Bring a Guardian
I stepped out of the room and spoke with Sofia. Our conversation was about Levinas.
"Sofia, Levinas said she doesn't want to be separated. What do you think that means?"
"Hmm..."
"She looked like she could leave at any moment."
The thought of saying goodbye to Levinas now was something I couldn't even bear to imagine. Praying nothing bad would happen to her, I looked up at Sofia.
"There are many reasons for parting, but the fact that she's giving no explanation at all makes me think she's likely under someone's threat."
"A threat?"
"Yes. For example, those radical faction members..."
The radical beastkin faction. It was the very group Levinas had once belonged to. Since they were the type to go to extremes, as their name suggested, it wouldn't be strange if they were threatening her.
"Are they trying to get revenge on Levinas for running away?"
"That could be it, or perhaps there's another reason."
"Another reason...?"
"There could be several."
Sofia explained some of those possible reasons to me—why the radical beastkin had targeted Levinas.
The radicals had to keep a close watch on any factions that opposed them. However, they wanted to avoid direct conflict with the Yeomyeong Guild, so they had gone after Levinas instead. Since Levinas had originally been one of them, if they only pressured her, the guild would have a harder time responding.
"That's really too much. The most important thing is what Levinas wants."
"Unfortunately, adults don't always consider that important."
"...Can't the guild stop them? Even the radicals wouldn't dare touch the guild recklessly."
The reason the radical beastkin couldn't act freely against us was thanks to the Yeomyeong Guild, one of the world's strongest armed groups.
"We'll do everything we can, but if they're only targeting Levinas, it won't be easy to intervene."
"Why...?"
"Because the guild isn't a violent organization. If we tried to solve everything with force, we'd lose the people's trust."
"Ah..."
The radicals were simply trying to get their child back. If we punched them and said no, we'd only become the crazy ones.
"Don't worry too much. I'll use every means available to stop them."
"Okay..."
I needed to do what I could, too. Something to lift Levinas's spirits.
** The next day. **
I left the house early in the morning with Saebyeok. I planned to give Levinas a surprise gift to help her feel better. Saebyeok, who loved sleeping in, had forced herself to stay awake for Levinas's sake. She kept nodding off as she walked forward.
Thud—
"Ngh."
Ah. Saebyeok, unable to fight off her drowsiness, had walked straight into a lamppost. It didn't seem to hurt her much—she just kept walking while nodding off again.
"Saebyeok, tail wrap."
I wrapped my tail around her still-drowsy one. It was to guide her so she wouldn't bump into walls. Holding hands would've worked too, but my hands were busy, so I used my tail instead. Having a new body part really came in handy.
"U-ugh... mnya..."
I held onto Saebyeok's tail with mine and led her along as she stumbled forward. Whenever she looked about to crash into a bench or lamppost, I tugged her back. Somehow, we managed to reach the convenience store.
Encia and Argo were there together.
"Captain!"
Thud—! Thud—!
Argo approached with heavy footsteps loud enough to startle the store clerk.
"Winter, you're up early."
"Yeah. I'm buying Levinas some Animal King cards."
As I spoke, I picked up a pack. Coincidentally, the cover featured a wolf character that looked a lot like Encia.
"If a wolf comes out, Levinas will love it."
"R-really...?"
"Yes. I still haven't gotten Encia's or Saebyeok's cards yet."
More precisely, the silver wolf and black cat cards—the animals that represented us.
"I hope they appear soon."
Encia gave a faint smile. Argo stomped over beside her.
"Captain! What about my card?!"
"I've got Argo's card. Levinas loved it."
"Ooh!"
Thud thud thud—
Argo's wagging tail sent a nearby display rack flying. It was an accident, but I was the only one in the store who looked surprised.
"Th-the rack..."
"It's fine. This happens all the time."
"It happens often?"
"Yes. Argo buys anything he breaks and cleans up after himself. So the merchants don't actually mind."
Thanks to that, Argo lived in poverty. Encia muttered the last part quietly.
"Ah..."
Argo's clothes were indeed quite ragged. His wild, reptilian charm made him look cool in a way completely different from me.
"Encia and I will clean this up, so don't worry and take care of your business."
"Okay... Sorry I can't help. I'm a bit busy today."
I bowed my head toward Encia. Her tail began to wag furiously, and my tail—still wrapped around Saebyeok's—swayed along with it.
