Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man-Chapter 63: Arrival

Five days into their journey, the landscape transformed. Dense mist crept across the terrain, obscuring the path ahead and muffling sounds in its cool embrace. The forest they traveled through gradually thinned, giving way to rolling meadows painted in watercolor hues by the persistent fog.

Naia and Lyra had spent much of their journey pressing Eren about what he’d seen—the vision that had so abruptly changed his demeanor at the palace. But each time, he’d refused to share, insisting it wasn’t something they needed to know. Despite his reticence, they continued to follow him, their trust in their brother outweighing their frustration at being kept in the dark.

Perched on Eren’s shoulder was a small winged creature—a humic—that had appeared on their second day traveling. Its iridescent feathers shimmered even in the diffuse light, changing color with each movement. The creature chirped contentedly, occasionally licking Eren’s ear with its tiny forked tongue.

"Get off me," Eren muttered, shrugging his shoulder for what felt like the hundredth time.

The humic took flight with an indignant squeak, circling his head twice before settling back in exactly the same spot, resuming its grooming of his ear with renewed enthusiasm.

Naia chuckled, the sound light against the heavy atmosphere. "I guess she likes you," she observed. "And she’s very beautiful. Those wing patterns are quite rare."

Eren shot his sister a sideways glance, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Would you like to take her yourself?"

"I think it’s adorable," Viva commented from behind them, her voice bright despite the gloomy surroundings. She reached up to adjust her traveling tunic, which had—yet again—slipped from her right shoulder. No matter how many times she fixed it, the garment seemed determined to expose as much skin as possible. freewёbnoνel.com

Rose moved silently to Eren’s side, her posture impeccable even after days of hard travel. Her armor gleamed despite the absence of direct sunlight, polished to mirror brightness each evening regardless of how exhausted she might be.

"Your Highness," she said softly, "does the creature disturb you? I can help you get rid of it if you wish."

Eren’s eyes met hers, his expression softening almost imperceptibly. "It’s fine, Rose."

’I love... love... love it when he says my name,’ Rose thought, her heart quickening though her face remained perfectly composed. ’The way the word forms on his lips, so precise and yet...’

"I think you should give it a name," Viva suggested, reaching out to stroke the humic’s shimmering feathers. "Something dignified, to match your personality."

"How about ’Pest’?" Elira called from behind them, grinning. "Or ’Nuisance’? Perhaps ’Won’t-Leave-Me-Alone’?"

Captain Diana snorted. "You have such a way with names, Elira. Remind me never to let you name my children."

"As if anyone would—" Elira began, but her retort died suddenly as Captain Diana and Lyra froze, their hands moving simultaneously to their weapons.

The entire party halted, tension rippling through them like a current. Naia and the others turned, questioning looks on their faces.

"What’s wrong?" Naia asked, her own hand drifting toward the dagger at her hip.

Rose and Eren’s expressions transformed in identical ways—all warmth vanishing, replaced by lethal focus. Eren’s hand moved toward his sword, muscles coiling with deadly intent.

The mist seemed to thicken around them, swirling unnaturally. Then, without warning, dozens of humics burst from the haze, their delicate wings creating miniature whirlwinds as they darted through the air. Their harmonious chirping filled the silence, a chaotic chorus that echoed strangely in the fog.

Viva’s shoulders relaxed slightly. "It’s just a bunch of humics," she said, lowering the knife she’d drawn instinctively.

But Eren’s sword remained half-drawn, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the mist. The humic on his shoulder had gone silent, its feathers flattening against its body in obvious distress.

A heartbeat later, a figure clothed in dark fabric lunged from the fog, moving with impossible speed directly toward Viva. The attacker’s blade flashed dully in the weak light, aiming for her throat.

Viva spun to the side, her own blade appearing in her hand as if conjured there. Metal met metal with a ringing clash that shattered the eerie quiet. Her tunic slipped further down her shoulder as she countered, but her movements displayed a grace and precision that belied her often careless demeanor.

"Hold your position!" Captain Diana shouted, her sword singing as she drew it.

From the thickest part of the mist, five more attackers materialized like ghosts taking solid form. They moved with practiced coordination, surrounding Rose with blades at her throat before anyone could intervene.

Rose didn’t struggle against their hold. Instead, her lips curled into a small, dangerous smile—the expression of a predator who had just watched prey wander willingly into a trap.

In the blink of an eye, Eren vanished from where he stood, leaving the humic licking at empty air where it thought its newfound friend remained. The small creature squeaked in confusion, wings fluttering anxiously.

"Where—" one of Rose’s captors began, voice uncertain.

"Here," Rose answered simply.

A heartbeat later, Eren materialized behind the group, his fist connecting with devastating force against the spine of the nearest attacker. The elf crumpled without a sound. In the same fluid movement, Eren’s leg swept out, catching two more before they could react to his presence.

The remaining two captors released Rose, jumping backward as they drew their blades. But Eren was faster—with a single motion, he gripped both by their throats, lifting them effortlessly from the ground.

"Who sent you?" he demanded, voice cold as winter midnight.

Before either could answer, the sound of many footsteps reached them—hundreds, then thousands of feet moving in disciplined unison. Horse hooves joined the rhythm, a counterpoint to the marching that sent vibrations through the very ground.

The mist peeled back as if drawn by an invisible hand, revealing a sight that matched Eren’s vision with horrifying precision. Thousands of warriors stretched across the meadow, their armor and weapons catching what little light penetrated the gloom. Their formation was perfect, each line precisely aligned with military precision that spoke of centuries of discipline.

A lone figure rode forward from the center of the front line. The warrior’s armor was unlike the others—elaborate yet practical, decorated with sigils that seemed to shift and move when viewed directly. The helmet they wore shone with unnatural brightness, a beacon that cut through the remaining mist like a blade through silk.

The figure dismounted with fluid grace, handing the reins to a subordinate without taking their eyes from Eren’s group. Even with their face concealed, the warrior’s presence commanded attention—power radiating from them in palpable waves that made the air feel heavy.

"I was planning to burn Thornvale Kingdom to the ground for having my beautiful daughters hostage," the figure announced, voice carrying effortlessly across the distance between them. The voice was distinctly feminine, rich with authority and barely controlled fury.

With deliberate slowness, the warrior removed the brilliantly shining helmet. A cascade of silver hair fell free, identical in color to Naia’s but longer, reaching well past the warrior’s waist. The face revealed was timeless—beautiful in a way that transcended conventional attractiveness, marked by the same ethereal quality all elves possessed but heightened to an almost painful degree.

"Mother!" Naia and Lyra exclaimed in unison, voices mingling in shock and disbelief.