chapter_0049

Chapter 47: Education is Needed

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As I was about to check who was entering through the door, Sophia pulled me behind Yeoreum to hide.

Yeoreum, Sophia, and I ended up standing in a line like a train, with the strongest person at the front.

Hiding behind Yeoreum with only my face peeking out to the side, Levinas, who had been hopping around alone, ran behind me to hide.

“What kind of formation is this?!”

“…Stay quiet, it’s dangerous.”

“……!”

Levinas clamped her mouth shut at Sophia’s reprimand, though she seemed to lose none of her energy, hopping to peek over my shoulder.

“Yeoreum.”

Through the wide-open door, two men appeared.

One middle-aged man was holding another man, beaten to a pulp.

Levinas gasped in horror at the sight of the battered man.

“Uh? Is that the Master?”

“The Master?”

What did they mean by Master?

As I blinked in confusion, the man referred to as ‘Master’ pushed the nearly dead man to an unseen spot beside the door.

Perhaps he did it out of consideration for the frightened Levinas.

“A thief broke in. He even used an invisibility skill to steal the crops.”

“Yes. It seems they thought the buff was from Gyeoul’s crops.”

“Buff?”

“Yes. So…”

Yeoreum explained everything to the man called Master – from catching the fake thief to attempting to find the real one.

The Master nodded as he heard the entire story.

“…I see.”

The Master’s gaze shifted to where the beaten man lay, out of sight from inside the container.

“It doesn’t seem like the work of an individual…”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, they even planned it around the time to catch the Black Dragon. If it weren’t for the buff shortening the record, we might not have caught them.”

The Master’s gaze turned to me.

Seeing a dangerous person who had beaten someone to a pulp, I unwittingly looked down.

“You, you shouldn’t just beat people up…”

“Huh?”

“Beating people up like that is wrong…”

What kind of person does that?

As I snuck a glance at the person called Master, he shrugged nonchalantly.

“…In this world, this is just a light scolding.”

“Master…!”

At Yeoreum’s loud voice, the man called Master scratched the back of his head.

He silently rummaged in his pocket and then pulled out a chunk of chocolate.

“Here. Have this.”

“Wow!”

Levinas, who had been hiding behind me, darted forward at the sight of the chocolate.

Rushing out just for chocolate – it was a situation ripe for kidnapping.

I quickly grabbed the back of Levinas’ neck, but the recoil sent her tumbling backwards.

Thud-!

“Ouch!”

A loud sound, as if her head had cracked open, echoed.

Pained, Levinas grimaced.

“Sorry, sorry.”

This is serious.

At least a concussion, I thought.

I hurried to check on Levinas, but she just got up as if nothing had happened.

“To attack me by surprise, how cowardly…!”

Was she protected by magic, or was it the lightness typical of a young beast-kin?

Levinas seemed fine, surprisingly.

“Sorry. But you shouldn’t just accept chocolates from strangers…”

“Why not?!”

“Well…”

“Cough.”

Did my words bother him?

The middle-aged man coughed and looked at Yeoreum, his expression somewhat displeased.

“Gyeoul, it’s okay. He’s our guild master.”

“The guild master?”

“Yes. He’s the boss of the Yeomyeong Guild.”

“…Gasp!”

The head of the Yeomyeong Guild.

Just the title was enough to make one respectful.

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

I raised my hands to my stomach and bowed respectfully.

But for some reason, the master’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Sir…?”

Perhaps he didn’t like being called ‘sir’?

I hesitated, trying to think of another title.

“President… Elder…?”

“Just call me uncle.”

“…Uncle?”

Wasn’t that a rather disrespectful way to address the master of a guild?

As I hesitated and tried to gauge his reaction, Levinas, who had been rubbing her head, suddenly ran towards the master.

“Uncle! Give Levinas the chocolate!”

Hop.

Kang Jinhyuk handed the chocolate to Levinas, who hopped over like a rabbit.

His gaze lingered on me and Sophia.

“The three of you… share it.”

“…Did you just say ‘three’?”

“I misspoke.”

“Hmm…”

The master spoke politely to Sophia which was unusual.

Perhaps they already knew each other.

