**A Traveler Walking Through the World**

Valentin sat atop a tawny-colored rock, watching the sun set on the distant horizon.

The sky over the rocks, sand, and dry tumbleweeds that looked like rough balls of yarn from afar was growing dim. Although the sun hadn’t fully set yet, a pale white moon timidly revealed itself, as if shy, showing only a sliver, barely the size of a fingernail.

Valentin reached into his paint box, pulled out a bright oil pastel, and began finishing the landscape of the desert he had been drawing.

“Valentin!”

“Pahod…!”

Valentin quickly set aside his drawing as a four-year-old boy came running toward him, calling his name. He immediately scooped the child into his arms, worried that the boy might fall while trying to climb up the rock.

“It’s dangerous to climb up here alone, I’ve told you that,” Valentin said in the local language, which he had mastered through his linguistic skills. Yet, no matter what the angelic, platinum-haired foreigner said, it all seemed sweet and beautiful. The boy just smiled brightly, showing his tiny, scattered teeth, unaffected by Valentin’s concerned tone.

“I didn’t fall!” the boy replied with a lisping but cheerful voice, communicating easily with Valentin.

Indeed, the children here seemed to mature faster and carry more responsibility compared to the noble children from Valentin’s former life, both in the noble family he was raised in and his modern past life.

Perhaps it was the harsh, barren environment that nurtured such early growth and independence among the people. Valentin brushed off the dust from Pahod’s dark, sand-covered hair and securely lifted the boy into his arms. Then, standing up, he pointed toward the distant horizon.

“Look, your father is returning, Pahod.”

From afar, a group of camels could be seen moving in the distance. The young boy, still cradled in Valentin’s arms, enthusiastically waved toward the horizon, even though he couldn’t see or hear his father yet. Valentin adjusted the boy’s small hat so it sat properly on his head.

Pahod was the second son of the family that Valentin was currently staying with.

This nomadic village lived on the edge of the desert, where the land wasn’t entirely barren. They lived in round, dome-shaped traditional yurts, herding sheep, and acting as a resting spot for travelers and merchants passing through the Silk Road.

All the children, even Pahod’s older brother, did their part, contributing to the hard but fulfilling daily life of the nomads. As a traveler and a guest, Valentin couldn’t just rest idly. He had taken on the role of helping to look after the young children.

As Pahod’s small hands reached for Valentin’s hair and face, clinging tightly, Valentin embraced him just as warmly. Children... such small, lovable beings.

The boy, with his tanned skin and long, camel-like eyelashes, was endearing. Each time the child hugged him tightly, Valentin felt a surge of warmth in his chest, as though something hot was welling up from within. The strength of the boy’s embrace conveyed pure affection.

Reynard, if our daughter Sharon had been born safely and grown up, she might have been like this, wouldn’t she?

As he silently called out the name of someone who had now become a stranger, Valentin gazed bitterly into the distance. The vastness of nature, with its untainted beauty and the expansive sky draped above like a massive curtain, reminded him of how small and fragile humans truly were. In front of such grandeur, humanity seemed weak, yet somehow that weakness made them shine all the more.

“Look, Pahod. The sun is completely setting now.”

Although it was a sight he saw every day, the sunset in the middle of this vast, majestic nature was always breathtaking. The soft gradient of the sky’s colors, blending together. Pahod, following Valentin’s pointing finger, giggled and said, "Orange!"—recalling that Valentin had taught him the word for ‘orange’ in his native language.

“The orange sun is going down, and soon the dark night will come.”

“Then we go to sleep?”

“Yes, we have to sleep, so we can meet the sun again tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to sleep.”

“But children need to sleep, so they can grow tall like your father.”

“Asif?”

The boy tilted his head and mentioned his omega father’s name. Valentin burst out laughing at that. It made sense, after all. Asif, Valentin’s guide, was strong and resilient like the rest of the people here, but he had the small, typical build of an omega.

“No, not Asif. Jamil. He’s the one riding the camels over there.”

When Valentin mentioned the name of the boy’s alpha father, the young leader of the nomads, Pahod nodded knowingly. Indeed, Jamil was a tall, well-built alpha.

