Chapter 37

When he turned around, what appeared in front of him was not rough fur, but frizzy blond hair. As Ian, who couldn’t grasp the situation for a while, slowly lowered his gaze, his eyes met with Shyu, who looked at him with a surprised face.

As if he didn’t expect him to look back all of a sudden, his eyes were as big as a bell.

“…..”

He was a weak opponent to the point of despondency.

[T/N: Despondency- low spirits from loss of hope or courage; dejection.]

Not knowing why he was here, Ian sighed and picked up the bucket that had fallen to the floor. Fortunately, there was no problem when he looked for any broken parts.

After seeing it, Shyu realized that Ian was also surprised because of him. His surprised expression soon turned into regret. Ian thought he had a very changeable face, but he could also see one cheek that was red and swollen again.

Ian, who suddenly remembered that situation a few days ago, shut his mouth.

It was the first time he saw him get hit, and it was true that he didn’t help him.

Since then, he had never encountered Shyu. Unlike himself, who moved with Logan, Shyu was mixed with the Knights and always arrived one step earlier. It was the same for the campsites. Ian had also seen him running around on errands, but that’s all.

Are you finally heartbroken?

He could tell because he always followed him to the point where it was annoying.

Seriously, if he had followed him around despite what happened, he would have been considered really short-sighted. You need to learn how to give up moderately. He hoped that in the future he would focus his heart only on those who deserve it.

In an atmosphere that became awkward on its own, Ian dipped the empty wooden bucket into the stream. He wasn’t really able to talk to him, so he thought he’d just go back. As he scooped up one and dipped the rest of the bucket, Shyu came up to the side and gently held out something.

Clasped in both hands was a fruit that looked like raspberries.

“……..”

Shyu’s hands were covered with red nectar from how preciously he was holding them. Not being able to figure out why he was giving it to him, Ian blinked as he stopped moving. Shyu looked around quickly while looking at Ian, who did not think about receiving it and bit his lips with a serious look.

“Shh. Shh.”

It’s a secret, so hurry up and eat.

It was clear that if he was caught by Turk, everything would be taken away.

Shyu looked proud, not knowing that the fruits had been crushed because he was in a hurry.

You’ll like this because it’s sweet and delicious. 

He was fortunate to be able to find it because the snow had melted.

Fortunately, Shyu found the berries near the campsite and waited all along for Ian to be left alone. He happened to see him draw water himself and followed him secretly like this.

Ian was at a loss of words at Shyu’s action of raising his hands for he was not answering quickly.

At most, he couldn’t understand why he came running to give him something like this, and he couldn’t understand the act of expressing favor unconditionally while not receiving anything.

“…….”

But he couldn’t help but receive it.

When he slowly reached out his hand, he finally put a lot of crushed fruit in Ian’s hand with an excited face. His palms were wet but not dirty. He didn’t know why he brought this

He brought it to his mouth and took a small bite.

It was the moment when he felt like he was the one who lost somehow.

While Ian ate all the berries he received, Shyu puffed out his chest with a proud face. He believed Ian would like it because it was a fruit that was hard to find in the forest. Finally, Ian, who emptied both hands cleanly, held out his hands as if to check.

I really ate it all.

Shyu blinked his eyes to confirm, and when he smiled, Ian, who exhaled a long breath, grabbed the nape of his neck.

Uh? Shyu, who sat down without any time to struggle, looked like he didn’t understand. Right in front of him was a stream of clean water.

Is he going to drop me here? 

He was used to it because it was often done by a group of Turk’s people. He couldn’t imagine Ian doing that, but he would have never known. People have always been difficult.

But instead of submerging his face in the water, Ian dipped his hands and began to wipe Shyu’s cheeks. Oh, irrespective of the startled reaction, he rubbed the remaining stain with water once again.

He couldn’t stand being sloppy.

He had been thinking about it for a while, but he had always been too sloppy to match his appearance.

He was treated like that more because he walked around as if he were not being managed and that he was weak. Humans are not afraid to throw stones at broken windows. When they realize that throwing it once or twice does not do anything, it becomes a mess from then on.

Ian didn’t get up until he was clean enough to look at him. This is what you pay for the fruit. He calculated properly and began to return the way he came from, with a full bucket of water.

“Oh!”

Shyu, who was sitting blankly looking at his own face reflected on the river, belatedly followed Ian. On the way back, he thought he could feel the gaze even on the way back but soon realized that he was mistaken by Kyle who popped out of the grass.

A few days have passed, but contrary to expectations, there was no result.

They searched thoroughly based on the settlement, but nothing came out, so in the end, it was concluded that they should move a little further north.

Maybe they already smelled it and ran away. Logan narrowed his eyes, feeling that he was using his brain more and more. After searching for the last place they had not been to, he decided to pack up, and disperse the search party earlier than usual in the morning.

As the afternoon drew near, everyone began to pack. They thought it was inevitable to move as they had not found anything for several days. While walking in the barracks and arranging the seats, Fred, who was inside, came out and shouted strangely.

“Hey, haven’t you seen Turk?”

The third barracks had to be closed, but the luggage was still intact. He looked everywhere for him because he hated people touching his stuff, but he couldn’t even see his nose.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen him since morning.”

Daniel, who was organizing firewood, suddenly answered, and another member next to him opened his mouth. It was because there was a scene that he happened to see while passing by.

“He was taking him to the woods this morning.”

“Who?”

“That little boy. Was it Shyu? Oh, and Jack went too.”

When he checked the time, it was already 2 p.m. Ian, who happened to hear it while passing by, looked around. Thinking of it, he really didn’t see Shyu. Considering the immense tension these days, Ian should have already run into him three times.

“But he still hasn’t come back?”

“Didn’t he go get some water? He was carrying a bucket.”

It’s time to come back already, no matter what. The stream and the campsite were less than 20 minutes away. Perhaps everyone had noticed, Fred, who titled his head and spat on the floor as if something had come to mind, turned around.

“Damn it, you filthy b*stard.”

Soon it was time for Logan and the search party to return.

They had to find out before things got any bigger.

It was when everyone sighed as if they had thought the same as Fred. Their heart was pounding outside, which suddenly became noisy.

“Why again!”

Even though they thought it would be no big deal, it was the same situation that unfolded before their eyes as they rushed in the direction of the sound. However, the difference was that this time there was only one person, not the search crew.

Ian’s gaze, which belatedly followed, reached the abdomen of a man overflowing with blood.

It was Dayden who stumbled into the campsite.

“Hurry up and unpack! Bring a cloth! Hey, are you okay? Anyone else?”

“Uh…”

Fred, who hurriedly yelled at the crew next, approached Dayden and shouted. However, he loses his balance and collapses on the spot before he can even reach him.

Hey! 

Fred, being startled, ran away as soon as he saw the trauma worse than he had expected.

If he had walked this far alone, that meant he was still nearby.

He thought he had no choice but to hope that the search party would return soon, but Ian, who approached Fred, held out his notebook in front of Dayden’s eyes.

“What are you doing?”

He heard the question but shook the notebook regardless. Dayden, who was still conscious, slowly moved his eyes and looked into the notebook.

Shyu

There was only one letter written in the wide margin.

Dayden took a deep breath as if he was about to burst into laughter, slowly raised his finger, and pointed in the direction he had come from. It was on the way to the river.

As soon as Ian saw it, he got up and ran towards the forest without hesitation. Before he knew it, he had the sword that Fred had with him.

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