Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man-Chapter 29: New path and the unknown

Eren went about his day as normally as possible, training with Naia and checking on the villagers who had been affected by the water. He was relieved to see they were recovering well, the symptoms already fading just as Elena had predicted. Throughout the day, he noticed Lyra watching him intently, her gaze following him wherever he went. When their eyes met across the courtyard, she would quickly look away, but he sensed her vigilance.

For three days following his confrontation with Lyra, Eren maintained the appearance of routine while secretly observing the palace guards’ patterns. He noted when they changed shifts, which areas received less attention during certain hours, and which guards were more diligent than others. He wasn’t foolish enough to attempt an escape without proper planning.

’They’re watching me more closely now,’ he realized on the third night, noticing how the guard rotations near his chambers had increased. Whether this was Lyra’s doing or his mother’s intuition, he couldn’t be sure. But it only strengthened his resolve to leave.

As night fell on the third day, his thoughts returned to Elena’s words and his decision to leave. She had mentioned her guards would accompany him, but had given no indication of how or when they would appear. Still, his determination was set. He would leave the palace and let fate guide him to the answers he sought.

In his chamber, Eren laid out his preparations methodically. A small pack contained dried fruits and nuts, a waterskin, a change of clothes, and a few medicinal herbs Naia had taught him to identify. Not too much—he needed to travel light and fast. He strapped his dagger to his thigh where it would be easily accessible but hidden beneath his cloak.

As he prepared to depart, his gaze fell upon the starstone Naia had given him when he was younger. The smooth, luminescent stone caught the moonlight streaming through his window, its blue-white glow pulsing gently as if alive. He reached for it, feeling its familiar warmth against his palm.

A pang of guilt struck him unexpectedly. Despite his frustration and determination to find answers, Naia had only ever shown him kindness. The thought of her discovering his empty bed, searching the palace frantically for him—it made his chest tighten uncomfortably.

’I can’t just disappear without explanation,’ he thought, turning the starstone over in his hand. ’She deserves better than that.’

Eren sat at his desk, pulled a sheet of parchment forward, and dipped his quill in ink. He paused, the nib hovering above the paper, as he considered his words carefully. How much should he reveal? How much did he even know himself?

After several moments, he began to write:

*Dearest Naia,*

He stopped, crossed it out, and began again.

*Naia,*

*By the time you find this letter, I will be gone from the palace. Please understand that this is not a decision I’ve made lightly or in haste.*

Eren paused, choosing his next words with care.

*I’ve discovered that I am somehow linked to a prophecy of this world—one that everyone seems aware of except me. I see now that you, Mother,Lyra and Sorrel have been hiding things from me, things about my nature and purpose here. I don’t understand why, but perhaps when I return, you can finally explain without fear or reservation.*

*Don’t worry about me—I know you’ll come looking anyway.

I miss our training more than I thought I would and I hope you ease my pressure like the last time. When we meet again, I hope you’ve gotten stronger. You’ll need it.*

*I’ll keep the starstone safe until I return. It’s always reminded me of your kindness.*

*Until we meet again,*

*Eren*

He read over the letter twice, ensuring it conveyed his determination without revealing his destination. Satisfied, he folded the parchment and placed it beside the starstone on his pillow where it would be easily found.

The moon had risen high when Eren finally moved to his window. The palace slept, but he knew guards would be patrolling the grounds below. He had timed this moment carefully—the eastern patrol would be changing shifts, leaving a brief window when that section of the wall would be less heavily watched.

Using the thick vines that climbed the palace walls as handholds, Eren descended silently, his muscles straining with the effort of maintaining both speed and stealth. The night air was cool against his skin, carrying the scent of night-blooming flowers from the royal gardens.

When his feet touched the ground, he pressed himself against the wall, listening intently. Distant footsteps told him of guards patrolling the western perimeter, but the path toward the eastern gate seemed momentarily clear.

Moving from shadow to shadow, Eren made his way across the palace grounds. Years of combat training had taught him how to move silently, and now he put those skills to use, freezing in place whenever a guard came too close, resuming his careful progress only when safe.

The eastern gate loomed before him, a massive wooden structure reinforced with silver bands that gleamed in the moonlight. Two guards stood at attention, their posture suggesting alertness despite the late hour.

Eren waited, counting the minutes until their relief arrived. When the changing of the guard began, he seized his opportunity, darting from his hiding place toward a section of wall adjacent to the gate where repairs were underway. Scaffolding provided a potential route over if he could reach it unseen.

