The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

Beastfolk experiencing their instincts for the first time often found them uncontrollable.  
It left them vulnerable to impulsive and violent tendencies, requiring the support of a trusted guardian.  

Usually, a parent guided children through this phase.  
But as an orphan, Gyeoul relied on Sophia to step into that parental role.  
For Sophia, who saw Gyeoul as a daughter, the choice was natural.  

"Hmm..."  

Sophia observed Gyeoul, now under the influence of her instincts.  
Her lips were slightly pursed, and her typically gentle eyes had a subtle sharpness.  

*She looks upset,* Sophia thought, smiling faintly.  
The dangerous traits usually associated with beastfolk instincts were absent.  

"Gyeoul, you can have chocolate after dinner."  

"Why?"  

"Because if you snack now, you won’t want to eat your meal."  

Clearly frustrated, Gyeoul clenched her fists.  

"Fine. But you *have* to give me chocolate after dinner."  

"...Alright."  

With heavy steps, Gyeoul stomped to the sofa and plopped down.  
Her usual light-footed movements were replaced by thudding stomps.  

Her small face was scrunched into a pout, an expression more typical of children.  
But Sophia couldn’t help but notice how calm Gyeoul’s instincts seemed compared to others.  

There was no destructive behavior, no animalistic growling.  
Even Sophia, during her first experience with instincts, had left bite marks on her father’s arm.  
But Gyeoul simply sat quietly, sulking.  

*It feels like something’s missing,* Sophia thought wistfully.  

She remembered her father stroking her head and reassuring her even after she hurt him.  
Sophia had hoped to create a similar memory with Gyeoul, but it seemed unlikely.  

"...Gyeoul, are you feeling okay?"  

"Yes! I’m perfectly fine!"  

Her voice was unusually loud, brimming with energy.  
The frustration over not getting chocolate was evident.  

Sophia was amazed. For a first encounter with instincts, Gyeoul was remarkably composed.  

"I’ll give you chocolate after dinner, so don’t be upset."  

Sophia sat beside Gyeoul and gently patted her head.  

"Hmph!"  

Gyeoul turned her head sharply, signaling her annoyance.  
It was rude, but Sophia didn’t scold her.  
This was a time to build positive associations, ensuring Gyeoul wouldn’t fear her instincts in the future.  

"You must really like chocolate. I’ll make sure to buy you plenty later, so cheer up."  

Sophia’s soothing touch caused Gyeoul’s tail to wag involuntarily.  
Startled, Gyeoul quickly grabbed her tail, trying to stop it.  

*How adorable,* Sophia thought, watching her with a soft smile.  
Even in this state, Gyeoul’s actions were endearing.  

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening interrupted the moment.  

"Mmphmmph!"  

Levinas waddled into the room, carrying an *Animal King* card pack in her mouth.  
In her hands, she held Saebyeok and Hanyeoreum.  

Levinas must’ve been so excited about her cards that she carried them with her mouth.  
Sophia didn’t need an explanation to understand.  

"Spit it out," Sophia said gently.  

"Bleh."  

Levinas deposited the cards into Sophia’s hand and immediately darted over to Gyeoul.  

"Your Majesty! Let’s play!"  

Levinas clambered onto Gyeoul’s lap, wagging her tail so energetically that Gyeoul’s tail started wagging too.  

"No."  

"W-what?"  

"I don’t want to play with you, Levinas."  

"...!"  

Levinas’s face turned pale.  
Midsummer, visibly startled, looked to Sophia for an explanation.  

"She’s experiencing her instincts. I activated them for her."  

"Oh... so Gyeoul’s wild now?"  

"If you could call this wild. When I was her age, I tried to harm my father."  

"You, Sophia?"  

"A child’s body struggles to handle instincts. It’s like they become a real beast."  

That made sense.  
Though Gyeoul’s behavior seemed unsettling, Sophia’s calm demeanor reassured Hanyeoreum.  

"Gyeoul, Levinas looks like she’s about to cry."  

Hanyeoreum lightly poked Gyeoul’s cheek.  
Seeing Levinas on the verge of tears, Gyeoul flinched, her pupils quivering.  

"Do you really want to play that badly?"  

"Y-yeah... Your Majesty, please play with me..."  

"...Fine. I guess I have no choice."  

"Hmph."  

Scooping up Levinas, Gyeoul stood from the sofa.  
Saebyeok clung to her side as they moved.  

"Are you scary now, Gyeoul? Have you lost control?"  

"Yes. I’m completely wild right now, so you better watch out."  

"Okay."  

*Still the same kind Gyeoul,* Sophia thought, smiling.  
Watching Gyeoul’s wagging tail, Saebyeok began wagging hers too.

It was difficult to rein in her desires.  
Actions Gyeoul would never normally take spilled out uncontrollably.  

"Here’s your chocolate," Sophia said, handing it over after dinner.  

Gyeoul should have thanked her with a smile.  
Instead, the words that came out were laced with irritation.  

"Sophia, feed it to me."  

Her tone was sharp and demanding, but Sophia didn’t scold her.  
With a gentle smile, she unwrapped the chocolate and brought it to Gyeoul’s lips.  

