Chapter 68
A tail was originally a part that I didn't have, and it was also a part that I could do without.
So, I just asked if I could get rid of it.
Why is Yeoreum making such a face?
Without realizing it, I found myself asking about her reaction.
"Does my tail bother you?"
"No, no? It's not bothersome at all? In fact, I like it?"
"Really...?"
Yeoreum was not lying.
If she liked it, then there was no reason for me to get rid of my tail.
"Yes. Gyeoul's tail is mine, so you must never cut it off, okay?"
"Yes..."
Since when had my tail become Yeoreum's?
Was it just a joke?
It had been so long since I had joked with someone that I had no idea how to react.
I just looked up at Yeoreum blankly, and she bent down to my eye level.
"Gyeoul, you shouldn't recklessly damage your body."
"Oh..."
Was this considered damaging my body?
I had just thought it would be okay to remove my tail since it was originally not part of my body.
Yeoreum had misunderstood something.
I wasn't the type to carelessly treat my body.
"Not just the tail, but other parts of the body as well. Like hands, or ears..."
"I see..."
"Yes. Maybe Gyeoul still doesn't know much?"
"No, I know."
I knew how precious the body was without needing to be told.
Even a kindergartner knows that fact.
However, Yeoreum was shaking her head at me.
"No, Gyeoul still doesn't know."
"I know well..."
"If you knew, you wouldn't work until you collapse, would you?"
Yeoreum pulled my cheek with a slightly dissatisfied expression.
It didn't hurt, but my cheek stretched out.
"What..."
Was it because I had shown that I don't care too much about my physical condition?
Even so, collapsing from exhaustion and cutting off a part of the body are entirely different concepts.
It was strange, but I had no intention of arguing with Yeoreum's words.
I knew she was worried about me.
"...Yes. I guess I don't know."
"Yes. It's okay to learn little by little, so don't worry too much. Got it?"
"Yes..."
Feeling awkward, I scratched the back of my neck and then turned my gaze towards the buffet food.
For now, I decided to enjoy the food completely.
It might be a place I would never visit again.
<+>
After finishing the buffet, we wandered around inside the department store with nothing particular in mind.
It was Yeoreum's suggestion to look around the department store.
"Delicious. Levinas has become the person who ate the most food in the world today."
Levinas rubbed her swollen belly.
Contrary to her playful claim, Levinas hadn't eaten that much food.
Perhaps it was because she was so small.
Of course, I was too.
"Gyeoul seems to only eat fish dishes."
"Yes. I like fish dishes."
Fish steak.
It truly was the best.
If I were a child with little experience in the world, it was the kind of taste that would make me cry while eating.
"Hehe, thanks to that, Gyeoul likes Sophia a lot."
"...Because I'm a fish beast-kin?"
"Yes. Gyeoul might eat Sophia later."
Yeoreum laughed like a child.
I hurriedly waved my hands in denial.
"No, I won't eat her..."
"Yes. Just kidding, just kidding."
"Ahaha."
It was indeed a joke.
Joking with people was still awkward for me.
I thought it might be good to set my next goal to be able to joke freely with people.
It was necessary to try if I wanted to live like an ordinary person.
'Maybe starting with Levinas would be good.'
Being the youngest and purest, she would probably react positively to a small prank.
I glanced at Levinas, who was nearby.
"Wow..."
Levinas's eyes sparkled as she looked somewhere.
It was a toy store painted in colorful hues.
She only looked at the toys, not begging us like other children might.
Probably because she thought we would never buy them due to a lack of money.
My heart ached at that realization.
Even though finances were really tight, it seemed like I had to buy one or two toys for Levinas.
"Do you want a toy, Levinas?"
"Yes... Levinas has always wanted a horned rabbit doll..."
Levinas fidgeted with her fingers and looked at me cautiously.
I could see in her eyes that she wanted it but didn't dare to ask.
"Then let's go. I'll buy you a horned rabbit doll."
"Really? You're going to buy a doll for Levinas?"
"Yes. Levinas doesn't have a single doll yet."
Was she happy about my statement?
Levinas clasped her hands together and jumped up from her spot.
"The king is really amazing! Other adults said they wouldn't buy a doll for Levinas!"
