Just like I always imagined it.

  A village built among treetops and massive trunks. Giant branches connect enormous trees, and elves walk across them as if they were ordinary streets. Did the trees grow like this naturally—or did the elves lend nature a helping hand with magic?

  I’d really love to take a closer look.

  What interests me most is how the elves even get from down here all the way up there.

  Unfortunately, my attentive escorts keep shoving me forward until we stop in front of the largest tree of all.

  The boss definitely lives here.

  As expected, we are brought before the King of the Elves.

  More precisely—I am brought before him and forced to kneel.

  Rin, meanwhile, simply stands next to me as if none of this concerns her.

  Heartless.

  The hall is far larger than I expected. It feels like an elegant throne room in a royal palace.

  If I hadn’t just been led inside a tree, I wouldn’t believe it.

  I mean—we’re inside a tree.

  So why are there white marble columns?

  “So someone from the accursed Eiswolf family dares to set foot in this forest,” a voice booms.

  “Either you are incredibly brave—or incredibly stupid.”

  The sound of it sends a shiver straight down my spine.

  Why does an elf have such a deep, masculine voice?

  I always imagined elves as slender, delicate beings who spend their free time dancing around trees to cheerful flute music. Sadly, reliable information about elven culture was hard to come by, so I filled in the gaps with knowledge from other fantasy stories.

  Looks like prejudice is a bad idea in any world.

  Standing before me is the Elven King.

  Broad-shouldered, intimidating, nearly two meters tall. The darkly shimmering greatsword strapped across his back only emphasizes his imposing presence.

  Magnificent.

  Everything about him practically screams:

  Do not mess with me.

  So much for my theory that elves only use bows.

  At least he has the long blond hair I always imagined.

  Rin looks just as pale as I feel.

  “My name is Borack,” the king declares, his voice echoing through the hall.

  “I am the king of this forest. Your life—or your death—lies in my hands.”

  Even his name isn’t elegant or elven-sounding.

  I am disappointed. And shaken.

  But this probably isn’t the right moment to dwell on that.

  “Greetings, King Borack of the Elves,” I say, bowing as gracefully as I can. “My name is Arik Eiswolf, the Hero chosen by prophecy to unite the races and stand against Balaam. I have come to ask for the elves’ support.”

  I straighten and await his response.

  “Whether it was courage or prophecy that brought your cursed blood into our forest,” Borack replies coldly, “even if you were not an Eiswolf—why should I trust a human at all?”

  “Humans are greedy. Selfish. Lazy. Vengeful. Vain. Lustful. Envious. Humans are foolish. They repeat the same mistakes again and again.”

  “The seven deadly sins,” I murmur.

  “So you are aware of humanity’s weaknesses and flaws,” Borack says.

  “That changes nothing about my opinion—or your situation.”

  Of course I know them.

  It’s one of the most commonly used motifs in fantasy. We even covered it in school. I actually paid attention in religion class that year—though admittedly, only because I wanted to impress the young trainee teacher.

  Still. Results are results.

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  It’s strangely comforting to know that humans in this world struggle with the same problems as in my old one.

  Not that I’m any better.

  I’m just a normal human, after all. I don’t even want to start listing my own flaws.

  But right now, normal isn’t enough.

  The elves won’t budge an inch.

  Fortunately, we’re still in a fantasy world.

  I choose the one path that always works in situations like this.

  “Test me, King Borack!” I declare. “I will prove to you that not all humans are corrupt—and that I am worthy of your trust.”

  Borack stares straight through me.

  I’d very much like the ground to swallow me whole—but I hold his gaze. Please don’t have a lie-detector skill. And if you do—please don’t use it.

  “Leana!”

  “Yes, Your Majesty!”

  At the king’s call, an elf steps forward and takes her place beside him.

  “I do not trust you,” Borack says. “But I will give you a chance—otherwise I would be no better than a filthy human myself.”

  “You will complete a series of quests within the forest. Leana will accompany you and observe your actions.”

  “In the end, her report and my judgment will decide whether the elves support you in this war—or whether I kill you where you stand.”

  “I would rather see the world burn than be deceived by a human.”

  I only hear half of that.

  A sexy elf.

  Exactly like I imagined.

  Long platinum-blond hair flowing down to her hips. Honest gray eyes. Flat chest. Slim as a reed. She wears light green armor. Her hips and thighs are broader, clearly trained. Long, slender legs that seem to go on forever beneath her short shorts. Leather boots reaching above the knee, leaving little bare skin exposed.

  Finally.

  We’ve reached the part of the story I understand.

