The enormous red snake raised its head.

[This is me showing my secret first. It’s the best way to alleviate your doubts. It’s not only your secret that has been revealed. People don’t know how I use the power of the snake.]

Knights gathered around War hero Casius.

They were holding people back, standing behind Casius.

Empress Lenisha, too, looked at Casius in surprise, having never heard such a tale.

[This is the reason why no enemy survived in my battle with them.]

Casius’s red tongue moved, making a slithering sound.

Golden dots lined up on the snake’s body.

Rather than repulsive, it looked sacred.

The red scales were indeed reminiscent of blood.

The sunset merged mysteriously with him.

Casius shone with the sun melting into the sky.

The golden eyes surrounded by red scales were as brilliant as if made by melting gold.

It was beautiful.

Lenisha inadvertently licked her lips.

“Casius……”

At Lenisha’s call, Casius bowed his head.

As always, in front of Lenisha, he moved slowly, bringing his massive face close to Lenisha.

Lenisha raised her hand to stroke Casius’s nose.

The red snake seemed to nuzzle against Lenisha’s palm affectionately.

[Lenisha.]

Those who had been shocked by Casius’s appearance now lowered their guard.

“Are you okay? Really?”

The child who had shown its scales tilted its head and jumped forward.

Casius looked at the child and nodded.

“Wow. I can do that too.”

The child quickly turned into a small and cute black snake.

Compared to the enormous red snake called a god, it was insignificant.

The black snake raised its triangular head and crawled onto the red snake’s body.

[Kyaa!]

The child let out a joyful scream.

Seeing this, other children gathered courage and sprang out.

“Randal!”

“Me too! Mom wants to play too, right?”

Ignoring the parents’ objection, a child ran out and transformed into a snake.

Cute and small snakes climbed onto the red snake’s body.

Listening to the children’s clear laughter, Lenisha smiled too.

Those living in Hiloshain were outcasts and wounded, considered different from others.

For thousands of years, they were born, raised, and met their end in Hiloshain.

Their remains buried in the ground, forming today’s Hiloshain.

They had been protected all this time in Hiloshain by Lotera.

Lotera’s ancestors felt compassion for the people of Hiloshain, not disgust.

Lotera’s ancestors believed that all people deserved protection and kept the Hiloshain people hidden.

That was the secret of Hiloshain, passed down only in the Lotera family.

After being teased by the children for a while, Casius returned to his human form.

Children rushed to Casius, now in human form, tidying his clothes.

The innocent children seemed to feel a kinship with Casius, looking like them.

And the children’s innocence broke down the adults’ guard.

“……If you are of our kind, we can trust you.”

“Welcome to Hiloshain.”

As Casius and Lenisha exchanged greetings with the villagers, their eyes met.

Lenisha smiled faintly.

Casius’s earlier response was swift and effective.

If Casius hadn’t made that decision, mediating between Hiloshain and Casius would have been difficult.

‘Just need to resolve the issue with the different races.’

The other races, like Hiloshain, were people pushed into back alleys.

There’s no reason to attack someone in the same situation.

Lenisha held a somewhat optimistic hope.

Since meeting Casius, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

‘Everything will be alright.’

Lenisha approached Casius.

Freed from the people, Casius looked at Lenisha.

“It seems like it’s time to give what you’ve been hiding since earlier?”

“This is…….”
When did he realize? He thought he would never know.

Casius swallowed his saliva, unable to speak.

Lenisha was still smiling.

Her dreamlike appearance penetrated Casius’s eyes.

Casius, as if enchanted, held out a hidden flower.

Compared to Lenisha, it was an infinitely shabby bouquet.

Lenisha accepted the bouquet, its breath dead and head bowed.

“A wedding gift?”

“…….”

“I like it.”

“Next time, something better…….”

Casius muttered without realizing it.

Seeing her smiling like that after receiving just this flower made him want to give her something even better.

Lenisha said, tilting her head.

“I told you I like this. I appreciate your heart in it.”

Lenisha reached out to Casius, who somehow felt adorable.

She stroked Casius’s head, which was much higher up.

Her body, standing on tiptoes, wobbled unstably.

Casius bent his body and grabbed Lenisha’s waist at the same time.

“Good boy, our puppy.”

Casius, who was enjoying Lenisha’s touch, opened his eyes wide.

He looked around sharply.

Everyone was watching them with interested eyes.

Destructive Lenisha had done it again. Casius gritted his teeth.

“I’m going crazy.”

He’s going to go mad over this small woman trying to control people.

(This is a time separator.)

Lexsus looked around the domain, driving the horse.

A familiar place. But strangely, it felt unfamiliar.

He hadn’t been able to sleep at all for the past few days.