The Guild Master and Lessons in Friendship
Needs education—click. The moment I tried to check who was coming through the open door, Sophia pulled me behind Han Yeoreum's back. Han Yeoreum up front, Sophia next, and me bringing up the rear, like a little train line. Putting the strongest person in the lead, I guess.
Peeking out just my face from behind Han Yeoreum's back, Levi Nas—who'd been hopping around on her own—suddenly dashed behind me to hide.
"What kinda formation is this?!"
"...It's a dangerous situation, so stay quiet."
"...!"
At Sophia's scolding, Levi Nas clamped her mouth shut. But she wasn't deflated or anything; she kept hopping up and down behind me to see ahead.
"Han Yeoreum."
Two men stepped through the wide-open door. One middle-aged guy was holding another man who looked like total mush. Levi Nas let out a freaked-out squeak at the sight of the bloodied mess.
"Huh? Isn't that the Master?"
"Master?"
Master? What master? I blinked in confusion, and the guy called Master shoved the half-dead man off to the side of the door, out of sight. Maybe he was being considerate of the terrified Levi Nas.
"We had a break-in. The guy used stealth skills just to steal the crops."
"Yeah. He must've figured there was a buff on the crops Winter grew."
"A buff?"
"Yeah. So..."
Han Yeoreum spilled everything that had happened to the man called Master—from catching the fake thief to chasing the real one. After hearing the whole story, Master nodded.
"...I see."
The gaze of the man called Master shifted toward where the fallen guy was. It was out of sight from inside the container.
"Doesn't look like the work of some lone wolf..."
"R-Really?"
"Yeah. They even timed it down to when we'd be out hunting the Black Dragon. If the buff hadn't sped up our record, we might not have caught them."
Master's eyes turned to me. He was a dangerous guy who'd turned a person into pulp, so I couldn't help but lower my gaze.
"Y-You can't just... beat people up like that..."
"Hm?"
What kind of person does something like that? I snuck a glance at Master, and he shrugged lightly.
"...In this line of work, this is just a light scolding."
"Master...!"
At Han Yeoreum's loud protest, the man scratched the back of his head. He rummaged silently in his pocket for a moment, then pulled out a chunk of chocolate.
"Here. Take this."
"Whoa!"
Levi Nas, who'd been hiding behind me, bolted forward the second she saw the chocolate. Chasing after chocolate like that—she could get kidnapped any second and no one would bat an eye. I grabbed her by the scruff in a panic, and the momentum sent her tumbling backward.
Thud—!
"Ow!"
A nasty crack echoed like her skull had split. Her face scrunched up in pain.
"S-Sorry."
This is bad. That's gotta be a concussion at least. I rushed to check on her, but she popped right back up like nothing happened.
"A-Ambush? That's sneaky...!"
Mana protection plus the lightweight body of a young beastkin, maybe? Levi Nas seemed tougher than she looked.
"Sorry. But you shouldn't just take chocolate from strangers..."
"Why not?!"
"Well..."
"Ahem."
Did my words rub him the wrong way? The middle-aged man cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at Han Yeoreum, his face showing some displeasure.
"Winter, it's fine. This is our guild master."
"Guild master?"
"Yeah. The big boss of Unnie's guild."
"...Gasp!"
The head of Yeomyeong Guild. That title alone was enough to make anyone straighten up.
"N-Nice to meet you, sir."
I placed my hands above my navel and bowed deeply and politely. But for some reason, Master's brow furrowed subtly.
"Sir...?"
He didn't like "sir"? I hesitated, searching for another title.
"P-President...? Elder...?"
"...Just call me Uncle."
"...Uncle?"
Isn't that super rude for a guild master? I wavered, watching his expression, when Levi Nas—who'd been rubbing her head—suddenly dashed toward Master like it was nothing.
"Uncle! Give Levi Nas the choco!"
Hop. Kang Jin-ho handed the chocolate to the bunny-hopping Levi Nas. His eyes were on me and Sophia.
"Split it between the three... two of you."
"...Did you just say three?"
