So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

The chimera snake's healing worked differently from potions.

The way potions work is to maximize the self-healing power of the subject.

The difference between high-grade and low-grade potions is just the difference in efficiency, but the fundamental principle is the same.

That's why there are cases where pouring potions doesn't heal.

The youngest dwarf with damaged internal organs was especially such a case.

After consuming a certain amount of potion, its efficiency drops rapidly.

But the healing of the seedling chimera snake used the life force that the chimera snake possessed.

Thanks to that, the youngest survived.

The dwarf who had run outside brought a stretcher and others, and the youngest was safely carried out.

The rest of the personnel walked out with tired expressions.

Fighting with monsters was much more exhausting than mining work.

Everyone's body was soaked in blood.

That's why.

I noticed late that Dunkel was injured.

"Saak!"

Hey, you!

Blood was dripping from Dunkel's side.

How could I not notice that even if his clothes were soaked in blood.

I thought he might have been trying to act cool, but that wasn't it.

"Uwaaa!"

Seeing him scream such a frivolous scream as soon as he realized he was injured.

Fortunately, the wound wasn't deep.

The dwarves' potions had already been used up on the youngest.

I decided to share some of the potion I had, reluctantly.

It seemed a blood mole had bitten Dunkel's side.

Luckily, the wound healed quickly after sprinkling a little potion.

"I, I was so focused I didn't even know I was bleeding."

Tsk tsk, this dimwit.

I glanced around, wondering if the other dwarves would laugh at him again.

But no one was laughing.

Rather, when they made eye contact with Dunkel, they lowered their heads or had complex expressions.

Why did their attitude suddenly change?

"Umm..."

The young dwarf who had been cursing Dunkel until this morning approached.

"I'll support you."

"Huh? Ah, no."

Despite Dunkel waving his hand, the dwarf insisted on supporting him.

Dunkel looked embarrassed, and the supporting dwarf looked even more embarrassed.

What are these guys doing?

As I was watching that, Manjin approached me.

Then he suddenly took out ham and held it out.

"You worked hard."

Well, I quickly took and ate it.

"Let's have another drink when we get back."

'Sounds good!'

I'm looking forward to it.

Fortunately, it didn't take long to get out of the tunnel.

The speed was slow, but it took a little less than an hour.

Many dwarves were waiting in the square we arrived at after exiting the tunnel.

"Oh! They're out."

"Manjin-!"

Perhaps because he had gone out to ask for help.

The story that a swarm of blood moles had sprung out of Manjin's team's tunnel seemed to have spread widely.

"You worked hard."

"It's a miracle that everyone came back alive!"

"We should go up and have a drink!"

Congratulations came from everywhere along with boisterous laughter.

Manjin was a person with deep trust among the miners.

Most of them sincerely welcomed his return.

Dunkel stood still with an awkward smile.

No one welcomed him.

I watched the dwarves from atop Dunkel's shoulder.

Pat pat.

I patted Dunkel's shoulder.

Don't be too intimidated.

"Is that Dunkel?"

Then, Dunkel's name was heard from somewhere.

Looking back, a slick-looking dwarf was talking while clinging to Manjin's group.

"Seems like they disturbed an innocent blood mole nest. Who did it?"

"What do you mean disturbed? They suddenly attacked us."

"Really? I thought. Maybe that bastard Dunkel did something stupid."

He snickered while cursing Dunkel.

"Anyway, you must have had a hard time with that bald bastard suddenly tagging along with you guys. The youngest came out injured, but that bastard looks fine..."

"Hey, you bastard!"

One of Manjin's team dwarves grabbed his collar.

"Wh-what!"

"If you curse or disrespect Brother Dunkel in front of me again, I won't let it slide."

"Why suddenly... Let go!"

Oh my.

Those guys.

They're better men than I thought.

I heard a sniffling sound from somewhere, and when I turned around, Dunkel was swallowing his snot.

He must be moved.

I was a bit moved too.

"What's with you suddenly, you bastard!"

The dwarf whose collar was grabbed suddenly swung his fist.

With a thud, Manjin's team dwarf fell down.

"He hit him! He hit him!"

"You bastard!"

Then Manjin swung his fist and suddenly a fight broke out.

"It's a fight!"

"Hahaha!"

The fight escalated in an instant.

These barbaric dwarves.

"Saak!"

You go too, Dunkel. If you just stand here, you're not a dwarf.

"I, I don't like fighting..."

