Yeoreum and Sophia’s faces were dark.

They looked as if they had heard something they shouldn’t have.

It was because I had brought up a story from the past in my half-asleep state.

“…Gyeoul, did someone bury you in the ground?”

Yeoreum’s voice was gentle yet cautious.

However, I couldn’t give a definitive answer because I didn’t know much about it myself.

It was strange to say that my first memory of this life was being underground.

For now, I decided to feign ignorance and muddle through.

“I don’t really know.”

“You don’t know, Gyeoul?”

“Yes. Maybe it was just playing in the dirt…?”

Playing in the dirt.

It was a metaphor for something.

Whether someone had put me in the dirt or I had gone in myself, I didn’t know.

Personally, I guessed the highest probability was that I had possessed the body of someone who had died, but then a question arose.

Who could have buried the original me there?

‘It was definitely deep in the forest.’

What reason would there be to bury a body in a forest deep where no one goes, not at a gravesite?

It felt nothing short of dumping a body.

If someone had buried me like that, they probably weren’t on good terms with the original me.

Perhaps it was a blessing that my body had transformed into that of a beast-kin.

Since we wouldn’t recognize each other.

“Hmm… are you okay, Gyeoul?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“…Okay. Promise you’ll tell me about it when you get the chance?”

“Yes…”

Did they think I was hiding something?

I genuinely didn’t know, so I couldn’t tell them.

Feeling awkward, I scratched my cheek, and Yeoreum glanced at Sophia.

They exchanged a signal with their eyes and carefully nodded.

“Can I work now since I’ve rested?”

“Gyeoul, it’s nine o’clock at night.”

“…But I woke up feeling refreshed.”

I should do something while I have the energy.

As I fidgeted and watched Yeoreum, she forcibly laid me down on the bed.

“Sophia has found a part-time job, so let’s settle down a bit.”

“A part-time job? But Sophia’s back and legs aren’t in good shape?”

Isn’t Sophia’s physical condition too frail for a part-time job?

I looked up at Sophia with concern.

“It’s okay. I’ll do something that won’t strain my body.”

“Really…?”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Sophia must want to contribute to our household.

It was hard to refuse her desire to be helpful, as we were living together.

It was about living together, not just unconditionally helping each other.

“Sophia wants to lighten the load, so let’s rest well today, okay?”

“Yes…”

Right.

It would be inconsiderate to ignore those who worry about me.

For today, I decided to put all worries aside and get a good night’s sleep.

—

—

Sophia, Levinas, and I were riding in Yeoreum’s car, heading somewhere.

“Wow! Wow!”

Levinas, sitting in the back seat, swung her feet back and forth.

She didn’t kick the front seat, but her shoe heels dirtied the car seat she was sitting on.

It was an innocent act of a child who knew no better, but this time I decided to caution her.

“Levinas, you shouldn’t step on the seat with your shoes.”

“Why not?”

“The car will get dirty. Do you know how much this car costs?”

“Oh, how much is it?”

How much indeed?

I looked back at Yeoreum, who was driving, as a signal to tell me the price.

“It’s a very, very expensive car.”

“Wow…!”

Levinas straightened up and neatly placed her hands on her knees.

She was imitating my posture, sitting quietly.

“Um… There’s no need for both of you to be that tense.”

“No, it’s okay. This is a really expensive car.”

I had prepared a clean towel to wipe down the seat after.

Though I didn’t know where we were going.

“…Right, Gyeoul hasn’t ridden in cars often, so there might still be some nervousness.”

“Yeah, that’s right…”

In my past life, I had ridden in cars countless times.

It felt unfair, but I couldn’t argue.

After all, in this world, I had only ridden in cars a few times, as Yeoreum said.

But since Yeoreum told me to relax, I decided to loosen up a bit.

I comfortably laid my tail down on the seat, which I had been forcibly keeping upright to avoid getting fur on the seat.

It was then that Sophia, who had been quietly looking out the window, spoke up.

“Hey, Yeoreum, where are we going?”

“Hehe, I’m going to teach Gyeoul about luxury.”

“Gyeoul?”

“Yes. Gyeoul asked yesterday if I could show her what it’s like to spend a lot of money.”

Ah.

Was she referring to what I asked yesterday?

I couldn’t believe she took my casual question seriously.

I looked up at Yeoreum with eyes full of admiration.

My tail, which I had laid down on the seat, swayed on its own accord.

“Let’s start with lunch. The buffet here is the most expensive in our country.”

“The most expensive…?”

“Yes. Even though it’s a buffet, the food is very fresh and high-end.”

“Wow…”

My income hardly allowed for a regular buffet, yet Yeoreum was taking us to the most expensive one.

