Nobody in the village took much notice of Holo and Shun. They all went about their day as normal, the kids in the village fought and played together and the adults hunted and talked. They all trained, continuing to hone their magic and swordsmanship, which was the norm for people of Coldera. Mister Gyvert taught both Shun and Holo how to read and write and in turn, Shun would hunt the local animals such as rabbits and bears as a way to repay Mister Gyvert and so they all could eat.

He wrote his name down on a piece of paper, "Shun" it read. Shun held the piece of paper up showing them both while pointing to himself.

Mister Gyvert’s eyes suddenly widened as he exclaimed, "Shun?!"

Holo jumped out of his chair startled, "What’s wrong?!" His ears were very sensitive.

"No, it’s just that..." He looked down, "There was this kid...people called him a demon. This demon child burnt villages across the country and took lives wherever he went." His forehead creased and his eyes narrowed, Gyvert’s expression became serious. He pointed his finger at Shun, "His name was Shun, the same as yours."

Holo turned to Shun, his face looking distraught, and asked, "Is it true...that you did that? It’s got to be a coincidence, right?"

Shun replied by nodding his head, an answer that neither wanted.

Mister Gyvert, who now looked down at the table in distraught, shakily spoke, not out of fear but seemingly out of anger mixed with sadness. He then gritted his teeth, "Shun... you should leave...now!" He held his face in his hands and kept shaking.

Shun then grabbed a bag that was given to him by Gyvert, which was filled with various items he acquired in the few days he spent in the village. The floorboard creaked as he got out and left the house. Shun knew that his ramapage a decade ago must’ve somehow caused him a great pain and the heavy guilt Shun felt made him unable to face Gyvert even once.

Holo immediately got up and at the doorway, he bowed to Mister Gyvert, who had shown him such kindness, "Thank you for your hospitality!"

He waved Holo away, "Just...go." The wolf boy’s ears flopped down and his expression became sad after hearing the dismissive words of Mister Gyvert. Holo then turned away, closed the door behind him and ran after Shun.

"Those red eyes...I should’ve recognised them sooner." Gyvert then slammed his hand on the table while clutching his pained face with the other hand, "My wife and children...they were taken by him!"

In the two years that Shun rampaged across Coldera, he had taken the lives of countless victims and naturally, the families of said victims mourned. Mister Gyvert, who helped them both, had long lost his wife and children in a flaming hellfire. Those memories still haunted him and he couldn’t bring himself to ever forgive Shun. Mister Gyvert would never acknowledge it, but the reason as to why he didn’t recognise Shun’s prominent red eyes and didn’t initially invoke the memory of his family’s death is because they had a different look, something that wasn’t monstrous and void like back then but now human.

Soon they were completely out of the village and unknowingly heading to Tilapia. Holo followed a few steps behind, "Hey! Wait up!" Shun stopped in his tracks, took out a plain book from his bag and wrote, "Don’t follow me. You should stay with Gyvert."

Holo read it and immediately exclaimed, "No! The past...what you did in the past I’m sure is unforgivable to most but the you now saved me so I’m going to follow you whether you like it or not!"

Shun didn’t reply and just kept walking forward and Holo silently followed behind him. Holo’s face became somewhat red and felt numb due to the cold weather. It looked like the snow wouldn’t let up anytime soon. Fortunately, they were dressed in clothes that would make withstanding the icy air of Coldera easier. Both were fashioned in brown clothes and gloves and hoods, which had a wool surrounding the edge. At their feet were a pair of plain-looking leather laced boots, which also had fur lining.

After days of walking and camping outside, they found a grand and developed city. Holo looked excited while pointing at the city, which they were seeing at a distance on top of a cliff. Large white walls surrounded the city. At the front, there was a huge iron gate, and soldiers were standing in front of the gate, guarding and working. It seemed to be the only entrance into the city. There was a path that was lined with caravans filled with crates. Inside where various items ready for sale and trade. "Shun! It’s a huge city. Look! Look!"

Shun then wrote, "Let’s go in, maybe we can find some work."

