Sumin glanced at Keifer and said coldly,
"Why would I go with you? Go on your own."
Keifer turned to him, his voice firm with authority.
"No. If I heed your words as my captain, then you must heed mine as your commander. And I said—you're coming with me. That's final."
Sumin paused, slightly taken aback by his tone. At last, he exhaled and dismounted his horse.
"…Fine. Let's go."
Keifer followed, stepping down from his steed.
Sumin turned toward the cart drivers.
"We'll be back shortly. Stay alert."
Reaching into the bag hanging by his saddle, Sumin pulled out a wooden stick, soaked it in oil, then struck it against nearby stones until a flame flickered to life, casting a wavering glow.
"Let's move."
The two of them stepped into the depths of the forest.
After a short walk, Sumin pointed ahead.
"Look, Keifer—the river is just there. You go. I'll wait here."
He extended the burning stick toward him, its flame dancing in the night air.
"And you'll just stand here in the dark?" Keifer asked.
Sumin let out a faint scoff.
"The moonlight is more than enough for me. Now go."
A faint smirk crept onto Keifer's lips.
"Well… fine," he said lightly, glancing around the dark forest. "But if some witch shows up here—don't say I didn't warn you."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
Sumin shot him an irritated sideways glance, sharp enough to cut.
"Just go."
Keifer raised his hands slightly in mock surrender, still amused.
"Alright, alright… I'm going."
He turned, already heading toward the river.
"…and try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone, Captain."
Sumin stood beneath the cold glow of the moon, its pale light tracing the edges of his figure.
Then—
A sound.
A sharp crunch.
Dry leaves crushed under unseen footsteps.
Once.
Then again.
Closer.
Faster.
His body went still—but his senses ignited.
In a single, fluid motion, Sumin's hand shot to his sword. Steel flashed as he spun around, blade slicing through the air with lethal precision—
—nothing.
Only silence.
The forest stood still, as if holding its breath.
Sumin's eyes narrowed, scanning every shadow, every flicker of movement between the trees.
"Show yourself," he said, voice low, dangerous.
"Keifer… if that's you, this isn't funny."
No answer.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips, though his grip tightened on the hilt.
"You really think you can scare me?" he muttered. "Come out before I drag you out myself—"
A sudden shift in the air—
Instinct screamed.
Sumin moved before the attack even landed.
A massive blur burst from the darkness behind him.
He twisted sharply—just as claws tore through the space where he had been standing a heartbeat ago.
The creature landed with a heavy crash.
Sumin slid back, boots scraping against the forest floor, blade raised instantly in defense.
And then he saw it.
A towering wolf. Its fur—white as death itself.
Its jaws—dripping with fresh blood.
The beast let out a low, guttural growl, its eyes locked onto him with a predatory hunger.
For a split second… everything went silent.
Sumin's breath slowed.
His eyes darkened.
"…No."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
Blood… on its mouth.
A thought struck him—sharp and sudden.
"Keifer…"
For a single, terrifying moment—
Sumin's body went completely still.
As if all strength had been drained from him.
His fingers wouldn't move.
His grip on the sword… frozen.
Even his breath felt trapped in his chest.
The wolf stepped forward.
Slow. Deliberate. One step… then another.
Its blood-stained jaws parted slightly, a low growl rumbling from deep within its throat.
Sumin couldn't move.
Couldn't react.
The beast suddenly lunged—
A blur of motion—
—and in the very next instant—
A sharp slash tore through the darkness.
The wolf's body jerked.
Then—
its head fell.
Silence.
For a heartbeat, Sumin didn't even process what had happened.
He hadn't seen it.
From the shadows of the trees, a figure emerged—slow, casual… as if he had all the time in the world.
"Hmm?" the man's voice came, teasing, almost amused.
"What's with that look, Captain? Lost your nerve already?"
Sumin's eyes widened slightly, his voice unsteady.
"K–Keifer…? You… you're okay?"
Keifer stepped closer into the faint moonlight, completely unharmed.
"Of course I am," he said with a grin. "Did you see that? The way I took it down?"
He laughed, clearly pleased with himself. "Honestly, you didn't even notice when I got here. I'm definitely telling everyone this—how I saved Captain Sumin's life."
His grin widened.
"They'll call me a hero. Just imagining it already feels amazing."
Sumin exhaled slowly, tension still lingering in his body… before his gaze dropped.
"…Before you go claiming glory," he said dryly, "you might want to fix your pants."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Take another step and they'll fall right off."
"Let's go," Sumin said, turning away. "They must be waiting for us by now."
Keifer suddenly paused.
"…Ah. I think I left that burning stick back there."
Sumin didn't even look at him.
"Forget it. We'll manage without it."
Just the faint glow of moonlight guiding their path.
At last, they stepped out of the forest—
—and stopped.
Everything went still.
Sumin's eyes narrowed.
The place where the carts had been…was empty.
No horses. No drivers.
Even the ground looked… undisturbed.
As if no one had ever been there.
A cold unease settled in the air.
Keifer frowned slightly, his usual confidence fading.
"…Where did they go?"
Sumin's voice came out low, tense—
"…What happened here?"
Sumin suddenly stopped, his eyes narrowing toward the ground.
"…Look," he said.
Keifer followed his gaze.
Marks.
Clear imprints of hooves pressed into the soil.
"They went this way."
Without wasting another second, the two of them began following the trail, their steps quick but cautious.
After only a short distance, the trees began to thin—
—and then they stepped out into an open clearing.
A wide, empty ground stretched before them.
"Hey… Sumin, look," Keifer said, pointing ahead.
In the distance, a cluster of tents stood beneath the dim moonlight.
And just then—
The flap of one tent moved. A figure stepped out.
"Haru!"
He waved his hand toward them, clearly spotting them first.
Keifer's face lit up instantly.
Without thinking, he broke into a run.
"Haru! I need to tell you something—!"
"Hey—wait," Sumin called after him, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"Slow down, idiot—"
He sighed, watching him go.
"…That guy will never change."
"Hey—wait! I need to tell you something too!" Sumin called out.
Without another second, he pushed off the ground and broke into a run, chasing after Keifer.
His footsteps hit the earth in quick, steady rhythm as he closed the distance between them.
Keifer, already ahead, didn't slow down. "Just hurry up, Captain!" he shouted over his shoulder, half-laughing.
The two of them raced across the open field, the tents growing larger with every step, the quiet night suddenly filled with movement and urgency.