Thud-

Yeoreum flopped onto the sofa.

Her rising and falling chest showed she was breathing.

“E-excuse me…?”

The punch definitely hadn’t landed, so why?

I quickly got off the sofa to check on Yeoreum’s condition.

Her face was covered with her hands, so I couldn’t see her expression.

I couldn’t touch her recklessly, so I tapped her arm with my fingers.

“Are you okay…?”

“Ugh… Ugh…!”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Ugh…! I can’t take it anymore!”

Suddenly, Yeoreum reached out her hand.

I could have dodged it with my beast-kin reflexes, but I didn’t bother.

I was sure she wouldn’t harm me.

After a brief moment of floating, my body was pulled in.

Yeoreum hugged me tightly, as if handling a precious doll.

“…!”

I couldn’t see with my face buried in her embrace, but I could sense it.

She was stomping her feet and swaying from side to side.

It was a gesture people made only when they were happy.

Why was she doing this?

I wanted to talk, but my mouth was blocked by her embrace.

Getting out was the first priority.

Tap-tap-

I gently patted Yeoreum’s cheek.

“Oh, sorry. Did I suffocate you?”

“No, I could breathe.”

“That’s a relief.”

Yeoreum softly patted my back.

She didn’t let go of her embrace.

It was embarrassing to be hugged, but honestly, I didn’t dislike it.

Having been alone for so long, I might have craved human affection.

I probably had less immunity to affection than a newborn baby.

Just being smiled at kindly made my tail wag.

I couldn’t refuse affection when I was so starved for it.

It was embarrassing, but exchanging affection wasn’t strange.

I knew the hug was excessive, but I decided to enjoy the happiness.

“Did I scare you by grabbing you suddenly?”

“No, it was just awkward.”

“Oh… it was awkward?”

“Yes. I usually don’t like people touching me.”

Twitch-

Yeoreum’s hand, which had been patting my back, moved away.

She must have been flustered, having touched me so much already, and hearing that I didn’t like it.

“Sorry, I just really like you, Gyeoul. Did you dislike it a lot?”

“No, I didn’t dislike it. You weren’t trying to bother me.”

“Oh…”

Yeoreum hugged me tightly again.

Maybe because I said I didn’t dislike it, her hug became even tighter.

I couldn’t breathe.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said I didn’t dislike it.

I wanted to get out, but my tail wagged relentlessly.

‘Umm…’

I decided to stay still for now.

Struggling would only tire me out.

I thought of asking her something else.

“Uh, I have a question.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Why did you fall over all of a sudden?”

“Oh, that?”

Hehe.

Yeoreum laughed.

My ear was right in front of her mouth, so her breath made me shiver.

“It’s a secret.”

“Huh?”

Was there a reason she couldn’t tell me?

I decided not to press further.

That was when the kids who had been playing with Seol ran toward us.

“Ah! No fair! You hugged without Levinas! Levinas wants to hug too!”

Levinas stomped her feet beside us, then jumped onto my back.

Saebyeok, watching, lay down on top of her.

“Ugh…”

One was fine, but two were a bit heavy.

I felt like a human sandwich.

Was Yeoreum okay?

I checked her face and saw she wasn’t struggling at all.

It was only hard for me.

Even in this situation, my tail, pinned under Levinas’s body, was wiggling to try and wag.

“So… heavy…”

“W-wait, kids, you’re squishing Gyeoul…!”

Yeoreum waved her hand in a fluster.

She couldn’t get up recklessly, worried about hurting the kids.

“Mya?”

Seol, who had followed the kids into the living room, looked up at us.

She tilted her head and then jumped onto Saebyeok’s back.

“Ugh…”

With Seol, who weighed only a few hundred grams, on top, it felt even heavier.

Should I use mana to get the kids off?

As I hesitated, Seol started pulling at the kids’ clothes with her mouth.

“Mya! Mya!”

Get down.

Seol was calling for them to come down.

Under Seol’s non-threatening threat, Saebyeok and Levinas climbed down from me.

Seol was definitely a genius cat.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize it would be so hard for you.”

Saebyeok, usually expressionless, looked genuinely apologetic.

Knowing Saebyeok didn’t mean any harm, I didn’t bother to get angry.

