The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

By lunchtime, the master had returned.  

Up until that point, I had answered five phone calls and received over ten visitors. The life of a guild master was far busier than I had imagined.  

"How did it go?"  

"Um… I didn’t do very well, but I tried my best."  

"Then you did a good job."  

The master approached and handed me a pack of chocolates. There were so many that I figured I’d need to share them with the others.  

Peeling one open, I paused just before popping it into my mouth to report what I had done in his absence.  

"Many people came looking for you. Since you weren’t here, I asked them to contact you later."  

"Good work. Anything out of the ordinary?"  

"Oh, some guild members came for dungeon permits. They said I could handle it, so I approved them. Was that okay?"  

"It’s fine. That’s something anyone can do."  

If even the master said so, it must be okay.  

Feeling reassured, I finally placed the chocolate in my mouth.  

It was delicious.  

The balance of bitterness and sweetness was perfect. My heightened senses made the taste almost euphoric.  

My tail swayed gently behind me. Chocolate was once a luxury I could never have dreamed of enjoying, but now, thanks to the master’s support, it was within reach.  

"You did well. Go home, eat, and get some rest."  

"Okay!"  

The master escorted me all the way to the elevator, though there was no need for him to.  

For someone so reserved, he was surprisingly attentive to his people. After exchanging farewells at my door, I stepped inside.  

---

The smell of delicious food wafted from the living room. More than the aroma of the meal itself, the familiar scent of family filled the air.  

I dashed down the hallway and entered the living room, my eyes widening at the feast spread across the table.  

"The king has arrived!"  

Levinas waved a fork in the air triumphantly. Naturally, I took the empty seat beside her.  

"There’s so much food!"  

"Yep! The master treated us to all this because you worked hard," Hanyeoreum said, dishing out food onto my plate.  

The spread included many of my favorite dishes, especially fresh sashimi.  

I’d only covered for the master for a few hours this morning, yet the reward was extravagant. Truly fitting for the top guild.  

"So, how was work today?"  

"Um… It wasn’t physically tiring, but it was still exhausting in its own way."  

"That’s how it is when you’re dealing with people. Especially for the first time."  

"Yeah, I guess it’s harder because it’s new to me."  

Though my body wasn’t tired, I found myself patting my shoulders out of habit. Perhaps an old reflex from my human days.  

"Gyeoul, are your shoulders sore?"  

"No, I was just patting them, that’s all."  

"Hehe, you learned that from Sophia, didn’t you?"  

"That’s…"  

Now that I thought about it, Sophia often patted her shoulders.  

Naturally, everyone’s gaze shifted toward Sophia, who cleared her throat awkwardly under the sudden attention.  

"Ahem… Why would you imitate something like that?"  

"Maybe Gyeoul likes you."  

"…Well, I suppose I can’t help that."  

Sophia reached out and patted my head, making my ears twitch slightly. Seeing this, both Levinas and Saebyeok leaned forward, offering their heads for pats as well.  

"You little troublemakers are always bothering adults."  

Despite her words, Sophia smiled warmly and patted them too.  

It was a peaceful and delightful lunchtime.  

---

Levinas’s gaze was fixed on the television.  

*“Into the Wild.”*  

It was a program showcasing people living in harmony with nature.  

"Wow…"  

These humans lived as wild and untamed as beastfolk. Levinas’s instincts seemed to spark to life as she watched.  

Flipping through the channels, she found a camping show.  

People pitched tents, gathered around campfires, and had fun with friends. To beastfolk, such moments seemed romantic and idyllic.  

*Levinas wants to do this too…!*  

Levinas’s eyes darted around, searching for Gyeoul. She found her fast asleep on Midsummer’s lap, her small body rising and falling with each breath.  

"King…"  

Levinas whispered softly, careful not to wake her. Though calling out to someone asleep served no purpose, Levinas didn’t seem to care.  

"King… Let’s go camping tomorrow… in the wild!"  

"Camping?"  

Hanyeoreum answered in Gyeoul’s stead, gently stroking her cheek.  

"Yes! Levinas wants to go camping!"  

"Did you get the idea from the TV show?"  

"Yes! Levinas wants to camp with the King because she’s a genius at surviving in the wild!"  

Levinas whispered her plan into Midsummer’s ear, then glanced at Gyeoul’s hand. Her small hand was loosely curled, so Levinas slipped her pinky into it.  

