Everyone was gathered inside the central hut. Some murmured quietly among themselves; others remained silent, lost in their own thoughts. The atmosphere was heavy, almost suffocating, until a question broke the stillness.

  “So… what are we going to do?”

  The voice echoed through the room. Rychbi, seated on a chair at the center, remained deep in thought, his gaze fixed on the floor.

  “I don’t know,” he finally replied without lifting his head.

  “This isn’t fair,” another elf spoke up. “Just a few days ago we reclaimed our territory. Humans have no right to claim it. The forest sealed a pact with the Kingdom of Solaris centuries ago.”

  “I know,” Rychbi repeated, still thoughtful. “But it’s possible that the new king of Solaris isn’t aware of that agreement.”

  “Excuse me… may I ask something?”

  Velt raised his hand cautiously.

  “Go ahead, Velt,” Rychbi said, looking at him.

  “I don’t fully understand the pact with the Kingdom of Solaris,” Velt admitted. “How important is that kingdom? And why does that agreement prevent the forest from being claimed?”

  Rychbi let out a soft sigh.

  “Of course… you don’t know the legends of this world,” he murmured. “Listen carefully, Velt. Seven centuries ago, a forest spirit fell in love with a human. It was the first love between species. I won’t go into details, but that love was formalized through a contract. The Kingdom of Solaris—powerful and backed by a great army—took responsibility for protecting the forest. Anyone who tried to claim it as their own would face severe consequences.”

  “I see…” Velt nodded. “So you believe that over time, with kings changing, the current ruler of Solaris no longer values that pact… or may not even know about it.”

  “Exactly,” Rychbi replied. “Seven centuries have passed. It’s very likely Solaris has forgotten.”

  “Thank you for explaining,” Velt said, falling into thought.

  “Did something occur to you?” Rurhy asked, seated beside him.

  “Well… the most logical thing would be to go to Solaris and confirm whether they still honor the pact, or if their king truly doesn’t know about it.”

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  “I understand your reasoning,” Rychbi said, “but many checkpoints have been built near the forest over the years. We can’t leave freely.”

  “That’s true,” Rurhy added. “Even if they respect the pact, humans set up those outposts to prevent monsters and magical creatures from leaving the forest.”

  “Wait,” Ky suddenly said. “Velt could go, couldn’t he? He can easily pass as a human. He’d only need to leave the forest and head to Solaris.”

  “You’re forgetting something important,” Rurhy replied. “While Velt is gone, we’ll be vulnerable to any attack. Especially now.”

  “You’re right… I didn’t think of that,” Velt admitted, lowering his head.

  Then he looked up.

  “What if I go talk to Eivan?”

  Silence fell over the hut once more.

  “Velt… I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Rychbi said, clearly worried.

  “Yeah, especially after that loud girl wanted you as her pet,” an elf joked from the back.

  Rurhy frowned and tightened her grip on Esmeralda, who rested quietly in her arms.

  “Rurhy, calm down. You’re going to hurt her,” Velt said, alarmed.

  “I won’t let that bitch lay a finger on you,” she growled, squeezing even harder.

  “Great… now she’s angry,” Velt muttered.

  He stepped closer to Rurhy and gently kissed her cheek.

  “Relax. No one is going to touch me,” he said with a soft smile before pulling her into a hug.

  “Fine… but if you’re going to have a harem, at least let me choose it,” she replied, calmer now.

  “Sure, sure,” Velt answered quickly, changing the subject. “Listen—either I try to reason with Eivan, or we take the risk with Solaris. What do you think?”

  The elves fell silent. Velt was right.

  “It’s less risky to go to Eivan,” Rychbi murmured. “But are you sure? This could end badly.”

  “Both options could end badly,” Velt replied. “Let’s choose the less dangerous one.”

  “…Alright,” Rychbi nodded. “We’ll handle any attack attempts while you speak with Eivan. We trust you, Velt.”

  “Leave it to me,” Velt said with a confident smile.

  “Good. This meeting is over,” Rychbi ordered. “Return to your homes and reinforce patrols. Velt, you’ll leave tomorrow. It’s already late.”

  Velt nodded.

  That night, he stared at the star-filled sky, thinking about what he would do if his conversation with Eivan didn’t go as planned.

  “You’re tense.”

  The voice pulled him from his thoughts. Rurhy was there, gently massaging his shoulders.

  “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he admitted. “I couldn’t stay still in bed. Sorry if I woke you.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she replied. “Tomorrow you’ll leave the village… you’ll explore the world beyond the forest.”

  There was sadness in her voice.

  “Hey, don’t say it like it’s a final farewell,” Velt said, caressing her cheek.

  “I know, but still…”

  “Hey, look at me,” he interrupted, gently holding her face. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. Do you know why? Because I have someone to come back to. I love you, and I wouldn’t do anything reckless knowing it would hurt you.”

  Rurhy leaned in and kissed him softly.

  “Promise me you’ll come back… and that you won’t leave me,” she whispered as she pulled away.

  Velt returned the kiss, wrapping an arm around her waist.

  “I would never do that. Besides, we’re married, remember?”

  She smiled.

  “You’re right.”

  They gazed at the sky in silence. The night wind made Rurhy’s pink hair sway, making her look even more beautiful. Velt watched her for a moment longer.

  “Rurhy…”

  “Yes?”

  He didn’t finish the sentence. Velt kissed her without warning, lifted her by the waist, and carried her back inside the hut.

  It was a special night.

  That night, Velt would take complete control.