The next morning.

I lingered in front of the guild building, holding a basket of chocolates.

I had intended to distribute rice cakes, but they were too expensive, so I opted for chocolates with individual wrappers instead.

After all, it’s the thought that matters more than the material gift.

‘…But how do I get inside the building?’

Yeoreum had left saying she had some business to attend to.

Sophia was known for sleeping in during mornings, and Encia and Argo were always busy with something.

It seemed I had to enter alone, but that was an impossible task for me at the moment.

“Sigh.”

Left with no choice, I just stood there, holding the basket and looking up at the guild building.

Maybe it would be better to bring someone I know and come back later?

Just as I was feeling intimidated by the imposing guild building, someone spoke to me from behind.

“Oh my, isn’t that Gyeoul?”

“Huh?!”

Startled, I turned around to see a familiar woman entering my sight.

It was Jung Yu-na, the one who had put a protective barrier around my house.

“What are you doing here?”

“Um, uh, this…”

Unable to articulate properly, I just lifted the basket higher.

Why do I always stutter in front of others?

While I was embarrassingly staring at the ground, she picked up a chocolate.

“Is this for me?”

“Yes. It’s a housewarming gift…”

“Oh, how thoughtful of you.”

Watching Jung Yu-na accepting the chocolate, I wondered if it would be better to have her accompany me.

To rebuild my shattered social skills, I needed to strengthen my relationships with my neighbors.

“Um, would you like to come inside with me?”

“Sure, I’d be happy to.”

Jung Yu-na led the way, and I followed her.

As I contemplated hiding behind her, we quickly reached the first-floor lobby.

“So, what are you planning to do here?”

“I, um, wanted to give out these housewarming chocolates…”

I said this while glancing around.

The lavish decorations and expensive-looking plants.

My cheap chocolates seemed incomparable to these luxurious items.

I felt utterly insignificant in the overwhelming grandeur of the guild building.

As I shrank within myself, Jung Yu-na leaned down to my eye level.

“Can I help you with it?”

“That would be really nice, but…”

Why was she offering to help me?

Did she truly feel sorry?

I glanced up at her, still with my head bowed, but couldn’t figure out her reasons.

“Then let’s go together. Who shall we give them to first?”

“I’d like to start with that person over there…”

“The staff?”

“Yes…”

On the day I first opened my eyes in this guild building.

There were staff members who had safely stored my bag and belongings.

I wanted to give them chocolates first.

“Shall we go then?”

“Yes.”

And so, led by Jung Yu-na’s hand, I managed to hand out chocolates to a few staff members.

I had worried they might refuse, but they turned out to be kinder neighbors than I had imagined.

‘I did it…!’

The exchange of gifts with my neighbors.

Perhaps this was a small step towards regaining my social skills?

If I continued like this, maybe I could live like a normal person soon enough.

‘I’m improving little by little.’

My hands shook with joy as I clutched the basket.

At that moment, Jung Yu-na caught the attention of a large man passing through the lobby.

It was the same man who had apologized to me once, expressing his regret.

“Hey, Choi Jinhyuk. Take one of these chocolates.”

“No thanks. I don’t like sweet stuff.”

“You really won’t have one?”

Tap, tap.

Jung Yu-na tapped on the man’s back, who was referred to as Choi Jinhyuk.

Following her gesture, he turned around.

“No, I don’t want…”

He turned, looking displeased, and our eyes met.

His brow was slightly furrowed, perhaps due to the persistent offer.

“Ah…”

Despite his lightly grumbling tone, an inexplicable fear washed over me.

The next thing I knew, I was running away aimlessly.

No matter how many times I encountered it, I never got used to people’s malice.

—

—

I ran non-stop from the building to my home.

Jung Yu-na called out to me from behind, but I couldn’t bring myself to look back.

“Haah…”

I sat down in front of the extinguished campfire and wiped my face.

He must have been angry because I forced the chocolate on him.

Of course, I knew his anger wasn’t directed at me, but my weakened mental strength from over the years couldn’t withstand it.

I just can’t do it.

I’m an idiot.

As I continued to berate myself, Sophia, who had woken up, opened the door of the container house and stepped out.

“No bugs coming in, no drafts, this new house is really nice.”

Sophia seemed to be in a good mood.

