That's right. I was just wondering, too. Why do you treat me like your owner?
"Is it because I was in front of it when it hatched?"
"That's possible. But it has been following you before hatching."
At Kayden's words, I nodded.
I thought it was the first time I had found the silver earthworm near the hut, but maybe it had followed me before. Maybe it was too small to see before that.
"Then isn't that what the baby snake is supposed to do? You killed all the anacondas."
Kayden continued to speak as he looked around with a tense expression to see if there was an attack from a monster.
"Wasn't it imprinted at the time?"
What do you mean by imprinted? It's not even a werewolf.
"I learned this when I was researching magic science, there are cases where monsters who have lost their mother find souls with strong mana and imprinted them. In that case, they follow that race like their owner."
"That's very unusual."
"Yes, it's very rare."
I looked down at the silver earthworm, which was slithering along with our steps.
Maybe feeling my gaze, the silver earthworm flinched and glanced at me. It can't even look me in the eye.
'Isn't it too timid to be an anaconda?'
Fortunately, we didn't run into any monsters along the way and were able to reach the top of the cliff before the sun went down.
The place where the silver earthworm guided us was exactly on the cliff where Kayden and I fell. The rotting corpse of a giant tarantula was proof of that.
The smell that stung my nose was so terrifying that I held my breath for a moment.
Come to think of it, it hadn't hatched at that time, but it clearly knew the location of this place.
'Did you know we were looking for this cliff and help us? How?'
Can you understand people even if you can't speak? It might be possible if it really is a monster.
Anyway, it's been trying to be helpful to us and is actually been pretty useful.
"We're in the right place."
Kayden looked down at the silver earthworm with a surprised face at my murmuring.
"Hey, that earthworm is smarter than I thought?"
At Kayden's words, the silver earthworm jumped up as if protesting. Looks like it doesn't like being called an 'earthworm.'
I'm sorry, kid. I am also calling you a silver earthworm.
I looked carefully around the cliff. I wondered if my bag might have fallen here, but it was nowhere to be seen.
"What are you looking for?"
"My bag."
Kayden followed me and also looked around. It was then.
hiss-
I heard a creepy sound, and as I looked down, I found the silver earthworm spinning around my feet.
The silver earthworm slithering on the ground lifted its head and flicked its tongue out.
Then it slithered forward little by little and looked back at me.
"I think it is asking you to follow it."
At Kayden's words, I bit my lower lip for a moment and pondered.
I have to follow it......? The silver earthworm was the one who brought me to this cliff. So it can be trusted, right?
After much thought, I finally followed it through the bushes.
Going further behind the corpse of the giant tarantula, I saw a corpse of a medium-sized spider. Then the silver earthworm slathered back and forth in front of it.
"Ew...... I hate spiders."
There was something underneath the dead tarantula that had been turned upside down.
Kayden showed no sign of disgust. He casually sat down on one knee in front of the tarantula corpse.
Then, the silver earthworm jumped up to welcome Kayden as if telling him to take a look there.
It was a strange sight to see a snake the size of an earthworm jumping up and down.
Kayden tried to lift the tarantula's leg, but it was not easy because it was heavy.
"Margaret, it looks like the magic tools you used are underneath here."
Reluctantly, I approached Kayden and put my hand on the tarantula's hairy leg. Ugh, I hate the feeling of touching it. Ew......
I helped Kayden lift the tarantula's leg, and as it lifted, the silver earthworm slithered down as if waiting.
"Huh?"
I looked down in surprise, but this kid was pushing a flare gun with its head and coming out.
If it knows how to speak, it seems to shout 'one-two, one-two.'
Kayden also looked at the behavior of the silver earthworm with a puzzled look.
He pushed the flare gun out completely and looked up at me with a proud face.
No, actually, a snake has no expression, so I don't know if it was a proud face or not. But when the silver earthworm looked at me and flicked its tongue out, it was like a puppy wishing for praise.
It doesn't make sense that this kid is just a snake. Just like Kayden said, it makes sense to say that it is a monster who really imprinted me as its owner.
I think it is probably the baby of the anaconda who tried to lay an egg at that time.
"Good job, thank you."
Perhaps the silver earthworm was happy with my compliment, it went spinning around, rejoicing.
'How cute.'
A grown-up anaconda was horrifyingly frightening, but this kid was a small worm-like baby snake.
Besides, I couldn't hate the kid who was following me cutely and glaringly at me asking for love.
I looked at the silver earthworm, smiled, and picked up my flare gun.
The flare gun was fine. There were bullets in it, too. After all, I couldn't find my bag, but I'm so glad I got my flare gun.
"Margaret?"
As I was about to go back, Kayden called me. I had no choice but to follow him back to the cliff.
The sky was exceptionally clear today and the sun was warm. Thanks to this, the visibility was good, and the beautiful view of the island caught my eye.
The emerald-colored river flowing under the cliff shone brilliantly, and the green bushes surrounding the river swayed peacefully.
"This island is pretty," said Kayden as he looked at me quietly staring over the cliff. I glanced at him and nodded.
"I know. Pretty."
Who would have thought that such a beautiful island would be full of terrible monsters?
I stared blankly at the island for a while, then turned my back.
"Come on, let's go back. Everyone must be worried."
Kayden nodded at my words. Then, the silver earthworm followed us as we headed for the hut.
When I turned my back and looked at it, it was startled and stopped. It slowly avoided my gaze and then looked back at me.
I don't know why you're acting so pitiful. Is this a strategy to gain sympathy?
Anyway, it seems that the strategy has worked to some extent.
'I don't think it'll bite me......'
If I leave the silver earthworm alone, it won't be able to last a day and will be eaten by other monsters, right?
In the end, I had to make a decision. I looked at the silver earthworm with a worried face and asked it, "Do you want to come with us?"
At my question, it jumped and came up to me at a very high speed, spinning around my feet.
"Hey, this bastxrd is like a real dog."
Kayden's murmur made me stare at him with a tired look.
"Why are you insulting it?"
He shrugged.
In the end, we decided to take the silver earthworm and head to the hut.
Kayden asked, "If you're going to take it, how about giving it a name?"
The silver earthworm raised its head.
Somehow, its yellow eyes seemed to twinkle.
"Eunji."
Eunji jumped up in joy.
"It is an abbreviation of Eunsaek Jirongi[1]."
[1] 은색 지렁이 (Eunsaek Jirongi) means Silver Earthworm
Somehow it sounds like a Korean name, but I couldn't come up with any other names.
What can I do with my naming tastes?