The heavy wooden gates slowly opened.
The guards stepped aside, though none of them lowered their guard completely.
Aiden Valen walked into the village.
As he crossed the entrance, dozens of eyes followed him.
Women paused while hanging laundry.
Blacksmiths stopped hammering iron.
Children peeked from behind their parents.
Everyone whispered among themselves.
“So he really came from the direction of the Forbidden Forest…”
“Nobody has ever returned from there.”
“He looks more like a survivor than a traveler.”
“I heard demons can disguise themselves as humans…”
The whispers continued.
Aiden pretended not to hear them.
If he were in their place…
He would probably think the same.
The village elder walked beside him.
“My name is Elder Rowan.”
“You may call me Elder.”
Aiden nodded politely.
“Thank you for allowing me inside.”
The old man smiled faintly.
“You can thank me after proving you aren’t trouble.”
Aiden couldn’t help but smile a little.
That was fair.
Trust wasn’t something given freely.
It had to be earned.
The elder led him through the village.
The houses were simple but well maintained.
Farmers greeted one another with smiles.
Children laughed while chasing each other through the streets.
For the first time since arriving in this world…
Aiden saw ordinary happiness.
It reminded him of home.
Not Earth itself.
But the peaceful life he once wished he could have.
Soon they arrived at a small wooden house near the edge of the village.
“It has been empty for some time,” Elder Rowan said.
“You may stay here until you’ve recovered.”
Aiden looked at the small house.
It wasn’t luxurious.
But to someone who had slept on cold ground for months…
It felt like a palace.
“…Thank you.”
Those two words carried genuine gratitude.
Not long after, an elderly woman entered the house carrying a wooden box.
“I am Mira,” she said with a gentle smile.
“The village healer.”
Aiden obeyed.
She carefully examined the scars covering his arms and shoulders.
The room became silent.
“There are too many…”
she whispered.
“Some of these are months old.”
“Others are only days old.”
She looked at him.
“What kind of place did you survive?”
Aiden lowered his eyes.
“A dangerous forest.”
That was all he said.
Mira understood he didn’t wish to speak about it.
She didn’t ask again.
Instead, she cleaned every wound one by one.
The medicine stung.
But compared to monster claws…
It was nothing.
When she finally finished, she smiled warmly.
“There.”
“You’ll heal much faster now.”
Aiden bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
As evening arrived…
Several villagers brought food.
Fresh bread.
Vegetable stew.
Roasted meat.
The delicious smell filled the small house.
Aiden stared silently.
It had been months since he had eaten food prepared by another person.
He took a bite.
The flavor spread across his tongue.
His eyes widened.
“It tastes…”
He couldn’t even finish the sentence.
One of the women laughed kindly.
“Eat slowly.”
“We have plenty.”
Aiden didn’t realize it…
But tears had formed in his eyes.
Not because of sadness.
Because someone had shown him kindness without expecting anything in return.
The following morning…
There was a knock on the door.
When Aiden opened it… The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
Several villagers stood outside.
Among them was an elderly barber carrying his tools.
“We’ve prepared some clothes for you,” one woman said.
“And…”
The barber scratched his beard.
“…if you don’t mind…”
“I think it’s time that hair met a pair of scissors.”
Aiden blinked.
He touched his long hair.
Months without cutting it had left it hanging well past his shoulders.
He gave a small nod.
“I don’t mind.”
An hour later…
Long strands of black hair covered the floor.
The barber stepped back.
“There.”
“Done.”
The women handed Aiden a bucket of warm water.
He washed away months of dirt and dried blood.
After changing into clean clothes—a simple dark tunic, sturdy trousers, leather boots, and a travel cloak—he looked into a polished piece of metal serving as a mirror.
For a moment…
He didn’t recognize himself.
The wild-looking survivor from the forest was gone.
His hair was now short and neat.
His sharp features were visible.
Although a few scars remained, they no longer made him look frightening.
Instead…
They made him look experienced.
Aiden quietly thanked everyone before stepping outside.
The villagers who happened to be passing stopped in their tracks.
“…Is that really him?”
“The traveler?”
“He looks completely different.”
Several young women covered their mouths in surprise.
One whispered to another.
“I thought he was terrifying yesterday…”
“He’s actually…
really handsome.”
The guards at the gate looked at each other in disbelief.
Even Elder Rowan chuckled.
“I knew there was a respectable young man hiding beneath all that hair.”
The little girl who had first noticed Aiden’s injuries smiled brightly.
“I told you he wasn’t a monster.”
For the first time since arriving in this world…
People looked at Aiden without fear.
And for the first time in a very long time…
He felt like he belonged somewhere.