I Promise Not to Bite Rats
Han Yeoreum made Saebyeok swear she would never bite a rat again. Only after the oath did Saebyeok finally escape the washing hell. Even while reciting the promise, her face kept getting scrubbed, turning her words into mush.
"Anyone else touch the rat?"
"······!"
Both children shook their heads so hard their whole bodies swayed. Levinas even bent at the waist, radiating pure determination never to wash again. After witnessing a human being laundered right in front of them, they had no choice but to refuse.
"You really didn't touch it?"
"Nope. I didn't touch any rat."
"Levinas didn't touch it either···!"
The children held out their palms. Naturally, both pairs of hands were spotless. Levinas had only headbutted the creature, and Saebyeok had only mouthed it. Han Yeoreum sighed.
"···Yeah, they're clean."
The two passed inspection. Only Saebyeok had been unfairly punished. She wanted to tell the truth, but when she saw the children clasping their hands like they were praying, she could only let out a long breath. They hadn't really done anything wrong. There was no point in being petty.
"Saebyeok, rats are dirty, so don't ever touch one again, okay?"
"Okaaay···"
She had no strength left in her body. In the end, she let Han Yeoreum lead her home by the hand. It wasn't much of a support, just fingers intertwined.
"Saebyeok, wait in the hallway for a second? I'll grab a towel."
"Okaaay···"
Water dripped steadily onto the floor. When Sofia stepped out and saw her, she frowned.
"Why do you look like a drowned rat?"
"A… drowned rat···?"
Saebyeok hated rats. Just like Pavlov's dog salivating at the sound of a bell, the word alone made her feel miserable.
"···My apologies. Calling you a rat when you're a cat was terribly rude."
That wasn't why she was upset. Before she could correct the misunderstanding, Saebyeok caught her reflection in the hallway mirror. Her ears and tail hung limp and soaked, her shoulders hunched. She really did look like a drowned rat. It was as if the dead rat had come back for revenge.
"So, how did this happen?"
"I supposedly bit a rat, so I got twenty minutes of scrubbing."
"Bit a rat···?"
"Yeah. I didn't actually bite it, but they washed me before I could explain."
Feeling wronged, she stared at her palms. Thanks to the pond's purifying power, they were soft and completely free of dirt.
"Oh dear. That must have been frustrating."
"Yeah···"
Sofia always understood her. Saebyeok took a step closer.
"···So, did you scrub your hands really hard?"
Sofia's expression was strange. Her mouth smiled, but her eyes did not. Saebyeok's beastkin danger sense flared.
"I-I washed my hands really clean···"
"···Good. Just don't touch rats from now on."
Apparently Sofia hated rats too. It was a sad day for rat beastkin everywhere.
After Sofia dried her off with a towel, Saebyeok sat on the sofa. The children fidgeted, glancing at her nervously. They felt guilty that only she had been washed even though they had touched the rat too. She was about to tell them it was fine when a thought struck her. These kids still lacked real-world experience. They probably wouldn't know how to handle a friend who was angry. After all, none of them had ever seen her truly angry before.
This was a perfect teaching moment. Even though she wasn't actually mad, she decided to pretend.
"Wow, Winter···"
"Hmph."
She turned away and refused to meet their eyes. It was an exaggerated gesture, but the children didn't realize it was an act.
"Winter, this is Levinas's precious carrot. I'll give it to you as a present···"
A perfect orange carrot appeared from Levinas's arms. Levinas clearly knew how to make up with an angry friend. The real question was Saebyeok.
Saebyeok was usually expressionless and quiet. Could she smooth things over without looking sorry? Saebyeok watched her with concern.
"H-here···"
Saebyeok pulled something from her pocket. A live grasshopper. Huh. That was the one she'd caught last time—the one Han Yeoreum had told her to release. The little guy was still alive. Saebyeok's tail wagged happily at the sight.
Thinking her anger had passed, the children scooted right up beside her.
"Winter! Are you not mad anymore···?"
"Yeah. I wasn't actually mad. It was just a joke."
"Huh?! Levinas was tricked!"