"King… It’s a promise for camping tomorrow…"  

As if on instinct, Gyeoul’s fingers tightened around Levinas’s pinky, securing the promise in her sleep.  

"Gasp!"  

What was that?  

Now I want to do it too!  

Hanyeoreum fidgeted, her hands moving restlessly.  

"L-Levinas, can I join too?"  

"Camping?"  

"Yes… Can I promise with Gyeoul too?"  

"Yes! Let’s all camp together!"  

Levinas shook their clasped hands up and down enthusiastically. When Gyeoul’s fingers loosened, her hand spread wide open once more.  

*Thump-thump.*  

Why is my heart racing?  

Hanyeoreum took a deep breath and placed her index finger in Gyeoul’s palm. Like a Venus flytrap catching its prey, Gyeoul’s small hand slowly closed around it.  

The child’s warm hand barely encircled Midsummer’s finger.  

"Wow…"  

It was so soft. The high body temperature unique to children made it feel even warmer.  

The cuteness was indescribable—almost overwhelmingly so.  

"Ugh…"  

Hanyeoreum barely suppressed a squeal, afraid of disturbing Gyeoul’s slumber.  

"Are you okay, Midsummer?"  

"My heart… it hurts…"  

"Gasp! Wait here!"  

Levinas dashed into a room and returned with a paper cup phone. She pressed one end of the cup against Midsummer’s chest and the other against her rabbit-like ears.  

*Thump-thump.*  

A normal person wouldn’t have heard anything, but Levinas’s sharp ears picked up the rapid heartbeat clearly.  

"Hanyeoreum’s heart is beating fast!"  

"You can hear it?"  

"Yes!"  

"Wow, I can’t hear a thing."  

How sharp were beastfolk’s ears, anyway? Gyeoul could hear insects crawling hundreds of meters away when focused.  

Fascinated, Midsummer picked up the other cup.  

"Testing, testing… Can you hear me?"  

She whispered softly into the cup to avoid waking Gyeoul. Levinas, however, pressed her cup against Gyeoul’s ear, wanting her to hear Midsummer’s heartbeat too.  

"...?"  

The sound made Gyeoul stir. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked at the finger she was holding and tilted her head.  

*Whose finger is this?*  

Sleepily, Gyeoul looked up at Midsummer and decided it was fine, quickly drifting back to sleep.  

"Whew…"  

Midsummer let out a relieved sigh. She thought she’d disturbed Gyeoul’s peaceful slumber.  

"Gyeoul’s hearing must be amazing."  

"Yes! So you have to speak softly, like Levinas!"  

"Got it!"  

Midsummer mimicked Levinas’s tiny but spirited tone. The two shared a giggle, like children conspiring together.  

Meanwhile, Gyeoul remained fast asleep, oblivious to it all.  

---

The next morning, I woke up rubbing my eyes. For some reason, Saebyeok and Levinas were staring at me with bright, eager expressions.  

"Uh… good morning?"  

Why were they up so early? I stretched, feeling their gazes.  

"King! It’s camping day!"  

"Camping?"  

"Yes! We decided to camp yesterday!"  

"I see."  

If they wanted to go camping, I had no reason to refuse.  

"Since you’re a camping genius, you have to teach us everything!"  

"Me?"  

Ah, so that’s why they’d been waiting for me to wake up. They probably thought my time in the wild meant I was good at camping.  

I didn’t want to let them down, but honestly, I wasn’t great at camping. What I’d done wasn’t for leisure—it was survival.  

The two were different things.  

"I’ll do my best to teach you, okay?"  

"Okay!"  

Levinas nodded so enthusiastically that her ears bounced. Even Saebyeok’s tail wagged in quiet excitement.  

*Maybe I can just teach them how to set up shelters like I used to.*  

Even something as simple as building a shelter to hide from wild boars could be fun

 for them.  

"Are we the only ones camping?"  

"No! Everyone’s coming!"  

"Good. The more hands, the easier it’ll be."  

Camping required effort. Even washing a single dish meant trekking to a stream. Having more people would definitely help.  

"How about we go to a mountain I know? It’s a good spot for camping."  

"A mountain?"  

"Yeah. It’s where something scary happened to Levinas before, though…"  

"Wow! Levinas loves it!"  

Levinas’s excitement showed no trace of fear.  

"Are you sure?"  

"Yes! That was the happiest time ever!"  

"Ah…"  

It seemed the memory of everyone coming to rescue her turned that frightening moment into a fond one.  

So, our camping destination was set: the mountain I once called home.