I used to think horned rabbits were only worth a few thousand won, but it turns out they actually fetch ten thousand won each. Betrayed and disheartened, I gaped at the kidnapper in shock.
"Isn't it your job to manage this place? You shouldn't be ripping off novices like this..."
I started calculating in my head. How much have I been cheated out of so far?
After hunting here for about three years, I realized I'd been shorted at least a million won—a sum I'd never managed to save in this life.
"W-What!? No! It's not what you think at all!"
The girl flailed her hands, looking almost pitiable.
"Aren't you the manager here?"
"I do oversee things, but I don't pocket a single won from it!"
Was she saying she worked for nothing? Some sort of volunteer job?
I narrowed my eyes at her, unconvinced.
"Why would you work for free?"
"It's more of a long-term investment. It helps me find promising adventurers early on and give themself a good image of me as a hardworking person who watches over the weak."
"A good image...?"
A slaver concerned about image... That's as ridiculous as a tame horned rabbit.
I glanced at the girl with a skeptical frown.
"Ah, um... I'm really sorry. It's definitely my mistake."
She bowed her head apologetically, clearly trying to salvage her reputation. Despite her empty apology, I chose to let it slide.
"Alright, just don't do this again, okay?"
"Y-Yes... I absolutely won't."
She forced an awkward smile, her shoulders slumping as if she had run out of steam.
Putting on a show and then collapsing like that. She really was pathetic.
"In return, I'll sell horned rabbits for ten thousand won from now on. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes. And I'll ensure you get back all the money you've missed out on."
"What?"
She wasn't a loan shark; how did she plan to retrieve the money?
Before I could voice my skepticism, she grabbed the horned rabbit and dashed toward the trading post.
Whoosh—!
Her speed was unbelievably fast, leaving me to stare blankly at her receding figure.
'She's really quick.'
The trading post was about two to three kilometers away, but she reached it in no time.
How much has my vision improved? My tail wagged unconsciously, reacting to my enhanced physical abilities.
Though my appearance had changed, being stronger now was actually an improvement. My old look wasn't truly mine anyway.
'At this rate, I could catch two horned rabbits a day.'
Two horned rabbits a day meant twenty thousand won. That was quite a lot.
If I earn some money, the first thing I should do is buy tape to fix the tent.
As I reveled in my optimistic thoughts, someone approached me.
"Girl, are you lost?"
"Huh?"
Turning to the side, I saw a middle-aged woman I didn't recognize. Her sudden appearance startled me, and I instinctively stepped back.
"I was concerned since it's rare to see a beast-kin child alone. Is your guardian nearby?"
"I, I, well..."
Was she genuinely worried? After a brief contemplation, I dismissed the idea. No one could have such pure intentions in this world.
"I don't know!"
Ignoring the woman, I sprinted across the expansive grassland, fleeing as fast as my altered body would allow.
Pant, pant
I headed for the forest, dense with trees.
Once I was deep enough, I hid under a secluded tree, panting heavily.
Pant
Why act kind when you've never seen me before? Annoyed, I picked up a nearby stone and threw it.
Thud—
The stone rolled on the ground and stopped against someone's shoe.
Startled, I looked up to see a familiar face.
"Ah."
It was Han Yeoreum.
I felt relieved that it wasn't a stranger, but then I froze.
I had no reason to feel reassured by the presence of someone who had previously threatened me.
"What are you doing here?"
"I don't know. Not telling you," I replied tersely, tossing another stone to the ground, making sure it landed nowhere near her.
"I've got a nice surprise for you. Will you tell me if I show it?"
"A nice surprise?"
She stepped closer and extended her hand, which had been hidden behind her back. It revealed an astonishing amount of money.
"Wh–what is all this?"
"I retrieved the money you were scammed out of. It turned out there was a corrupt employee at the trading post."
"Ah…"
She must be referring to the man who always seemed eager to buy the rabbits from me. I had thought he was just being helpful, but he had been deceiving me all along.
A wave of disappointment washed over me. This must be what betrayal feels like.
"Here, it's all yours."
"All of it?"
"Yes. Every bit of it."
She handed over the wad of cash, which was so thick it felt daunting to accept.
"How much is this?"
"Three million won in cash. The fraudulent employee was dismissed immediately."
"Th-three million!"
I took the money from her, held it up high, and then began counting it out on the ground, bill by bill. There were exactly three hundred notes. It was a sum I could scarcely have earned by going without food and working tirelessly for three years.
'Isn't there usually a reward up to twenty percent?'
While it was truly precious money, one must repay what they receive. I separated about fifty notes and tried to hand them to the girl.
"Here."
"What is this?"
"A reward."
I attempted to give her the money, but she lifted her hand too high for me to reach. It was a clear refusal of the money.
"You don't need to give me a reward."
"Why not?"
"Because, thanks to you, we caught a wrongdoer."
She seemed content because a wrongdoer was caught, meaning she was happy to have legally punished someone. No wonder she had raced to the trading post.
Was she delighted about finding someone new to torment? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of her malicious nature.
"Then, should I buy you a meal?"
"A meal?"
"Yes. I'll get you something tasty."
There was something I had always longed to eat if I ever had the money. It was so delicious that feeding it to the girl might even reduce her harassment.
"Hmmm... Maybe I'll let you treat me just for today."
"Great! It's the most delicious thing in the world!"
How long had it been since I had one of those? Just the thought made my mouth water.
"Sigh…"
I lingered in front of a famous burger chain. I couldn't believe I was about to walk into such a fancy place. Was it okay to indulge in this luxury just because I had money now?
Feeling conflicted, I paced back and forth.
"Aren't you going in?"
"I-I'm going in."
With a gentle push, I opened the gleaming glass door and stepped inside. It was a weekday morning, so there weren't many people around. I glanced around the restaurant and then settled into a chair in the farthest corner.
Due to my distinct ears and tail, I drew curious looks wherever I went.
"Have you had a lot of burgers before?"
"Y-yes. Loads."
In truth, this was my first time in this life, but I didn't want to seem inexperienced. Determined not to appear naive, I confidently raised my hand.
"Ex-excuse me!"
Several customers munching on burgers glanced my way, but no staff approached. Wasn't this how you ordered?
Confused, I looked around helplessly.
"You have to order at the counter."
"Oh?"
Remembering that chain restaurants usually required ordering at the counter, I felt a flush of embarrassment as people began to snicker around me.
"Uaa~~ Look at those drooping ears. So cute."
"Yeah, but why's she dressed like that?"
"She's a beast-kin kid. Some of them like that animal look."
Their whispers weren't meant for my ears, but my heightened hearing caught everything. Most of them were mocking my awkwardness.
"Ugh—"
Was I really unable to even order a burger? As my self-esteem took a nosedive, the girl tapped my shoulder.
"Shall I order for you? They have a shrimp patty burger that's really good."
"Yes, please…"
Unable to lift my head, I just laid it on the table. After a while, she returned, holding a piece of paper with a number on it.
"I-I know this. You go get it when the number matches."
Trying to make up for my earlier mistake, I hastily explained the receipt's purpose. Surprised that I knew the answer, her eyes widened.
"Wow, you know quite a bit, huh?"
"Yes. I remembered this."
With this, I wouldn't seem like a burger novice. Relieved, I exhaled deeply.
"Then, will you go get the burger when it's ready?"
"Me…?"
"Yes, you."
To collect the burger, I'd have to talk to someone at the counter. The idea of interacting with someone in such a sophisticated place felt daunting.
"I-I don't want to…"
I confessed immediately.