The forest was quiet again. It wasn't the eerie, suffocating silence of the trial he had just endured, but something much softer. Safer.
The golden light of dusk filtered gently through the ancient canopy, casting long, warm shadows across the clearing where Kaito had collapsed. No one rushed him to stand. No one spoke immediately. The seven elves simply stayed close, crowding around him as if terrified that if they stepped away, he might vanish entirely.
Kaito exhaled a long, ragged breath, staring up at the patch of sky visible through the leaves. "…That was rough," he admitted quietly. He wasn't joking or trying to deflect with his usual sarcasm. It was just raw, unfiltered honesty.
Seven pairs of eyes softened instantly. River was the first to bridge the gap, her hand moving gently to rest on his arm. "You don't have to pretend with us, Kaito."
Kaito swallowed past the lump in his throat and nodded. "…I know."
With their help, he pushed himself up into a sitting position, resting his elbows on his knees with his fingers loosely clenched. For the first time since arriving in Valeria, he didn't try to hide behind a mask. He stared down at the dirt, the memories still fresh and bleeding.
"I had to relive it all over again," he continued, his voice faltering slightly. "The accident...the day I lost my parents. I could hear it all. The sound of the crash. And even in the illusion, I still couldn't do anything to stop it." He clenched his jaw, a bitter edge creeping into his tone. "I hate that feeling. Being completely useless while watching a tragedy unfold."
He took a shaky breath, the weight in his chest shifting to an even deeper wound. "And then… my aunt. That one hit worse. She didn't deserve any of this. I just… vanished, leaving her behind without even looking back."
Lily knelt closer, her expression radiating a quiet, profound empathy. "You didn't leave her out of cruelty, Kaito," she said softly.
Kaito let out a weak, self-deprecating laugh. "…Doesn't really change the outcome, does it?"
"No," Sage interjected calmly, her steady voice cutting through his spiraling thoughts. As Kaito glanced up, she held his gaze with unwavering intensity. "But it changes who you are. You feel this crushing guilt precisely because you care."
He didn't respond. Part of him still struggled to accept that comfort. Running a hand through his hair, he looked around the circle at the seven women surrounding him—each of them beautiful, kind, and entirely real.
"I just… I should be happy, right?" he asked, his voice dropping. "I've got everything I could have ever dreamed of back home. I have magical powers, a new life, a grand purpose… and I have all of you," he added quickly, looking away as a flush of embarrassment hit his cheeks. "You're amazing. Every single one of you. I mean it."
A small chuckle escaped him, but it withered quickly. "…So why do I still feel like this isn't real? I feel guilty for being here. Like I don't deserve any of this, like I just ran away from a broken life and accidentally landed inside a perfect dream. It feels like I cheated the system."
"You didn't cheat," River murmured, gently squeezing his hand.
Iris nodded in agreement. "You were chosen, Kaito."
"And that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to feel conflicted," Lily added gently. "You left behind a whole life. That doesn't just disappear overnight."
Orchid tilted her head, her usual playful demeanor giving way to something grounded. "You left behind something important. It makes sense that it hurts."
As Kaito exhaled slowly, Sage took a step forward, her tone perfectly even. "If you truly wished it, you could return."
Kaito blinked, his mind stalling. "…What?"
"The Queen could expend a great amount of her personal magical power to send you back to your world," Sage explained.
The air in the clearing instantly shifted, growing heavy with the sudden, terrifying reality of that option.
"If that is what you truly desire," River added softly, though her eyes betrayed her sorrow, "we would support your choice."
Kaito stared at them, completely stunned. "…You would?"
Cherry crossed her arms, looking away toward the tree line. "Doesn't mean we'd like it."
"We'd miss you. A lot," Rose nodded quickly, her eyes already glistening with unshed tears.
Lily clasped her hands tightly in her lap. "Things would become… incredibly difficult for us again, but we would find a way to manage."
Iris hesitated, her voice dropping to a cautious whisper. "If the Thorn King returns…" She didn't finish the thought. She didn't have to.
Orchid finished it for her, her voice unusually solemn. "…It would be a tragedy."
"We would fight," Sage stated, her voice an anchor of absolute certainty. "We would endure. Perhaps we would even attempt to summon another hero. But… it would not be the same."
Kaito's chest tightened painfully.
"But this is your life," River reminded him gently, her gaze locked onto his. "It is not ours to decide."
"Exactly. You shouldn't be forced to stay out of obligation," Lily chimed in.
Cherry let out a faint, dry scoff. "Even if you are kind of our best option."
"We just want you to be happy, Kaito," Rose whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
Staring at them—at their absolute honesty and their devastating willingness to let him go just to spare his feelings—Kaito felt a profound wave of clarity strike him. It hit harder than any trial ever could.
