Whisk whisk

Whisk whisk

When faced with an unapproachable terror, all nerves tend to focus on survival.

In other words, this means that there are often cases where one can’t do things they usually do well.

It also meant that unexpected mistakes could happen.

… So.

We didn’t intentionally leave Somteol behind.

The three of us, who had been running for a while, stopped immediately when we realized Somteol was gone.

After all, Somteol was our best friend, and because of its short legs that couldn’t run, it was also someone we needed to protect.

So, as we were about to turn back, braving our fear, we saw a familiar figure in the distance.

“L-let’s go together!”

Wondering who it was, I checked and it was Seo-rin.

 

Seeing her running from the direction where the ghost was, it seems I had mistaken Seo-rin for a ghost.

Realizing this, I explained that it was a simple misunderstanding.

 

“Looks like we mistook Seo-rin for a ghost.”

At my words, Chae-a and Yu-na stared blankly at Seo-rin, then sighed in relief and spoke.

 

“It was scary.”

“That’s a relief. Then let’s go find Somteol.”

 

With those words, Chae-a, while tightly holding my hand, ran to Seo-rin.

Then, firmly grasping Seo-rin’s finger, she said to her,

 

“Th-the front is scary, so Chae-a will go with you. Okay?”

Chae-a had a habit of using polite speech whenever she wanted something.

 

So this time too, she unfailingly used polite speech while asking Seo-rin to go together.

Of course, to others, it might sound more like Chae-a offering to go together because Seo-rin might be scared, rather than Chae-a being scared and asking to go together.

 

Hearing Chae-a’s words, Seo-rin made an expression that suggested she found it utterly cute.

Then, nodding her head, she vigorously patted our heads and said,

 

“Shall we? But what are you doing here so late at night? Where’s big sister A-rin?”

At those words, we looked at each other and then quietly told her the truth.

 

After hearing the whole story, Seo-rin looked at us while giggling and

 

She gently poked each cheek while speaking kindly.

“Next time, don’t sneak out, okay?”

“Okay, I got it. You shouldn’t go out either, unnie!”

“It’s okay for unnie because I’m an adult.”

“But Chae-a is an adult too!”

“?”

“?”

As I listened to their conversation, I found it somewhat interesting.

Then, gathering my thoughts, I calmed them both down before bringing up the important main point.

“We need to go find Somteol.”

At those words, Chae-a nodded her head vigorously and said with sparkling eyes.

“Somteol might be crying… We need to go quickly!”

Seo-rin nodded at Chae-a’s words.

“Is that so? Then let’s go find him right away. Here, hold unnie’s hand.”

We held Seo-rin’s hand (Yuna held mine) and moved towards where Somteol had been.

As we were moving forward, a question suddenly popped into my mind.

‘But if Seo-rin was the ghost, shouldn’t she have noticed Somteol falling off while coming to us?’

Yet she came straight to us without finding Somteol? Why?

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come to a conclusion, so I just blinked my eyes and kept moving forward.

*

“Beee!”

When we returned, Somteol was jumping up and down angrily.

We quickly approached Somteol, apologized, and tried to soothe him by randomly patting his head, but.

Ha-eun puffed up her fur, showing she was really angry and not calming down.

“I’m sorry…”

It was the first time we had seen Ha-eun this angry.

The three of us huddled together, petting Ha-eun and continuously apologizing.

Ha-eun pretended to give in to our actions, making a ‘beep’ sound and grumbling as she accepted our apologies.

‘What a relief.’

While thinking about how we wouldn’t know what to do if she had stayed angry until the end, I hugged Ha-eun.

Unlike usual, her fur felt a bit cold to the touch.

‘Is it because it’s nighttime?’

Well, it makes sense that she’d be cold, given that it’s night and she had been on the cold floor for a long time. I didn’t think much of it.

Yuna, assessing the situation, told us what we needed to do next.

“Now, let’s go check on the seed. We need to see if it’s doing well.”

“Right! Shall we go?”

Although we had gone in circles a bit.

We decided to proceed with one of our most important objectives: ‘Go to the lair and check on the seed’.

Along with our guardian Seo-rin, we headed towards my lair, this time with a more confident demeanor than before.

*

Should I call it a premonition?

What Chae-a had said about crying loudly due to loneliness seemed to be actually happening.

The seed I had planted was emitting mana that felt sad and lonely.

Observing this, I realized that emotions could be conveyed through mana, and as I moved forward.

