So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

Must be a nice friend. Amain felt somewhat relieved.

"But why are you speaking formally? They said first-years shouldn't use formal speech with each other..."

"Even so... may I ask which house you're from?"

Which house?

Ah, is that it.

Amain touched his cream-colored blonde hair.

With this blonde hair and his looks. Amain was often mistaken for a noble's child. Though he didn't know what exactly made him look noble.

"Ah I'm not a noble..."

"Hmmm?"

There was no need for detailed explanation. The Riddle house consisted of just Amain and Roil.

But who knew the other's expression would crumple as soon as he said that.

Thud!

He even roughly pushed Amain.

He almost fell over.

"What are you doing!"

When Amain glared, the boy instead gave a mocking laugh.

"How dare a lowborn..."

"Bex, what's going on."

At the small commotion, other boys gathered around the one called Bex.

Bex pointed at Amain and said.

"This bastard is pretending to be noble. Almost fooled me."

"What?"

Pretending to be noble, when did he ever do that?

"I never pretended to be noble."

"You bastard, don't lie!"

How could his attitude change so much after being so kind earlier.

Indeed, the world isn't easy.

"And I learned that at Emerald School, everyone is equal except royalty."

"Only those without roots like you would say that."

Bex and his group glared.

Though uncertain, they must all be nobles.

Being big and cracking their knuckles, they might use violence.

Amain briefly recalled Roil's face.

'Dad said not to fight.'

But conversely, master had said 'If anyone acts up, punish them right away!'

As Amain slightly pulled back his left hand.

When Bex tried to grab Amain's collar.

"How cowardly."

A girl blocked in front of Bex with a clear voice.

"Three people oppressing one person."

Amain quietly thought 'It wasn't quite oppression yet'.

"Who are you..."

"Hey, Bex!"

As Bex was about to get annoyed, the boy behind suddenly stopped him.

And when the boy whispered something, Bex's face turned white.

"I apologize for not recognizing the Martein daughter. I'm sorry."

He apologized while deeply bowing his waist.

At that attitude, the girl instead frowned.

"Don't you know we're equal here regardless of house or background?"

"Sorry..."

Bex and his group retreated in confusion and haste.

The girl before him must be quite high status. Amain thought so.

"I'm Rania Martein. Don't be too scared, those kinds only act tough when in groups."

The girl introduced herself saying that.

Amain clearly corrected Rania's words.

"I wasn't scared."

"What?"

The magic was already constructed.

Amain raised his hand and snapped.

An invisible wind flew and smacked Bex's bottom.

Bex rolled on the ground once then looked back.

Then got up with a confused expression and ran away again.

"Hahaha."

Rania burst out laughing.

Not expecting such hearty laughter, Amain also quietly smiled along.

"You're interesting. Let's be good friends from now on. What's your name?"

"Amain Riddle."

"I see, I'm actually Rania Greyrim. Though I became Rania Martein."

"...I see."

Though not really understanding what that meant, Amain nodded.

The girl and boy formed a connection.

That they were already connected through one snake, neither knew at that time.

==

Alright, giving up on figuring out what the cube is! Can't tell no matter how I look at it.

Decided to move straight to the main dish, the staff.

──────────────

[Sovereign's Arachne]

──────────────

Directly translating the name would mean king's spider.

The spider is the staff, so does that mean this staff's original owner was a king?

The word sovereign reminds me of my 'Royal' trait, I like it.

Isn't a prince the future sovereign anyway?

'Quickly tear off the seal.'

"Yes."

Obern was interested too.

He seems to have quite an eye for fashion. It looks like a staff design that would perfectly suit a young arrogant genius professor.

As Obern carefully peeled off the seal on the lock.

Fssss-

The red seal paper burned away on its own.

And the case lid opened with a thunk by itself.

"Ooh!"

I can feel it.

Tremendous magical power was pouring out from the staff.

Definitely no ordinary item.

"A staff worthy of an archmage. Who on earth made this... not fairy craftsmanship. Perhaps made by gnomes."

Even Pelerian is impressed.

'Is it better than what you used to use?'

"Hmm, could say it's similar level."

Then it must be a very precious item.

"Shall I try holding it?"

'Go ahead.'

Obern hesitated briefly, then slowly reached for the staff.

And the moment he firmly grasped it.

"Kuaaaagh!"

Gasp.

Obern's face turned bright red, and his eyes lost their whites leaving only black pupils.

"Kurk, kruruk."

His canine teeth seem to have gotten a bit pointier too.

Clearly seeming to be going berserk, I quickly started slapping Obern's cheeks with invisible hands.

Smack! Slap!

"Uuuh, kuaaagh!"

But he shows no signs of coming back to his senses.

Instead of slapping his cheeks, I struck Obern's wrist with my tail.

Thunk.

Only after the staff fell to the ground did Obern regain his senses.

"Huk, heuk."

'What was that, what happened?'

"My mind went blank, then rage surged up. Like... wanting to burn this whole world."

Ah, so that's it.

"So that's what it was... as expected."

'Complete bad taste.'

This staff was a 'cursed weapon' type artifact.

The kind that gives the user powerful strength but attacks their mind.

Stories are famous of grasping a cursed sword and coming to your senses only to find you killed your loving family and villagers with your own hands.

Sovereign's Arachne is certainly a powerful staff.

But it seems it was a white elephant to Pelerian since it had a curse that attacks the mind.

Seeing how he gave it to Caspian who he disliked, it must have been difficult to remove the curse...

'Isn't it perfect for me?'

"Well... it is."

Pelerian agreed reluctantly.

Actually, cursed weapon type artifacts have great synergy with me.

Aren't I immune to mental attacks due to the Indomitable trait bonus?

I came down from Obern's wrist and went directly in front of the staff.

And boldly touched my tail to the staff.

Zap!

Sure enough, powerful magic power rushed in through my tail.

It surged up to my head but...

「Immune to mental attacks due to 'Indomitable' trait.」

That repertoire just repeated.

Not even fresh anymore.

Just as I was about to explore the effects of my newly acquired staff.

「Can use Crown of Connection lv1.」

Ooh.

A new route has opened.