By Zephyria 
“We will now begin the Bondmate Ceremony. Everyone, please extend your hands.”
At the soldiers’ words, the Bondmates reached out their hands.
The method of finding a partner was quite primitive: holding hands, or engaging in physical contact beyond that.
According to what he had read in books, the moment you first touched your Bondmate, you would feel something indescribable. It was said to be like being struck by a subtle lightning bolt, or having your heart stomped on, or your eyeballs throbbing, or your limbs losing all strength and collapsing.
In any case, it was said to be an unmistakable sensation. So, Ho-eun would also feel some kind of sensation.
As he nervously clenched and unclenched his hands, the Gods of War began to hold hands with the Bondmates, one by one, starting from those at the entrance of the auditorium.
Ho-eun waited patiently for the Gods of War to come to him. On the other hand, Deok-woo, standing behind him, craned his neck like a turtle with his tall height, eagerly examining the Gods of War. No, glaring at them.
“Do you think your young master’s Bondmate is among them?”
“I hope so.”
“I hope not.”
“Why?”
“My young master should marry a beautiful, gentle lady. Not those dirty, filthy guys.”
“……”
Ho-eun didn’t respond and kept his mouth shut. What kind of lady would like a useless man like him? Maybe his Bondmate God of War would…
“You think so too, don’t you, young master?”
Deok-woo asked. After a moment of contemplation, Ho-eun replied in a somewhat shy voice.
“I… I want to meet them.”
Ho-eun had spent all night yesterday searching through books about Gods of War and Bondmates. He learned a lot, but the most memorable thing was that a Bondmate was a very precious being to a God of War. A source of power, and a being no different from their own life.
So, the God of War cherished their Bondmate more than their own life. It was said that if the Bondmate died first, many Gods of War couldn’t overcome the sadness and despair and followed them in death.
The thought of traveling around the country with a God of War who cherished him so much made it impossible for him to sleep with anticipation. He couldn’t help it, even if it was childish. How could he help being excited?
Ten minutes passed, and the Gods of War who were far away finally got closer to Ho-eun.
Their appearance was even more miserable up close. They didn’t quite look like warriors. Hollow cheeks. Thin bodies. Military uniforms torn and tattered here and there. Faces stained with grime were a little different from what was described in the books.
Finally, a youthful God of War arrived in front of Ho-eun.
“Nice to meet you.”
Ho-eun greeted, extending his hand.
“……”
The God of War stared intently at Ho-eun. He seemed amazed that a nobleman was standing like a nobleman and greeting like a nobleman. He just stared at Ho-eun without any particular reaction.
At that, Deok-woo glared at the God of War, threatening him.
“Hey, you, what the hell are you doing, eating our young master’s greeting like you’re slurping down rice in soup-.”
“Deok-woo.”
Ho-eun stopped him in a gentle voice. Then, as if nothing had happened, he smiled faintly. The God of War looked back and forth between the two with a somewhat sulky face, then took Ho-eun’s hand.
At that moment, Ho-eun’s sternocleidomastoid muscle became distinct. It was because the hand of a stranger was too unfamiliar.
“……”
The God of War held Ho-eun’s hand and paused for a moment. Then, he pulled his hand, rubbed the back of his hand, or rubbed his palm.
It was an uncomfortable touch, but it didn’t seem to have any impure intentions. He didn’t seem to be trying to flirt with Ho-eun. Rather, what should he say…
Yes, he looked desperate.
He wanted to find his Bondmate at all costs.
Because a Bondmate was like another life to a God of War.
So, Ho-eun held his hand tighter, harder. But the God of War passed by Ho-eun. The next God of War did the same, and the next God of War did the same.
Ten, twenty, forty Gods of War passed by Ho-eun.
By that point, he had become quite accustomed to holding hands and communicating. But Deok-woo didn’t seem to be. Every time a God of War passed by, his brow furrowed as if someone had been pickaxing it.
“How many more times do you have to hold hands with these lowly things? I’m worried you might catch a disease. You should wash yourself with boiling water as soon as we get home.”
“Boiling water? Are you planning to cook me and eat me?”
Ho-eun chuckled and held the hand of the next God of War. But that God of War tilted his head as if he was puzzled. Then Deok-woo suddenly thrust his angry bull-like face forward.
“Hey. Hurry up and go. Don’t tell me our precious young master is your Bondmate. A rootless guy dares to covet someone.”
At those words, the God of War frowned as if he was seeing all sorts of dirty things, let go of Ho-eun’s hand, and moved on. Ho-eun couldn’t stand it and turned to look at Deok-woo.
“Deok-woo, don’t say things like that. They’re all wonderful people protecting the country.”
