Chapter 44 – The Moment the Wild Man Vanished
Chapter 44
The Moment the Wild Man Vanished.
Date: Day 29 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Outside the bathhouse, Hyoren met with Elise who was already waiting. He felt refreshed. The bath had done wonders.
"Okay, Elise. What's next? Adventurer's Guild?"
The guild. Where Elise needed to report. Where they would register their party. Where their official life as adventurers would begin.
Elise's forefinger raised. A gesture of correction. She waved it back and forth.
"No no. Not yet."
She spoke. Her voice carrying conviction. Decision.
"I don't want to enter the guild like this."
She gestured to her own clothes. Drawing attention to her appearance. Her leather tunic—functional. Practical. But worn. Damaged. There were rips in some places. Her right sleeve was torn to her shoulder.
She then pointed at him.
"And you. You are clean, yes. But you still look like a wild man!"
The words were true. His body was clean. His hair was washed. But his clothes—the rabbit fur armor. It screamed wild man.
She turned and started walking.
"Follow me!"
She commanded. Not a request. An order.
Hyoren followed her. They walked for a few minutes. Until they stopped in front of a store.
The sign above the door had a clothes image. The name was painted beneath the image. Boram's Used Clothes.
The two entered the store.
The interior was a small and cramped space filled with the musty smell of old fabric and leather. The scent was not unpleasant. The smell of many clothes. The interior was a chaotic mountain of clothes.
"Uncle Boram!"
Elise called out.
"I want to buy stuff!"
From behind a mountain of trousers, a figure emerged. A grumpy old man with a white beard and a perpetually scowling face. His brow was furrowed. His mouth turned down. The expression of a man who was permanently annoyed. Or at least pretended to be.
"Elise."
He spoke. His voice gruff.
"Back again to bleed me dry?"
The words were harsh. But the tone carried familiarity.
His eyes shifted. Found Hyoren.
"And what's this you've dragged in?"
He gestured at Hyoren. At the rabbit fur armor. At the wild appearance.
"Looks like you found him in the woods and decided to domesticate him."
The comment was cutting. The teasing of an old acquaintance.
Hyoren felt shame at the comment. He did look like a wild man. He had been found in the woods.
Elise pouted.
"Ugh… Stop it. Why does everyone always go to that conclusion! Hyoren is my partner. My new party member, Uncle Boram! Party! Member!"
She explained. Huffing.
"And he needs a new wardrobe. The old one is..."
She paused. Gestured vaguely at his appearance.
"Too wild for the city..."
The old man—Boram—just grunted. His eyes gave Hyoren a once-over. The gaze was both dismissive and calculating.
And then—the picking began.
Elise moved to the piles of clothes. Her hands reached out. She would pull a shirt from a pile. Hold it up against Hyoren's chest. Assess the fit. The color. The style. And then—judgment.
"Too fancy."
She'd say. Tossing a silk tunic aside.
"Too drab."
She'd mutter. Discarding a brown tunic.
"This one!"
Her voice would brighten.
"It's got good, sturdy linen. Practical."
She'd hold up the chosen garment. Satisfaction on her face.
Hyoren stood there. Feeling like a mannequin. A body to be dressed. His arms hung at his sides. His feet stayed planted. He was the canvas. Elise was the artist. And surprisingly—Boram was the consultant. The grumpy old man would occasionally interject. Offering opinions. Suggesting alternatives.
The two of them debated the merits of different tunics. Different trousers. Different vests. The discussion was intense. Focused on fabric quality. Stitching durability. Color appropriateness. Practicality for combat. Comfort for travel. Style for appearance.
"Elise."
Hyoren tried to interject. To reason with her. To bring some moderation to the process.
"Is this not enough?"
He gestured at the pile of selected garments.
Elise, who had come back with a different tunic, shook her head. The process was not complete. The selection was not finished.
"Now shut up. And let me do the work."
Her voice was firm. She had a vision. And she would not be interrupted.
Hyoren resigned. He stood silently. Accepting his role. The passive recipient of Elise's attention. The object of her fashion project.
Boram, despite his grumbling, had a keen eye for quality. He would occasionally grunt and pull out a piece. Adding to the selection. Correcting Elise's choices.
