The horned rabbit pulled back its head, a streak of blood marking its elongated horn. With a squeak, it scrubbed its horn as though washing its face, then darted off into the depths of the forest. It hadn’t intended to kill, only to scare away an intruder.

“Ugh…”

Cha Ju-yeon slid down a tree, collapsing to the ground. The pain from the wound in her abdomen felt overwhelming, far worse than the actual injury warranted.

‘It must be because it’s a child’s pain…’

Small injuries could bring a child to tears, and the pain of a punctured abdomen was unimaginable for someone that age.

Exhaling a hot breath, Cha Ju-yeon realized she hadn’t fully grasped Gyeoul’s circumstances. She could only assume the child had made a mistake out of inexperience.

As she scanned her surroundings for a way to treat her injury, she noticed people nearby, watching her with mocking gazes.

“Hey, look at her.”

“Did she seriously get jabbed by a horned rabbit?”

“Not a big deal; a little spit, and it’ll heal.”

Ridicule and disdain filled the air. To say such things to an eight-year-old was unthinkable.

Cha Ju-yeon’s eyes widened in shock as she was jolted back to reality.

“Hah…!”

Cold sweat dripped down her cheek. She had only experienced the weakest of Gyeoul’s traumas and already felt as though she’d been pierced through. Wiping her sweat with the back of her hand, she glanced around.

“You alright…?”

Midsummer and Jung Yuna looked at her with concern, while the other guild members had tactfully disappeared.

‘They must have left to give me some space.’

Even in a straightforward environment like a guild, showing weakness could become a vulnerability. Recognizing this, the others had given Cha Ju-yeon some privacy. Though the Dawn Guild Master was a stoic figure, his consideration showed in moments like these.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Cha Ju-yeon nodded in acknowledgment.

“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just… I was startled because I got stabbed by a horned rabbit right at the start.”

“Oh…”

Midsummer and Jung Yuna exchanged a glance, as if they knew something more about Gyeoul’s past.

“People were mocking her even though she was bleeding from her stomach… How could they be so heartless to a young child?”

As Cha Ju-yeon spoke, she looked at the two women, who seemed alarmed by something else entirely.

“She was… small? Was Gyeoul that short in the memory?”

Back then, Gyeoul would have been fairly tall for her age, yet Midsummer’s lips tightened in confusion.

“Yes, Gyeoul is small.”

“Well, yes, but did she also have ears and a tail?”

Cha Ju-yeon pondered, crossing her arms. She vaguely remembered feeling something unfamiliar on her lower back—it must have been a tail, though she hadn’t fully noticed it.

“Yes, she had ears and a tail.”

“I see…”

Could the trauma have shaped itself based on Gyeoul’s current appearance? Midsummer was relieved that Gyeoul’s true form remained hidden, sparing her friend from any additional exposure.

Though she felt a bit guilty that Cha Ju-yeon had unwittingly seen Gyeoul’s more vulnerable side, keeping Gyeoul’s “pure Soo-in child” image intact came with significant benefits.

“For Gyeoul’s sake,” Midsummer told herself quietly. “I’ll go next.”

She held out her hand, gesturing for the mana stone.

“Be careful, though,” Cha Ju-yeon warned, placing the stone in Midsummer’s hand.

“Careful of what?”

“Well, I got stabbed in the stomach right from the beginning.”

Starting with the least severe trauma, the memories would likely grow darker and more intense, designed to gradually erode one’s spirit.

“So there could be worse to come?”

“Yes.”

“It’s alright. I’m prepared.”

Without hesitation, Midsummer’s eyes showed determination. Handing over the mana stone, Cha Ju-yeon sent a gentle flow of holy energy into Midsummer’s body.

“Let me help guide the mana. Don’t refuse it.”

“Yes.”

As the warm holy energy surged through Midsummer, she felt herself pulled into the memory—a place filled with horrors that could easily unsettle one’s spirit. In that space, Midsummer experienced being struck down by a man named Park Min-kyu, a beating so relentless she was left on the edge of unconsciousness. Jung Yuna, too, endured the painful memory, even shedding tears as she was thrust into young Gyeoul’s fragile body.

—

“Comparing common knowledge with others…” I murmured as Sophia and I approached a group of people in the park.

