chapter_0423

Chapter 421: I Like Bom Too

The child-sized Encia was surprisingly pretty.

The wolf beast-kin’s typically sharp features had taken on a delicate look now that she was young.

“Encia, you’ve gotten so small.”

“Yes, I’ve…”

Encia touched her throat mid-sentence, startled by her childlike voice.

“Your voice became young too.”

“…It feels strange yet fascinating.”

“Hehe.”

I knew that feeling well.

Having experienced body changes twice myself.

It was quite amusing finding this odd common ground.

“Wow! The wolf got tiny!”

“Doggy small.”

“Not a dog, a wolf!”

“Small wolf.”

Finding Encia’s transformation entertaining, Levinas and Gaeul smiled brightly.

Saebyeok wagged her tail while looking Encia up and down.

“She’s shorter than me but a bit taller than Gyeoul?”

“Yes, that seems about right.”

Wait what?

Even that small she was still taller than me?

I measured Encia’s height with my eyes.

Looking carefully, she was indeed slightly taller.

‘No way.’

Though I wasn’t hung up about being short anymore, it was still a bit disappointing.

Maybe I should ask Bom to make me a little taller with her ability?

Just as I was seriously considering this, Bom approached Encia with a confident look.

“Now you’re not scary at all.”

“What’s not scary?”

“You’re young now. Even adults aren’t scary when they’re young.”

Poke poke-

Bom pressed Encia’s cheeks.

Her soft cheeks squished in like poking slime.

Though it was tail-waggingly cute, I was lost in other thoughts.

‘Why would adults be scary?’

Had something bad happened with adults?

I couldn’t help feeling worried.

“Are you scared of adults?”

“Yeah. That’s why I bully them a lot.”

“…I see.”

What could have happened to make her hate adults so much?

Though I felt sad for her, I decided not to ask more for now.

I didn’t want to bring up serious topics when the children were having fun.

‘I’ll ask her about it another time when I get the chance.’

After finishing my private thoughts, I looked at Encia.

The children were touching her all over.

Nibble nibble-

Levinas was nibbling her ears while Gaeul licked her cheeks.

Saebyeok had grabbed a handful of her hair.

“Children… um…”

I was about to tell them not to be rough just because she was small.

But Encia’s tail was wagging so happily even non-beast-kin could tell.

“Hehe, what should we play?!”

Levinas asked while holding Encia’s hand.

A look of bewilderment crossed Encia’s prim face.

“We’re playing together?”

“Yeah! Now that wolf is a child too, she has to play like one!”

“Is, is that so?”

Encia seemed a bit flustered.

Perhaps not wanting to disappoint Levinas, she didn’t outright refuse.

Hmm.

After pondering with her characteristic primness, Encia nodded.

“How about we play escort?”

“Escort?!”

“Yes. A game where we protect the king.”

“King?! There’s only one King!”

At Levinas’s shout, everyone turned to look at me.

Gaeul stared blankly before spreading her arms like a bodyguard to protect me.

“Gaeul guard.”

“Oh! Levinas too!”

Levinas spread her arms like Gaeul to protect me.

Bom hesitated briefly before taking the same protective stance as the others.

Finding it fun to play protector with everyone, Bom started laughing heartily.

“We’re friends so we’ll protect you like this.”

“Yeah. Thanks. I’ll protect you too if you’re in danger, Bom.”

Though she liked playing tricks, Bom never targeted friends.

Maybe she was an even better child than I’d thought.

**

“Gaeul puppy! Stand guard like this, and if arrows come, block them with your body!”

“Got it…!”

The children circled around me acting as shields.

Seeing this, Encia frantically waved her hands.

“You, you don’t need to block arrows with your bodies.”

“But that’s how they did it in movies!”

“That’s just movies. Levinas, you just need to show we’re protecting Gyeoul. That alone will discourage most threats.”

“Oh! I understand! That’s called intimidation!”

Grr.

Levinas imitated a fierce beast.

Rawr.

Gaeul also tried to threaten imaginary enemies fiercely.

“Yes, exactly. Very well done.”

Clap clap clap-

Just as young Encia was applauding us, I spotted Han Yeoreum walking from the guild building.

“Children, I heard a troublemaker friend came?”

Han Yeoreum’s gaze fell on young Encia as she approached slowly.

