I woke up to the sound of hoofbeats and official-sounding voices drifting through the manor's windows. Multiple carriages, judging by the noise, and way too much pomp and circumstance for a Tuesday morning.
"Your Majesty," came Lord Garrett's voice from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps. "The emissaries from the capital have arrived! Representatives from the Arcane Council, the Royal Court, and—oh, this is wonderful—even a delegation from the Elvish Territories!"
My blood turned to ice. Through the window, I could see an entire convoy of fancy carriages with official seals, and people in robes that screamed "important political figures who definitely expect me to commit to this bit permanently."
"Nope," I whispered, rolling out of bed. "Absolutely not. I am not about to get trapped in political meetings for the next three months."
"Having second thoughts about the celebrity lifestyle?" Nyx asked, amusement clear in her voice.
"It's not about the mannerisms or protocol—Akselondt drilled all that into me until I could probably out-etiquette actual High Elf nobility. It's about the expectations. Those people out there want to discuss military campaigns, resource allocation, long-term political strategy. They want me to actually start ruling a kingdom."
The footsteps were getting closer. Lord Garrett was probably seconds away from knocking on my door, expecting me to receive these emissaries and then spend the next several weeks planning the liberation of Eldoran like I actually knew what I was doing.
"The issue isn't whether I can play the part," I continued, quickly gathering my gear. "It's that once I sit down at that table, I'm committed to following through on reconquering an entire magical empire. That's not a weekend project."
Time for the most dignified exit strategy ever: a window escape at three in the morning.
I quickly gathered my equipment, grateful that the Starfall Robes didn't wrinkle and that legendary gear was apparently self-maintaining. As I strapped on Moonglaive, I realized I needed to leave some kind of explanation that wouldn't make Lord Garrett think I'd been kidnapped or murdered in his guest room.
Grabbing some parchment from the writing desk, I channeled my inner Ellolia and composed what was probably the most pretentious note of my entire existence:
"Lord Garrett,
The stars have whispered of urgent matters that require my immediate attention. As the constellations align in patterns known only to those who carry the blood of ancient Ennaria, I must depart to fulfill a quest that cannot be delayed.
Your hospitality has been a beacon of light in troubled times, and Stonehaven shall always hold a place of honor in my heart. The path ahead is one I must walk alone, as the celestial guidance I have received speaks of trials that will test the very essence of my sovereignty.
Please convey my regrets to the esteemed emissaries. The stars' guidance is not to be ignored, and the quest before me will require solitude and spiritual preparation before I can properly assume the burdens of leadership they would discuss.
Fear not for my safety, for I am protected by powers older than memory itself. When the time is right, our paths shall cross again.
May the moonlight guide your steps,Ellolia of the Starfall"
I read it over and cringed so hard I nearly gave myself whiplash. It was absolutely the most over-the-top, mystical nonsense I'd ever written. It was also exactly the kind of thing a High Elf Sovereign would leave behind.
"That's... actually not bad," Astrid commented. "Sufficiently vague to avoid specific commitments, mysterious enough to discourage pursuit, and dramatically appropriate for your supposed station."
"I feel like I just wrote the fantasy equivalent of 'my planet needs me,'" I muttered, placing the note prominently on the bed.
The knocking had started. "Your Majesty? The emissaries are most eager to make your acquaintance!"
I activated Shadow Meld and became one with the darkness. The window opened silently—thank god for well-maintained hinges—and I slipped out into the pre-dawn gloom like the world's most overdressed ninja.
The manor's back garden was extensive, with enough landscaping to provide cover for a stealthy retreat. I could hear more carriages arriving, more official voices discussing protocol and proper forms of address. Yeah, definitely the right call to bounce before this turned into a months-long political commitment.
"Where exactly are we going?" Selene asked as I Shadow Stepped between ornamental trees.
"Literally anywhere that isn't a conference room full of people expecting me to plan a military campaign," I replied, making my way toward the town's outskirts. "I need time to figure out what I'm actually capable of before I promise to liberate an entire kingdom."
"You could have simply met with them," Nyx pointed out. "Your etiquette training was thorough enough."
"And then what? Sit through weeks of strategic planning where I have to pretend I understand the current political landscape? I know how to act like Ellolia, but I don't know the first thing about actually being a ruler."
I reached the town walls and scaled them with a combination of Moon Dash and good old-fashioned parkour. The guards were focused on the main gates where all the official delegations were arriving, not on small figures disappearing into the wilderness.
Once I was safely beyond Stonehaven's borders, I allowed myself to fully materialize and took a deep breath of the cool morning air. The forest stretched ahead, promising anonymity and time to actually process what the hell I'd gotten myself into.
"So what's the actual plan?" I asked myself, following what looked like a hunting trail deeper into the woods. "Because 'run away from responsibility' isn't exactly a long-term strategy."
"You declared yourself Sovereign of Eldoran," Astrid reminded me. "That means you've committed to eventually reclaiming Eldoran's World Tree, which is currently occupied by forces that make the Iron Hand look like amateur hour."
"Yeah, but I said 'eventually.' That's a very flexible timeline."
"The emissaries will spread word of your return throughout the kingdom. Every remaining High Elf settlement, every underground resistance group, every person who's suffered under the current regime—they'll all be looking for you."
I stopped walking and sat down on a fallen log, the weight of what I'd committed to finally hitting me. "I really did just announce myself as the protagonist of this world's liberation storyline, didn't I?"
"More or less, yes."
"And now I'm literally hiding in the woods because I panicked about the paperwork."
"Character development is rarely linear," Nyx observed philosophically.
I pulled out some of the travel rations from my pack—Lord Garrett had insisted on sending me off with enough supplies for a week, bless his enthusiastic heart. The dried fruit was actually pretty good, and gave me something to do with my hands while I contemplated the absolute chaos I'd created.
"Okay, new plan," I said, more to myself than to the voices in my head. "I need to actually understand what I'm dealing with before I can handle the responsibilities I just claimed. The real Ellolia was centuries old with massive magical training and political experience. I've got her etiquette and cultural knowledge, but I have no idea what the current state of the kingdom actually is."
"A reasonable assessment," Selene agreed. "What did you have in mind?"
"Road trip. Hit up some smaller settlements, deal with problems that are actually within my current power level. Get a feel for what's really happening in this world, build up my magical abilities, figure out what being 'Sovereign' actually means in practice. When I'm ready to take on kingdom-level threats, then I'll resurface."
"And if the emissaries track you down?"
I grinned, feeling some of my old streaming confidence returning. "Then I'll give them the full High Elf experience. But hopefully, by then, I'll actually know what I'm talking about."
The sun was fully up now, and I could see smoke rising from what looked like a small village in the distance. Perfect. Time to start this fact-finding mission properly.
"Alright, chat," I said, standing up and adjusting my pack. "Operation 'Figure Out What The Hell I Just Signed Up For' is officially underway. Let's go see what this world is really like."