Levi Nas Brings the Police!
"Looks like we've been nabbed. 'Levi Nas brought the police!' she said, hopping around."
Levi Nas was bounding all over the furniture store like a horn rabbit. I couldn't believe that the Levi Nas I'd gotten close to would rat us out like this. She must've reported that we'd kidnapped her. There was no room for excuses in this situation, so all I could do was apologize.
"Levi Nas, I'm sorry..."
"Sorry for what?!"
"For keeping you locked up in the guild..."
It was fake, sure, but we'd put a choker on her with a bomb attached. I knew full well it was something you shouldn't do to a child, but we'd left it on because we knew she came from a dangerous group. Today's conversation had made it crystal clear: the real danger wasn't Levi Nas, but the people she'd been with.
"Huh? Levi Nas didn't report you guys?"
"Sh-she didn't...?"
"Yup! Levi Nas doesn't know how to report stuff! Never learned!"
If she hadn't reported us, then why was she here with the police? Puzzled, I turned around and scanned the three officers in the store.
"Are we... getting arrested...?"
"W-well..."
The three cops hesitated, exchanging glances. They were definitely signaling each other with some cop-only code.
"Aren't these kids from Yeomyeong Park?"
"Yeah. They match the descriptions from all those frequent reports."
At the female officer's words, the oldest-looking one approached us hesitantly. In the tense atmosphere, I instinctively stepped back.
"What's your name?"
"Han Gyeowol..."
"I am Sophia."
"Sophia and Han Gyeowol..."
The middle-aged cop tapped something into his palm-sized touchscreen. He was probably running a background check—he kept repeating our names under his breath. Was the police really here because of me? The realization hit, and my body started trembling.
"I-I'm sorry..."
Admit the wrongdoing and apologize. That was the way to lighten the sentence. But I'd done so many things wrong, I couldn't even figure out where to start. I decided to begin with the lighter stuff, one by one.
"Sorry for what?"
"Not having ID..."
A beastkin without identification? Even I couldn't argue if they treated me like an illegal immigrant. The middle-aged cop cleared his throat awkwardly at my words.
"...Not having ID is pretty much par for the course."
Par for the course? Did that mean he was convinced I was here illegally? Or maybe the police were digging for something even worse than illegal stay.
...Gasp.
Wait, was it that? Trembling, I looked up at the cop with wide eyes.
"Last week, I went to the recycling center, right...?"
"Yeah? And?"
"Yes. But there was this kettle there that looked way too new."
"Uh-huh."
Keep going, his eyes seemed to say as he looked down at me.
"...I might've taken something that still belonged to someone."
It was a perfect silver kettle, so shiny you could see your reflection. I'd thought maybe it wasn't thrown out but lost. Sure enough, the owner might've reported me.
"You took something from the recycling bin and used it?"
"Yes. I don't have much money yet..."
"Ugh."
Whether it was my situation or something else that pitied him, the middle-aged cop sighed with a frown. The young female officer next to him did the same.
"Doesn't Yeomyeong give you anything?"
"Give us what...?"
"Clothes, food, basic support stuff."
There was tons of support. They'd waived property taxes for clearing the horn rabbit dungeon, even let me eat fish from the pond. Honestly, it was more than I deserved—I even felt repulsed by it. But why was the cop asking about support?
Puzzled, I looked up at the two officers without a word, and they started having some cryptic exchange between themselves.
"This is pretty shocking..."
"Tell me about it."
What was so shocking? Were they talking about my criminal record? Embarrassed, I hung my head and stared at the floor.
"I'm sorry. I won't do it again..."
Like any criminal, I begged for mercy—just this once. My eyes stayed glued to the floor. Of course, I didn't need to look up to know what faces they were making. It had to be that pitiful look you give a pathetic crook.
"You mean the kettle?"
"Yes. Even I thought it was too clean... From now on, I'll only pick up dirty stuff..."
Clean items were more likely to have owners. I'd gone blind with greed over a near-new mattress and forgotten that. Or maybe I'd known and ignored it on purpose.
"Hmm..."
"Jeez..."
"Oh dear."
The three cops near me let out groans. Sophia watched silently from a step back, while Levi Nas was too busy gawking at the store's wonders.
"...Am I getting arrested?"
"N-no, not for something like that."
"Really? Then is it a fine?"
I quickly pulled out my coin pouch. Han Yeoreum held most of the bills, so all I had was three 1,000-won notes and some change.
Hmm.
It was laughably short for a fine. But every world had the concept of a down payment. I cupped the money politely in both hands and offered it to the cops—a show of my resolve to pay up.
"C-can this cover it for now...?"
Whoosh.
The moment I extended my hands, Sophia, who'd been watching quietly, shook her head.
"Taking snot-nosed kid money? Even for police, that's too much."
"N-no! It's not like that!"
"No fine! You don't have to pay!"
Startled by something, the cop waved his hands frantically. Sophia chuckled at his panicked look.
"Then... why are you here...?"
"J-just on patrol. Saw beastkin kids and got curious what you were up to."
"Really...?"
Fair enough. Two beastkin in a furniture store would've been a rare sight. Relief washed over me knowing they weren't here to nab me.
"Anyway, this officer uncle will walk you home. Picked out a mattress yet?"
"No, not yet..."
Before I could say more, a boinging sound made me turn around.
"Wheee! Levi Nas jumps higher!"
Levi Nas was trampolining on a mattress with her dirty feet. It was wrapped, but it looked like we'd have to buy that one.
"...Let's go with that one."
Sophia sighed deeply, clearly thinking the same.
And so, we finally bought a mattress. It cost a whopping 400,000 won.
"Sophia, you sure? This is crazy expensive."
"It's fine. Better than sleeping in a box, isn't it?"
True. As I nodded in agreement, the three cops let out sighs of their own.
"A box..."
"Yeomyeong Guild, really..."
"Kinda rough, yeah."
What was their deal? As I glanced nervously at them, Sophia returned after paying.
"They said delivery by end of day."
"Phew, good."
I'd been wondering how to lug that huge thing home. As I sighed in relief alone, the middle-aged cop thumbed toward the exit.
"All done? Let's go. Uncle'll take you home."
"O-okay..."
Police escort, huh. Maybe they were just worried about Sophia and me, who looked like kids. Beastkin children were rarer and more kidnap-prone than human ones, after all.
We followed the cops out. Just as I thought we'd get home safe—
The first cop who'd spotted us knocked on the police car’s back door glass.
"Wanna ride?"
"Huh...?"
"Way comfier than walking."
No. This was 100% an arrest. Had it all been an act to lure me in? I just stared blankly at the police car.
'I wanna see Winter ASAP.'
Having wrapped up her errands outside, Han Yeoreum hurried back to the guild. She couldn't wait another second to see her adorable Winter and the other beastkin kids. Sure, one was way older than her, but still.
Why hasn't Sophia grown up, though? Some beastkin thing?
As Yeoreum pondered while walking, a knocking sound came from right beside her.
Hm?
She turned naturally—and her eyes went wide. Winter, on the verge of tears, was cutely knocking on the car window with her tiny fist.
"Winter?"
Why was Winter in a police car? Looking all teary-eyed? Yeoreum blinked at the backseat in shock, and suddenly the light turned green.
Vroom—
With a light engine hum, the car carrying Winter pulled forward. Meanwhile, Winter's mouth gaped open, her sharp feline fangs on full display—like a kitten's desperate nyaa.
"Winter...?"
Yeoreum watched the police car's taillights fade into the distance. Until it vanished down the alley, Winter and Yeoreum just stared into each other's eyes.