"Let's go shopping."
Arsh looked at the two women sitting at the table, watching him cook. Since there was nowhere else to sit in the house besides the kitchen, the whole team spent their time in here whenever they weren't outside or asleep.
"You'll be going to the capital soon. You can't go dressed like this. Actually, I'm confiscating them. If you go like that, people in the city will eat you alive. Listen to me, kid." Eliz said, her face serious and critical.
"She is definitely right. I already told him." said Juan, who suddenly appeared with a half-eaten apple in his hand at the doorway as if he had been waiting for this moment.
"You're talking like someone wearing elegant clothes, but all I see are rags hanging off you."
"It was a bit harsh… but true." Flora said with a laugh at Eliz's words.
"Juan, let's go shopping together. Tedor is here, he can wait at home."
"Ahh.. should we go?"
Five minutes later, Juan and Arsh were waiting at the door, ready. A little later, when Eliz and Flora came over after getting ready, their appearance surprised Arsh. They looked very different from usual, wearing dresses instead of pants and shirts, and their faces appeared more lively than ever.
"Women always need a lot of time to get ready." said Juan.
"I wish you had put in a little effort too. This is embarrassing. Should we leave Juan behind and go just with Arsh?"
They continued their little bickering as they walked into the city. They came to a street with shops selling Symran-style clothes, goods, and food.
Most people on the street were dressed quite nicely. This time, Arsh noticed that the stares were directed more at Juan than at himself. With his tall height and broad build, the rags hanging off him created a dreadful sight, forming a sharp contrast with the two elegant women beside him.
Following Juan, Arsh trailed after Eliz and Flora into a shop.
"Hello, how may I help you?" said a young woman standing right by the door.
"Hello. We were looking for clothes for these gentlemen."
The woman flinched a little when she first saw Juan, but her expression softened immediately at Juan's polite smile. Then she glanced over at Arsh, giving him a quick look.
"Of course, this way," she said with a pleasant smile.
A short while later, Juan was wearing a grey sack suit. The saleswoman held out a tie and a bowler hat to him, but he refused to take them.
"It's already hot—how do people walk around with these?" he said.
"Please Juan, just once wear it"
"Okay okay. Now its Arsh turn"
After handing the items to Juan, the saleswoman grabbed Arsh by the arm and pulled him toward a fitting room. "You're very young, so this white shirt, these trousers, and the suspenders will be enough for you. Yes, and also wear this flat cap."
Without asking for Arsh's opinion, she placed the clothes she had chosen inside the fitting room and disappeared.
When he changed and stepped outside, he was met with the wide smiles of Flora, Eliz, and the saleswoman.
"I knew it. Once his face is more visible, isn't he handsome?" said Flora.
"You're right. Please prepare two more sets of the same outfit, with jackets." Eliz was saying to the saleswoman.
"Hmm… don't exaggerate. He looked pretty normal to me. I am more handsome." said Juan from behind.
"Don't be jealous of youngsters, you old man."
"I'm not even forty." Juan muttered as they chatted.
Meanwhile, Arsh looked at himself in the mirror. 'Just a few different pieces of fabric can really change how a person looks.' he thought to himself. Normally, he always kept his face, neck, and hair covered to protect himself from the desert sun and dust.
Even though the appearance felt unfamiliar, he didn't think he looked bad. He smiled, satisfied with the reflection staring back at him.
"Heheh, look at him, he likes his new clothes," Juan teased him.
Arsh glanced at Juan. The man really did look good. Even in the tie they had forced around his neck and the buttoned-up jacket, Juan looked uncomfortable. Once he got rid of the rags and washed his face, he appeared undeniably handsome. Unlike Arsh's boyish look, Juan gave the impression of a mature and strong man.
A few moments later, they walked out of the shop with packages in their hands. The clothes were a gift from Eliz and Flora. He had been thinking about how carefully he should use the little money he had, not knowing what the future would bring. Receiving such presents from the women embarrassed him.
"You know, it's so nice to walk with two handsome men. Everyone is looking at us, and I like that feeling. Juan, Arsh, please dress like this and walk with us from time to time." Flora said cheerfully as she continued down the street, admiring the shop displays.
…
They spent the rest of the day wandering around the city, eating and drinking outdoors. When they returned home, around the kitchen table, there were two unfamiliar faces besides Ray and Tedor.
The older of the two men glanced at the group that had just come in. His expression was stern. When his gaze fell on Arsh, he stopped
"Who is this kid?"
"Herman, didn't you miss me? You should say hi first."
"Haha, Juan, ever since you left, I've remembered what peace is, so I'd say no. I didn't miss you at all."
"Okay, okay… let me introduce you. This is Arsh. He worked with us, and thanks to him, we were able to find the general's identity."
