I Was Kidnapped By The Strongest Guild
Chapter 161: Let's Swim Together

For starting the fire, I was granted a short rest.

I sat with Sophia, dipping my feet in the stream and watching the kids.

Pant, pant-

Saebyeok swam like a cat, moving forward.

She tried to swim against the current but could only manage to stay in place due to its strength.

If it were me, I would have been swept downstream.

But Saebyeok, being strong, managed to hold her ground.

"Guys, the current here is strong, so don't play in the deep parts."

My words dampened the children's fun, but they listened well.

Saebyeok swam to the shallow water, and Levinas climbed on top of her.

Despite Levinas's weight, Saebyeok moved around without sinking.

"King! Let's race!"

"Okay. Just a moment."

I looked at Sophia beside me.

She seemed to have something to say but just patted my head quietly.

The atmosphere was heavy, yet my tail wagged.

"Sophia..."

I called her name awkwardly, unsure if I should ask to leave.

Sophia, gazing vacantly at the stream, suddenly chuckled.

Her smile was so gentle that it instantly lifted the heavy mood.

"Gyeoul, you were having the same thoughts as I was."

"The same thoughts? I don't even know why I feel this way."

Even though difficult tasks had become fun, accepting it was hard.

I couldn't understand the reason behind my feelings.

"It's frustrating, isn't it?"

"Frustrating...?"

"Yes, you've lived thinking that hardship was natural, but now it's fun with others. How frustrating that must be."

"Oh..."

"If you had even one person by your side, you wouldn't have had to struggle so much. It's complicated and frustrating to think about all the unnecessary hardship."

Listening to her, I realized she was right.

I couldn't accept my past because it felt unfair.

"..."

So, that's how I felt.

I looked down in bitter contemplation.

The cold stream water made me pull my feet out.

"Gyeoul, I felt the same way."

"In what way?"

"I felt frustrated being born a beast-kin. I considered it a savage race."

Sophia's shocking words took me by surprise.

I looked around to see if the kids had heard, but they were absorbed in their play.

"Sophia, you pursue knowledge. It makes sense you felt distant from the untamed ways of beast-kin."

"You understand well. I've lived thinking my race was a mistake. I avoided the water."

"Water brings out the wild side."

Sophia had once told me that entering the water awakens the primal instincts in shark beast-kin.

It made sense that Sophia, who disliked violence, would hate that part of herself.

"Yes, I didn't want to acknowledge the existence of a primitive part of me that was far from intellect."

"...It's similar."

Feeling frustrated and unwilling to accept it.

Just like Sophia said, we had similar concerns.

"But my perspective changed after watching you, Gyeoul."

"Watching me...?"

"Yes, despite turning from human to beast-kin, you showed no complaints."

"That's because I gained mana."

Having mana was worth the change in species.

It wasn't the first time my body had changed.

I was simply grateful for the additional abilities.

"And with that came wild instincts and the beast-kin's nature. Doesn't it bother you?"

"Well... Sometimes my body doesn't listen because of the instincts. My tail moves on its own, making it hard to hide my feelings."

Sophia smiled at my grumbling response.

She smiled a happy smile.

"I used to resent the beast-kin instincts. But you, Gyeoul, you try to embrace them somehow."

"Did I really?"

"Yes. You made various efforts to understand your changed self. Perhaps acceptance is your strength."

Sophia pointed out a strength of mine I wasn't even aware of.

Embarrassed, I wiggled my wet feet.

"It's not such a big deal."

"No, it is. You helped me realize my foolishness."

Sophia, looking much lighter, walked toward the stream.

She waded in up to her thighs and beckoned me to join her.

She wasn't holding her staff.

"Sophia, about the water..."

"It's fine. I can't keep resenting what I was born with."

"Mm... You're right."

Worrying about what I couldn't change and letting my emotions get the better of me was foolish.

"Let's shake it all off and go for a swim together."

"Yes. Let's swim together."

The current was strong.

Holding Sophia's hand, I moved toward the children.

The kids were startled to see Sophia in the water.