"Slip of the tongue."
"Hm..."
Master using formal speech with Sophia? They must already know each other. Though at this point, it'd be weirder if they didn't.
Anyway, this is a big problem.
Little Levi Nas lacks common sense. Thinking she'd just follow anyone who offers chocolate. Even if Sophia's from a rival faction, someone had to teach the kid for her own sake.
Sophia and Master left saying they had things to discuss, leaving me, Levi Nas, and Han Yeoreum in the container.
Levi Nas hummed a little tune and handed me three chocolates. She had five in her own hand.
"The chocolate's what Levi Nas got, so Levi Nas gets five!"
Chocolate, whatever. She could have more, but I was worried about her in general.
"If you're greedy, your friends might not like you."
"L-Levi Nas has no friends, so it's fine!"
No friends? That was sad, but it hit me that I didn't have any either right now. Sure, my situation was special. Still, as someone who'd had friends before, I could give some advice.
"...Maybe you're greedy, so you don't have friends?"
"Huh...?"
Levi Nas blinked down at the chocolates in her hand, then turned to me carefully.
"I-If Levi Nas isn't greedy, will she get friends...? How many does the king have...?!"
"W-Well..."
Back on my original Earth, maybe, but here? Zero friends. I fidgeted with my fingers, unable to answer easily, when Han Yeoreum poked my shoulder.
"Winter, you and Unnie are friends, right?"
"C-Can we...?"
"Yeah. Obviously."
Us, friends? I hadn't realized we could be. It surprised me a bit, but with Levi Nas watching, I put on a confident front.
"See? I have a friend."
"...One?"
"Y-Yeah."
One's too few? I hesitated, gauging Levi Nas's reaction, when she suddenly gaped wide.
"A-Amazing. Levi Nas has zero friends..."
"Kkh."
Han Yeoreum, who'd been listening, suddenly clutched her chest. Her face twisted like she was in pain.
"You okay...?"
"N-No, Unnie's fine. Keep talking."
"O-Okay..."
She looked pained and sad. It was weird, but I followed her advice and kept chatting with Levi Nas.
"If you're not greedy, you can make friends too, Levi Nas."
"Yeah. Obviously."
Levi Nas looked down at her chocolate, then handed me one more. I waved it off and pointed to Han Yeoreum beside us.
"Not me."
"Oh, got it!"
Han Yeoreum took the chocolate Levi Nas offered.
"Whoa, thanks!"
"Gasp...!"
Levi Nas's eyes sparkled at the thanks. Tears even welled up—what was so moving?
"This is the first thank-you Levi Nas has ever heard in her life!"
"......"
First thanks ever? What kind of life has she had? I looked at her with pity, then it hit me—I'd just heard my first thanks in this life, too, from Han Yeoreum. When she thanked me for connecting with beastkin. The realization stunned me into a daze.
"H-Hearing 'thanks' from people is super rare."
"Gasp! Really?!"
"Y-Yeah. It was my first in like eight years..."
It's gotta be rare, right? I glanced at Han Yeoreum, who for some reason had her eyes squeezed shut.
"Nngh..."
She looked like she was enduring some agony. I was starting to worry.
"You sure you're okay...?"
"Y-Yeah. Unnie's totally fine, don't worry."
With a face like that? Something was off, but she insisted, so I pushed past her pained expression and turned back to Levi Nas.
There she was, hands clasped like in prayer, facing me.
"Eight years! The king really is amazing...! Levi Nas is ten and this is her first thank-you...!"
"Y-Yeah. But you can do it too, Levi Nas. Want me to teach you?"
She's only ten, huh. As I noted her age mentally, Levi Nas flinched.
"B-But Levi Nas can't side with the king..."
"No need to pick sides. I'm just teaching you."
"Th-Then...!"
Levi Nas hopped up in joy. I knew it was a yes. She was so naive it worried me, but being able to teach her was a relief. I let out a quiet sigh inside.
For starters, I'd teach her to eat food before it spoils. She seemed like she'd try to ration the chocolate.