Click-
As I was about to check who was entering through the door, Sophia pulled behind Yeoreum to hide.
Yeoreum, Sophia, and I ended up standing in a line like a train, with the strongest person at the front.
Hiding behind Yeoreum with only my face peeking out to the side, Levinas, who had been hopping around alone, ran behind to hide.
"What kind of formation is this?!"
"…Stay quiet, it's dangerous."
"……!"
Levinas clamped her mouth shut at Sophia's reprimand, though she seed to lose none of her energy, hopping to peek over my shoulder.
"Yeoreum."
Through the wide-open door, two n appeared.
One middle-aged man was holding another man, beaten to a pulp.
Levinas gasped in horror at the sight of the battered man.
"Uh? Is that the Master?"
"The Master?"
What did they an by Master?
As I blinked in confusion, the man referred to as 'Master' pushed the nearly dead man to an unseen spot beside the door.
Perhaps he did it out of consideration for the frightened Levinas.
"A thief broke in. He even used an invisibility skill to steal the crops."
"Yes. It seems they thought the buff was from Gyeoul's crops."
"Buff?"
"Yes. So…"
Yeoreum explained everything to the man called Master - from catching the fake thief to attempting to find the real one.
The Master nodded as he heard the entire story.
"…I see."
The Master's gaze shifted to where the beaten man lay, out of sight from inside the container.
"It doesn't seem like the work of an individual…"
"Is that so?"
"Yes, they even planned it around the ti to catch the Black Dragon. If it weren't for the buff shortening the record, we might not have caught them."
The Master's gaze turned to .
Seeing a dangerous person who had beaten soone to a pulp, I unwittingly looked down.
"You, you shouldn't just beat people up…"
"Huh?"
"Beating people up like that is wrong…"
What kind of person does that?
As I snuck a glance at the person called Master, he shrugged nonchalantly.
"…In this world, this is just a light scolding."
"Master…!"
At Yeoreum's loud voice, the man called Master scratched the back of his head.
He silently rummaged in his pocket and then pulled out a chunk of chocolate.
"Here. Have this."
"Wow!"
Levinas, who had been hiding behind , darted forward at the sight of the chocolate.
Rushing out just for chocolate - it was a situation ripe for kidnapping.
I quickly grabbed the back of Levinas' neck, but the recoil sent her tumbling backwards.
Thud-!
"Ouch!"
A loud sound, as if her head had cracked open, echoed.
Pained, Levinas grimaced.
"Sorry, sorry."
This is serious.
At least a concussion, I thought.
I hurried to check on Levinas, but she just got up as if nothing had happened.
"To attack by surprise, how cowardly...!"
Was she protected by magic, or was it the lightness typical of a young beast-kin?
Levinas seed fine, surprisingly.
"Sorry. But you shouldn't just accept chocolates from strangers..."
"Why not?!"
"Well..."
"Cough."
Did my words bother him?
The middle-aged man coughed and looked at Yeoreum, his expression sowhat displeased.
"Gyeoul, it's okay. He's our guild master."
"The guild master?"
"Yes. He's the boss of the Yeomyeong Guild."
"…Gasp!"
The head of the Yeomyeong Guild.
Just the title was enough to make one respectful.
"Nice to et you, sir."
I raised my hands to my stomach and bowed respectfully.
But for so reason, the master's brow furrowed slightly.
"Sir...?"
Perhaps he didn't like being called 'sir'?
I hesitated, trying to think of another title.
"President... Elder...?"
"Just call uncle."
"…Uncle?"
Wasn't that a rather disrespectful way to address the master of a guild?
As I hesitated and tried to gauge his reaction, Levinas, who had been rubbing her head, suddenly ran towards the master.
"Uncle! Give Levinas the chocolate!"
Hop.
Kang Jinhyuk handed the chocolate to Levinas, who hopped over like a rabbit.
His gaze lingered on and Sophia.
"The three of you... share it."
"…Did you just say 'three'?"
"I misspoke."
"Hmm..."
The master spoke politely to Sophia which was unusual.
Perhaps they already knew each other.