“He’ll be back before it gets too dark. Let’s head down before the night comes.”

The desert sunsets were swift, and with winter approaching, the temperature swings were harsh. Valentin carefully tightened the intricate, patterned clothing around the boy to keep him warm, then packed up his painting supplies and climbed down from the rock. Pahod, ever nimble, led the way back to the yurt.

“You brought Valentin back safely, Pahod!” Asif called out, smiling, as they entered the nomad’s tent.

“Were you sent to fetch me?”

Valentin had assumed he was the one looking after the boy, but it seemed like the child had been sent to take care of him instead. Pahod’s father, Asif, busily laying out dinner, gave a soft chuckle as he answered.

“If I hadn’t sent him, you would have kept staring off into the sky.”

Reflecting on painful memories and gazing into the landscape was something Valentin did almost every day. After spending several months in this region as his guide, it seemed Asif had come to understand him well. Valentin, slightly pouting, quickly joined in helping lay out the carpets, his quick hands moving to assist.

“I always come back when the sun sets.”

“You would’ve missed dinner again. And if you keep spacing out like that, you’ll catch a cold.”

Asif, ever practical, mentioned the increasing temperature swings with the changing seasons. Valentin had no response, knowing that his friend—an omega of the same age who had become his guide—was right.

Dinner was prepared swiftly.

Brightly colored floral-patterned carpets covered the floor, with a hot tea kettle, freshly baked bread, rice, vegetables, lamb, and oil-fried dishes spread out for everyone. Soon, Asif’s family members, each finishing their work, gathered around and sat in a circle.

“Don’t just eat bread; have some meat too.”

Asif scooped some onto a small plate and handed it to Valentin, who suddenly found himself holding his breath.

“Ugh…”

“What? Does it taste strange?”

Asif looked puzzled, remembering that Valentin had eaten the lamb just fine before, but Valentin quickly shook his head.

“I think I’ll just have bread tonight.”

For some reason, the lamb, which he had enjoyed before, tasted slightly off to him today. Valentin quickly sipped the fragrant tea to mask the strange feeling.

“You need to eat properly.”

Like a mother fussing over her child, Asif offered Valentin some high-quality honey and apricot jam. Valentin tore off a piece of bread, dipped it in the honey, and nodded in agreement. Sitting with these familiar faces, they enjoyed dinner together, chatting happily.

The closer one is to nature, the more one lives in harmony with the sun. People woke with the sunrise and went to bed as soon as the dark night settled in.

Once dinner was over, the family prepared for bed, save for a few who stayed up to finish small tasks like sewing or wrapping up their work under the light of a few oil lamps. Blankets made of wool and animal skins were laid out in the tent, sectioned off by simple dividers.

Valentin watched quietly as Jamil and Asif, the alpha and omega couple, calmly brushed each other’s hair before bed. Pulling the blanket over himself, Valentin lay down.

Seeing these people, loving and living their lives with such dedication, brought certain faces to mind. But those days were long gone. Valentin squeezed his eyes shut, willing away the lingering thoughts of those distant memories.

In truth, Valentin hadn't originally planned to venture out to such a remote place.

It hadn't started out this grand.

Thinking back to the beginning of his journey, he couldn’t help but recall the ever-cheerful voice of Cecilia.

“Valentin, how about we stop moping around and take a trip together?”

She had asked this on one of her regular visits after Valentin had returned to the Count Wiche estate. She had come to check on him after he had fallen ill, the result of running around the slums every day, covered in dust, ash, and sweat.

Cecilia had always been worried, especially since her dear friend, in the middle of finalizing a divorce, spent his days cloaked in a gray robe, tirelessly working in the filthy and dangerous streets of Gray Chapel. Even though she knew her friend was the type of person to live simply, regardless of his status, Valentin had once been the duchess consort of the highest-ranking imperial family. Seeing him with soot on his face, running around such rough streets, was not something she could easily accept.

As Cecilia tidied Valentin's hair while he lay there, she gave him a gentle pat on the back, urging him to respond.

“Well, what do you think?”

“…A trip?”

Valentin, who had been slumped weakly on the couch, suddenly perked up at the mention of the word 'trip.' Yes, why hadn’t he thought of that before?