  I’ve read scenes like this countless times.

  I know exactly what happens next.

  “Elven princess…” I murmur absentmindedly.

  So far, life in this world has been a bit disappointing—but this stern, beautiful elf is bound to turn things around.

  At last, my fantastic life truly begins!

  My previous life wasn’t bad.

  But it wasn’t exciting either.

  In the end, I was just one of those countless people you pass on the street and forget a moment later.

  A completely ordinary student.

  My life consisted of lectures, meeting friends, and everyday routines with my girlfriend in our small two-room apartment.

  I always thought reincarnation only happened to hardcore nerds.

  I was normal through and through.

  Okay. I love fantasy.

  In my free time, I buried myself in fantasy worlds of every kind. I wasn’t picky. I read almost all the famous novels, watched movies, anime, and devoured countless light novels. I poured endless hours into fantasy RPGs, stayed up all night playing tabletop games with good friends.

  Sometimes my girlfriend had to drag me back into reality by force after a few days. Groceries don’t buy themselves. Meals don’t cook themselves. The trash doesn’t magically take itself out.

  But everyone has hobbies.

  Some play soccer. Others make music.

  I love fantasy.

  Still, I hadn’t failed at life. Nor was I exceptionally gifted.

  All things considered, for a twenty-six-year-old student, I lived a perfectly normal life.

  My family was just as normal.

  If you looked up average family in an encyclopedia, there’d probably be a picture of me with my parents and my sister.

  I was so normal that I even went to church on Christmas like everyone else.

  Which is funny—because as a Christian, I technically shouldn’t believe in reincarnation. Especially not into a fantasy world with swords, magic, and mythical creatures.

  What exactly was God thinking?

  What bothers me most, as a genuine fan, is something else entirely.

  Every fantasy story even remotely similar to my situation involves Japanese protagonists.

  It’s always Japanese people who are summoned, transported, or reincarnated into fantasy worlds. A proper isekai light novel always carries a piece of Japanese culture with it.

  I, on the other hand, am European.

  Me being here is just… wrong.

  Even if I don’t like it, there’s not much I can do about it.

  Aside from that, though, everything else fits perfectly.

  This world works exactly like the anime I know. The names around me could come from any light novel. From the very beginning, I decided to walk the beloved—and equally hated—harem route.

  My starting conditions were ideal.

  Women would flock to me in droves.

  After all, I was born as the first prince of the Kingdom of Amarasia—with my memories from my previous life fully intact.

  Unfortunately, that also meant the unbearable pain of never being able to say goodbye.

  It took me years to recover from that.

  My family. My friends. My girlfriend.

  They’re all gone.

  I’ll never see them again. I can’t even begin to imagine what they must be going through.

  I’ll never hold them in my arms again.

  Nobody ever tells you how hard that really is.

  When I used to read these stories comfortably on the couch, I always thought: Stop whining and move the plot along.

  It’s different when you’re the one living it.

  Luckily, nobody expects much from a baby—so I had time to grieve.

  At least my extensive knowledge of fantasy worlds helps me navigate this one.

  I’m certain of it.

  Now begins the construction of my harem of beautiful, devoted women—and this elven princess is the first step!

  “I have never seen anyone so completely unaware of their situation,” a thunderous voice snaps me back to reality.

  I look up and meet the Elven King’s gaze again.

  From my right, I feel a stare so sharp it could kill.

  My elven princess is blushing slightly—which looks incredibly cute on her otherwise stern face.

  “I cannot stand you, human,” Borack continues. “I do not trust you. And on top of that, you carry the vile blood of the Eiswolf family.”

  “Do you truly believe I would simply hand my daughter over to you? Let you drag her along on a life-threatening journey and think, What could possibly go wrong?”

  “Are you truly that foolish?”

  Borack seems almost impressed—though I’d rather not think too deeply about why.

  “So let me say this slowly, so even you can understand,” he continues.

  “I will test you. Only then will I decide your fate.”

  “Leana will accompany you and report her evaluation to me.”

  “This journey will be dangerous, exhausting, and filthy.”

  “That is why you will not be accompanied by a princess—but by an experienced elven warrior.”

  “Judging by your expression just now, I would prefer assigning you a man—but Leana is loyal and the finest archer I possess.”

  “Leana. Introduce yourself.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. My name is Leana. I am the captain of the elite archers who protect this village from all threats—be they monsters, demons, or humans.”

  “I will accompany you for an extended period and evaluate your actions.”

  Her voice is… adorable.

  Unfortunately, her words and stern demeanor ruin it completely.

  Still.

  I finally have my elf.