“It’s okay. Normally, it’s not hard, but I’m really tired right now.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I must be feeling extra heavy because I’m exhausted. I think I need to sleep now.”

Yawn.

As I yawned, Levinas, who had been hesitating, approached me.

She seemed to feel a bit guilty too.

“King, do you want to brush your teeth together…?”

“Yeah. Let’s do it together.”

“Ah! Levinas will squeeze the toothpaste for you!”

Levinas ran towards the bathroom.

I followed her.

I needed to wash up and go to bed.

—

—

Gyeoul staggered out of the bathroom after her shower.

Her eyes were more than half-closed.

She kept nodding off, clearly very sleepy.

‘She must have had a tough day.’

I watched Gyeoul intently, worried she might fall while walking.

Thanks to her beast-kin physical abilities, she didn’t fall.

In her state, I would have tripped, but how did Gyeoul maintain her balance?

As I marveled at the remarkable physical abilities of beast-kin, Gyeoul wobbled towards me.

“Gyeoul, your room is that way.”

I pointed to her room, but Gyeoul, half-asleep, just kept coming towards me.

“Oh dear.”

Gyeoul couldn’t even find her room.

She must be really out of it.

I decided I should carry her to her room.

Just as I made up my mind.

Thud-

Gyeoul collapsed onto the sofa.

She immediately lay her head on my thigh and fell asleep.

“Huh…?”

It was a simple action that any child might do.

But it was different when Gyeoul did it.

She chose to sleep in my lap instead of her bed.

Was it because she felt comfortable? Or safe?

I didn’t know the reason, but it was definitely a sign of trust.

Thump, thump-

My heart started pounding like crazy.

I tried to stay still to avoid waking Gyeoul.

Was she instinctively seeking out someone she trusted in her sleepy state?

How could such a lovable child exist?

I gently stroked Gyeoul’s cheek and head as she slept.

Purr, Gyeoul made a happy sound.

“Hehe…”

Even in her sleep, she wagged her tail, enjoying the petting.

For a child who loved being touched so much, it was heartbreaking to hear she didn’t usually like it.

Knowing the reason, Yeoreum could only feel sorrow.

Most hands that reached out to Gyeoul had been violent or accusatory.

Some of those fingers had been her own.

Even so, Gyeoul forgave everyone.

She forgave them not after finding happiness, but while living a hellish life.

She was truly a child who couldn’t help but be loved.

As a person, she was worthy of respect.

‘…From now on, let’s just be happy.’

Yeoreum silently smiled and checked the clock.

It was still 10 PM.

It was bedtime for a child, but it was prime time for an adult.

She thought she could train for two more hours.

She decided to train fighting without mana for Gyeoul’s world.

Yeoreum made up her mind, but she couldn’t move easily.

Gyeoul, sleeping on her thigh, was too adorable.

“Hmm…”

I’ll go in ten more minutes.

I’ll go in twenty more minutes.

And so, Yeoreum ended up staying up all night.

—

—

I woke up early in the morning and went out to the living room.

The first person I met was Yeoreum, looking utterly exhausted.

“E-excuse me…”

“Hmm…?”

“Are you alright…?”

“Yeah… I may look like this, but I’m really happy… All my worries are gone…”

What in the world is she talking about?

I scratched my cheek and sat next to Yeoreum.

“Didn’t you sleep?”

“Yeah… I stayed up all night…”

“Um… How about going to bed? Isn’t today your day off?”

“Yeah… I should do that…”

Yeoreum trudged to her room.

Watching her with concern, I noticed Sophia sitting in the massage chair, chuckling.

“She’s a child true to her desires.”

“Desires?”

“Yes, but they’re positive desires. That’s probably why she became so strong.”

“Hmm…”

I didn’t quite understand.

My tail formed a question mark.

“Sophia, you woke up early today.”

“I woke up early because I have something important to do.”

“Something important?”

“Yes, a broadcast company is coming to film. I woke up early to help with the preparations.”

“Wow…”

A broadcast company?

The Yeomyeong Guild is really impressive.

I looked out the window at the guild.

“Would you like to watch it together?”

“Is it okay if I go?”

“Of course. Gyeoul, you won’t be a nuisance.”

Since Sophia said so, I had no reason to refuse.

“Okay.”

Today, I decided to watch a broadcast of this world.

—

5/5 Enjoy the chappy!

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