Chapter 1.2

Volume 1 – Forest of Evil Spirits

Warning: Volume 1’s translation is Hot Garbage!

1

After walking along the trail for some time, he heard the faint sound of trickling water coming from somewhere. It seemed they were nearing the valley that Cain had spoken of. As they continued on, the temperature began to change and the blanket Aran had draped over his shoulders began to feel too hot. They say that temperatures fluctuate constantly in the mountains, and now the temperature was just right.

His breathing was becoming rougher as he forced himself to walk on an unfamiliar forest path. Aran finally took the blanket off and held it in his arms. Aran worked diligently to follow Cain who was steadfastly making his way through the path.

In fact, it was tiring and he wanted to sit down right away, but he didn’t want to admit that it was hard even if it killed him, so he just worked harder to follow him closely. Cain pointed at a high point and said with a smile,

“We’re almost there, we’ll be there soon.”

Contrary to Aran’s breathing, Cain’s did not seem disturbed at all. He had a calm expression as though he were walking leisurely on the flat ground instead of on a rough mountain trail. Aran stared blankly at him with a red hot face, and let out a short sigh. His legs were shaking and sweat was pouring down like rain, but Cain was fine. Aran, feeling perplexed by their difference in stamina, couldn’t bear it any longer and flopped down like he’d collapsed.

“I forgot that you were the son of a noble family,” said Cain as he turned to Aran making a troubled face.

“It’s because my body isn’t strong enough yet.”

“Ah, yes.”

Aran blushed and made a hasty excuse, but Cain waved his hand dismissively and walked a couple more steps looking at something among the bushes. Then he looked back at Aran and smiled cheerfully. It was a bright smile with an air of refreshment that somehow seemed incongruous with the big man.

“We’re in luck today, a rabbit’s been caught.”

“….a rabbit?”

Aran stared blankly at Cain who was smiling brightly as he turned to him. Aran’s wide eyes were full of curiosity.

“I’ve been in a hurry the past few days so I couldn’t eat any meat, so this is a good thing.”

Aran was curious about what he was saying so he forced his exhausted legs to approach him. As it turned out, a small brown rabbit with stuck in the trap. Because of the size of the trap, Aran thought it would be been something like a roe deer or a pheasant. But it was only a rabbit. In addition to that, the trap was just so simple of a device that the term trap, was a bit much. It was like a child’s toy. Aran was surprised that the rabbit was even caught in such a thing.

“A crude bounty in a crude trap.”

“Can’t you see it’s still trapped?” Cain said with a peeved expression.

“I suppose.”

Aran felt it was meaningless to argue with the childish man. Cain mumbled to himself as he gathered leaves and dry branches, then ignited a fire using flint. Life in the forest seems to be ingrained in his body, and his hand movements were really quite skillful.

“Stay away while I’m using the knife so you don’t get hurt,” Cain warned

When the fire got a bit brighter, he took out the rabbit. It was quickly apparent that Cain was far too skillful to cause accidents. He held the dagger in his right hand like it was a part of him. It was clear without ever needing to ask that those crude hands have used blades to cut down countless lives, whether beast or man.

“You said you want to learn, let’s see how you handle the rabbit.”

“I’ve never hunted before, much less handled an animal, I’m afraid to.”

“You’re afraid? If you’re already scared just to handle a rabbit, then I don’t know how you’re going to live in this harsh world. Stop talking nonsense and take hold of the rabbit.”

Cain muttered unintelligently, “The child is too cold to be this sensitive. -However, when Aran made another beckoning gesture, Cain clicked his tongue and snapped the rabbit’s neck with the full force of his left hand.

Cain’s hands worked deftly as he gripped the lifeless rabbit, skinned it in one swift motion, then slit open its belly and scooped out its innards. In the blink of an eye, Cain had the red meat butchered and skewered on a branch and then placed it on the crackling campfire. The sound of sizzling and the smell of the cooking meat was intoxicating.

Cain turned the meat-studded branch with one hand and wiped his blood-smeared hand absently with the other, then he suddenly lifted his eyes and looked at Aran. Aran, who had been watching his handiwork wordlessly until then, stiffened his shoulders as his eyes met with as Cain’s silver-gray irises.

“What, does the food look bad?”

One might expect the highborn boy to turn up his nose in disgust and declare that he couldn’t eat such a thing. However, regardless of how precious he may have been raised, Aran was not so squeamish or sensitive.

If you’re reading this anywhere other than Foolishtranslationss.wordpress.com, it was stolen from the translator’s website. Reading this anywhere other than the translator’s website ensures that the translator may never translate any other works. Thank you.

(T/N: unedited past this point)

2

“I was just thinking about how you did it. I’ll try it next time.”

“You’re a pretty unique kid.”

Cain giggled as though he liked Aran’s response. Then he turned over the rabbit skewers. Smoke from the roasting meat rose into the sky distributing a mouth-watering smell. As Aran sat quietly next to Cain and stared at the meat with hunger, Cain said ‘come on’, and handed him a well-cooked skewer.

“It’s finished cooking, so if you’re hungry eat first. I’ll go get some water. “

Aran took the meat that was offered and crudely stuffed it in his mouth without delay. The strict dining etiquette that he had learned was abandoned as he began devouring the meat. He was so hungry that the meat that had been grilled without any seasoning could not have tasted any better.

“Slow down you’re going to get indigestion.” Said Cain bluntly as he walked toward the sound of water.