The seeds buried in the ground erased their feelings of sadness and loneliness and began to emit mana welcoming us profusely.

‘I’m glad we came.’

Thinking that if we had left them alone, they might have gotten angry like when we left Somteol behind, I let out a sigh of relief.

I brought a nearby flowerpot and asked the seeds.

“Is this okay?”

The seeds responded by emitting mana that meant ‘yes’, agreeing to my question.

“Then I’ll take you out for a moment.”

I carefully placed the seeds along with some soil into the flowerpot, then watered them moderately with a nearby watering can.

Realizing that too much water could cause rotting, I was watering them appropriately when.

Seo-rin briefly spoke while looking at me.

“Shall we go back now? A-rin unnie will be worried.”

Indeed, if she finds out we left, she’ll be very worried.

Thinking it would be better to return before we’re discovered, I was nodding when.

Yuna, staring intently at the flowerpot containing the seeds, made a comment.

“The seeds have grown a little. They’re small sprouts now.”

Hearing that, I looked down and indeed, there were small but distinct sprouts growing.

Thinking Yuna’s observation skills were impressive, I praised her and decided it was time to head back.

* * *

Returning to the room, I see Han A-rin asleep on the sofa.

It seems she collapsed right there on the sofa, not having slept properly recently due to her mana circulation research.

‘Considering that hunters have even better physical abilities than ordinary people.’

Ha-eun thought about how much fatigue must have accumulated, unable to even guess.

As she quietly headed to the room, careful not to wake Han A-rin, what she saw was.

“Beep?”

It was the sight of Somteol eating the candies we had piled up.

“…?”

Why was Somteol here?

Surely Somteol had gone outside with us.

Faced with this incomprehensible situation, I looked at Chae-a and Yuna with a blank expression.

But Chae-a and Yuna seemed equally confused, just blinking their eyes and staring at Somteol.

After staring intently at Somteol for a while, Chae-a tilted her head and made a puzzled sound.

“Hmm?”

Then, as if giving up on understanding, she quickly moved forward, picked up Somteol, and said.

“Somteol, why are you here?”

“Beep.” (I never left.)

Never left? Didn’t we go out together, and then it got angry because we left it behind?

What on earth was that?

While everyone was confused by this inexplicable question.

Only Somteol was excited, making ‘beep beep’ sounds and munching on candies.

* * *

The next morning.

As soon as Han A-rin opened her eyes, she could see Somteol nestled in her arms as she slept on the sofa.

Thinking how nice it was to hug something soft and cuddly, she stroked it and zoned out for a moment.

‘By the way, last time Somteol ate a lucky stone that brings good fortune.’

As that thought crossed my mind, a question arose.

What would happen if a creature capable of enhancing things consumed a lucky stone?

As I pondered this, feeling suddenly alert and wide-eyed.

Somteol, who had just woken up, chirped happily and snuggled deeper into my arms.

‘Perhaps the World Tree shooting light and causing a sprout to grow on Somteol’s head wasn’t just a simple coincidence.’

If I had to guess, since Somteol has enhancement abilities.

The moment it ate the lucky stone, it enhanced it, becoming a state that brings even greater luck.

And with that inside Somteol’s body, I thought that luck might be gathering around it without Somteol doing anything else, leading to receiving light from the World Tree.

‘If my thoughts are true.’

Thinking that something far more incredible than imagined must have happened, I was examining Somteol’s crown closely.

When I saw Yuna coming out, rubbing her eyes while hugging a dinosaur plushie.

“……”

Han A-rin made eye contact with Yuna, who was still a bit awkward, and managed a somewhat awkward smile.

The reason for the awkwardness was none other than the difficulty in continuing conversations due to Yuna’s emotionless expressions.

Thinking it was hard to start a conversation, I looked at Yuna with a mix of goodwill and confusion in my eyes.

Suddenly, Yuna approached me and sat down next to me as if it was the most natural thing, then spoke.

“Pat my head too. I want to go whoosh whoosh like Somteol.”

“Whoosh whoosh?”

“Yes. Like this, whoosh whoosh with the head.”

At those words, I immediately patted her head, and Yuna wagged her tail gently, showing her contentment.

‘How cute.’

Although it was still a bit awkward, her genuine desire to become close with Yuna and her fondness for her were real, so she was expressing affection comfortably, just as she would with Ha-eun.

Suddenly, Yuna came to her for advice.

“I want to eat three ice creams. But when I eat two, my tummy gets so big like this and I can’t eat anymore. What should I do?”