“An apology…?”

Yeoreum, unable to follow the fleeing Gyeoul, stood still on the spot, frozen by her last shout.

‘I didn’t apologize…?’

Yeoreum thought back to the day Gyeoul woke up.

She had intended to apologize right away, but Gyeoul ran off, missing the opportunity.

Even afterwards, she kept looking for a chance, but Gyeoul’s life was so shocking that she just blanked out.

Yeoreum finally realized as she retraced her memories.

She had neither apologized nor explained anything to Gyeoul.

“Oh no-!”

Damn it!

How could she forget the most important part!

Yeoreum slapped her cheeks, hitting herself.

Although she hit herself hard enough to make her cheeks burn, Yeoreum paid no attention to her own pain.

Since she hadn’t apologized or explained, Gyeoul must have continued to harbor doubts.

Gyeoul must have harbored doubts about the sudden changes in her body but was too scared of the adults to ask.

It was all her fault.

She stood in shock, her mouth agape.

“Um, Yeoreum…?”

“Ah?! Yes!”

“Why did Gyeoul suddenly act like that…?”

“The leader is angry!”

Yeoreum snapped back to reality upon hearing the beast-kin speak to her.

She could blame herself later, but the opportunity to apologize wouldn’t come again if missed.

It was crucial to chase after Gyeoul and offer a heartfelt apology.

“Could you two wait here for a moment?”

“Will Lord Gyeoul be alright?”

“Yes. I swear on my life that nothing will happen to her.”

A life-sworn promise was one of the biggest vows a beast-kin could make.

Encia and Argo nodded in understanding.

Yeoreum then ran towards the direction Gyeoul had fled to.

It was a slightly dangerous part of the beginners’ hunting ground, a forest where goblins appeared.

Of course, with Gyeoul’s current state, she wouldn’t even get a scratch, so Yeoreum didn’t worry about that.

✱✱✱

‘I really hate her.’

Thump Thump-

I stabbed the dirt with a branch as if it were the girl.

I vented my frustration on the dirt, imagining it was her.

“Tch.”

Looking at the torn ground, my anger subsided.

It was best to stop the venting here.

I stood up and looked around.

I had run deeper than the forest where I had escaped from the middle-aged woman before.

Due to my improved cardio and running speed, I had ended up in a pretty deep area.

‘This is…’

The forest where goblins appear.

It was a place I never entered because it was dangerous.

Lost in my emotions, I had run to a place where I thought I wouldn’t be seen.

“Cough.”

I clutched the bow for vigilance, but the arrows were with the wolf woman.

As I lowered the seemingly useless bow, a rustling sound came from the lush greenery of the forest.

“!”

Had the girl followed me?

I listened intently, but all I heard was the grotesque sound of a beast.

That’s the sound goblins make when they cry.

Frozen with fear against a tree, three goblins started emerging from the bushes, heading my way.

Gasp

I had lost my mind.

Why would I fled to a goblin forest?

I quickly hid myself in the bushes.

Did they come looking for me because of the sound of digging?

A goblin appeared where I had been, looking around.

It perked up its long ears and sniffed the branch I used for digging.

‘They have a good sense of smell-!’

I wasn’t sure how good, but seeing them track by scent meant they were somewhat confident in it.

I quickly sprinkled the dirt on the ground all over my body.

To properly mask my scent, I should have rubbed it in, but the goblins were already too close.

Fearing that rubbing would give away my position, I settled for just sprinkling the dirt.

“Kerk?”

“Kiruk?”

The goblins, conversing in their unintelligible language, began to retreat back the way they came.

They appeared to be fishing for me, hiding briefly behind the forest, but eventually moved on when I didn’t show up.

I would have been fooled if not for my enhanced hearing.

“Phew.”

Goblins.

They were far stronger and more cunning than the horned rabbits.

As I sighed and stepped out of my hiding place.

Crunch-

Someone else was making their way through the forest towards me, running incredibly fast, as if they knew I was there.

Gasp

A familiar voice from behind called out.

“Gyeoul?”

It was too late to hide fully; only my face was buried in the bushes, leaving the rest of my body exposed.

I felt like a chicken that hides its head in the straw, thinking its whole body is concealed.

Those fools think they’re hidden if they cover their faces.

But now, I was doing the same foolish thing.

Feeling like a stupid chicken, I didn’t dare show my face, just lying there.

Only my tail was limply hanging out.