“Gyeoul, is everything okay? Gyeoul?” Midsummer’s voice was filled with worry on the other end of the phone.

I didn’t know what to say, so I hesitated, staying silent for a while.

*A guardian?* 

The situation felt both unfair and understandable. In this world, I didn’t have any ID or anything, so if there was a problem, I’d need someone with an established status to help. Someone like Midsummer.

“Well… nothing major happened. I was just trying to buy chocolate, but they said I needed to bring a guardian.”

“A guardian to buy chocolate… oh. Is it because you’re a cat?”

“Yes.”

I glanced at Saebyeok, who was dozing off beside me. She looked so much like a real cat when she was asleep that I could understand the misunderstanding.

“Gyeoul, can you put the staff on a video call with me?”

“Sure.”

I switched to a video call and handed the smartphone over to the clerk. I had to stand on my tiptoes because of the high counter.

*When will I finally grow taller?*

Looking down from above, I could hear Midsummer’s voice clearly from the phone, thanks to my sharp hearing.

“Oh!” The store clerk immediately straightened up when Midsummer appeared on screen. Seeing her reaction, I realized just how famous Midsummer really was.

“Is this about the kids and the chocolate?” Midsummer asked gently.

“Yes… I wasn’t sure, so…”

“Thank you for your concern. They may be feline beastfolk, but it’s safe for them to eat chocolate.”

“Oh… is that so?” The clerk’s expression turned apologetic, her posture growing more cautious. Although I wasn’t upset, I was grateful for her concern. It wasn’t every day someone worried about us like that.

“Yes, you don’t need to worry about their diet,” Midsummer assured her.

“Alright. Thank you for taking the time to clarify,” the clerk said, giving a slight bow toward the phone. Midsummer’s reputation certainly made things easier.

“It’s okay for you to eat it now. Sorry for the trouble,” the clerk said, handing me the chocolate with a smile.

“It’s fine.”

“Here, have these as a gift,” she said, offering me two lollipops. While I usually didn’t like accepting free things, I figured a gift was okay.

I unwrapped one and slipped it into Saebyeok’s mouth. She was still half-asleep, but she took the lollipop and licked it absentmindedly.

*I should probably just carry her back.*

After paying, I hoisted Saebyeok onto my back, hooking the bag with the cake, chocolate, and Animal King cards onto her tail. Despite the weight, she held it with ease, her strength seemingly boundless. Now, it was time to head home—where Levinas was waiting.

—

It was a dungeon raid day, and Midsummer, who had been outside since early morning, glanced down at her smartphone.

“Geez…”

She would’ve loved to chat with Gyeoul longer on video. It was just like Gyeoul to need a guardian for something as simple as buying chocolate. Smiling to herself, Midsummer looked around.

Around her were adventurers mostly engrossed in conversations. Many were married with children and were discussing things like how to help their kids study or how to get them to sleep better. With no kids of her own, Midsummer simply listened quietly.

“Sigh… my kid won’t touch vegetables. I wish they’d eat a more balanced diet…”

“That’s just how kids are at that age.”

The adventurers talking about picky eaters eventually turned to look at Midsummer.

Why were they looking at her all of a sudden? Midsummer awkwardly loosened her folded arms, sensing their curious stares.

“Ms. Midsummer, I bet your kids eat their vegetables well?”

Midsummer’s kids. She knew exactly which kids they were talking about.

“Yes, they don’t really have any issues with food… but, um, you know I’m not actually their mother, right? I’m more of an older sister than a mom…”

“Oh, of course. We just figured you’d know since you’re looking after them,” one adventurer replied, smiling.

“Hehe, I thought so,” Midsummer said, chuckling to herself.

Being mistaken for a mother at her age wasn’t exactly a bad feeling. In fact… thinking of them as “my kids” didn’t seem so terrible.

As she indulged in these affectionate thoughts, another adventurer—a mother with a four-year-old—approached her.

“Do your kids eat spinach too?”

“Yes, they don’t seem to be picky.”

“How is that even possible…?”

The amazed look on the other adventurer’s face made Midsummer’s shoulders lift with pride. Oblivious to her growing attachment, she offered some advice.

“Have you tried growing a small vegetable garden?”

“A vegetable garden?”

“Yes. When kids help grow the vegetables themselves, they tend to eat more willingly out of pride.”

“Oh…! That’s a great idea!”

*Clap!* The adventurer clapped her hands as if she’d just discovered something revolutionary. Just then, a father of three boys came over.

“Ms. Midsummer, how do you handle your kids when they misbehave?”

“Well…?”

“You don’t scold them?”

