Harem System In A fantasy World

“I’m sure you do,” Alexander replied, “but if we are dealing with someone capable of working with demons and slipping through our lines, I am not sending one person.”

Zenovia looked annoyed, but she didn’t argue immediately.

Elion looked at her. “I’ll go with you.”

Alexander turned sharply. “No, we proceed as planned. Your task is very far from here.”

Elion raised a brow. “That was quick.”

“You are the most important part of the operation, while this just happens to be another task that also falls within Zenovia’s domain of specialties.”

Aeron pointed at Alexander. “I hate to say it, but he’s right.”

Elion looked offended. “You hate to say it?”

“Yes. Deeply.”

Maya looked between them with a helpless expression. “This is not the time.”

“It never is,” Alexander muttered.

Zenovia crossed her arms. “Then send Aeron with me.”

Aeron blinked. “Why did I get dragged into this?”

“Because you are strong enough not to die instantly, loud enough to be bait if needed, and irritating enough that I won’t feel too bad if something happens to you.”

Aeron stared at her with a deadpan expression.

“…That was almost a compliment.”

“It was not.”

“I’ll take it.”

Elion chuckled.

Alexander thought for a moment, then nodded. “Then we have our goals set. Aeron and Zenovia will inspect the western routes with a small support unit. Darin will assist from a distance. No engagement unless necessary. If you find someone, follow first, capture second, kill only if there is no other choice.”

Zenovia nodded. “Understood.”

Aeron rolled his shoulders. “Fine by me.”

Maya looked toward Alexander. “What about me?”

“You stay with the camp for now,” Alexander said. “While Elion goes on ahead.”

Maya nodded, though it was clear she wanted to do more.

Elion understood that look. She hated being placed behind others.

Before anyone could say more, the tent flap opened again. The messenger returned, followed by a patrol captain and four scouts. Their armour was damp with forest mist, mud clung to their boots, and all four looked tense, though not openly frightened.

The patrol captain bowed deeply. “Your Highness.”

Alexander’s expression smoothed into composed authority. “Report everything you found. From the beginning.”

The captain nodded. “We were on western fringe sweep, following the third patrol line. Around midmorning, Scout Irel noticed bark damage on an elder-root tree near the old hunter trail. At first, we assumed it was an animal scratch, but the pattern repeated twice farther down the route.”

One of the elven scouts stepped forward and opened a small cloth bundle. Inside were thin strips of bark carefully shaved from a tree.

Zenovia immediately moved closer.

Elion leaned slightly to see.

The markings were simple. Three angled cuts, one vertical line beneath them, and a small notch to the side. To an ordinary person, they would look meaningless, but even Elion could tell they were carved with a purpose in mind by whoever had done it.

Zenovia picked up one of the bark strips and studied it silently.

“These were made with a knife,” she said after a moment. “A very sharp, small blade, and they were not made in a hurry.”

The patrol captain nodded. “That was our assessment as well.”

“Human hand?” Alexander asked.

Zenovia tilted the bark slightly. “Most likely humanoid. Could be human, elf, vampire, or even a careful beastman, but not a demon claw. Not unless they were trying very hard to mimic us.”

Aeron frowned. “Can demons do that?”

Tristan answered grimly. “I’m willing to bet some can.”

“That’s comforting.”

Zenovia ignored him and looked closer. “The angle is low. Whoever carved it was either short, crouching, or trying to hide the mark from anyone standing normally on the path.”

Darin stepped closer, eyes narrowed. “A guide mark for someone already looking for it.”

“Yes,” Zenovia said. “Not meant to be seen casually.”

Alexander looked at the scouts. “Did you follow the path?”

The second elf scout nodded. “Only far enough to confirm direction. It leads toward a ravine system that could bypass the fifth and sixth patrol lines. We turned back instead of risking contact.”

“Good decision,” Alexander said.

The scout looked faintly relieved.

Elion glanced at the map again. “If demons used that route, where would they come out?”

The patrol captain pointed. “Here. Less than half a day from the forward supply road.”

Tristan’s face darkened. “That road moves medicine, arrows, and food.”

Maya’s eyes widened slightly. “If they hit that…”

“Not if,” Alexander said coldly. “When.”