"This one's got good stitching. It'll last."
He'd say. Holding up a garment. Pointing at the seams.
In the end, they settled on a simple but well made outfit—a dark grey linen tunic, a pair of sturdy brown trousers, a soft leather vest, and pair of worn but comfortable boots.
It was a simple outfit. Nothing fancy. Nothing elaborate. But as Hyoren looked at his reflection in a mirror, he saw not a wild man, but a man. A traveler. An adventurer.
It was a transformation. The rabbit fur was gone. The appearance of wilderness survival was gone.
Elise handed him a simple wooden comb. The wood was smooth. Worn from use. But functional.
"Here..."
She said. Her voice softer. The shopping frenzy had passed. Now came the finishing touches.
"Let's do something about that hair."
He took the comb. Began to work through his now clean hair. The tangles were gone. The washing had done its work. But the length remained. The wildness remained. He needed to make it presentable.
He worked efficiently. The comb moved through his black hair. He gathered it at the back. Pulled it into a tail. Tied it off with a leather strip.
The wild man vanished.
***
In his place stood a young man with intelligent eyes, a strong jaw, and a confident gait. The simple dark clothes fit him well. Accentuating his lean and athletic build. His hair, now neat and tied back, revealed the handsome and angular lines of his face.
Elise stood. Satisfied with the transformation.
"Good."
She spoke. The word was simple. But the tone was satisfied.
"Now you look handsome and not like a wild man..."
She paused. A small smile on her lips.
"And no one is going to bat an eye looking at you."
Elise clapped her hands. The project was complete. The next task awaited.
"Okay… now it's my time to choose a new outfit!"
Her voice brightened. Excitement. The joy of shopping.
Hyoren watched her go. Moving to the pile of clothes. Disappearing into the mountains of fabric. Hunting for her own treasures.
As Elise picked through the clothes, Boram approached Hyoren. The old man's movements were slow. His gruff exterior was present. But something else showed through. Curiosity. Interest.
"So… you're called Hyoren, huh?"
His voice was gruff. But there was a hint of amusement. Warmth. Beneath the scowl. The old man cared. About Elise. About her life. About the people in it.
"Yes, Mr. Boram. I met Elise during her quest. And we decided to form a party."
The explanation was simple.
Boram scoffed. The sound was disbelief.
"That Elise actually formed a party?"
He shook his head. The idea was apparently shocking.
"Unbelievable. If someone else told me this—and not me witnessing myself—I would call him a liar."
His eyes moved to Elise. Watching her dig through the clothes.
"But seeing her like that... it's truly unbelievable."
The words carried weight. History. Knowledge of who Elise was.
Hyoren smiled. It seemed her reputation was the same everywhere. Lone Elf. Lonely Ranger.
"Well… things happen."
He said. Simple. Honest. The truth was strange.
Boram shrugged his shoulders.
"Huff. Suit yourself."
He moved away. Approached Elise. Tried to help her pick clothes. His gruff exterior softened slightly.
Hyoren watched them with a warm expression. The interaction was touching. The old man who cared. The young elf who shopped.
Then, after a while, Elise was done picking her new outfit.
She emerged from the changing room. The old clothes were gone. In their place—new looks on her.
She was fidgeting. Her hands moved restlessly. Her body shifted. The confidence of the shopping trip was replaced by something else.
"Hyoren."
She called. Her voice uncertain.
"How is it? Does this suit me?"
Seeing Elise in a new green dress made Hyoren freeze. Speechless.
Elise after bathing already looked beautiful. But this new look of hers elevated it even more.
She wore a comfortable green dress. The color matched her eyes. Complemented her hair. It was not leather armor. It was the kind of casual wear. Something for leisure. For beauty.
The dress hugged her body. Emphasizing her curves. The fabric flowed. Followed the lines of her form. It covered most of her skin. But somehow—it still exuded a mature aura. A woman's grace.
The transformation was stunning. The ranger was gone. In her place stood a woman. Beautiful. Elegant. Radiant.
Hyoren stared. His breath caught. His mind blanked. The sight of her. It struck him like a blow.