"Good job, but he's not one of us… or at least, not from your connections."
"Hmm, I found him on the street."
'What am I, a street dog?' Arsh thought.
This time, the man fixed his eyes on Arsh again, waiting for him to speak.
"I recently got a siuni, and I didn't even know what it really was. Juan saw it and followed me. He said he would hunt me down if I left his sight, so I stayed and worked with them."
"How long have you been with him?"
"Around a week."
"So, in just a couple of days, you helped them find the man they've been looking for for months. Good job, boy. And when did you get your siuni, and what ability did it give you?"
"If you don't want to say, you don't have to tell, Arsh. Everyone has the right to hide their siuni." Juan, holding Arsh's shoulder, whispered in his ear.
Juan and the others had told them this when they revealed their powers. And Arsh also realized that they hadn't fully explained their abilities. Because if it is known widely by others, it will be a disadvantage for them.
But what lingered in his mind was whether Juan trusted these men. He was the one who had called them, and he would send Arsh along with them. He will ask him later.
"Juan, it is not gentlemanly behavior to whisper to each other in front of others."
"I didn't say anything." he said with a smile.
"Hmm… anyway, you're pretty quick to grasp your siunito help them if you got it recently. I see that you prefer not to tell. That's okay. I can see you were just lucky to get a siuni. But not stupid."
"Herman, be careful how you talk to my team members... Let's talk inside."
…
Herman understood he stepped on a wrong stone. Juan always protected his teammates. Once upon a time they were also teammates. Most of the time, they didn't get along, but they always protected each other. Right now he wasn't sure what he said wrong, but he knows that he definitely did.
They went upstairs and left the others there.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"He is not lucky at all. Don't judge people without knowing anything about them. I told you this countless times."
"Don't act like you are older than me... okay, I will be careful. So, what is the story?"
"The story, it is up to him to tell you or not, same goes for his siuni. But I will send him with you. I already told Mr. Reiner about him. Did he send the new identity documents?"
"Mr. Reiner didn't tell me anything. He gave me an envelope to give to you. Probably the identity documents are inside. Also, of course, we will help him when he gets to Tirsit.
We need to give him education about life in Symran since he is from Kurshan. Tirsit will be difficult for him. If he is really good, we'll recruit him. If he wants, we can also help him to find another job. You know the procedure."
"No… He is looking for some people. Let's say, revenge. I think it's a rightful revenge. But it looks like it could cause trouble for you. So help him not to act recklessly, but don't stop him."
"…"
Herman didn't say anything. Most people with a siuni either didn't have families or had been rescued as children from experimental centers. The others came from rather powerful families. In this case, Juan was the latter, and he himself was the former.
As for Arsh, it seems he would learn his story later.
"Okay, I will try to help him."
"If it was possible, I wouldn't send him with you at all. Let me just say he has the capacity to grow more. And I will say so. When I come back, I will take him to my team."
…
Unlike usual, Arsh sat quietly at the table, watching the others. It seemed like everyone had something on their mind. From what he had just introduced himself, this man named Bera didn't seem very talkative either. He had only briefly introduced himself to Arsh.
A little later, he heard loud voices coming from the stairs — Juan and the man named Herman.
"Are you animal, what is the condition of the house. your team only here for a month."
"What is wrong I can't see anything"
"You know it is not private property. You can be sure that I will prepare a report."
They kept talking until they came inside. Arsh already learned from others that they were former teammates and even though they constantly fight, they are good friends.
The silence was broken as they entered. That night they chatted about a lot of things. They told Arsh about Tirsit: what he should and shouldn't do, and what he should be careful about.
Arsh thought he didn't know these people and didn't know their story. But after everyone he knew died, the voices of these people helped him to focus and not lose control. They also helped him find a better way for his revenge. He was glad about that, and he also knew he would encounter these people again even after he left here.
…
Next morning five men went to the port area. Their ship already booked.
It was arsh's first time in a ship. Even though he set out on this path for revenge, he felt excitement. Maybe because it was his dream to explore the world all along.
Before boarding the ship, Juan handed him an envelope. Inside was an identity card. Arsh read the name aloud.
"Ash Godwin. What is this?"
"Your new identity. You are a Symran citizen from now on. I chose something similar to your name."
"What about Godwin?"
"Don't like it? It means 'friend of God.'"
Arsh smiled. "I don't believe in Goddess."
"Okay, don't believe in her. Then I will pray my god, I will pray to him so that he can be your companion."
After that, they parted without saying anything else.
As the ship sailed away, he watched Juan's silhouette slowly receding on the deck. Behind him was the country and the desert he had bid farewell to.
The day he left these lands was the day he was born in these lands. He touched the earrings he was wearing and made his last farewell. Then, he turned his back, this time looking at the sea and the golden thread waving in the air.