"A shark has appeared!"

"We're going to get eaten."

Despite their frightened cries, the kids welcomed Sophia.

They paddled through the rough current toward her.

"Shark! Let's have a swimming race with Levinas!"

"A race?"

"Yes! But it's just for fun! It's not a real competition, so there's no teasing or punishment if you lose!"

Giddy-up.

Levinas, on Saebyeok's back, rocked back and forth.

It looked like a two-person race.

"Then I'll team up with Gyeoul."

"Okay!"

"Gyeoul, come here."

Sophia held me close and lay back in the water.

As a shark beast-kin, she didn't sink but floated smoothly.

I climbed onto her belly.

Sophia's hands, gripping my legs, were rougher than usual.

Was this Sophia's wild side?

It felt fierce but gentle because she was on my side.

"Is the race starting?"

"Yes, go ahead and start."

Saebyeok and Sophia lined up.

Levinas signaled the start.

"Go!"

Panting, Saebyeok swam forward with cat-like strokes.

Sophia, lying still, watched her swim away, seemingly letting her win.

"Is it okay if water gets in your nose, Sophia?"

"I am a shark."

"Ah."

Was the water freeing something within Sophia?

Her creaky body seemed to revive, like a teenager's.

Energetic Sophia was new but not unpleasant.

I poked her here and there, curious about her revived body.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Sophia propelled herself forward with incredible speed.

She held me steady as we surged ahead.

"Whoa!"

We quickly overtook the distant Saebyeok and Levinas in a second.

"Huh?!"

Levinas's shocked face disappeared from view.

Though I could see the world in slow motion, all I could do now was cling tightly to Sophia.

"S-Sophia...!"

We rapidly descended the stream, like sliding down a mountain in one go.

The speed was so fast that water sprayed out of the stream.

"Gyeoul, focus."

Sophia, who I thought wasn't paying attention to me, was looking into my eyes.

It's no big deal, her gaze seemed to say.

"Uh, okay..."

I should concentrate.

I was the one who could see an arrow's flight in slow motion.

Pushing aside my fear, I sharpened my senses.

Whew.

With a few deep breaths, the world began to move in slow motion.

It was then that I understood why Sophia had done this.

'She wants me to experience this speed.'

All my abilities were focused on speed.

Eventually, I'd need to learn how to control even this kind of speed.

Though a bit wild due to her beastly nature, Sophia just wanted to help me grow.

Even when water splashed, Sophia remained gentle.

"Sophia, can we go even faster?"

"…Hold on tight."

Sophia grabbed my ankle.

The strength of her grip gave me a sense of security.

Whoosh!

With a sound like an explosion, we tore through the water.

We sped downstream faster than an arrow.

---

---

Choi Jinhyuk and Kwon Arin climbed the mountain.

Their hands were full of luggage, making the ascent difficult.

Camping on such a steep mountain—Yeomyeong Guild was truly extraordinary.

Kwon Arin wiped her sweat and looked up the mountain.

"Is it tough?"

"Yes... it's hard because there's so much to carry."

"The path is rough. Let's rest a bit."

Choi Jinhyuk led Kwon Arin to sit on a rock near the stream.

They looked at the cool flowing water and chatted.

"Yesterday, Gyeoul said..."

They were talking about Gyeoul when suddenly, something came rushing down the stream from the mountain at incredible speed.

"Whoa!"

It was Gyeoul's voice.

As Choi Jinhyuk and Kwon Arin looked up, Gyeoul was already passing by them.

Whoosh!

Water splashed on either side, drenching Choi Jinhyuk and Kwon Arin.

While they stood there shivering, Gyeoul was already a small dot in the distance.

"Gyeoul...?"

What was happening for her to come down so fast?

Was she in danger?

While Kwon Arin hesitated, Choi Jinhyuk was already running after Gyeoul.

"L-let's go together!"

Whatever it was, they needed to help Gyeoul.

Kwon Arin quickly followed, running back down the mountain they had just climbed.

---

ahh everyone is getting character development! me likey

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