“But you have to match the class, young master.”
“Class? What’s that in this day and age?”
“But-.”
“And Deok-woo, you seem to have forgotten, but those people are all Gods of War. Even if they’re smaller than you, they’re stronger than you. Like our eldest brother who could break rocks with his hands.”
“……Like your eldest brother?”
Deok-woo stiffened as if he hadn’t thought that far. He quickly moved his eyes around, looking around, then shrugged his broad shoulders inward. He also bent his back crookedly.
Ho-eun giggled at the sight.
The Bondmate Ceremony continued. For so long that the dazzlingly bright sunlight turned crimson and then purple. The auditorium, filled with night, became dim.
“Haa……”
Ho-eun rubbed the sweat-soaked forehead with the back of his hand. He had only shaken hands, but the number of times had exceeded hundreds, so he felt that this was no ordinary task. Moreover, standing still without rest was very arduous.
As he sighed silently, looking at the endless stream of Gods of War, Deok-woo asked in a worried voice.
“Are you tired? Should I find a chair? Since you’re just shaking hands anyway, you can sit down.”
“Ah, um……”
Ho-eun reserved his answer. He didn’t have the habit of plopping down anywhere. It wasn’t that it was wrong, but he was afraid that the God of War he had been waiting for might appear at the very moment he sat down. He wanted to leave a good first impression.
But more than half of the Bondmates around him were already sprawled on the floor. They just raised their hands roughly and yawned, or even dozed off.
“……”
Ho-eun bit his lip and pondered. He wanted to refuse, but he was too tired. It was the first time he had stood for so long in his life. His knees ached, and his back hurt.
……Would it be okay to sit down for a little while? Just a little bit. The God of War won’t come in the meantime.
So, Ho-eun nodded to Deok-woo, reassuring himself.
“Please.”
“I’ll be right back. Please wait a moment.”
Deok-woo disappeared with a determined expression. Ho-eun watched him walk away for a moment, then turned his gaze to the God of War in front of him.
“Nice to meet you.”
It was when he extended his hand, offering his hundredth greeting. The Bondmate standing on the right left the place with the God of War wearing a military uniform. It seemed that a pair had been made. A soldier who was in charge of the Bondmate Ceremony wrote down their names.
“……”
Ho-eun’s mouth hardened subtly. At first, he was amazed and envious of those who formed pairs like that, but now he was anxious. He felt like he was falling behind. It was even more so because more than half of the Bondmates who had been standing densely had left.
Unfortunately, the God of War who shook hands with Ho-eun this time was not his Bondmate either. It was the moment when Ho-eun was massaging his tingling fingers and drooping his eyes.
Suddenly, the venue became noisy. To be exact, the entrance of the auditorium.
Ho-eun, who was standing on the opposite side of the entrance, could not figure out the reason for the commotion. But after a few seconds, a few sentences reached Ho-eun’s ears.
“The Crimson Rain Brigade has arrived.”
“What? The Crimson Rain Brigade?”
“They said the Crimson Rain Brigade has arrived?”
The tired people regained their energy. Those who were sitting down stood up, and those who were dozing off woke up. Ho-eun did too. Suddenly, the cold sweat dried up completely. That’s how powerful the name was.
“……Crimson Rain Brigade.”
It was the most famous unit in the Daehan Empire. How else would Ho-eun, who lived the most detached life from the battlefield and the Devouring Ghouls, know about it? It was a name that was often heard even beyond the high walls of his house.
Crimson Rain Brigade. Literally, it was a title given because it seemed like red rain fell wherever they passed.
It could be said that they got that name because they killed so many Devouring Ghouls, but there were many other speculations as well.
Because they chose to go to battlefields so terrible that blood soaked the entire land. Or because the Crimson Rain Brigade itself shed so much blood. It was said that none of them were wrong, so it was up to interpretation.
Ho-eun slightly raised himself on tiptoes to see them. But he wasn’t tall, and the others were all standing on tiptoes, so he couldn’t see anything. But his ears were fine, so he could hear the words people were exchanging well.
“Why did those busy people come all the way here…….”
“No matter how busy they are, they have to find their Bondmate.”
“Is there a God of War in the Crimson Rain Brigade without a Bondmate?”
“There’s ‘that person’.”
“Ah, ‘that person’.”
“I heard rumors that he’s in danger because he doesn’t have a Bondmate. It seems he’s still alive.”
“That’s why he came.”
“He needs to find a Bondmate this year…….”
Ho-eun knew ‘that person’ well too. It wasn’t that he had a personal acquaintance, but because he was as famous as the Crimson Rain Brigade. No, it should be said that the Crimson Rain Brigade was famous because of ‘that person’.