Levinas had been about to leap into her arms, but froze mid-jump. Saebyeok, tongue out and ready to lick her cheek, also stopped. The two children exchanged serious looks, then nodded with the determined faces of generals who had made a decision.
"Levinas thinks she knows why Winter pretended to be mad!"
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
Levinas might be pure, but she wasn't stupid. Saebyeok was the same.
"Yeoreum-unniii!"
The two children bolted toward the kitchen where Han Yeoreum was.
"We touched the rat too!"
Levinas's bright voice echoed from the kitchen.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Han Yeoreum's scream followed right after.
One hour later, the children returned looking thoroughly scolded.
"Uuu···"
Saebyeok decided to give them time to recover. I should organize the hunting ledger.
The ledger recorded supplies used in dungeons. Keeping count in advance prevented bigger problems later. Two explosive arrows. Five ice arrows. Saebyeok was sorting the remaining magic arrows when—
"Huh···?"
Her teeth itched. She opened her mouth and pressed on her fangs. They were so sharp that even a little pressure felt like they might tear skin. It was frustrating that she couldn't press harder even though it itched.
"Nngh."
Annoyed, she bit down on the carrot Levinas had given her. She didn't chew it, just sank her fangs in deep. Sofia, noticing the unusual behavior, approached.
"Saebyeok, what's wrong?"
"My teeth are really itchy."
"Your teeth?"
"Yeah···"
She needed something harder than a carrot. Saebyeok looked around. Sofia, with her experience, already knew what was happening.
"You haven't changed your teeth yet, have you?"
"Teeth changing? I have to do that?"
"Yes. Unlike humans, beastkin teeth keep growing, so you have to file them down regularly."
Great. That sounded incredibly annoying. Sofia read the displeasure on her face.
"Don't worry too much. Just chew on hard foods."
"What kind of hard foods?"
Levinas answered before Sofia could.
"Shark tail···!"
Levinas was happily gnawing on Sofia's tail. Sofia looked displeased but didn't push her away.
"My tail isn't food, but··· would you like to try too, Saebyeok?"
"Umm··· only if it's really urgent."
There are other ways, right? Saebyeok asked with her eyes.
"For now, just chew on some candy."
"Candy?"
"Yes. I'll make you special beastkin teething candy later. Sweet, but strong enough not to break."
"Eating too many sweets causes cavities."
"Your teeth keep growing. What use are cavities?"
"Oh···"
Cavities decayed teeth, but beastkin teeth regrew constantly. They posed no real threat.
"If you're still worried, rinse your mouth with pond water. It'll wipe out all the cavity bacteria."
"···The pond has that effect?"
"With enough money, anything is possible."
Money? Just how much had been poured into their pond? Saebyeok accepted the candy from Han Yeoreum in the kitchen, still wondering. She bit down hard with her fangs.
Crunch, crunch—
The more she chewed, the itchier her fangs became. Why wasn't the teething helping? Frustrated, she bit down with all her strength.
Crack—!
Something hard and pointed fell from under her tongue. It wasn't sweet, so it wasn't candy. What was it? She spat it into her palm.
A long, sharp fang.
"······!"
Her fur stood on end. Saebyeok stared at the fallen tooth with trembling eyes.
"Oh my. So it was a baby tooth."
Sofia gazed fondly at the fang. She had wondered how old Saebyeok's eight-year-old body actually was. Now it made sense—she was at the age for losing teeth. Beastkin teeth grew back even after falling out, but a child's first lost tooth held special meaning for parents.
Our Saebyeok finally lost a tooth.
Sofia felt a wave of parental happiness.
Saebyeok did not.
"M-my tooth···!"
Human permanent teeth never grew back once lost. Before becoming a beastkin, Saebyeok had already lost all her baby teeth. She assumed this fang was a permanent one that would never return.
Did that mean she had to live without fangs for the rest of her life?! Weren't implants ridiculously expensive?!
Her heart pounded. Sofia interpreted the terrified reaction differently. The child must be shocked from losing her first tooth. As her guardian, she decided to comfort her.