Aran, who was chewing on the meat, stopped moving and looked back toward him. He thought he was a strange man, but he was really kind. His tone was cheeky, and his manner of playing with people was too light, but if you ponder every detail of his actions you can see that he is quite kind and gentle. What was the reason for being so kind to an orphan? Even now as he was barely visible, Aran continued to watch him suspiciously as he moved farther away. But there was no answer to be found. After all, even if Cain is hiding some dark heart, it’s not something that can be known right now anyway. For the time being, he would just have to watch his actions.

Aran ate most of the meat Cain had given him in the blink of an eye. He was immersed in thought, as he kept an indifferent eye on the sizzling meat. Suddenly, a canteen came out of nowhere in front of his eyes. When he raised his head, Cain urged him to accept it. Aran was pulled back from a faraway place in his mind. He silently put his mouth on the leather canteen and swallowed the cold water down his throat.

In the meantime, Cain picked up a chunk of cooked meat, put it in his mouth, and flopped down. Aran took another piece of meat and chewed it more slowly than before. It was already noon and the sun was at the top of the hour as the two sets side by side and ate rabbit meat. The time was quiet and felt peaceful as if there had been no terrible storms in the past. Aran enjoyed this time with a sense of comfort, if only for a brief moment.

“Come with me when you finish eating,” Cain said to Aran as he snapped his fingers at him.

Aran, who had to rest with his back against a tree, feeling satiated, felt that his way of calling him like a puppy was not appropriate. But he got up without a fuss and approached him. Then they walked straight into the valley with large strides. The valley that appeared after a short walk was bigger than expected. He thought the sound of water was just a small stream because of the sound of the water flowing, but when he saw it with his own eyes, the dark blue-green water looked look so deep that even the bottom was unfathomable.

3

There were large boulders around the valley, and the trees behind them were thick. The scenery was so beautiful that one could believe that it was paradise. He looked around the quiet surroundings memorizing them.

“Your clothes are a wreck so wash them, you look a mess. I can’t tell if you were the son of a noble family or a kid rolling around with a band of thieves”.

Aran was furious at Cain’s words at first, but he swallowed his words back when he looked at his hands. He understood his grumblings because all his exposed skin and clothes were stained black. A sigh of disappointment flowed from him. It was another moment when he realized once again that the world he had lived in for 12 years had completely collapsed.

Plop – with a loud sound, the calm water was slammed into, creating waves. When Aaron opened his eyes, Cain was jumping into the water. Aran froze, then wiped water droplets off his cheek with the back of his hand. It took a long time after throwing his heavy body into the deep water for Cain to poke his head out above the surface. Then he shook the water from his head.

“What are you doing? If you continue to be dirty like that, you’ll wind up getting sick.”

Cain jumped into the water with his clothes on, and then he slowly took off his wet clothes. Naked, he started shaking his clothes in the water. Aran thought, ‘This is your way of doing laundry? No, this is not the way laundry was meant to be done’. But, Aran who is carefully observing what he was doing, followed him one step closer to the shore without asking questions. Then he carefully took off his already tattered silk shoes and dipped his toes into the water. The cold water wrapped around his feet, and he felt a tingling sensation on his skin as it erupted in goosebumps.

He couldn’t fathom how Cain had jumped into this cold water. Unable to jump into the icy water, Aran wiped his hands and rubbed his arms. Then Cain, who had sloppily washed his own clothes and laid them on the sunny shore, swam leisurely over and approached Aran.

“Even a dog who hates water will get in faster than you.”

He was too nervous to get all the way in, he went up to his knees, then he heard a clicking sound, and raised his head to shoot a word. But the moment he saw a Cain, he was speechless. It was because his torso was naked and half immersed in the water, in full view of his eyes. Aran had never seen another man’s naked body before, but he was sure there was no other body like that. His body was well well-trained, enough to feel fear, it didn’t look like someone’s body, it looked like a living weapon.

To be sure it was a magnificent physique, with long limbs and an upper body filled with tight muscles. He had countless scars drawn on his dark brown skin. In fact, the body seemed to be embroidered with large and small scars all over, like a living military God. In short, it spoke to a man who would never live an easy life. Aran stared at the man’s body for a long time without looking away.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of him drenched in water as he approached the surface. The more Cain approached, the more intimidated Aran felt, and it wasn’t just because his exposed upper body was threatening. Water dripped from the tips of his dark brown hair and ran down between his rock-hard shoulders and open chest. Although he was still young and didn’t know why his appearance made his cheeks heat up for some reason.

Moreover, as he moved more of his body out of the water, his member was exposed, and Aran’s shoulders stiffened. Even though he wasn’t trying to see it, he almost fell over as it came into view. It was clear that he didn’t have an erection, but when he thought that that thing was a human penis, his face turned bright red.

“What, do you think you’ll fall in love with me because I’m so wonderful?”

He could have admired his physique if Cain had kept his mouth shut. But Cain also had a look on his face that said he knew clearly what Aran was looking at, and Aran bit his lips in disgust.

“The sun goes down in the mountains soon, so wash up quickly. It will get cold in a little while.”

“… …”

“After washing, let’s get moving. I was delayed because I couldn’t leave you when you are sick.” Cain said as he slowly wiped his body.

Reluctantly, Aran followed him a little deeper into the water. The more he went in the cold water, the more cumbersome his clothes became.

“Cain.”

“Yeah.”

“Take them off.”

Aran, who was looking down at the drooping hem of his clothes, asked reluctantly. Cain stopped moving and stood upright with a look of embarrassment, as though he had heard something that wasn’t right.

“Kid, listen, I don’t want to hear things like that from children or males, and you are both a child and male… that’s really just off-putting.”

