Ren walked toward Anna, brushing the blood from his hands.
When he reached her, she was still sitting, covering her ears with her small hands. He gave a faint, calm smile.
Then, without warning, Ren lifted Anna into his arms.
"Huh!?" Anna gasped, his was shocked.
"Why?" Ren asked.
"It's… been a long time since someone carried me…" Anna said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
They started walking slowly. Blood covered the ground beneath their feet, but Anna couldn't see it because her eyes were still covered.
Ren carried her because he didn't want her to step on the blood.
"U-Um… Mister… what was that explosion earlier?" Anna asked quietly.
"Nothing. Just your imagination," Ren replied calmly. "And from now on… don't call me 'mister.'"
"Hm… then what?" Anna asked.
"Whatever you like," Ren replied calmly.
Anna stayed quiet for a moment, thinking seriously. Her small face turned red, and she looked down shyly while holding his clothes.
"P-Papa… i-is that okay?" she asked in an embarrassed voice.
Ren stopped walking for a moment.
"…Huh?"
Anna hid her face against his chest, her ears burning red. "I-I mean… only if it's okay…"
Ren stood there silently. The forest was quiet again, and only the wind moved through the trees.
'Papa.'
The word felt strange to Ren.
He looked down at the small girl in his arms. She was trembling slightly, waiting for his answer.
Ren let out a soft sigh.
"…Call me whatever you want. But why 'Papa'?" he asked calmly.
"B-because… you look like my Papa," Anna said quietly.
Ren's steps slowed again.
"…Look like?" he asked quietly.
Anna nodded against his chest. "Mhm… He was kind. And he protected the weak, like you did."
Her fingers tightened on his clothes.
"But… he was gone when he was protecting me," she whispered.
Ren's eyes shifted forward. His expression didn't change, but something inside him felt heavy.
"I see," he said calmly.
Ren stayed silent for a few seconds. The wind brushed past them as they walked farther away from the bloody place. The scent of blood slowly faded.
"…It's fine to call me Papa," he finally said. "But don't expect me to act like one. And I'm not as kind as you think."
Anna lifted her head slowly and removed the cloth from her eyes. Her eyes were slightly wet.
"…Okay," she said softly.
She didn't look disappointed. Instead, she smiled a little and hugged him tighter.
"I don't care what you say, but to me… you're kind," she muttered. "Just… don't leave me."
Ren didn't answer right away. He stayed silent, listening to the quiet rustle of the forest around them.
"…As long as you follow what I said, I won't leave," he said calmly.
Anna nodded quickly.
"I will! I promise! …Papa," she said softly, her small voice filled with trust.
Ren smiled slightly. He adjusted his hold on her and continued walking forward.
"I think she didn't understand what I meant earlier," Ren muttered to himself. "That's why she said it that way," he added quietly.
That night in the forest, beneath the stars, Anna slept peacefully on Ren's lap. A small fire burned in front of them, its light dancing against the trees.
The forest felt calm instead of heavy. It was his first time traveling with someone—especially a child.
Sometimes, the things you never plan for are the ones that change your journey the most.
Ren looked down at Anna as she slept beside him. Around them, only the sound of crickets and the soft wind could be heard, a map lay nearby, reminding him of the long road that still waited ahead.
Then he lifted his head and stared at the stars above.
"Three more days before the next town…" he muttered quietly.
Then suddenly, Anna spoke. Her voice was soft, trembling, almost begging.
"P-Papa… don't leave me…" she murmured in her sleep.
Ren looked down at her.
She was still asleep, her small fingers lightly gripping his clothes, as if afraid he would dissapear, ren stayed silent for a moment, watching her.
"…I won't," he said softly, almost to himself, as he gently caressed her head.
"I think she's having a nightmare or something," he muttered quietly.
He paused.
"…Wait. Since when did I become like this?" he whispered. "It's only been one day since I met her…"
Ren stared at the fire, watching the flames move slowly in the dark. He took a deep breath.
"So this is what it feels like… to have someone with you."
The fire crackled softly, and small sparks rose into the night sky.
Ren kept his eyes on the flames. For once, his thoughts were quiet.
He looked down at Anna again. She was sleeping peacefully now, her breathing slow and steady.
"…Troublesome," he muttered.
Even so, he adjusted his cloak and gently covered her shoulders so she wouldn't feel cold.
The night grew deeper.
Above them, the stars continued to shine—silent witnesses to the beginning of a journey neither of them had planned.
The next morning,
Ren woke up early as sunlight filtered through the gaps between the leaves above. Birds chirped from the branches, and fresh air filled his lungs.
While organizing their belongings, his gaze drifted toward Anna. She was still sleeping, a small smile resting on her lips.
"Anna, wake up. It's time to go," he called softly.
There was no response. She didn't even stir, as if this was her first comfortable and warm sleep in a long time.
Ren walked over and carefully lifted her, letting her rest against his shoulder.
"Let's move. We still have a long way to go."
"Pa… I'm hungry…" Anna murmured, her voice thick with sleep.
"When you're fully awake," Ren said calmly.
"I am awake," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck, though her eyes remained tightly closed.
Ren couldn't help but smile as he started walking forward.
Ren walked along the road in the edge of the forest, and other side is flat land, anna rested on his back, still half-asleep, her small head leaning against his shoulder.
"You don't look awake," Ren said lightly.
"I am…" she mumbled again, her voice soft and lazy, her stomach suddenly made a small sound.
Ren sighed. "Now you're really awake."
Anna slowly opened one eye and pouted. "Papa…"
Ren adjusted his hold on her. "Fine. We'll stop soon and eat."
Anna smiled weakly and closed her eyes again, feeling safe as he carried her deeper along the road.
"Why do I feel like I'm a babysitter…" Ren muttered under his breath.
Anna shifted slightly on his back. "I heard that…" she said softly.
Ren clicked his tongue. "Then pretend you didn't."
Anna let out a small giggle and tightened her arms around his neck, for someone who said he wasn't kind, he was still carrying her without complaint.
The ground was stained with blood, the bodies of the armed men scattered across the road, mutilated so badly they were barely recognizable.
Even hardened mercenaries couldn't endure the sight. They had faced battles before, but this… this was a massacre.
The female leader, the one Ren had made eye contact with back in town, felt a deep unease settle over her as she took in the scene.
"Captain! It's confirmed!" one of her subordinates shouted, pointing toward the carnage. "These were the bandits called 'Silver Axe'! And that muscular man… that's their leader, Axel! He's an Expert Stage!"
The woman approached the headless corpse of Axel in silence, crouching beside it.
"The incision is clean… only someone extremely powerful could do this," she murmured, brushing strands of hair from her face. "Grandmaster Stage… or even higher."
"But… only one head remains, and the others are gone. Even tiny pieces… nothing? Wait! This is the same as the goblins."
Her mind flashed back to the mission to wipe out the goblins in the forest. When they had reached the destination, they saw countless headless goblin corpses. The ground had been filled with bodies, but no gold remained.
"The gold… taken, and no heads," she whispered, horror and disbelief in her voice.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze toward the road in the direction Ren had walked.
"Ha-ching… cold?" Ren muttered, adjusting Anna on his shoulder as he continued walking. Anna was nibbling on a piece of bread.
"Hmm?" Anna mumbled, her mouth still half-full, looking up at him.