My Love Debts Are Everywhere!

At the sound, Leon, Elina, and Nana immediately stopped in their tracks.

Ahead of them stood two elves, each with a bow in hand, their gazes sharp and alert.

Both were tall, slender men—around 185 centimeters in height.

Their long, straight green hair reached down their backs, and their pointed ears framed eyes that matched the color of their hair.

The moment they saw them, the surprise on Nana and Elina's faces turned to joy.

"Rhaven! Faelar!" they called out, voices filled with excitement.

The elf on the left, Rhaven, and the one on the right, Faelar, stood frozen, staring at the girls in disbelief.

"You… Nana? Elina?" they exclaimed, still in disbelief.

Both girls had vanished from the village long ago—especially Elina, who had been missing for over a year without a single trace.

Some believed she had been devoured by wolf monsters, while others thought she had perished from the curse of their race—a punishment for those who dared to flee the Forest of Eternal Silence.

But no one truly believed either theory. Within Elina flowed a mysterious power that protected her—a power only those with the bloodline of the Elven Queens possessed, one that awakened when its bearer was in danger.

That made the idea of her being killed by monsters seem absurd. And the second theory? Even less likely.

The curse of their race was always marked by a dramatic, unmistakable phenomenon—but when Elina disappeared, there hadn't been the slightest sign of it.

After all, they were all too familiar with those signs—others had tried to escape before, and the result had always been the same.

And now, seeing Elina again—safe and sound—left the two elves with only one possible conclusion: she had actually made it out of the forest unharmed.

Rhaven and Faelar exchanged glances, the fear and unease clearly showing beneath their expressions.

Elina couldn't help but laugh at their reactions. Folding her arms across her big chest, she snorted smugly. "Hah! Surprised to see me alive, aren't you?"

Faelar hesitated for a moment and swallowed hard. "Elina... is that really you? You didn't die after leaving the forest?"

Even though he already knew the answer, disbelief lingered in his voice.

After all, escaping the Forest of Eternal Silence was thought to be impossible—a belief passed down for 7,000 years, deeply rooted in their culture and hearts.

Rhaven wore a similar expression of awe and confusion, staring at Elina like she was a living miracle.

Elina sighed lightly, just as she was about to speak—but Nana jumped in ahead of her.

"She really is Elina, Faelar! Can't you tell?" She huffed, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms in annoyance.

Faelar scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Well… sorry. It's just hard to believe anyone could come out of the Forest of Eternal Silence alive—especially Elina."

"By the way," Rhaven cut in, eyeing Leon with caution, "who's this guy? He's human, isn't he? Humans aren't allowed in our territory."

At that, Faelar also turned to examine Leon more closely. There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes—along with a trace of admiration.

Although he was reluctant to admit it, the human man was undeniably handsome—perhaps even more so than the most attractive Elf in their village.

Despite his slender appearance, Faelar noticed the well-defined biceps and triceps on his arms. It was clear that beneath that mantle, his body was well-trained.

Elina rolled her eyes in exasperation. Rather than answering, she shot back, "Didn't my sister tell you about our return?"

The moment the word "sister" left her lips, both elves fell silent. Every elf knew that Elina was referring to the Elven Queen, the highest authority among their kind.

"Your sister—I mean, Her Majesty—didn't tell us anything, Elina. Did she leave any orders that we missed?" Faelar asked, his surprise evident.

Elina paused, realizing that Rhaven and Faelar likely hadn't received any orders from her sister. That seemed odd. A command from the Queen should have reached all the guards.

Perhaps they had just returned from a hunt and replaced the previous guards, missing the news in the process?

Leon, who had been quiet up until then, seemed just as confused.

Zelda, the Elf Queen, had told him that she would issue orders to the guards so they could enter without hindrance.

But why was this happening?

"Rhaven! Faelar! What are you doing there? Are there intruders?"

A shout rang out from behind them. The five turned toward the voice and saw a striking Elf walking over, his brow slightly furrowed.

Upon seeing him, Rhaven and Faelar quickly bowed. "Forgive us, Leader Thalon. These are not intruders, but Nana and Elina—who were previously thought to be missing."

Leader Thalon looked surprised. As he stopped beside them, his gaze shifted to Elina and Nana, and his face lit up with relief.

"You're back? Thank goodness... I thought you two were gone for good," he said, patting his chest in a gesture of relief.

Elina had been gone for a year, leaving him and the entire Elf in a state of panic.

Meanwhile, Nana had been missing for two days, which had been enough to make them anxious.

Thalon hadn't expected the two to return together, which caught him off guard.

Nana smiled and bowed politely. "I apologize for worrying you and everyone, Leader Thalon."

Thalon smiled warmly and gently rubbed her head. "It's alright, Nana. But your mother is very worried. I hope you'll visit her soon."

Nana raised her head and nodded firmly. "Don't worry, Leader Thalon. I'll see her right after this."

"Good!" Thalon nodded in approval before his gaze shifted to Leon.

Without warning, he clasped his hands together and kowtowed respectfully.

"Welcome, Fated One. Forgive me for not welcoming you sooner."

The words instantly stunned Faelar and Rhaven, leaving them frozen in place.

Their hearts raced as they locked eyes on the human before them.

"Did you hear that, Faelar?" Rhaven asked, his voice shaky.

Faelar nodded stiffly. "Yes, I heard it... The leader just mentioned the name... the Fated One?"

They stared at each other, their faces drained of color. The title was sacred—recorded in ancient manuscripts and taught to them from childhood.

The realization that they had been rude to the very person who turned out to be the Fated One sent a chill down their spines.

Without thinking, both dropped to their knees, deeply kowtowing to Leon, mirroring Thalon's gesture.

"Welcome, Fated One! Please forgive our impoliteness!" they exclaimed in unison, cold sweat trickling down their necks and backs.

Leon let out a quiet sigh of relief. It was fortunate Thalon had arrived and cleared everything up so swiftly—otherwise, they might have been caught up in unnecessary tension.

"Get up, there's no need for all that," Leon said calmly, his voice steady.

Bowing might have been acceptable, but kowtowing felt excessive. It made him seem like a god—something that made him uncomfortable.

At his command, the three slowly rose to their feet.

"By the way, is Zelda in the palace?" Leon asked.

Thalon smiled and nodded. "She is, Fated One. Her Majesty is waiting for you."

Normally, calling the Queen by her name would be considered an insult, but to the one standing before them—the Fated One—it was perfectly natural to address the Queen directly.

"Alright, then. Let's go see her first," Leon said, stepping forward.

But suddenly...

"Fated One, I apologize for the interruption, but may I ask a small favor of you?"