How Druids Live with the Beast

The cockatrice’s eyes sharpened, but Heukgyeon’s front paw kept it pinned down.

“Friend.”

Eunho’s voice calling out to the cockatrice dropped slightly in tone.

“…Did a human just speak our language? A human?”

The low voice was mixed with an absurd emotion.

“I’m a bit special.”

Eunho reached out his hand to the cockatrice.

It shrieked as if in a last-ditch attempt to fight.

“Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!”

With clear hostility, Eunho’s chest hurt a little, but he didn’t approach.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Ha! Do you think I don’t know that humans lie as much as they eat?”

“Think whatever you want. No matter how much I talk right now, none of it will reach your ears. What I want is…”

“You’ve won. I admit it.”

Cutting off Eunho’s words, the cockatrice’s beak opened.

It seemed to be drawing a sneer.

“I said that first, didn’t I?”

“Did you want them so badly? Take them. They’re useless anyway. I’ll leave on my own, so you can let go of this, right?”

“Wait a minute. A person… no, why are you in such a rush?”

Eunho sat down in front of the cockatrice.

At his strange behavior, the cockatrice lowered its gaze.

“Why would I leave?”

“Stop talking nonsense. Are you mocking me? Don’t act so high and mighty.”

“If you want that mouth to stay unharmed, don’t say anything more.”

Heukgyeon applied more pressure with his front paw. With the surge of pain, the cockatrice let out a brief scream.

“…For someone like you to stand with the humans. Why? Are they feeding you? Are you wagging your tail like a dog?”

The cockatrice deliberately provoked Heukgyeon.

“That kind of trick won’t work.”

Eunho firmly said as he placed his hand on the cockatrice’s wing.

He had braced himself for the dirty, disgusting sensation, but instead, the cockatrice’s face showed surprise at the entirely different warmth.

It strangely felt like sunlight.

“I don’t want to see our old dog hurt anyone, and I can’t stand leading them into doing so.”

As Eunho wiped away his smile, a strangely cold expression appeared, like claws revealing themselves over a wave of lethargy.

There was nothing particularly cold about his face, though.

“Listen carefully, friend. What I want is simple. Don’t hurt anyone with force, solve things through conversation. If a problem arises that you can’t resolve, call me. Let’s figure it out together.”

“What…?”

“To put it simply, it’s like saying we should get along with each other.”

“Are you even making sense? Do you even understand what you’re saying?”

“I understand, so I’m saying it.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Get along? You’re making me laugh! Why should I get along with those things? Just kill them! Kill them! Or are you too scared to kill someone with those weak hands of yours?”

Despite the cockatrice’s provocation, Eunho remained unfazed.

In fact, its behavior only seemed to provoke the cockatrice’s temper further.

“Friend, why be afraid of talking to each other when it’s easier than hurting and threatening someone?”

“That’s the way of humans, isn’t it?”

The cockatrice clacked its beak angrily, and Eunho naturally took the lead in the conversation.

In a conversation, the side that gets upset first usually loses their logic and focus.

“Don’t try to force your human ways onto me! The weak must obey the strong! That’s all there is to it!”

Eunho returned a languid smile to his face.

With just a little push, it had fallen apart so easily.

“Well then, why not do it?”

“…What?”

“You said you must obey. I, along with my old dog, defeated you, didn’t we? So you should do whatever we say.”

As Eunho’s finger drew closer, the cockatrice paused and looked at him with wide eyes.

“You talk all smooth, but in the end, you don’t like it, do you? You’re scared of change, aren’t you?”

They were speaking the same language, unlike animals.

Yet they were following methods similar to animals.

What happens when a relationship that starts with oppression gets turned upside down?

It seemed that was why it was being so sensitive. It was probably scary and difficult because it was a world it hadn’t experienced before.

“Alright, friend.”

Eunho stood up and looked down at the cockatrice.

“For now, our friend should stop attacking. I won’t ask you to get along with the others. I’ll just ask the other friends to stay away from you. So, you don’t have to leave.”

“…Don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying.”

“If you didn’t want me to leave, then why are you doing this? Why are you twisting these rules that were working just fine?”

The cockatrice spoke with a voice that seemed suffocated.

This was the first time it had ever experienced something like this.

In this brief moment, it felt like everything it had known was falling apart.

“…It’s difficult, isn’t it?”

Eunho lightly smiled.

