“We’re nearing my territory, I’ll shroud you in my presence, alright?”

Malika tried his best to speak in a natural voice.

Shin didn’t reply, but only nodded in a weak manner.

A soft smile appeared on Malika’s face, but he didn’t care much. Honestly thought, he was happy that the female Guardians liked Shin, that would mean that they would protect Shin without thinking about anything excessive.

Malika’s body turned into a green mist which shrouded Shin. With this, Malika could show anyone his presence, he could protect and support Shin in this state too.

“Shin, when we meet someone, they will notice my presence, don’t be afraid, alright?”

He said with a smile on his face.

“Okay…”

Shin nodded and started walking again.

“Uhm.”

Shin hesitated for a moment before speaking his mind.

“Are we far away from nearing the destination?”

After not getting a reply within five seconds, Shin didn’t mind it and continued focusing on walking.

“No.”

Malika said with a single word, after having thought for a moment longer, he explained in detail.

“In a few more minutes, you will meet someone. Don’t be afraid, alright?”

Malika made sure to let Shin know that someone will come, he knew that if they made Shin frightened, his territory would be in ruins the next day.

“Ok.”

Shin nodded seriously as he walked forward. Shin walked step for step, it seemed slow, even Shin thought he was walking slowly. But, he had no idea that each ‘short’ step he took, pushed him forward hundreds of meters.

“Stop.”

The time passed by swiftly, Malika’s voice sounded out and Shin complied by stopping.

Shin stood there with half-opened eyes and pale skin, barely seeing what was in front of him.

After half a minute, Shin could hear noises coming his way. He stood there silently, because he remembered Malika telling him not to worry.

“Halt, this is not an area for humans to be in!”

A sharp voice sounded out, not long after two figures stood in front of Shin.

The two stared at Shin carefully. They saw Shin wearing a purple robe drenched in blood, his silver hair which was unkempt and his pale skin.

“Who are you?”

One of the two spoke.

Shin couldn’t even see the two besides seeing their figures, he wanted to open his mouth, but he couldn’t let out a sound. He was barely keeping himself standing.

At the right time, Shin’s body started glowing in a green light.

The two in front of Shin were shocked and their eyes were open widely. They glanced at each other and said at the same time.

“Elven Royalty…!”

After hearing the two confirm something, Shin closed his eyes and fell.

A few kilometres away

A shadow was staring at everything which was happening, the shadow saw that the two elves pick Shin up and rushing hurriedly deeper in the woods.

The shadow’s face was shrouded in a dark light, but it seemed like a smirk appeared on the shadow’s face.

The shadow glanced around before silently following the elves…

Unbeknownst to the shadow, a few kilometres behind it, a male could be seen.

The male was standing on a branch, he was wearing a dark cloak, only his red eyes could be seen. He was staring at the shadow with cold eyes, a smirk appeared on his face before he followed the shadow while flicking his dagger.

In the deepest parts of the woods

Shin opened his eyes slowly, only to see a wooden roof.

Huh, did I pass out?

After thinking about the situation for a moment, he quickly figured out where he was.

I’m in Malika’s territory?

“Did you wake up?”

Malika’s voice contained concern.

“Yes.”

Shin replied quietly, not sure why, Shin opened his mouth and asked a question.

“Should you be talking, what if you are found out?”

Malika had a faint smile on his face as he answered.

“You don’t have to worry about that, only you can hear me.”

Shin nodded before trying to sit straight. A pain could be felt from within himself, but he felt calm as he sensed an aura not far from where he was. Shin turned his head towards one of the windows, seeing a large tree a couple hundred meters away.

Shin was about to ask Malika about that tree, suddenly the door behind him opened with a creaking noise.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

A soft voice sounded behind Shin.

Shin nodded and turned around, what he saw was an elderly woman in a green robe. The woman had blonde hair reaching down to her chest, she had wrinkles on her face and her eyes were blue. Another thing Shin saw was that her ears were long.

