The warmth of the afternoon slowly faded as the sun drifted lower behind the towering silver-barked trees. The playful mood that had filled the forest earlier lingered, but Sage eventually rose from the grass, brushing a few leaves from her mythical clothes.
"We should return," she said calmly.
Kaito stretched, groaning a little as he stood. "Back to the village?"
River nodded. "Trial Two is not finished."
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck. "Right… the one I spectacularly ruined."
Cherry smirked. "You didn't ruin it."
Rose giggled. "You just… announced your love for elves to an entire village."
Kaito covered his face briefly. "Please never say that sentence again."
Orchid leaned closer with a playful smile. "But it was very memorable."
Sage raised a hand gently before the teasing could spiral further. "The trial will restart," she explained. "Leadership is not about never failing at anything. It is about how you recover when you do. Leaders aren't perfect."
Kaito exhaled slowly. "Then I'll try again," he said. Sage nodded approvingly. "Good."
When they returned to Eldenroot, the villagers were gathered again near the rune-carved platform in the square. The atmosphere felt different this time, less hostile, more curious.
Captain Shara stood nearby with her arms folded, watching.
Sage stepped forward.
"TheSecond Trial of Kingship will begin anew."
Kaito walked to the center of the platform, heart pounding. He could already feel all eyes on him. Dozens of them. Especially Shara.
Earlier, he let embarrassment take over.
Not this time.
Sage spoke clearly so all could hear. "A king must control his emotions before he can lead others." She turned to the villagers. "You may question him."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
An older hunter stepped forward first.
"If monsters attack our farms again, will you fight beside us?"
Kaito answered steadily. "Yes. I won't send anyone somewhere I wouldn't go myself."
Another voice called out.
"What makes a human fit to lead elves?"
The question stung, but Kaito kept his composure. "Nothing," he said honestly. "That's why I'm learning."
The crowd murmured again.
A younger villager spoke next.
"If the queen ordered you to choose between saving a city or saving this village, what would you do?"
That one hit harder.
Kaito paused.
Earlier he might have panicked or tried to give a perfect answer. Now he took a breath.
"I would gather information first," he said. "A king shouldn't make decisions based on pride or fear. Lives aren't numbers."
Sage watched him carefully. No embarrassment. No outburst. Just calm thought.
The runes beneath the platform glowed faintly, acknowledging his restraint.
Trial Two was not about perfection. It was about growth.
Far Away - The Palace of Valeria
In the royal halls of Valeria, Queen Fiore stood beside a towering window overlooking the capital's crystal gardens.
The doors opened.
A messenger elf maid hurried in and knelt.
"Your Majesty, I bring news of the summoned king."
Fiore turned immediately, emerald eyes sharp. "Speak."
The maid hesitated slightly.
"There were… rumors from Eldenroot."
Fiore's expression darkened. "Rumors?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Some villagers questioned his right to rule. Captain Shara confronted him publicly."
For a moment, the temperature in the room seemed to drop.
Fiore's voice became dangerously calm.
"They challenged him during his trials?"
"Yes, my queen."
The queen's fingers curled against the window frame.
"He is still learning," she said coldly. "He should not be forced into political hostility while proving himself."
The messenger bowed her head deeper.
"I will send word," Fiore continued, eyes burning with protective fury. "If outsiders interfere with his trials again…"
Her voice sharpened like steel.
"…I will deal with them personally."
The messenger swallowed nervously. "Yes, Your Majesty."
But Fiore's gaze drifted toward the horizon beyond the palace walls. "There are already too many threats gathering around Valeria."
Political pressure had been building for months, neighbouring realms watching, rival elf houses whispering, old enemies stirring.
And now their hope rested on a human king. Fiore closed her eyes briefly. "Take care of him," she murmured softly to no one in particular.
As evening fell near Eldenroot, Sage walked a short distance from the others.
Something had tugged at her senses earlier. A ripple. A disturbance in the magical currents of the forest.