“No, there’s rarely a reason to.”

“…Is that even possible?”

The father’s eyes widened in disbelief. Someone else in the group chuckled.

“Well, Mr. Jin-cheol, you have three boys, but Ms. Midsummer has three daughters.”

“Oh. So it’s different?”

“Very different.”

Listening to the conversations, Midsummer came to a realization—her kids were exceptionally well-behaved.

*Did I save the world in my past life or something?* Midsummer clasped her hands in gratitude, inwardly celebrating her luck.

The conclusion she reached after listening to the other parents was simple: her kids were the best.

—

“Levinas.”

I opened the door and stepped inside. Sophia, who had just woken up, was there, looking at Levinas, who seemed lost in thought.

“Where have you been?”

“Oh, I went out to pick up a few things.”

*Tap-tap—*  
I tapped Saebyeok on the back, and she used her tail to pass me the bag. Though I’d planned to keep it a surprise, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to reveal it now. I took the bag and sat down at the living room table.

“Levinas, come over here.”

“…Okay.”

Levinas approached, still looking a bit downcast. I pulled out the items I’d bought and laid them in front of her—chocolates, a cake, and the Animal King cards. Her eyes went wide with excitement as she took in the treats. I could sense her spirits lifting instinctively.

“Your Highness, is today a celebration?”

“Yes, today’s a special day.”

“Whoa!”

It wasn’t much, just some chocolates and cake, but seeing her happy made it all worthwhile.

“Shall we try the chocolate?”

“Yes…!”

The chocolates were individually wrapped, high-quality treats. We each unwrapped one and popped it into our mouths.

“…!”

“Yikes!”

“Ugh!”

The chocolate was incredibly bitter. My ears and tail fur stood on end from the shock. Levinas let out a startled cry, while Saebyeok even hissed.

Sophia was the only one who didn’t seem fazed.

“This chocolate seems a bit too intense for kids.”

“Y-yes…”

With our heightened senses, it tasted overwhelmingly bitter. I felt bad for bringing such a disappointing treat for Levinas.

“Sorry… I should’ve checked it more carefully before buying…”

I fiddled with the empty chocolate wrapper, glancing at Levinas, who, to my surprise, just covered her mouth and started giggling.

“Your Highness, it’s chocolate, but it’s so bitter!”

“Are… are you okay, Levinas?”

“Yes! This is fun!”

She laughed, her ears perking up and her eyes shining brightly. The sight made my and Saebyeok’s tails wagging furiously.

“Let’s have the carrot cake instead of the chocolate.”

“Carrot cake?!”

“Yep, it’s a cake made with carrots.”

“No way! That exists?”

Levinas stared in awe at the carrot cake in the box. Just as she finished admiring it, Sophia lifted the box.

“Hold on; I’ll cut it up for everyone.”

“Thank you!”

As Sophia left to cut the cake, we began opening the Animal King card packs. There were so many packs that it took a while to get through them.

“Oh! Look at this!”

By the time we opened the tenth pack, Levinas held up a card gleaming with golden light.

“What card is that?”

“It’s the All Friends card!”

*Thump!*  
Levinas placed the card on the table. It featured all the main characters of the Animal King set. Despite the multitude of animals, each character was distinct in its design.

“They’re all here?”

“Yes! Because they’re all friends! Look, there’s a black cat too!”

“That’s amazing.”

Her eyes sparkled with as much excitement as the golden card. Just when I thought she seemed to be regaining her spirits, Levinas’s shoulders slumped, and she buried her face into the table.

“I wish I could be friends with everyone forever…”

“You can.”

“But I… I’m not sure if I can…”

“Is it because of the extremist beastfolk?”

Levinas flinched at my question. She lifted

 her head slightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You… you knew?”

“Yes.”

“I…”

Just as Levinas was about to continue, Sophia came back with the sliced cake. She seemed to have overheard our conversation and sighed heavily.

“I discussed the situation with the guild last night.”

“Really? What did the Master say?”

I knew it would be difficult for the Master to intervene due to political reasons, but I couldn’t help but feel hopeful.

“He was furious, and even Yuna cursed. I didn’t know she could use such harsh language.”

“Cursed?”

“Yes, but it’s not something I can repeat in front of you all.”

What could have been so bad that Sophia couldn’t even tell us? I couldn’t help but feel curious.

“Can’t you tell us? We’ve heard all kinds of bad words before.”

“Ah… well…”

Sophia averted her gaze, visibly flustered, her eyes twitching slightly.

“It’s not like the words were directed at us.”

“If you insist…”

Sophia leaned in close to whisper it only to me. And what she said was truly shocking.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep