My tail was originally something I hadn’t had, so it wouldn’t have been a big deal if it were gone. That’s why I casually asked if it could be removed. But why was Yeoreum looking at me like that? I shifted my gaze nervously, trying to read her expression.

"Aren’t you bothered by my tail?"

"No, not at all! I actually like it."

"Really…?"

Yeoreum didn’t seem to be lying. If she genuinely liked it, then I supposed there was no reason for me to get rid of it.

"Yeah. Gyeoul’s tail belongs to me, so you definitely shouldn’t cut it off, okay?"

"…Okay."

When had my tail become Yeoreum’s? Was she joking? It had been so long since I last joked with anyone that I wasn’t even sure how to respond. I just stared at her blankly as she leaned down to meet my eye level.

"Gyeoul, you shouldn’t mess with your body like that."

"Oh…"

So, it counted as "body modification"? I’d only thought of the tail as an add-on that could be removed, since it wasn’t originally part of my body. But Yeoreum seemed to misunderstand.

"I don’t do reckless things with my body as much as you think, though."

"That goes for your tail and any other part of your body, like your hands or ears…"

"Right… I see."

"Yep. Maybe you still don’t fully understand yet, Gyeoul."

"Uh, no, I do understand."

I knew how important one’s body was. Even a preschooler would know that. Yet, for some reason, Yeoreum shook her head as she looked at me.

"No, Gyeoul, you don’t fully get it."

"But I really do…?"

"If you did, you wouldn’t work yourself to the point of collapse."

Yeoreum’s expression held a hint of frustration as she reached out and lightly pulled my cheek. It didn’t hurt, but my cheek stretched out like dough.@@novelbin@@

‘What…’

Maybe it was because I didn’t pay enough attention to my physical condition. But surely working until I was exhausted was a different concept from cutting off a part of my body?

Something about this conversation felt odd, but I had no intention of arguing with Yeoreum. I knew she was just worried about me.

"…Alright. I guess I don’t fully understand."

"That’s okay. You’ll learn gradually, so don’t worry too much, alright?"

"…Okay."

I scratched the back of my neck in embarrassment and turned my attention back to the buffet food. For now, I’d focus on enjoying the meal. This might be the only time I ever got to come to a place like this.

---

After finishing our buffet meal, we wandered around the department store, taking Yeoreum’s suggestion to browse.

“That was delicious. Levinas is now officially the person who ate the most food in the whole world!” Levinas declared, patting her round belly. Despite her adorable proclamation, Levinas hadn’t actually eaten that much; her small size likely limited her appetite. Not that I was any different.

“Gyeoul, you mostly ate fish dishes, I noticed.”

"Yes, I love fish dishes."

The grilled fish steak… it was amazing. If I were an inexperienced child, it might have brought me to tears.

"Hehe, I guess that’s why Gyeoul likes Sophia so much."

"…Because she’s a fish beast-kin?"

"Yep. You’re not planning to eat Sophia someday, are you?" Yeoreum teased with a playful chuckle.

I quickly waved my hands, alarmed. "N-no, of course not…!"

"It’s just a joke, a joke."

"Oh…"

So it was a joke. I still felt awkward with jokes. Maybe I should make it a goal to learn how to joke naturally. If I wanted to live a "normal" life, I’d need to try.

‘Levinas might be a good start.’

She was the youngest and most innocent, so she’d probably respond positively to a small prank. I glanced at Levinas beside me.

“Wow…” Levinas’s eyes sparkled as she looked in the direction of a brightly colored toy store.

She just stared, though, unlike other children who might have pestered us to go in. She must have thought we wouldn’t buy her anything because we didn’t have the money. Her restraint tugged at my heart. Things were tight, but I wanted to buy her at least one toy.

“Levinas, do you want a toy?”

“Um… Levinas has always wanted a horned rabbit doll…”

Levinas fidgeted, stealing glances at me, clearly wanting it but not daring to ask. Her feelings were written all over her face.

"Then let’s go. I’ll get you a horned rabbit doll."

"R-really? You’d buy a doll for Levinas?"

"Yes. You don’t have any toys yet, right?"

Levinas clasped her hands and bounced in place, thrilled by my answer.

"As expected, the king is amazing! The other adults always said they couldn’t buy Levinas a doll!"

Yeoreum frowned slightly at Levinas’s comment. I could tell her displeasure was directed at those "other adults."

"…Some people are just bad."

"That’s just how adults are."

Did I say something strange? Both Yeoreum and Sophia flinched at my words.

"Um, not all adults are bad…"

"Right. There are just a few, really."

There probably were a few good ones out there—those rare noble souls born with kindness. But in my experience, there were far more bad people. Still, I knew most of them were trying to live decent lives. After all, I was doing the same.

People are born flawed, but they strive to become good. That was my philosophy.

"Gyeoul is still…"

"Still what?"

"Oh, nothing."

Yeoreum gave an awkward smile, as if there was more she wanted to say. I looked at her, puzzled, then followed Levinas as she rushed into the toy store. I could only hope that horned rabbit doll wasn’t too expensive.

---

Most adults are bad. Is that how Gyeoul saw the world? Yeoreum knew she herself fell into that category of "bad adults" in Gyeoul’s eyes.

She wanted to offer some kind of explanation, but she couldn’t. She knew that Gyeoul had lived without a shred of hope. It would be sad to see the world only as a place of cruelty. There were plenty of good people, too. Watching Gyeoul enter the toy store, Yeoreum sighed.

“Sophia, I want Gyeoul to know that there are a lot of good adults in this world.”

"…Yes, let’s show her together."

"…Okay."

Yeoreum entered the toy store with Sophia, where they found Levinas and Gyeoul examining the toys, their eyes wide.

"Wow, king, these dolls are so expensive…"

"Y-yeah…" Gyeoul stammered.

The cheapest dolls in the store were at least 100,000 won. This department store was on the high-end side, and Gyeoul, who had expected the doll to cost maybe 10,000 won, looked utterly stunned.

If a real horned rabbit only costs about 10,000 won, why is a horned rabbit doll 200,000? As Gyeoul stared in shock at the price tag, Levinas clutched a horned rabbit doll to her chest.

After holding it close for a few seconds, Levinas returned the doll to the shelf, her face filled with disappointment.

“Levinas is done playing. No need for a doll anymore.”

“Well, I…”

This was the time to confidently say it was okay to buy it, but with such an expensive price tag, I couldn’t bring myself to say the words. Feeling a pang of self-pity, I looked down at the floor, ashamed of myself.

“I’m sorry, I wanted to buy it for you, but… it’s too expensive…”

“It’s okay. We can come back another time just to look.”

“R-right…”

As Gyeoul and Levinas looked downcast, other shoppers glanced at Yeoreum with expectant looks. You’re rich—just buy it for her already. It was as if they were all silently urging her.

“H-hey, girls?”

“Yeah?”

“I can buy a doll for you, you know…”

"R-really?!"

Levinas’s eyes widened in surprise. The other shoppers relaxed, clearly happy to see the child’s joy. After all, every adult wants to see children happy.

"Yes. Gyeoul, is there anything you’d like?"

"I’m fine."

What would I do with a doll, anyway? Gyeoul’s response was firm, but Yeoreum took her refusal to mean something else.

"Oh, um…"

She wondered if Gyeoul really disliked dolls. Gyeoul was still young enough to enjoy having one, wasn’t she?

Yeoreum remembered the longing look on Gyeoul’s face when she’d realized she couldn’t afford the horned rabbit doll. There had to be a bit of desire for a doll somewhere in her heart.

How could she get Gyeoul to accept a doll? Yeoreum didn’t know, so she decided to buy the doll for now. Giving it to her could wait.

‘I’ll get…’

A white cat doll that looked just like Gyeoul. Yeoreum picked up a doll the size of her own head.

“A cat doll?”

"Yes. I like dolls, too," Yeoreum said with a smile.

"Oh, I

 see."

It wasn’t strange for adults to like dolls, after all. Nodding, Gyeoul looked up at the cat doll in Yeoreum’s hands.

‘Its ears and tail are like mine.’

The doll gave her a sense of familiarity, and Gyeoul’s tail wagged unconsciously. It was an instinct of young beast-kin toward a fellow creature.

"Ooh…"

Watching Gyeoul’s tail swish, Yeoreum thought to herself, *See, she does like dolls.*