By Zephyria 
153
“…….”
Tae-muk stared down at Ho-eun. Ho-eun’s thick eyelashes, slightly raised cheekbones, and the particularly pointed upper lip were reflected in his dark eyes. Then, at some point.
“Ah.”
Tae-muk let out a soft sigh. Ho-eun, startled, widened his eyes.
“Are you in pain?”
As he was about to withdraw his hand, Tae-muk pulled it and said.
“Walk.”
“Pardon?”
“I like walks.”
“Ah…….”
Ho-eun’s voice trailed off. He remembered the walk he had taken with Tae-muk one night when the moon was bright. It must have been the day he first practiced shooting. He was so excited about killing the Devouring Ghoul that his heart was pounding and his hands were shaking. He couldn’t go back to the tent like that, so he begged Tae-muk to go for a walk. The walk that followed was a strange act that could neither be called a walk nor not a walk.
Still… it was nice.
Enough.
“…….”
Ho-eun smiled faintly as he recalled that day. Even so, he carefully wiped the water from Tae-muk’s hands. And when the moisture was completely gone, he neatly folded the wet handkerchief and put it in his pocket, then looked up at him.
“God of War.”
“Why.”
Tae-muk replied, looking wistfully at his hand, which had already become dry. Ho-eun placed his hand on Tae-muk’s palm.
“When we arrive at the next garrison.”
“Yeah.”
“When this cold winter is over and the warm spring comes… would you like to go for a walk with me?”
“…….”
Tae-muk didn’t answer. Rather, he slowly closed his mouth. Ho-eun, assuming it was a rejection, smiled awkwardly and tried to pull his hand away. Tae-muk gripped his hand tightly.
“Well… it doesn’t have to be spring.”
At those words, Ho-eun widened his eyes for a moment, then smiled, his eyes crinkling.
“Yes. It doesn’t have to be spring.”
Ho-eun held Tae-muk’s hand in return. It was strange that it was warm even after washing his hands in the ice water, but at the same time, he was worried. It meant he had used his strength. It also meant he was in pain.
“Shall we go back now?”
Ho-eun said, wiggling his fingers between Tae-muk’s, interlacing them.
“……Okay.”
And so, the two began to retrace their steps. Quietly, without much to say. A cold wind blew from time to time, but the two palms pressed together were so warm that they didn’t feel cold.
Then, at some point, Tae-muk put his hand, holding Ho-eun’s, into his military uniform pocket. Ho-eun smiled slightly at the warm pocket. He subtly moved closer to him.
After walking for a while, Ho-eun spoke again.
“Ah, there’s one more thing I like.”
“You like so many things.”
“I don’t like many things. It’s just that you like particularly few things.”
“……What is it.”
“I like shooting training with you, God of War.”
“Ha, you can’t even shoot well.”
“I can’t shoot well? I can now hit nine out of ten shots! Who is my teacher!”
“Who is it, that teacher. Must be terrible at teaching. Nine out of ten is still not enough.”
“Ter, terrible……. Don’t insult my teacher! He’s a wonderful person!”
“I don’t want to.”
“Eek……. Let go of my hand!”
“I don’t want to do that either.”
“Really… how did someone like you, God of War, become God of War, really how did you…….”
“If you keep chattering, I won’t give you shooting training at night.”
“……I’ll be quiet. I’m quiet. I’m quiet, I am.”
“Pfft…….”
“……Did you just laugh?”
“No.”
“I think you laughed.”
“I didn’t. I coughed.”
“…….”
Ho-eun looked at Tae-muk, who was feigning ignorance, and couldn’t help but giggle. Tae-muk, watching him, turned his head to the side and silently raised the corners of his lips.
On the clean snowfield where no one had walked, the two people’s footprints were pressed firmly, step by step.
A large snowflake landed on his eyelashes with a thud. Ho-eun shrugged his shoulders and rubbed it away. The snow melted into cold water. Ho-eun wiped it away and looked again at the distant fortress wall, the place that would become their garrison.
“It looks like it’s been abandoned for a long time.”
He said, his eyes fixed on the fortress wall. The fortress wall was not very high. Compared to Ramjae Town or Myeonghwa Town, it seemed to be less than half as high. Moreover, it was crumbling in places, so it seemed more like a pile of stones than a ‘wall’.
“Yes. They say the last people lived there 50 years ago.”
Gil-sang, who was standing next to him, replied.
“50 years…….”
Ho-eun murmured the long years. He was worried and excited about the inside of the wall, which had been abandoned for so long. At that moment, another thick snowflake landed on the bridge of his nose. Ho-eun brushed it off and asked.
“But is there a reason why we’re not going even though we have our destination in sight?”
