Bitter Chocolate
"Cheer up, Levinas. Winter, is something wrong? Winter?" Han Yeoreum's voice came through the phone, sharp with worry.
I didn't know what to say. The silence stretched on while I fumbled for words. "Protector," she'd said. It felt strangely unfair, yet completely understandable. In this world I had no ID, no papers, nothing. If trouble ever came knocking, I'd need someone with a solid identity to step in. Someone like Han Yeoreum.
"Um… nothing's really wrong. I just wanted to buy some chocolate, but the clerk asked me to bring a guardian."
"Chocolate? Why would you need a guardian for… oh. Because you're a cat?"
"Yeah."
I glanced at Saebyeok dozing in the seat beside me. Curled up like that, she really did look like an ordinary cat. Easy to mistake her for one.
"Ah… Winter, could you hand the phone to the employee? Let's switch to video call."
"Okay."
I tapped the video button and lifted the phone toward the counter. The surface was too high, so I had to stand on tiptoe to pass it over. I still hadn't grown much. While the two women talked, I looked down and listened in. My ears were sharp enough to catch Han Yeoreum's voice clearly even from the speaker.
"Oh!"
The clerk straightened at once when Han Yeoreum appeared on screen. Seeing her reaction, I realized Han Yeoreum really was a celebrity here.
"This is about the children's chocolate, isn't it?"
"Yes. I just wanted to check."
"Hehe, thank you for worrying. The kids are feline beastkin, but food isn't an issue for them."
"Ah… I see."
Guilt washed over the clerk's face. She looked like she regretted making a fuss. Honestly, I was just grateful someone had cared enough to worry. Being worried about wasn't something that happened every day.
"Yes. You don't have to worry about what they eat."
"Understood. Thank you for your time."
The clerk gave a small bow toward the phone. Because of Han Yeoreum's status, she accepted the explanation without question.
"She says it's fine. Sorry about that."
"It's okay."
"Um… here, take these as a service gift."
She handed me two lollipops. I didn't like taking things for free, but a service gift felt acceptable. I unwrapped one and slipped it into Saebyeok's mouth. Still half-asleep, she clutched the stick and lazily licked it.
"I'll just carry her."
After paying, I hoisted Saebyeok onto my back. The bag holding the cake, chocolate, and Animal King cards dangled from her tail. She was strong enough that the weight didn't bother her at all. It was time to go home—to the house where Levinas was waiting.
It was the day we planned to clear a dungeon. Han Yeoreum had come outside early and spent a long time staring at her phone.
"Aww…"
She'd wanted to video-call with Winter a little longer. Calling a guardian just to buy chocolate was so very like her. A small smile tugged at Han Yeoreum's lips as she looked around. The only people nearby were adventurers deep in conversations she couldn't join. Most of them were married with children. They traded stories about how to help with homework or how to get kids to sleep.
Han Yeoreum listened quietly. She had no children of her own.
"Sigh… My kid won't even touch vegetables. I wish they'd eat a balanced diet…"
"Kids that age are all like that."
The adventurers who had been complaining about picky eating suddenly turned toward Han Yeoreum. Why were they looking at her now? She uncrossed her arms, suddenly self-conscious.
"Yeoreum, your kids eat vegetables just fine, right?"
Yeoreum's kids. She knew exactly who they meant.
"Yes, mine don't have any picky habits… but you all know I'm not married, right? I'm their sister, not their mom…"
"Oh, of course we know. We just asked because you're their guardian."
"Hehe, I was just checking."
Being called a mom at her age… Though if it was our kids, maybe it wouldn't be so bad? While she was lost in that embarrassing thought, someone approached. It was a female adventurer with a four-year-old.
"Your child even eats spinach well?"
"Yes. They don't avoid anything."
"How is that even possible…?"
The woman's astonished expression made Han Yeoreum's shoulders lift with pride. Without realizing she was turning into a complete doting parent, she offered advice.
"Have you tried growing a small vegetable garden?"
"A garden?"
"Yes. When kids grow vegetables themselves, they feel proud and end up eating more."
"Oh! That's a great idea!"
She clapped her hands as if she'd discovered something wonderful. A male adventurer with three children joined them.
"Yeoreum, how do you discipline your kids when they act up?"
"Hmm…?"
"You don't scold them?"
"No. They never really do anything that needs scolding."
