Time splits, and perception expands. More than just seeing, it involves hearing, smelling, and feeling through the skin.
Because his body reacted on its own, calculating the exact moment the projectile would strike was an easy task.
Encrid perceived the time and trajectory of the incoming arrow and found his answer.
He raised his arm, moved it into the arrow’s path, and clenched his fist.
Thud.
Tremble.
The flying arrow landed in his hand. Its target was clear, just below the shoulder blade.
It wasn’t intended to cause a fatal injury.
Everything happened the moment the sound of wind reached his ears.
Encrid stood still with his right hand raised, the shaft and feathers of the arrow trembling in his grip.
The intent behind the arrow was somewhat clear, yet he couldn’t pinpoint where it had been fired from.
Tracing its trajectory suggested it came from directly ahead, but while his mind accepted this, his senses rejected it.
The gap between logic and instinct felt oddly fascinating.
"I can't sense any presence."
Pel said.
Encrid scanned the surroundings with the arrow still in hand.
It was the same for him, he couldn’t see anyone.
While they stood there observing—
Whoosh!
Three more arrows flew toward them. The archers’ coordination was so precise that the sound of the arrows slicing through the air overlapped, making it seem like just one.
But only the sound suggested that.
Encrid’s expanded perception told him there were three projectiles.
If he could catch one, why not three?
Encrid released the arrow in his hand, caught two of the incoming arrows, and kicked the third one aside.
Snap!
The arrow deflected off his foot and flew off course.
Catching arrows was impressive enough, but deflecting one with a kick? That was beyond skill, it was a feat.
Only a Knight could achieve such precision.
"It seems to be magic."
Pel observed, resting his hand on the grip of his sword.
He referred to their inability to detect the enemy’s presence.
Encrid agreed with Pel’s assessment and waited for the enemy’s next move.
They didn’t seem welcoming, that much was clear.
Should he escalate? It was hard to predict their reactions to any action.
If he threatened them, would they rain more arrows?
Would blocking every single one of them open the door to conversation?
"Isn’t this a bit too lively for a welcome greeting, you pointy-eared lot?"
Luagarne spat venomous words at their unseen opponents.
"...Outsiders may not enter."
A voice came from beyond the green mist.
Even upon hearing it, Encrid couldn’t pinpoint its location.
The gap between his senses and perception persisted.
Still, there were many things he could do.
Cutting down the visible trees beyond the mist was one option.
'That’d make them very unhappy.'
It surely would.
Even if not Sinar, the Fairies he’d encountered before were all similar.
Based on his experiences, Encrid knew all too well that Fairies hated seeing trees cut down.
But that didn’t mean they were willing to die to protect the plants.
Stories about Fairies dying to protect forests were more about defending their homes than the trees themselves.
Like any race, Fairies prioritized preservation and prosperity.
The forest simply provided the best habitat for them.
Leaves, fruits, dew, and the forest’s essence formed the foundation of their diet and existence.
That’s why they built their cities around massive trees, calling them the World Trees.
In some cases, these World Trees had magical or spiritual power.
Other times, they were just well-grown, ordinary trees.
Regardless, with Luagarne’s harsh words, it wouldn’t have been surprising if the Fairies snapped back.
Instead, they stuck to their message.
"This is no place for outsiders."
"I see."
Encrid responded nonchalantly.
Would calling out, "Sinar, let’s play!" summon her? Probably not.
Should he just barge in and cause a scene?
He was considering it.
He still held the arrows in both hands, a sight that could easily be perceived as threatening.
"I can see you’re skilled, but even if you kill us, the barrier won’t be lifted."
The Fairy spoke again, maintaining a rational and logical tone even with their life on the line.
That coldness reminded Encrid of how Sinar had first acted.
Despite the conversation, it felt like he was speaking into thin air.
The voice was clear, but its source remained hidden.
Since learning perceptive techniques, Encrid could tell which direction the wind was blowing just by its sound.
And yet, even with his heightened senses and willpower, he couldn’t locate them.
Encrid wasn’t here to threaten or harm anyone.