"I'm insane," Kaito muttered quietly.
The girls blinked, confused.
"I get summoned into a literal fantasy world, surrounded by unbelievably beautiful elves who actually treat me like I matter. This entire realm could crumble to ash without my help, and here I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself." He looked down, his voice tightening with resolve. "How incredibly selfish of me."
No one interrupted him. They could see the fire returning to his eyes.
"My auntie…" he murmured, a small smile touching his lips. "She's strong. She'll be okay. Eventually..." He took a deep, centering breath and looked up, his vision clear and focused. "I was summoned for a reason. There are people here who actually need me, people relying on me to protect them. Even the Queen herself."
He looked back at his companions, his smile turning genuine and warm. "Honestly… I don't want to leave."
Rose's face lit up instantly, and Cherry smirked, leaning back against a tree. "Good answer."
River let out a breath she seemed to have been holding for hours, her eyes softening with immense relief.
Feeling the sudden shift in tension, Kaito awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "...Sorry for worrying you all so much."
"Do not apologize," Sage said immediately, stepping closer. "We cannot begin to fully comprehend what you went through—leaving an entire world, a family."
"It's okay to feel conflicted," Iris added with a gentle smile.
Orchid leaned in, a familiar spark returning to her eyes. "If anything, it just makes you feel more real to us."
"And slightly less annoying," Cherry shrugged.
Kaito snorted, the lingering darkness of the trial finally dissipating. Rose knelt beside him, beaming. "You're really strong, Kaito."
"And very brave," River added.
Kaito paused, blinking. "…Brave?"
Sage met his eyes squarely. "You faced your darkest memories without breaking. Most people spend their entire lives running from them."
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the praise, Kaito looked away, his cheeks warming. Sensing his embarrassment, River tilted her head thoughtfully. "Sorry to change the topic so quickly, but I have a question for you, Kaito. How old are you, exactly?"
Orchid inspected him with a critical eye. "You do look quite young."
Kaito chuckled lightly. "I'm nineteen."
An immediate, dead silence fell over the clearing. All seven elves completely froze in place.
"…What?" Cherry said flatly.
"You're joking," Iris added, her eyes widening.
Rose gasped dramatically, covering her mouth. "YOU'RE A BABY?!"
Laughter exploded across the camp.
"HEY—!" Kaito protested, his face burning.
"That's adorable," Lily giggled, while Orchid smirked, clearly enjoying his misery. "Our grand savior and future king is a mere child."
"I AM NOT A CHILD!" Kaito huffed, crossing his arms.
River covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she laughed softly. "To be fair, Kaito… we are quite a bit older than nineteen."
"How much older?" he asked, suddenly very cautious.
Cherry grinned, a wicked glint in her eye. "Thousands of years older."
Kaito stared at her, his brain completely stalling out. "…You're messing with me. Right?"
Rose shook her head proudly. "I'm the youngest one here, and I'm one thousand and eighteen."
Kaito's internal monologue completely shut down. "…What."
The clearing erupted into even louder laughter at his sheer bewilderment. Stunned, Kaito ran a hand through his hair, trying to process the math. "I mean… I knew elves lived a long time, but this is completely insane." He looked up, really looking at them again. "Well, uh… you certainly don't look it. You all look about my age."
Cherry raised an amused eyebrow, and Kaito, emboldened by the lighter mood, let a confident smile slip onto his face. "And honestly? You're all ridiculously gorgeous."
The laughter vanished, replaced instantly by seven deep, unavoidable blushes.
"I'm serious," Kaito said, pointing lightly at Cherry. "Cherry, you've got that confident, fiery thing going on. It's honestly kinda… hot."
Cherry froze, a rare stammer catching in her throat before she turned away with a sharp, "…Tch."
"Rose," Kaito continued, shifting his gaze, "you're incredibly cute, but you're also just so sweet." Rose let out a tiny squeak, hiding her face in her hands. "Lily, you're gentle and caring. It's genuinely comforting to be around you." Lily's face turned a brilliant shade of crimson. "Iris, your kindness is so genuine, it practically radiates off you." Iris looked down, smiling shyly.
He looked at Orchid next, a playful smirk touching his lips. "Orchid, you're very dangerous. In the best way possible." She let out a soft, purring laugh, immensely pleased by the compliment.
"River…" Kaito hesitated slightly as her deep eyes met his. "You have this way of making everything feel calm and safe." River's cheeks warmed, her gaze softening.
Finally, he turned to Sage. She raised a single brow, waiting. "And Sage… you're just incredible. You're a true leader—strong, smart, and you keep me completely grounded."
For once, Sage didn't have a calculated response ready. A faint, rare blush dusted her high cheekbones. "…Thank you," she said softly.
