By Zephyria 
107
“Here. Take one each.”
Having finished their meal, Ho-eun squatted down next to the girls and Jeong-woo. Then, he took something out of his pouch and began handing them out one by one.
“Eat up. It’s ripe and soft.”
It was a persimmon. There was a persimmon tree at the house where Tae-muk and he had stayed overnight in Ramjae Town, and he had picked them from there.
It wasn’t right to pick fruit from someone else’s tree, but he had picked them because they were sure to fall and rot if left any longer. Of course, Ho-eun didn’t pick them himself; Tae-muk had picked them for him when he saw him struggling, standing on his tiptoes trying to reach.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you, Young Master.”
The girls, each receiving a persimmon, bowed to Ho-eun. Ho-eun smiled gently.
“Are you tired? Aren’t you cold?”
“Tired? Not at all.”
Jeong-i said firmly. But her young face, as she said that, was strangely grimy. She seemed to have grown gaunt in half a day, and she looked listless.
It was probably her first time leaving the town, so it was understandable. She was probably very scared and afraid. Still, he was impressed that she answered bravely without crying.
The girls bit into the persimmons, skin and all. The soft persimmons slipped down their throats without needing to be chewed. Ho-eun watched them with a pleased expression. One of the girls, with soft persimmon smeared all over her mouth, said,
“Young Master’s pouch is like a magic pouch.”
“That’s right. Chocolate, and now persimmons. Are you perhaps an angel sent by God?”
“What? An angel? Even my parents wouldn’t say that…”
He, who had been giggling, suddenly hardened his expression. Then he quickly shut his mouth. Bringing up parents in front of girls who had none. What insensitive rudeness. How immature. Ho-eun forced a smile, as if nothing had happened.
“Eat slowly. It’ll be a while before we leave.”
Ho-eun looked at each of the girls, then took a persimmon out of his own pouch. The soft persimmon looked sweet and delicious. Ho-eun swallowed his saliva, after a long time.
It had been so long since he had eaten fruit. Even after leaving home, he had never lacked food, but since it was a battlefield, it was hard to come by fruit. He didn’t realize he wanted fruit, but after eating a pancake and a half, he still wanted a persimmon, so he must have missed it.
Ho-eun first plucked off the stem of the persimmon, then used his finger to gently peel off the skin. Soon, the soft, moist flesh was revealed. The ripe persimmon looked like a transparent rice cake. It was when Ho-eun was about to take a bite, sucking on it, that.
“Young Master!”
Someone called Ho-eun. Ho-eun, with his mouth full of persimmon, only turned his eyes. Gil-sang was running towards him at a very fast pace. Then he stood in front of Ho-eun, blocking his way.
“…Sir?”
Ho-eun, one cheek bulging, called him with a bewildered expression. But Gil-sang, without answering, drew the sword he was wearing at his waist. The girls gasped in unison at the sharply glinting weapon.
Ho-eun quickly chewed and swallowed the persimmon in his mouth. Then, as he was about to call Gil-sang again, Seong-im appeared. She seemed to have run at the same time as Gil-sang, but she must not have been able to keep up with the God of War, Gil-sang, so she had only just arrived. She also immediately drew her sword and glared at the forest.
“What, what’s going on-”
Ho-eun couldn’t finish his question.
Ppoooooooo…
Because the sound of the Conch Horn shook the entire mountain.
Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers were blowing the Conch Horn not far away. At the same time, the resting soldiers jumped up as if they had been sprung and went to their positions as if they had made a promise. Dong-ja and Man-soo could also be seen among the busy people.
Some of the soldiers gathered the scattered refugees in the middle. Soon, the Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers surrounded the refugees. And they turned around, aiming their weapons at the forest.
“…”
Ho-eun’s chest rose and fell rapidly. Could it be that the Devouring Ghoul had appeared? But Tae-muk had already patrolled the area and taken care of them. He had definitely gone into the forest before the meal and come back.
Ho-eun, with a confused expression, looked around for Tae-muk. But Tae-muk was nowhere to be seen.
Just when he had brought the persimmons, he had been talking to another soldier, looking at a map, but now he was gone.
“No…”
Ho-eun, dropping the persimmon he was holding, stood up without realizing it. He had to be with Tae-muk. For his sake, and for Tae-muk’s sake. He didn’t want to be separated from him anymore.
It was the moment he took a step, not knowing where Tae-muk was.
A hand that came up from below grabbed Ho-eun’s sleeve. Ho-eun looked down sharply.
