Taming the Beast World with a Frying Pan

Chapter 318: The Snake Tempts With Forbidden Fruit

A few moments after Ren finished up the final touches of cleaning...

"I think that’s enough work for one day," Syris stretched. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his side. "How about I give you a tour of the castle?"

Ren’s green eyes instantly lit up. "A castle tour? Really?"

Ever since she had arrived at the massive obsidian fortress, her entire world had been strictly limited to Syris’ nest, his bath area, the scullery, and the garden. And well, she did sneak into his vault once and got locked up in the dungeon too, but Ren chose to pretend those didn’t happen.

The idea of finally exploring the rest of the ancient, towering structure was thrilling.

"Yes," Syris purred, highly pleased by her enthusiastic reaction. He enjoyed providing for her, and showing off his power was second nature. "Come. I will show you how my subjects live under my reign."

They strolled out of the scullery hand-in-hand. The main corridors of the castle were breathtaking in their dark, prehistoric architecture. The walls were carved from solid, gleaming black obsidian, illuminated softly by patches of vibrant, bioluminescent blue moss that grew naturally in the damp crevices of the high ceilings.

Syris walked with a slow, majestic stride, deliberately pacing himself so her shorter legs could easily keep up. As they walked, a small trickle of water from a damp ceiling patch formed a shallow puddle across the smooth stone floor.

Before Ren could even step around it, Syris effortlessly scooped her up by the waist, lifting her over the puddle, and setting her gently back down on the dry stone on the other side.

"Syris, I am perfectly capable of walking over a tiny puddle," Ren laughed, her cheeks flushing at the sweet gesture.

Their first stop was a massive, cavernous archway that opened into a sprawling, multi-tiered chamber. Ren expected to see something resembling military barracks—neat rows of cots, weapon racks, and strict organization.

Instead, it looked like a prehistoric luxury spa.

The room was filled with large, smooth, flat boulders that emanated a shimmering heat. Thick, sturdy vines were woven into giant hammocks that crisscrossed the high ceiling. Dozens of tall, muscular snake beastmen were relaxing in the chamber. Some were in their full beast forms, their giant, scaled coils wrapped around the heated pillars. Others were in their beastman forms, lounging lazily on the warm stones, eating raw fish or chatting in low, hissing tones.

The moment Syris stepped into the archway, every beastman instantly stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads in deep, silent reverence.

"No beds?" Ren whispered, genuinely intrigued as she looked at a group of three beastmen tangled together in a massive hammock near the ceiling.

"We do not need beds like your fragile species," Syris explained patiently, his voice echoing softly in the hall. "Snake beastmen seek out the warmth of the thermal stones. They rest where the heat calls to them. It keeps their blood flowing and their muscles loose."

"So they just sleep wherever it’s warm?" Ren asked, looking around the wide communal space.

"Yes, essentially," Syris responded. "They all live together, hunt together, and rest together. It forges a strong bond. When one is cold, another shares his heat."

Ren nodded, fascinated. "And the rocks? How are they so warm?"

"The castle is built directly over natural heat vents," Syris said, guiding her further down the corridor.

As they continued the tour, Ren peppered the King with questions about their lifestyle. She asked about their hunting rotations, how they forged their weapons, and how the castle’s ventilation worked to keep the dampness from causing mold. Syris answered every question with pride, surprisingly patient and eager to educate his mate on the intricacies of his kingdom. He explained how they used their venom to hunt, and how the bioluminescent moss was used to provide light.

Eventually, they descended a winding stone staircase that led deep into the lower levels of the fortress. The air grew significantly thicker, intensely humid, and incredibly warm. Ren reached up, wiping a small bead of sweat from her forehead.

"Jeez, why is it so hot down here?" Ren asked, fanning herself with her hand.

"We are approaching the Hatchery," Syris announced, guiding her through a set of thick, woven moss.

Ren stepped into the chamber and gasped in pure awe.

The floor of the massive cavern was covered entirely in soft, dark, warm volcanic sand. Embedded directly into the walls were hundreds of glowing, red-hot thermal rocks that kept the room at a constant, incubator-like temperature.