I wanted to agree and say that the sleeping quarters were really nice, but given my current state, I could only reply with a heavy sigh.

“Did something happen?”

“Just feeling pathetic about myself…”

“Why would you think that?”

Sophia sat down beside me with a thud.

We were close enough to have shared a house for sleeping.

There was no reason to avoid her now.

“Dealing with people is just so hard and exhausting.”

“That’s to be expected.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Her attitude, as if she knew everything, irritated me.

Without realizing it, my voice grew stronger.

“Who finds it easy to deal with people? If they do, they’re simply rude.”

“That’s…”

“Those who act thoughtlessly find it easier to deal with people. Your difficulty is because you understand manners.”

“…”

It was a simple consolation.

Yet, it did put my mind at ease.

I knew she wasn’t wrong.

“What you lack is experience. Don’t worry too much. Time will fill in what you lack.”

“Yes…”

Yes, that’s right.

Having lived away from people for a long time, I suppose it would take an equal amount of time to recover.

I had plenty of time.

I nodded gently towards Sophia in agreement.

‘Maybe I should apologize first…?’

My sudden dash must have surprised them.

As I pondered how to apologize, Sophia placed her hand on my head.

“If you ever find yourself stuck with a problem you can’t solve, just talk to someone about it.”

“Anyone?”

“Yes. Like Yeoreum, or Encia.”

“…What about Argo?”

At my question, Sophia visibly shuddered.

She scratched her cheek and turned her gaze far away.

“Argo is a bit… a bit… uncouth.”

“That’s true.”

Heh.

Laughter burst out as if my despair had never existed.

I felt significantly better.

Maybe now I could apologize to them.

With that decision, I abruptly stood up.

—

—

Through the barrier and the sign, Yeoreum had worked to ensure Gyeoul’s safety.

The container house provided a better living environment.

This was surely an improvement from the beginning.

Yeoreum, recalling Gyeoul living in the mountains, smiled faintly.

‘I’m making progress.’

First, I should report everything that happened to the Master.

Early in the morning, Yeoreum knocked on the Guild Master’s office door.

Knock knock-

“Master, it’s me.”

“Come in.”

With Master Kang Jinho’s permission, Yeoreum opened the door and entered.

There sat Kang Jinho at his desk, drinking coffee.

“I have something to report about Gyeoul.”

Go ahead.

Kang Jinho’s eyes conveyed that message.

Yeoreum took a deep breath, feeling an inexplicable tension.

“Recently, there have been many uninvited visitors near Gyeoul’s house.”

“That’s serious.”

“Yes. So, in urgency, we first took care of Gyeoul’s safety.”

Container house, the barrier, and even a sign.

Yeoreum laid out everything that had happened to Kang Jinho.

Expecting praise, she was met instead with his cold expression.

“Yeoreum.”

“Yes, yes?”

Her body tensed at Kang Jinho’s voice.

Despite knowing he wasn’t a bad person, why did he seem so intimidating?

Yeoreum involuntarily swallowed.

“That’s treating her like a zoo monkey.”

“What…?”

Now that he mentioned it, it did feel somewhat similar.

Yeoreum’s mouth fell open.

Kang Jinho clicked his tongue at her clumsy response.

“If a sign was all it took to solve problems, why would I have assigned you to take care of the kid?”

“Ah…”

Certainly.

She was lazily trying to resolve everything with just a sign, to avoid the hassle of dealing with each person individually.

“You’re good in many ways, but the problem is your lack of thought.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve just been swinging swords since my student days…”

“Isn’t that the case for everyone?”

Sigh.

Kang Jinho let out a sigh and stood up from his chair.

Walking over to the window, he looked down at the container house visible beneath the trees.

“Don’t try to take the easy way out. If you’re short on people, get the kids involved.”

“Yes.”

“And don’t forget, the goal is to bring her inside the guild.”

“Yes…”

I shouldn’t look for the easy solution; I need to think more deeply about this.

Yeoreum, having resolved to do better, saluted Kang Jin-ho and left the office.

‘I’ve done Gyeoul wrong.’

I should go see Gyeoul right away.

As Yeoreum descended to the first-floor lobby.

There, she spotted her two friends.

Jung Yu-na, staring blankly into space, and Choi Jinhyuk, his large frame hunched over.

—

3/5 Enjoy the chappy!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep