Chapter 536: A Mysterious Woman by the Lake

Nolan appeared three hundred meters from the palace, observing the quiet surroundings.

Only the World Tree stood tall, its massive trunk glowing like a cluster of delicate fireflies.

"The gaze came from the north," he whispered uncertainly. "But Seria isn’t there—she’s in the west. So who’s watching me?"

He pondered it, but no answer came. In the end, he realized the only way to find out was to go himself.

His figure vanished and reappeared six hundred meters to the north.

Nolan was immediately struck by what he saw—a lake.

It wasn’t particularly large, but its beauty was breathtaking. Small water lilies floated on the surface, while fireflies danced above them.

Lotus flowers bloomed among the lilies, and a few blue butterflies glowed with a faint, ethereal light.

"Isn’t it beautiful? This lake is called Nertyhim, which means

’source of life’

in the Elven language."

A soft voice spoke beside him.

Nolan turned and saw a stunning woman, who had appeared from nowhere, sitting just five meters away.

She was exceptionally beautiful, as if sculpted by the goddess of beauty herself.

Her beige hair was tied in a charming half-bun.

She wore a long, whitish-green dress that fell to her calves.

Her figure was graceful and perfectly proportioned.

A mole rested just beneath her eyelid, and her light green eyes shone softly in the moonlight.

Nolan frowned and asked without thinking, "Who are you?"

Earlier, he had been one hundred percent certain he hadn’t seen her. Yet somehow, this woman had appeared out of nowhere, as if from thin air, without him noticing.

It was worth noting that Nolan had never once let his guard down since arriving in the Elf forest.

By all logic, he should have sensed her presence earlier. But in reality, he hadn’t noticed her at all.

The woman smiled—her smile was like sunlight spilling gently over the world.

"Weren’t you looking for me?" Her voice was soft, soothing to anyone who heard it.

Nolan felt his guard drop instantly. He didn’t know why, but he sensed no danger from her.

His body seemed to naturally repel any hostility toward her. It was a strange feeling, one he had never experienced before.

"Are you the one who gave me that look?" Nolan asked calmly, walking toward her and sitting down beside her.

The woman giggled and admitted, "Yes, I am. I’m sorry. I was just curious about you and peeked at you without meaning to."

There was no falsehood in her words, and slowly, Nolan’s cold expression softened.

"It’s fine. But you still haven’t answered my question. Who are you?" he asked, curiosity edging his tone.

This woman was truly mysterious. He sensed no unusual power from her, nor any threat.

Yet somehow, she radiated an aura that put Nolan completely at ease, making him instinctively want to be closer.

The woman stretched out her legs and replied playfully, "As for that, I can’t tell you. Anyway, you’ll find out sooner or later."

Her answer annoyed Nolan slightly, but he could only shake his head helplessly.

"I understand."

After exchanging a few more words, Nolan decided to return to his room. He already knew who had been watching him, so there was no point in lingering.

Although this place was beautiful, sleeping on a soft bed felt far more comfortable.

As he was about to leave, the woman’s voice came again from beside him.

"Can you come again tomorrow?"

Nolan was about to refuse, but her pitiful, hopeful expression immediately destroyed that intention.

In the end, he nodded weakly. "Alright... I’ll come again tomorrow, same time."

After saying that, Nolan’s figure vanished from sight.

The woman couldn’t help but smile and whispered,

’Singularity of Chaos, huh? Hehehe... finally, we can meet in person.’

***

Over the next few days, Nolan settled into his usual routine.

He slept, ate, and read novels during the day, and at night, he went to meet the mysterious woman.

They chatted casually, and before he realized it, visiting her had become part of his routine.

Their bond grew steadily, and Nolan had begun to think of her as a friend.

On the fifth day, there was a knock on his door.

Knock!

"Singularity of Chaos, it’s me, Luna. Sorry for ignoring you the past few days. Would you like to go for a walk?"

Nolan closed his book and set it on the table. He put on his cloak and mask, then opened the door.

Standing there was Luna, dressed in a beautiful gown. There was none of the sadness she’d shown at the dinner table a few days ago—her face was now full of radiant smiles.

"So... have you made up with your mother?" Nolan asked casually.

Luna blushed and nodded shyly.

"Yes... I’ve made up with her. My mother apologized first and said I could return to Sister Shion’s place in the capital. She only asked that I send a letter once a month so we can stay in touch," she explained, relief evident in her voice.

This issue had been weighing heavily on her. She knew her mother was stubborn, and once she made a decision, it was nearly impossible to change her mind.

But strangely, earlier that morning, her mother had come to her room and said she could return to the Blue Moon Trading House—on a few conditions, including sending a letter every month.

Nolan chuckled softly. He wasn’t surprised by the outcome; it must have been Seria behind all this.

After all, she was the only woman who could sway the queen’s mind.

He, however, had no intention of telling Luna. Calmly, he said, "I see. I’m glad to hear that. By the way... are we heading back now?"

In truth, he had already started to grow used to life here. His nightly chats with the mysterious woman had broken the monotony he’d felt for so long.

It felt as if he had finally met someone who truly intrigued him.

But he knew he couldn’t stay for long. The battle for the throne was still ongoing, and he had no idea what might have happened in his absence.

Luna shifted awkwardly and said, "Can we stay for two more days? My mother wants a little more time with me so she can feel at ease letting me go out into the world."

Nolan didn’t mind. "I understand. Later, if you want to go back, just tell me, alright?"

Luna’s eyes sparkled as she nodded eagerly.

"I understand!"

"Well then..."

As Nolan turned to walk back to his room, Luna suddenly called out, stopping him.

"Singularity of Chaos... do you have a moment?" Her voice sounded shy and hesitant.

Nolan: "?"