Verbergen

"Arifureta (Group Leader)): I didn't expect this from you, Eriri."

"Arche Eeb Rile Furt: Now I see."

"Asuna: Actually, in a couple of years, my bust will also be quite big..."

"Flower Hashira: How did it turn out like this?"

"Kashiwagi Eri: Stop, hold it right there! Why are all of you so experienced at this?"

...

The Haltina Sea of Trees is perpetually shrouded in thick fog, but this had no effect on Eriri and the others. The beastman children had lived in the Sea of Trees since birth and were accustomed to the fog, able to navigate their surroundings accurately even in such conditions.

As for Eriri, the fog was nothing more than a minor obstacle that couldn't hinder her vision in the slightest. Although Arifureta was slightly affected by the fog, she stayed close to Eriri, ensuring she wouldn't get lost.

The Sea of Trees is home to many magical creatures that hide within the fog, ambushing the inhabitants of the forest.

On their way to the beastman settlement, Eriri and the others encountered several waves of magical creatures. However, these creatures were easily dispatched by Eriri and Arifureta as soon as they entered their line of sight, earning the awe and admiration of the beastman children.

After walking for a while longer, they arrived at an open area where the fog was less dense, allowing for clearer visibility. A straight path appeared before them, resembling a tunnel through the fog.

Along both sides of the path, crystals the size of fists were embedded in the ground, half-buried and glowing with a blue light, like guiding lamps. These crystals created a barrier that kept the fog at bay.

Passing through this path, they reached a large archway formed by intertwined thick trees. The archway had a double-door entrance about ten meters high, and surrounding it was a massive defensive wall made of natural trees, towering at least thirty meters high, giving off an imposing presence.

This was their destination, the beastmen nation of Verbergen. Unlike the rest of the Sea of Trees, Verbergen was free from any fog and was a place of great beauty.

Several beastmen stood on either side of the city gate, likely guards stationed there. When they saw the group of beastmen children approaching the gate, they became visibly excited, clearly recognizing them as the children who had gone missing some time ago.

However, upon noticing Eriri and Arifureta, the guards immediately grew tense, assuming a combat-ready stance and urgently calling out to the children, "Come over here quickly."

The beastmen children, still basking in the joy of returning home, didn't realize the tense situation. Upon hearing the guards' call, they hurried over to them.

One of the guards, acting as the spokesperson, stepped forward with a stern expression and addressed Eriri and Arifureta, "Humans, what are you doing here?"

Before Eriri could answer, the fox girl in her arms quickly responded, "These two sisters saved us and brought us back."

At that moment, the other beastmen children also realized what was happening and began loudly recounting the day's events to the guards, causing quite a commotion.

After hearing their story, the beastmen guards relaxed, and their gazes toward Eriri and Arifureta softened.

"Thank you very much for helping these little ones. Please forgive our earlier rudeness."

In response, Eriri calmly said, "It's fine. You didn't know."

"Thank you, and welcome to our homeland, Verbergen!" The guard who had spoken earlier now welcomed Eriri and Arifureta warmly. Despite their general dislike for humans, they were friendly toward those who had helped them.

"However, I must inform the elders first. Please wait here for a moment."

In Verbergen, several tribes possess exceptional abilities, and representatives from these tribes serve as elders. These elders regularly hold meetings to discuss the nation's policies and make decisions on various matters. They also handle many day-to-day judgments.

A few minutes later, the current elders of Verbergen arrived at the city gate along with the families of the beastmen children. The children, who had been terrified for days, were overjoyed to reunite with their families and rushed into their arms.

"Reina-chan, where is your family?" Eriri asked, noticing the fox girl quietly resting in her arms, not as excited as the other children.

Reina, as Eriri had learned during their journey, was the fox girl's name. Throughout the trip, Reina had been very well-behaved. When they arrived in Verbergen, she had only shown a slight improvement in mood and hadn't exhibited the same excitement as the other children.

Reina buried her face in Eriri's chest and mumbled, "My parents are gone. I'm the only one left."

Hearing this, Eriri didn't say anything further, instead gently stroking the little girl's head.

At that moment, the beastmen elders approached Eriri and Arifureta. Perhaps due to Eriri's striking appearance, these elders, who usually harbored a deep dislike for humans, seemed somewhat awkward but remained relatively friendly.

One of the elders, a middle-aged man with smooth golden hair and wise blue eyes, spoke up, "Greetings. I am Elfreich Hephaestus, the leader of the forest people and one of the elders of Verbergen. We are deeply grateful to you for rescuing our children. Aside from bringing them home, do you have any other purpose for coming here?"

Eriri looked up at the golden-haired man, noting his slender build and prominent pointed ears, making him resemble the elves of fantasy tales. She couldn't help but wonder if the women of the forest people were as beautiful as elves.

"Don't worry. We mean no harm to your people. If I had any ill intentions, you wouldn't be able to stop me anyway."

With that, Eriri released a small fraction of her power, instantly causing the elders to pale and freeze in place. The pressure was so immense that they couldn't muster any will to resist, feeling as if they were standing before a god who could decide their fate with ease.

Retracting her power, Eriri said calmly, "Do you understand now?"

"Yes, we understand."

The highest authorities of Verbergen immediately nodded repeatedly in agreement, their previous sternness replaced with a timid demeanor.