Aran scratched his wet hair and furrowed his brow in embarrassment. He was surprised by this reaction.

“I’ve never taken my clothes off myself. I don’t know how to take them off.”

“Uh…. …., is that so?”

“Then what more is there?”

Cain was staring blankly at Aran, who was looking back at Cain as though he didn’t understand. Then Cain burst into laughter.

“No, no, that’s right. That’s obvious.”

Cain’s manner of giggling and waving his hands around made Aran very suspicious. Then Cain coughed as if he was embarrassed for Aran too, and came right up to him and started talking off his wet clothes. His clothes, which were made of the finest silk which could only be obtained in the Royal Palace, were now inferior to mops. Cain, then carefully removed his torn and dark stained clothes in his own way, and washed Aaron’s clothes sloppily as he had washed his own clothes, still giggling to himself. Aran, sighed inwardly, thinking that he was a weird person, as he washed his face in the cold water next to him.

He wiped his black dirty face and dipped his tangled messy hair. When he was completely immersed in the water, he found it fun to see his long hair floating on the water like a water plant. So he immersed his hair in the water and removed it over and over again. Things that he could not even dream of in the royal castle were all new to him. He was clumsily washing his face with his hands when Cain approached with a splashing sound and asked in an unsure tone.

“By the way kid, have you ever washed your face with your own hands before today, do you know how to do it properly?”

Then before Aran could say anything, he muttered ‘lift your head’ and then grabbed his chin and raised it. Aran’s eyes met with Cain’s silver-gray eyes, it felt strange, he just stared into them as if possessed. Cain too stared at Aran with an expression like he had gone mad. As if facing some sort of creature, his silver-grey eye roamed Aran’s face.

“What are you…you’re not a girl?”

Then that was it, Aran finally came to his senses at the sound of that foolishness, and grabbed Cain’s hand and pushed it away.

“Such rudeness!”, he exclaimed as he furrowed his brows.

Then, Cain, who was unable to erase his dazed expression, suddenly slipped his hands under Aran’s armpits and lifted him up. His naked body which had been pulled out of the water was exposed to the bright light. Aran’s face flushed in spite of the fact that his body temperature had cooled in the cold water.

“What is this!”

Aran, who was lifted up like a newborn baby, struggled. However, in front of Cain’s nose, who had been dazed for a while, was a small dangling penis.

“I think a boy is right”, Cain mumbled as he stared at Aran’s member in embarrassment.

“Let go.”

Aran suffered something he couldn’t even imagine, and struggled and even kicked, unable to hide his bright red face. In any case, Cain was only lightly dodging Aran’s clumsy attack.

“Well, it’s okay if you’re a boy”. Cain said in embarrassment.

Cain finally put Aran down again, but as soon as he fell from Cain’s hand, Aran struck him in the chest with a popping sound. However, unfortunately, Cain’s chest was so hard that only Aran’s hand that struck him was hurt. Cain did not seem impressed. He looked at Aran with an embarrassed expression on his face.

“Kid, what should we do about this face? With looks like that, your life will be difficult.”

“Don’t be silly!”

“No, I’m not bull-shiting you. I’m advising you sincerely so that you don’t stand out. You may only be ten years old, but with a face like this…. “

“I am 12 years old. I will be thirteen soon.”

“Oh, yeah. Well even though… ….”

Aran revealed his age, but Cain still frowned and looked at him as though it didn’t matter. The crux of the problem was difficult for him to understand. Aran didn’t the way he was looking at him so he sank into the water and watched as his long dark hair flowed like water weeds as he pondered Cain’s arrogant attitude.

He was a strange man who made it difficult to get angry with him, as he simultaneously made him want to cry. Aran couldn’t get out of the water for a while. He needed to calm his complicated feelings. If he faced Cain in this state, he felt like his fever would rise again.

This was….a little uncomfortable. In the end, he couldn’t stay underwater so he had no choice but to stick his head above the surface and take a deep breath. A long sigh flowed from above his head as he swept his long wet hair from his face and took a deep breath. The sigh came from Cain, who was still standing there looking down at Aran like a General.

If you’re reading this anywhere other than Foolishtranslationss.WordPress.com, it was stolen from the translator’s website. Reading this anywhere other than the translator’s website ensures that the translator may never translate any other works. Thank you.

4

“Well, it will work out,” Cain mumbled out loud in his low voice as if he were thinking to himself.

“What do you mean?”

“The little boy doesn’t know…. just don’t fall from my side and stick with me, that’s all,” Cain muttered insignificantly.

But be didn’t worry for long. He approached a large rock and leaned his back on it. With his back and head resting on a rock while immersed in the rippling water, he immediately closed his eyes as if savoring the warm sunlight. Aran also approached him, but instead of leaning on the rock like Cain did, he stood there on his toes, trembling, and looking up at the blue sky. It was a beautiful clear day without a cloud in the sky.

“It’s so nice, I don’t know why people fear it and call it the ‘Forest of Evil Spirits’ ”, Aran muttered to himself while picking up leaves that had just fallen over his head.

Just a few days ago, he himself was reluctant to even look into the deep forest with the dense trees. Everyone else was afraid, so he was afraid too. However, once you enter you are surprised by the fact that it is such a wonderful and beautiful forest. Aran was looking at the beautiful scenery as if possessed.

“Kid, I see you don’t know how it got its name, demons and ghosts are not what’s scary.” Cain retorted in a rather low voice. Aran, who was floating leaves on the water, raised his head. “The thing that people should be afraid of isn’t invisible fictions. It’s the human beings that would harm their own kind,” he whispered.

The silver-grey eyes deepened and gradually caused a creeping feeling. It had been some time since he met and began talking with Cain, but this was the first time he felt that aura coming from him. It was like he was facing a completely different person……

“There’s a reason why people call it a ‘Forest of Evil Spirits’.”

Aran was stiff and unable to move, and he was unable to take his eyes off of him. Then Cain chuckled and raised his upper body.

“There are a lot of ‘those kinds’ here.”

As though with perfect timing, as Cain’s calm voice finished speaking, the bushes around the small pond shook and shady men appeared from both sides. There was a group of about a dozen men surrounding Cain and Aran. Cain looked back at them calmly and gave a twisted smile.

“Beasts that walk on two legs.”

None of the men around them spoke. Their attire was similar to Cain’s, but a little rougher, made from draped cloth or animal skins, giving them a dirty look. Even if they didn’t say anything, he could tell at a glance that they were bandits or a group of thieves. Aran sat up straight, swallowing a lump in his dry throat as he cautiously approached Cain’s side. Cain was also completely naked, without a single stitch on let alone a weapon, but he wanted to be by his side rather than being alone.

“A beast that walks on two legs, isn’t that too much?”

His voice resonate there, where there were large boulders around the valley, and the trees behind them were thick. The scenery was so beautiful that one could believe that it was paradise. He looked around the quiet surroundings memorizing them.

“Your clothes are a wreck so wash them, you look a mess. I can’t tell if you were the son of a noble family or a kid rolling around with a band of thieves”.

“What are you doing? If you continue to be dirty like that, you’ll wind up getting sick.”

Cain had jumped into the water with his clothes on, and then he slowly took off his wet clothes. Naked, he started shaking his clothes in the water. Aran thought, ‘This is your way of doing laundry? No, this is not the way laundry was meant to be done’. But, Aran who is carefully observing what he was doing, followed him one step closer to the shore without asking questions. Then he carefully took off his already tattered silk shoes and dipped his toes into the water. The cold water wrapped around his feet, and he felt a tingling sensation on his skin as it erupted in goosebumps.

He couldn’t fathom how Cain had jumped in this cold water. Unable to jump into the icy water, Aran wiped his hands and rubbed his arms. Then Cain, who had sloppily washed his own clothes and laid them on the sunny shore, swam leisurely over and approached Aran.

“Even a dog who hates water will get in faster than you.”

“What, do you think you’ll fall in love with me because I’m so wonderful?”

He could have admired his physique if Cain had kept his mouth shut. But Cain also had a look on his face that said he knew clearly what Aran was looking at, and Aran his bit lips in disgust.

“The sun goes down in the mountains soon, so wash up quickly. It will get cold in a little while.”

“… …”

“After washing, let’s get moving. I was delayed because I couldn’t leave you when you are sick.” Cain said as he slowly wiped his body.

Reluctantly, Aran followed him a little deeper into the water. The more he went in the cold water, the more cumbersome his clothes became.

“Cain.”

“Yeah.”

“Take them off.”

Aran, who was looking down at the drooping hem of his clothes, asked reluctantly. Cain stood upright, with a look of embarrassment.

“Kid, listen, I don’t want to hear things like that from children or males. And you are both a child and male… this is really, really embarrassing.”

Aran scratched his wet hair and furrowed his brow in embarrassment. He was surprised by this reaction.

“I’ve never taken my clothes off myself. I don’t know how to take them off.”

“Uh…. …., is that so?”

“Then what more is there?”

Cain was staring blankly at Aran, who was looking back at Cain as though he didn’t understand. Then Cain burst into laughter.

“No, no, that’s right. That’s obvious.”

Cain’s manner of giggling and waving his hands around made Aran very suspicious. Then Cain coughed as if he was embarrassed for Aran too, and came right up to him and started talking off his wet clothes. His clothes, which were made of the finest silk which could only be obtained in the Royal Palace, we’re now inferior to mops. Cain, then carefully removed his torn and dark stained clothes in his own way, and washed Aaron’s clothes sloppily as he had washed his own clothes, still giggling to himself. Aran, sighing inwardly, thinking that he was a weird person, washed his face in the cold water next to him.

“By the way kid, have you ever washed your face with your own hands before today?”

“What are you…are you a girl?”

Then that was it, Aran finally came to his senses at the sound of that foolishness, and grabbed Cain’s hand and pushed it away.

“Impolite”, he furrowed his brows.

Then Cain, who was unable to erase his dazed expression, suddenly slipped his hands under Aran’s armpits and lifted him up. His naked body that had been pulled out of the water, was exposed to the bright light. Aran’s face flushed in spite of the fact that his body temperature had cooled in the cold water.

“What is this!”

Aran who was lifted up like a newborn baby struggled. However, in front of Cain’s nose, who had been dazed for a while, was a small dangling penis.

“I think a boy is right”, Cain mumbled, staring at Aran’s member in embarrassment.

“Let go.”

Aran suffered from something he couldn’t even imagine, and struggled and even kicked, unable to hide his bright red face. In any case, Cain was only lightly dodging Aran’s clumsy attack.

“Well, it’s okay if you’re a boy”. Cain said in embarrassment.

Cain finally put Aran down again, but as soon as he fell from Cain’s hand, Aran struck him in the chest with a popping sound. But unfortunately, Cain’s chest was so hard that only Aran’s hand that struck him was hurt. Cain did not seem impressed. He looked at Aran with an embarrassed expression on his face.