Well, it would have been stranger if they hadn't known each other at this point.
'But this is serious.'
Levinas lacks common sense.
She would follow soone just for chocolate.
Even if Sophia and Levinas were from hostile factions, it seed I needed to educate the young girl.
---
---
Sophia and the master left to talk privately, leaving Levinas, Yeoreum, and in the container.
Humming a tune, Levinas handed three chocolates.
In contrast, she held five chocolates in her hand.
"Levinas got the chocolates, so Levinas will eat five!"
The chocolates weren't a big deal.
I didn't mind Levinas eating more, but I was still worried about her.
"Being greedy might make your friends dislike you."
"Levinas doesn't have friends, so it's okay!"
No friends.
It was sad, but then I realized that I too didn't have any friends.
Of course, my current situation was special.
As soone who had friends before, I felt I could at least give so advice.
"...Maybe you don't have friends because you're greedy?"
"Eh...?"
Levinas blinked and looked down at the chocolates in her hand, then cautiously turned to .
"If I'm not greedy, will I make friends...? How many friends does the king have...?!
"Well, that's..."
I had no friends on this Earth, unlike my original world.
Unable to answer easily and just fiddling with my fingers, Yeoreum poked my shoulder.
"Gyeoul, you and I are friends."
"Is, is that okay...?"
"Yes, of course."
We were friends.
I hadn't realized we could be friends.
A bit surprised, but in front of Levinas, I tried to appear confident.
"See, see...? I have friends."
"…Just one?"
"Ye, yes."
Just one seed too few.
As I hesitated and watched Levinas' reaction, she suddenly opened her mouth wide in astonishnt.
"Wo, wow, that's amazing. Levinas doesn't even have one friend..."
"Kuk."
Yeoreum, who had been listening to our conversation, suddenly clutched her chest.
She grimaced as if in pain.
"Are you hurt...?"
"No, no, I'm fine. Keep talking."
"Okay..."
Her expression was a mix of pain and sadness.
Puzzled, I decided to continue talking with Levinas as Yeoreum suggested.
"If I'm not greedy, can Levinas make friends...?"
"Yes. Of course."
Levinas looked down at her chocolates and then handed another one.
I waved my hand, gesturing towards Yeoreum beside .
"Not ."
"Oh, got it!"
Levinas handed the chocolate to Yeoreum.
"Wow, thank you."
"Gasp...!"
Levinas' eyes sparkled at the thanks, tears welling up in her eyes.
"This is the first ti Levinas has ever been thanked in her life!"
"……."
To hear thanks for the first ti in her life.
What kind of life had Levinas lived?
I looked at her with pity and then realized sothing.
I, too, had heard a thank you for the first ti in this life through Yeoreum.
The first ti was when she thanked for establishing a connection with the beast-kin.
Realizing this, my mind went blank with shock.
"Wow, usually it's really hard to be thanked by soone."
"Really?!"
"Ye, yes. I also heard it for the first ti in almost eight years..."
It's hard, right?
I glanced at Yeoreum, who had her eyes tightly shut.
"Ugh…"
She looked like she was enduring so pain.
As it continued, I started to worry.
"Are you sure you're okay...?"
"Ye, yes. I'm fine, so don't worry."
Claiming to be fine while making such a face.
It was strange, but since she said so.
I turned my attention away from the pained Yeoreum to look at Levinas.
Then I saw Levinas clasping her hands together as if praying.
"Eight years! The king really is amazing...! Levinas' first word of thanks was when she turned ten...!"
"Ye, yes. But Levinas can do it too. Shall I teach you?"
Levinas is still only ten years old.
As I reminded myself of her age, Levinas suddenly trembled.
"Bu, but Levinas shouldn't side with the king..."
"You don't need to take sides. I just want to teach you."
"Th, then...!"
Levinas jumped up from her spot, excitedly.
It was a sign of agreent.
I had been worried about her naivety, but now I could teach her.
I sighed with relief inwardly.
I decided to start by teaching her to eat before the food spoiled.
It looked like Levinas wanted to save her chocolate.
---
1/5 Enjoy the chappy!
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