Levinas’s tongue was firmly stuck to the ice, and her normally perky ears drooped in defeat.

“Help me…”

She cast a pitiful look my way, unable to turn her head with her tongue stuck to the ice.

“Hm…”

I could get her tongue unstuck by applying heat, but I didn’t have any way to create warmth myself. Naturally, I looked up at Jung Yuna, the magician in our group.

“Her tongue is stuck.”

“Hold on.”

Jung Yuna gently held Levinas’s tongue between her fingers, and a warm steam began to rise. Soon, Levinas’s tongue came free from the ice.

“I’m free!”

Levinas immediately licked her hand a few times, as if to erase the cold from her tongue. I carefully observed her tongue to make sure it was okay.

*No injuries… That’s a relief.*

I had been worried about frostbite, but her tongue looked fine without any swelling.

“Levinas, is your tongue okay?”

“Yes… My tongue is fine, but my heart isn’t.”

“Your heart?”

“I thought the ice human was a good person!”

Levinas pouted and brushed her bangs aside, revealing her small horn on her white forehead.

*Tap, tap.*

Levinas began poking the ice statue with her horn, and bits of ice scattered around her with each jab.

“Ouch…”

A shard of ice flew into my eye. My ears and tail shot up in surprise, but it didn’t hurt—just felt cold, which made my shoulders tense up.

“L-Levinas, you shouldn’t do that.”

Jung Yuna quickly inserted her hand between Levinas’s horn and the ice golem, her gaze fixed on me with a look of concern. She seemed worried about something, though I couldn’t tell what.

Levinas’s charging horn slowed down as it approached Jung Yuna’s hand, lightly tapping her palm.

“Why not?”

“Well, um… because poking with your horn…”

“Poking with my horn?”

“Uh…”

Jung Yuna glanced at me nervously, her expression filled with worry, which only made me tilt my head in confusion.

Why was she looking at me like that?

Just as my raised tail formed a question mark, Jung Yuna spoke up again.

“Well, the ice giant is actually a very kind friend…!”

“…Even though it grabbed Levinas’s tongue?”

“Yes, because after playing pranks, it likes to give gifts as a way to apologize.”

“What? The ice giant is a gift-giver?”

At the mention of “gifts,” Levinas’s ears perked up with excitement, her face filled with innocent anticipation. I hugged her a little tighter in response to her enthusiasm.

“Gift-giver?”

“Yes! Birds that give gifts after playing pranks are called gift-givers!”

“Oh, well, it’s similar to that.”

Jung Yuna waved her staff in the air, and suddenly, a finger from the ice golem broke off and landed in a small bowl in front of us.

“Huh? The ice human’s finger…!”

“It’s alright. It’ll grow back.”

“Really…?”

“Yes, but how about looking at this instead?”

Jung Yuna sprinkled syrup and red beans over the ice, creating a dessert. I recognized immediately that she was making shaved ice.

“What’s this?”

“It’s an ice snack. The golem is offering it as an apology.”

She handed each of us a bowl of shaved ice. Accepting the dessert felt like accepting the apology, so I took it gratefully.

*Shaved ice…*

It was my first time having real shaved ice in this world. Curious, I poked at the finely shaved ice with my fingers.

“Is it your first time having shaved ice too, Gyeoul?”

“Hmm… I’ve had something similar before.”

“Something similar?”

“Yes. When I was hungry in the winter, I used to sprinkle cornmeal on snow and eat it. It tastes different from mixing it with water.”

Since the cornmeal didn’t dissolve in the snow, it had a much stronger flavor. It was one of the winter delicacies I used to enjoy.

“Oh, I see… But this is even better, trust me.”

Jung Yuna scooped up a spoonful of shaved ice and gently fed it to me. The red beans and ice mixed together created an incredible flavor. It was so delicious that my tail wagged furiously.

“Wow…”

It was delicious.

Taking the spoon from her, I eagerly began to eat the shaved ice on my own.

One bite.

Then another.

As I continued eating, a sudden sharp pain pierced my head, and I sat down, clutching my temples.

“…!”

Oh no.

I shouldn’t have eaten something so cold that quickly. I’d been so absorbed in the taste that I forgot. Beside me, Levinas was also holding her head, crouched down in pain.

“Ouch…”

“Are you okay?”

Jung Yuna’s concerned voice mixed with approaching footsteps. It was Midsummer, who was also carrying a purring Saebyeok in her arms.

“What’s going on?!”

In a panicked voice, Midsummer ran toward us. She placed a hand on my back to check on me, then started shaking Jung Yuna back and forth.

