"Is that so? Then... does Guildmastuh On know about it?"
“Nuheeng?”
Guru rolled her eyes around, then shook her head side to side.
“Nope. Gwuu didn’t teww him.”
“Why not?”
“Uuum, 'cuz if Gwuu tawk about Onion Mawket, Gwuu get in twoubwe?”
“Hmm. But if you find your mommy and daddy, won’t that an you’ll have to wive apawt fwom Guildmastuh On? Is it okay not to teww him?”
“Nyeeeh?”
Guru blinked.
She had never once thought about what would happen to her and the Guildmaster. Up until now, all she’d thought about was finding her real mommy and daddy.
Are we gonna sepawate?
Even though Guru was a mber of Hyeonak?
If she t her parents, then they wouldn’t need to entrust Guru to him anymore, and he wouldn’t be her caregiver.
Then... Guildmastuh wouldn’t wead her bedti stowies anymore, wouldn’t pick her up when she pouted, wouldn’t co find her when the cwicky cwock made a sound.
That had all been natural, hadn’t it? But now, the life she shared with the Guildmaster had beco the new normal.
Guru’s lower lip jutted out as she clutched her chest.
It sting-stingies...
It felt like a wiggly worm with spiky thorns was squirming around inside her heart.
“If you don’t teww Guildmastuh On, he might feew sad.”
Guru, a little downcast, drooped her ears and tail as she replied,
“Okaaay.”
Siwon gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Are you afwaid you’ll get in twoubwe? Want to teww him wif you?”
“Nooo... it’s not dat...”
“Mmm. You didn’t think about what’d happen wif Guildmastuh On after you et your parents, huh?”
“Nyeeeh.”
Guru nodded.
At that mont, Serhi, who had been quietly listening with his arms crossed, asked,
“Who the hell’s Guildmastuh On?”
“Oh! On Jurim Guildmastuh. Tower conqwerow.”
“And why the fuck is that na coming up? What’s he got to do wif any of dis?”
He knew who On Jurim was. Who wouldn’t? But why the hell was his na being dropped among these people?
Guru quickly piped up,
“Cuz Gwuu is fwom Hyeonak!”
Serhi’s jaw dropped for a second.
“You’re in Hyeonak?”
There was a real kid nad Guru in Hyeonak?
He looked stunned—whether by the fact that such a kid really existed in Hyeonak, or that soone this tiny was part of it.
Probably both.
And then—
“Chiiik!” (Master!)
“Jjikchiiiik!” (Master! Lord Snowy Panther!)
The squirrels ca dashing over, calling out in panic.
“What’s wrong?”
“Jjjungjjijijikjjik!” (The Snowy Panthers bwought sothing tewwifying!)
“Jjjjjiijjik!” (They’re wooking for the Sky Squirrel!)
Siwon, who had been listening with a calm face, turned to Serhi.
“Serhi, can you howd Guru for ?”
“Huh? Uh, yeah.”
At Siwon’s request, Serhi obediently picked Guru up.
She clung tightly to his neck, arms locking around him. As she held on, Siwon stepped up to Serhi.
“...?”
Why’s he coming to ?
Then suddenly, Siwon lifted Serhi in a full-on princess carry.
Serhi’s ears and tail popped out in shock, standing on edge.
“Wh-What the hell?!”
“Sorry. Looks wike it’s urgent over at the farm.”
“I can wawk on my own, dammit!”
“You’re a patient. And this is faster.”
Guru tilted her head up to et Serhi’s eyes.
It’s dat, Oppaw Serhi. With a beaming smile, she declared her judgnt.
“You’re a pwincess.”
“Wanna die?!”
Guru burst into giggles as Serhi looked down and bit his lip.
anwhile, Siwon told the squirrels,
“We’ll {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} go ahead. Catch up swowwy.”
“Jjiiiiii...”
“Jjjiiiii...”
The squirrels nodded.
And with that, Siwon kicked off the ground, holding the two of them.
His movent was light, but so fast it blurred in the eyes.
Uweeeeh!
As the scenery whipped past, Guru clung tighter to Serhi’s neck.
Serhi pulled her in close so she wouldn’t fall. She was so tiny, it felt like she’d slip right through his arms, and he had to adjust his grip over and over.
He took a breath in and let it out slowly.
She swws wike a baby...
****
Jjjiiik...
Cheche struggled to keep her tail from drooping.
The Snowy Panthers were stalking around the farm, laughing to themselves.
They didn’t bother hiding their snow-white tails, deliberately showing them off to make it obvious who they were.
“Look at this. So of us are busting our asses in the polluted zones, and these squirrels are just hanging around growing acorns.”
“Then they better grow 'em weww. Look at these puny trees.”
“So, where’s the Sky Squirrel?”
One of the Snowy Panthers yanked on a leash in front of Cheche. Along with it ca a heavy presence.
What was bound to the leash was a massive creature soaked in polluted swamp water. It moved on all fours, with a thick, hippopotamus-like body, its face entirely obscured by the muck.
The contaminated sludge dripped onto the ground. Through it, fierce glowing eyes locked onto Cheche.
“We just call this thing a ‘hippo.’ It wooks the part, right?”
“You can put it to good use, if you know how.”
“Scary-wooking, huh?”
They snickered.
“Hey, wittle squiwwel. Wanna get eaten by dis? Where’s the Sky Squirrel?”
She’d expected them to demand the purification acorns—but they were after the Sky Squirrel?
“Jjjujjjuu...” (Sky Squirreww isn’t hewe right now...)
Cheche lowered her head, shoulders trembling.
The Snowy Panthers exchanged glances, confused by her response.
“Speak Common Tongue. Or point, or bring us there. Jesus.”
“Want to scare her a bit?”
One of them tugged the leash.
“Yeah, maybe we should.”
Just as they were about to unleash the beast—
A blur of motion passed through, and the hippo-like creature teetered.
“I towd you I can wawk on my own—”
BOOM!
The creature collapsed from a single blow, its massive body slamming the earth with a tremor.
And standing atop it was soone with both hands stuffed in his pockets, his face twisted in irritation.
“How many tis I gotta teww you idiots? Are your ears full of shit?”
A snow-white tail, speckled with black dots, swayed behind him like a warning flag.
“A Snowy Panther?”
Strong enough to take out that monster in one strike?
An outsider?
The Snowy Panthers glanced at each other, trying to assess the intruder’s identity.
Serhi looked them up and down and asked,
“Why you wookin’ for the Sky Squirrel?”
“You didn’t get the general’s orders?”
“Huh? Nah, missed that. The general ordered it? We’re supposed to bring the Sky Squirrel?”
“Yeah. Now hurry—”
Serhi casually grabbed one of them by the neck and lifted him into the air, frowning.
“Is your general out of his fucking mind?”
“G-Guh! What are you—!”
The Snowy Panther squird in his grip, while another thrust a spear forward.
“You—What the hell are you doing?! Betraying us?!”
Betrayal? Please. He hadn’t even started yet. Serhi flicked the spear aside with a light tap of his foot.
“Urk!”
“You gonna stab soone with that wobbwy twig?”
He looked bored as hell as he tossed the Snowy Panther to the ground, foot ready to crush him—
“Wait a sec.”
Siwon stepped in, waving his hands side to side.
“Wait, wait. A baby’s watching.”
“...Oh. Oh...”
Serhi reluctantly withdrew his foot.
Siwon smiled at Guru, then dragged the Snowy Panther toward a nearby shed.
“...?”
THUMP! WHACK! THUMP! WHACK!
Loud impacts ca from inside.
What’s he doin’? Guru gaped, her mouth in a little “o.”
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