I Was Kidnapped By The Strongest Guild
Chapter 163: Fearsome Wildness

Gyeoul was a child who never spoke harshly to anyone.

She always embraced everything with her characteristic kindness.

How well could such a child imitate a rude person?

She might stamp her feet or huff in dissatisfaction, and that would be the extent of it.

Yeoreum didn't take Gyeoul's attempt at imitating a rude person seriously because she knew how kind-hearted she was.

She just thought it would be an interesting change to see this different side of Gyeoul. But then she realized something.

Children learn from adults. Gyeoul had lived through unbearable hardships. It was obvious what she would have learned.

"Beggar, eat this."

Had she really heard such things?

Yeoreum felt her head go numb but pulled herself together for Gyeoul's sake.

"Wow, Gyeoul, you can say such scary things too?"

"S-sorry..."

"There's no need to apologize. You were trying to help."

She sat Gyeoul on a nearby makeshift chair. In her hand was the sausage she had thrown at Kwon Arin earlier. It was a barbecue sausage, now covered in dirt.

"Gyeoul, you shouldn't eat that."

"I can just wash it in the water..."

Gyeoul tried to hide the sausage behind her back. She wouldn't have thrown it if she had known it would become inedible.

"Um..."

Washing it might make it safe to eat, but people have feelings. Seeing a child eat food picked up off the ground was too painful for any adult. She had to stop her.

Yeoreum reached out to Gyeoul but then froze, struck by a thought.

"Eat it off the ground."

Had Gyeoul really picked up and eaten food thrown at her?

The likely answer was "yes."

For a child, food was a lifeline. No one cuts their lifeline just because it feels degrading. How did she feel having to eat food from someone who mocked her?

The thought was heartbreaking, but experiencing it must have been even worse.

Silently, Yeoreum hugged Gyeoul tightly. Telling her not to eat fallen food was a luxury someone like her, who had never wanted for anything, had no right to demand.

"Gyeoul, can I have the sausage? I'll clean it and give it back."

"Clean?"

Gyeoul tilted her head in confusion but wagged her tail slightly. She didn't understand why Yeoreum was hugging her, but she didn't mind it.

"Yes. I'm just a bit particular about food. I'll clean it and give it back."

"Okay."

Gyeoul handed over the sausage she had hidden. She trusted Yeoreum would give it back.

"Hehe, I'll definitely give it back."

She decided to ask Yu-na to cast a cleanliness spell on it. It was an over-the-top solution, but she'd do anything for Gyeoul.

It wasn't out of guilt but out of love for her precious family.

---

---

Night had fallen.

I lay in the tent with the children.

It wasn't cold, and I didn't feel lonely. I wasn't plagued by thoughts of when my life might improve.

Turning to my left, I saw Saebyeok blinking at me from her sleeping bag. On my right, Levinas was grinning at me in the same way.

"King, Levinas has become a caterpillar...!"

"Are you going to become a butterfly?"

"No! Levinas is a horned rabbit!"

Levinas wiggled inside her sleeping bag, squirming around like a caterpillar.

"Wow."

How was she doing that?

Curious, I watched Levinas closely. She unzipped her sleeping bag and popped out.

"Transform...?"

Levinas raised her hands and tilted her head.

When a caterpillar transforms into an adult, she seemed to have forgotten the word for it.

"Are you talking about metamorphosis?"

"Yes! Metamorphosis! Levinas is a metamorphosed horned rabbit!"

"Uh, okay..."

Her choice of words was strange.

As I scratched my cheek from inside my sleeping bag, Saebyeok emerged from her own.

"I'm metamorphosing too..."

Grrr.

Saebyeok made a sound like a cat.

It seemed she wanted to say she was turning from a caterpillar into a cat.

Kids could have fun with anything.

I smiled at them, but both children were looking at me with expectant eyes.

"What about you, King?"

"Me...?"

"Yes! You have to do it too!"

The kids were hoping I would join in.

Embarrassed, I decided to play along.

"I'm just Gyeoul..."

Ziiiip—

I opened the zipper of my sleeping bag and crawled out.

Even though it wasn't much of a performance, the children were delighted.

They were just happy to do something together.

The noise inside the tent must have been loud enough to be heard outside because Jung Yu-na, who had been chatting outside, came into the tent.

"Are you guys not going to sleep?"

"We're going to sleep now."

"Yes, you need to sleep early to grow tall."

Height.

It was one of the few things that concerned me. My body had changed, making me shorter than the other kids.

The desire to grow taller made me close my eyes.

