Yeoreum and Sophia both wore dark expressions, as if they’d heard something they weren’t supposed to. I realized it was because I had mentioned a bit of my past in my sleep.

"…Gyeoul, did… did someone actually bury you underground?" Yeoreum’s voice was gentle but cautious. Yet, since I wasn’t even sure of the details myself, I couldn’t give a definite answer. It felt strange to say that my first memory in this life was of being underground. I decided to pretend I didn’t know.

"I’m not really sure."

"So you don’t know either?"

"Yes. Maybe it was just me playing in the dirt or something…?"

Playing in the dirt. It was more of a metaphor. I still didn’t know if someone had buried me there or if I ended up there myself.

Personally, I suspected that I might have "possessed" someone who had already died. But if that were true, it raised a question: who had buried the original me there?

‘It was deep in the forest, too.’

It wasn’t a cemetery or anything, just a secluded part of the forest where no one would come. It felt less like a burial and more like someone just dumping a body.

If someone did bury me, they probably didn’t have a good relationship with my former self. In a way, it was fortunate that my physical appearance had changed into that of a beast-kin. It meant we wouldn’t recognize each other if we ever met.

"Um… Are you okay, Gyeoul?"

"Yes, I’m fine."

"…Alright. But promise me that you’ll tell me if you ever remember anything else, okay?"

"Yes…"

Did she think I was hiding something? I really didn’t know the answers myself. Scratching my cheek nervously, I noticed Yeoreum glance at Sophia. They exchanged a silent look, seeming to communicate something, before nodding at each other carefully.

"Uh, since I rested, can I get back to work now?"

"Gyeoul, it’s nine o’clock at night."

"…But I woke up feeling refreshed, so I should do something while I have energy."

I was getting restless, glancing anxiously at Yeoreum, who ended up pushing me back onto the bed.

"Sophia found a part-time job, so let’s ease up a bit on the financial pressure, alright?"

"A part-time job? But Sophia’s back and legs aren’t in great condition…"@@novelbin@@

Wasn’t her body too frail for a part-time job? I looked at Sophia with concern.

"It’s fine. I’ll do something that doesn’t put strain on my body."

"Really…?"

"Yes."

I was sure that Sophia intended to contribute to our household funds. Given her desire to help in our shared living situation, it felt wrong to refuse her. It wasn’t like it was an unconditional favor; she wanted to contribute so we could live together harmoniously.

"Sophia wants you to have less of a burden, so let’s take today to fully rest, alright?"

"Okay…"

Right. Ignoring the concern of people who cared for me would only cause trouble. For today, I decided to put aside all my worries and get a full night’s rest.

---

Sophia, Levinas, and I were riding in Yeoreum’s car, heading somewhere.

“Wow! Wow!” Levinas, sitting in the back seat, was swinging her legs excitedly. Although she wasn’t kicking the front seat, her shoes were leaving marks on the seat she was sitting on. It was an innocent action, but I decided to correct her this time.

"Levinas, don’t put your feet on the seat."

"Why not?"

"It’ll get dirty. Do you know how much this car costs?"

"H-how much does it cost?"

I didn’t actually know. I glanced at Yeoreum, hoping she’d give me a hint.

“It’s a very, very expensive car.”

“Whoa…!”

Perhaps Levinas was startled by how expensive it was. She straightened her back, placing her hands neatly on her knees, mirroring my posture.

"Uh… You don’t both have to sit so stiffly, you know."

"Oh, it’s fine. This is an expensive car, after all."

I had even prepared a clean towel to wipe down the seat after we arrived, although I still didn’t know where we were going.

"I suppose Gyeoul hasn’t ridden in a car that often, so there’s still some tension," Yeoreum said.

"Y-yeah…"

In my previous life, I had ridden in cars a lot. But she was right; in this world, I could count on one hand how many times I’d been in a car.

Since Yeoreum had encouraged me to relax, I let my tail down onto the seat. I’d been holding it up because I didn’t want to shed fur on the seat.

Sophia, who had been quietly gazing out the window, spoke up then.

"Yeoreum, where are we going?"

"Hehe, I’m going to teach Gyeoul about extravagance."

"For Gyeoul?"

"Yes. Yesterday, she asked if I could show her what it’s like to really spend money."

Oh. So that’s what she meant by “showing me.” I had asked just out of curiosity, but I didn’t think she’d actually go through with it.

I looked up at her in awe, my tail swaying unconsciously from where it rested on the seat.