“Kid, what should we do about this face? With looks like that, your life will be difficult.”

“Don’t be silly!”

“No, it’s not bullshit. I sincerely advise you so that you don’t stand out. You’re only ten years old, but with a face like this…. “

“I am 12 years old. I will be thirteen soon.”

“Oh, yeah. Well even though… ….”

Aran revealed his age, but Cain looked at him as though it didn’t matter, and frowned. The crux of the problem was difficult. Aran didn’t like his look, so he sank into the water watching his long dark hair flow like water weeds while pondering Cain’s arrogant attitude. He was a strange man who made it difficult to get angry with him, while simultaneously making him want to cry. Aran couldn’t get out of the water for a while. He needed to calm his complicated feelings. If he faced Cain in this state, he felt like his fever would rise again.

This is….a little uncomfortable. In the end, he couldn’t stay underwater, and he had no choice but to stick his head above the surface and take a deep breath. A long sigh flowed from above his head as he swept his long wet hair from his face and took a deep breath. The sigh came from Cain, who was still standing there looking down at Aran like a general through the tense atmosphere. belonging to a man who popped out from among the bandits surrounding them. He was a young and slender man, with a good-looking shape that was worth looking at.

“Long time no see, Cain.”

The man stood proudly on the shallow cliffs surrounding the pond and looked down at Cain as he smiled.

“… … Ryugen.”

It was someone Cain knew. Aran looked at Cain for a moment. However, in contrast to the man’s happy greeting and smiling face, Cain had a hardened expression as if he were angry.

“On my goodness, you meant the pass by here without stopping to see me, how could you be so mean?”

The man exuded a quaint kind of charm and smiled warmly. But Cain without blinking an eye just faced him with a hardened expression.

“It’s because I have no reason to see you.”

“I’m sorry to hear you say that, but do you remember that we haven’t finished talking yet?”

“So you say.”

“Then why didn’t you just pass through here with more stealth, so I wouldn’t notice you? You say you don’t want to see me, then prance around naked looking like that. I can’t help but notice.”

Responded the man in a light manner.

The man named Ryugen walked up to Cain who was staring at him without moving. Although Cain was blatantly showing that he didn’t like him, the man’s smile, only grew bolder.

“But today for some reason, you have another in your party instead of ‘The Shadow’? It’s probably not your child is it?”

Cain frowned at the question and pointed at Aran with the tip of his chin. “Don’t talk nonsense.” He replied bluntly.

“After all, your child wouldn’t be this pretty.”

“Shut up.”

“Anyway, I’m happy. A man who has a child is so unattractive, isn’t he?

Even though Cain growled, Ryugen, who said what he wanted to say, bowed deeply for an instant and thrust his face out in front of Aran’s nose. His vision became blurry because he got so close, but he faced the man without stepping back.

“What……is it a boy?” Ryugen said as stared at Aran and widened his eyes.

“Don’t touch him,” Cain said with a voice that sounded dangerous.

Aran, kept his mouth shut, the atmosphere between the two men sounded very serious, so he couldn’t intervene.

“Hmm… but I’d like to very much.”

Ryugen looked at Aran with curious eyes, his lips were turning blue from the cold water and the wind. Then Ryugen pulled the tips of his lips into a smile. Ryugen looked like a thief but was handsome when he smiled mischievously, though he had no reason to at this point, Aran didn’t like this man very much.

“It seems that this pretty doll is cold, his lips are turning blue, and his skin’s pale. Would it be nice to get out of there? Baby, will you take my hand?” Ryugen, who stared at Aaron for a while, reached out to him with a friendly voice.

The man’s hand reaching out in front of him was very neat compared to his appearance. His nails were neat and clean, and his fingers were long. However, the palm of his hand was rough.

“Put it away.”

Cain, who was standing next to him, growled and slapped his hand with a loud crack. Ryugen’s gaze, which had wandered over to Aran’s face, finally returned to Cain.

“Then Cain, you take him out yourself.”

Ryugen spoke in a lighter tone than Cain, and Cain looked at him with annoyance.

“Move away then, I’m not wearing clothes, do you think I’m trying to put on a show?”

“On my, are you really looking after him? I think this really is your child.”

“No matter how hard you try, nothing will come of it. I’ve been embracing girls since I was 12.”

Ryugen, who had been giggling at Cain’s clumsy reply, stop laughing.

“Damn, I remember holding a woman. It isn’t very satisfying.”

Ryugen, who had his tongue clenched, took a step back and look down at Cain and Aran.

“I’ll take you with me, so stop laughing at people and get out of there. I came here to invite you and your party, but time just flew by.”

“Do I have to go?”

“Are you really going to reject my hospitality, after not seeing me for so long?”

Cain openly expressed his dislike, but it didn’t seem like Ryugen would let him go. Aran swallowed a lump down his dry throat, at the situation. Cain was being forced to acquiesce.

“I guess that’s the price I have to pay for being found by you here.”

In this situation, it was an offer that could not be refused. Cain, who stared at him for a moment, leaned on the rock as if determined to get up from the water and leave. His wet back was covered with solid muscle everywhere, it was eye-catching, even more so than when he first exposed his upper body. Aran and Ryugen couldn’t take their eyes off of his dark-brown alluring body, under the bright sunlight they were mesmerized. Licking his lips as if thirsty, Ryugen even blew a low whistle at him, just as vulgar men do when a beautiful woman passes by.

“Wow, that’s a body that can make me tremble. Cain, I love you again.”

“Die!”