"…Is that even possible?"
The man's eyes widened. Someone listening burst out laughing.
"Jincheol, you only have sons. Yeoreum only has daughters."
"Ah. Does that make a difference?"
"A huge one."
Listening to them, Han Yeoreum realized something. Her kids really were unusually well-behaved. Had she saved a country in her past life? She clasped her hands together, moved almost to tears. Her conclusion after talking with the other parents was simple: her children were the most amazing kids in the world.
"Levinas."
I opened the front door and stepped inside. Sofia, who had just woken up, and Levinas, who was staring at her, both turned toward me.
"Where did you go?"
"Just out to buy a few things."
I tapped Saebyeok's tail with my own. She flicked it and passed the bag to me. I'd wanted to prepare a surprise party, but showing them now didn't feel wrong. I carried the bag to the living-room table and sat down.
"Levinas, come here."
"…Okay."
Levinas approached slowly. When I laid out the chocolate, cake, and Animal King cards in front of her, her eyes went wide. I could feel her mood lifting at once.
"King, is today a feast day?!"
"Yeah. Today's a feast."
"Whoa…!"
It was a humble feast—just cake and chocolate—but Levinas looked so happy that I felt relieved.
"Want to try the chocolate?"
"Yeah…!"
The chocolate came in fancy individual wrappers. We each unwrapped a piece and popped it into our mouths.
"……!"
"Ugh!"
"Hyaa!"
It was shockingly bitter. Our ears and tail fur shot straight up. Levinas screamed. Saebyeok hissed. Only Sofia remained completely unfazed.
"This must be too bitter for children."
"I-It seems so…"
Our senses were far more sensitive than a normal person's, so the bitterness hit like a physical blow. There was no way we could eat a second piece. I felt guilty toward Levinas for buying something she couldn't enjoy.
"Sorry… I should have checked before buying it…"
I fiddled with the empty wrapper and glanced at Levinas. She was covering her mouth, giggling.
"King, this chocolate is so bitter!"
"Y-Yeah. Are you okay, Levinas?"
"I'm fine! It's fun!"
She laughed brightly, her earlier gloom completely forgotten. Even Saebyeok's and my tails started wagging hard.
"Let's eat the carrot cake instead of the chocolate."
"Carrot cake?!"
"Yeah. It's made with carrots."
"Huuuh?! Something like that exists?!"
Levinas peered into the box at the carrot cake. Once she'd finished inspecting it, Sofia lifted the whole box.
"Wait here. I'll cut it for you."
"Okay."
While Sofia went to slice the cake, we opened the Animal King card packs. There were so many that it took a while.
"Wait, this is…!"
After opening the tenth pack, Levinas suddenly held up a single card. It gleamed with a golden light.
"What card is it?"
"It's the Everyone's Friends card…!"
She placed it on the table with a soft clink. The card showed all the main and supporting characters from Animal King gathered together. There were many characters, but because they were animals, each one was easy to tell apart.
"They're all here?"
"Yeah! Because they're all friends! Look, there's the black cat too!"
"Cool."
Levinas's eyes sparkled as brightly as the golden card. Just when I thought she'd cheered up, she suddenly slumped and buried her face in the table.
"Levinas wants to be friends with everyone forever…"
"You can be."
"But Levinas is…"
"Because of the radical beastkin faction?"
Levinas flinched. She lifted her head slightly; tears clung to the corners of her eyes.
"You knew too, King…?"
"Yeah."
"Levinas is…"
Before she could finish, Sofia returned with the sliced cake. She must have overheard us, because she let out a long sigh.
"I spoke with the guild about that matter last night."
"R-Really? What did the Guild Master say?"
I already knew the Guild Master couldn't get involved for political reasons, yet I couldn't help feeling hopeful.
"He got angry. Yuna even swore. I never expected that child to curse so fluently."
"She swore?"
"Yes. It's not something I can repeat in front of you children."
What on earth had made Yuna curse so badly that Sofia refused to repeat it? My curiosity was piqued.
"Can't you tell me? I've heard plenty of terrible swearing before."
"Ahem."
Sofia looked away, avoiding my gaze. Strangely, the corners of her eyes were trembling.
"It's not like she's swearing at me anyway."
"Hmm… If you insist…"
Sofia leaned close and whispered so only I could hear. What she said was truly shocking.