chapter_0510

510 – Tire Sledding

510 – Tire Sledding

I bought a full set of tools for starting a fire: a gas burner, a lighter, matches, and even a fire steel.

I also brought a blanket to keep warm.

The shelter I know didn’t even have such basic tools.

But here, they all seem to be standard.

I was at a loss for words for a while, feeling a sense of futility.

“Why are you like this, Gyeoul?”

“Uh, um…”

If I said it was because the facilities were better than I imagined, I would just sound pathetic.

I slowly got up from my seat and cleared my mind.

“I think I bought the wrong items.”

Sigh.

A sigh escaped me, something I rarely did.

Seeing me like that, Yoo Sang-ah smiled kindly.

“Everyone makes mistakes at first. You know best that it’s a mistake you won’t make again, right?”

“Yes.”

Having seen the situation at the shelter, I wouldn’t prepare fire next time.

I took comfort in Yoo Sang-ah’s words and lightly slapped my cheeks.

“But what did you prepare, Gyeoul?”

“I brought tools for starting a fire and a blanket…”

“Ah… those are the most basic yet important things.”

“Yes. They are the most crucial for survival.”

“Survival.”

Yoo Sang-ah murmured softly and placed her hand on my head.

She gently patted my head, and soon we entered the apartment complex known as the shelter.

I and the children followed Yoo Sang-ah, exploring the shelter with curiosity.

My mouth fell open at the sight of the seemingly nice facilities.

“What is this place?”

“This is a play area for children.”

“A play area…?”

A play area in a shelter?

That was something unimaginable to me.

The most important thing in a shelter was the safety of my body.

As if she read my thoughts, Yoo Sang-ah began to explain the reason for the play area’s existence.

“Children inevitably feel fear when they are in a shelter. So, there’s a facility like this to help them forget their fears.”

“I see…”

I had only packed the minimum equipment necessary for survival.

If the situation allows for it, it seems they can go this far.

I was simply amazed at how different this shelter was from my past experiences.

“It’s amazing. I…”

“Jjuin!”

Gaeul’s shout interrupted my words.

Turning to the side, I saw Gaeul with wide eyes, looking up at the tall apartment building.

“Is that a shelter?”

“Yes. This is a shelter. Isn’t it surprising?”

“Huh?”

Gaeul tilted her head and looked up at the high shelter.

Then she turned back to me and shook her head.

“It doesn’t look like a shelter.”

“Right? It doesn’t look like one, does it? I thought it wasn’t a shelter at first too.”

“Cold. It doesn’t look like one.”

A portal appeared in front of Gaeul.

What emerged from the portal was the rubber barrel shelter I had gifted her.

“Doesn’t it look like a shelter?”

Gaeul pointed at the shelter and asked.

The shelter in front of her was precious too.

“Yes. It’s also a shelter, and even if it looks like this, it’s really sturdy.”

“Really!”

With a confident expression, Gaeul entered the rubber barrel shelter.

Gaeul, peeking her head out from the shelter, had her eyebrows raised high.

“Jjuin, hit it!”

“Hit it…? You mean, hit it?”

“Cold!”

Was she asking me to attack the shelter?

I approached Gaeul and playfully punched the shelter.

Then Levinas, who was watching, came over and started kicking the shelter with his foot.

“Yap! Yap!”

“I want to do it too.”

Bomi joined in to attack the shelter, but it only shook from the impact and didn’t break.

Gaeul’s chin lifted high in triumph at the seemingly invincible shelter.

“Gyeoul, this shelter is really sturdy.”

“Yes. It can even withstand boar attacks.”

“Wow, then what about Saebyeok’s attack?”

“Saebyeok…?”

Bomi grinned mischievously.

Then Saebyeok silently raised her fist.

“Huh?!”

“Uh, the King of Darkness…”

Gaeul and Levinas’s pupils shook at the thought of Saebyeok’s immense strength.

Unaware of the children’s worries, Saebyeok threw her fist at the shelter.

“Jjuuiiin!”

“Whoa!”

In that moment, Gaeul and Levinas screamed.

I could see Saebyeok easing her strength mid-punch.

Thud—

There was quite a loud sound from Saebyeok’s punch on the shelter, but it remained intact.

Gaeul’s expression, which had been screaming, gradually turned smug, and Levinas’s eyes widened like a Horned Rabbit’s.

“This is unbelievable! This is an invincible shelter!”

“Ahem!”

Thanks to Saebyeok, Gaeul’s confidence soared high.

I was just grateful that Saebyeok knew how to consider everyone.

**

We distributed the items we brought to those in the shelter.