She placed her hand against the bark of an ancient tree. The answer came quietly, but clearly. Darkness was moving. Not far. Not yet here… but close.
Her expression tightened slightly.
One of the ancient enemies had returned to the borders of Valeria.
Sage stepped back slowly, concerned. "Kaito shouldn't be rushed through his trials." She whispered to herself. "He needs time to grow."
Despite everything… she was glad fate had chosen him.
Because the last time a human had been summoned centuries ago. The result had nearly destroyed elven civilization.
Sage looked back toward the camp where laughter drifted between the trees. Kaito wasn't that kind of human. She hoped fate had chosen wisely.
The group set up a small camp near the village edge. A modest tent had been raised for Kaito, though the forest air quickly turned cold once the sun disappeared.
Inside the tent, Kaito curled under a blanket and shivered slightly.
"…This is colder than it looks."
The tent flap rustled.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds, all seven elf girls had quietly slipped inside.
Kaito blinked.
"Uh… what's happening?"
River grew worried. "You're freezing!"
Lily draped another blanket over him.
Cherry slid in beside him. "Problem solved."
Before he could object, the elf girls surrounded him, shoulder to shoulder, warmth pressing in from every side.
Kaito's brain completely malfunctioned.
"I-This! You can't just-"
Orchid smirked. "A king must stay warm."
Rose giggled softly. "We're helping."
Sage simply lay down calmly on the other side of him.
Trapped between warmth, blankets, and seven very comfortable presences, Kaito turned bright red.
Eventually his body relaxed despite the embarrassment.
Without really thinking about it, he slipped an arm gently around Cherry's waist, the closest person beside him. She stiffened slightly at first. Then relaxed, smiling quietly.
Kaito stared at the tent ceiling, "This world is beautiful but dangerous," he murmured.
Cherry snorted softly. "You just noticed?"
Kaito sighed and squirmed slightly, but no one moved away from him.
And as sleep slowly crept in, Kaito realized something that made him smile in the darkness.
For the first time in a long time...
He didn't feel alone.
Morning came slowly to Eldenroot.
Mist clung to the forest floor while pale sunlight filtered through the tall silver trees. The village had already begun stirring when Kaito stepped into the square, rubbing sleep from his eyes behind his glasses.
Despite the warmth of the previous night, the memory still made his ears burn.
Seven elves. One cramped tent. He coughed awkwardly. Focus.
Today he had something important to finish.
The Second Trial of Kingship.
Villagers gathered again around the rune platform. Unlike before, there was less suspicion in their eyes, though not all of it was gone.
And yet again standing nearby, arms folded like a statue carved from irritation itself, was Captain Shara. She watched him approach with the same unimpressed expression she had worn since the day before.
"Well," she said flatly. "The human returns."
Kaito forced a polite smile.
"Good morning to you too."
She circled him slowly, inspecting him as if he were a strange animal.
"You still look fragile," she said. "Are those glass things on your face actually useful?"
"They help me see." Kaito stated.
"Hm." She leaned closer. "Explains why you keep staring at things you shouldn't."
Kaito clenched his jaw.
I really want to punch her.
He immediately shook his head.
No. Absolutely not. I would never hit a woman.
He studied Shara again as she smirked at him.
Although, it feels more like arguing with a guy than a woman.
She was undeniably beautiful, sharp features, strong posture, a warrior's presence, but her personality was like sand in his boots.
He loved confident women.
Feisty women.
But she was just… relentlessly irritating.
Sage stepped forward before the situation escalated.
"The Second Trial will conclude today."
She looked at Kaito calmly.
"You must show control, resolve, and the ability to listen."
Shara scoffed. "Good luck with that."
Kaito inhaled slowly.
Ignore her.
Focus.
Villagers stepped forward again with questions, concerns, and requests. Kaito listened carefully this time. He didn't rush answers. He didn't let anxiety or frustration show.
A hunter described monsters roaming deeper forest paths.
