So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Chapter 48: Not Grateful At All (1)

I've created an indoor zoo in the newly built house on the cliff.

The Shadow Forest here tends to have lower species diversity, probably due to the many damp and dark shaded areas.

Interestingly, there are many primate monsters living in the forest below Mansh Hills, and beyond that, insect monsters form clusters in the swamp.

On the plains, various monsters such as hyena packs, wolves, and snakes inhabit the area.

That snake keeps moving its dwelling, seemingly unable to find a place it likes.

I'm pondering a lot about the methodology of taming.

Fear, intimacy, respect. The three elements to gain a monster's obedience.

Fear can be obtained through whipping, respect through establishing a clear hierarchy and providing food.

But intimacy is impossible to fulfill.

I assume it's due to the fundamental difference between monsters and the chosen races.

Unlike fairies, dwarves, and humans who receive God's care, monsters are abandoned by God.

Their ugliness may look beautiful to me, but the monsters seem to feel an unavoidable wall towards me, a shadow fairy.

It's certainly different from how my beloved cat Kalish deeply followed me.

Is that why the Medusa Serpent also left its nest and ran away?

I thought it was because of fighting with its husband, but maybe it was because of me.

Ah, what should I do?

This month, taming one hyena is all I've accomplished.

Even that doesn't obey properly unless I use food or beat it.

Far from rolling over and exposing its belly, it tries to bite my hand at every opportunity.

I beheaded two hyenas that dared to bite my hand in front of their leader.

I was trying to establish discipline, and it seemed to have an effect at first glance.

But it was only for a moment. Now the ferocious monsters even refuse my petting.

Sadness pierces my heart.

?From Deshnan's Breeding Journal?

==

I've got a new mount.

Unlike Mother Centipede, the new mount had fluffy fur.

Although the fur is stiff like a broom, the riding comfort isn't bad.

A size as big as a lion.

And a strong, thick neck.

On top of the neck, there's enough fluffy mane for me to coil up and rest.

'Spot!'

"Kya-haeng!"

The identity of the new mount was none other than my pet dog Spot (not a dog, Fang Hyena lv31, stronger than expected).

Maybe because I fed it, Spot was surprisingly docile.

After naming it and becoming somewhat close, it seems to understand my intentions right away.

I'm sorry to Nanaluk, but it understood my words as well as she did when we first met.

This is quite fascinating.

Mother Centipede also seemed to understand my words perfectly.

I asked Pelerian, but even he couldn't give a definite answer.

I tapped Spot's neck three times.

This means start moving.

Spot began to walk with me on its back.

A true villain always commands hyenas.

Just look at that terrifying uncle lion from The Li_n King.

I entered the indoor zoo majestically riding Spot.

It's been a week since I started staying here.

During that time, I've begun to reign over the monsters in the indoor zoo.

Those who bare their teeth at me get a shower of flames.

Those who throw feces get their limbs broken.

Those who pretend to obey but then pounce become my meal.

Not all the monsters captured here are pushovers.

The real tough ones are in the outdoor zoo (actually just outside), according to the breeding journal.

But that doesn't mean the monsters Deshnan brought indoors are shabby.

This was the heart of the great forest, and Deshnan was a powerful shadow fairy.

There were monsters I could gain experience from, and ones I could borrow skills from.

"Keeing, keeeing."

"Uweeeeng."

All the monsters at the entrance of the indoor zoo submitted to me.

Their ways of showing submission were diverse.

Some rolled over exposing their bellies, some lowered their heads to the ground.

There were also those who curled up to show they weren't dangerous.

I scattered feed to them.

The monsters ate the feed hurriedly and gave me looks of respect.

And the more they did so, the more proudly Spot held up its head.

Envy glinted in the eyes of some monsters.

"You know how to command underlings."

Pelerian nodded and praised me.

The Fang Hyena Spot, which submitted the fastest and was the most loyal, was given special treatment.

Unlike other monsters, it was allowed to stay outside the iron bars.

So Spot tried harder to show loyalty to me, and other monsters were more loyal to me to become like Spot.

Of course, there were those that weren't.

The deeper I went, the fewer monsters took submissive postures.

Right. The ones here aren't ordinary beasts, but monsters.

Ones that would tear my throat out at any opportunity, and perhaps salivate at the thought of taking the magic stone that might be in my heart.

Still, now there were almost none that would pounce first.

True to its name as a zoo, the iron bars were divided by section.

Several monsters lived together, and occasionally there were solitary rooms.

The iron bars ahead were like that too.

Trees were planted, and rocks were piled to make a cave.

The terrain was covered in spider webs.

Red eyeballs rise from the pitch-black darkness inside the cave.

??????????????

[Crimson Tarantula lv32]

??????????????

I sensed bad blood from the moment I saw that name.

I ate the inner core of the Crimson Tarantula King, but that doesn't mean its lower species would have any grudge against me, right?

"Kak-kak, kak, ka-kak."

It shows hostility by glowing its eight eyes red whenever it sees me.

But this time, unlike yesterday, it didn't pounce first. I guess yesterday's beating must have hurt.

I got off Spot's back.

Spot refused to enter the iron bars. Of course, I had no intention of making it do so.

Click.

I unlocked the iron bars.

I entered through the open door without hesitation.

And I scattered feed in front of me.

'Come and eat.'

This is how I start taming the monsters here.

It begins like this.

It's a declaration that I will feed you, so obey me.

It starts with coming quietly and eating the food.

The monsters who have seen others get food and submit beyond the iron bars knew the meaning of this feed.

The Crimson Tarantula was no exception.

But it didn't come out.

Yesterday, it tried to pounce on me after I left the feed, and got beaten up.

Maybe that's why it's just quietly hiding in the cave this time.

Has it finally decided to submit?

Shwaaack!

A poison sting flew.

I tilted my head to dodge it.

I had borrowed that skill from the porcupine I met on the first day.

But I gave up on using that skill anymore.

I was curious about where the poison sting that shot out of my mouth was generated from. It didn't seem to be magic.

Pelerian speculated that it might rapidly consume the body's calcium to fire it.

I might end up with osteoporosis if I'm not careful.

Instead, I'm in the process of acquiring another skill.

The spider gave up on coming out and kept firing poison stings.

This is getting annoying.

I moved a bit further forward.

That's when it happened. Spider webs stuck to my body.

This is dangerous.