The musky smell of the dense forest pierced Joonbum’s nose as he rode on his Galim through the forest road full of twists and turns. The road started as a fresh smelling forest with new leaves just sprouting from the trees, but it changed suddenly after they passed a hill. It was now very dark and gloomy with no sign of any animals.
“Are you sure we are going in the right direction?”
“Of course! Don’t worry! I know the road like it’s my backyard!”
Doral, who was the most experienced in the forest, frowned as he heard Hallis shouting with confidence. It seemed Doral decided to believe the confident Hallis, going against his instincts. Joonbum grinned. Hallis was excited to pass by his hometown on the way.
“Father will be proud to hear my accomplishments! Mother will do too! I’m sure Isillia will want to marry me after hearing of my exploits!”
Hallis mumbled to himself as they rode on their horses. With their heightened sense of hearing, Doral and Joonbum had been listening to Hallis’ mumbles to a point where they would memorize his repeated words.
‘Well, I guess it means he’s that happy.’
Thanks to Hallis, the trip had definitely brightened up.
‘I hope he’s doing okay, though.’
-WHAT! Are you going to leave at a crucial time like this? What are you talking about, SIR!”
Joonbum thought of Jackson’s lament as he heard Joonbum going absent for a while.
-What are you up to! What we need right now is time! TIME! You cannot leave at this moment! You can’t just-”
-I’m going to kill the emperor and the pope.-
Jackson suddenly stopped shouting and stared Joonbum without a word. It was as if he was having a heart attack.
‘I guess it’s lucky that he didn’t pass out.’
-Huh? What- But… oh. OH. OH!!!! Okay, sir. Go. Go now! You should go now, sir!-
Jackson had been making various expressions until he came back to his senses. He then shouted at Joonbum, urging him to leave.
-Aren’t you objecting it?-
-Why? Why would I do that? I know you said it because it’s possible. If you succeed, then everything is solved! They won’t care about us afterward. They’ll be too busy fighting over the empty throne by themselves. Then we can take time to invade all… Haha. So, when are you going? Sir.-
Jackson talked like a madman, but he was right.
“I can’t trust him.”
Doral shook his head and frowned. Joonbum shook his thoughts away and nodded.
“Yeah, I know. He’s a bit weird, but he knows his way around things. It should be okay.”
Joonbum understood Doral’s concern as he too felt something very eerie about the forest. However, he still trusted Hallis.
‘He treats him like his little brother,’ Doral thought. Joonbum did not realize it but he treated Hallis like his brother. Doral found this out as they began their journey.
The forest began to grow darker as thickening trees began blocking out the sunlight and the atmosphere turned eerier as they traveled further in. Joonbum and Doral looked concerned, but Hallis didn’t seem to mind at all. After a while in the woods, a weird bird screeched, letting out a piercing sound through the forest. That was when Hallis shouted.
“We’re here! We’re here!”
He smiled brightly as he seemed to have found something. Hallis began running into the bushes and Joonbum and Doral followed.
“WOW!”
“Oh!”
Doral let out a gasp and Joonbum moaned. The road was very dark until a moment ago but it changed all of a sudden.
“It’s amazing.”
It was a town, hidden away deep within the forest.
“That’s our Baine Village! We named it after our family name. He was a pioneer. Isn’t it great?”
The village was placed right under a high cliff with about fifty houses.
“It’s great.”
“Yeah.”
The village was well-organized. It was the water mill that captured Joonbum’s attention.
‘Water mill?’
There were a number of water mills that looked close to ones in Ainos village, guiding waters into a waterway that flowed into the village.
“Isn’t it amazing? I was surprised when I saw the water mill back at the Ainos village. I never thought there was someone who would think the same as my father. He makes lots of weird things. I just wished his back was better.”
‘There’s more?’
Joonbum looked at Hallis who was walking in front, mumbling about his father’s condition.
‘A genius? Or a coincidence? Or else…’
Various ideas swept through Joonbum’s mind.