Holo then remembered Mister Gyvert, "Shun, why don’t we be adventurers?" He suggested as he tilted his head. Mister Gyvert previously had been an adventurer and told them stories of his adventures and some of the monsters he took down. Ultimately, he quit being an adventurer but he did become a B-Rank, which is considered to be above average.

Shun scribbled down, "That’s not a bad idea. We’ll become adventurers once we enter the city." He grinned at Holo, who in turn smiled back.

"Alright, let’s go!" Holo exclaimed, putting his fist in the air as he got up from the snow-covered ground. They lined up on the large stone wide path, suitable for a large number of people and horse-driven caravans. There was a short stone wall on either side of the path as well as lit-up lamps every few lengths.

A man on a horse that was harnessed to a carvan. Stores in the caravan were crates full of fruit and other wares was up ahead of them. A guard that was fitted in silver armour, ran up to the merchant while clutching a spear vertically up. "Sir, please hand your identification and permit."

"Of course, of course. Haha." The man scratched the back of his head, rustled around his pockets and whipped out two pieces of paper and handed them to the guard. It was then glanced over and returned, "You may enter, good sir!" He then gave a nod to one of his fellow soldiers, and the gate opened with a turning of a wheel, which was hooked up to some chains that seemingly connected to opening the gate.

Holo then turned to Shun with an anxious face, "Ah! What do we do Shun? We don’t have any kind of identification?!" Before they could think of a plan, another guard approached them. "Can you both hand over your identification?" The guard asked while he had his hand out.

Shun and Holo both looked at each other silently and the guard tilted his head in confusion, "...Uh sirs?"

Holo then frantically waved his hands about, "Sorry...but we don’t have any-"

The guard then interrupted Holo before he could say any more, "Ah! You two must’ve lost your papers right? Haha!" He waved his hand, "Don’t worry, don’t worry! It happens all the time. Follow me, we’ll both get you new ones quickly." The guard spoke with a smile on his face, surprisingly he was quite nice!

They were both escorted by the guard through a wooden door into a room with a table with three chairs. "Both of you just sit right there." He politely said while pulling out the chairs from the table.

"He’s so kind!" Holo thought to himself with a smile on his face while swaying his tail. Shun on the other hand maintained a blank expression. Holo and Shun sat across from the kind guard.

"Right! Let’s fill out some of your papers." The man grabbed hold of two papers, and on the corner of the papers was an empty outlined black box. The paper seemed to have words with blank spaces. "Let’s start with...you!" He pointed at Holo. "First, can you tell me your name?"

"Ah! It’s Holo." He replied as his posture shot upright.

"Last name?"

Holo thought for a moment, "Is it bad if I don’t have a last name? I know! I’ll just make one up." He then answered with, "Ruphelt!"

Shun immediately glanced at him. Holo could feel his stare but continued to face forward.

"Is something the matter?" The soldier asked.

"No no no! Nothing at all. Haha..." Holo frantically waved his hand about.

"Ahem. Let’s continue then, how old are you?"

"Eleven, I think?" He tilted his head.

"You think."

"Eleven!" Holo exclaimed with more certainty in his voice. He hadn’t actually known but it seemed right.

"May I ask what sort of relation you have with this man?"

"Right...he’s," Holo then looked at Shun, "My older brother!" He declared. Shun’s eyes widened while his elbow rested on the wooden surface of the table as his leant in the surface of his palm.

"Older brother then...no job right?"

"Nope! Though we both plan to be adventurers once we enter the city!"

The guard’s face became surprised, "Haha! At such a young age? How ambitious! But be careful kid, you could get yourself hurt."

"I won’t! I’ll become super strong!" Holo’s ears twitched. He crossed his arms and pouted.

"Haha! Sorry kid! Well, I wish you all the best then."

The guard began filling in more fields such as a Holo’s physical desription. He then took a red stamp and pressed it inside the black box, reading as "Approved Citizen".

The man then handed the paper over to Holo, "Make sure not to lose it again. It’ll be bothersome for guards to make a new one, you got that?" He said while smiling.

"I understand mister!" Holo replied with a beaming face.

The guard then turned to Shun, "Now on to you, tell me, what’s your name?"