Yeoreum frowned at Levinas's statement.
She knew it wasn't directed at her but at 'adults.'
"Bad adults."
"That's how adults are."
Did I say something wrong?
Yeoreum and Sophia shivered a bit.
"Not all adults are bad..."
"Yes. There are a few good ones sometimes."
Very few.
A noble being born with goodness.
But from my experience, there were far more bad humans.
Of course, I knew that most of them were trying to live a good life.
I was living that way myself.
Humans are born evil but strive to be good.
That was my philosophical belief.
"Gyeoul still..."
"Still?"
"No, nothing."
Yeoreum showed an awkward smile.
It looked like she had something she wanted to say but didn't.
I looked at Yeoreum blankly for a moment before chasing after Levinas, who had run off towards the toy store.
I could only hope that the horned rabbit doll wasn't too expensive.
<+>
Most adults are bad.
Is that how the world appears in the eyes of Gyeoul?
Yeoreum knew she was one of those bad adults.
She wanted to make excuses to Gyeoul but couldn't.
She knew too well that Gyeoul had lived without even a sliver of hope.
It would be truly sad if the world appeared to be filled only with evil.
Especially since there are indeed many good people in the world.
Yeoreum helplessly watched Gyeoul's back as she entered the toy store.
"Sophia, I want to show Gyeoul that there are plenty of good adults in this world."
"Let's do that together then."
"Yes..."
Yeoreum entered the toy store with Sophia.
There, they found Levinas and Gyeoul, their eyes wide as they looked at the dolls.
"Wow, the dolls are so expensive..."
"Yes..."
The price of the dolls in the store started at one hundred thousand won.
The department store was so upscale that the prices were high.
Gyeoul, who had thought at most they would cost ten thousand won, was shocked by the prices.
A real horned rabbit cost ten thousand won.
How could a horned rabbit doll cost two hundred thousand won?
While Gyeoul was staring in horror at the price tag,
Levinas tightly hugged a horned rabbit doll.
After holding the doll tightly for about ten seconds, she put it back in its original place.
Her expression was full of disappointment and regret.
"I've played enough with it. I don't need the doll anymore."
"But, that's..."
This was the time to boldly say it's okay and insist on buying it.
But the horned rabbit doll was so expensive that I couldn't open my mouth.
She could only look down in misery.
Feeling so pitiful, tears almost came out.
"I'm sorry. I wanted to buy you the doll, but it's too expensive..."
"It's okay. Let's come back and look again later."
"Yes..."
At that moment, when Gyeoul and Levinas were feeling down, the people browsing dolls in the store turned their gaze towards Yeoreum.
You're rich, just buy it already.
Yeoreum felt as if the people were speaking to her.
"Hey, kids?"
"Yes?"
"I can buy a doll for you..."
"Really?!"
Levinas's eyes widened in surprise.
Only then did the people in the store show a relieved expression.
Every adult wishes for a child's happiness.
"Yes. Gyeoul, do you want to pick something you like too?"
"I'm okay."
What would I do with a doll?
Gyeoul firmly expressed her refusal.
However, Yeoreum interpreted Gyeoul's refusal in a different way.
"Oh, um..."
She hoped Gyeoul didn't dislike dolls.
Gyeoul is still of the age to play with them.
Yeoreum remembered the look of disappointment on Gyeoul's face when she found the dolls were too expensive for her.
It wasn't just about being unable to buy; if she were a child, it was natural to have a desire for dolls.
How could she put a doll in Gyeoul's arms?
Since Yeoreum didn't know how, she decided to buy the doll first.
Giving it could wait until later.
'I'll buy...'
A white cat doll that looks exactly like Gyeoul.
Yeoreum picked up a doll as big as her own head.
"Is that a cat doll?"
"Yes. I like dolls too."
"Ah."
Adults like dolls too.
It wasn't particularly strange.
Gyeoul nodded, looking up at the cat doll.
'The ears and tail are similar to mine.'
It was a doll with which she felt a certain kinship.
Unknowingly, Gyeoul's tail began to wag.
It was the instinct of a young beast-kin towards their own kind.
"Oh..."
Seeing Gyeoul wag her tail, Yeoreum thought,
She really does like dolls, after all.
<+>
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