It seemed like about an hour had passed since they arrived here, but the Crimson Rain Brigade didn’t seem to be moving.
“They say there are Eater Bugs gathered inside.”
“Devouring Ghouls? Why? If it’s been empty for 50 years, there shouldn’t be anyone inside.”
“It’s cold, isn’t it.”
“……Pardon?”
“They’re animals anyway. Like bears or tigers. When it’s cold, they hide in places where the wind doesn’t blow, and they often gather together. Because it’s surrounded by cliffs, they say the wind doesn’t blow as much there.”
“Ah…….”
Ho-eun sighed as if groaning. Devouring Ghouls also feel the cold, so he was relieved that they also suffered, but it was also unfortunate that they were in the fortress wall where we were going.
“Then how about setting up a garrison in the plains like last time? There were many plains on the way here.”
“There’s a lot of snow here, so it’s a bit difficult. When it snows, it’s hard to see even if Eater Bugs attack. Also, because the snow makes it harder to hear their footsteps, it’s not easy for the God of War to notice.”
“You mean the God of War can’t hear the Devouring Ghouls?”
“It’s not that he can’t hear them at all, but he can only hear them when they get much closer.”
“I see…….”
Ho-eun’s face darkened even more. Devouring Ghouls that Tae-muk couldn’t notice. He thought this winter would be very harsh. Feeling depressed, he slowly lowered his gaze, and Gil-sang said.
“Don’t worry too much. It’s the Crimson Rain Brigade.”
At those words, Ho-eun quickly looked at him. Gil-sang was smiling with the corners of his lips raised. It was a smile without fear or dread. Seeing that, a smile slowly bloomed on Ho-eun’s lips as well.
“Yes. It’s the Crimson Rain Brigade.”
Yes, winter isn’t just this year. Winter on the battlefield was new to him, but they must have experienced it countless times. And among those countless winters, there must have been winters that were even harsher than this.
‘If you can’t eat anything for a week and roll around in the snow, you’ll end up digging up snow to eat.’
‘Snow is a blessing. I’ve even eaten dirt.’
Ho-eun, recalling what Tae-muk had said a while ago, gripped the reins tightly. The soldiers began to stir. Then dozens of God of Wars ran forward. Judging by the situation, they seemed to be going ahead to deal with the Devouring Ghouls first.
“Haa…….”
Ho-eun sighed with a cloud of breath. He could just watch from afar, protected by Gil-sang, but he was worried about those who were going in. No one should get hurt or die.
He was looking at the advancing soldiers with concern when the sound of hooves, clattering, clattering, approached and Byeonguk came up.
“Young Master, the God of War is calling for you.”
“……Me?”
Ho-eun’s eyes widened.
Tae-muk, invariably at the head, was talking with Dong-ja, Man-soo, and a few soldiers. They were all high-ranking soldiers. Ho-eun hesitantly drove his horse towards them.
“You called for me…….”
Dong-ja and Man-soo greeted him happily.
“You came, Young Master?”
“Young Master came?”
Ho-eun smiled awkwardly and nodded. Then he looked at Tae-muk, who said with his characteristic expressionless face.
“You’re coming with us too.”
“……Me too?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah……. Yes. I understand.”
Ho-eun was a little surprised by the sudden words, but he soon agreed. He was Tae-muk’s Bondmate, so it was natural for him to go with him. He didn’t know why he was suddenly taking him today after always leaving him behind, but Tae-muk must have a reason. He just had to do his job as a Bondmate well. That’s what he was thinking.
“Bring your Gun.”
Tae-muk said. Ho-eun’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Gun? Are you talking about my Gun?”
“Yeah. You can’t just shoot at targets forever.”
“What…… do you mean…….”
If he was telling him to bring it in case of an emergency, that was possible. But the added words were unsettling. Just targets, forever. Then what? Shoot Devouring Ghouls? Me? How?
Ho-eun stared blankly at Tae-muk, as if he didn’t understand at all. He twisted the corners of his lips crookedly. A strange light permeated his dark eyes.
“Kill the Devouring Ghouls.”
“M, me?”
“Yeah. With your Gun.”
“W, with the Gun?”
Ho-eun’s voice, repeatedly asking, grew louder and louder. The last ‘yo’ was as high as a lark. Dong-ja and Man-soo chuckled as if amused, but Ho-eun couldn’t laugh.
He was being told to kill Devouring Ghouls. Just imagining it made goosebumps rise on his spine and he had to shiver.
“I can’t, I can’t. I can’t do it.”
Ho-eun shook his head and waved his hands at the same time. It was the most he could refuse right now.
“Why can’t you.”
“I’m not, I’m not skilled enough yet.”