Perhaps it was the oppressive aura that came with the government officials and their black suits, but Min Soyun and Kwon Yul’s gazes appeared even sharper. Yeoreum reflexively closed her eyes in response.
‘This is a disaster.’
There were surely agreements in place to protect beast-kin children, but looking at the state of the two kids…
One was wearing clothes that were practically held together by threads and tape, while the other had picked up someone’s leftover cola and was asking if she could drink it. To anyone looking, they might as well appear as abandoned children.
“Ugh…”
I must look like a neglectful adult. Yeoreum, despite having her reasons, chose to stay silent. She understood that any excuse at this point would sound shameless. Gyeoul’s situation was partly her responsibility, after all.
Better to just accept the questioning. As Yeoreum resolved herself, Min Soyun’s footsteps clicked closer.
“Ms. Yeoreum, don’t you buy snacks for the kids?”
“W-well…”
Even when she did offer, the kids usually refused. Recently, even Levinas had begun to follow Winter’s example, turning down any offers for snacks.
How was she supposed to explain this? Should she say, “The kids don’t want any snacks!” while standing in front of children who had just picked up someone’s half-empty cola?
Yeoreum simply couldn’t bring herself to do it. Trying to justify herself in front of these kids wearing tattered clothes would make her look pitiful. And although the kids might back her up, she decided it was best to remain quiet. She didn’t want to appear like an adult focused solely on her own interests.
“…I see.”
Scribble, scribble—
Min Soyun jotted something down on her tablet, her expression chilly. Yeoreum immediately felt a sense of doom.
The master is going to scold me a lot, isn’t he?
As her shoulders slumped, she felt a gentle touch against her thigh and looked down.
“Winter?”
Winter’s tail was wrapped around Yeoreum’s thigh. Instinctively seeking comfort, Gyeoul’s tail had moved on its own, looking for reassurance.
Shivering, Winter’s trembling body conveyed just how frightened she was. She was clinging to Yeoreum’s sleeve with her small hand, clearly intimidated by the government officials.
“Hm…”
Min Soyun, noticing Gyeoul’s behavior, paused her note-taking. She looked sharply at Yeoreum, sighed, and put down her tablet.
“So, you’re truly their guardian, it seems?”
“Yes… heh…”
Gyeoul, thank you so much for relying on this unworthy sister. Yeoreum silently resolved to do a hundred times better for Gyeoul from now on.
---
I tried my best to show the government officials everything I could. By showing how hard I worked, I hoped the chances of being taken away as an undocumented resident would decrease.
I showed them my farming, fishing at the pond, hunting in the dungeon, and even introduced them to my container home. And since I knew they were primarily here for Levinas, I also made sure they saw how hard she worked.
“Buy mushrooms! Delicious mushrooms!”
Min Soyun and Kwon Yul sat together at the mushroom stall we’d set up, watching Levinas, who was completely absorbed in selling mushrooms, ignoring them entirely.
“This container is where you live, correct, Gyeoul?”
“Y-yes…”
I was currently staying at the guild building, but that was on a daily rent, not a monthly one. My true home was indeed the container.
“Hm…”
Kwon Yul took more notes on his tablet, while Yeoreum stood nearby, trembling like a guilty party.
‘What’s going on?’
I’d shown them my diligent work and my decent home. Even though there was a high chance of earning a perfect score, Yeoreum was visibly terrified.
“Do you have any leisure time?”
“Leisure time…?”
“Yes, leisure time.”
Did they think Levinas was working too much? It was natural for them to be concerned, given that she was still a child.
“No, she has plenty of free time.”
“I see. And what does she usually do for fun?”
“Well… Levinas likes to play with dolls and watch cartoons.”
“I see.”
After a brief glance at Levinas, Min Soyun looked back at me. Her icy gaze was something I still hadn’t gotten used to.
“And what about you, Winter?”
“M-me?”
“Yes. Can I ask what you do for fun?”
Why were they interested in my private life? Though curious, I decided to answer honestly. Lying to a government official could lead to trouble.
“I don’t play.”
“You don’t?”
“No…”
I’m not a child, so there’s nothing for me to gain from playing around. I’d rather spend that time working instead.
“You don’t play at all…”
Min Soyun and Kwon Yul frowned, and I immediately sensed that I’d made some kind of misstep.
“…Understood.”
