Raymond sat in silence after hearing the old man's brief words. At that moment, he finally understood the imperfection of human beings—humans can never truly possess something completely, because the world will always take away something they desire. This was the reality he now faced himself.
"Is this truly what I want…? What is it that truly matters to me…!?"
That bitter truth struck deep into his heart. Whether the choice he had made was the right one… or whether it would become a regret in the future.
His eyes stared blankly, yet his mind was in chaos. His hands trembled as he held his head.
Under the dim light of the oil lamp, his thoughts spiraled without direction. At this point, the only thing Raymond wanted was warmth—something that had long been taken away from him.
Without realizing it, he hugged his own body, as if only the warm embrace of someone he loved could heal him.
"Have you grown tired of me, God…? Have you abandoned me like this…?" he whispered softly.
From outside, the sounds of music and cheers echoed loudly. The guards were praising and singing for someone they called a "hero."
(The sound of trumpets, drums, and flutes blended together)
(The sound of praises echoed continuously)
"Make way! Our hero is about to depart from this place!"
"Hey! Don't block the path of our hero!"
(The heavy stomping of horse hooves echoed)
However, the noise outside could not overpower the chaos within him. The depression weighing on his heart slowly gave birth to dark whispers.
"Hihi… you made the wrong choice."
"You are no longer needed… not even by your God."
(The whispers continued to appear endlessly)
Raymond's eyes widened. His body trembled. That voice… felt strangely familiar.
"What… is that voice…?"
A strange feeling emerged—as if he had heard it before, yet his memory felt blurred, as if something was blocking it.
His body curled up in fear. His breathing became erratic.
"Go away… go away…!"
Suddenly, someone entered the tent.
"Bintang! Do you want to rot and die in here!? You haven't come out for an entire day!"
That voice cut through the whispers in his head. In an instant, everything disappeared.
Now, only Raymond remained—sitting in silence with an empty gaze, as if his soul had been left somewhere else.
The guard, irritated, immediately dragged him out without waiting for a response.
(The sound of his body scraping against the ground)
"Trash… useless."
Raymond's body was thrown harshly onto the ground. The impact slowly brought his consciousness back.
"What… happened…? Wasn't I just inside…?"
With a trembling body, he tried to stand.
His clothes were dirty with soil. His eyes were lifeless. Dark circles hung beneath them, and the cold aura he emitted made anyone who saw him feel uneasy.
The guard even stepped back, his body trembling.
Raymond stared at him deeply.
That gaze… felt like a stab.
"Don't… look at me like that…"
His voice was low, yet cold.
The guard immediately retreated, leaving without daring to say another word.
Raymond stood still for a moment, then slowly walked toward the line ahead of him.
"I'm… hungry… is that a food line…?" he muttered flatly.
(The sound of his stomach growling softly)
People began to step away as they saw him. The once long line gradually became sparse.
Raymond simply looked at them in confusion.
"What… is wrong with them…?"
After receiving his food, he returned to his tent.
The gazes of others still followed his every step.
But this time, Raymond did not care much.
Upon entering the tent, he began to eat slowly.
(One… two bites entered his mouth)
"Why… was that guard angry at me…?"
His mind tried to recall something.
But there was nothing.
As if a part of himself was missing—or perhaps… hidden.
"What I remember… I was thinking about my choice…"
"Is this path the right one…?"
He fell silent for a moment.
"Maybe… everything comes with consequences…"
He did not realize how deeply he had sunk into despair before.
After finishing his meal, he placed the food container near his bed.
"Now… what should I do next…?"
Raymond's voice was soft, almost like a whisper swallowed by the silence of the tent.
The dim oil lamp flickered gently, its shadow reflecting against the fabric walls, forming vague shapes that felt unfamiliar.
"Can I become stronger…?"
He lowered his head, staring at his own hands.
They were still trembling—not because of wounds, but because of something he could not understand
"How…?"
Raymond slowly closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath, trying to focus his mind on a single point—searching for something, anything, that could give him an answer.
But…
Nothing.
There was nothing.
No voice.
No direction.
No guidance.
Only emptiness slowly consuming his awareness.
"Everything failed…"
His eyes slowly opened.
His gaze was empty, yet behind it, something was beginning to change—something even he himself could not realize.
That strange feeling returned again.
As if… something was missing.
Or perhaps… something had been deliberately left behind.
Yet he could not remember it.
Raymond clenched his fists tightly.
His breathing became uneven
"So… what am I supposed to do…?"
He slowly lifted his head, looking toward the outside of the tent.
The night light seeped through the gaps in the fabric, bringing with it a cold air that pierced through him.
And for a moment—
The world felt so vast…
Yet he felt so small within it.
Silence.
No answers.
No direction.
Yet within that silence, without him realizing—
Something inside him… had begun to change
Since he still could not find any answers, Raymond stepped out of the tent to clear his mind while watching the setting sun.
"Hah… what happens next is truly a mystery…"
(Huft—the sound of his breath escaped slowly)
No one dared to approach him. The dark aura surrounding him was enough to make others keep their distance.
Yet from afar, whispers about him could still be heard.
"Hey… look, that's the cursed child…"
"You're serious…!?"
"Don't you see that aura of his…!?"
Raymond ignored them all and continued staring at the evening sky, which looked strangely beautiful.
However, his moment of silence did not last long.
From the distance, the sound of numerous horse hooves began to approach.
Heavy.
Rhythmic.
Growing louder with each second.
Soon, the voices of the guards followed.
"Hey! All residents, gather up! Prepare to move to the kingdom…!!"
Raymond clicked his tongue softly as he walked closer.
"So noisy…!?"
One by one, the villagers began boarding the horse-drawn carriages.
Some looked excited.
Some looked afraid.
Some remained silent.
Raymond stepped forward and entered one of the carriages without hesitation.
As the moon slowly rose into the night sky, the royal convoy finally began to move.
The wheels creaked against the ground.
The horses marched forward in unison.
And the entire group left the place behind.
Toward the kingdom.
Toward an uncertain fate.
Whether they would arrive safely…
Or meet a tragic end—
No one knew.