Aphrodite stopped in her tracks, held her breath, and listened.
"No way… Is that a baby's cry?"
She slowly headed toward the direction of the sound. As she pushed through the brush and drew closer, she found a tiny baby lying there, crying miserably.
"Waaah…! Waaah…!"
Aphrodite's eyes widened.
"It really is… a baby?"
Aphrodite's eyes widened. "It really is… a baby?" Between the bushes lay a newborn wrapped in white cloth. The baby was crying so hard its face had turned bright red, but thankfully, it didn't seem to have suffered any serious injuries. Without hesitation, Aphrodite gathered the baby into her arms. Strangely enough, the baby's cries gradually began to quiet as soon as it was held in her warm embrace.
"Who would abandon such a young child in a forest this deep…?" There was deep sorrow in Aphrodite's voice. After briefly scanning their surroundings, Shinwoo's expression hardened.
"Aphrodite, wait a second."
Shinwoo closed his eyes, spreading his magic outward to search the area. After a moment, he slowly shook his head.
"There aren't any people within several kilometers. There are only a few traces of monsters."
"Then… are you saying this child was really here all alone?"
Aphrodite held the baby even more protectively. At that moment, a small silver necklace slipped from between the cloth wrapped around the baby's body and fell to the ground.
Jingle.
Shinwoo carefully picked up the necklace. Alongside a symbol he had never seen before, small letters were engraved on the pendant: 'Tae—woo.'
Shinwoo's pupils trembled.
"…Tae-woo?"
The moment he read the name, faint memories of the distant past, when he had lived on Earth, brushed through his mind.
"No way… It couldn't be a coincidence."
Clutching the necklace tightly, Shinwoo quietly looked down at the baby and the forest. Like fate—or perhaps something unavoidable—something was drawing near.