I couldn’t even begin to estimate her wealth.

I looked up at her for a while, then slowly began to fold my fingers one by one.

‘I might skip, but I want at least Levinas and Sophia to eat.’

Levinas would pay a child’s price, but Sophia…

Well, she probably wouldn’t qualify for a child’s rate, would she?

I was already worried.

As I fidgeted with my fingers, we arrived at a massive building that looked like a department store.

—

—

Despite it being a weekday lunchtime, the buffet was crowded with people.

Levinas, Sophia, and I were sitting in chairs, just looking at Yeoreum.

“Is this everyone’s first time at a buffet?”

“Yes! It’s Levinas’s first time!”

“…I’ve heard of it, but never been.”

“Me, me too…”

Yeoreum, with a pleased smile, picked up a plate nearby.

She then, as if to show us, picked up some food with tongs and placed it on the plate.

“At a buffet, you can take whatever food you want.”

“Wow! Really?! Can I eat anything here?!”

Levinas’s eyes widened as she surveyed the food inside the buffet.

She was overwhelmed by the choices, unsure of what to eat first.

“You can eat as much as you want of anything. It costs the same regardless.”

“Then I should eat until I burst?!”

“…Just eat as much as you can handle, okay? Eating too much will make your stomach hurt.”

“Okay! Got it!”

Levinas, tapping her feet, began to slowly wander around the buffet.

It was thanks to being taught not to run in public places.

I aimlessly watched Levinas’s back, then followed Yeoreum, who was putting food on her plate.

I wanted to see what kind of food a wealthy person like her would choose.

“…Don’t you want to eat anything, Gyeoul? You can just fill your plate like I do.”

“I, I don’t have any money. I’ll just watch…”

My statement made a lady nearby, who was putting food on her plate, stop.

She looked down at me with wide eyes, clearly displeased that a beggar like me was at such an upscale place.

“Money?”

“Yes. But I think I can manage to pay for Sophia and Levinas’s portion. If I skip a meal a day, somehow…”

Clang!

A sudden noise made me perk up my ears.

Looking towards the sound, I saw the lady who had stopped earlier had dropped her tongs on the floor.

“Oh, today it’s natural for me to pay.”

Yeoreum glanced at the lady as she spoke.

It felt as if she was being somewhat cautious.

“No, it’s okay. You don’t have to pay for me…”

“Ah, come on. Gyeoul asked first. It wouldn’t be right to change your mind now.”

“Me?”

When did I ask for her to pay for me at a buffet?

I looked up at Yeoreum in surprise.

“You wanted to see someone spending money freely. I have so much money that I can afford to treat people around me like this.”

“Ah…?”

“You asked for it first, right? If you say you don’t want it now, I’ll be upset.”

“Yes, yes…”

Something felt off, but her words weren’t wrong.

I was the one who asked to see this.

Deciding to repay her later, I chose to just enjoy the food today.

‘There sure is a lot.’

Could it be because of my enhanced sense of smell?

Just smelling the food was enough to make my tail sway back and forth.

It was wagging faster than usual.

“Um… Gyeoul, your tail might get into the food, so could you try to hold it still?”

“Ah, yes.”

Of course.

This was a restaurant.

And not just any restaurant, but one filled with food.

To avoid causing inconvenience, I had to stop my tail from wagging.

The problem was that it wasn’t something I could stop at will.

Despite being a part of my body, I was annoyed that it moved on its own.

“My tail won’t stop.”

“If you hold it with your hands… then you can’t dish up food, right?”

“Yes.”

I grabbed my tail with both hands.

This way, I could stop my tail, but then I didn’t have a free hand to hold a plate.

“How about I hold your tail from behind, so Gyeoul can get food?”

“Yes. Please come with me.”

With Yeoreum’s help, I was able to get food.

Of course, since she also had to dish up her own food, it was inconvenient for her to move around twice as much.

‘I feel a bit sorry.’

What should I do about my tail?

After pondering for a bit, I looked back at Yeoreum, who was holding my tail from behind.

Despite the inconvenience of moving around twice as much, she was just smiling brightly.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

“Is there any way to get rid of my tail?”

“…What?”

Yeoreum’s smile suddenly froze.

The seriousness of her expression was almost scary.

“…Do you dislike having a tail, Gyeoul?”

“I don’t particularly dislike or like it.”

“Then why…?”

“I don’t want to have to inconvenience someone to hold it so it doesn’t wag and bother other people.”

Was there something odd about what I said?

Yeoreum clamped her mouth shut.

For some reason, everyone around us became quiet enough to notice.

—

1/5 Enjoy the chappy!

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