Kaito laughed awkwardly, the sudden wave of romantic tension making him sweat. "Too much?"
Cherry rolled her eyes, trying to regain her composure. "No. Keep going."
"Yeah!" Rose agreed eagerly.
Kaito groaned, burying his face in his hands again. "Yep, I walked right into that one."
As laughter filled the forest once more—warm, light, and entirely real—Sage watched him quietly, a spark of genuine pride in her eyes. It wasn't just for his growing strength, but for his heart. This connection, this raw ability to unite them, was what truly made a king.
*********************************************************************************************************
Night settled heavily over the forest, the small campfire crackling contentedly as the darkness deepened. But the light teasing from earlier had subtly evolved into a far more weighted conversation.
"So," Cherry said, leaning back against a fallen log and crossing her arms. "If he's actually going to be king, he should probably start making some real decisions."
Kaito blinked, looking up from the fire. "Deciding… what?"
Seven pairs of eyes turned to him in unison.
"…Oh god, what now?" Kaito muttered.
Rose fidgeted with the hem of her tunic. "I mean—it's just… hypothetically, of course…"
"Not hypothetical," Orchid cut in confidently. "It's entirely inevitable."
River offered Kaito a sympathetic, slightly apologetic look. "Elven tradition isn't exactly subtle, Kaito."
"If you succeed in your trials, you will eventually be bound to the Queen," Lily added gently.
Kaito went rigid. "…Right." Sage remained silent, but her solemn nod confirmed the weight of the law.
Cherry smirked, leaning forward into the firelight. "But that doesn't exactly stop the rest of us from staking a claim, does it?"
The tension in the air became instantaneous and thick.
"Oh, come on," Iris sighed, rolling her eyes. "Don't act like you all aren't thinking the exact same thing."
"I am not—" Rose started, before freezing and blushing furiously. "I mean—maybe a little..."
Kaito threw his hands up in retreat. "WAIT—WAIT—WAIT!"
It was too late. The girls immediately began talking over one another, their voices overlapping in a flurry of arguments about proximity, travel time, and elven courtship customs. Realizing he had lost control of the situation, Kaito slowly stood up and took a quiet step backward into the shadows.
"…I'm just gonna… check on the tents," he mumbled to absolutely no one.
None of them noticed his departure.
The farther he walked from the fire, the quieter the clearing became, until the bickering melted into the ambient sounds of the night. Kaito let out a long, exhausted breath. "…What am I supposed to do?" he muttered to himself, "I can't just pick one of them. They're all—forget it."
He shook his head to clear the thoughts, reaching his tent and pulling the heavy flap open.
He froze. Someone was already inside, curled up quietly beneath his thick wool blanket.
"…Uh…" Kaito stammered.
The figure shifted slightly at the sound of his voice. He couldn't see her face clearly, as a cascade of beautiful, rich brown hair obscured her features. But as the pale moonlight slipped through the tent opening, Kaito's brain abruptly short-circuited.
She was very clearly not wearing anything under that blanket.
Kaito's face exploded into a violent crimson. "I—uh—this is—my—tent—" his voice cracked terribly halfway through the sentence.
The young elf stirred, slowly opening a pair of wide, luminous green eyes that locked directly onto his. A long, horrified silence stretched between them before she scrambled backward against the tent pole, clutching the blanket desperately to her breasts.
"P-Please don't hurt me!" she cried, her voice trembling with sheer terror.
"I WON'T!" Kaito panicked, immediately spinning around to face the tent wall. "I'm not going to! I just—this is my tent—!"
They both went rigid, the silence stretching out once more.
"…You're not going to… attack me?" she asked, her voice dropping into a cautious, tentative whisper.
Kaito kept his eyes glued to the fabric wall, his heart hammering against his ribs. "No! Why would I do that?"
"…Oh." A beat passed. "…Sorry."
"…No, I'm sorry!" Kaito blurted out, feeling entirely out of his depth.
Slowly, carefully, Kaito turned his head back, keeping his gaze strictly focused on her face to remain respectful. "I'm Kaito," he said gently, trying to project an aura of safety. "Who are you? What happened?"
The girl hesitated, her lower lip trembling. "I… I don't really have anywhere else to go," she whispered. "I was so cold, and tired. I saw the tent and I just… I couldn't walk any further."
Kaito's defensive posture melted instantly, replaced by a wave of protective empathy. "…Hey, it's okay."
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and uncertain.
"You can stay," he said, offering her a warm smile. "Really. I'm sure my companions will help you out, too. They'll get you some clothes, some food, whatever you need."
Her eyes widened further. "…Really? For me?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "You don't owe us anything."
For a long moment, she simply stared at him, her fearful expression melting away into something soft, intensely warm, and deeply focused. "…You're very kind, Kaito."
