The Strongest Guild Kidnapped Me

Chapter 108

We advanced while defeating monsters and eventually settled in a clearing. Midsummer approached Choi Jinhyuk after ensuring the area was safe.

“Jinhyuk, I think the kids need to eat now.”

“Yeah.”

With a short reply, Choi Jinhyuk disappeared into the bushes. I could hear him moving around nearby, ensuring our safety.

“Aren’t we eating lunch together?”

“No, Jinhyuk is keeping watch just in case anything happens.”

“Oh…”

It made sense. Mealtime was when our guard could drop most easily, which could be dangerous if we weren’t careful.

“Normally, we’d take turns eating, but since this is Gyeoul’s first time doing party play, we’ll save that for later.”

“Hmm…”

It would have been nice to eat lunch together. I felt a bit guilty.

“Then I’ll eat quickly and switch with him.”

“No. If you eat too fast, you’ll get indigestion. Chew slowly, okay?”

“...Yes…”

Midsummer was more worried than I realized. Knowing her concern came from a good place, I decided not to argue.

Suddenly—

Levinas raised her hand high.

“Everyone, pay attention to Levinas!”

Her loud voice made some gnolls in the distance react. I, attuned to sensing presences, immediately noticed them sniffing the air and heading in our direction.

I need to tell them monsters are coming. As I looked urgently at Midsummer, I heard a dull thud, and the gnolls’ presence disappeared. Choi Jinhyuk had already dealt with them for us.

‘Ah.’

So Choi Jinhyuk had noticed them too. Midsummer probably knew as well but hadn’t mentioned it so we could enjoy a brief rest.

‘I need to relax too.’

I calmed my mana and looked at Levinas, who beamed when she saw everyone’s eyes on her.

“Look at this! It’s a horned rabbit mat!”

Levinas proudly pulled out a mat decorated with a horned rabbit design. Midsummer, who had been rummaging in her bag, quickly hid her own mat.

“Wow, we were going to eat on the ground, but Levinas brought a mat?”

“R-really?! Did Levinas do good?!”

“Yes, Levinas did great.”

Clap, clap, clap—

Following Midsummer’s applause, we all joined in. Levinas, delighted by the praise, bounced happily.

“Levinas will lay the mat next to the flowers!”

Levinas placed the mat beside a patch of red flowers and began arranging things her way. She scattered her Animal King cards around and set up her stuffed animals. We waited patiently for her to finish.

“Done!”

“Can we come in now, Levinas?”

“Yes, come in!”

With her permission, we all stepped onto the mat. She must have thought about where we’d sit while setting up, as there was plenty of space.

“It feels like a picnic.”

Saebyeok, with her usual expressionless face, wagged her tail. The tail brushed the Animal King cards back and forth.

“Yes! We’re on a picnic! Let’s eat lunch together!”

Levinas pulled a small, round lunchbox from her bag. Since she was still a child, she didn’t eat much.

“Everyone, share lunch with Levinas!”

“Okay.”

Saebyeok revealed her lunchbox. Inside was raw fish, unprepared.

“Dark Queen, didn’t you cook your food…?”

“No. I’ll eat it raw.”

“I-is that so…?”

Levinas hesitated for a moment before biting into Saebyeok’s fish. A second later, she backed away with a gagging sound.

“Not tasty.”

“Huh?”

Saebyeok tilted her head and handed the fish to me. Knowing she wanted me to taste it, I took a bite.

“Wow…”

This was heavenly. My tail, wagging with excitement, brushed against Kwon Arin’s cheek as she bent over to eat her lunch.

“It’s good, right?”

“Yes.”

Saebyeok’s tail wagged more energetically, probably because she was happy I liked it. Kwon Arin, sitting between us, got smacked by both our tails.

“Arin, can we switch seats?”

“It’s fine. How much could it hurt to get hit by a kid’s tail?”

“Switch.”

“Oh… okay.”

Kwon Arin and Midsummer swapped places. Now Saebyeok’s and my tail started smacking Midsummer’s face and body.

“Sorry. I can’t stop my tail…”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“…Yes.”

Despite the tails hitting her, Midsummer just smiled. Was she simply enjoying eating lunch with us? Whatever the reason, seeing her happy made me decide not to overthink it.

“Hm…”

Kwon Arin looked at the kids with a mix of amusement and confusion. After finishing lunch, we ran around the clearing before falling asleep in each other’s arms like dolls.

The sight was cute, but was it okay to be this relaxed in a dungeon? I glanced at Midsummer, but she only wore a content smile.

“Arin, do you want to take a short nap too?”

“Unni…?”

“Oh, sorry.”

