The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

“Levinas brought the police!”

Levinas hopped around the store like a horned rabbit.

I couldn’t believe that Levinas, who I thought had become friendly, would report us like this.

She must have reported us for kidnapping her.

Unable to offer any excuses, I could only apologize.

“I’m sorry, Levinas…”

“What do you mean?!”

“About keeping you at the guild…”

We had put a choker with a fake bomb on her.

It was something we shouldn’t have done to a child, yet we did, knowing they were a part of a dangerous group.

But today’s conversation made me realize that the real danger wasn’t Levinas, but those who were with her.

“Huh? Levinas didn’t report anything.”

“You didn’t…?”

“Yeah! I don’t know how to report! I’ve never learned!”

If she didn’t report, then why did she come with the police?

Confused, I turned around and observed the three police officers in the store.

“Are you going to arrest us…?”

“Well, that’s…”

The three officers hesitated and exchanged glances, clearly communicating something among themselves.

“Aren’t these kids from Daybreak Park?”

“Yes. They seem like the ones we often get reports about.”

The female officer’s comment prompted the oldest-looking officer to approach us hesitantly, and I instinctively stepped back.

“What are your names?”

“I’m Han Gyeoul…”

“And I am Sophia.”

“Sophia and Han Gyeoul…”

The middle-aged officer typed something on a palm-sized touchscreen, repeatedly murmuring our names as if conducting a background check.

Was it really because of me that the police had come?

As the realization hit, I started trembling.

“I’m sorry…”

Admitting guilt and apologizing seemed the right thing to do to reduce the sentence.

But having done so many wrong things, I didn’t know where to start.

So, I decided to start with the less severe issues.

“Why are you sorry?”

“For not having an ID…”

Being a beast-kin without an ID card, I was in a position where I couldn’t complain even if treated as an illegal immigrant.

The middle-aged officer cleared his throat loudly at my statement.

“…It’s normal not to have an ID.”

It’s normal not to have an ID?

Did they assume I was an illegal resident?

Perhaps the police were looking for something more than just illegal stay.

‘…Gasp.’

Could it be because of that?

I looked up at the police with trembling eyes.

“Last week, I went to the recycling area…”

“Yes, did you?”

“Yes. But there was this kettle that looked too new to be there.”

“Yes.”

Keep talking.

The police officer looked down at me, encouraging me to continue.

“…I might have taken something that still had an owner.”

It was a perfectly silver kettle, reflective like a mirror.

I thought it might not have been discarded, but lost instead.

Perhaps the owner of the kettle had reported me.

“Do you pick up things discarded at the recycling center?”

“Yes. I don’t have much money…”

The middle-aged officer sighed deeply, seemingly dismayed.

The young female officer exhibited a similar reaction.

“Don’t they give you anything in Daybreak?”

“Give what?”

“Like clothes, food, or some light support.”

There was plenty of support.

They waived the fee for clearing the horned rabbit dungeon, and I was allowed to catch fish in the pond.

Honestly, the support felt overly generous to me.

But why was the officer asking about support?

Confused, I just looked up at the two officers silently, and they started a conversation among themselves.

“This is quite shocking…”

“Indeed.”

What was so shocking?

Were they referring to my criminal record?

Embarrassed, I looked down at the ground.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again…”

Like any criminal, I begged for just one chance, eyes fixed on the floor.

Even without looking up, I knew what kind of expression the officers would have – one of contempt for a pathetic criminal.

“Are you talking about the kettle?”

“Yes. It was too clean, now that I think about it… From now on, I’ll only pick up dirty things…”

Clean items were more likely to have an owner.

I had forgotten this when I picked up the mattress that looked as good as new.

Or maybe I knew but chose to ignore it.

“Hmm…”

“Uh…”

“Uh oh.”

The three officers near me sighed.

Sophia watched silently from a distance, and Levinas was exploring the store, intrigued by everything.

“Am I going to be arrested?”

“No, no, you won’t be arrested for that.”

“Really? Then is it a fine?”

I quickly pulled out my coin purse.

Most of my bills were kept by Yeoreum, so all I had were three thousand-won notes and a few coins.

‘Hmm.’

It was ridiculously little for a fine.

But in any world, there’s a concept of an advance payment.

I gathered the money in both hands and offered it respectfully to the officers, showing my willingness to pay the fine.

“Is this okay for now…?”

Stretching out my hands with the money, Sophia, who had been quietly watching us, shook her head.

“Taking money from a kid, how low can the police go.”

“No, no! That’s not it!”

“It’s not a fine! You don’t have to pay!”

Startled by something, the officer waved his hand to refuse the money.

Sophia chuckled at his flustered reaction.

“Then why are you here…?”

“We were just on patrol. Curious about what the beast-kin children were doing.”

“Really…?”

Indeed.

It must have been unusual to see two beast-kin in a furniture store.

I felt relieved knowing they hadn’t come to arrest me.

“For now, the officer will take you home. Have you chosen a mattress?”

“Not yet…”

We hadn’t chosen one yet.

Just as I was about to say this, I heard a thumping noise and turned around.

“I’m having fun! Levinas will jump higher!”

Levinas was hopping on the mattresses with her dirty feet.

Though they were packaged, it seemed we would have to buy that one.

“Let’s go with that one.”

Sophia seemed to have the same thought, sighing deeply.

So, we finally managed to buy a mattress, which cost a whopping four hundred thousand won.

“Sophia, are you sure? It’s really expensive.”

“It’s okay. Better than sleeping in a box, isn’t it?”

That was true.

As I came to terms with it, the three officers each let out a sigh.

“A box…”

“Daybreak Guild is really…”

“That’s a bit harsh.”

What exactly were they sighing about?

While I was just observing the police, Sophia returned to my side after finishing the payment.

“They said they’ll deliver the mattress today.”

“That’s good.”

I had been wondering how we would carry such a large mattress, but they would deliver it.

Just when I was feeling relieved, the middle-aged officer pointed outside the building with his thumb.

“If you’re done, let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

“Okay…”

Were we being escorted by the police?

Perhaps they were just worried about Sophia and me, who looked like children.

Beast-kin children were more likely to be kidnapped due to their rarity.

We followed the police officers out.

Just as I thought we would safely reach home, the officer who first detained us tapped on the rear window of the police car.

“Do you want to ride here?”

“Yes…?”

“It’s more comfortable by car.”

No.

This is definitely an arrest.

Was everything up to now an act to catch me?

I stood there, blankly staring at the police car.

< + >

‘I want to see Gyeoul soon.’

Having finished her tasks outside, Yeoreum hurried back to the guild, eager to see the adorable Gyeoul and the other beast-kin children.

Of course, one of them was much older than herself.

‘But why doesn’t Sophia grow?’

Is it something unique to the beast-kin?

As Yeoreum pondered this while walking, she heard a thumping sound right next to her.

“Hmm?”

Yeoreum naturally turned her head to the side and her eyes widened in surprise.

There was Gyeoul, on the verge of crying, tapping the window of the car with her tiny clenched fists.

“Gyeoul?”

Why was Gyeoul in a police car, and with such a tearful expression?

As Yeoreum blinked in confusion, only looking at Gyeoul in the back seat, the traffic light on the road changed to green.

Vroom-

With a light engine sound, the car carrying Gyeoul started moving forward.

Meanwhile, Gyeoul, a feline beast-kin, had her mouth open wide enough to reveal her sharp, pointed fangs.

It was like the cry of a young kitten.

“Gyeoul…?”

Yeoreum could only watch helplessly as the police car grew distant, disappearing down an alley.

Until it vanished, Gyeoul and Yeoreum simply looked into each other’s eyes.