"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.
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?"
Yamika'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.
Yamika 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 Yamika'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.
Yamika's eye 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 Yamika 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?
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Thank you for reading! If this moment touched you even a little , please consider adding it to your library.💐