Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man-Chapter 30: Elena agent

They made their way far from the Moonlight Kingdom, traveling in silence through dense forest paths until the silver spires were no longer visible behind them. The journey had taken most of the night, and Eren’s muscles ached from the exertion of his escape and the subsequent trek.

"We’ll rest here," Lira announced as they reached a small clearing where the remnants of an old campsite were visible. "I use this place sometimes when traveling between kingdoms. We’re safe for now."

She moved with practiced efficiency, rekindling a fire in a stone-ringed pit and retrieving supplies from a hollowed tree trunk nearby. Her movements were fluid and graceful, but Eren noticed something peculiar about her—she seemed prone to small mishaps. As she bent to arrange her bedroll, the strap of her leather armor slipped unexpectedly off her shoulder, exposing more skin than she’d intended. She quickly adjusted it with a practiced motion that suggested this happened often.

"You should sleep," she told him, gesturing to a flat area across the fire. "I’ll take first watch. Tomorrow’s journey will be demanding."

Eren nodded, his face impassive despite his exhaustion. He arranged his cloak on the ground but kept his dagger within easy reach. Trust was not something he would give freely, especially to an agent of Thornvale. As he settled down, his thoughts whirled with questions about what lay ahead, what secrets awaited him, and whether he had made the right decision in leaving.

The night passed in fitful sleep, his dreams filled with shadowy figures and whispered prophecies. When dawn finally broke through the canopy of leaves above, Eren found himself still tired, his mind heavy with unresolved thoughts.

Something wet touched his cheek, then his forehead. Groggy and disoriented, Eren’s eyes fluttered open to find himself face-to-face with a strange creature he’d never seen before. It had four legs, a pair of translucent wings that caught the morning light, and large, curious eyes that stared directly into his. Its tongue darted out again, licking his face enthusiastically.

Eren shouted in surprise, his hand instinctively reaching for his dagger. In one fluid motion, he had the blade out and pointed at the creature, which merely tilted its head quizzically at him.

"Don’t you dare!" Lira’s voice cut through the clearing like a whip. She appeared from behind a nearby bush, several fish dangling from a line in her hand. "That’s a homic. They’re harmless, just curious about new people."

Eren slowly lowered his dagger, eyeing the creature warily as it continued to lick his hand affectionately. Now that the initial shock had passed, he could see the homic more clearly—it resembled something between a fox and a butterfly, with fur that shifted colors subtly as it moved. Its wings pulsed with inner light, casting prism-like rainbows across the forest floor, while its eyes—deep pools of amber flecked with gold—seemed almost sentient in their curiosity.

"Get off," he muttered, shaking his hand to dislodge the creature, which merely bounced back excitedly, wings fluttering. Eren scowled and waved it away more forcefully. The homic finally retreated a short distance, watching him with what seemed like amusement in its eyes.

It was only then that Eren truly looked at Lira in the morning light. Shadows had obscured her features the night before, but dawn revealed a woman both foreign and striking. Her eyes—alert and calculating—suggested intelligence beyond her warrior appearance. The cat-like ears adorning her headband marked her as Thornvalian royalty, a detail Eren suddenly realized might be significant. Her armor, practical yet revealing, bore symbols etched in silver that seemed to pulse with a faint glow when she moved—protective enchantments, perhaps, that explained her confidence in these dangerous borderlands.

"Breakfast?" she offered, holding up the fish. Each one had four eyes instead of two, another peculiarity of this region that Eren had never seen before.

He didn’t respond, his attention divided between the strange homic still watching him and the even stranger woman who was to be his guide. The reality of his situation was finally settling in—he was far from home, in the company of someone who until recently would have been considered an enemy, heading toward a kingdom known for its darkness and treachery.

Lira seemed unbothered by his silence, busying herself with preparing the fish over the rekindled fire. The homic darted forward suddenly to lick Eren’s hand again, and this time he shooed it away with an irritated grunt, chasing it toward the edge of the clearing where it disappeared into the undergrowth.

They ate in silence, the quiet broken only by the crackling of the fire and the distant calls of unfamiliar birds. When they had finished, Lira efficiently packed up the camp, removing all traces of their presence.

"We should reach Thornvale in five days if we maintain a good pace," she said, shouldering her pack. "If we’re lucky enough to find horses along the way, we might make it in three. Stay close. These woods can be disorienting to those unfamiliar with them."

They set out along a narrow path that wound through the forest. As they traveled, the landscape gradually changed. The familiar trees of the Moonlight Kingdom’s forests gave way to more exotic varieties—some with bark that spiraled up the trunk, others with leaves that closed when approached. Flowers in colors Eren had never seen before dotted the undergrowth, and strange fruits hung from vines overhead.

