"Keep pinching your nose, there are more up ahead."

  Finding the main path, the duo officially began their journey to the capital. However, other than the more frequent sighting of corpses, the moment worth celebrating did not feel at all distinct.

  This time, they were real corpses.

  The corpses were mostly butt naked, hiding not the purple, withered flesh of them for the world to see. While some still had pieces of cloth and armor attached to their body, all, without exception, were mutilated to the extent that they hardly resembled humans.

  "Maria, do you know why human carcasses smell the worst of them all?"

  "...No. Why is that?" Maria answered hesitatingly.

  "I don't know, that was why I asked."

  The stench was overwhelming. Even Maria, with her head fully wrapped, needed to pinch her nose to keep the smell out.

  "They have all been salvaged," Julian murmured.

  Julian was not at all bothered by the rotten carcasses. Instead, he carefully looked over each corpse as if he were searching for something.

  "That's cruel... They are all our soldiers, right?"

  "Emperor's soldiers," corrected Julian. With a monotonous voice, he continued, "But where did you learn that from? I don't recall having that conversation."

  "Um, I just heard it somewhere..."

  "If you say so."

  The belongings from those dead villagers could only provide for them to some degree. It was not at all sufficient, and far from enough to leave his mind in comfort. Anything could happen on the way, and he did not like the idea of not having sufficient funds in preparation.

  'Should have plundered the village.'

  He had wished to see if there was anything of use in those corpses before him. However, he found out fairly fast that there was nothing he could work with. All the corpses seemed to have been stripped of value.

  "Tch."

  Righteously following the lifeless, muddy path, they eventually arrived at a cold, windy plain. Turning around, Julian could not see the outline of the village anymore. The thick smoke had also vanished entirely.

  "Here's fine, there is no need for that anymore," Julian said, sweeping his gaze across the dry path ahead.

  "A...are you sure?"

  "I hope so. Should be fine, at least for the next few days."

  Hesitatingly, Maria took off the suffocating cloth that had taken off a few of her senses.

  Rustle. Rustle.

  Cold breeze slips through the loosening grip of the cloth, stopping her briefly on her track. Slowly and gently, she peeked out through her own eyelids.

  "Ah..."

  'Gray.'

  The gray sky, gray fields of grass, gray soil under her foot, and the gray forest far in the horizon greeted her. It was her first sight of the outside world after decades trapped in her village. Perhaps expecting something would be different, she appeared slightly disappointed.

  This was the world of Garwasi, a world that had long consumed itself.

  "That forest, is it the Tainted Land?"

  "It is. We have to walk around it."

  "Um."

  "Don't worry, those tainted... and the Calamities, they would not come after us," Julian reassured, sensing a shift in Maria's mood.

  "I know. But Julian would protect me even if they do, right?" Maria said, finally letting go of the knapsack.

  "Of course," Julian said after a moment of silence. Letting out a soft sigh, he pulled out something from his satchel and said, "Bend down a little."

  Having no interest in answering Maria's curious look, Julian smeared a sticky, gray sludge on her face.

  "Ah."

  Maria flinched from the sudden, disgusting sensation on her face. She tried to move, but Julian pulled her head back down almost instantly.

  "Stay still."

  "What is this thing?" Maria asked curiously as she patted her clump on her face.

  "It's called ash mud," Julian answered, hand still busy plastering the mud.

  "Where did you get that jar?"

  "This? Bought it."

  "When?"

  "When you were unconscious," Julian answered casually. Scooping out another fingerful of mud, he said, "Close your mouth."

  Maria seemed to be wondering how Julian acquired the jar-filled mud in his hand. However, her son did not appear to have any intention of telling her more. She waited patiently until Julian was done before asking perhaps the most important question.

  "And what is the purpose of doing this?"

  "To make you ugly."

  "Ha?"

  Maria believed she had heard her son wrong.

  "Bear with it for a while...,"Julian said. Shaking his head, he muttered, "You are too eye-catching for this part of the world."

  "...T-thank you, I am really happy to hear that, " Maria said, clearly surprised by the sudden compliment. Stuttering, she immediately continued, "But is there still enough for you to use?"

  "Me? No, I don't need to wear it," Julian said, storing the quarter-filled jar back in his satchel.

  "Why? You are beautiful too."

