Yoon Hyunseo returned dejectedly after going to complain.
When our eyes t, she hung her head low.
"What's wrong?"
"Um... well..."
"Did sothing happen...?"
"The thing is..."
After hesitating, Yoon Hyunseo let out a deep sigh.
She looked around carefully before telling what had happened.
She explained that the participant Baek Ihyeon and the Academy instructors were on the sa side, and that his backing was incredible.
I couldn't hide my surprise at Yoon Hyunseo's words.
'There really was soone engaging in corrupt practices?'
Why would soone so impressive, with such powerful backing, commit fraud at the Academy?
I wasn't sure.
Still, I had found out about it, so I decided to report it when I got ho.
"Haa... What should I do? I'm so sorry. We won't be able to get first place..."
"It can't be helped. Let's just do our best for the remaining ti."
"Yeah... I guess we'll have to be satisfied with that."
Yoon Hyunseo gave a bitter smile.
I followed her lead and smiled awkwardly.
Then we fell into a long silence.
With nothing else to do, I played by poking the ground with a twig.
After a while, the instructors ca out and announced our rankings.
It was a combined score from yesterday's physical fitness test and today's sli catching.
My rank was 62nd out of 97.
Although I ranked 2nd in sli catching, I was last in the physical fitness test, which lowered my overall rank.
There was also a penalty for riding on the coattails of strong team mbers.
'Still, my rank did go up.'
I should hurry ho and boast about it.
My tail wagged gently.
By the way, that man nad Baek Ihyeon was exactly 60th.
It seed to be because his initial rank was low, like mine.
------
The first thing I did after returning ho was to find Yeoreum.
I had left my pheromones at ho beforehand, so I could find her quickly.
'She's in the guild eting room.'
In front of the eting room door.
The security guard I always saw opened the door for .
"Thank you."
I bowed slightly as I passed, and he just smiled silently.
As I entered through the opened door, I saw the guild's high-ranking mbers.
The Master, Yeoreum, Jung Yu-na, and Choi Jinhyuk were there too.
"Uncle."
I ran to the Master, who was sitting at the very end.
It was to report to the Master, the highest decision-maker.
But there was nowhere to sit, so I sat on the Master's lap.
"What brings you here?"
The Master pinched my cheeks.
Naturally, everyone's attention turned to .
Without realizing it, I put on a solemn expression.
"I think I've found soone engaging in corrupt practices."
"Already?"
"Yes. They were doing it quite openly."
I told everyone about what had happened at the Academy.
About the man with incredible backing who caught twenty-four slis but had it checked as thirty.
"What kind of person does that?"
"I know, right?"
The guild mbers expressed their anger after hearing the story.
I couldn't help but hesitate a bit in the midst of their anger.
"Um, but they said he's an incredible person... Will it be okay...?"
At my question, everyone in the eting room fell silent at once.
The Master was the first to break that silence.
"This is a big problem."
"A-a big problem...?"
"A very big problem."
I couldn't help but feel tense when the Master said that.
Yeoreum broke that tension.
"Master, don't scare her like that. Gyeoul's so innocent, she'll really believe it."
"Hmm..."
"Gyeoul, it's not a big deal, so don't worry too much. Okay?"
Her tone suggesting it was nothing made feel relieved.
Maybe it was because the Master was patting my head too.
"So what should we do now?"
"For now, keep attending classes. It's a place that teaches a lot in a short ti, so it'll be helpful."
"Okay."
The remaining period at the Academy was about two weeks, right?
It was like a short-term training center for novice adventurers.
I decided to observe that man nad Baek Ihyeon while diligently attending classes for the remaining ti.
"The next agenda is..."
After the talk about the Academy ended, the eting continued.
I sat on the Master's lap, blankly watching the eting.
As I looked around, I tried making origami with the docunts on the desk.
Then I started to nod off.
"Gyeoul's purring."
"She made a cat out of the docunts?"
"Just leave her be."
I fell asleep listening to various people's voices.
Even though it was a serious eting room, it felt sohow comfortable.
It must have been because all the people I liked were there.
------
"Gyeoul."
Soone called in the darkness.
My face felt soft, like I was being held by soone.
When I carefully opened my eyes, I saw I was in Yeoreum's arms.
"Ugh..."
My eyes wouldn't open properly.
As I kept blinking, Yeoreum rubbed my eyes for .
"Gyeoul, your sister needs to go to a dungeon. Should I take you ho first?"
"No, I'm supposed to et the children at the park."
"Okay. Then shall we wake you up properly?"