This pathetic guy.

Opportunely, someone was pushed and fell on Dunkel.

"Aack!"

Then I'll take revenge for you.

I jumped into the midst of the dwarves.

==

That was quite interesting.

I'm talking about the fight.

After that day, fortunately, the youngest successfully completed treatment.

Dunkel had to work hard again because there weren't many proper doctors among the dwarves.

Perhaps because of that,

Manjin and his team members no longer treated Dunkel carelessly.

The team members called Dunkel "big brother," and Manjin also called Dunkel "brother" again.

However, this didn't mean Dunkel's position improved immediately.

Expecting that would be underestimating the world too much.

It's not easy for someone who was once ostracized by a group to regain their position.

I know this well from experience.

Still, Dunkel didn't just sit idle.

It had been a month since he first came down to the lower level.

Dunkel had become accustomed to mining work, and dwarves other than Manjin's team also started receiving help from him.

Gradually, the number of dwarves who no longer insulted Dunkel increased.

And finally, an opportunity to go down to the deep level arose.

The deep level is the lowest level of the mine.

Not just anyone could enter, and you needed the Meister's permission to approach Bluebeard.

"I don't think I can be with you when you meet the Mine Lord."

'Well, I'll manage on my own.'

Dunkel handed the introduction letter he received from Helmut to the gatekeeper of the deep level.

It was an introduction letter to be given to the Meister guarding the door of the deep level.

Without that letter, he wouldn't have been able to enter in the first place.

"Meister Jeremiah is a kind person. No need to be too nervous."

I came down from Dunkel's shoulder.

Dunkel held out his fist, and I also extended my tail to bump it.

'Thanks for bringing me. Take care of yourself too.'

"Yes, fighting!"

After saying goodbye to Dunkel, he left.

Then the dwarf guarding the door of the deep level muttered as if curious.

"A snake that writes letters. How interesting."

'It's not that big of a deal.'

"Would you like to have a drink with me later?"

Ouroboros ale was currently all the rage in the Red Anvil Mine.

The dwarves specifically wanted to drink ale that I had swum in once.

I nodded.

The dwarf was very pleased.

He soon brought me to a room that looked like a waiting room.

"You can wait here. The Meister will be here soon."

'Is this Meister Jeremiah the master craftsman who makes swords well?'

Perhaps that dwarf might make my black iron sword.

However, the dwarf who guided me had a strange expression.

"Jeremiah isn't here right now."

What?

"Instead, there's another Meister. They'll be here soon."

The dwarf who guided me seemed to be in a hurry for some reason.

He left the room with a meaningful parting words.

"Above all, be careful."

What does that mean?

But before I could understand the meaning of those words, the signs began.

Thump, thump, thump

It wasn't a sound from elsewhere.

It's the sound of my heart pounding.

Tsss tsss tsss-

My scales stood on end involuntarily.

It's been a while, but it's an unforgettable sensation.

It's the effect of the skill 'Survival Instinct lv7' that I possess.

Even when I fell into the mole rat's nest.

Even when I tried to light the gas that was full.

This skill that didn't activate then.

Why is it suddenly activating now?

Bang bang bang.

This time it wasn't the sound of my heart.

Footsteps.

It was the sound of a dwarf with a heavy weight running.

Before I could find a place to hide, the door burst open.

"A snake-!"

A voice as loud as if it had swallowed a train's chimney.

What appeared was a dwarf who looked like a warrior among warriors.

Long hair flowing as if there was wind even though there wasn't.

The beard was like wire, reminiscent of the Hegemon King Wu.

The height was small like a dwarf, but the solid muscles looked like they might burst.

"Y-You!"

The dwarf seemed startled to see me.

"Oh no..."

Pelerian let out a sigh.

He seemed to recognize this dwarf.

"Run away, that woman is the strongest and worst dwarf warrior in the Red Anvil Mine."

'Wait, what?'

I couldn't even imagine because of the beard.

It was a woman?

No, that's not the important thing.

"I've never seen such a beautiful snake!"

She leaped like a tiger and pounced on me.

I was caught before I knew it.

Should I bite her hand hard?

Her forearms looked so hard that my teeth might break instead.

"Perfect scales. I can make a new necklace!"

"Rozena..."

Pelerian, who always looked down on dwarves.

He said the dwarf's identity with a sinking voice.

"Meister of accessories. The strongest dwarf underground."

Crystal snake, save me!