Cain furrowed his eyebrows at Ryugen’s words. He couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, so he nervously snatched away the clothes that he had laid out on the rocks. Then he turned and came back to the shore where Aran had yet to get out. He approached Aran revealing all his dazzling naked body and reached out to him. Aran grabbed his hand without hesitation.

“Turn your eyes away”, Cain ordered while holding Aran’s hand tightly, and without looking at the man next to him.

“That’s really shameful. You can show me your body, but you won’t show me his?”

Ryugen looked really dissatisfied, but Cain didn’t respond. Ryugen shrugged his shoulders and gently turned his head. Cain immediately drew Aran out of the water and put on the clothes that he brought over.

Aran look down at the dry clothes with a puzzled expression, it wasn’t his own clothes that covered his body like a sackcloth, but Cain’s big jacket.

“What’s this?”

“Your clothes are too hard to put on, so just wear this for a while.” He said in a sensible manner.

Cain immediately turned around and began to put on his pants and lace up his shoes. Aran, completely covered in Cain’s oversized clothes, had no choice but to stand off to the side, not knowing what to do. Then Cain, who now had his pants and shoes on, came over to him and wrapped his waist in a belt and through on his pants. The pants and shoes were his own but the other thing he threw on was an animal fur jacket.

“Your clothes are wet and cold, so where are these too,” Cain said softly and tapped Aran’s pale blue lips with the tip of his finger.

Maybe it was because there was a swarm of thieves in front of them, so Cain had a stiff expression unlike a while ago, but whether he knew it or not, his friendly attitude did not change. For some reason, the tip of his lips where his finger had touched seemed to give off a strange heat.

“What did I see just now? That is unacceptably kind.”

It seems that he only kept his eyes closed long enough for Cain to dress Aran. So Ryugen, who’d been watching the two of them, pouted. Cain didn’t look away as if he’d decided to ignore him.

“Come on, if you’re ready, we’ll get going soon,” Cain said softly to Aran.

As soon as he dressed, he packed his belongings, then got up from his seat and smiled brightly at Aran. Even though he looked at Ryugen with a displeased face, the man didn’t seem bothered at all.

He followed the man reluctantly, with heavy steps. The shady bandits surrounding them also began to move after Cain and Aran in unison. Cain, who was ignoring the other people, suddenly put his hand on Aran’s shoulder.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to be strong enough to get through the forest on your own?”

Those were the words that Aran had uttered early in the morning, he didn’t know why he was being reminded of it at a moment like this, so he looked up at him. Cain, who’d been quiet, stared at the back of Ryugen, who was walking ahead. With sunken eyes, Cain spoke quietly, “Know how many you can protect yourself from, alone.” With an indifferent-looking posture, he grabbed Aran’s small hand, and put something in it. It was a dagger.

5

It was always his intention to leave the forest, but now he was being led even deeper into the interior, as he followed the band of thieves. The mountain forest was so deep that the sky was obscured by thick leaves. Though it was still afternoon the sun couldn’t be seen so it was dark all around. The shape of the trees was all so strange, instead of growing straight, they were bent and tangled, and looked peculiar. The sound of birds chirping and rustling through the leaves was scattered all around.
~
He could understand why the name ‘Forest of Evil Spirits’ came about. It is a forest so gloomy that it would not be strange even if bizarre objects appeared before you, and in the middle of this eerie dark forest, was a den of thieves.
~
As soon as the young thief Ryugen led the group near, cheers and loud drumming from all over filled the gloomy mountain. Aran looked all around at the noise being made. It gave him a headache. Among the trees, there were people whistling and booing as if they were a bunch of monkeys. What was even more surprising, was the scene of the stronghold that was revealed when they went a little deeper in.
~
“… It’s a village.” Aran numbered faintly.
~
“It’s a village of beasts,” Cain answered in a low voice, barely audible.
~
Whether it was a village of beasts or a village of people, the place Aran saw before him, was one expansive village. There were houses built in between trees, with more trees growing around those. Some of that houses we’re even built on a tree. It was much larger than expected. Although it was shabby and poorly built, Aran looked around with amazement at the heterogeneous landscape where even women and children were occasionally seen. Who would have thought so many people could live in one village so deep in the mountains?
~
“I haven’t seen you for such a long time, tonight I will provide you with a generous dinner and bed, so take a break.” Smiled Ryugen
~
“I don’t need that kind of favor, I just want you to let us go.”
~
“See, it’s your bouncy charm that I like.”
~
Cain ended up swearing at Ryugen, who just kept a straight smiling face no matter what he said, that was his personality. Anyone who saw this would think that Cain was just picking on a kind friend.
~
“Then I’ll excuse myself for a bit, see you later.” Breezed Ryugen, who didn’t care whether Cain was angry or annoyed again. He just ignored him while waving his hand, and busily disappeared somewhere.
~
Aran set his eyes on Cain, who just grunted and began to look around. Aran could see that he was just discreetly checking out the situation with his sharp eyes as usual. He could feel the tension just by standing next to him.
~
Aran came closer and grab the bottom of his clothes abruptly. Then he looked up at him and whispered to him softly.
~
“There’s a saying, ‘if you don’t enter the tiger’s den, you’ll never catch the cub’, we just need to remain alert. So there’s nothing to worry about.”
~
These were just words of consolation that came out while he was struggling in his own way, but Cain only looked at Aran with a puzzled expression on his face.
~
“Kid, don’t you realize you could die here right now? Aren’t you scared?”
~
Instead of answering, Aran gave Cain a smile, not the kind from joy, but the kind to relieve tension. Then he took off his coat and handed it back to him. It was the coat that he had given him earlier to wear because it was too cold before they were brought to the village. Cain, who was only wearing his bottom clothes, with his upper body showing, looked more naked than the thieves here because had given Aran both his coats. Cain tried to put it back on Aran but he flatly refused, so Cain had to accept it.
~
“Are you afraid of the thought of dying here?” Aran asked as he stared at Cain’s crude hands clasping his clothes. His movements stopped as the coat draped over his shoulders.
~
“No. I just think it’s annoying. Ryugen can’t kill me.”
~
“Well isn’t that good enough?”
~
“… If I cut open your insides, I feel like there’d be an old man sitting there. There’s no other kid in the world who can speak as calmly as you do in a situation like this.” Cane said as he shook his head and put on his cloak..foolishtranslationss.wordpress.com