Seeing that prim expression, she seemed to misunderstand something.

“So you’re the troublemaker?”

“Pardon…?”

“What’s your name, little friend?”

Han Yeoreum bent down to Encia’s eye level.

We forgot about our escort game, just watching as she gently patted Encia’s head.

It was fascinating seeing Encia act shy and proper in this form.

“…Yeoreum, I’m Encia.”

“Oh… what…?”

Encia stammered while Han Yeoreum startled.

Han Yeoreum examined Encia with disbelieving eyes.

“Encia, why…?”

“…It seems to be some kind of magic. I’ve never seen magic like this before either.”

Encia’s gaze turned to Bom.

Han Yeoreum’s eyes widened when she finally noticed Bom.

“Oh my, so you’re the troublemaker?”

“That’s right! I’m a very bad troublemaker!”

Bom raised her voice at Han Yeoreum.

That’s when I finally realized.

Bom only raised her voice and used aggressive speech with adults.

“You made Encia young?”

“That’s right! I can transform anything! I could even turn you into a frog!”

“Ugh… I’d rather not…”

Though Han Yeoreum grimaced, she kept approaching Bom.

Just before Han Yeoreum could touch her, Bom startled and ran to the far side of the park.

She really did seem afraid of adults.

**

We sat chatting on a park bench.

Bom had hidden behind a distant tree, and Sophia had taken her place.

“Fascinating. A different kind of transformation than the illusion ring.”

“Yes. I’ve never experienced such a perfect transformation before.”

“Can you return to normal?”

“I believe I can using mana.”

“Hmm… stay like this just a bit longer.”

Sophia gazed at Encia with affection.

Embarrassed by the look, Encia lowered her head.

“Encia, I found you when you were just this size. Do you remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“…Back then you were raging about killing me. Seeing how well you’ve grown makes me proud.”

“So-Sophia…!”

Encia startled in shock.

We were surprised too.

“Encia, were you fierce before?”

“The good wolf used to be a fierce wolf!”

“Well, that…”

Encia couldn’t meet our eyes.

Sophia spoke up for the flustered Encia.

“All children are like that. It’s easy to become unstable.”

“Th-that’s right. The purer they are, the easier they become unstable.”

Encia hastily agreed, seeming somewhat desperate.

Seeing her reaction, Sophia gave a small smile.

“When children go astray, it’s usually the adults’ fault.”

Sophia’s gaze turned to Bom, who had peeked out from behind the tree.

When all our eyes turned to her, Bom quickly hid again.

It seemed to be because of the adults – Han Yeoreum and Sophia.

“Ah… then Bom too…”

“She seems to need adults who can guide her on the right path.”

I understood what Sophia was trying to say.

She wanted us to take good care of Bom.

I nodded and ran toward where Bom was hiding.

She sat behind the tree, swinging her outstretched legs.

“Bom, don’t stay here alone. Come play with us over there.”

“No. I won’t play with adults.”

“But it’s not just adults – we’re there too?”

“……”

Bom hesitated.

Then she started laughing heartily.

Though the laugh felt forced, it was better than seeing her weakened.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought of a really bad prank!”

“Bad…?”

Black energy rose from Bom’s body.

The dark energy swept over her body, beginning to transform it.

She had transformed into my appearance.

“Going to play tricks looking like me?”

“Yeah. You stay here, Gyeoul.”

“Uh…”

I didn’t like the idea of pranks using my appearance.

Though hesitant, I decided to stay and watch.

Ta-da-da!

Bom, looking like me, ran quickly toward our family.

Watching secretly from behind the tree, I saw Levinas’s eyes go wide as she sniffed.

She seemed to realize it wasn’t really me from the scent.

“Han Yeoreum! I’m Gyeoul! Quickly pat my head!”

“Huh?”

Maybe because of the different way of speaking?

Han Yeoreum also seemed to realize it wasn’t me, but she patted the head anyway.

Bom burst out laughing.

She undid the transformation and declared proudly:

“How’s that! I’m actually not Gyeoul! Isn’t it horrible that I’m not Gyeoul!”

“…No? I like Bom too? Bom is pretty too.”

“……?”

Bom’s black snake tail shot straight up.

She hesitated before running back to me.

Her face was completely red as she ran.