As Long As I Don't Die
Levinas slipped away in the middle of the night. It was no accident that I noticed. Her tail, the one I'd tucked beneath me, had grown lighter. That was all it took for my eyes to snap open—an instinctive alarm. I woke Sofia and Han Yeoreum at once and took off after her.
"Wait!" someone shouted from behind, but I ignored it and kept running. With my sharpened hearing and sense of smell, tracking her was effortless.
…There are other beastkin nearby.
I counted roughly ten of them. Far too many just to retrieve one little girl. Each one was stronger than me, but that didn't matter. This mountain was my territory. I'd spent years roaming every inch of it. What I lacked in skill, I could make up for with the land itself.
Feeling the approach of allies, I nocked an arrow. It was one of the special shock arrows Yuna had given me for emergencies. They carried no killing power—only enough force to hurl the target backward. Perfect for subduing without permanent harm.
"Levinas, when I count to three, run. Got it?"
I didn't wait for an answer. Levinas would come. I knew she would. So I began counting in the smallest voice only she could hear. We'd tested our ears together so many times that I knew exactly how softly I needed to speak. She would hear me. I had no doubt.
"One. Two."
"Three."
"Hyah!" Levinas cried out and sprinted straight toward me. My reaction was faster than the beastkin trying to grab her.
"You little—!"
The man in the snake mask lunged. From the blind spot hidden by grass and trees, I loosed the arrow.
Thwack—! Bang—!
"Guh—!"
The impact sent him tumbling across the ground. Thanks to Yuna's arrow.
"Who the hell—?!"
The beastkin split—some wary, others still chasing Levinas. I aimed at the ones rushing forward.
Bang—! "Kuh!"
One went flying. I nocked another arrow immediately. When someone hurled a net at Levinas, I shot twice in quick succession.
Bang—! Bang—!
The net and its wielder were blasted away together. Levinas never looked back. She ran straight for me.
"Winter!"
"Levinas!"
She leapt into my arms like a horned rabbit. The moment our cheeks touched, her tail began to wag furiously.
"Winter! Levinas was totally invincible!"
"Yeah. You're invincible."
I held her close and stepped back. The fox-masked beastkin was watching us in silence.
"Is the guild getting involved? We have the rightful claim here…"
He spoke while looking past me into the forest, as if he already knew the other guild members were hidden among the trees.
"The rightful claim?"
Yuna stepped out from right beside me. Even in the woods, her heels clicked sharply against the ground.
"Yes. You know full well that we are the ones who had our child taken."
"…That's true."
The extremist beastkin abused children. Unfortunately, there was no evidence. No clean way to refuse handing Levinas over. Yuna pressed her lips into a thin line, clearly aware of the same problem.
"We'll just take the child back. How about we part ways without any further conflict?"
"Hmm… The Master asked me to pass along a message about that."
"What is it?"
The fox mask tilted his head, curious. Yuna reached over and firmly covered my ears, as if she were about to say something I shouldn't hear. I did the same for Levinas. She smiled at my cooperation—then opened her mouth and spat out something vicious.
Get lost before I tear you apart, you fucking bastard.
My ears were covered, but I could still read her lips. The beastkin's heightened senses made it impossible to miss. I hadn't expected her to say something so crude. My body trembled.
From somewhere in the forest, Sofia came hurrying over, leaning on her staff.
"You little—!"
Thump—! Thump—!
She rapped Yuna on the head with the handle of her staff. Yuna's shoulders hunched up.
"Why? Why are you hitting me…?"
"What sort of language is that in front of the children?"
"I covered their ears…"
"They are sensitive. They understood every word from your lip movements alone."
"…Really?"
Yuna's gaze turned to me. My tail stood straight up, trembling.
"Winter, did you hear— I mean, see it?"
"Yes…"
"I'm sorry. I thought you wouldn't understand…"
"It's okay. You weren't cursing at me."
It had just been a long time since I'd heard such language. I knew she only said it to protect Levinas. There was no reason to be afraid of her.
"I got too worked up."
"It's fine. I was just surprised because it's been so long."
"…So long?"
Yuna's eyes widened, then she squeezed them shut. Still with her eyes closed, she gestured toward the trees behind her. Jinhyuk emerged from behind a large trunk.
"Jinhyuk, could you take the kids down?"
"Need help?"
"I'm fine. Do you really think I'd need you for this?"
"…Guess not."
Jinhyuk walked over and took Levinas's hand. When he offered his other hand to me, I placed my tail in it instead, keeping my hands free in case something happened.
"Sofia, let's go down together."
"Yes, let us go together."
Sofia and I retreated, letting the guild members form a wall between us and the fox mask. Han Yeoreum, Encia, Argo, and several familiar faces were there. So many people had come for Levinas. It was touching. I'd have to repay them somehow later.
With that thought, I descended the mountain.
The bed was soft. Where was I again?
I opened my eyes carefully and remembered everything from yesterday.
"Hah—!"
What happened to Levinas? I sat up and looked around. Thankfully, I was in a familiar room—our house, on the bed. Levinas was curled up beside me, breathing softly in her sleep. Saebyeok was there too, rolled into a ball and purring.
"Ah."
I must have passed out the moment we came down the mountain. Whoever carried me inside, I was grateful.
Thank goodness.
Seeing them safe and sound brought a wave of relief. I tried to slip out quietly so I wouldn't wake them, but voices drifted in from beyond the door.
"So, what happened last night?"
"I just knocked one of them around and sent them off. Didn't feel like dealing with all of them."
"The snake one?"
"Yeah. I really couldn't stand that guy."
"…Well done."
Even gentle Sofia was agreeing. That snake beastkin must have been truly awful.
He called Levinas a "bitch," after all.
I could tolerate insults aimed at me, but not at our kids. My tail flicked in irritation as I opened the door and stepped out.
"Sofia."
Rubbing my eyes, I walked toward her. She patted the sofa beside her.
"You're awake."
"Yes. Nothing happened last night, right?"
"Everything went smoothly."
"That's a relief."
I let out a long breath and glanced at the clock. It was almost lunchtime.
"Hah—!"
My ears and tail shot straight up. I'd slept for so long. I jumped off the sofa, ready to get dressed and head out.
Sofia caught my tail.
"Where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?"
"I-I have to go to work! It's already noon…!"
"You had a difficult night. Rest today."
"But…"
"You stubborn child."
She tugged on my tail. With her mana-enhanced strength, I was dragged backward without any resistance.
"Sofia…"
She pulled me down onto the sofa and made me lie with my head in her lap.
"Yesterday must have startled you badly. Rest properly today."
"I already rested plenty. I can work now."
I'd only slept until lunchtime. That should have washed away all my fatigue.
I tried to sit up again, but Sofia pressed firmly on my stomach. Startled, I could only blink up at her from her lap.
"Winter, you need to learn how to take care of yourself first."
"Me? I actually take pretty good care of myself."
"You do?"
"Yes."
Sofia's worry seemed excessive. Still, I understood where it came from.
"To my eyes, it looks like you're just tormenting yourself."
"Me? I've been living just fine without dying…"
"Child. The fact that 'not dying' is your standard is already strange."
She stretched my cheek gently. It didn't hurt, but I could tell she was displeased.
"Isn't it fine as long as I don't die…?"
"Dying is…"
Sofia trailed off and pressed her lips together. Then she simply stroked my hair in silence.
What was that about? My body wasn't weak like before, and after a full night's sleep I felt more energetic than yesterday. I checked myself over just in case, but there were no injuries.
"Hmm."
I still didn't understand, but I didn't want to disappoint her. So I decided to rest properly today, just as she asked.