Suddenly, Rainer frowned and leaned in, eyes narrowing with concern.
"Whoa—you're pale and sweating buckets!"
He pressed a palm to Kotys's forehead.
"You should take better care of yourself, Kotys. The medicine in this era's fit for beasts!"
Kotys blinked, and stepped back again, shaking his head.
"I am well, Rainer. Do not trouble yourself with me."
"Mm-mmm." Rainer hummed, doubtful, but his attention soon shifted to Hoplite and his grin returned.
"Hey there, Hops! You goo—" He stopped mid-word, brow creasing as his gaze caught the swollen red mark blooming across the boy's cheek.
Rainer's expression twisted awkwardly.
"Uh… Unless you lost a slapping contest against a carpenter, you shouldn't be carrying that print on your face."
Hoplite's head dropped instantly.
Without a word, he handed Rainer the sack—and before Rainer could react, the boy turned and ran back toward camp.
"..."
"..."
Kotys cleared his throat, pointing at the line of head-sized stones arranged neatly across the ground.
"What were you doing?"
At that, Rainer brightened, turning with a self-gratified smirk.
"Zig-zag sprints! Ever heard of football?—eh, probably not." He waved a hand dismissively. "Just getting this body used to moving again. It's so nice to be human again."
Kotys tilted his head, curious despite himself. "...What did you look like before coming here?"
Rainer froze for half a second, at the—almost too personal question, and something unreadable flashed across his eyes.
"Fire," He whispered, just as the torches at the camp's gate flickered together, flaring brighter for a heartbeat.
Kotys frowned, unsettled, but before he could speak, a sound split the night.
*Gruuull~*
A beast's growl—or so it seemed—until Rainer rubbed his stomach with a sheepish grin.
"Ah, right. I'm starved."
He quickly rummaged through the sack.
"Bread? Olives? Not bad!"
Kotys unclipped his wineskin and offered it.
At once, Rainer's eyes lit up like a man seeing salvation.
"Water?! Wonderful! I'm dying of thirst!"
At that, Kotys reached behind his waist, producing another skin.
"That's wine—this is water. The wine's from my last skirmish. My share of loot before the siege. I don't drink it, so have both."
Rainer froze, turning slowly toward him, eyes softening into exaggerated reverence.
Kotys frowned, wary of the look.
"What?"
Rainer only smiled faintly, nodding in gratitude before swinging the wineskin up for a big gulp.
"Baah! Good stuff!"
Kotys eased, seeing his satisfaction.
"Thanks for this," Rainer clarified, grinning. "Didn't know you were such a charmer."
Still smiling, he tucked the bread away and reached for Kotys' spear.
"Am I allowed this now?"
Kotys sighed imperceptibly, handing it over.
"I was granted permission. But the shield stays with me."
Rainer tilted his head confused but shrugged.
"Fair enough."
He took the spear, turning it over in his hands, brushing his palm along the shaft as if reacquainting himself with an old friend.
Kotys watched, uneasy.
Observing, he realized there was something…intimate in the way Rainer handled the weapon—the reverence in his grip, the way the spear's tip caught the moonlight, drawing a clean blue arc in the dark of night.
An unexpected pang struck Kotys—envy, perhaps—and it confused him.
"W-what are you doing? Blessing my spear?!"
"Hm?" Rainer looked back, incredulous. "What? No! Blessings are for gods—and that, I am not."
Kotys blinked. "Right, you are an Ergon…?"
"Qe-gon," Rainer corrected, focused on the spear.
Kotys nodded sagely.
"Yes, that."
Then his brows drew together. "Does that mean you are not the son of Mars?"
Rainer hesitated. Then his gaze drifted skyward, and a somber light dimmed his smile.
"My first father ever was a human called Mars—Mars Manslayer. The best father I ever had." His voice softened. "He taught me to be good—but it wasn't in my nature. In the end, he called me his wayward son. There were two of us you see."
He smiled faintly, eyes distant. "But he loved me still. He named me Rainer—it was my first name—became my True name."
Kotys said nothing, though his silence carried thought.
Watching him, an amused light flashed across Rainer's eyes and he smirked.
"Don't try to hide it. You're confused, and that didn't quite answer your question. Allow me try again."
He stabbed the spear into the ground and rested on it, gaze turning distant, expression folding into quiet reminiscence.
"I once had a friend…" He began, a sad light glinting in his eyes.
"The legends said he was birthed by Mars—the one you know as the god of war. One day, when I was soaked to the bone and cold with nowhere to go…he took me in. Welcomed me beneath his roof and called me, a wanderer left to die—his brother."
He glanced at Kotys, the corners of his lips softening into a wistful smile.
"His name was Remus," Rainer said quietly, "and I loved him more than his twin brother ever could."
Kotys stood transfixed at the tale, lost for words.
Rainer pushed himself upright sigh, and turned the spear up, its tip catching the starlight.
"What do you think is the greatest weapon, Kotys? The sword—or the spear?"
Kotys pondered briefly, then answered, "The mind."
Rainer arched a brow, intrigued.
"We are tools of war," Kotys went on. "It's the sharpness of the mind that decides how efficiently we perform in battle."
Rainer chuckled softly. "You and I are so alike, yet different. I suppose a Roman soldier would think that way—that bare pragmatism and adaptive vigor toward warfare."
Kotys scoffed lightly. "And what do you know of Rome?"
Rainer slowly twirled the spear, walking backward as he mused.
"I've been transmigrated into Roman civilizations a few times before this."
Kotys blinked, utterly perplexed. "Trans-what?"
Before he could ask further, the spear slipped from Rainer's hand, clattering to the ground.
Rainer sighed, retrieving it with sluggish motion.
"I'm out of my depth," He muttered.
Kotys tilted his head, still processing.
"You see," Rainer began, resting on the spear again, "up there—" He pointed toward the stars, "exist countless worlds, near-identical to this one. Each with its own version of Rome. Different eras, similar empire. I've lived through several."
Kotys' mouth fell open, experiencing a cardinal shift to his idea of existence.
Rainer smirked faintly. "Remarkable, eh? It sounds grand, but it never ends well. Rome was always fated to fall."
His gaze dimmed. "—Much like me."
He suddenly shook his head, dismissing the mood.
"Anyway, your spear's too heavy and stiff. I need something lighter—a tad longer, and maybe more flexible."
Kotys seemed disappointed at the sudden shift but nodded, turning back toward the camp.
"All right. I'll fetch one. Hold on."
Rainer watched him go, then yawned and sank to the ground, resting his head on a smooth stone.
The stars stared back, endless. Then a memory whispered—
'He is a god.'
Rainer scoffed softly.
'Ah, Hops… I've played that game before. Not sure that path's for me in this life.'
He sighed, lips quirking faintly.
'But then again…maybe, if Trajan asks nicely—I might just play that role for Rome.'
His eyes lingered on the heavens, full of quiet, impossible longing—and then he closed them.