Noroi raised his hand and brought it down forcefully on Haruki's head.

  Haruki let out a cry of pain and crouched on the ground, holding the top of his head with both hands in agony.

  Noroi parted his lips and said coldly.

  "This isn't a shopping trip, you fool, and you won't go dressed in that old, tattered school uniform."

  Haruki suddenly realized what he meant and looked at himself.

  He was still wearing his old school clothes , dirty and torn and, most importantly, unsuitable for their long journey across the world.

  Yamka had been silently watching the entire interaction for a moment, but she couldn't hold back what she wanted to say, so she addressed Noroi.

  "And what about me?"

  Noroi looked her over from head to toe with a critical gaze before answering her question.

  "Your clothes are fine , they're comfortable Viking-style attire that allows for easy movement. But you'll need to disguise yourself better. They didn't recognize you the first time, but they might now."

  Haruki exaggeratedly flailed his arms and complained.

  "Your clothes are great, you guys can blend in with the crowd, but me? Even a blind person could tell I'm human!"

  He threw himself backward dramatically, landing on the grass on his back in surrender.

  Noroi sighed, exasperated by Haruki's childish behavior, but he realized that if they went like this, Haruki would inevitably be discovered.

  Acting on the thought, Noroi moved to his brown leather bag by the tree, untied the straps, and looked inside.

  He exhaled in relief when he found what he was looking for still in place.

  Lifting his gaze from the bag to Haruki, he spoke directly to him.

  "I have a cloak and a mask ,bought them just in case."

  Noroi pulled the two pieces of clothing from the bag, and once he had taken them out completely, he tossed them onto Haruki's stomach as the boy lay sprawled on the ground , clearly expecting him to put them on right away.

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  Haruki grabbed them, excitement gleaming in his eyes like a radiant light, then pushed himself up to his feet.

  He draped the brown cloak over his shoulders, then lifted the mask and set it on his face.

  The mask bore the visage of a wolf, colored in a neutral gray born from the blend of black and white, adorned with elegant golden waves that traced across it in harmonious patterns.

  The wolf's sharp teeth gleamed a stark, brilliant white against the darker tones of the mask.

  Turning to face his companions, Haruki planted his fists firmly at his sides with confidence, a smile stretching across his face beneath the mask , like a child imagining himself as a superhero straight out of a cartoon.

  His muffled voice slipped out from behind the mask as he asked.

  "How do I look?"

  Yamka's hand shot up to cover her mouth, stifling a laugh that nearly burst out unintentionally.

  She swallowed it down before answering Haruki's question.

  "You look ridiculous."

  "Ouuff, I thought I was going to look cool in this…"

  Haruki grumbled loudly, while Noroi watched them with indifference, seeing nothing more than two fools being annoying.

  But when Noroi's eyes lingered on Haruki's laughing face, an old memory flared in his mind.

  For a fleeting moment, Haruki's image overlapped with that of a boy, dark magenta, almost violet hair, striking brown eyes, and pale skin.

  Noroi clenched his teeth, fists tightening at his sides as powerful emotions surged through him for a few seconds.

  He drew in a long breath, tearing his gaze away from Haruki, forcing the image of that boy out of his head.

  "Let's move."

  He muttered, pointing toward the direction they needed to take to reach their next destination, without sparing them another glance.

  Yamka shifted her gaze from Haruki to Noroi, still seated, making no effort to stand.

  She opened her mouth and protested loudly.

  "Hey! What about my disguise?"

  Noroi turned his body toward her, looking down as he took a few steps closer.

  He grabbed Yamka's iron helmet with bull horns and shoved it onto her head, forcing her to bow under the pressure of his grip.

  "Keep your head down, and no one will tell you apart from those creatures,"

  he said coldly as he pushed her head lower.

  Yamka's eyes twitched at his last words.

  Before she could muster a retort or protest, the boy had already turned away and started walking.

  Haruki ran after him without hesitation, leaving Yamka behind with her lips pressed into a pout.

  She let out a sigh, muttering inaudible curses directed at Noroi, before pushing herself up and quickening her pace to catch up, walking alongside them with firm steps.

  Noroi began giving them instructions and rules as they walked, his tone strict and intolerant of any disobedience.

  "Listen to me carefully, both of you. I don't want you drawing any attention, and don't act like children wandering through the Zalkarth markets. That place is dangerous… keep your faces down while walking."

  Both nodded simultaneously and continued forward, walking side by side among the tall trees.

  Their steps made soft sounds across the short green grass with each movement.

  Animals were scattered throughout the forest; some were visible, while others could only be heard in scattered noises… no eyes had seen them, no ears fully caught them.

  just faint rustlings of distant footsteps whose sources remained undetectable. How many wonders could this forest be hiding in its mysterious depths?

  The three soon arrived at the marketplace, trying to blend into the large crowds without drawing any unwanted attention from those around them.