I handed out the fire and blankets like they were gifts.

“Anyone who needs this, please take one…”

I felt embarrassed that I had brought so little compared to the children who had brought necessary items.

However, unexpectedly, there was quite a demand for the items I brought.

“Oh, I needed a lighter.”

“Can I use this when I go camping later?”

“Yes, you can take it and use it.”

Many people took the blankets and fire-starting tools.

Among them, a man holding a gas burner approached me and asked.

“But why are there so many fire-starting items?”

“Um, I thought since it was a shelter, you might need fire…”

“Huh? It’s a shelter, but you need fire?”

“I needed it a lot…”

“Huh?”

“…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence and looked up at the man who had asked the question.

As his ears and tail drooped, a woman who seemed to be his partner came over and slapped his back.

“Hey, don’t you know Gyeoul?”

“Why, why?”

“Geez, you fool, don’t ask any more questions and come here.”

The woman took the questioning man away to a distance.

After a while, the man returned.

“Gyeoul, I’ll use the gas burner well. Thank you so much.”

“Yes.”

Hehe.

The man awkwardly smiled and rubbed his hands as if to apologize before walking away.

As I tilted my head, watching his back, Yoo Sang-ah approached me.

“Are you okay, Gyeoul?”

“Yes. I’m still fine.”

“How about taking a little break?”

“Um…”

I looked around.

There were still items left to distribute.

Just as I was about to say I would do a little more, Yoo Sang-ah lightly pushed my back.

“Do you know there’s an artificial sledding area over there?”

“A sledding area?”

“Yes. The kids really like it here. How about we all go together?”

“Um…”

A sledding area.

I thought the kids would enjoy it.

“Can I stop by the guild for a moment? I want to bring Haneul too.”

“Of course.”

**

Gyeoul moved to the sledding area with the children.

The neighborhood kids were sledding down the snow-covered slope created by magic.

The sight of the children playing made their eyes sparkle.

“Wow, Wanga!”

“Yes. Let’s go and play too.”

The children hurriedly ran towards the sledding area.

Haneul wagged her tail at the sight of the sledding area but didn’t move from her spot.

“Haneul, let’s go sledding.”

“Can I play too…?”

“Yes. Playing is free for Haneul.”

“Ma, master…!”

I handed a red sled to Haneul, whose eyes sparkled.

As Gyeoul taught Haneul how to sled and pushed her down the slope, Haneul toppled over midway down.

“Hehe.”

With a bright smile, Haneul was soon followed by Gaeul, who sped down the slope on her sled.

Gyeoul and the children also sledded down after Gaeul.

“Fun!”

Kyaaa!

Gaeul jumped back up to the top of the sledding area.

As she placed her sled on the slope and was about to sit on it, she spotted an abandoned tire in the distance.

It was a tire larger than those used on regular cars.

“Heh…”

In Gaeul’s memory, the object that went towards the tire was faster than her master, Gyeoul.

If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be faster to go down on the tire instead of the sled?

While pondering with her tongue sticking out, Gaeul walked towards the tire.

“Yay…!”

Gaeul strained to lift the tire.

It seemed too heavy to carry.

While contemplating the tire, Gaeul managed to stand it up with great effort.

“…”

Gaeul stared blankly at the upright tire for a few seconds.

Then she slowly rolled the tire forward.

Roll roll—

The heavy tire rolled easily.

Only then did Gaeul’s tail start to wag rapidly.

Dragging the tire up to the sledding area, Gaeul soon faced another problem.

How could she ride the tire down to the bottom?

“If I sit on the tire, I’ll fall while rolling.”

If she lay the tire on its side, it would be slow since it wouldn’t roll.

“Huumm…”

After thinking hard, Gaeul discovered a hole in the center of the tire, like a donut.

If she got in there, she might roll down quickly.

“Heh!”

With her ears perked up, Gaeul sat inside the center of the tire.

Since it was a large tire, Gaeul could fit in easily by curling up.

“Jjuin! I’m going!”

It would be really cool to go down on the tire.

Gaeul waved her hand at Gyeoul.

“G-Gaeul?”

With Gyeoul’s murmuring, Gaeul bounced her plump body.

Then the tire, precariously balanced on the slope, began to roll forward.

A word from the author (Author’s Note)

Thank you so much for reading today, PIA1747014585384!

Thank you for the comments and recommendations! They always give me strength!

I’ve heard there’s a festival for riding tires…

I really want to try it someday…!

───

Thank you for the 50 coins, Changlovingperson!

Thank you for the 10 coins, 4444Woo!