After returning to the Mercenary Base, Kian goes to the public bathhouse instead of returning to his tent.
At this odd hour, Kian alone occupies the spacious pool where the water is constantly kept at a warm temperature. He brushes back his wet hair then stops midway when the fabric wrapped by Granny Po catches his attention.
Since finding out about Fated Pairs, Granny Po doesn't show any curiosity about who Kian's soulmate is. She only repeatedly warns Kian not to reveal the red mark to anyone, not even to his foster father.
Kian unwraps the wet fabric.
Because he's consciously looking at it, the faint red mark becomes more distinct and the feeling of connection as if there's a thread linking his hand with another person intensifies.
Kian slowly recites the word 'soulmate'; a word he, an orphan, would never have thought to have anything to do with. But now, although he doesn't know yet who and what kind of person his soulmate is, the mere thought that he is no longer alone fills him with anticipation
If the mercenaries who have watched him grow up heard what he's thinking, their jaws will drop in shock.
After staring at the red mark long enough, Kian made up his mind.
Dawn breaks when Kian leaves the public bathhouse. Then, he starts heading back to his tent with a freshened mind and a decision.
*****
After packing his bag and changing into a set of travelling clothes, Kian sweeps his gaze around the tent and mutters, "I'll come back."
The tent and most of the things inside belonged to his late parents. After he started living alone, it became a habit, almost like a ritual, for Kian to say those three words every time he had to leave for a mission. Even though the people are gone, at least it gives him the feeling of something to come back to.
Shortly after, he arrives at a slightly larger tent than the others; the tent belongs to the leader of the mercenary corps he's a part of who also happens to be his foster father.
"Heard you were chased out by Siren Monkeys."
Elk, a middle-aged man in his 40s, speaks without looking up from the report in his hand.
"I'm here to request for a leave," Kian goes straight to the point.
Elk stops what he's reading and looks up with a gaze of doubt. He assumed Kian came to see him at this early hour about the Siren Monkey's abnormal behaviour.
The kid who never takes a day off from training even after completing a tiring mission is now requesting for leave on his own when usually it was Elk who forced him to take a day off. So naturally he's curious.
"What brought this on?"
"I had a dream," Kian begins with a vague sentence that catches Elk off guard. He ignores the older man's reaction and briefly recounts his conversation with Granny Po without mentioning anything about the red mark on his wrist or about Fated Pairs.
"Granny told you that it's a foreshadowing dream?"
Under Elk's questioning gaze, Kian nods without saying more.
Granny Po already gave her permission for him to use her name, but it's still better to be cautious especially in front of his foster father.
The two men, one young and the other much older, stare at each other without saying anything.
Whether Elk believes Kian's words or not, he doesn't show it on his face. Moreover, Granny Po is involved so there's not much room to doubt. That's how much blind trust, ahem, credibility Granny Po has over the veteran mercenaries living at the base.
On the other hand, Kian doesn't care whether his foster father believes him or not. He already made up his mind on going, and Elk knows once Kian decides on something, no one and nothing can persuade him otherwise.
"How long are you going to be away?"
Elk breaks the silent standoff.
"I don't know," Kian responds honestly.
"Where are you heading?"
"Erest, to start."
The older man raises his brows in surprise after hearing Kian's destination and says, "What a coincidence, I was just thinking of sending you on a mission. Since you're going the same way, help me investigate this."
Elk hands Kian the report in his hand before he continues speaking, "Siren Monkeys are territorial beasts, they should be migrating further east this time of the year but you encountered them on the west side of the forest."
Then, he lowers his voice to say, "Recently, there have been signs of the beasts getting restless. If the people in the deep forest are making a move, we have to be prepared."
After some contemplation, Elk gets up and walks behind the partition dividing his work space and living quarters. Shortly after, he reappears with a wooden box just as Kian is done reading through the report summarising the recent abnormal behaviours of some beasts in the forest.
After putting down the wooden box on the table, Elk pushes it towards Kian and says, "Your coming-of-age gift."
Kian doesn't show any reaction to the unexpected gift. Although he dislikes celebrating his birthday because it reminds him of his parents, Elk always prepares him a gift every year.
"Your birthday is coming soon. Since we won't be seeing each other to celebrate you becoming an adult, best I give this to you now."
Under Elk's expectant gaze, Kian slowly opens the wooden box. From the rectangular shape of the wooden box, he isn't surprised to find a sword lying inside until his gaze lands on the insignia carved on the hilt of the sword.
A memory he thought he had forgotten flashes in his head - the proud smiling face of his Pa telling him, "No matter where fate leads us, we will always be the descendants of the Forest."
Kian just stares at the sword, the hesitance in his heart is obvious only to him.
Opposite the younger man, his foster father who's been running on low sleep lately is getting impatient when Kian doesn't make a move to take the sword. In the end, Elk impatiently takes the sword out of the wooden box and shoves it towards his foster son.
"Take the sword with you, it's been prepared for you long ago."
The meaning of his words indicates there's more to it (the sword) than a simple coming-of-age gift.
Kian unconsciously clutches the sword before strapping it to his back.
Then, when Kian is about to ask about his initial request for leave, Elk already knows what he's about to say so he speaks first, "Your request for leave is half-approved on the condition that you investigate the beasts' abnormal behaviours along the way to Erest."
Kian only thinks about it for a few seconds before nodding, showing he accepts the condition without arguing.
Now that his purpose in coming to see Elk is completed, he turns to leave without saying goodbye.
"Don't forget to send a report when you can!" Elk shouts at Kian's retreating back.
He deliberately raises his voice to let those lingering outside know that Kian is being sent out on a long mission. There is also another reason; it's more personal.
Elk leans back on his chair and mutters, "At least that's how I know you're alive so that I won't feel guilty towards your old man should something happen."
The promise he made with an old friend ten years ago weighs on his mind. However, he doesn't linger with the past for too long when someone suddenly barges into his tent with an urgent report.
*****
Kian stops by another place after leaving his foster father's tent - the community hall, which also functions as a dining hall, serving breakfast and dinner.
"Kian!" Maro, a male mercenary only a few years older than Kian calls out to him. "You're just now coming to eat?"
Kian ignores the mercenary and goes to the counter to buy a packed meal set for breakfast and lunch. The cooks are fond of Kian despite his reserved personality because they practically watched him grow up at the base so they also refill his empty water bottle with hot water. And when they learned that he won't be returning any time soon, the cooks insisted on packing him some dry rations.
"Don't worry about paying, we'll put it on Elk's tab," says one of the cooks.
Kian thanked them with a nod then left the community hall with a bag stuffed with food.
Maro jogs up to Kian after having finished his meal and says, "Heard you got chased out by Siren Monkeys."
Maro says the same thing as Elk did.
Yesterday, after completing his quota for a routine hunting mission, Kian did hear the screeching noise that only Siren Monkeys make but he was nowhere near those beasts when it happened. As for getting chased out, the truth is he was rushing out of the forest because it was getting dark.
"But that couldn't be true. Those annoying beasts must be making a fuss out of nothing again," Maro analysed the Siren Monkeys' behaviour correctly.
Kian simply nods without bothering to explain.
Maro is already used to his not talkative nature so he doesn't mind being the only one who talks.
As they walk, more and more mercenaries are heading in the same direction so Kian hurries his pace, thinking he's been delayed enough.
Maro stops following him. He scratches the back of his head in confusion and says, "What's got him in a hurry?"