The sweetness seemed to taste even better than usual, perhaps because of her uninhibited state.  

Feeling strangely satisfied, Gyeoul wandered over to where Hanyeoreum was sitting at the table, busy with paperwork.  
Without thinking, she dropped another piece of chocolate onto the table.  

"Here. Eat this while you work."  

Midsummer blinked, surprised.  
"Aw, is Gyeoul taking care of me? That’s so sweet of you."  

"I’m not taking care of you," Gyeoul muttered, glancing away.  

Turning toward the television, she found Levinas and Saebyeok engrossed in an episode of *Animal King*.  
Gyeoul walked over, holding two chocolates, and handed them out with a grumble.  

"Here. Eat these while you watch."  

Levinas’s eyes sparkled.  
"Wow! This is *your* chocolate, right, Your Majesty?"  

"Yeah. Eat it, or I’ll get mad. You know how scary I am right now, don’t you?"  

"Yes, ma’am!"  

Levinas and Saebyeok quickly unwrapped the chocolates and began eating.  
As they settled back into their spots, Gyeoul squeezed herself between them.  

Though she couldn’t explain why, an inexplicable sense of mischief made her want to disrupt them.  

"I’m so angry right now. Maybe this wild, untamed nature is my true self?"  

"...Just hold on a bit longer," Saebyeok said, patting Gyeoul’s head soothingly.  

"Fine. But if you want to calm me down, you’ll have to feed me chocolate," Gyeoul demanded, holding out the chocolates Sophia had given her.  

Saebyeok chuckled and peeled open a piece, preparing to comply.  

Just as the chocolate touched her lips, a strange vibration coursed through Gyeoul’s body.  

*Wuuung-*  

The fiery energy inside her dissipated all at once, leaving her head clear.  
Realization hit her like a wave, each memory of her behavior vividly playing back.  

She had yelled at her family, acted thoughtlessly, and even bossed people around.  
Her stomach twisted with guilt.  

"I-I’m sorry!" Gyeoul blurted out, turning to Levinas and Saebyeok.  

"For what?" Levinas tilted his head.  

"For being so mean to you two. I didn’t mean it!"  

Saebyeok blinked in confusion.  
"Mean? When were you mean?"  

"Your Majesty was nice to us," Levinas added, shrugging.  

"That... can’t be right."  

Still frazzled, Gyeoul scanned the room for confirmation.  

"Ahaha," Midsummer laughed softly from the table.  
Even Sophia chuckled, her shoulders shaking silently.  

"I-I’m so sorry," Gyeoul stammered, tears welling up.  
More than embarrassment, guilt overwhelmed her.  

Sophia stepped in, placing a calming hand on her shoulder.  
"Gyeoul, this is a normal part of being beastfolk. There’s nothing to be ashamed of."  

"Did this happen to you too, Sophia?"  

Sophia nodded, her expression softening.  
"It was much worse for me. I hurt my family, but they never blamed me. It’s just something we go through."  

"I see..."  

Though the reassurance helped, Gyeoul still felt uneasy.  
With a long sigh, she leaned back into the couch.  

"Will this happen again?"  

Sophia tilted her head thoughtfully.  
"The second time is easier to control, but..."  

"But?"  

"If it doesn’t happen at all, would you really call it instinct?"  

"Oh..."  

So that’s what it was.  
The wildness she’d experienced was something she would live with forever.  
It wasn’t comforting, but it was at least clearer now.  

---

"Ugh."  

Later that evening, Gyeoul stood before a full-length mirror in the corner of the living room.  
Her reflection was as small and unassuming as ever.  

How could such a tiny body have caused so much chaos?  
Her ears and tail drooped at the thought.  

*...Well, I can grow stronger,* she resolved silently.  

But why wasn’t she growing taller?  
She hadn’t gained even a single centimeter since her body changed.  

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?"  

Levinas trotted over, nibbling on a carrot.  

"Thinking about how to grow taller. Do you know any tips?"  

Levinas swallowed his bite and declared confidently, "Wait here! I’ll find out!"  

The little rabbit scurried into the kitchen, clutching her half-eaten carrot.  
Tugging on Midsummer’s sleeve, she asked, "Do you know how to grow taller?"  

Midsummer blinked. "Getting taller? Hmm... try sleeping early and exercising regularly."  

"Exercise! Got it!"  

Levinas raced back, bursting into the room.  

"Your Majesty! If you stretch a lot, you’ll grow tall!"  

"Stretch?"  

Gyeoul tilted her head, confused by Levinas’s mispronunciation.  

"Yeah, like this!"  

"...How is that supposed to work?"  

"Don’t ask me! Midsummer said so!"  

"...I see."  

Was it a joke? Or was it another strange custom of this world?  
Still uncertain, Gyeoul glanced at Sophia for confirmation.  

"There’s some truth to it," Sophia said with a knowing smile.  

"Really? I’ve never heard that before."  

"You’re still learning," Sophia teased gently.  

Gyeoul sighed, unsure what to believe.  
Even so, the possibility was tempting enough to try.  

"...Alright. Let’s give it a shot."