The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

Chapter 120

The horned rabbit pulled back its head, a streak of blood marking its elongated horn. With a squeak, it scrubbed its horn as though washing its face, then darted off into the depths of the forest. It hadn’t intended to kill, only to scare away an intruder.

“Ugh...”

Cha Ju-yeon slid down a tree, collapsing to the ground. The pain from the wound in her abdomen felt overwhelming, far worse than the actual injury warranted.

‘It must be because it’s a child’s pain...’

Small injuries could bring a child to tears, and the pain of a punctured abdomen was unimaginable for someone that age.

Exhaling a hot breath, Cha Ju-yeon realized she hadn’t fully grasped Gyeoul’s circumstances. She could only assume the child had made a mistake out of inexperience.

As she scanned her surroundings for a way to treat her injury, she noticed people nearby, watching her with mocking gazes.

“Hey, look at her.”

“Did she seriously get jabbed by a horned rabbit?”

“Not a big deal; a little spit, and it’ll heal.”@@@@

Ridicule and disdain filled the air. To say such things to an eight-year-old was unthinkable.

Cha Ju-yeon’s eyes widened in shock as she was jolted back to reality.

“Hah...!”

Cold sweat dripped down her cheek. She had only experienced the weakest of Gyeoul’s traumas and already felt as though she’d been pierced through. Wiping her sweat with the back of her hand, she glanced around.

“You alright...?”

Midsummer and Jung Yuna looked at her with concern, while the other guild members had tactfully disappeared.

‘They must have left to give me some space.’

Even in a straightforward environment like a guild, showing weakness could become a vulnerability. Recognizing this, the others had given Cha Ju-yeon some privacy. Though the Dawn Guild Master was a stoic figure, his consideration showed in moments like these.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Cha Ju-yeon nodded in acknowledgment.

“Yes, I’m fine. It’s just... I was startled because I got stabbed by a horned rabbit right at the start.”

“Oh...”

Midsummer and Jung Yuna exchanged a glance, as if they knew something more about Gyeoul’s past.

“People were mocking her even though she was bleeding from her stomach... How could they be so heartless to a young child?”

As Cha Ju-yeon spoke, she looked at the two women, who seemed alarmed by something else entirely.

“She was... small? Was Gyeoul that short in the memory?”

Back then, Gyeoul would have been fairly tall for her age, yet Midsummer’s lips tightened in confusion.

“Yes, Gyeoul is small.”

“Well, yes, but did she also have ears and a tail?”

Cha Ju-yeon pondered, crossing her arms. She vaguely remembered feeling something unfamiliar on her lower back—it must have been a tail, though she hadn’t fully noticed it.

“Yes, she had ears and a tail.”

“I see...”

Could the trauma have shaped itself based on Gyeoul’s current appearance? Midsummer was relieved that Gyeoul’s true form remained hidden, sparing her friend from any additional exposure.

Though she felt a bit guilty that Cha Ju-yeon had unwittingly seen Gyeoul’s more vulnerable side, keeping Gyeoul’s “pure Soo-in child” image intact came with significant benefits.

“For Gyeoul’s sake,” Midsummer told herself quietly. “I’ll go next.”

She held out her hand, gesturing for the mana stone.

“Be careful, though,” Cha Ju-yeon warned, placing the stone in Midsummer’s hand.

“No, we’re just ordinary office workers.”

“I see...”

Even ordinary workers didn’t eat chocolate that had touched the ground. Maybe Sophia was right; perhaps my common knowledge was heavily survival-oriented. But I wanted to check just one more thing.

“Have you ever eaten this?” I held up a stalk of foxtail grass nearby. It was edible, like rice, and nutritious too.

“Isn’t that just foxtail grass?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm... no, I can’t say I’ve ever eaten foxtail grass.”

“Really...?”

I thought people would have eaten it at least occasionally. Realizing the gap in our understanding, I was a bit taken aback.

“Yeah, it’s not common for people to eat foxtail grass.”

“I see...”

I asked the others to confirm, and they all nodded, saying they didn’t eat it. With that, it became clear: the knowledge I’d gained from my world was not quite relevant here.

‘Well, maybe not entirely useless.’

After all, it could be eaten in a pinch. There was no need to feel disheartened.

“Sophia, have I been living like an idiot?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Your knowledge is unique.”

“Unique?”

“Yes. In matters of survival, you know more than anyone. It’s just that your knowledge is concentrated in one area, not because you’ve been foolish.”

Sophia’s reassurance put me at ease, my tail wagging with relief.

“She’s right,” one of the picnic-goers agreed. “Knowing how to survive is extremely valuable.”

“In the end, the ones who make it through tough times are those with survival knowledge.”

Hearing the others echo Sophia’s words made my tail wag even faster, creating a little breeze.

‘Good, I didn’t waste my time.’

Relieved, I turned as I heard a familiar voice in the distance.

“I’m going to kill that bastard, Park Min-kyu!”

“Y-Yuna, calm down...!”

“I’ll tear him limb from limb...”

“He’s already been torn up!”

Jung Yuna was fuming, and Midsummer was trying to calm her down. The sight was intense enough that even my wagging tail paused. I quickly bid farewell to the people on the picnic mat and hurried over to Jung Yuna.

“I’ll destroy that filthy dog the next time I see him...”

As her eyes met mine, I flinched, feeling the intensity of her fury. Strangely, she also seemed to tremble at the sight of me.

What could have happened to make her so angry? I wasn’t sure, but I knew not to provoke her further.

“Um, I’m a cat, though...”

I tried to lighten the mood, hoping to remind her not to take her anger out on me. However, instead of calming down, Yuna’s face grew even paler.

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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars and likes of the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!