The elderly woman’s smile didn’t falter when she saw Shin staring at her. That was because when Shin was staring at her, she was staring at Shin in return. What she saw was a young youth at the age of twelve, eyes shining brightly which represented his innocence and his remarkable beautiful face.

After half a minute, Shin widened his eyes for a moment before speaking.

“I am very sorry for staring.”

He wanted to bow, but he felt his chest burning, he supressed the coughing, but he tasted the blood clearly.

“Oh no, there are no need to act respectful here.”

The elderly woman narrowed her eyes when she saw that Shin’s body wasn’t recovered.

“It might be late, but my name is Eva Wathan, may I know your name?”

Eva asked with a soft voice, but she didn’t keep her eyes off Shin.

A bright smile appeared on Shin’s face.

“Shin.”

“Shin von Meria is my full name.”

Eva nodded, she did see the happiness and joy on Shin’s face when he said his full name.

“I might be impolite, but there is something I need to ask you.”

“Sure, I will answer if I can.”

Shin smiled, he wasn’t worried at all. This was his trust to his Guardians, they would never send him somewhere if it could harm him.

“Why do you have the presence of the First Wood King on your body?”

Eva squinted her eyes and asked, but her voice still was soft and gentle.

The first thing Shin did when he heard the question, was to tilt his head.

“First Wood King? Who’s that?”

Eva saw that Shin genuinely didn’t know who the ‘First Wood King’ was, she was shocked because she could clearly feel the presence on his body.

When Eva was about to ask another question, Malika used even more of his soul to showcase his presence even more on Shin’s body. Eva was flabbergasted, because she was becoming unsure if the presence on Shin’s body was real or not before Malika showcased his presence even more.

Eva trembled slightly before calming herself down.

“Maybe you know him as some other name, who was the one that lead you here?”

“Ah…”

Shin nodded like he understood, but his expression showed that he truly didn’t get it.

Is the First Wood King, Malika…?

But, how can he be a king?

If Malika could hear Shin’s thought, he would certainly be depressed.

“Uhm, are you talking about Malika?”

After thinking about it carefully, Shin asked carefully while glancing at Eva.

Eva’s eyes widened up at once, because only a few people knew the real name of the First King Wood. Because his name wasn’t written anywhere, and only a few certain families passed down the true history of the Elven Kingdom orally.

When Eva was deep in thought, she heard something even more shocking.

“Right, it can’t be true. How can Malika be a king…”

Shin muttered in a low voice for himself.

Unbeknownst to himself, Malika’s presence shuddered and sent a depressed aura everywhere but not at Shin.

Eva had cold sweat running down her back, she figured out that the child in front of her was sent here by the First Wood King; Malika of the Woods. And, even more shocking, Malika of the Woods didn’t harm the youth when he said, ‘how can Malika be a king…’. This meant that Malika regarded the youth in front of her very highly.

Shin tilted his head for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Why are you ears so long?”

Malika’s presence weakened a lot when he heard Shin ask Eva that.

Not knowing why, Shin felt that Malika was trying to supress his laughter.

Eva could see that Shin was honestly asking, and it helped a lot when the presence of Malika faded.

“My ears are long because I’m an elf.”

She smiled and replied Shin.

“Elf, what’s that?”

Shin asked another question, he was very curious because he hadn’t seen anyone with that long ears before.

Eva raised her eyebrows for a moment before a smile appeared on her face.

It seems like he barely knows anything.

Perhaps Malika of the Woods is protecting him because of his innocence and purity?

“It’s a race.”

Eva answered Shin, thinking that it might not be enough, she continued.

“The Elven race looks almost like Humans, one of the traits which could be used to differentiate the two is our ears.”

“Oh!”

Shin nodded with a smile, finally understanding what an ‘elf’ was.

Eva saw that Shin went quiet, she knew that Shin was someone important, therefore she opened her mouth and said with a soft voice.

“There must be a reason for you coming here, right?”

Shin didn’t reply at once, he turned his body and raised his hand, poking towards the big tree outside the window.

“That tree.”

“It is supposed to give me more time…”

Shin’s eyes narrowed slightly as his voice became a little eerie.