Although, if things turned bad, he might have to swing his sword a few times.
What if they were oppressing Sinar?
If so, a bit of sword talk might be necessary.
After all, Encrid had cut down crusaders with blazing weapons using just a few swings.
That kind of talk wouldn’t be pleasant.
After letting a few thoughts run through his mind, Encrid spoke.
"Sinar Kirhais."
He announced the Fairy’s name, making his intentions clear.
The forest remained silent.
"I came to find her."
Encrid added, giving them time to process his words.
"...Who are you?"
Finally, a more normal greeting came.
Encrid felt his introduction lacked flair.
He assumed the Fairies wouldn’t know who he was.
But that wasn’t true.
Just because Fairies lived behind barriers didn’t mean they were completely cut off from the world.
They interacted and traded with others.
Pel, having grown up in a closed society like the Shepherds of the Wilderness, understood this.
With a name as widespread as Encrid’s, it was unlikely they hadn’t heard of him.
Still, Pel stepped forward and spoke first.
"The General of the Border Guard, the Guardian of the Border Guard, the Knight of Iron Wall, Demon Slayer, and—ah, forget this one—the Heartbreaker of Women. He’s Encrid of the Mad Knights."
Pel’s voice rang loud and clear, reaching beyond the green mist.
Though he slipped in an awkward nickname, it was effective.
"The Knight of the Iron Wall?"
A different Fairy’s voice chimed in.
"The Guardian of Enchantment?"
Another voice followed.
Their titles were getting mixed. Encrid considered correcting them but decided against it.
Actions, not words, would redefine his reputation.
Despite their calm and quiet speech, faint traces of emotion, wonder and surprise, colored their words.
Only someone highly sensitive would have noticed.
"The Heartbreaker? So that’s why Lady Sinar returned alone…"
One unnecessary comment slipped through, but Encrid chose to let it go.
If it involved Sinar, there would be time to clarify later.
They didn’t seem to have imprisoned or bound her.
Despite some misunderstandings, the Fairies clearly knew who he was.
"May I visit?"
Encrid asked.
Fairies only allowed invited guests. That was their rule.
"If you truly are the Knight of the Iron Wall."
The voice returned.
The Fairies didn’t immediately trust him.
A few more questions and answers followed, but his earlier feats—catching and kicking arrows, had essentially confirmed his identity.
If a fight broke out, hiding behind the mist wouldn’t guarantee their safety, and the Fairies knew that.
"It is an honor, Demon Slayer."
A male Fairy replied in a clear voice.
"I’ve never seen anyone catch arrows like that. Human Knight, you’re truly impressive, especially kicking them away."
A female Fairy added, her tone ageless and calm.
As their voices grew clearer, the mist began to thin and spread out.
Only then did Encrid realize, the mist had been stationary the entire time.
'An illusion magic spell to obscure perception.'
Encrid only realized it after the mist shifted.
He committed the unsettling feeling to memory, storing it in the library of experience.
It wasn’t intentional, just a habit developed from training his perceptive techniques.
As the mist thinned, faint shapes began to emerge.
The mist didn’t completely disappear, but as shadows stretched with the setting sun, they formed into the shapes of five Fairies.
When people think of Fairies, they often imagine frail figures, but reality was slightly different.
Three of the five were small. Bigger than Dwarves, but still appearing younger than adult humans.
They looked youthful, too young, even.
Their bodies were slender, and they carried longbows larger than themselves.
Despite their delicate appearances, the visible lines of muscle on their arms proved they weren’t children.
The three Fairies with bows were female, the same ones who had fired arrows at Encrid.
The other two were male, one was broad-shouldered, and the other had white hair.
As Encrid scanned the group, his gaze lingered on the white-haired Fairy, who spoke first.
Or rather, the moment Encrid’s eyes stopped at his hair, the Fairy immediately noticed.
"Curious? Even Fairies’ hair fades when we age."
"I just hadn’t seen it before."
"That’s because most Fairies return to their homeland to die. It’s rare to see. Anyway, I’ll apologize for the arrows. They were meant as a warning. I didn’t expect you to catch them."
