They packed their things and tied up the fish with a rope, then walked together toward the forest. They had enough for two days' worth of food.
Aos and Jack discussed how much each of them should get. Jack wanted to split it evenly, though Aos refused, since Jack had done all the work.
Jack still managed to persuade him in the end, saying he would never have gotten the idea if not for him—which was mostly true.
They entered the snowy forest cheerfully. Aos was carrying Mila on his back, the little girl sleeping soundly with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.
Suddenly, Jack came to a stop. He stretched out his hand to signal Aos not to come any closer. His eyes were fixed on the snow below, glaring at a large footprint—almost the size of Jack.
"What the…"
The footprint was already cold, so the beast most likely wasn't nearby.
Aos noticed it too.
They exchanged frightened glances, then hurried off in another direction. After putting some distance between themselves and the tracks, they finally felt safe enough to speak without worry.
Aos broke the silence, while Mila remained fast asleep on his back.
"I only ever heard rumors about it."
"That somewhere in this forest lies a beast."
"They call him something like... Big Feet? Or something of the sort."
Jack stared at him, keeping pace as they walked.
"Hey, change of plans. Let's go to your house together, and then I'll head out on my own."
"I won't be able to sleep right if we split paths now."
Aos's voice echoed nervously through the pathless forest.
"Uhm… sure. We can go to my place first."
Jack shrugged off his own nervousness. Maybe he wasn't used to bringing people with him.
They continued walking until they reached the edge of the village. They were about a kilometer away from Nicholas's lodge, heading toward a small shed.
Jack lifted his gaze to the old wooden storage place.
They live here?
This can't be right...
Jack looked at Aos with an empathetic expression.
"Are your parents here?"
Aos looked at the shed with a melancholic gaze.
"No... they left me a long time ago. And as for Mila—she never really had any. She was left at Mica's house."
"She takes care of her. I give her food, and help her with Mila in exchange for letting me stay here."
Jack's face darkened.
"Don't worry, it's not that bad. Nicholas helped us build some things inside."
"His craftsmanship is top-quality, even by city standards—believe it or not."
Jack looked at him, curious.
"You talk like you've been to the city. Have you?"
Aos nodded.
"Well, yes… but only when I was about Mila's age."
"Until my parents left me here… those bastards."
A frown crossed his face.
"All they left was a card saying some dumb stuff about needing to 'protect another world.'"
"Probably just fantasy junk to dump on a note for a lost kid."
Aos sighed.
"I'm sorry—I didn't mean to dump all this on you."
Jack looked at him with understanding.
"It's fine. I don't know where my parents are either..."
"Whether they're dead or alive."
Shaking off those thoughts, Jack looked at Aos with a bright smile.
"Hey! How about you eat with us?"
Aos smiled weakly.
"Thanks, but… I don't know if we should."
Jack responded quickly.
"Come on, it'll only be an hour!"
"The least that bastard Nicholas can do is cook for us after yesterday's beating!"
"Thanks, Jack, but I don't—"
Suddenly, Aos felt light bagging on his head. Mila was softly punching his head, seemingly already awake. The voice from the tiny girl resounded above him.
"Don't I have a say in this?!"
Jack stared at them with a smile and said with a grin.
"Look, it's two versus one."
They both chuckled softly.
Aos finally gave in.
"Fine, only if you stop hitting my head, Mila."
Mila was continuously punching his head and said in a joking tone,
"Not until you start walking!"
She glanced quickly at Jack, just to make sure he wasn't mad.
"Hmp!"
Aos grunted in pain.
"OUCH! FINE, I'M WALKING, I'M WALKING!"
The little girl giggled mischievously.
"Hehe~"
Then Mila jumped off Aos's back and ran up to Jack, giving him a light punch on the arm too.
Jack laughed.
"Hey, I'm walking too!"
Mila turned her head with a pout.
"Just in case."
And so, they walked together toward Nicholas's lodge.
An hour later, they were all sitting around the dinner table, eating together at Nicholas's home. Nicholas welcomed them happily as they sat together, enjoying a fish stew made by him. Aos and Mila were now with their coats off, feeling much more comfortable.
They talked about the strange encounter with the footprint. Nicholas suggested they be wary of the forest from now on. Aos looked worried, since he always had to get food for Mica. Jack noticed this and spoke in a happy tone.
"Don't worry, Aos. I'll help you every time you need to go fishing."
Aos sighed in relief.
"Thanks, Jack."
Suddenly, the small girl sitting next to Aos, with her dark hair now tied back and her eyes filled with enthusiasm, raised her hand.
"Me too!"
Aos laughed and patted her on the head, speaking in an alleviated tone.
"Yes, Mila. You too…"
Nicholas stared at the three of them with a smile. His thoughts permeated his mind. That went better than I expected.
Staring at Jack, he spoke in a surprised tone.
"You're better with people than I thought, kid…"
Jack answered Nicholas with a frown.
"Why the hell would you think that, old man!?"
Nicholas's eyes widened, letting out a laugh that echoed in the room.
"HO HO HO! Just a superstition, I guess."
***
In the middle of the forest, two people stood facing each other. One was a brown-haired man in a red coat, while the other was a raven-haired kid.
Jack now had clothes of his own, wearing a tight, compressed shirt that showed his well-toned body, and shorts that allowed for better mobility without interference.
It's time...
Time for Jack's first day of training.