Even without seeing it directly, I could tell from the sounds that Midsummer was looking over us in a worried frenzy.

“What’s wrong with the kids?”

“C-Calm down. It’s from eating shaved ice.”

“Shaved ice…?”

“Yes. They ate it too fast, and now they have brain freeze.”

While Midsummer and Jung Yuna comforted us, the pain in my head gradually faded. I picked up my bowl of shaved ice again and approached Midsummer.

“Are you both okay now?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Yes! Levinas is fine too!”

I nodded and scooped up a spoonful of shaved ice to feed to Saebyeok. As she licked the spoon, her tail began wagging just as fast as mine had.

I wanted to eat more shaved ice too. Just as I scooped another spoonful, Midsummer held out her hand toward me and Levinas.

“Can you both give me your spoons?”

“Our spoons?”

Why did she need the spoons? Confused, I handed mine over.

“When you eat cold food too fast, it gives you a headache.”

“Yes, I know that.”

“Knowing doesn’t always help. It sneaks up on you when you’re not careful. Let me show you the right pace to eat it.”

“Uh…”

It seemed unnecessary, but as I hesitated, Midsummer scooped up some shaved ice and gently fed it to me.

*It’s delicious.*

Maybe because she was feeding me, I didn’t mind it. Just this once, I figured it was fine.

Thanks to Midsummer’s thoughtfulness, we were able to finish the shaved ice without another brain freeze. It was the best shaved ice I’d ever had.

—

It was time to go to the hunting grounds. Today, however, we were heading to a special location.

“Gyeoul, make sure you stay close to Master.”

“Yes, I’ll stay close.”

“If it gets too scary, don’t hesitate to tell him.”

“Yes.”

Today, we were taking on a level-three dungeon, a much higher challenge than usual. Midsummer’s concern was understandable.

“Don’t skip any meals, okay?”

“Yes…”

For over ten minutes, I listened to Midsummer’s worried reminders before saying goodbye to her and the others.

“I’ll be back.”

“Yes! Gyeoul! Come back even stronger!”

“Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

I wished Levinas and Saebyeok could come along, but only adventurers with significant hunting experience could enter level-three dungeons.

*I’d better bring plenty of enhancement potions.*

If Levinas tended to them, I’d always have a supply of enhancement potions, so I packed a large number to share with the other adventurers.

“I’ll be back.”

I bowed at the entrance, feeling the warmth of everyone’s well-wishes. I was grateful to have a home to return to.

—

The level-three dungeon.

Around twenty adventurers stood tensely in front of the shimmering portal.

Some stood at attention, while others clasped their hands in front. Each had their own stance, but they all shared a common thread of nervous anticipation, knowing that their instructor was none other than “Kang Jin-ho,” the Master of the Dawn Guild.

Kang Jin-ho, regarded as the strongest of all, had become untouchable ever since he’d gained access to constant buffs and enhancement potions.

“The floor’s clean, right?”

“Yes… I made sure to clean it thoroughly.”

The dungeon official scanned the ground, picking up any tiny speck he could find. He knew Kang Jin-ho didn’t care for such formalities, but as an official, he had no choice.

“He’s coming…!”

At the official’s call, one adventurer swallowed nervously. The mere presence of Kang Jin-ho was enough to make everyone’s breath hitch.

This was the legendary Kang Jin-ho. Just as everyone’s attention focused on him, a small, adorable figure trotted along beside him.

“Mister, wait for me!”

“…Sorry, I was walking too fast.”

*Wait, did Kang Jin-ho… just apologize?* And who on earth dared to call him “Mister”?

The adventurers turned, astonished, to see a child—a little white-furred beastfolk with fluffy ears and tail, radiating innocence.

“Oh?”

“Isn’t that Gyeoul?”

A rumor had been circulating among the adventurers: maybe Gyeoul was actually the real powerhouse of the Dawn Guild, given her ability to order Kang Jin

-ho around.

*If it’s Gyeoul, I can believe it.*

One of the adventurers thought, feeling a sudden wave of calm wash over the tense atmosphere.

“Stay close.”

“Yes, I will.”

“…Wrap your tail around my fingers.”

Kang Jin-ho held out two fingers to Gyeoul, who wrapped her tail around them without hesitation.

Even the formidable Kang Jin-ho became a softhearted fool around Gyeoul. This might just turn out to be an enjoyable expedition.

Just then, Gyeoul swung her bag around to the front, revealing numerous enhancement potions poking out from the slightly open flap.

A gift from Gyeoul, meant for everyone.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep