FVN Chapter 148
Chapter 148
Using both my hands and tail, I held onto the falling pieces of my shirt.
The male adventurer cautiously approached, concern evident in his eyes.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes...”
I awkwardly gathered the loose fabric and stood up.
Although my shoulders and waist were exposed, it didn’t bother me much due to my childlike body. If I still had my previous adult form, I might have been mortified.
“Uh...”
The man knelt before me, his worried gaze examining my arms and checking for injuries.
“Did someone hurt or scare you?”
Hurt? Scare?
Did he think I was being bullied and that’s why my clothes were torn?
I decided to reassure the kind adventurer.
“No, no one bullied me.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. My clothes just got old and tore apart.”
“Oh... your clothes... Would you like to wear this instead?”
The adventurer took off his jacket and held it out to me.
It was oversized, enough to cover my whole body, but it would leave him bare-chested.
I was about to decline politely when, from afar, Kwon Arin came charging toward us, visibly upset.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Kwon Arin grabbed me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
My face was forcibly buried against her chest, muffling any protests I might’ve made.
She adjusted my slipping clothes, her hands pressing gently on my shoulder blades and lower back.
“Mmph...”
I couldn’t see anything with my face squished against her, nor could I speak.
All I could do was twitch my ears in protest.
“You crazy bastard! What are you doing to a child?!”
“Wait, no, it’s not like that—!”
“How dare you strip a child’s clothes?!”
Her furious shouting pierced my sensitive ears, making me want to cover them, but I couldn’t move with her holding me so tightly.
My entire body trembled from the overwhelming noise.
Was there no way to resolve this?
To protect myself, my ears instinctively flattened, muffling the noise somewhat.
“Look at her! She’s trembling in fear because of you!”
“Please, it’s a misunderstanding! I swear!”
“A misunderstanding, my—”
Suddenly, Kwon Arin stopped mid-rant.
She poked my back lightly, whispering near my ear.
“...Is it really a misunderstanding?”
“Yes, it’s a misunderstanding.”
Peeking up at her through the small gap in her arms, I saw her gulp, her Adam’s apple moving visibly.
“Then... why are your clothes...?”
“They tore. That man was offering me his jacket to cover myself.”
“....”
She fell silent, realizing her mistake.
Finally, the misunderstanding seemed to clear up.
“I-I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions.”
Kwon Arin bowed deeply in apology, which caused my upper body to tilt awkwardly in her arms.
“...No, it’s an easy mistake to make. I understand, though it’s a bit embarrassing.”
“I’m really sorry.”
The atmosphere grew awkward, so I lightly patted Kwon Arin’s shoulder.
“Um, could I...?”
“Ah, right. Should I fetch your clothes?”
“No, not my clothes. Could you grab some tape? It’s in the burrow Levinas dug over there.”
“Well... The most noticeable difference is instinct.”
“Instinct?”
“Yes. It feels like there’s something uncontrollable inside me.”
“It’s well-known that beastfolk act on instinct.”
Though it was familiar knowledge, Sophia still listened intently, understanding the value of firsthand experience.
“I think it’s because our senses are so much sharper that we rely on instinct more.”
“Senses?”
“Yes. I couldn’t even distinguish close smells before, but now I can identify scents from hundreds of meters away.”
“Fascinating...”
Sophia exhaled a pleased sigh, clearly satisfied with my explanation.
“Relying on senses might seem animalistic, but there’s no reason not to use the abilities you have.”
“Exactly.”
“In the end, what I mean is this: I act on instinct more because my senses are more active than they were as a human.”
“Perfect.”
Not “I see” or “Interesting,” but “Perfect.”
She spoke as if she already knew everything.
“Wait, you already knew this?”
“Yes, theoretically. But you’re the first to prove it through experience. Hearing it from you is a delight.”
“Oh...”
For someone who pursued knowledge, proof was invaluable.
The fact that I could provide that for her made me happy.
“If you notice anything else, be sure to let me know.”
“Actually, I did realize something today.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“I think beastfolk really enjoy having their heads patted.”
“Head pats?”
Sophia tilted her head, intrigued.
This seemed to be new information to her.
“Yes. It feels strangely good, and Levinas and Saebyeok love it too.”
“Hm...”
Sophia started patting my head, making my tail wag quickly with joy.
“Is it something different from humans?”
“Well... I don’t think anyone patted my head when I was human, so I wouldn’t know.”
“Really?”
Sophia looked surprised, her interest visibly fading.
I quickly shook my head.
“Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve experienced head pats.”
“...I see.”
“Yeah...”
Sophia’s enthusiasm seemed to vanish entirely.
I lowered my head, feeling embarrassed for assuming otherwise.
“Gyeoul, head pats are something everyone enjoys, regardless of species.”
“...”
“You probably misunderstood because you lacked the experience before.”
Of course.
My face flushed with embarrassment, and I fidget
ed with my fingers nervously.
“Sorry. I thought I knew something but ended up being wrong.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Sophia waved off my apology, her kindness shining through once again. I was grateful for her understanding heart.