Encrid nodded, signaling it was fine.
As the Fairy had said, the arrows hadn’t been aimed at vital spots.
Their purpose had been intimidation, not lethal harm.
The later three arrows seemed more like a test of skill.
So there was nothing to dwell on.
Encrid’s only goal was Sinar, and now he had found someone who might provide answers.
He stared intently at the white-haired Fairy, who seemed to be in charge.
Sinar had once mentioned that Fairies placed great value on age.
She had emphasized several times that older Fairies were considered wiser, and their words carried weight.
She’d even stressed the point after revealing her own age.
"Come inside first."
The white-haired Fairy offered, and Encrid nodded.
Pel and Luagarne followed behind.
"Demon Slayer."
The broad-shouldered male Fairy addressed Encrid.
He had sharp features and fierce eyes.
At first, Encrid thought he might be picking a fight, but upon closer inspection, there was a faint glimmer of admiration in his gaze.
It was subtle, so subtle that a human might equate it to someone cheering excitedly with sparkling eyes.
And it wasn’t just him.
The other three Fairies shared similar looks.
Though their gazes carried a hint of desperation, it was barely noticeable.
Encrid only recognized it because he had spent so much time around Sinar and had honed his senses.
Otherwise, he might’ve thought they were just looking at him blankly.
Knowing his name was one thing, but seeing admiration in their eyes wasn’t exactly normal.
The large Fairy spoke in a measured, serious tone—calm and controlled, with every word carefully chosen.
"It’s an honor to meet you."
Though the words themselves weren’t unusual, Encrid sensed genuine respect in his voice and nodded.
This was the same Fairy who had earlier called him an honor from behind the mist.
"If there’s a chance later, would you spar with me?"
The Fairy asked again in the same restrained tone.
"A duel?"
"Yes."
"Anytime."
As they spoke, the white-haired Fairy scolded him.
"Do you think this is the time for that, Zero?"
Though it sounded like a reprimand, his voice remained calm.
"Apologies, Elder."
Zero, the large Fairy, bowed his head slightly in response.
If they had been human, it might have seemed like an empty gesture without real remorse.
The other three Fairies remained silent after revealing themselves.
They didn’t seem like talkative types.
Encrid had nothing more to say, so he stayed quiet.
"A rather aggressive Fairy, isn’t he?"
Pel muttered.
It was a sarcastic remark.
The dry tone made it hard to tell whether he was joking.
The Fairy looked at Pel, and Pel stared back.
For a moment, it felt like sparks might fly, but the Fairy looked away, snuffing out the tension before it could ignite.
"Disappointing."
Pel grumbled.
In truth, Pel wasn’t the type to back down from arguments or fights.
He was just overshadowed by Rem.
'I need to stay focused.'
Encrid took Pel’s behavior as a lesson and steeled himself.
"This way."
The white-haired Fairy said, leading the way.
He walked calmly into the mist.
His footsteps were nearly silent, a trait of the Fairy race, who were often called natural assassins.
As they walked deeper into the mist, visibility became even more limited.
The mist seemed to be a barrier that blocked sight.
Thanks to Esther, Encrid had gained some magical knowledge and could tell this was a magical ward.
Eventually, the ground sloped downward, revealing an unusual passage.
It resembled a tunnel wrapped in leaves, with both the floor and ceiling made entirely of foliage.
It was astonishing, how could something like this be constructed?
As they walked deeper into the tunnel, Encrid lost track of time.
Surrounded by leaves and the scent of flowers and grass, it felt dreamlike.
He didn’t even consider it might be some kind of spell or enchantment.
When he finally opened his eyes, the tunnel was gone, replaced by the Fairy city.
"Welcome to our city."
The white-haired Fairy said.
There were no grand walls or magnificent castles.
But something incredibly striking caught his eye.
A massive, tree-like figure with branch-like arms was smoking a pipe.
"What are you staring at? Never seen someone smoke before?"
The tree giant spoke.
Encrid felt the urge to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
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