In reality, I was always sleepy around this time.

"Wizard, are you going to sleep right away even though we're camping?!"

"Well... should we play a little more before sleeping?"

"Yes!"

Levinas jumped around the tent and then looked up at Jung Yu-na with a confident expression.

"Wizard, will you metamorphose too?"

"Uh...?"

"Wizard! Metamorphose!"

"What did I do wrong...?"

Jung Yu-na looked flustered, sweating a bit.

To help her out, I explained.

"We were playing caterpillar transformation in our sleeping bags."

"Oh... that kind of metamorphosis?"

Phew.

Jung Yu-na sighed in relief and patted Levinas's head, causing her rabbit ears to spread sideways.

"Levinas has become a horned rabbit!"

"Well... then I guess I'll be the great wizard?"

"Yes! The wizard is now a great wizard!"

I wasn't sure what kind of game this was, but the kids were having a lot of fun.

I sat beside them and laughed along.

After a few minutes of playing with the kids, Jung Yu-na checked the time.

It was clear that it was time for bed.

"We need to sleep now."

"Okay!"

Jung Yu-na picked up Levinas like a princess and made a soft swooshing sound as she placed Levinas back in her sleeping bag.

Swoosh.

She did the same with Saebyeok and then came to me.

"Um, I'm fine..."

Before I could finish, Jung Yu-na's hands were faster.

Swoosh.

My small, light body was lifted effortlessly and placed into my sleeping bag.

This is really embarrassing.

My face grew hot, and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Be quiet now, your little siblings need to sleep."

Jung Yu-na used magic to dim the light at the tent entrance.

Saebyeok and Levinas responded faster than I did.

"Okay!"

"Got it."

Wait a minute.

Jung Yu-na said "little siblings."

Shouldn't I, being the oldest, be the one to acknowledge that?

It felt strange, but since it was something the kids did, I decided not to think too much about it.

"Good night."

After Jung Yu-na left the tent, Saebyeok reached out from her sleeping bag and patted my stomach.

"Sleep tight."

"...!"

It was dark, but with my beast-kin eyes, I could see.

Levinas's ears perked up.

Levinas also reached out like Saebyeok and started patting my stomach.

"...?"

What were these kids doing?

I didn't quite understand why they were doing it, but I could tell the children were enjoying it.

Without rejecting their touch, I decided to sleep.

For some reason, I fell asleep more easily than usual.

---

---

The next day.

After having lunch with everyone, we returned home.

Though I felt sore from using a lot of energy during the camping trip, I had no intention of just resting.

Having experienced Sophia's primal side, I felt compelled to train my own primal instincts.

I approached Sophia, who was sitting in a massage chair.

"Sophia, I have a question."

"What are you curious about?"

Brrr—

Sophia's small body was being shaken by the massage chair.

Was it set to the highest intensity?

It was a funny sight.

"Do beast-kin become more aggressive when their primal instincts awaken?"

"If you're asking because of me, it's only because I hadn't used mine for a long time."

"Was it because you weren't used to it?"

"It's more accurate to say I had tamed it."

Like taming a wild beast.

I started to feel worried.

"What if I can't tame my primal instincts?"

"That won't happen. But even if you can't, it doesn't matter. Primal instincts are like a switch."

"Oh..."

So as long as I don't turn it on, there's nothing to worry about.

I didn't need to worry about becoming savage.

"You're worried about your primal instincts."

"Yes. If I can't control them, it could be a problem."

"If you're that curious, experiencing it might be the answer."

"Really? Can I experience it?"

I haven't managed to control my primal instincts yet.

My ears and tail perked up.

"Normally, it wouldn't be possible, but since you briefly experienced water yesterday..."

"What if I go on a rampage?"

"That might be better. You're still in a weak state."

"Oh..."

Sophia was right.

If I went on a rampage while still weak, it would be easy to subdue me.

Experiencing it before I grew stronger might actually be beneficial.

"So, do you want to try it?"

"Yes."

As soon as I answered, Sophia grabbed my hand.

A warm magic flowed deep into my heart.

Something unknown began to boil inside me.

I instinctively squeezed Sophia's hand tightly.

"Sophia."

Even though my tone was rough, I didn't feel sorry.

I just frowned and glared at Sophia.

"Sophia, give me chocolate."

"Didn't you already eat some earlier?"

"Yes. But today, I want more."

Wanting more snacks was so impulsive and violent.

My heart was pounding, but I had no intention of stopping.

"Oh dear."

Sophia sighed deeply.

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