By Zephyria 
28
“…Is it morning now, by any chance?”
“Yes.”
“……”
Ho-eun was taken aback by the cook’s affirmation. He had slept through an entire night. Then what about Tae-muk? He hadn’t done the ‘work’ he was supposed to do every night. That was his only use.
“Where is the General?”
“He’s outside. We had trouble with Eater Bugs swarming in all night.”
“D-Devouring Ghouls?”
Ho-eun’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. Devouring Ghouls, he had no idea. He was horrified at himself for sleeping so soundly, unaware of the commotion. He was embarrassed when he hid among the rocks in the valley, but now he had even pitched a tent and slept.
What should he do? He felt so sorry. So apologetic.
“I should go out too—”
Ho-eun, throwing off the blanket, tried to get up from the floor. But the cook stopped him.
“Uh, no, you can’t. Gil-sang told me to keep you here.”
“But…”
“Have this.”
The cook held out a wooden bowl. Black liquid sloshed inside the bowl. Ho-eun wondered what it was, looking down at it.
“It’s herbal medicine.”
“…Herbal medicine?”
“Yes. Herbal medicine. For when you have a fever.”
“Where did you get this…”
Ho-eun tilted his head. How did they get herbal medicine in these mountains? Could it be that Tae-muk, worried about him— That’s what he was thinking when.
“It was in the Young Master’s luggage. Gil-sang told me to give it to you.”
“My luggage?”
“Yes. It said it’s medicine for when you have a fever. Someone wrote down how to brew it, how to take it, when to take it, everything.”
“……”
Instantly, the expression vanished from Ho-eun’s face.
It was his parents.
His father and mother.
Ho-eun realized that it had been a very long time since he had thought of his parents. He had no room for them with the Devouring Ghouls and Tae-muk.
Suddenly, he missed them terribly. It was worse because he was sick. He had been sick his whole life, but he had never been sick alone. His mother or father had always been by his side. Holding his hand, worrying about him, whispering that he would be okay.
Remembering those times, his nose quickly stung. Tears welled up in an instant. The cook looked flustered at Ho-eun’s tearful state.
“A-Are you crying? Are you that sick?”
“No, no. I’m not crying.”
Ho-eun said, hiccuping and swallowing his sobs. He dabbed at his tears with his sleeve. Then he took the herbal medicine with both hands.
“Thank you. I’ll take it.”
Ho-eun gulped down the black liquid in one go. The bitter taste that moistened his throat was very familiar. The cook, watching him, stretched his lips wide horizontally and groaned.
“You can drink that bitter stuff so well…”
“Have you ever had herbal medicine?”
It was a thoughtless question. But the cook’s shoulders twitched upwards. He fidgeted with his fingers and mumbled, hanging his head.
“…I tried it while brewing it. Not much, just dipped my pinky in it. Just a little, a little bit.”
“Is that so?”
“I, I had to see if it was spoiled…”
“I see.”
“No, actually, I was cu, curious about the taste… Since the Young Master was drinking it, I thought it must be precious and delicious… I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. But it really tastes bad, right? I’m used to it, so it’s okay. I’ve had more of this than rice.”
Ho-eun replied with a small smile. Then he shook out the remaining herbal medicine, not leaving a single drop. Strangely, he already felt like he was getting his strength back. It wasn’t the herbal medicine, but the worry and love of his parents that he had consumed.
When Ho-eun put down the wooden bowl, the cook grabbed it and stood up.
“Then I’ll go out now.”
At those words, Ho-eun grabbed his sleeve with a surprised look.
“Don’t go out. You said Devouring Ghouls came.”
He didn’t know if he was a God of War or a Bondmate, but judging by the fact that he was a cook, he was likely a Bondmate. Moreover, he looked younger than him, what if he got hurt if he went out? What if he lost his life? If they needed someone to fight, it was right for him to go out, not him.
But the cook said nonchalantly.
“Ah, the Eater Bugs all died around dawn. Everyone’s getting ready to leave now.”
“Ah…”
Ho-eun slowly released his sleeve. The cook stared at Ho-eun with an unreadable expression. Ho-eun, feeling embarrassed by the gaze, changed the subject.
“What’s your name?”
“Uh… Chilbok.”
“Chilbok?”
“Yes. Chilbok because I’m the seventh. Ilbok, Ibok, Sambok, then Chilbok.”
“Ah…”
Ho-eun nodded as if he understood. Then he looked at the cook, no, at Chilbok, and smiled.
“That’s a nice name. Thank you for the herbal medicine, Chilbok.”
“……”
At the sudden greeting, Chilbok pulled his chin in. He also pursed his lips. His cheeks flushed red, and his hand gripping the wooden bowl turned white with force.