"Have a wonderful day, Winter."
"You too, Encia."
After saying goodbye to Encia, I bought the Animal King cards—not just one pack, but an entire box.
'Cards are done...'
Next came cake and chocolate. There was a bakery I'd seen while walking around the neighborhood. It was famous enough that people lined up for it. They even had carrot cake. If I brought some home, Levinas would be thrilled.
Still leading the half-asleep Saebyeok, I headed out of the park. Cake, chocolate, and the Animal King cards—I planned to give them all at once to cheer Levinas up.
**
Morning and fresh bread were inseparable. That was why bakeries opened so early. The bakery "Sky Bread" opened at seven. There were still thirty minutes left before opening.
Joo Eun-ha, an employee at Sky Bread, yawned as she wiped the floor. She planned to clean up the dust that had accumulated overnight before opening.
Squeak squeak—
While mopping, Eun-ha spotted a child. Outside the store. A child was pressed against the glass wall of the shop. It was a lovely child with white ears and a cat tail. Next to them was a black version of the same child, cheek pressed to the glass, dozing off.
'Winter and... Saebyeok, was it?'
They were famous kids in the neighborhood. The bakery's sales had gone up noticeably because of them, so it was impossible not to know. Were they here to buy bread? It wasn't opening time yet.
Seeing the children peering inside so adorably, Eun-ha had no choice but to open the door.
"Welcome—huh?!"
The two children, tails intertwined, walked into the store. Their arms swinging back and forth as they toddled in was incredibly cute.
"Hello..."
"Yeah. Hello."
"Do you have carrot cake?"
Their sparkling, innocent eyes struck straight at the heart. Their tails, curled around each other, were so pretty that it was hard to look away.
"I-it's being baked right now. It'll be ready in about five minutes."
"Ah... Can we look around at other things while we wait?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
With Eun-ha's permission, Winter wandered around the store. She placed her hands on the display shelves that came up to her chest and sniffed the bread.
"Ah."
It was freshly baked. Winter wagged her intertwined tail, then grabbed both her own and Saebyeok's tails with her hands to stop them from moving. She was worried the fur might get into the food. Eun-ha, unaware of this, could only stare at the adorable sight.
"Chocolate."
Winter picked up the most expensive chocolate on display and trotted over to the counter.
Pat pat pat—
The sight of her lightly running was like all the cuteness in the world compressed into one. She looked like a creature born solely to be adored.
Eun-ha seriously thought so.
"Um, I'd like this chocolate and the carrot cake, please."
"Ch-chocolate?"
"Yes."
Eun-ha blinked at the chocolate Winter held out. As someone who owned a cat at home, she knew chocolate was poisonous to cats.
'She's a cat beastkin... Can she even eat chocolate...?'
She knew cats well, but not much about beastkin, so Eun-ha couldn't help but hesitate. If something went wrong, it would be entirely her fault.
'No, but she's still half human...'
The children wouldn't deliberately buy something poisonous. They must have received at least basic education. Just as Eun-ha convinced herself and reached for the chocolate, Saebyeok—who had been leaning against Winter while trying to sleep—let out a soft "meow."
It sounded exactly like the cat she had at home.
"C-cat...!"
"Yes...?"
Yeah, she definitely couldn't sell this. Eun-ha hid the chocolate behind her back.
"Y-you can't have chocolate!"
"W-why...?"
"Chocolate is poisonous to cats...!"
"Ah..."
It was a misunderstanding born from not knowing much about beastkin. Winter decided to calmly explain to the worried employee.
"It's okay. We're not the ones eating it."
"S-still, no. If you really want to buy it, bring a guardian."
Just for chocolate, they were being treated like kids trying to buy alcohol or cigarettes. Winter looked up at Eun-ha in bewilderment.
"...We can eat chocolate just fine."
"B-but still..."
"Hmm..."
There was no helping it. It was a misunderstanding caused by unfamiliarity with beastkin. Since she couldn't keep arguing with someone who wouldn't listen, Winter decided to call Han Yeoreum.
"Hello, Winter?"
"Yeah..."
"What's wrong? You sound upset."
"Well... they said to bring a guardian..."
"A g-guardian?! Did something happen?!"
"Um..."
How was she supposed to explain this? At a loss for words, Winter just stood there holding the smartphone in silence.