'My wife left me'

Kalan's voice echoed in the forest.

*swoosh*

A light breeze swept through, deepening the silence in the air.

"Oh?" Ann exclaimed.

It took her a moment to process his words.

'What the hell did I just hear?' She turned stiff not knowing what to say in return.

Solace? Comforting words? Should she even be doing that in the first place?

Because coming from her, it would seem like the pot calling the kettle black.

"We were together. Though I didn't get to see her for a long time"

"!"

Ann's brain came to a halt yet again. For some reason, Kalan's words were piercing through her heart like thorns. It became chaotic when she unconsciously felt guilty though she wasn't the one at fault.

'Why the hell am I feeling guilty for!?' She cried out in anguish.

Suddenly a thought rose at the corner of her mind. The guilty feeling was starting to ring alarm bells.

'Why does this sound a bit familiar? Maybe...'

But Ann quickly dismissed the suspicion in her mind by shaking her head.

'Naah...'

She had been doubting Kalan every step of the journey only to be proven wrong again and again. It happened too frequently that it became a comical sequence.

Kalan would say something >> Ann becomes suspicious >> Kalan explains the situation >> Ann realizes her mistake and apologizes >> Harmony

Then the cycle will repeat itself over and over.

Though skeptical, Ann accepted that there are coincidences in the world.

The person you cross on the street may end up being an important aspect of your life or you may have the same sob story as your boss who you are basically ripping money out of.

Ann came to the conclusion that sometimes intuitions could be false alarms and not all the b*stards in the world are the same b*start you are running from. Not that Kalan was a b*stard.

Ann took a deep breath. She was finally at peace with her inner self.

Her over suspicious nature was under control now. For once in her life, she decided to ignore the warning bells inside her head and decided to hear Kalan's story.

However, she forgot that her mind and mouth were two different entities.

"Where is she now?"

'Me and my stupid mouth!'

Ann bit her tongue. Before she knew it she had asked such a personal question.

No matter how much she tried, Ann was unable to control her mouth at times of need. But the story seemed so interesting that she was unconsciously prying about it.

"Heh"

But instead of answering, Kalan smiled wryly looking at her.

Sadness, longing, loneliness, heartbreak... A thousand emotions were conveyed through one smile.

"..."

Ann's eyes fluttered. She opened and closed her mouth, unable to bring herself to ask the most important question.

'Why did she leave him?'

As if reading her mind, the corner of Kalan's eyes creased.

"She thought I would destroy her life. She said I would...."

He cast his eyes down before continuing,

"She said I would ruin the lives of everyone around her"

"Did you?" Ann asked in reflex urging Kalan to look at her.

"Hmm?"

"Destroy her life?"

"She didn't give me a chance to prove otherwise" Kalan smiled placing his hand over his chest.

"I'm sorry" Ann apologized, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"About your wife. I didn't mean to.."

"Don't be"

"Do you still think about her?"

Kalan locked eyes with Ann and declared,

"Every second of the day"

*swoosh*

Just then, the wind blew again, but this time there was a comfortable silence between the two rather than an awkward one.

Ann's eyes wavered.

Neither of them uttered another word. Only the sound of trees dancing to the wind was heard.

Ann wondered what kind of a cruel person Kalan's wife was to break his heart into a million pieces.

When she contemplated on a way to break the tension in the air. Kalan extended something towards her breaking the prolonged silence.

It was a dark red hibiscus.

"Here you go"

The beautiful red flower, the moons illuminating Kalan's handsome features along with his sad smile were enough to make her heart beat uncontrollably.

"I saw them on the way here. Thought it might suit you"

It was just a sign of friendship. Ann nodded to herself. He must have thought he was making her feel bad by listening to his tales of woe.

'Hmm... He must've seen the guys give me flowers'

"Thank you, Mr.Kalan"

Ann reached out, but before she could touch the flower Kalan pulled his hand back.

"Just. Kalan" He corrected her with a stern front.

"Ok. Just Kalan. Can I have the flower now?" Ann chuckled.

Just as she received the flower from Kalan, a familiar voice was heard from behind that sent chills down her spine.

"Ditching patrol to sneak out"

A shadow loomed over Ann causing her to gulp.

"Not the least professional thing you've done so far I guess" Raeden stated in a flat tone.

"Haha... suddenly I'm feeling very sleepy" Ann laughed awkwardly as she got to her feet.

*yawn*

After faking a big yawn, she sprinted towards the direction of the camp in a hurry without looking back.

"Good night Mr.Kalan! I mean, Kalan!"

"Why am the one always getting caught?" Ann mumbled complaints crossing past Raeden.

After she was gone, Raeden and Kalan stood facing each other in silence.

"..."

"..."

Kalan stood up, turned away, and adjusted his coat.

"..."

He started heading in the opposite direction of the camp without saying a word. But stopped at the sound of Raeden's cold voice.

"We do not want any complications to hinder our travel"

Raeden spoke with his back to Kalan before following Ann,

"Or have any kind of accidents to happen"











In the morning...

"Happy Bir...Hmph?!"

Ann blocked Noah's mouth before he could complete his sentence.

