“Is there something matters?”

Aonair asked him as he became bothered with it.

“... No, please excuse me.”

The soldier shakes his head and went outside. His expression when he looked at Aonair was gloomy, as if he felt pity toward him.

Aonair didn't understand, but he became curious of why the soldier did that.

Thus, he followed the soldier and called him.

“Excuse me, mister!”

“Oh... hello there.”

The soldier turned around. He was looking at a tiny pendant. Aonair couldn't see the inside of it since the soldier already closed it.

“Are you perhaps interested in this pendant?”

“Ah, I'm sorry. It was rude of me to do that.”

“No, it's fine. Here, take a look.”

The soldier let out a relieved smile toward Aonair. Then, he opened the pendant and showed it to Aonair.

“They are my family. My wife and son, they are living in the capital right now.”

There's a picture of a beautiful woman and a boy standing beside the soldier who was wearing a suit.

“Your wife is pretty.”

“I know, right? My son too, he's still 16 this year, so he fortunately doesn't have to join the war.”

“I see...”

Aonair once again looked at the picture. The boy smiling so wide that Aonair could feel his happiness from it.

He's still young... just like Aonair.

He's only one year apart, yet their fate was completely different.

“You know, when I saw you, the first thing I thought was my son.”

The soldier closed the pendant and put it inside his pocket while he talked to Aonair.

“You are still young just like him, but you have to go to a merciless battle against Beastmen that you never even met.”

“...”

“I'm pretty sure you're confused about it. About why we fight. About why we have to go to war.”

Aonair kept his silent while listening to the soldier. The soldier turned his head toward the dark sky as he continued his talk.

“For me, it's my duty as a Citizen and a man. I have family to protect, after all.”

The soldier looked Aonair again and smiled. Aonair understand, but at the same time, he didn't understand anything.

“Why can't we just solve everything in peace?”

Aonair voiced his opinion about the war. He knew it's easier to eliminate every possible danger, but can it be solved in a more peaceful way?

The soldier nodded at Aonair's word, but his word contradicted his gesture.

“This world is not that forgiving. The moment you put your guard down, At that moment, even your allies can become your enemies.”

The soldier's eyes turned dark, and it felt ominous. Aonair couldn't help but gulped at the soldier's words.

Then, the soldier sighed. The dark feeling was no longer there, and he talked again.

“Haa... If possible, I want it to be peaceful too. I want to watch my son's growth with my own eyes. I still have many things to do. That's why, let's survive.”

The soldier pull out his hand to Aonair. Aonair doesn't have any war experience or anything. But he knows, he has to survive.

Aonair takes the soldier's hand and gripped it hard. The both of them resolved themselves to survive no matter what.

After a while, they finally let go their hands.

“By the way, what is your name, kid?”

“Mine is Aonair.”

“Aonair, huh? My name is Oscar. I hope the best for us in the future.”

Thus, after they told each other name, the soldier, Oscar went somewhere else alone.

Aonair still standing there, focusing on his own thought. He will face his very first war.

And after listening to Oscar, he knows that he's not the only one who has something to protect.

Maybe even the enemies will fight him to protect someone dear to them.

There are so many consequences in war. Everyone tries to do their best for their beloved family and friends.

Understanding that, Aonair vowed to himself.

(I won't let Laoch or anyone close to me died. I promise, I will protect them all.)

Then, he left the place and went to find his two friends.