  "Please don't say something so frightening, and I said eye-catching..." scoffed Julian.

  [214:37:12]

  Julian's heart tightened the moment he laid his eyes on Maria's card. Truthfully, he had been on guard, warily waiting for whatever the world was going to throw their way. While nothing had happened, his concerns ceased not even a bit.

  Instead, it had gotten worse. The lack of obstruction made his heart grow restless.

  "Julian," Maria called, tugging Julian's clothes.

  "Stay silent."

  Perhaps his concern was mistaken as a wish, something concerning began to enter his vision.

  Clank.

  Clank.

  Clank.

  Coming from their side, a group of men marched. Their rhythmic steps shook the ground, and the rattling of their loose armor floated in the air. Behind them, they left a trail resembling that of an overly large snake on the gray field of grass behind them.

  The pair stood calmly on the path, eyes locked on the group of seven men. They were waiting for the other party who was obviously heading toward them. Surely, it did not take long for them to come face-to-face.

  "May peace grace you," a man standing foremost greeted.

  "May peace grace us all," Julian answered, wrist resting on the hilt of his sword.

  Briefly sizing up the group, Julian found himself unable to see anything that showcased their affiliation with any group. Believing that to be less likely, he wondered whether they truly belonged nowhere or if he was just oblivious to their markings.

  Regardless, the fact that he saw no familiar symbols was a good thing.

  "Please do not be alarmed, we are not with ill intentions," the man said, showing both of his palms in a friendly manner.

  "That's reassuring. May I know how we may help you?" Julian asked, tone casual.

  "It's nothing much..."

  The man took off his bamboo hat, revealing a disgusting wound that covered half of his face. At a glance, it looked like it was one of those wounds one would have after being bashed by mace.

  However, with a close look, the twisting pattern of the wound greatly resembled those in mutilated corpses.

  [Fizli(Soldier)]

  State: Unawakened[Breathless]

  Fate: 40

  The other men soon took off their bamboo hats and held them against their chests. Checking the other floating cards, he soon drew the conclusion that those men were not from the Empire.

  'Breathless... they are not from here.'

  Clearing his throat, he returned his gaze to the leader of the group.

  "...Ask on, but I couldn't promise anything,"

  "Thank you," the man bowed. With a troubled tone, the leader continued, "If it is fine to ask, are you familiar with this region?"

  "Not too well, but enough to go around. Are you headed somewhere?"

  "The capital. My friend, do you have any idea where we should go?" The man asked, his voice still apologetic.

  "Capital.... Head there," Julian pointed to the other side of the field. With a calm tone, he explained, "You will find a mountain chain after two days of walking. Cross that, and you will find the Sloth Road. You should know where to go from there."

  "A mountain... that does not sound too safe."

  "It should be of no concern. With 11 of you, there are no threats there," Julian said with an innocent smile.

  The man looked surprised for a quick second before letting out a soft scoff. He suddenly lifted his right hand before putting it back down in a slow slashing motion.

  "If you say so, we will take on your words," the man bowed again.

  "If there is nothing else, we will excuse ourselves first," Julian said, returning the bow.

  "Of course, we apologize for holding onto you for so long. But, if you don't mind-"

  "We don't have any fixed destination in mind. We float where the tides push us."

  "Ah... that's a shame. I was hoping we could extend this pleasant meeting," shaking his head, the man let out a disappointed sigh.

  Not saying another word, the group of men walked around the duo, heading straight in the direction Julian had pointed prior. Not idling, Julian pulled Maria down the path, eyes not taking another glance behind.

  "Julian, are we not going to the capital?" Maria asked after she saw the distant figures completely vanish.

  "We are."

  "But... why are we not going in that direction?" Maria asked in confusion.

  “There are many routes to get there.”

  “....”

  “What, do you want us to go with them?” Julian asked. Shaking his head, he continued, "Those are headhunters, Maria."

  "What?"

  "Is it something to be surprised about? It's weirder not to find them out here," Julian stated calmly, eyes sweeping their surroundings ceaselessly.

  "I... only heard about them from the villagers," Maria spoke after a quick silence. Eyebrows furrowed, she continued, "But they said we will never meet them."

  "Our village is special, that's why we never encounter them there."

  "Why?"

  "It's under something."