"Don't. You. Dare!"

"Happy Birthday to you" Noah whispered, removing her hand.

"Thank you. And I would appreciate it if you don't tell anyone else" Ann whispered back.

It was six in the morning and everyone from the entourage was preparing to set off for the day readying their horses.

Since entering the forest, they were fortunate enough to not run into any monsters or creatures and if everything goes as per track they could reach Parthellam a day ahead of schedule.

"I telling you don't" Ann warned Noah, who had come up to greet her first thing in the morning.

Even before being born inside a novel, Eunseo was the type of person that avoids celebrating birthdays since it repeats itself every year. Especially this year since she did not want to draw attention as she was turning twenty-one for the second time.

'And I plan to outlive everyone here' Ann sighed and fastened the saddle on top of Beauty.

As soon as she was done, Beauty snorted and walked away for a quick snack having spotted some delicacies along the bushes, allowing her to turn her attention back to Noah.

"Why? Don't everybody already know" Noah asked puzzled.

"No. Only the Nero mercenaries know. And I don't want to cause a ruckus in the middle of the forest which may or may not be riddled with ogres"

"The party last year was wild" Noah smirked, recalling the previous year's party.

Everybody except the children and the Chief was drunk partying till sunrise. Ann climbed the pine tree behind the Chief's house where she stayed all night until regaining consciousness. The Nero mercenaries ended up cleaning the village the next day while Ann was getting yelled at by Bea.

Now that the entourage was traveling through an area that is suspected to have a fairy forest. Fairies are not exactly the most hospitable towards people who vandalize their homes.

"Exactly. So don't tell anyone Noah. Inform the others too"

"But..."

Before he could say anything to refute, the sound of two people arguing caught their attention.

"We cannot exert her anymore..."

"Sir, the carriage will be useful in the meantime..."

Kalan and Ezra were in the middle of an intense discussion beside them.

The aura around Ezra seemed tense while Kalan was rigid. No matter how Ezra pleaded, Kalan shot down his suggestions without batting an eye.

"What's wrong?" Ann interrupted them.

"My horse. She's not feeling well" said Kalan, patting the head of his horse.

*neigh*

His horse Carrie nudged her face into his hands and whined in a painful voice. She was having a tummy ache that rendered her weak. She was unable to carry any weight on her back much less a person.

"She must've eaten something wrong"

Ezra pointed out having spotted some poisonous grasses along the path.

"She won't have enough strength to carry me all the way to Parthellam. She needs at least a day rest to get it out of her system"

"Sir. You can ride the front carriage"

"No. I can't do that" Kalan rejected his assistant's suggestion.

"I have to keep my eyes on her till we reach the destination. Can't let history repeat twice"

"?"

Noah and Ann blinked at each other confused. The conversation seems to have headed in a direction they couldn't understand.

"I'll walk beside her till she gets better" Kalan gently swept his hands through Carrie's mane.

"But sir..." Ezra pleaded.

'Why is acting like walking a few steps will kill him?'

Ann's face twitched.

This was getting ridiculous. She could see that Ezra's loyalty was to the point he couldn't accept his master walking on the floor while the rest of them were traveling comfortably.

"You can ride in my horse" Ann whistled and gestured to Beauty.

*whistle*

As if waiting to be summoned, Beauty came dashing towards her like an overexcited puppy. He had wandered into the bushes while Ann was busy talking to feed on plum berries. He even brought a few with his mouth for Carrie to feed.

*neigh*

*snort*

Ann took turns looking at Beauty and Carrie. They seemed to be close enough to share food.

Although her interest was piqued on seeing their interaction. Now was not the time for that.

"You can carry two people right, Beauty?"

*neigh*

Beauty whined excitedly.

"Will that be alright?" Kalan hesitated.

He didn't want to make her uncomfortable by having him beside her.

'Why is he so pitiful?' Ann felt a prick on her heart.

"Yeah. Let's go"

She jumped on top of Beauty and extended her hand for Kalan.

Meanwhile, having just returned from the front Eugene was faced with a peculiar situation.

"What am I looking at?"

His eyes grew wide when he saw Ann invite Kalan to get on her horse. And what was more surprising was the horse that never allowed anyone besides his owner to ride on him, quietly letting Kalan even stand near him.

"Don't think much of it"

Noah tapped on Eugene's shoulder as he passed by him on his way to the front to join his brother.

Eugene climbed into the carriage in his usual position and spectated without much thought.

"Come on. My hand hurts?" Ann gestured Kalan to climb on.

"Gladly" Kalan's lips curved discreetly as he accepted Ann's hand.

With a tug, he jumped up and perfectly landed behind her, his robe fluttering before her eyes.

"Huh? Huh?" Ann blinked.

'That was fast... and precise'

"Shall we proceed?" Kalan spoke in a low voice into her ear.

"Yes!" Ann flinched.

For a moment she got flustered when she heard him talk in a hoarse low voice into her ear.

Right then the carriages started to move, allowing her to clear her mind. Ann reassured herself. It was nothing more than an act of goodwill towards a pitiful man.

And so the day officially began.