Yeoreum set down on the floor.
My body, still not fully awake, staggered.
Yeoreum grabbed both my arms.
She pulled my arms upwards, forcing to stretch.
"Nyaa."
A cat-like sound escaped my mouth.
Being a feline beast-kin, I sotis made cat-like sounds like this.
"Gyeoul, are you awake now?"
"Yes."
"Hehe, then your sister's busy so I'll be going now. Sorry for leaving first."
"It's okay. Be careful out there."
Bye-bye.
I waved my hand at Yeoreum.
Then I ran towards the children.
The swimming pool playground in the park.
The children and Kwon Arin were on a bench there, and Kwon Arin was holding a black marble in her hand.
What could that marble be?
Curious, I ran towards them.
"I'm here."
"King!"
"Master!"
Levinas and Gaeul greeted with their own nicknas for .
Saebyeok didn't say anything, but her tail was wagging rapidly.
As a beast-kin myself, I knew.
That wagging a tail was the best expression of joy.
"What are you all doing here?"
"Looking at the marble!"
"Marble?"
I naturally looked at the black marble in Kwon Arin's hand.
I wasn't sure what it was, but it was a marble I could feel mana from.
The black energy was rippling so much it was visible.
"What is this?"
"I'm not sure either. It's an unidentified item from a dungeon. I was waiting for Yeoreum to appraise it."
"Oh... That probably won't happen today. She just left for a dungeon."
"Really? I was waiting for the eting to end."
Tsk.
Kwon Arin clicked her tongue.
She didn't seem too upset, probably because she could just ask later.
"It gives off a dark feeling."
"Yeah. I got it after defeating a witch."
"A witch? Do witches appear in dungeons too?"
"Not the kind of witch you're thinking of. It's a monster that looks like a goblin but is called a witch."
"Ah, I see."
An item obtained from defeating a witch, how interesting.
Wanting to observe it more closely, I held out my hand to Kwon Arin.
"Here."
Kwon Arin, understanding my intention, placed the marble on my palm.
And then.
Whoosh-!
The black marble and its energy began to be absorbed into my body.
"Wha!"
Startled, I tried to shake off my hand, but the black marble had already been absorbed.
The children and Kwon Arin's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh no! King absorbed the marble!"
"Nom nom?"
Do they think I ate the marble?
I tried to tell them that wasn't the case.
But.
"ow."
Only a cat's sound ca out of my mouth.
"???"
What's going on?
Suddenly, I can't speak human language.
I tried rolling my tongue around, but all that ca out were cat sounds.
"ooow!"
Surprised and frustrated, I stomped my feet.
The children looked at with blank expressions, just like Gaeul's.
"King! Are you very surprised?!"
"Master...!"
"ow..."
I'm not surprised, I just can't speak human language.
I wanted to tell them that, but all that ca out of my mouth were cat ows.
"Gyeoul keeps owing. She must be really shocked from absorbing the marble."
"Yeah. Gyeoul, nothing happened. Don't be so scared."
Saebyeok ca over and patted my head.
Kwon Arin also patted my back, telling to calm down.
Their attitude suggesting nothing had happened made stomp my feet even harder.
'Sothing did happen...!'
I can only make cat sounds right now?!
Why aren't they realizing this?!
Frustrated, my body trembled.
"There, there. Take a deep breath."
Kwon Arin stroked my back.
The children were also patting my shoulders and head.
"Ugh..."
My ears and tail drooped.
Do I have to live my whole life only making cat sounds like this?
I have to go to the Academy tomorrow, what should I do?
Panicked, I looked around.
Then I spotted Jung Yu-na walking in the park in the distance.
"...!"
Jung Yu-na's magic skills might be able to solve my problem.
I hurriedly ran towards Jung Yu-na.
"ooow..."
"Oh my, Gyeoul?"
I tried to express my problem to Jung Yu-na with my whole body.
I hopped up and down in place, then circled around her.
Then I threw myself into Jung Yu-na's arms and shook my body vigorously.
It was the best expression of urgency I could manage.
"Was Gyeoul in a big hurry?"
"...!"
That's right, that's right.
I looked up at Jung Yu-na with shining eyes.
Then Jung Yu-na chuckled and hugged tightly.
"Did you want a hug this badly?"
"...?"
That's not it?
I don't want a hug, I have a problem?
The children, Kwon Arin, and even Jung Yu-na.
In front of everyone, I only made cat sounds, but no one understood.
It was a truly bewildering situation for .
---
3/6 Enjoy the chappy!
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