6

‘It’s because you don’t know me well’ Aran thought as rolled his eyes at Cain. Cain bit his tongue. Then Aran looked back directly at Cain, who spoke again.
~
“If it were a possibility for him to kill me, I would have already killed.” Cain averted his eyes after the thoughtless words.
~
“Well look at what I survived already without dying, doesn’t that mean I can survive even longer? So I’m not afraid.”
~
Aran spoke calmly with his unshakable black eyes fixed on Cain, he looked like an old man who would live long in the world, rather than a small 12-year-old boy. Cain tilted his head and seemed perplexed….. but then he laughed out loud. He laughed so loud the whole area rumbled.

~
“You’re a real funny kid. I like you very much.”
~
“……”
~
“There’s no need to be afraid, but you should know even if you’re not killed there are some fates worse than death,” Cain muttered angrily as if worried about Aran’s striking beauty.
~
“However …… Yeah, you’re right. You said you only need to stay alert when you go in the tiger’s den, so you should stay alert.”
~
Cain sat down and leaned his back against a large tree, looking more relaxed. Aran also looked slowly around at the alien place. He sat next to Cain, who folded his arms and looked around with cold eyes.
~
This place was different from the country he had lived in, the palace, or the neighboring villages. Their attire, their appearance, and their way of speaking weren’t the same, and neither was the atmosphere of the whole village. It was so different he could have never imagined this place. No matter how much he looked around, there seemed to be no law or order. The swarming men drank openly without hesitation, some people were swearing at them, and others were punching each other in a corner. Occasionally, women passing by would shout at these men, and the children ran around freely.
~
It was something he had never imagined before, people living still arbitrarily without rules. Even though it was a village of thieves, he frowned at their appearance, which to him looked no different from beasts.
~
“How long have these people been here?” asked Aran softly.
~
Cain shrugged, ” I’m not sure, but it’s been a while.”
~
“But why do they live in such an uncivilized way, so far in this mountain, instead of in a country?”
~
He wasn’t worried about them personally, they were strangers to him, but there must have been a reason that they were living this way. He wondered why such a lawless area existed in the first place. Even more so, because of them, this vast forest was transformed into “The Forest of Evil Spirits, making the people in the surrounding areas tremble and fear.
~
“They are mostly outcasts who have been expelled from their countries.”
~
“Exiled one’s……”
~
The answer was simple but difficult to comprehend. Aran looked around at the hedonistic crowd, raised an eyebrow, and looked up a Cain, who was still sitting with his back against the tree as he slowly twisted his lips.
~
“I don’t know for how long it’s been going on, but those who have been expelled from Kajang-guk, or the neighboring tribal countries to the West, because of their crimes, or disease, began to gather here in this forest. The village grew little by little until it became what you see now”
~
“… …”
~
“People with nowhere to go set up in this vast forest, and they became a group of drifters and thieves who raided villages neighboring the forest. It was hard for them to live like human beings in the first place.”
~
So, it was like that, there were such people in the world! After listening to Cain’s story, it was clear that people here were mixed together. One couldn’t know which tribe or country they were from. If you look at some, they have dark hair and light skin, which is typical of Kajang-guk. Others had dark hair and brown skin similar to Cain, while there were some who had light hair and light skin. Though most looked liked like the people of Kajang, even still, they could be distinguished from those living on the mainland, because their clothes were completely different. Rather, their casual attire and ignorant attitudes were similar to each other, unless you looked closely, they would all just look like the same thieves.
~
“They call themselves ‘The Skillful People’, at the same time they are gradually expanding their power.”
~
“The Skillful People?”
~
“It’s a bit much for thieves.”
~
With so many people gathered it was natural that they’d want a different name rather than to be called a vulgar band of thieves. They must have already abandoned their identities, and tribes, before coming to this forest. So they no longer wanted to be called ‘The people of Kajang’ or whatever country they were originally from.
~
“But how did these thieves and thugs expand their power?” Asked Aran feeling puzzled.
~
Cain frowned as though he didn’t want to answer. But then he opened his mouth.
~
“Well, there’s only one thing this lot is good at.”
~
“What’s that?”
~
“They’re good at the sneak attack, and killing their opponents without being detected. It’s not a proper martial art, it’s a thief-like technique. But there are people who want others killed secretly. Whether it’s dirty or not, these are the people that get that done. They’d do anything for money anyway.”
~
“Then you’re saying that these people are all assassins, not merely thieves?”
~
“Not all, but among them is a pretty useful group of top-notch assassins.”
~
So this was a village of assassins that look like vulgar thieves. Suddenly Aran got shivers down his back at the unexpected information. He began to think that he was in a much more dangerous place than he originally thought.
~
“And it’s Ryugen who taught them such techniques and turned them into a group of useful assassins, while at the same time increasing their power.”
~
Aran could have never imagined that Ryugen, who forcefully dragged them from the valley was such a dangerous man. He would keep this in mind, that he should never make assumptions about a person based on their appearance.
~
“I admit that he’s accomplished a lot for such a young age, and the people love him. Without him, the people here would still be struggling and robbing passers-by.”
~
“… …”
~
“So Ryugen is the king here. Every word he says is the law. So don’t be fooled by the fact that he smiles all the time, if you did you’d be in big trouble. He’s definitely a different guy inside than out.”
~
Aran, who was listening quietly, nodded. After all wasn’t he almost fooled, himself?
~
“He has a quick profit and loss calculation. If you think that he’ll always be on your side just because he’s on your side right now, that would be an absolute mistake, it’s just an illusion. If there’s a greater profit, then he’ll throw away the hands he held yesterday, for the ones that have money today. It’s money he loves, it’s what that he trusts and follows, not people.”
~
Cain, who spoke in a somewhat unclear tone, closed his mouth for a moment and sighed. Then he took something out of his little bag, put it in his mouth, and lit it with flint. The smell of cigarettes rose to the air. Aran who have been sitting still and listening to the story until then turned his head.
~
“How do you know them so well, were you one of them?”
~
Cain let out a long stream of smoke and raised his eyebrows. He looked surprised, after a moment he burst into a small smile for an instant.
~
“You’re a clever kid…. but being a thief or an assassin is disgusting to me.”
~
He took another drag of his cigarette, then he let out a long sigh.
~
“But I’ve used their services before.”
~
Aran raised his eyes upward, surprised by the unexpected admission
~
“I’ve needed their help before. To be honest, even though they’re an untrustworthy group of criminals, ten of them are better killers than a hundred soldiers.”
~
“That is to say, you too were a disgusting person who needs other people to kill for him.”
~
Cain choked on his cigarette smoke, at Aran’s careless remark.
~
“Yes, you’re right. I was. I’m still not known for being a good person, but I was even worse back then.”
~
“But those days are over? Why, did you get caught?”
~
Cain put his cigarette into his mouth and made an uncomfortable face, perhaps because of his past, or because he was a ‘disgusting’ person. After a brief silence, Cain murmured in a flowing voice.
~
“There was an incident with Ryugen and we split ways. To be more precise, that guy changed his mind about a bigger prize. Anyway, I had no intention of complying with his fee. It’s still the same today. ”
~
Then, as though he were thinking about something, his complexion hardened as if displeased, and he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to say anything more than that. After all, it was a significant thing to tell him this much, a boy he had just met and was only twelve years old.

