I Was Kidnapped By The Strongest Guild
Chapter 370: King's Instinct

It wasn't quite a smile or an expressionless face - it was a completely new reaction.

I wasn't the only one intrigued by this novelty. The children gathered around Encia.

"What was that sound?!"

"Hoaek."

Levinas circled around Encia, while Gaeul, who always tried to copy whatever we did, imitated Encia's sound.

"Y-you don't need to copy that."

"Kay."

When Encia told her not to copy it, Gaeul nodded in understanding.

Our Gaeul was so well-behaved, always listening to adults.

After patting Gaeul's head, I pointed to Encia's waist.

I was going to ask about her unique reaction, but Encia flinched when I gestured toward her waist.

"Encia?"

"Ah... it's fine. I'm just... rather ticklish..."

"So that's why you reacted like that?"

"Yes... how embarrassing..."

I scratched my cheek as Encia hung her head.

She seemed ashamed of being ticklish.

"Actually Encia, I'm really ticklish too."

"...Really?"

"Yes. I laugh when someone pokes my side. We seem to have a lot in common."

"That... makes me happy."

A blush spread across Encia's cheeks.

Her tail wagged at incredible speed.

"Are you very busy today, Encia?"

"I should have some free time after helping Sophia."

"Then let's play together when we're done."

"Yes. I'll look forward to it."

After Encia left to help Sophia, the children and I explored Sacred Guild.

The massive mansion had a noble European style.

Everything was new to us, from the chandeliers on the ceiling to the stairs and tables.

It all seemed magical.

Though I worried we might be too intrusive exploring freely, the Sacred Guild members just smiled without scolding us.

"King! There's something amazing over there!"

Levinas, who had been exploring the building like on an adventure, came running to me.

She pointed to one side of the building, bouncing up and down saying we should go there.

"What is it?"

I followed Levinas up the main hall stairs.

Going straight ahead after climbing up, we came to a massive door.

'What could this be...?'

Just as I wondered this, Levinas opened the door.

It must have been quite heavy, as she strained with all her might to open it.

Watching this, Saebyeok placed her hand on the door, and what had seemed heavy opened easily.

Creeak-

A vast space appeared behind the opened door.

At the far end was a tall chair that looked like a throne for kings or nobles.

"Wow."

There really was something amazing here.

We all ran toward the throne together.

Up close, the throne was taller than me, requiring us to look up at it.

"King!"

"Master!"

Levinas and Gaeul pointed at the throne.

Saebyeok was looking at me too, with expectant eyes.

I instinctively understood what the children were hoping for.

"Um... we probably shouldn't sit on it..."

"Huh? Why not? It's just a chair."

"Well..."

It looked like something nobles would sit on.

I wanted to say that, but it wasn't appropriate given Earth wasn't a class-based society.

'Hmm...'

Levinas had a point.

No matter how fancy, a chair was just a chair.

There was no reason we couldn't sit on it.

Maybe I could just try sitting for a moment?

I hesitantly approached the throne.

The legs were so high I had to jump to sit on it.

"Oh..."

I sat down and placed my hands on the armrests.

The chair was so big my feet didn't touch the ground.

I thought it would be uncomfortable since it looked so ornate.

But surprisingly, it was quite cozy.

As I swung my dangling legs back and forth, enjoying the plush feeling-

"Your Majesty."

Gaeul suddenly gave me a deep formal bow.

She looked just like a court official from historical dramas.

"Hehe..."

As I smiled at Gaeul's playfulness, I tilted my head at an emotion welling up from deep in my chest.

'What is this?'

When Gaeul prostrated herself calling me "Your Majesty," I felt an inexplicable sense of elevation.

Should I call it superiority? Pride?

When I came to my senses, I realized I was sitting in an arrogant pose.

Leaning back against the throne, hands on the armrests, legs crossed.

"Ah! It's the King!"

"King Master!"

Levinas, Gaeul, and Saebyeok took positions around me.

Like courtiers attending their king.

It really felt like being royalty.

Ahem.

Beast-kin instinct made me puff out my chest.

