So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

'What is that.'

It was natural for Phili to think that.

Unless you're a clown, where in the world would you find a human walking around with a snake around their neck?

Especially for someone of his age.

'What a strange person.'

"Indeed, indeed."

Phili, with the snake wrapped around his wrist, was wary of the zoo director.

"I am Phili Aden Solion."

"...Kadam Kazans."

A name and appearance that suggested someone who'd do coffee and cigarettes simultaneously.

Even without the rattlesnake around his neck, Kadam was a person of extraordinary appearance.

For good reason, first his build was impressive.

He couldn't be called fat like the Margrave.

With broad shoulders and the black coat draped over them.

His appearance was like a black wardrobe walking around.

Lion-like unruly hair and sturdy leather gloves he never took off.

Above all, his most striking feature was his eyes.

Cross-eyed.

Kadam's eyes looked in different directions - what's commonly called strabismus.

Though it's just a condition where something's wrong with the extraocular muscles that move the eyeballs, when facing someone like that, you can't help but feel an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

Not just for humans, but even for beasts, 'eye contact' is an important means of communication.

Both making eye contact and avoiding it are important.

For monkeys, making eye contact is a signal for fighting, while cats build relationships by making eye contact.

But with strabismus, you can't tell if the person is looking at you.

Or if they're looking at something else.

Moreover, if the person with those eyes is a great authority or powerful figure, those facing them can't help but feel an inexplicable anxiety.

That's how Phili felt.

Kadam just glared at Phili without saying anything.

The problem was that it was confusing whether he was glaring or observing the wallpaper pattern behind Phili.

"As long as you work here, it doesn't matter if you're a prince or royal. I am loyal only to His Majesty the Emperor and take orders only from him."

Even Kadam's voice was hard to listen to, like scratching metal.

"Therefore, I will address you informally and treat you like any other of my subordinates. Leave if you don't like it."

"That's fine."

"Hmm..."

Phili showed a very disciplined appearance.

Seeing that feels novel. It seems like just yesterday he was acting arrogant when we first met.

Well, just looking at Kadam's pot lid-like hands would discourage any attitude.

"I heard I should assign you to the research institute and teach you monster studies as a researcher. But I can't do that. This isn't a school after all."

Though assigning Phili to the zoo itself was seen as taking a shot at the kingdom.

Still, formally it was studying abroad at the monster studies research institute within the zoo.

However, Kadam rejected such a parachute appointment.

"All researchers here are also zookeepers. How can someone who knows nothing about monsters and animals learn!"

As if angry, Kadam slammed the desk with a bang.

Phili flinched.

Don't be scared Phili, I'm by your side.

"You will learn the work of a zookeeper first. Monster studies comes after that. Leave if you don't like it."

"Th-that's fine."

"Hmm...!"

Kadam thought for a moment before adding.

"Don't take zookeeper work lightly. You're not mistakenly thinking a zookeeper's job is just feeding animals and petting them, are you?"

"No!"

"You clean excrement, separate fighting ones, and sometimes get injured doing so. Leave if you don't like it!"

"That's fine!"

"Hmm...!"

It seemed Kadam was hoping Phili would say 'I can't do this' and leave.

Come to think of it, he seems clumsy at handling people.

There aren't many people with hearts strong enough to actually say they'll leave when told 'leave if you don't like it!'

Isn't that right?

It's similar to when the scary instructor wearing a red hat at military training camp says, 'Were you dragged here?' (Yes we were dragged), 'Leave if you can't handle training!' (You'll have to enlist again even if you leave).

Kadam clearly didn't like the current situation.

"Hey you handsome one."

"Yes."

Obern was also sitting quietly beside Phili.

Still impeccable in appearance.

As Phili's teacher and guardian, Obern also wanted to be assigned to the zoo.

"The same goes for you. I don't care if you're some great professor or mage. If you want to be at the zoo, you have to learn zookeeper work first. Leave if you don't like it!"

"No problem."

"Hmm...!"

Phili whispered in his heart.

'He seems to dislike us.'

'Not us, but you guys.'

'Gasp.'

I'll probably like it, right? Since I'm hiding.

Finally, Kadam gave up trying to do anything with words.

"I'll show you directly what a zookeeper's work is like. Follow me."

He stood up abruptly.

When he stood up, he really looked like a wardrobe walking around.

Phili and Obern followed him tensely.

And we would come to understand clearly that zookeeper work is not easy.

==

The zoo's official name was.

The strange 'Imperial Animal-Monster Research Institute and Amusement Park'.

When it was first created, it was really just the emperor's private garden with a small collection of animals and monsters.

As its scale grew, it also came to function as a research institute.

And as part of it was opened to the general public, it also functioned as an amusement park.

Now it's just called the 'zoo' instead of that complicated name.

The zoo located in the outskirts of the imperial capital's outer wall is very large.

Of that, only about one-third of the area is open to the general public.

The open amusement park has ordinary animals.

Just the number of animal species is over 300 with about 2,000 animals.

And there are docile and ordinary monsters that can be shown to the general public.

That's roughly 200 species with about 800 individuals.

Due to monsters' characteristics, there are fewer individuals per species compared to ordinary animals.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

And the two-thirds of the zoo closed to the general public.

This could be called the true value of the imperial zoo. Discover exclusive tales on empire

Though it takes up two-thirds of the area, despite the public area having 2,800 animals, the private area only has about 1,500 monsters.

But the number of species is over 600.

The empire held over 600 species of monsters in its heart!