Elise pouted. His silence was too long. His stare was too intense. She called to him again.
"Hey. Hyoren! Why are you frozen like that!"
Hyoren snapped from his stupor. The words broke the spell.
"Sorry, Elise."
He stammered. Trying to recover.
"Something caught in my eyes."
He tried to rub his eyes. Making excuses. Pretending something was wrong.
But Boram scoffed from the back. The old man saw through the lie. The excuse. The deflection. He knew what was happening. He had seen it before. In others. In himself, perhaps, long ago.
Hyoren then looked at Elise from top to bottom again. This time—deliberately. He would not hide his admiration. He would speak the truth.
"The dress looks good on you, Elise."
He spoke. His voice sincere.
"It truly emphasizes your beauty. The color also matches your beautiful silver hair."
He tried to compliment her. Expecting her to be happy. Accepting of the praise.
But she flushed instead. Her face turned red. Her pointed ears turned red. The color spread from her cheeks to her neck. The reaction was not what he expected. Not confidence. But embarrassment.
"Wa... waaaah. Waa..."
She stammered. Her voice high. Flustered.
"Don't say that with a straight expression, Hyoren!"
She tried to fan her face. Her hands moving rapidly. Trying to cool the heat. Trying to calm the flush.
Boram watched them with an amused face. The old man's scowl was replaced by a smirk. His eyes twinkled. He saw what was happening. The dynamic between them. The tension. The attraction. The something that was growing.
Elise tried to distract her mind. Turned to face Boram.
"Okay, Uncle Boram."
Her voice was still slightly high. Still flustered.
"I'll get this dress and that set for Hyoren. How much?"
Boram then counted them. His eyes moving over the selected items, calculating
But he was still grinning. The amusement had not faded.
"That dress costs 100,000 Kres. And the set for the man is 130,000 Kres."
Elise's eyebrows furrowed. Suspicion. Disbelief.
"Hey. Too expensive! Lower it, Uncle. I'm a regular!"
The protest was immediate.
Boram sighed. Theatrical.
"See. This is why you always bleed me dry..."
He complained. But his hands moved.
"Fine. 200,000 Kres for two."
The new price was lower. The old man's grudging affection showing through.
"Uncle Boram, you are so kind! Thanks!"
Elise's voice brightened. She took her wallet. Counted out coins. Gave him 20 bronze coins. The payment was made.
Boram then dismissed them. Waving his hand. Shooing them away.
"Now go. Before you're going to rob my store again."
The words were harsh. But the tone was warm. The grumpy old man. The caring uncle. Both present. Both real.
Elise laughed. The sound was bright. Happy. Genuine.
"Fufufu. Bye, Uncle. And thanks!"
She exited the store. Her new dress flowing around her.
Hyoren nodded a bit to Boram. Then he followed Elise out.
For a while, Boram's expression softened. The scowl faded. The grumpiness disappeared. A warm smile emerged. Genuine. Fond. The old man watching the young people leave. Seeing something in them. Hoping for them.
Then his expression turned sour.
But Hyoren actually caught it. The moment of warmth. The genuine smile. The real Boram beneath the grumpy exterior.
And he smiled back.
Outside Boram's store, now stood two people who had just been transformed.
The street stretched before them. Busy. Alive. The afternoon suns cast long shadows across the paved stones. Sol was beginning its descent. Luna followed behind. The dual light created a unique illumination. Golden and silver mingled. Painting the city in warm hues.
Elise spoke first. Her voice carried anticipation.
"Hyoren. Now it's time to go to the Adventurer's Guild."
She paused. Listing the tasks ahead. The reasons for their destination.
"Time to report my quest. And finally register you."
Her eyes met his. Meaning in her gaze. Significance in her words.
"So you can get your ID card. And we will find out about a lot of things about you."
Elise smiled. The expression was warm.
Hyoren nodded. His own anticipation rising. The next step.
"Lead the way, Elise."
He spoke. Trusting her.
"I can't wait to get my Guild Card made."
Both smiled at each other. The moment was shared. The anticipation was mutual. The journey had brought them here. And the journey would continue.
Then they walked through the bustling street of the Adventurer's District of Frontier City Akela.