Chapter 113

Perseus appeared out of nowhere as the howl of a wolf rang through the air. I frantically waved my hands, realizing that to Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa, the word “wolf” would conjure up terrifying images. To ease their fear, I tried shouting reassurances—but before I could get a word out:

“HOOOOWWWLLLL!”

“KYAAAAAA!”

The wolf’s roar startled the kids so much they leapt in panic, screaming as they clung to me for safety.

“H-Haeuni has to go!”

“Chae-a’s getting eaten by Java…!”

“MUUUH!”

I wildly gestured to show everything was okay, but terror had taken hold—my signals went unnoticed as they clung tighter, trembling all over. Patting their backs while whispering calming words proved futile.

“No way! It’s dangerous—we gotta run! If we don’t, some scary wolves will come and bite our heads off! Really!”

Chae-a earnestly pleaded with me, then deciding words weren’t enough, grabbed my hand and bolted toward the underground city.

“…?!”

I repeated that everything was fine, but Chae-a either didn’t hear or ignored me entirely, hustling Yuna and Seoa along at breakneck speed.

‘Whatever…’

Sometimes time solves things best, so I decided to let her cool down while keeping pace behind them.

*

We arrived at the heart of the underground city, where buildings slightly larger than Chae-a stood nearby, crafted specially from cotton. The four of us collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath before slowly standing upright again.

“They won’t chase after us here, right?”

“Don’t know… A big monster might still appear.”

“KOOOOM! Koom muh!”

Listening to their chatter, I pondered what to say but ultimately gave up. Initially, I thought calming their escape instincts would be wise, but reflecting further, this experience could teach them survival skills.

‘Such experiences help you learn how to properly flee in dangerous situations.’

Of course, the odds of such an encounter were slim-to-none, but preparation is key. Besides, it looked kinda fun!

My tail wagged furiously in agreement, darting around behind me. Pulling it close to calm it down, I noticed Chae-a making a serious suggestion.

“We should hide—they might follow!”

Chae-a proved unexpectedly thorough and showed strong leadership under pressure. As I marveled at her abilities during crises, Yuna perked up, nodding vigorously.

“Let’s climb high—it’ll be safer!”

Yuna pointed to a building slightly taller than Chae-a and proposed climbing atop it. With a gleam in her eye, Chae-a agreed enthusiastically, declaring “Yuna’s super smart!”

“Seoa first, then Haeuni…”

Apparently organizing by height, Chae-a began hoisting Seoa upward with grunts of effort. Seeing this, I offered assistance, helping lift Seoa smoothly thanks to our combined strength.

“Next is Haeuni!”

It was my turn next. Determined to assess the situation from above, I climbed successfully with Chae-a and Yuna’s help.

“You too, Yuna!”

“Got it!”

Surprisingly, Yuna ascended without much trouble—but now only Chae-a remained below. Attempting to pull her up proved difficult; despite our efforts, her weight resisted. We paused, stumped.

‘Hmm… What now?’

Just then, Seoa crawled over, smiling confidently like Chae-a and chirping “Muuuh!” Nearby cotton creatures gathered en masse, supporting Chae-a’s back and feet, aiding her ascent. Their collective strength worked wonders—Chae-a triumphantly joined us on the roof.

“Chae-a made it too!”

We applauded her arrival, which brought visible pride to her face as she grinned broadly.

“So, we’re safe here, right?”

“Exactly. This place feels secure.”

“Muuuuh.”

Warmth filled the moment until reality struck.

“But wait… How do we get down?”

At Yuna’s question, everyone froze. Indeed, there seemed no clear way down. Realizing this, we peered nervously over the edge, exchanging glances.

“What do we do… Maybe we’ll have to live here forever?”

Chae-a’s comment left Yuna and Seoa momentarily stunned. They adopted grave expressions, starting a serious discussion about potential escape strategies.

Curious, I quietly observed, cradling my tail as they deliberated. Suddenly, Chae-a turned to us, introducing a somber topic.

“If we can’t leave, we might starve…”

The mere mention of starvation caused Yuna and Seoa’s faces to darken dramatically. Clearly unwilling to go hungry, they fidgeted anxiously, proposing various solutions.

Seoa started things off, tapping the floor emphatically with her palm. Her meaning eluded us, though her seriousness was evident.

“MYAHHH!”

Unlike me, Chae-a understood, nodding approvingly and responding “Okay!” Afterward, she explained Seoa’s message.

“She says staying brave is important… Like the first pig!”

First pig bravery…? Given the reference to pig siblings, it seemed related to the Three Little Pigs story, yet I couldn’t recall any part mentioning the eldest pig’s courage. Confusion lingered.

‘Isn’t that more recklessness than courage?’

Regardless, I nodded along as usual when suddenly Yuna pulled three candies from her pocket, presenting them gravely.

“I have these. Enough for Haeuni, Seoa, and Chae-a sister.”

Emergency rations meant survival—at least temporarily. Chuckling softly at the candy in my palm, I watched as Yuna delivered sobering news.

“If we eat all of this, we may starve afterward…”

The harsh truth hit home: three measly candies wouldn’t last long. Chae-a and Seoa whimpered softly, gazing downward in despair.

“What do we do…!?”

Desperation led them to call out desperately for help.

“Sister… Save us…!”

“MUUUUUH!”

Seeing tears brewing, I checked my phone, still broadcasting live.

[GoYangYangYangi- Ahahaha, the kids are crying! Too cute, can’t stop laughing 😂]

[HandPoPoPo- OMG, first time seeing Chae-a call for help. So adorable 🥹]

[SiRungRuRung- lol, need to rescue them soon tho. Want to join 😂]

No sign of Seorin or Han Arin online suggested they were already rushing here. Soon enough, salvation would arrive. Patting the children’s backs reassuringly, I spotted movement far off.

“Here comes someone.”

Peering closer, Perseus emerged unexpectedly. His sudden appearance startled us briefly until he spread his arms wide, signaling readiness to save us. Smirking playfully, he announced:

“Hmm. Everything comes with a price.”

Why bring up prices now? Staring incredulously at Perseus’ cruel reminder of worldly truths, I shook my head firmly in refusal—but unlike me, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa flailed eagerly.

“I’ll start with Seoa.”

Gently lifting Seoa into his arms, Perseus awaited payment. Seoa responded by lightly slapping his cheek instead of kissing it.

“MUUUH!”

Confusion arose—had Seoa mistaken a slap for a kiss? Or did she not even know what a kiss was? Laughing awkwardly, I warned against such actions, only for Seoa to wrap her tiny arms around Perseus’ face and giggle uncontrollably.

“MUUU MUUU!”

Apparently pleased, Perseus patted her back before extending a hand to Yuna and Chae-a. Uncertainly, Chae-a voiced concern.

“Chae-a doesn’t want to hit people… But if it saves me, do I have to punch?”

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