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, his blush returning. "I try."
Clutching the blanket tight around her, she shifted closer, sliding across the furs until she was directly in his space. Before Kaito could even register the movement, she leaned in, pressing her lips firmly against his.
Kaito's entire cognitive function completely ceased.
It was sudden, remarkably warm, and entirely unexpected. He froze for a fraction of a second, his instincts warring with his confusion, before he found himself responding awkwardly, not pulling away but completely bewildered by the escalation.
When she finally parted from him, Kaito blinked rapidly, "I—uh—you really, d-don't have to repay me for a place to sleep—"
"I want to," she murmured, her voice suddenly carrying a strange, heavy intensity that sent a flicker of unease through his mind. "I am so incredibly grateful."
Kaito swallowed hard as she leaned closer again, her presence growing suffocatingly heavy. His heart was racing, but it was no longer just from embarrassment. Something felt wrong.
"…Okay, uh—this is moving kind of fast—" Kaito started, but she cut him off, tracing a delicate finger lightly down his chest.
"You're so warm," she whispered.
Kaito's breath hitched. "Y-Yeah, that's… standard human body temperature—"
She let out a soft, melodic giggle that didn't sound entirely human anymore, leaning in until her breath brushed his ear. "Kaito."
The way she hissed his name sent an icy, visceral chill straight down his spine.
"KAITO!"
The tent flap was violently ripped open. Sage stood in the entrance, her eyes blazing with absolute fury, her hand already crackling with a lethal accumulation of bright magical energy. "Kaito, get away from her. Now!"
Kaito didn't hesitate. Driven by pure instinct, he scrambled backward into the corner of the tent.
The girl snapped her head around toward the entrance, her attractive features twisting into a grotesque, snarling mask of rage for a split second—a flash of monstrous hostility too severe to ignore.
"Enough!" Sage commanded.
With a sharp flick of her wrist, she summoned her staff and a blinding pulse of pure magical light shot forward. The illumination filled the cramped tent. With a sickening pop, the illusion shattered entirely.
Where the pretty, unclothed elf maiden had been sitting, there was now a twisted, grey-skinned, goblin-like creature. It shrieked in a piercing, guttural frequency, its unnatural form collapsing in on itself as the magic burned through its disguise.
Kaito recoiled in absolute horror. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" He frantically grabbed a corner of the blanket, wrapping it around himself like a shield, his adrenaline spiking violently.
The creature hissed at Sage, its voice distorted and vile. "Curse you, you clever bitch!"
With a final, desperate snap, the creature dissolved into a cloud of foul-smelling black smoke, vanishing completely into the night air.
An absolute, heavy silence slammed back into the tent. Kaito sat frozen in the corner, his mind spinning as he tried to process what had just happened.
Sage exhaled a long, measured breath, slowly lowering her glowing hand. "Thank the heavens you are unharmed."
Kaito blinked rapidly, staring at the empty space on the furs. "…I almost—"
"Yes," Sage said flatly, her tone leaving no room for interpretation.
Kaito covered his face with both hands, letting out a pathetic groan. "…Oh my god."
Sage crossed her arms, a very faint, uncharacteristic hint of amusement breaking through her stoic composure. "A common forest parasite," she explained thoroughly. "They prey entirely on raw emotion. Loneliness. Dread. Desire. They shift their form to mirror whatever the victim craves most in that moment."
Kaito groaned louder, dragging his hands down his face. "I fell for the absolute oldest trick in the book, didn't I?"
"Not the oldest," Sage replied calmly. "But certainly a very effective one."
He peeked through his fingers at her. "…You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"…Slightly."
Kaito let out a tired sigh, shaking his head. "…I need to get stronger. Fast."
Sage nodded, her expression softening back into something supportive. "In more ways than one, Kaito."
A quiet, weary laugh escaped him. "…Yeah." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking up at her with genuine appreciation. "…Thanks, Sage. Seriously."
Sage met his eyes, her gaze steady and reassuring. "Do not be too hard on yourself for a single misstep."
Kaito offered a small, determined smile. "…I'll get there."
She studied him for a moment longer, then subtly turned back toward the tent exit. "The others are still outside arguing over you, by the way."
Kaito rolled his eyes, a fond exasperation washing over him. "…Of course they are."
Sage allowed the faintest, genuine smile to grace her lips. "Come along, King-to-be."
Kaito stood up, steadying his footing and shaking off the lingering shock. This world wasn't just beautiful, and it wasn't just a dream. It was lethal, confusing, and incredibly complicated.
But as he stepped out of the tent and walked back toward the dancing light of the fire, one truth was becoming crystal clear.
Being a king was going to be a hell of a lot harder than he thought.