The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

Chapter 49

Before Sophia finished getting ready and returned, I led Levinas deeper into the park.

Although the guild park was technically a no-alcohol zone, there was one spot where drinking was allowed. The secluded forest area, hidden from people’s eyes, was perfect for collecting empty bottles.

"Can these really turn into money?!"

"Yeah."

Levinas picked up an empty beer bottle. She wrinkled her nose, seemingly bothered by the strong alcohol smell lingering around the bottle’s mouth.

"How does this turn into money?!"

"You just take it to the convenience store, and they’ll give you cash for it."

"A convenience store! Levinas knows about those! Only rich people go there!"

Hopping excitedly, Levinas sprinted toward the convenience store’s direction. Being a horned rabbit beast-kin, her speed outpaced mine.

‘Is her collar going to be alright?’

It won’t explode, but if she gets too far, it might start beeping.

I anxiously kept an eye on the direction of the store, waiting, when Levinas came rushing back toward me.

"Money...! I got money...!"@@@@

Levinas ran up to me and opened her clenched fist. In her small hand were a 100-won coin and two 10-won coins.

"Did you already sell the bottle?"

"Yep! This is the first time in my life I’ve ever earned money! Why did they give me money for a bottle?!"

Excited about earning her first money, Levinas jumped up and down.

I felt a wave of nostalgia. I remembered feeling like that when I sold my first bottle in this world. The system was the same, and at least it meant you wouldn’t starve to death.

"...Empty bottles can be cleaned and reused. That’s why they pay you for them."

"Ohhh!"

She must have wanted to sell more bottles, because her gaze shifted toward a man drinking with his friends. However, the beer bottle in his hand was still more than half full.

"I want to sell that one too!"

"That one has an owner. You can’t sell it until they leave it behind."

The man might sell the bottle himself.

There was no need to covet something that still had an owner.

"So I can’t sell that one?"

"No, you can only sell things that don’t have owners."

"Aww..."

Clearly disappointed, Levinas slumped her shoulders.

At that moment, the man gulped down the rest of his beer in one go.

Gulp, gulp—

He downed the remaining beer, and for a moment, I worried he might get alcohol poisoning. Then he rolled the empty bottle into the nearby bushes.

"Hah, today the drinks are going down easy..."

"Yeah... if we leave the empties here, someone will come and pick them up, right?"

His friend, also holding an empty bottle, rolled it into the bushes.

Before the bottles even stopped rolling, Levinas dashed over and grabbed them.

"Bottles! Levinas picked up two bottles!"

"Uh, yeah. Lucky break."

Wait.

Didn’t something feel off about that?

As I observed the men drinking, Sophia approached us, leaning on her cane.

"So this is where you were. It’s about time we head back."

"Okay..."

I responded and glanced at Levinas. I was still thinking about what to do when she spoke first.

"Levinas wants to pick up more bottles! But I have a favor to ask!"

"A favor?"

"Yeah! There aren’t enough bottles in the park! I want to pick up bottles outside too!"

"Ah..."

Was she asking me to remove her collar so she could go outside and collect bottles?

Since it wasn’t something I could do, I looked at Sophia.

"...Just make sure you’re back by the end of the day."

"Yay!"

Levinas hopped off like a horned rabbit, darting away somewhere. The thought that I had somehow helped her made me feel surprisingly good.

Now that she thought about it, Levinas realized she didn’t know the king’s age.

She tilted her head in confusion.

"So, are the shark and the king family?"

"No, we’re not family."

"Oh no..."

An adult with no blood relation was holding a child while they slept.

The officers instinctively sensed something horrifying.

"Do the shark and the king ever touch your body without permission...?"

"Officer Kim, stop."

"Huh?"

"Stop asking the child. Let’s check this out ourselves."

Ah.

The officer must have been worried about traumatizing the child.

Officer Kim nodded in understanding.

"Levinas, do you know where the king and the scary shark are right now?"

"Yep! They went to buy a mattress from that furniture store over there!"

There was only one furniture store nearby.

Sergeant Choi radioed one of the officers stationed near the store.

---

I was at the furniture store with Sophia, examining mattresses.

As I pressed down on one, testing its softness, a policeman approached us.

"A shark with a cane... and the king of beasts...?"

"Huh?"

The policeman looked at me and Sophia, studying us carefully.

After glancing back and forth a few times, he picked up the radio attached to his chest.

"Sir, I think I’ve found the shark and the king of beasts...?"

– Already? That quickly?

"Yes. It’s clearly the shark. I’m not sure about the beast part, but they definitely fit the description."

The shark must be Sophia, and the beast must be referring to me, since I’m from a feline race.

Feeling uneasy, I instinctively moved closer to Sophia.

– What do you mean by that?

"You’ll understand when you see them. But are you sure it

’s the shark and the beast?"

– Yeah. We’re heading over now, so please wait there.

"Okay, we’ll wait."

After ending the radio call, the policeman bowed slightly toward us.

At least he didn’t seem too threatening.

"Hey, kids...?"

"Yes...?"

"Could you wait here for a moment?"

"W-why?"

Was something about to happen?

I found myself shrinking my shoulders.

"The officer just needs to investigate something."

"Investigate...?"

"Gyeoul, let’s just wait and see."

"Okay..."

What could they possibly be investigating?

Sophia and I stood there, unable to buy the mattress, just waiting.

After about five minutes, two more officers walked into the furniture store.

"The shark and... the beast...?"

The middle-aged male officer stared at me and Sophia, his eyes wide with shock.

The younger female officer gasped and squeezed her eyes shut.

What’s going on?

I shrank back, confused, while watching the officers.

Suddenly, from behind the two officers, a familiar figure jumped out.

"Levinas is here!"

Seeing the cheerful Levinas, I couldn’t help but think that she might have reported Sophia and me to the police.