Chapter 52: South
Eren and the others rinsed off in silence, their sighs carried lightly by the spring’s steam.
Velira was the first to step out, droplets tracing down her skin as she glanced over her shoulder."I should fetch something to clean up with," she said.
Her gaze lingered briefly on Shaula—her torn dress, ripped apart earlier, leaving her bare skin glistening above the chest. The memory flickered in Velira’s eyes before she added,"...and something for Shaula to change into."
Eren and the others exchanged looks but said nothing before Velira had already darted off.
In moments, she returned from camp with her usual swiftness—arms full. Three towels hung over her shoulder, and in her hands, a folded change of clothes.
She tossed the bundle toward Shaula, smirking faintly."Here. Mine will fit well enough."
Shaula’s eyes lingered on the folded clothes at the pool’s edge. Her lips parted hesitantly."Won’t that be... too big for me?" she asked softly.
Velira stepped closer, crouching by the poolside. Her hands dipped toward the water, hovering just above Shaula’s floating breasts as she smirked."Only these will be."
Shaula jolted forward in the water, cheeks flaring red."Alright, that’s enough!" she yelped, splashing lightly as she turned away.
Velira only chuckled, straightening back up.
Before long, the three of them emerged from the pool.Velira, still brimming with restless energy despite everything, began rubbing herself down briskly with a towel, wiping away the droplets clinging stubbornly to her skin.She handed the other two towels to Alayne and Shaula.
Eren glanced around, brows knitting."I don’t see a towel for myself."
At his words, both Alayne and Shaula turned, watching him as they dried themselves off.
Velira stepped forward without hesitation, pressing her own towel into his hands."Don’t worry. I don’t mind sharing."
The cloth was already damp—half wet from her own use—but it was still better than nothing.
Eren accepted it with a small sigh.
Alayne and Shaula quickly spoke up in turn, offering their towels, but one look at them told him they were even wetter than Velira’s.
He exhaled through his nose, giving a tired smile as he gently pushed their offers aside."This’ll do."
With that, he began drying himself with Velira’s towel while the other two quietly looked on.
Sighing, Eren slipped back into the clothes he’d arrived in. With nothing more said, the group made their way toward the camp.
The moment they stepped inside, Eren froze—his breath catching. His eyes widened, stunned by the sight before him.
"What’s this...?" he muttered.
Beside him, Velira also paused, though she masked her surprise better than he did."The Kingdom promised us reinforcements," she said, her voice low. "But this... this is far more than they claimed."
The camp was a storm of movement—armored men shouting orders, horses pulling supply carts, and new companies forming ranks. The sheer number of troops pressed into the clearing made the air feel tight, almost suffocating.
For a moment, they stood still, just taking it all in. Then, pushing through the tide of soldiers, they made their way toward the heart of the camp.
Closer to the central tents, the chaos settled. Fewer soldiers roamed here, the noise dimming into a steady murmur. Both Eren and Velira exhaled softly in relief.
From the side, they caught sight of Bavrik—standing tall, voice commanding, as he gave orders to the newly arrived company leaders.
Velira stepped forward, calling out to him, her tone sharp but steady."Bavrik."
Bavrik—still in the middle of issuing commands—caught sight of the four approaching. He didn’t break stride, finishing his orders with precision before finally turning to them. His expression eased, if only slightly, the faintest relaxation in his brow.
Velira wasted no time. "We were only told to expect a thousand reinforcements," she said, her gaze sweeping over the endless rows of fresh tents. "We prepared for that. So what is this?"
Her voice carried the edge of someone used to battlefield discipline, but beneath it was a flicker of unease.
Bavrik met her eyes with a calm, faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "The Kingdom did indeed promise us only a thousand at first," he replied, tone steady. "But circumstances shifted."
He folded his arms, glancing past them toward the horizon of soldiers. "The eastern front quieted, almost to silence. With fewer threats pressing there, the minister saw fit to redirect what strength could be spared—" his smile grew, dry but confident, "—to us. To the South."
The calm relief in Bavrik’s eyes was unmistakable as he continued, "Now that we’ve more to work with, the forces I can assign to your company will be far greater than before. You’ll have a thousand more men at your side."
Velira blinked, the weight of the number hitting her. "A thousand..? That would put us close to two thousand in total." Her brow arched sharply. "You’re not planning to have us tear through the western flank instead of simply holding it, are you?"