Midsummer scratched her cheek. Maybe her maternal instincts were kicking in, as she couldn’t help treating Arin like a child.

Well, Arin did seem childlike. She was much shorter than Midsummer, after all. Midsummer chuckled quietly to herself.

“Unni, is this really okay in a dungeon…?”

“Hehe, technically, it’s not. But they’re still kids. Let’s not push them too hard and take it easy.”

“Yes…”

Kwon Arin nodded and lay down next to the kids, planning to play on her handheld game console during the downtime.

“Arin, if this pace bothers you or if you have any complaints, make sure to speak up.”

“No, I have no complaints. Actually, this is nice.”

“Really?”

“Yes. This is the kind of adventure I dreamed of.”

Kwon Arin, who had faced countless rejections and contempt as a bottom-rank adventurer, knew better than anyone how extraordinary this situation was.

There was no discrimination based on being a porter. They didn’t rank each other by skill. Instead, they moved forward together, supporting each other. This was the ideal adventurer’s life she had always longed for.

‘Gyeoul’s archery skills were impressive.’

Every arrow hit its mark without fail, striking the monsters’ heads. Although she hadn’t seen her fight, Saebyeok managed to take down a few monsters as well.

And Levinas… She diligently set up the mat and even showed off her cute stuffed animals. She was doing her best in her role, which was amazing in its own way.

‘This is a good party.’

Leading the team and giving orders helped her grow as a leader. It would be hard to find another party like this anywhere in the world.

“Hm…”

She decided not to play games. Kwon Arin put her console back into her bag. There would be time for that after everything was done.

For now, she’d just pat the kids’ heads as they slept.

---

“Mmm…”

I rubbed my eyes as I woke up. In my sleepy haze, I saw Midsummer come into view.

“Did you sleep well, Gyeoul?”

“Yes…”

Midsummer was carrying me as she walked. She was holding Saebyeok too, while Levinas was on her back.

What was going on? My drowsy mind struggled to understand until I realized—

“The dungeon!”

“Yes, we’re at the boss room now.”

“What?”

The boss room? Had they carried us all the way here while we slept? I quickly shook my head and jumped out of Midsummer’s arms.

“Should we wake up and go in?”

“Yes.”

A short distance away, a giant gnoll stood. It was three times the size of a normal gnoll and known as the strongest first-stage boss—the Gnoll Warrior.

“Saebyeok, wake up. It’s the boss room.”

“Nya…”

I shook Saebyeok’s leg, waking her up. She yawned like a cat and blinked her eyes open. Like me, she shook her head and jumped down beside me.

“Hold formation.”

“Okay.”

Kwon Arin, Saebyeok, and I stood in a straight line and approached the Gnoll Warrior. Before we could fight the boss, we had to deal with the smaller ones protecting it.

‘I’ll use the explosive arrow.’

There were no other signs of monsters nearby, so using an explosive arrow shouldn’t attract any unwanted attention. Without delay, I nocked the explosive arrow and aimed at the center of the smaller gnolls.

Boom!

The loud explosion made my ears and tail bristle. Saebyeok jumped in surprise like a real cat, and Levinas, who had been napping on Midsummer’s back, woke up with a start.

“W-what’s happening?!”

“We’re fighting the boss.”

“Gasp!”

Levinas leapt down from Midsummer’s back. With the porter now involved, the real boss battle was about to begin.

As the dust from the explosion settled, the scene revealed the injured gnolls. Ten were severely wounded, and about ten more were still standing.

We needed to take down the ones still standing and finish off the wounded ones. Deciding on the plan, I shouted to Kwon Arin.

“Keep the boss occupied. Saebyeok, block any gnolls coming for me.”

“Okay.”

Kwon Arin

 engaged the Gnoll Warrior. After confirming their clash, I began shooting arrows at the other gnolls.

One by one, I took down the gnolls, with Saebyeok intercepting any that got too close.

We managed to defeat all the standing gnolls and put down the ones that were already incapacitated.

Now, only the boss remained. Just as I reached for an arrow from my quiver, the Gnoll Warrior ignored Kwon Arin and charged at us.

“W-wait!”

“Ah.”

Was it trying to eliminate the most threatening opponent first? Just as I was about to shoot an arrow, Saebyeok sprinted toward the charging boss.

‘Right.’

She had agreed to block any monsters that targeted me. But going up against the boss might be too much…

As I nocked my arrow, time seemed to slow down. The Gnoll Warrior opened its jaws wide toward Saebyeok, while she spread her arms, ready to meet it head-on.

At this rate, she would get bitten before I could release my arrow.

“Ah.”

This is bad. Just as despair clouded my thoughts—

Whack!

Saebyeok slapped the charging gnoll across the face.