Kaito asked questions about their patterns, rather than jumping to solutions.
Even when Shara interrupted with snide remarks;
"Careful, human, that almost sounded intelligent."
Kaito kept his composure. The runes beneath the platform began glowing brighter.
Sage watched quietly.
He was learning.
Hours later, the final glow flared. The villagers murmured as the runes dimmed peacefully.
Sage nodded. "TheSecond Trial of Kingship is complete."
Kaito exhaled in relief.
Shara shrugged.
"You survived it," she said. "Don't celebrate yet."
Later that afternoon, Kaito wandered through Eldenroot speaking with villagers.
It was during one quiet conversation with an older woodworker that he first heard the name whispered.
"…The King of Thorns."
Kaito leaned forward. "Who?"
The old elf glanced around cautiously.
"An ancient ruler from another realm," he murmured. "Long ago he tried to conquer Valeria."
Another villager joined the conversation.
"They say he's gathering power again."
"An army?"
"No… something worse."
Kaito's curiosity sharpened.
"What does he want?"
The woodworker grimaced.
"Everything."
Not far away, Sage had been listening. When she saw Kaito pressing villagers for more details, she stepped in quickly. "That is enough!"
Kaito blinked. "Sage?"
She placed a firm hand on his arm. "Leave this subject."
His brows furrowed. "Why?"
"Because it does not concern your current trials." She retorted.
Her silence confirmed his suspicion.
Kaito frowned. "You already knew about this, didn't you?"
Sage didn't reply.
That irritated him more than Shara ever had.
"Sage… you're hiding something from me."
She turned away slightly.
"I was... just trying to protect you."
Kaito stepped closer.
Gently, he took her hands in his. The movement caught her off guard.
He slowly brushed his thumb across her fingers.
Her cheeks colored instantly. "I'm not made of glass," he said softly.
"I know."
"Then trust me." Kaito's voice grew firmer. "I was summoned here for a reason. If something dangerous is coming for Valeria… I should know about this."
Sage studied his expression for a long moment. Then she sighed.
"You deserve the truth."
They walked a short distance outside the village to a quiet clearing. Sage spoke carefully. "Centuries ago there was another elven kingdom beyond the eastern mountains."
"A rival realm?" Kaito asked.
"Once, yes." Sage replied.
She looked toward the distant horizon.
"Its ruler was called Tharos, the Thorn King."
Kaito frowned. "What made him so dangerous?"
"His ideology." Sage's voice darkened.
"He believed power justified ownership."
Kaito didn't like the sound of that.
"He believed only he should rule all the lands," she continued. "And that women were… possessions."
Kaito's stomach tightened.
"He wanted to conquer neighboring kingdoms," Sage said, "destroy their rulers, and claim their people."
Her expression hardened.
"But what scares me most…"
She hesitated.
"He believed all elven women should belong to him. We should feel honoured to bear his children, and be expected to live under his strict rules, for eternity."
Kaito stared at her.
"…What?"
Sage nodded grimly.
"His vision of empire was one where every woman became part of his court, his personal property."
Kaito felt sick.
"That's disgusting."
Sage gave a sad nod.
"He saw a female as something to own. Not to cherish or love."
Kaito clenched his fists.
"And he's trying to come back?"
"There are signs," Sage admitted quietly. "Movements of forbidden dark magic moving further towards Valeria."
Kaito exhaled slowly.
Then his expression hardened.
"If we run into this Thorn King…"
He adjusted his glasses.
"…I'm stopping him."
Sage studied him carefully. "You speak boldly."
"He wants to enslave your people." Kaito replied. His voice carried quiet anger.
He glanced toward the village. "Over my dead body."
Sage felt warmth rise in her chest. Perhaps fate had truly chosen wisely.
Because the last summoned human had nearly destroyed the elves.
But this one…
This one wanted to protect them.
And for the first time since sensing the approaching darkness...
Sage felt a glimmer of hope.