Well, it would have been stranger if they hadn’t known each other at this point.

‘But this is serious.’

Levinas lacks common sense.

She would follow someone just for chocolate.

Even if Sophia and Levinas were from hostile factions, it seemed I needed to educate the young girl.

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Raei  Translations
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Sophia and the master left to talk privately, leaving Levinas, Yeoreum, and me in the container.

Humming a tune, Levinas handed me three chocolates.

In contrast, she held five chocolates in her hand.

“Levinas got the chocolates, so Levinas will eat five!”

The chocolates weren’t a big deal.

I didn’t mind Levinas eating more, but I was still worried about her.

“Being greedy might make your friends dislike you.”

“Levinas doesn’t have friends, so it’s okay!”

No friends.

It was sad, but then I realized that I too didn’t have any friends.

Of course, my current situation was special.

As someone who had friends before, I felt I could at least give some advice.

“…Maybe you don’t have friends because you’re greedy?”

“Eh…?”

Levinas blinked and looked down at the chocolates in her hand, then cautiously turned to me.

“If I’m not greedy, will I make friends…? How many friends does the king have…?!

“Well, that’s…”

I had no friends on this Earth, unlike my original world.

Unable to answer easily and just fiddling with my fingers, Yeoreum poked my shoulder.

“Gyeoul, you and I are friends.”

“Is, is that okay…?”

“Yes, of course.”

We were friends.

I hadn’t realized we could be friends.

A bit surprised, but in front of Levinas, I tried to appear confident.

“See, see…? I have friends.”

“…Just one?”

“Ye, yes.”

Just one seemed too few.

As I hesitated and watched Levinas’ reaction, she suddenly opened her mouth wide in astonishment.

“Wo, wow, that’s amazing. Levinas doesn’t even have one friend…”

“Kuk.”

Yeoreum, who had been listening to our conversation, suddenly clutched her chest.

She grimaced as if in pain.

“Are you hurt…?”

“No, no, I’m fine. Keep talking.”

“Okay…”

Her expression was a mix of pain and sadness.

Puzzled, I decided to continue talking with Levinas as Yeoreum suggested.

“If I’m not greedy, can Levinas make friends…?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Levinas looked down at her chocolates and then handed me another one.

I waved my hand, gesturing towards Yeoreum beside me.

“Not me.”

“Oh, got it!”

Levinas handed the chocolate to Yeoreum.

“Wow, thank you.”

“Gasp…!”

Levinas’ eyes sparkled at the thanks, tears welling up in her eyes.

“This is the first time Levinas has ever been thanked in her life!”

“…….”

To hear thanks for the first time in her life.

What kind of life had Levinas lived?

I looked at her with pity and then realized something.

I, too, had heard a thank you for the first time in this life through Yeoreum.

The first time was when she thanked me for establishing a connection with the beast-kin.

Realizing this, my mind went blank with shock.

“Wow, usually it’s really hard to be thanked by someone.”

“Really?!”

“Ye, yes. I also heard it for the first time in almost eight years…”

It’s hard, right?

I glanced at Yeoreum, who had her eyes tightly shut.

“Ugh…”

She looked like she was enduring some pain.

As it continued, I started to worry.

“Are you sure you’re okay…?”

“Ye, yes. I’m fine, so don’t worry.”

Claiming to be fine while making such a face.

It was strange, but since she said so.

I turned my attention away from the pained Yeoreum to look at Levinas.

Then I saw Levinas clasping her hands together as if praying.

“Eight years! The king really is amazing…! Levinas’ first word of thanks was when she turned ten…!”

“Ye, yes. But Levinas can do it too. Shall I teach you?”

Levinas is still only ten years old.

As I reminded myself of her age, Levinas suddenly trembled.

“Bu, but Levinas shouldn’t side with the king…”

“You don’t need to take sides. I just want to teach you.”

“Th, then…!”

Levinas jumped up from her spot, excitedly.

It was a sign of agreement.

I had been worried about her naivety, but now I could teach her.

I sighed with relief inwardly.

I decided to start by teaching her to eat before the food spoiled.

It looked like Levinas wanted to save her chocolate.

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