“Young Master, please don’t go.”
Jeong-i, pale as a sheet, was holding onto Ho-eun. The startled girls were clinging to her side like barnacles. Jeong-woo already had tears welling up in her eyes.
And at the feet of those children, the persimmons, not even half-eaten, were rolling on the ground with the fallen leaves.
“…”
Seeing that, Ho-eun couldn’t bear to leave them behind. There were plenty of Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers nearby, and Gil-sang was right in front of him, so they wouldn’t get hurt, but he couldn’t just leave them.
Ho-eun bit his lower lip tightly and then released it, and sat down next to them again. And he tried to smile.
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay. Nothing will happen. The people here are all very strong soldiers.”
The girls nodded, trembling, but couldn’t hide their terrified expressions. Ho-eun continued to soothe them, and stared at the forest visible between Gil-sang and Seong-im.
The forest, where even most of the autumn leaves had fallen, was quiet. To put it nicely, it was quiet, but the mottled and desolate scenery was eerie. The dry leaves, rolling around here and there in the swirling wind, made a rustling sound.
And not long after.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
The ground began to shake. It was as if huge rocks were dancing and rolling from an invisible place.
Following the vibration, the girls’ breathing quickened. So did Ho-eun’s. He felt like he had seen enough of the Devouring Ghoul by now, but he still couldn’t get used to it. A cold fear flowed from the tips of his limbs to his solar plexus.
“…”
“…”
Everyone held their breath. Everyone stopped and didn’t even blink, as if they had died. Thanks to that, the sound of the Devouring Ghoul approaching was heard more clearly, more distinctly, and louder.
And finally.
Kaaaaaaak!
The Devouring Ghoul appeared between the trees. They ran towards the people on all fours like beasts. It was the beginning of winter, but it wasn’t that cold during the day, so the excited ones puffed out their breath, white and cloudy. They ran wildly and collided with each other, or crashed into trees and fell backwards, then bounced back up again. Some of them crushed the trees with their huge bodies.
“Young Master, Young Master…”
“Young Master…”
The girls clung to Ho-eun. Ho-eun opened his arms wide to shield them. He knew his weak arms couldn’t protect them, but he wanted to comfort their frightened hearts. That was all he could do as an adult.
But Ho-eun was also quite frightened. His chest throbbed. He felt sick to his stomach, as if he was going to throw up.
Why again.
Why so soon.
How long had it been since he had left Ramjae Town? He thought he wouldn’t meet the Devouring Ghoul until he arrived at another town at least. Wasn’t that right? No matter how indifferent the heavens were, they shouldn’t give him this much hardship.
He was one thing, but what sin did these young children, these innocent children, commit?
He felt wronged. He felt incredibly wronged.
Kaaaak! Kak, kaak, kaaaaak!
The Devouring Ghouls were getting closer and closer. It was only a matter of time before the ones in the lead came right up to them. It jumped high, using the speed it had been running at. Then it stomped on a Crimson Rain Brigade soldier with its foot. The soldier, crushed by the enormous weight, coughed up blood. Starting with that, dozens of Devouring Ghouls attacked the soldiers.
Kaaaak! Kak, kaaaaak!
At first, the forces of the Crimson Rain Brigade soldiers and the Devouring Ghouls did not mix, but only rippled as they faced each other like water and oil. But before long, the soldiers and Devouring Ghouls were mixed up indiscriminately. Occasionally, a Devouring Ghoul that had rushed deep into the group would bite a refugee’s shoulder and drag them out.
Screams, shouts, cries, and shouts of encouragement rose indiscriminately from all directions.
It was a scene of chaos, but Ho-eun did not lose his composure. He focused on comforting the girls, making eye contact with each of them.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. No one will get hurt. No one.”
But Ho-eun’s comfort was not very effective. At the same time as he finished speaking.
Thump.
Kiiiiiiii…
A Devouring Ghoul had arrived in front of Gil-sang. Gil-sang began fighting the Devouring Ghoul without hesitation. Every time he swung his sword, the Devouring Ghoul’s skin was torn, split, and blood splattered everywhere. The Devouring Ghoul bared its fangs and became agitated, but Gil-sang was not afraid at all.
On the other hand, Seong-im, who was next to him, took only a stance to draw her sword without any other movement. It wasn’t that she wasn’t stepping forward, but it seemed that they had decided in advance to do so. In case something happened to Gil-sang, she had to protect Ho-eun.