He was almost there when his foot came down on something small that scurried away with a squeak—a rat, startled by his presence. The creature darted across the open ground, drawing a guard’s attention.

"Did you hear that?" one guard asked, turning toward the scaffolding.

"Probably just another rat," the second guard replied, but he raised his lantern higher, its light sweeping toward Eren’s position.

Eren pressed himself against the base of the scaffolding, hardly daring to breathe as the light passed just above his head. For a tense moment, he remained perfectly still, every muscle taut with anticipation.

"Nothing there," the first guard finally concluded, lowering his weapon. "These night shifts make everyone jumpy."

As the guards resumed their conversation, Eren seized his chance, climbing the wooden structure with careful, deliberate movements to avoid making noise. He reached the top of the wall, glancing down at the steep drop on the other side.

’No turning back now,’ he thought grimly.

Using his cloak to protect his hands, he grasped a rope from the scaffolding and slid down the outside of the wall, the coarse material burning his palms despite the protection. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was moving swiftly but quietly, heading for the dense forest that began not far from the palace walls.

Only when he was well into the treeline did he allow himself to breathe more freely, though he maintained his pace, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the palace as possible before his absence was discovered.

Deeper and deeper into the forest he ventured, using everything Naia had taught him about tracking and navigation to forge a path that would be difficult to follow. He crossed streams, used fallen logs to avoid leaving footprints, and selected his route carefully to minimize any trail.

When he felt he’d gone far enough, Eren allowed himself to slow, taking stock of his surroundings. The forest here was unfamiliar, the trees growing in an unnatural pattern, their trunks twisted as if reaching toward something. The moonlight cast strange shadows across the ground, and he felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck.

’Now what?’ he wondered, suddenly aware of the vastness of the forest and his lack of clear direction. Elena had promised guides, but where were they? Had he acted too soon, or was this all an elaborate trap?

As he considered his options, the subtle sound of soft footfalls behind him made him spin around, hand moving to his dagger instinctively. Years of combat training kicked in as he readied himself for a potential threat.

A figure emerged from the shadows, moving with the precise grace of someone well-trained in stealth. Unlike the palace guards, this person wore dark clothing that blended with the forest night, face partially concealed by a mask.

"Peace," the figure said, raising empty hands to show they meant no harm. "I am not your enemy."

The stranger pulled down their mask, revealing a woman’s face—sharp features, eyes that seemed to reflect light like a cat’s, and a series of ritual scars tracing patterns along one side of her face.

"I am Lira," she said, her voice low and steady. "Queen Elena sent me."

Eren’s hand remained near his dagger, suspicion evident in his stance. "Anyone could claim that. How do I know you speak the truth?"

Lira reached into a pouch at her belt and withdrew a small object—a miniature crown of thorns, crafted from some dark metal that seemed to absorb the moonlight around it.

"My queen bade me find you," she said, holding out the token. "She said you would be ready, that you would seek escape tonight. She sees much, the Queen of Thornvale."

Slowly, Eren relaxed his posture, studying both the token and the woman before him. "How did you know where to find me? When to come?" fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

A thin smile crossed Lira’s face. "The Queen’s sight extends beyond normal vision. She said you would make your decision tonight, and here you are." She gestured toward the depths of the forest. "We must move quickly. Your absence will not go unnoticed for long, and the Moonlight Kingdom’s trackers are skilled."

Eren hesitated, the reality of his decision suddenly weighing heavily upon him. Was he truly ready to trust an enemy agent, to journey into the heart of Thornvale on nothing but the promise of answers?

But then Lyra’s evasiveness, his mother’s secrets, the hidden knowledge everyone seemed to possess except him—all of it hardened his resolve once more.

"Lead on, then," he said, nodding. "I’ve come too far to turn back now."

As they disappeared into the shadows of the forest, Eren didn’t look back at the silver spires of the palace glimmering in the distance. His path was set now, for better or worse.

***

Back at the palace, a lone figure stood at the window of a high tower, gazing out toward the forest where Eren had vanished. The night air pressed against the glass, but she barely noticed—her thoughts too loud, her heart too full.

"All this time..." she whispered, voice trembling, "I watched Princess Eren from afar, wondering why I felt so drawn to her. Why my chest tightened every time our paths crossed."

She let out a soft breath, part wonder, part disbelief.

"I never knew... he was a male."

Her fingers brushed the edge of the windowsill as she looked up, eyes tracing the constellations her witch-grandmother once pointed out during bedtime stories.

"Grandma... you always said they were extraordinary."

A quiet smile played on her lips.

"And now I see... you weren’t wrong."