is like poison to ordinary creatures.

But we have Isil here.

He ate up the pitch-black magical power like a snack.

What I'm trying to absorb from the staff is hell magic.

If I absorb this, I'll be able to perform the 'hell transformation' of magical power too.

Then I'll be able to use magic like 'hellfire' and 'corruption', which according to Pelerian is an incredible feat.

He says it should be impossible to learn even for an exceptional snake like me.

But he must have forgotten that I'm an amazing snake with 20 potential. There's nothing in this world I can't learn.

'Absorbed about 20%.'

The staff was quite persistent.

However, when I used 'Majesty' to strengthen the Crown of Connection skill, the absorption speed increased.

If I gain more Majesty through Obern, I should be able to make the skill completely mine in a few months.

And then...

I turned my gaze to look at the cube.

──────────────

[Emperor's Cube]

──────────────

Surprisingly, the cube's name had the modifier 'Emperor's' attached to it.

Emperor, isn't that cool?

But knowing that didn't change anything.

The cube's identity was nothing but a mystery, its purpose and contents unknown.

I thought about just breaking it, but it seemed too hard to break easily.

However, I had a means to discover its identity.

'After I absorb the staff, I'll have to open that.'

I should be able to use the Crown of Connection with Majesty.

I wanted to try it right now, but that was impossible.

One at a time.

Like the Crown of Steal, connecting with artifacts using the Crown of Connection can only be done once.

For now, absorbing the staff's magic should take priority.

Well, it's not urgent anyway.

While I was snake-like planning for the future.

Suddenly something caught my sharp senses.

"Watch out!"

I quickly warned Obern.

Obern, who had been meditating, hurriedly grabbed his staff and stood up.

And something came flying through the window.

Changgrang- Pak!

It was a rock with a letter tied to it.

When Obern and I quickly looked out the window.

Someone wearing a mask was watching us from below.

Then, as if warning us, they made a gesture of cutting their throat with their finger, before turning to run away.

Is this person crazy?

「Using Beam lv4.」

Piing-!

The beam hit the fleeing person's hamstring.

They screamed "Aack!" and fell face-first.