When the morning came, the group was ready to depart as soon as they had breakfast. Raiden thought that things would be like before, but soon Harth showed up.

"Your mother wants you two with us for a while," Harth declared.

"Is there any reason for that?" Raiden asked.

"I am not sure...’ Harth said while looking away, visibly uncomfortable.

Harth didn’t like lying, even if he didn’t hear the reason. He could tell that it was to avoid Raiden having to experience people looking at him like he was an unknown creature.

In any case, it looked like Raiden despite showing that he didn’t mind those eyes, his family was being over protective of him. The reasons could be many... They might worry about whom Raiden could trust after such a traumatic experience. Protecting him from potential harm would include shielding him from situations or people who could exploit his past vulnerabilities.

There could be concerns about Raiden’s emotional stability and well-being. They might worry that exposure to certain aspects of life could lead him down a path of anger, resentment, or even revenge.

His family might be keen on ensuring Raiden’s moral compass remained strong. They would want to prevent him from engaging in activities or associations that could compromise his principles or lead him to make choices he might regret.

By shielding Raiden from troublesome influences, his family also aimed to create a supportive environment where he could heal, grow, and focus on positive aspects of his life, such as his training and personal development.

Raiden didn’t like that much to be treated like he was made of glass, but he could understand their feelings, and he valued them as much as they cherished him, so he decided to let them do as they saw fit and focus on what he could do instead.

When they wen to the front of the formation, Raiden also saw some of the elves and dwarves getting ready to move with them. He couldn’t help but chuckle for some reason when he saw the leader of the elves, he was a tall guy wearing a green leather armor and a long bow that emitted a weird glow as well. He had long hair tied up behind him... but what was the most suspicious, or perhaps funny, was the fact that all of his attendants and supporters were female elves as well. They looked sharp too, so they had seen their fair share of battles, but it was clear the intentions of that guy.

"Are you the one called Raiden?" The tall elf asked after he approached and then bowed a bit. "On behalf of my people, I apologize for their actions."

"No problem, I don’t care about the opinions of the people that I don’t know of," Raiden said.

"... I see, my name is Cailu," The tall elf said and then offered a handshake to Raiden. "It isn’t an excuse, but most of us are on the edge, so I hope that you can forgive them."

"There is nothing to forgive," Raiden said.

Raiden’s mixed feelings towards Cailu came from a combination of disregard and annoyance. As he observed Cailu’s effortless charm and good looks, Raiden couldn’t help but feel a twinge of annoyance. It wasn’t jealousy per se; rather, Raiden found himself questioning that guy’s behavior at such a time. Despite acknowledging that Cailu seemed like a decent person, Raiden’s instincts flickered beneath the surface, triggered by the stark contrast between Cailu’s confident demeanor and Raiden’s own lack of interest.

Moreover, Raiden’s protective instincts, honed from his past experiences, also played a role in his unease. He had a subconscious concern that Cailu’s charms might inadvertently complicate things within his circle of friends or family. This protective streak often led Raiden to scrutinize new acquaintances, particularly those who exuded an air of self-assuredness that could potentially make things change. He already could see that in his sister looking at the guy and her expression softening up.

Yet, beneath Raiden’s initial annoyance was a bit of curiosity. He wondered if his own words had unsettled Cailu, prompting him to introduce himself more formally. Raiden recognized that his reactions were complex and multifaceted, driven by a mix of feelings.

"You look pretty mature for your age," Cailu said.

"And you sound suspiciously charming," Raiden said.

"I get that a lot from men," Cailu said. "A lot of them complain that I am too nice with women and children." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"I wonder why," Raiden said.

The atmosphere got a bit weird... it felt like Raiden was being a lot more brazen than usual. That was only because he felt that the guy was trying to create a scene to make things better between the forces and using him to make things easier. Raiden didn’t like that.

"Well... I guess it is time to move," Cailu said. "Please, lead the way, Captain Lenore."

"Let’s go," Lenore said while looking around to her closest allies.

At that point in time, Raiden was convinced that his mother also caught some signs of Cailu’s behavior. Calling her Captain while people called him Commander clearly made him look more important. They had come to help, but they didn’t come to serve their country like mere minions.

Those who were a bit more experienced could tell that Cailu’s actions were all very calculated and preplanned. He might not be a womanizer, but being surrounded by a lot of them made him look pretty harmless.

"It feels like I am missing something," Iri said while furrowing her eyebrows. "I wasn’t able to notice thanks to his good looks."

"Really? I can’t tell them apart, they are all blond, slean, tall and smug, at least in my eyes." Raiden said.

"And you said that you didn’t care," Iri shrugged.

"That is just my unbiased opinion," Raiden shrugged.

The talk was over when the group began to march. It was quite a sight to see so many people moving. In any case, around the five thousand warriors of the village, they had one thousand elves and five hundred dwarves with them.

As the group journeyed to the next town, Raiden’s attention was taken by the diversity among the dwarves traveling alongside them. Unlike the elves he had encountered, the dwarves displayed a wide range of physical traits and ages.

The younger dwarves caught Raiden’s eye in particular; they appeared less robust and were notably less hairy than their older counterparts. Some seemed almost slender, their bodies not yet fully filled out, while others appeared as if their growth had expanded more sideways than vertically. Raiden assumed that perhaps these variations in physique could be attributed to different lifestyles or habits among the dwarves.

In his observations, Raiden couldn’t help but think about the differences he saw. He mused aloud to himself, imagining that the older dwarves’ liking for drinking might somehow influence their physical appearance over time. This idea intrigued him, linking lifestyle choices with physical characteristics in a way that hinted at deeper cultural or biological implications within the dwarven community.

As the journey continued, Raiden’s curiosity about the dwarves grew, sparking a desire to learn more about their culture and traditions. His musings on their physical diversity opened a window into the complexities of their society, prompting him to consider how such factors might shape individual dwarven lives and interactions.

Still, while they didn’t look like the same way as before, they still tried to keep a distance from him...

"I guess my black hair is probably a sign of bad omen for most people," Raiden shrugged.

Regardless, at the end of the day, they reached a town half a day away from the nearest port city. It was another walled one with giant golden crossbows on the walls. They weren’t informed as to why they would be there, but it was probably to catch the enemies by surprise when they attacked again.

"Rest for a while, but be ready to depart at a moment’s notice," Lenore said while looking at everyone around and then looked at Raiden and Iri. "Stay close, I might have to give you two some special orders. We will need some people that will be for sure, keep their mouths shut."