Alexander looked toward Tristan. “Send a quiet reinforcement to the supply road. Use soldiers already scheduled for rotation, so it does not look unusual.”

Tristan nodded. “Done.”

“Zenovia, Aeron, and Darin, you leave within the hour. Confirm the ravine route. If you find signs of fresh use, do not engage unless unavoidable. Mark the path for our people and return.”

Zenovia nodded.

Aeron sighed. “And here I thought I’d get to rest after being reunited with my dear friend.”

Elion smiled. “Don’t die.”

Aeron pointed at him. “Don’t give me red flags, you bastard.”

Alexander turned toward the scouts. “You did well. For now, speak of this to no one unless directly ordered by Commander Tristan or myself.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

They bowed and were dismissed. Once they left, the remaining group stood around the map in silence.

Alexander finally looked up from the map. “We proceed carefully. Everyone stick to the plan, but make adjustments on your own discretion if required, but do not try any heroics.”

His gaze landed on Elion.

Elion blinked. “Why are you looking at me?”

“Because you are the only person here who needs that last part repeated.”

Elion smirked. “Fine. No heroics.”

Everyone in the tent stared at him deeply, and Elion held the stares for two seconds. Then added, “Unless necessary.”

Alexander closed his eyes.

“I knew it.”

Elion laughed uproariously as he crossed his strong arms over his chest, “I am called a hero for a reason!”

…

After that, Alexander put down the sound suppression formation, and everyone filtered out to go and prepare for their assigned tasks, all except Elion and Alexander, who took the opportunity to speak with the patrol captain, Darin, and two officers who were responsible for rotating scouts along the western fringe.

Elion watched all of it unfold from the edge of the tent with his arms crossed, feeling a strange sense of detachment.

This was the kind of thing he never really saw himself caring for.

In the heat of battle, things were simple. You saw the enemy, you moved, you killed what needed killing, but here, things were far more complicated, at least in his opinion.

A wrong order could cost thousands of lives. It was a different kind of battlefield, and for once, Elion was perfectly content letting Alexander and Tristan handle most of it without being involved.

Aeron, however, was far less pleased.

“So let me get this straight,” he said, standing with his hands on his hips while Zenovia checked a set of small throwing knives without even glancing at him. “We reunited for less than an hour, and now I’m being sent into a demon-infested forest with an assassin who already said she wouldn’t feel bad if I died.”

Zenovia slid one knife back into its sheath. “I said I wouldn’t feel too bad.”

“That is not better.”

“It is more accurate.”

Aeron looked toward Elion. “Are you hearing this?”

Elion nodded seriously. “I am hearing a woman being honest with you. You should treasure it.”

Aeron pointed at him. “You are the reason I have trust issues.”

“No,” Elion said. “That sounds like a personal weakness.”

Maya let out a soft, helpless laugh from where she stood nearby, though her hands were already glowing faintly as she checked something about her magic that Elion wouldn’t understand.

Even if she had been told to remain at camp, she was clearly preparing as though the wounded might start pouring in at any second.

She pulled out a bunch of items from the ring on her finger.

Bandages, vials, mana crystals, powdered herbs, thin needles, sealing talismans; everything was inspected twice, then, for some reason, she packed everything neatly before putting it all away again.

Elion’s gaze lingered on her for a moment.

“You’ll be fine here?” he asked.

Maya looked up, blinking slightly before giving him a small smile. “I should be asking you that.”

“I’m always fine.”

“No, I have a feeling that you are the type to get injured and pretend otherwise.”

Aeron immediately snapped his fingers. “See? She gets it.”

Elion ignored him.

Maya’s smile softened, but the worry in her eyes did not vanish. “Just be careful.”

“I’ll try.”

Maya seemed to understand that this was probably the closest thing to a serious promise she was going to get from him, so she nodded back and returned to her preparations.

Zenovia, meanwhile, finished checking her weapons and finally looked toward Aeron. “You should prepare too.”

“I am prepared.”

“You are standing there complaining.”

“That is how I prepare emotionally.”

“Then prepare physically before your emotions get you killed.”

Aeron opened his mouth, paused, then looked toward Elion again. “Why is everyone so mean today?”

“Maybe the world is healing,” Elion replied.

Aeron clicked his tongue and finally walked off to gather his own equipment, which was odd, since he probably had everything on his person at all times, like all of them.