Just as our royal play was getting into full swing-

Creeak-

The massive door opened and a group of people entered.

Chae Juyeon and Sacred Guild members.

Sophia and Encia.

"My."

Chae Juyeon took out her smartphone to take our picture.

I quickly changed from my arrogant pose to a more modest one.

"Gyeoul, you look magnificent."

Encia's eyes sparkled as she looked at us.

Her gaze made me puff up with pride again, before I hastily returned to a proper posture.

My fluctuating behavior seemed strange to Sophia, who questioned it.

"Your emotions seem to be going back and forth."

"Yes... sitting in this grand chair makes me feel like someone important."

"That's..."

"Even though I know I shouldn't, my instincts react first, you know?"

Feeling superior by placing myself above others.

It was so shocking my tail drooped.

"That's because you..."

Encia started speaking but stopped to look at Sophia.

After exchanging glances with Sophia, she continued.

"It's because Gyeoul is a magnificent predator. All predators naturally want to lead their pack."

"Ah... do beast-kin have that kind of instinct?"

"Not all beast-kin. Only those with the qualities to lead possess this instinct. It means Gyeoul is an exceptional beast-kin."

My drooping tail started wagging again at Encia's explanation.

I felt relieved it wasn't due to negative feelings like the desire to dominate.

"Is this similar to wild energy?"

"Yes. Like wild energy, it can become an excellent partner if handled well, so there's no need to worry too much."

"Um... okay..."

An instinct to lead the pack.

It seemed very far from my personality.

Still, since this was another ability given to me.

I decided to work with it rather than ignore it.

Not to lead, but to move forward together.

**

The test at Sacred Guild didn't feel particularly challenging.

It was more about learning common sense as an adventurer.

The final test was held at Sacred Guild because they were the most formal guild.

After finishing the tests, we returned to Yeomyeong.

Happy to be home after several days, we ran with the children to the living room.

"Oh my, the little ones are back?"

Han Yeoreum was sitting on the living room sofa.

She had been chuckling while looking at her smartphone, but showed an even brighter smile when she saw us.

What had she been looking at?

I checked Han Yeoreum's smartphone.

She had been looking at a photo of me sitting on the throne with a somewhat arrogant expression, surrounded by the children standing guard.

"So Gyeoul became king of Sacred Guild?"

"Hehe..."

Feeling embarrassed, I could only look up at Han Yeoreum and laugh awkwardly.

She put down her smartphone and gave me a tight hug.

"What did you do while you were gone?"

"Um... helped with tests and played around."

"Wow, you worked hard? What did you play?"

What did we play again?

Hmm, I stroked my chin trying to remember.

"Well, we made a snowman, drew pictures, poked waists..."

"Waists?"

"Yes. Everyone reacts differently when you poke their waist. I laugh a lot but Saebyeok doesn't react at all."

"Oh really?"

Han Yeoreum poked my waist and the children's waists one by one.

Among various giggles and laughs, only Saebyeok maintained her expressionless face.

"Saebyeok must not be ticklish."

"Maybe she just doesn't show it?"

"I don't think so. Her tail doesn't react at all."

"Ah, her tail."

Despite being poked in the waist, Saebyeok's tail kept swaying peacefully.

Rather than hiding her reaction, she truly seemed not ticklish.

As I stared at expressionless Saebyeok, I whispered in Han Yeoreum's ear.

"Saebyeok has such a pretty smile, but she rarely shows it."

"True. Saebyeok doesn't smile much."

Though her tail honestly showed her emotions through its wagging, I still wanted to see her bright smile.

Of course, I had no intention of forcing her to smile.

I wanted to see Saebyeok's natural smile.

Like the smile she showed when forgiving Im Se-hee, the Lotus researcher.

"How can we see Saebyeok's smile?"

"Hmm? Maybe if we try different things, she'll smile eventually?"

"Different things?"

"Yes. Things that might make Saebyeok happy."

Things that might make Saebyeok happy.

What could those be?

Several ideas came to mind.

I would have to try them one by one to see Saebyeok's natural smile.

I approached Saebyeok who stood there blankly.