"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 there whenever they weren't outside or asleep.
"You'll be going to the Tirsit soon. You can't go dressed like this. Actually, I'm confiscating your clothes. 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 at the doorway with a half-eaten apple in his hand, 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."
"That was a bit harsh… but true," Flora said, laughing at Eliz's words.
"Juan, let's go shopping together. Tedor is here, he can wait at home with Paul Smith."
"Ahh... should we go?" Juan said reluctantly.
Five minutes later, Juan and Arsh were at the door, ready and waiting. A little while later, when Eliz and Flora joined them 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. Ahh, this is embarrassing... Should we leave Juan behind and go just with Arsh?"
They continued their bickering as they walked into the city. Soon, they came to a street lined with shops selling Symran-style clothes, goods, and food.
Most people on the street were dressed quite nicely. This time, Arsh noticed that even though they were in a Symran neighborhood and he was the only Kurshanese in sight, the stares were directed more at Juan than at himself. With his tall height and broad build, the rags hanging off Juan created a dreadful sight, forming a sharp contrast with the two elegant women beside him.
At that moment, Arsh felt almost invisible and he was glad about it.
Following Juan, Arsh went into a shop after Eliz and Flora.
"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 wear it this once," Flora said.
"Okay, okay. Now it's Arsh's turn."
After handing the items to Juan, the saleswoman grabbed Arsh by the arm and pulled him toward 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. Now that his face is more visible, isn't he handsome?" said Flora.
"You're right. Please prepare two more sets of similar outfits, including jackets," Eliz told the saleswoman.
"Hmm… don't exaggerate. He looks pretty normal to me. I am more handsome," Juan said from behind.
"Don't be jealous of the youngster, you old man."
"I'm not even forty!" Juan shouted.
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 sun and sand. Now, he felt kind of naked.
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.
Arsh glanced at Juan. The man really did look good. With the tie they had forced around his neck and the buttoned-up jacket, Juan looked uncomfortable, but undeniably handsome. Once he had gotten rid of the rags and washed his face, he appeared completely different. Unlike Arsh's boyish look, Juan gave the impression of a mature and strong man.
'I feel irritated,' Arsh thought while looking at Juan.
Soon, they walked out of the shop with packages in their hands. The clothes were a gift from Eliz and Flora. Arsh 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, they found two unfamiliar faces sitting around the kitchen table alongside 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," Juan said, stepping forward.
"Haha, Juan... ever since you left, I've remembered what peace feels like, so I'd say no. I didn't miss you at all."
"You traitor... Okay, okay... Let me introduce you. This is Arsh. He worked with us, and thanks to him, we were able to find General Debriz's identity and catch Paul Smith."
"Good job, but he's not one of us... or at least, not from your usual 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. That's the story."
"How long have you been with him?"
"Around a week."
"So, in just a few days, you helped them find a man they'd been looking for for months. Good job, boy. And when did you get your siuni, and what kind of ability did it give you?"
"You don't have to tell him if you don't want to, Arsh. Everyone has the right to keep their siuni a secret," Juan whispered, his hand firm on Arsh's shoulder.
Juan and the others had made this clear when they first revealed their own powers. Arsh also realized they hadn't fully explained their abilities either; if a siuni is widely known, it becomes a dangerous disadvantage.
But what lingered in his mind was whether Juan truly trusted these men. Juan was the one who had called them, and he was the one sending Arsh along with them. He decided he would ask him about it later.
"Juan, it is not gentlemanly behavior to whisper in front of others," Herman said.
"I didn't say anything," Juan replied with a smile.
"Hmm… anyway, you're pretty quick to grasp your siuni if you've already helped them after getting it so recently. I see that you prefer not to speak of it. That's okay. I can see you were lucky to get a siuni—but you're not stupid."
"Herman, be careful how you talk to my team members... Let's talk inside."
…
Herman realized he had stepped on the wrong stone. Juan always protected his teammates. Once upon a time, they had been teammates too. Most of the time, they didn't get along, but they always protected each other. Right now, he wasn't sure what exactly he had said wrong, but he knew he definitely had.
They went upstairs, leaving the others behind.
"Did I say something wrong?" Herman asked.
"He isn't lucky at all. Don't judge people without knowing anything about them. I've 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 Reiner about him. Did he send the new identity documents?"
"Professor Reiner didn't tell me anything. He gave me an envelope to give to you. Probably the identity documents are inside. And of course, we'll help him once he gets to Tirsit. We need to help him adjust to life in Symran. Since he's from Kurshan, Tirsit will be difficult for him. If he's really as good as you say, we'll recruit him. If not, we can help him 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. Others came from powerful families. In this case, Juan was the latter, while Herman himself was the former.
As for Arsh, it seemed 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 felt like everyone had something on their mind. The younger of the two men continued to sit with them in silence. 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.
"Are you an animal? Look at the state of this house! Your team has only been here for a month." He man shouted as he came down the stairs.
"What's wrong? I don't see anything," Juan shot back.
"You know this isn't private property. You can be sure I'll be filing a report about this."
They kept bickering until they stepped into the room. Arsh had already learned from the others that they were former teammates. Even though they fought constantly, they were close friends.
The silence was broken as they entered. That night, they chatted about many things. They told Arsh about Tirsit, what he should and shouldn't do, and what he needed to be careful about.
Arsh realized he didn't truly know these people or their stories. Yet, after everyone he had ever known had died, their voices helped him stay focused and keep from losing control. He was grateful for that, and he knew deep down that even after he left, he would cross paths with these people again.
…
The next morning, the five men headed to the port. Their ship was already booked.
It was Arsh's first time on a ship. Even though he had set out on this path for revenge, he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. Perhaps it was because, all along, it had been his dream to explore the world.
Before they boarded the ship, Juan handed him an envelope. Inside were his new identity papers. 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." Juan replied, sounding somewhat proud of his choice.
"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'll pray that he becomes your companion on this journey."
After that, they parted ways without another word.
As the ship sailed away, he watched Juan's silhouette slowly recede on the shore. Behind him lay the country and the desert he had bid farewell to.
The day he left these lands was the same day he was truly born in them. He touched the earrings he was wearing, a final silent goodbye. Then, he turned his back, looking out at the sea and the golden threads waving in the air.