After wiping away Leviyatam’s tears, it seemed like another one was crying now.

This wasn’t what he had intended. The situation that had unfolded from his thoughts to reality was so different.

If this were human society, the cockatrice would surely have been killed for being such a vile creature, but in the world of beastmen, that was just how things were, and it couldn’t be said to be wrong.

That’s why it was difficult.

“Let’s think it over again, together. Promise me.”

The cockatrice didn’t respond to Eunho’s words.

Eunho lifted his head and looked at the black dog.

“Let him go, old dog.”

The black dog lowered his head and whispered softly to the cockatrice.

“If you even touch a single hair on that human, I’ll chew your bones.”

The words were sharp, like needles piercing through the body, and the cockatrice briefly closed its eyes before opening them again.

The black dog withdrew his foot, and only then did the cockatrice stand up.

The cockatrice looked at the black dog first, then at Eunho, and then at the other beastmen.

Its gaze felt heavy.

The cockatrice moved backward and then, without a word, ran back in the direction it had come from.

Watching its fleeing figure in silence, Eunho turned around.

He smiled as if nothing had happened and opened his mouth.

“That friend will keep their promise, so you should keep yours too. Don’t provoke anyone this time just to get back what happened to you. Can you do that?”

“Do you think it will really keep its promise?”

“…I’m scared. What if my antennae get cut off?”

“Human, what happens if we attack while you’re not around?”

The distrust that started from one of them quickly spread.

The time that had been suppressed couldn’t be turned around just like that, but Eunho could feel it creaking.

“I… believe.”

At that moment, Leviyatam spoke up.

“It took my tongue, but I know it’s not the kind of being that lies.”

Fearing that it might foam at the mouth, Leviyatam slowly moved backward.

“You’re doing all this for me, for you all, and if you still don’t believe, that’s just pathetic.”

Its voice gradually weakened.

In truth, Leviyatam was scared too. It might say everything was a misunderstanding, but the painful memories from those times couldn’t be erased.

“…You know.”

Leviyatam cautiously looked at Eunho.

“Se Eunho.”

As soon as the name was revealed, the black dog tightly shut its eyes.

‘You told them your name again.’

It really didn’t listen.

It wanted to scream, but the flow the human desired wasn’t one dominated by fear.

Its own words only brought fear to them.

“Why did you help me the first time, Se Eunho?”

Leviyatam’s question was met with Eunho’s casual response.

“Just because. There’s no grand reason. I was curious about your story.”

He crouched down and met Leviyatam’s gaze.

“Even if it weren’t me, someone would have listened to your story. It just happened to be me.”

“I’m not human though…?”

“What does that matter? We’re able to communicate like this.”

Eunho extended his fist.

Leviyatam stared blankly for a moment, then extended its paw.

When Eunho smiled, Leviyatam bumped its paw against his fist.

Strangely, warmth seemed to spread.

As Leviyatam’s mouth stretched into a smile, tears began to fall.

“…Le, Leviyatam? Is this the tear button? Is this a signal to cry?”

Eunho was taken aback, but Leviyatam shook its head.

It had endured the cold gazes and harsh words because it was afraid of being alone.

It had caused accidents with uncontrollable strength as it clung to others, desperately wanting to be seen.

But now, it was okay.

“…I’m so happy.”

“I’m happy too, seeing you happy.”

At Eunho’s warm smile, Leviyatam gently closed its eyes.

Tears still fell, but laughter bubbled up.

It was so hard to express just how happy it was.

“How much happier could I be? I’m so, so happy!”

Bubbling.

Foam came out of Leviyatam’s mouth.

“…Uh, uh!”

Eunho froze in shock.

Leviyatam and the beastmen around them tensed up as well.

“…Ha.”

The black dog let out a sigh and slammed its paw down on the foam.

Thud!

A hissing sound, like a deflating balloon, echoed beneath the black dog’s paw.

“You need to control that power again,” it said.

Leviyatam nodded, and Eunho silently gave a thumbs up.

***

“…This is RB-21. We’ve detected abnormal reactions and have arrived at the location.”

She reported while looking at her companion.

He shook his head, signaling her to continue.

“Currently, we don’t see anything. We’ll continue the search and contact you again.”

After cutting off the communication, she approached her companion.

“Really, nothing at all?”

“It’s just a wasteland here. No matter how well you hide, you’ll still be seen. Are you sure there were actually any beast reactions?”