Several people sat on a picnic mat, chatting happily. I wasn’t sure how to join in without interrupting.

‘I don’t want to disturb them…’

We lingered on the outskirts until they noticed me circling. One of them glanced over, exchanged a look with the others, and then shifted to make space.

Taking this as an invitation, I slipped off my shoes and settled onto the mat.

“Oh my, she’s sitting down! What do we do…?”

They seemed a bit tense, and among them, I recognized some who had bought vegetables from us before.

“Um…”

How was I supposed to compare knowledge with them? As I looked up at Sophia for guidance, someone suddenly offered me a piece of fried chicken.

“Do you want to try this?”

Without thinking, I opened my mouth, accepting the chicken. As I bit into it, the juicy flavor startled me.

‘Oh, wow…’

I’d just accepted food from a stranger! This was something I absolutely shouldn’t do.

My ears and tail perked up in shock. Sophia sat down beside me, her presence comforting.

“Please don’t feed her too much; we have to make sure she eats lunch.”

It wasn’t a warning to me but rather directed at the people offering food.

“Right, just a taste; we don’t want her skipping lunch.”

“Thanks for understanding,” Sophia replied with a polite nod. Someone beside her then handed her a piece of chicken, which she accepted with a slight grimace, her tail flicking in annoyance—a gesture only Soo-in could recognize as irritation.

“So, did you girls need something from us?”

Sophia’s brow twitched at the casual term “girls.” Only I noticed the faintest shift in her expression.

“There are a few things I wanted to ask…”

“Ask away!”

“So… do you normally not pick up chocolate that falls on the ground?”

“Um, generally, no.”

They wouldn’t eat it? Even if it was just a little dusty? I couldn’t understand this level of luxury.

“Are you… extremely wealthy?”

“No, we’re just ordinary office workers.”

“I see…”

Even ordinary workers didn’t eat chocolate that had touched the ground. Maybe Sophia was right; perhaps my common knowledge was heavily survival-oriented. But I wanted to check just one more thing.

“Have you ever eaten this?” I held up a stalk of foxtail grass nearby. It was edible, like rice, and nutritious too.

“Isn’t that just foxtail grass?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… no, I can’t say I’ve ever eaten foxtail grass.”

“Really…?”

I thought people would have eaten it at least occasionally. Realizing the gap in our understanding, I was a bit taken aback.

“Yeah, it’s not common for people to eat foxtail grass.”

“I see…”

I asked the others to confirm, and they all nodded, saying they didn’t eat it. With that, it became clear: the knowledge I’d gained from my world was not quite relevant here.

‘Well, maybe not entirely useless.’

After all, it could be eaten in a pinch. There was no need to feel disheartened.

“Sophia, have I been living like an idiot?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Your knowledge is unique.”

“Unique?”

“Yes. In matters of survival, you know more than anyone. It’s just that your knowledge is concentrated in one area, not because you’ve been foolish.”

Sophia’s reassurance put me at ease, my tail wagging with relief.

“She’s right,” one of the picnic-goers agreed. “Knowing how to survive is extremely valuable.”

“In the end, the ones who make it through tough times are those with survival knowledge.”

Hearing the others echo Sophia’s words made my tail wag even faster, creating a little breeze.

‘Good, I didn’t waste my time.’

Relieved, I turned as I heard a familiar voice in the distance.

“I’m going to kill that bastard, Park Min-kyu!”

“Y-Yuna, calm down…!”

“I’ll tear him limb from limb…”

“He’s already been torn up!”

Jung Yuna was fuming, and Midsummer was trying to calm her down. The sight was intense enough that even my wagging tail paused. I quickly bid farewell to the people on the picnic mat and hurried over to Jung Yuna.

“I’ll destroy that filthy dog the next time I see him…”

As her eyes met mine, I flinched, feeling the intensity of her fury. Strangely, she also seemed to tremble at the sight of me.

What could have happened to make her so angry? I wasn’t sure, but I knew not to provoke her further.

“Um, I’m a cat, though…”

I tried to lighten the mood, hoping to remind her not to take her anger out on me. However, instead of calming down, Yuna’s face grew even paler.

______________________

TL NOTE: Please don’t skimp on the stars and likes of the translation – it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep