A Core Ship From The Start

Chapter 277: Chapter 222 Laya’s Secret_2

“I…”

Faced with Duanmu Huai’s stern gaze, Layas involuntarily shrank back and lowered her head. She was someone who lacked confidence to begin with, and this serious question resulted in an apparent increase in her anxiety.

“I……”

However, after a moment, Layas raised her head to look at Duanmu Huai again.

“I… I want to know, I want to understand all of this, I want to find out what secret Lady Tannis is keeping from me.”

“………Alright, I’ll try.”

Duanmu Huai shrugged his shoulders; it wasn’t surprising that despite Layas being a docile and sensible girl, she wasn’t naïve. Any normal person in her situation would have doubts about their origin. Perhaps Layas has long held some level of suspicion about her background, but lacked someone to share it with, so she concealed it. It wasn’t until she and Audrey saw Layas’ true form… well, anyway, this is a good time to check.

With no effort at all, Duanmu Huai found the hidden door in the adjacent room and followed the passage to an abandoned chapel in the back. Upon opening the door, he discovered a small town hidden behind the chapel – alright, it seemed that Tannis has indeed hidden something from Layas, especially since Layas never mentioned this place.

Exiting the chapel, Duanmu Huai quickly spotted a Lizardman standing with his back towards him near the edge of a cliff in the distance. The creature held a sword and shield, appearing guard-like in stature.

But speaking of which……

“This really is a lizard.”

Looking at the creature before him, Duanmu Huai couldn’t help but comment. He had already planned to knock it unconscious and capture it for further discussion with Tannis.

However, at that moment, an unexpected thing happened.

The lizardman soldier suddenly bent forward, seeming to stretch, and in the next instant, it grew from two meters to four or five meters in length!

“…………”

Alright, I take back my words, this is undoubtedly a Naga.

No, maybe it’s an earthworm… snakes don’t do this…

“Hiss—————!!”

The creature noticed Duanmu Huai at this moment. It opened its mouth to let out a shrill scream, coiled its body and then extended rapidly, lunging towards Duanmu Huai. It was about to swing its sword down———when it suddenly screamed and fell to the ground, becoming a corpse.

“What in the world is this thing………”

Duanmu Huai silently retracted his fist and speechlessly looked at the corpse on the ground. He had assumed that Layas could converse with the Nagas here, but they turned out to be just as mad as the ones outside……

Hmm, Melfy once mentioned that many races had established their own civilizations…

Thinking of this, Duanmu Huai immediately contacted Bambi and instructed her to ask Melfy if she had ever seen creatures that resembled lizards and could stretch their bodies significantly.

Bambi’s response came quickly.

“Ah, that must be the Spirit Snake Tribe. Melfy says they used to inhabit volcanoes, but they went silent after a while.”

“I see, thank you.”

By now, Duanmu Huai had reached a chapel situated on high ground and was staring at a statue before him. It was a stone sculpture of a being with a serpentine head and wings. It looked like an angelic statue of the Naga tribe. Which meant…Layas is actually a descendant of this race?

Or is it that Tannis, like Layas, is actually a Naga? After all, Tannis is often seen wearing a mask; one can’t tell if she chose to do so because her human form is as flawed as Layas’……Though she doesn’t seem to have a tail.

Pondering this, Duanmu Huai shook his head and pushed open the chapel door to walk in.

The chapel was filled with a crimson glow; a massive snake statue was displayed up front, and beneath it stood a character who was extremely… obese!

Yes, that was the first thought Duanmu Huai had upon seeing him.

This figure resembled an extremely obese individual he had once seen in a video; he looked like a giant ball, bulging with fat, and his limbs were short. Upon careful inspection, it seemed he was wearing some strange white leathery outfit, and he had a tail.

Yes, it’s definitely a Naga.

But who knew Nagas could get this fat? Is it hibernation weight or something?

“Woo… woo…”

At that moment, the chubby guy noticed Duanmu Huai. He lifted his head, staring at Duanmu Huai, and his eyes lit up. Then, Duanmu Huai saw him shout and run directly towards him. And then… he “fell splat” in front of him.

Uh… what’s going on? @@novelbin@@

“Woo… woo…!!”

Just as Duanmu Huai was hesitating whether to directly smash him with a hammer, the chubby guy raised his head, tears streaming down his face, but he lowered his head again, crawling in front of him, as if worshipping Duanmu Huai as a deity.

No, although I am indeed a god, I have nothing to do with you chubby nerds!

“You… what do you mean by this?”

Duanmu Huai uncertainly stared at the kneeling chubby guy and asked, to which he nodded fiercely. Then it seemed he understood Duanmu Huai’s meaning and Duanmu Huai then saw him stretch out his hands and lift them towards him. Following that, a black flame emerged from his hands.

Isn’t this… Black Flame?

Seeing this, Duanmu Huai twitched. He certainly wouldn’t forget, after obtaining the Rune of Death, his special ability was the Black Flame. He recalled the information at the time stated – Black Flame is the fire of the Hunting God, controlled by the nobleman serving the Predetermined Death…

… Are you that nobleman?!

Looking at the chubby guy in front of him, Duanmu Huai was speechless.

No, can’t you be more good looking?

How could the nobleman serving the Predetermined Death be something like you?!

Okay, from some perspective, he does look quite noble.

Especially like those evil noblemen frequently appearing in anime and games…

“Ha…”

For the sake of Predetermined Death, Duanmu Huai finally resisted the urge to knock him dead with a hammer. He rolled his eyes, sighed in resignation, and changed the topic.

“I’m searching for a Naga… know of it? A young girl Naga who can transform into a human… her name is Zelayas…”

“Woo… woo…”

The chubby guy appeared to understand Duanmu Huai’s words, he nodded, then turned around leading Duanmu Huai to the altar in front of the church. Subsequently, he respectfully took something from the altar and handed it to Duanmu Huai.

What is this?

Duanmu Huai accepted it uncertainly, scrutinizing it. It looked like some kind of transparent organ, and there was a small gap visible within. It looked as if something small had once lived there, but it was now gone.

At the same time, a system notification appeared before Duanmu Huai’s eyes.

[Snake’s Amnion obtained]

[Snake’s Amnion: It’s a discarded object from a horrifying birth ritual, an amnion which had wrapped around it inside the mother’s body. Regardless of the passage of time, it remains moist and never dries.]

“Um… so… did Layas born from it?”

Looking at the thing before him, Duanmu Huai had no idea what to say.

But wait a moment.

If he remembered correctly, aren’t snakes oviparous animals?

Only viviparous creatures have the amnion, right!

Isn’t an eggshell more credible than this?!?

No matter how it is… for the time being, he should take it back and show it to Layas.