Despite his determined indifference, Eren couldn’t help but look around in quiet wonder. Having been confined to the palace for as long as he could remember, the diversity and beauty of the outside world was overwhelming. The air smelled different here—richer, earthier, filled with unfamiliar scents. Each breath felt like drinking life itself, pure and untamed. The forest seemed to whisper ancient secrets with every rustling leaf, and sunlight pierced through gaps in the canopy like divine fingers touching the earth. In this wild tapestry of life, Eren felt both insignificant and awakened, as though his senses had been dulled his entire life until this moment.

"First time seeing the world beyond your palace walls?" Lira asked, noticing his wandering gaze.

"I’ve seen plenty from the towers," Eren replied coldly, deliberately masking his fascination behind a wall of indifference.

After walking for some time in silence, they emerged onto a wider road—a proper thoroughfare that must connect various settlements. The ground was packed earth reinforced with stone in places, and wheel ruts suggested regular caravan traffic.

"I’m Viva, by the way," Lira suddenly said as they walked side by side on the broader path.

Eren gave her a sidelong glance. "You told me you were Lira."

"That’s my royal name—the one I use on official business for Queen Elena. Viva is my birth name." She adjusted her bow and quiver with a practiced motion. "I prefer it when I’m not on formal duties."

"You told me before," Eren replied flatly, his tone suggesting he cared little either way.

"Just introducing myself properly," she said with a casual shrug that caused another strap of her armor to slip. She fixed it with practiced ease, seemingly unembareassed. "Perhaps you didn’t hear me clearly last night."

"Eren," he offered mechanically, though he suspected she already knew.

"I know your name already," Viva replied with a slight smile. "Everyone in Thornvale knows of the Moonlight Princess."

Eren’s jaw tightened at this, but he said nothing, fixing his gaze on the road ahead.

They walked in silence for another mile before Viva spoke again. "You know, Queen Elena is not the monster your kingdom makes her out to be. Most kingdoms see her as ruthless, someone who will turn the world upside down to get what she wants. But there’s more to her than that."

Eren scoffed. "Is that why she poisoned our water and wages war against my kingdom without attempting diplomacy first?"

"She did what she felt was necessary," Viva replied, her tone becoming more serious. "The lands your mother claims belong to ancient bloodlines in Thornvale. They are sacred to our ancestors in ways your people could never understand."

"So it’s not enough that you have the darkest, most fertile region in all the realms?" Eren challenged. "You need the Southeastern territories as well?"

"All I’m saying is that Queen Elena is the strongest ruler Thornvale has ever known. She protects what is ours and does what must be done." Viva’s defense of her queen was passionate, her eyes flashing with conviction.

As they rounded a bend in the road, Viva’s foot caught on a protruding stone. She stumbled forward with a surprised yelp, arms flailing as she tried to regain her balance. Instead of falling to the ground, she crashed directly into Eren. He instinctively caught her, but the force of her momentum pushed them both backward until he was pressed against a tree, her body flush against his. Her armor, already prone to shifting, had rearranged itself in the fall, leaving little to the imagination.

"Sorry," she muttered, pulling away quickly and readjusting her garments with that same practiced motion. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but she seemed more annoyed than embarrassed. "Happens sometimes."

Eren pushed himself off the tree, his expression carefully neutral despite the unexpected proximity. "Clearly," he remarked dryly, continuing down the path as if nothing had happened.

***

Back in the Moonlight Kingdom, the morning sun streamed through the tall windows of Naia’s chambers, painting everything in soft gold light. She had tossed and turned all night, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Why can’t I sleep?" she murmured, running a hand through her disheveled hair as she rose from her bed. "Perhaps Eren can cheer me up a little."

She made her way through the palace corridors, the guards bowing respectfully as she passed. When she reached Eren’s chambers, she didn’t bother knocking—a familiarity born from years of close companionship. She pushed the door open, expecting to find him still asleep or perhaps already preparing for their morning training session.

The room was empty, the bed unslept in.

"Eren?" she called, moving further into the chamber. She checked his bathing room, his study area, even looking out the window to see if he might be in the garden below. Nothing.

Then her eyes caught sight of something on his pillow—a folded piece of parchment. Her heart began to race as she crossed the room and picked it up with trembling fingers. As she read the words written in Eren’s familiar script, tears welled in her eyes.

"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "No, no, no..."

The letter slipped from her fingers as the full weight of his departure crashed over her. Without hesitation, she turned and ran from the room, her voice rising in panic and dismay.

"MOTHER!"