They nodded, then stood up. Sharing a look, they moved to stand in front of Yeoreum.
“We’ll end here for today. Now, we’ll go meet Mr. Kang Jin-ho.”
“O-okay…”
It was as if Yeoreum’s soul had left her body. Honestly, I felt much the same. These two were frightening enough to make my tail quiver.
“It’s… finally over.”
“Yeah…”
As soon as Min Soyun and Kwon Yul left, Yeoreum slumped over the mushroom stall. Levinas, who had been selling mushrooms, blinked at her fallen sister.
“Do you want me to sell you for a thousand won too, Yeoreum?”
“Yes… I’m only worth a thousand won…”
A thousand won? Just how badly had her self-esteem been crushed by all this? I hurriedly waved a hand at Levinas.
“Isn’t that a bit too cheap…?”
“Then how much do you think she’s worth?”
“Maybe… a million won?”
“Wow! That’s expensive!”
Hehe.
Levinas giggled mischievously. I knew she was joking to lift Yeoreum’s spirits. She might look young, but she was quite thoughtful.
“Thank you for valuing your sister at a million won…”
With her face buried in the stall, Yeoreum muttered weakly. At that moment, her phone in her pocket started vibrating.
“Ugh…”
Yeoreum turned her head slightly to check her phone, and her eyes grew wide with shock.
“Su-in Jo-a?!”
Beast-kin lover? Just how much does she like them to shout that out loud? I looked at Yeoreum, curious, and cautiously spoke.
“Do you really like beast-kin that much?”
“Y-yes, I do like them, but this isn’t about that…”
Yeoreum quickly waved her hand. I couldn’t tell what kind of message she’d received to make her react like that, so I just tilted my head in confusion.
“I like humans too, Levinas!”
“Really? Thanks, that’s nice to hear!”
Suddenly energized, Yeoreum sprang to her feet, smiling brightly as if nothing had happened.
“Did something good happen?”
“Yes. I think today’s inspection went smoothly.”
“Oh, I see.”
Well, that made sense. After all, we’d shown them how hard we worked. I felt a warm sense of accomplishment for completing the mission successfully.
“But there are a few things we need to keep in mind.”
“Keep in mind?”
“Yes. They said to give the kids more playtime.”
“Playtime…?”
I was already giving Levinas plenty of playtime. Did they mean even more?
As I looked at Levinas in confusion, Yeoreum tapped my shoulder.
“They’re also worried that you work too much, Gyeoul. They said you should take lots of breaks.”
“M-me…?”
So the Beast-kin Union cared about more than just children. As someone who had once been human, it was strange to be on the receiving end of such concern. Maybe it was the worry itself that felt awkward.
“If you don’t, your sister might get into trouble. So, could you help me with this?”
“Yes…”
Cutting down my work hours was disappointing. Still, since Yeoreum had asked, I felt like I had to play.
But… how exactly should I play? As I pondered this, I froze in place. It had been so long since I last played that I’d forgotten how.
“Uh, but… how do you play?”
“Uh, what?”
“I don’t really know since I haven’t done it before…”
Hearing my words, Yeoreum froze as well. As someone who also worked hard all the time, she probably didn’t know what playing was either.
---
Min Soyun. Her online community username was “Su-in Jo-a” (Beast-kin Lover). She was the one who had used her authority to catch the scammer who tricked Levinas.
Of course, it wasn’t exactly abuse of power. Protecting beast-kin children was part of the Korean Beast-kin Union’s duties. Min Soyun had simply fulfilled her mission.
“Hm…”
Min Soyun and Kwon Yul boarded the elevator with stoic expressions. They were on their way to meet Kang Jin-ho, the guild master of Yeomyeong Guild. Confirming they were alone in the elevator, they both let out a long breath.
“Phew… Senior, did you see Winter?”
“Yes! I almost died from the cuteness…”
A blush crept over Min Soyun and Kwon Yul’s faces, though they maintained their stern expressions.
Heh…
Smiling subtly, Min Soyun took out her smartphone. She planned to use her authority to bring more happiness to the children. Before
that, however, she thought it best to reveal her true identity to Yeoreum.
Everything she did was for the beloved children.
‘I’ll just tell them if they don’t give the kids enough playtime, I’ll take them away.’
Min Soyun knew exactly how to use her power, and she thought her job suited her perfectly.