Bavrik raised both hands, the gesture firm but disarming. "No, no. That’s not what this is. Your task isn’t conquest—it’s survival. The risk in the west is still unknown, and I’ll not have you marching blind without numbers to fall back on. Think of it as a shield, not a spear."
Velira exhaled through, the tension in her shoulders easing into a low hum of acceptance.
Before she could press further, a voice called from behind Bavrik. Another general, summoning him back to the throng of officers. Bavrik gave a short nod over his shoulder, then turned back to the four.
"Your companion is at the tent." His gaze fell on Eren, a faint shadow of concern in his expression. "By the looks of it, she’s not in much of a mood. You’d best see to her quickly."
With that, he stepped away, returning to the swirl of orders and war-planning that awaited him.
Velira exhaled, her shoulders rising and falling with the weight of what Bavrik had said. She gave a quick glance at Eren, and he understood. Without hesitation, he strode toward the tent, the other three trailing close behind.
Inside, Mira sat in silence, her back straight, her gaze fixed on the entrance. The moment Eren stepped through, her eyes locked on him.
"What took you so long?" she asked, her voice low but edged with expectation.
Eren hesitated for only a heartbeat before thrusting out his arm.The fracture—once jagged and veins darkened, twisted beneath the skin—now showed no trace of its ruin. The bones had knitted whole, the deadened look erased
"This," he answered, forcing the lie to sound casual. "Alayne treated it. Took a while, but she managed to heal it fully." He flexed the limb, bending and rotating it to make his point.
Mira’s eyes widened, the disbelief plain on her face. Even Velira, who hadn’t noticed at the spring till now, gasped as well.
"This quickly?" Mira breathed, astonishment slipping into her tone.
But Alayne’s expression was different. She said nothing, her lips pressed tight. Her thoughts tangled—Me? , but she kept her silence, eyes flicking between Eren’s arm and his face.
Eren’s gaze lingered on Mira—calm, steady—while Mira herself couldn’t mask the disbelief carved into her face. Her lips parted, breath catching as her eyes darted toward Alayne.
"How?" she asked, voice sharp, heavy with both wonder and suspicion.
The weight of the question pressed into Alayne. Velira’s eyes turned to her. Her throat tightened, words stumbling before they even left her tongue. She hesitated—lie, or truth?—but before she could decide, Eren cut in, his tone firm, decisive.
"Pill!" he blurted. "She had a pill. She gave it to me."
The tent fell into silence for a heartbeat, then two sets of eyes swung back to Alayne.
Velira tilted her head, a brow arched, her voice thoughtful but edged with curiosity. "A pill like that, huh? Sure is new to me. Some new invention from the Kingdom’s lab?"
Alayne forced a nod, lips twitching into an awkward smile. "Ye—Yes."
The response sounded thin even to her own ears, but it was enough. For now.
Velira hummed under her breath, the sound carrying reverence. "Must be expensive..."
Eren cut in quickly. "Forget about that for a moment. Let’s plan our next move. Velira and Shaula are heading west — why don’t we go with them?"
Before anyone could answer, Velira shook her head. "No. You can’t come with us, Eren."
He opened his mouth to argue, but she anticipated him. "You’re too valuable of a resource for the southern borderline. If something above what a master-class could handle, shows up, in that case, they’d need you there."
Eren bristled. "Why should I care about that? I came here to keep you all safe." He let the words hang—he’d meant them for Alayne, but he kept that part to himself.
Velira’s expression sobered. "I understand that. I want us together too. But losing a whole battalion out south would be a catastrophe. If the kingdom loses thousands of men in one front, morale collapses — we won’t even know what hit us."
"But—" Eren started, only to stop himself mid-sentence. There was no point in pressing further. He exhaled sharply and muttered, "Alright. Me, Mira, and Alayne will move towards South."
Velira’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. That’s better." She nodded firmly, then added, pointing at herself and Shaula, "We’ll sweep the western side. Once we’re sure there’s no major threat there, we’ll rush back to reinforce the South."
Velira extended one finger, pressing it lightly against Eren’s chest, dragging it down until it rested against his chest. "And don’t feel lonely till then," she murmured, her gaze flicking toward Mira. "You’ll have Mira to take care of this."
Her finger glided lower, brushing dangerously close to his shaft before Eren jerked back with a flustered, "Alright, alright—I won’t."
Mira’s cheeks flared red at the exchange, her lips pressing into a thin line.