"First, let’s get lunch. There’s a buffet here that’s the most expensive in the country."

"The most…?"

"Yes, even though it’s a buffet, the food is fresh and very high-quality."

"Wow…"

I could barely afford a regular buffet with my income, and Yeoreum was taking us to the most expensive one. I couldn’t even fathom her level of wealth. As I stared at her, I began folding down my fingers one by one.

‘I may not eat, but I’d like Levinas and Sophia to have something.’

Levinas could pay the child’s price, but Sophia… Well, she wouldn’t qualify for that discount.

Anxiety began to creep in, and I fidgeted with my fingers as we arrived at a massive building that looked like a department store.

---

Even though it was a weekday lunch hour, the buffet was packed with people. Sophia, Levinas, and I sat at the table, watching Yeoreum.

"So, is this everyone’s first time at a buffet?"

"Yeah! It’s Levinas’s first time!" Levinas said, her eyes shining.

"I’ve heard of them… but never been to one myself," Sophia admitted.

"Me neither…" I added.

Yeoreum smiled, clearly pleased, and picked up a nearby plate. She grabbed a pair of tongs and put a nearby dish onto her plate for us to see.

"At a buffet, you can take whatever food you want, as much as you want."

"Wha—really?! You mean we can eat anything here?!" Levinas’s eyes widened as she took in the endless spread of food, visibly overwhelmed by where to start.

"Anything you want, and as much as you want. The price stays the same."

"Then I’ll eat until my belly bursts!"

"…But don’t overdo it. Just take as much as you can actually handle, alright?"

"Okay!"

Levinas started wandering the buffet area, carefully avoiding running, as I had taught her about proper manners in public.

I watched her walk away, then followed Yeoreum as she filled her plate. I wanted to see what kinds of foods rich people ate.

"…Gyeoul, is there nothing you’d like? You can just pick things like I did."

"I, I don’t have any money, so… I’ll just watch…"

A nearby lady who was filling her own plate suddenly froze, looking down at me with wide eyes. She seemed startled to see someone who looked so out of place in such a luxurious setting.

"Money?"

"Yes. But I think I can cover Sophia and Levinas’s meals if I skip a meal a day…"

Clatter! My ears perked up at the sudden noise. Looking over, I saw that the lady had dropped her tongs on the floor in shock.

"Today, of course I’m paying," Yeoreum said, casting a brief look at the lady.

"Oh, no. You don’t have to pay for me…"

"Hey, Gyeoul, you’re the one who asked me to show you what it’s like to spend a lot of money. You can’t back out now," she reminded me.

"Did I…?"

When did I ever ask her to buy me buffet? I looked at Yeoreum in surprise.

"You wanted to see me spending freely, right? That’s what I’m doing—I like treating people."

"Oh…?"

"You asked for it first, okay? Don’t make me pout now," she teased.

"O-okay…"

Something about this felt off, but she wasn’t wrong. I had asked to see her spend money, so I decided to enjoy the meal and repay her kindness later.

‘There’s so much food here.’

Was it thanks to my enhanced sense of smell? Even just inhaling the aromas made my tail wag uncontrollably, faster than usual.

"Um… Gyeoul, since we’re in a restaurant, it might be best to hold your tail still so fur doesn’t get into the food."

"Oh, right."

True. This was a restaurant, after all, with food everywhere.

I needed to stop my tail from wagging to avoid causing trouble. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could control consciously. As my own body part, it still had a mind of its own.

"My tail

 won’t stop."

"You could hold it down… but then you’d have no hands to hold your plate."

"Exactly."

I grabbed my tail with both hands, which did stop it from wagging, but left me unable to carry a plate.

"Then how about I hold your tail from behind so you can get your food?"

"Yes, please walk with me."

With Yeoreum’s help, I was finally able to gather some food. She had to make two trips since she also needed to get her own food.

‘I feel bad about this.’

Maybe there was a way to deal with this tail. I looked back at Yeoreum, who was holding it firmly in place while smiling without a trace of irritation, even though it was inconvenient for her.

"Um, Yeoreum."

"Hm?"

"Is there any way to get rid of my tail?"

"...What?"

Yeoreum’s smile froze suddenly, her expression so serious it was almost scary.

"…Gyeoul, do you not like having a tail?"

"I don’t exactly like or dislike it."

"Then why would you want to…?"

"I just think it’s inconvenient, and having to hold it to keep it from bothering others seems like a burden."

Did I say something strange? Yeoreum fell silent, and suddenly, the people around us went quiet too.