Nestled safely in the soft sand were dozens and dozens of large, pale eggs.

"This is where the females come to lay their clutches," Syris explained, gesturing gracefully across the room. "No other tribe in the world has such a secure, naturally heated sanctuary."

Ren walked forward carefully, terrified of accidentally stepping on a future apex predator. She remembered the tiny, blue-haired snake girl from the scullery yesterday.

"And the mothers just... leave them here?" Ren asked softly, looking at a cluster of pale eggs.

"It is the way of our kind," Syris nodded nonchalantly. "The females lay the eggs in the warm sand and return to their duties or their mates. When the hatchlings are born, they have all the necessary instincts to hunt, hide, and survive."

Ren found the concept wild, yet undeniably fascinating.

Suddenly, a soft, scratching sound caught Ren’s attention.

Directly to her left, a pale green egg nestled in the sand began to wiggle.

"Syris, look!" Ren squealed, grabbing his arm and pointing excitedly. "It’s hatching!"

Syris glanced over, unimpressed, but he allowed Ren to drag him closer to the trembling egg.

A tiny, sharp little slit appeared near the top of the shell. A moment later, a tiny, dark green snout aggressively poked its way out, covered in translucent fluid. The baby snake pushed its head entirely free of the shell, blinking its large, golden eyes at the bright light of the thermal stones.

It opened its tiny jaws, let out a high-pitched, squeaky little hiss, and then promptly sneezed a bubble of fluid out of its nose.

"Oh my goodness!" Ren melted into a puddle of maternal adoration, clasping her hands over her mouth. "He is so cute! Look at his little face!"

Syris stared blankly down at the tiny, sneezing reptile. "It is average," he stated dryly, examining the green scales. "It will likely be hunting rodents in the marsh by nightfall. Nothing to marvel at."

Ren playfully smacked his chest. "Don’t be mean to him, Syris! He literally just entered the world thirty seconds ago! He’s trying his best!"

Syris simply sighed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and guiding her away from the newly hatched beastman. "You are far too soft and too easily impressed. But I suppose as a female you can’t really help yourself."

After leaving the stifling heat of the Hatchery, Syris led her back up the winding stairs to a cooler, beautifully ventilated section of the castle near the rear courtyards. This area was used by the foragers and gatherers. Large woven baskets were stacked neatly against the stone walls, overflowing with fresh, vibrant fruits, wild tubers, and exotic swamp herbs that the snake females had collected that morning.

Syris stepped over to one of the woven baskets. He sifted through the harvest to find the most flawless piece of fruit for his mate. He discarded a few bruised options, his standards incredibly high when it came to feeding her.

Finally, he picked up a perfectly round, crisp, brilliant red apple.

Syris turned back to her, holding the gorgeous fruit out in his large, pale hand. "Eat this, you must be hungry by now."

Ren looked at the pristine, shiny red apple. Then, she looked up at the handsome Snake King offering it to her.

A literal snake was offering a woman an apple.

The sheer biblical irony of the situation slammed into Ren’s brain. The imagery was too perfect, too hilariously on the nose. Here she was, standing in a lush, prehistoric garden equivalent, being tempted by a serpent.

She tried to bite her lip to hold it in, but she couldn’t. A soft giggle escaped her mouth, rapidly snowballing into a full-blown, ringing fit of uncontrollable laughter. She clutched her stomach, her shoulders shaking as the laughter echoed off the obsidian walls.

Syris froze, his hand still extended. He blinked in profound confusion, looking from the fruit to her entirely amused face.

"Why are you laughing?" Syris asked, genuinely perplexed. He pulled the apple back slightly, inspecting the red skin closely. "Is something wrong with the apple? Should I find something else?"

Ren shook her head, wiping a tear of mirth from the corner of her eye.

"Nothing, Syris. It’s nothing at all," Ren smiled brightly, taking the fruit from his palm. She brought it to her lips and took a large, crisp bite.