7

Aran silently followed the smoke as it drifted from Cain’s cigarette. Whatever the relationship between him and Ryugen, or how it ended up, it was his problem, and Cain had to take care of it.
~
“Can I tell you one more thing, my friend?”

~
As Cain was sitting, staring at strangers, he suddenly opened his mouth as if he’d remembered something. The low-pitched tone and banal expression made it seem as though it wouldn’t be a very interesting story, but it made Aran curious.
~
“Alright”. Said Aran as he braced himself.
~
“Rumor has it that those behind the uprising in Kajang and usurped the throne, had more than enough resources to pay for assassins, and for mercenaries to incite a rebellion. It’s said that there was a meeting between someone who would cut down anyone without hesitation for money and someone who would spare nothing to get what they wanted. So I don’t know, the world has become strange.
~
“… …what?
~
Aran opened his eyes wide. In an instant, he was dripping in a cold sweat from head to toe. Cain looked at Aran who was white as a sheet and put his cigarette in his mouth.
~
“Is it true?”
~
Taking a moment of pause. Cain answered briefly …..”Yeah.”
~
In an instant pain rose up from his depths, causing pain in Aran’s chest.
~
“These little…….” suddenly there was a hot lump in his throat.
~
The moment he heard that they had contributed to the rebellion that usurped the throne, those who had seemed insignificant, appeared to be enemies running free. No, if it’s true, they are enemies. They helped the enemy who killed his father and brothers and wiped out his country in an instant, so they are enemies to Aran.
~
“These animals….!”
~
His black eyes turned red, his blood was boiling, and it seemed as if a scream was threatening to escape him.
~
Cain grabbed Aran shoulder with a firm hand, who was shaking and angry, with his brain turning black.
~
“You must calm your anger for now. You must realize there’s nothing you can do?”
~
“But, how can I calm down after that?”
~
“What if you don’t calm down, are you going to try to deal with them on your own? If you want to be killed, do it.” Tsk- Cain clicked his tongue, and murmured coldly.
~
Aran, licked his lips as his blood ran cold. He was right! There was nothing he could do, he was still a child, an orphan with no power. Just a helpless boy who can’t do anything, even when he sees his enemies in front of him. Realizing that fact, Aran clinched both his fists as hard as he could in anger.
~
“What you say is true……I will not forget this! One day, I will grow up and become strong enough that no one can surpass me……, I will tie them up to trees one by one and cut off their heads and I’ll scatter their bodies all over the world so they become food for demons.”
~
“……okay.”
~
Cain didn’t criticize Aran for his harsh words, knowing it was just a burst of anger. He quietly exhaled a long drag of a cigarette and placed his arm around Aran’s shoulder. The anger that had gone to his head in an instant, causing him to see red, slowly began to cool. Gradually he began to feel a sinking feeling, and the tears Aran had been holding back began to fall. These were his last tears, and they would never come again.