“Wh-What, I mean, you’re thanking me for something that’s nothing…”
“No, I’m really grateful.”
“…What’s the Young Master’s name?”
“Me? I’m Ho-eun. Choi Ho-eun.”
“Young Master Ho-eun…”
Chilbok murmured Ho-eun’s name.
“Chilbok…”
Ho-eun also murmured Chilbok’s name. It was the second name he had learned in the Crimson Rain Brigade after Gil-sang. Ah, there was Tae-muk too. It must be the third name he had learned.
Ho-eun, inadvertently thinking of Tae-muk, licked his lips. He tasted the unique bitterness of the herbal medicine.
“Chilbok.”
“Yes?”
“By any chance… is the General… angry?”
“Why?”
“Because I’m sick.”
“Why would the Captain be angry because you’re sick?”
“Well, um, I, um…”
Because he bothered him.
Ho-eun couldn’t bring himself to say those words. It was too miserable to admit it. It was a fact that he knew all too well, so there was no need to be embarrassed now, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say it.
But Chilbok, rubbing his nose roughly with the back of his hand, said nonchalantly.
“There are sick people everywhere here. Our Captain doesn’t get angry about things like that.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Chilbok nodded as if he was sure. But Ho-eun’s anxiety did not subside. Tae-muk treated the other soldiers very differently from how he treated him. But Chilbok added something strange.
“Thanks to that, I was with you all day, Young Master, so it was actually good.”
“What do you mean?”
Ho-eun tilted his head. Wouldn’t he be annoyed and dislike it if he was with him? That’s what Tae-muk seemed like. It certainly wasn’t an expression that could be described as ‘good.’
“You’re with your Bondmate. What God of War hates being with their Bondmate?”
“……”
“No matter what God of War it is, they can’t refuse their Bondmate clinging to them.”
“……”
“Destiny isn’t destiny for nothing.”
Chilbok said firmly. Ho-eun was just looking at Chilbok.
“Destiny isn’t destiny for nothing.”
After saying that, Chilbok stood up, saying he had to go wash the dishes. He bowed politely and left the tent. Ho-eun was staring blankly at the fluttering tent entrance. As he did, he mulled over what Chilbok had said.
“Clinging… to?”
He recalled the nights he had spent with Tae-muk so far. Come to think of it, he had hugged him tightly enough to crush him when they kissed the other day. Even when he first performed the oral art, he had pulled his arm and made him hug his waist.
He didn’t know the exact reason, but it must have been because he wanted to. Without Tae-muk knowing, unconsciously. Or instinctively.
“Hmm…”
Perhaps, as long as Tae-muk was his God of War, he might not be able to hate him. Because they were destined. How could he hate destiny? He had never heard of such a thing.
‘Clinging to’……
After thinking about something for a long time, a small light suddenly flew into Ho-eun’s eyes.
Ho-eun, straightening his clothes and tying his Braided Hair tightly, came out of the tent. And at the same time, he had to let out a sigh.
“Ah…”
The ground was littered with Devouring Ghoul corpses. Some were hanging from trees, some were split in half, some were crushed on rocks, it was a mess anyway. Fortunately, there were no human corpses in sight.
“……”
Ho-eun turned back to look at Tae-muk’s tent, which he had just come out of. It had blood splattered on it, but it was standing perfectly fine. There had been such a bloody battle, but it was amazing that only his tent was standing perfectly. He also thought that was why he had slept so soundly.
Ho-eun, sniffing at the rising stench, crossed the corpses. His shoes were soon soaked in the bloody water that had collected between the grass.
Ho-eun, who was walking while looking at the ground to avoid stepping on the corpses, suddenly realized that the Devouring Ghouls were a little small. The Devouring Ghouls he had seen in the valley were literally the size of houses, but the ones in front of him now were bigger than Ho-eun, but smaller than Tae-muk. The shape of their helmets was also simple.
Later, he heard from Gil-sang that the Devouring Ghouls also had different appearances depending on the group. Just like humans, there were Asians and Westerners.
Fortunately, the ones that had attacked last night were not that strong or smart. Instead, there were so many of them that it was a troublesome battle. But no one was seriously injured.
“……”
A Devouring Ghoul with its helmet torn off and disgustingly dead was caught on Ho-eun’s feet as he walked carefully. As far as Ho-eun knew, there was only one person in the world who could kill Devouring Ghouls like this.
Tae-muk.
Ho-eun, suddenly raising his head, looked around. Soldiers were preparing to leave not far away, and Tae-muk was at the head of them. He was on horseback, smoking a cigarette, and looking at a map with another soldier.