He shrugged, turning the suspicion back on her.

“I’m sure. I checked multiple times, wondering if there was an error.”

On their left shoulders, the lion-faced insignia, indicating they were beast handlers, was visibly emblazoned.

“This place is far from the city, so it should be fine, right?”

When he asked, she frowned.

She let out a sharp sigh and then glared at him.

“Are you out of your mind? What will you do if the beasts start attacking people? Are you ready to take responsibility for that?”

“…Ha. These beasts never listen. I told them to stay in the designated area.”

“Are they even human? Are you really expecting them to listen?”

“Our dog at home knows to stay still when told. How long do we have to keep doing this? Do you think I came here to clean up after the beasts?”

He wore a look of exasperation.

It was always the same.

These arrogant animals, who didn’t even understand words, kept sneaking out of the beast protection zone.

“Then why did you come here?”

She asked in disbelief.

“Well, they pay well. And I thought it would be like a shepherd’s job. If it wasn’t for the money, I’d have quit already.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Oh, by the way, I saw a house over there earlier. Did you check it out?”

“It was empty. I’ll check again tomorrow. You go check tonight, maybe file a complaint. That could get your salary cut.”

“Hey! Are you sure you looked carefully?”

She shouted in surprise.

“Why are you yelling?”

“What if the beasts attacked a person? Did you see any bloodstains?”

“…I didn’t see any.”

“Then hurry up! Now!”

She revealed her anxiety and ran ahead, with him following reluctantly.

‘I really didn’t smell any blood.’

He had the supernatural ability to distinguish smells.

There were several beast scents and strange odors in the air, all overwhelming his senses.

The smell was so sweet, it was unlike anything he had ever smelled before.

‘Did someone spill honey or something?’

***

Eunho quietly opened his eyes and turned his head.

Leviyatam was curled up on a coat hanger pole, sleeping soundly in a “V” shape with his tail wrapped around it.

When he walked to the window and opened it, a cool breeze rushed in.

He crouched briefly by the window frame. His hair swayed lightly in the breeze.

Perhaps because he was far from the city, or because this was a different world, the stars in the sky were so clear.

One thing that caught his eye was the unfamiliar view, completely different from his world.

“What are you doing?”

A deep voice accompanied a large shadow.

Eunho smirked.

“Shh. Leviyatam is sleeping.”

Eunho climbed up the window.

The shadow shifted to the black dog, which hurriedly pressed closer to the window.

As Eunho jumped into the black dog’s body, he felt the hairs standing up on his face.

“What are you doing, human?”

“I’m trying something I haven’t done before. I decided to become someone different from before.”

“When did you decide that?”

“From today?”

“…Grow up.”

The black dog snorted loudly.

“What is the big dog doing in the middle of the night?”

“I’ve always been like this. I just like the night.”

“If you don’t sleep much, you won’t grow. You’re only 10 years old.”

“I’m fully grown. You should grow up more, human.”

“I’m grown too. I just wish I were a bit bigger. Maybe as big as you, big dog?”

The black dog ignored Eunho’s chatter and slowly circled around the house.

“Human.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you confused?”

Eunho was slightly surprised by the question. He hadn’t expected the black dog to say something like that.

“…A bit? I’m just wondering if this is the right thing. I keep thinking if I really limited the beasts’ actions or not.”

“Then, do you regret it?”

“There’s only one thing bothering me, but I don’t regret it.”

Eunho lay back on the black dog’s body, smiling contentedly.

He had seen Leviyatam so happy—what could he regret?

“Then why are you still worried?”

“Big dog, don’t you think I’m strange?”

“You were already strange. You’re still strange.”

Who else would make beasts fearful and then offer a yellow flower, saying “let’s go together?”

“That’s too much. You should at least say it’s not the time for this.”

Eunho grumbled, and the black dog, looking ahead, replied.

“Grow up now.”

Ding dong. Ding dong.

The doorbell rang early in the morning, and Eunho, with a groggy face, walked down the stairs.

‘…Who is it so early?’

Before saying anything, Eunho cleared his throat and pressed the intercom button.

A man and a woman were standing there, their faces unfamiliar.

‘Delivery… I didn’t order anything?’

Eunho scratched his shoulder and asked.

“Who are you?”

“We are from the Beast Management Bureau.”

“…….”

Eunho instantly woke up.