“Hallis. What is your father like?” Joonbum asked quietly. Hallis shrugged as he was excited to return to his home and answered.
“My father? He’s nothing special. He’s very shy so we don’t have many visitors. Oh, and he’s very easily angered. But he’s nothing against my mother. Haha. I heard he was really rude to other people before. I just don’t understand why my mother loved my father so much.”
Hallis ranted but it meant he was really close and fond of his own parents.
“It’s a natural fortress.”
Doral commented as they walked closer to the village.
“It’s amazing.”
Joonbum nodded. The village was placed right below a huge cliff that covered the entire side. Then there was a long river that flowed right outside of the village wall. The front of the river was also covered in edgy stones that made it hard to gather around in groups.
“Isn’t it amazing? Everyone is surprised when they see the river and the stones. My father worked so hard to make that river happen.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Doral and Joonbum asked back, shocked by what they just heard. Hallis smiled and began explaining proudly.
“It’s why he’s so respected at our village despite his bad personality! Haha.”
‘Who is this man?’
Joonbum carefully examined as he walked up and stopped at a flag.
“Wh-why is that HERE?”
Joonbum’s eyes opened in shock. He stopped and began to shake.
“Huh? Is that…?”
Doral too seemed to be shocked as he turned to what Joonbum was staring at. Hallis then turned back, looking at both men.
“What’s going on, sir?”
Joonbum raised his hand and pointed.
“Th-that! THAT! Why- Why is Taegukgi… here?”
Joonbum shouted in shock but it was Hallis who seemed to be more confused.
“Do you know Taegukgi? It’s my father’s home country’s flag. How do you know that, sir?”
Joonbum ran up to Hallis and shouted, “Who is your father?!”
“Huh? He’s my father, who else he might be?”
But Joonbum was asking something else. His head was filled with what Hallis just told him.
-It’s my father’s home country’s flag.-
Joonbum’s face turned red and shouted like thunder.
“Hallis! Bring me to your father! NOW!”
“Oh! Yes, of course. Follow me. You should follow my footsteps. We have a lot of traps around here.”
Hallis began running toward the village without hesitation. He too seemed to be very shocked and confused by Joonbum’s sudden reaction. As they approached the village walls, guards came up above the wall and sound of a horn signaling a visitor was heard from inside.
“HALT! Who are you- HEY! It’s dangerous! There’s a trap!”
“Mr. Jaxen! It’s me! ME!”
Hallis quickly jumped up, avoiding the trap that he triggered. Guards were startled by his action.
“Ugh! Hallis! You scared me!”
“The idiot is back!”
“Was he really in the war?”
“He’s not dead yet?”
“I told you, that family never dies.”
Guards began ranting at Hallis and the gate of the wall opened up. Joonbum swallowed his empty throat as he waited for the gate to open.
“So, where have you… Hm?”
A man came out, shouting to Hallis as they stopped, finding Joonbum and Doral. He began examining Doral from top to bottom, then was shocked.
“Ainos of the Forest! Why are you here?”
“Mr. Jaxen, it’s not him. Here, he is the count’s-”
Hallis stopped in the middle of his introduction. He looked startled at what he just said.
‘He forgot about it already.’
Joonbum shook his head and Hallis started again.
“He- he is a person I fought with when I was in Count Khalodian’s war! Yes. He saved my life. His name is Hapoon.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. Oh, and he’s the same. You know there’s an Ainos village in Khalodian land? Anyway, I need to meet with my father. Can I go in?”
“Huh? Yeah, but the outsiders are-”
“They saved my life! It’s okay. Come in, come in.”
Hallis began pushing Joonbum and Doral past the guards. They looked at each other and glanced and Joonbum and Doral and nodded.
“Thank you for saving Hallis’ life. You are welcome here.”
They entered the gate and into the village.
‘It’s clean.’
Joonbum glanced around at the various places and they soon came to a stop at the end of a road. Hallis and Doral turned their eyes to where Joonbum was looking at.
“H-how…”
“Jesus…”
Joonbum stuttered and the man from Earth let out a familiar gasp.
