My name is Mugsagus, not Fujino Omori. He's the the Danmachi owner Officers I swear, not me!

"Where did he go!"

I'm running as fast as I can. The thick branches and bramble scrape against my skin. I can already feel small cuts forming and trickles of blood begin to roll down my arm.

"Find him at all costs, you hear me!"

Past the large rock. Under the bee nest. Over the small creak. I've done this plenty of times but this time my legs feel like they could cave any minute.

"FIND HIM!"

The voice makes me run faster, as fast as my small legs carry me.

"aahh."

I stumble down into a ditch. The rainy season only finished a week ago so the ground is still muddy and slippery. As I struggle to regain my bearings I realise something.

I begin frantically searching. I couldn't have lost it this quickly. It's so hard to find the letter as the tears streaming down my face constrict my vision.

Mom just gave me this letter just before she... died. How can I lose one of only two things that she gave me this fast? I grasp the second gift, a green necklace strung around my neck. I hold it tight and begin to breathe.

"Whenever you feel alone and scared, hold that tight and remember that I will always be with you."

I remember the words my mom told me when she gave me the necklace. She looked so frail at the time, the disease having taken so much colour and life from her body. But her eyes still held that same determination and strength they always held when she comforted me.

I shed more tears knowing that I won't see those eyes again but I listen to what she told me, replaying it over again in my mind.

After a minute, I wipe the tears from my face and scan my surroundings. I know where I am. Looking back up at the hill I'd dropped from I remember. This is it. This is the furthest I have gone away from the house. The 'carers' said that I was not allowed further than this and my Mom agreed, saying there wasn't much further. That was when there were others around.

"Listen here Leo, my darling, past that hill is a whole world waiting to be explored. Those stories that I've told you, of my time out there, barely scratch the surface of what is out there. I know one day you will all those amazing things."

Whenever we were alone, my mom would always tell me about what was beyond the forest that had been my home for the first 7 years of my life. But now was finally the time.

"Found it," I mumble to myself as I crouch down and pick up the letter my mom had given to me. I dusted the small crumbs of dirt on it, relieved to see it was neither damp nor ruined by the mud. I look back up, my jade eyes catching the sun glinting through the small cracks in between the mass foliage.

I mustered every bit of courage and determination within me and with a mental goodbye to the body that once belonged to my mother's soul, I set out into the world.

It took longer than I thought to reach the edge of the forest, something I'd later come to learn is called the Royal Alf Forest, home to the royal family of elves. I already knew my lineage and who I was, reminded every day by the snarky comments made by the maid staff and royal doctor who came and visited our house. They always call me 'half-prince' and 'your highness' in voices lathered in disdain and disgust. They never called me by the name my mom gave me nor did they refer to me as just a prince. The doctor said I was unworthy of that title. Of course, they never said that when my mother was with me but they wouldn't even acknowledge my presence when she was around, too infatuated and persistent in helping her, as they put it. I preferred that.

As I finally reach the edge of the forest, I see the blue sky begin to fade into sunset orange. I had seen the sky before, my mom taking me to a clearing in the forest. We would star gaze some nights. Those were my favourite memories of her. She seemed to know a lot about the stars.

I was not ready for the view that awaited me. Grass plains for as far as I could see. No large trees blocking my view. For the first time, I get to watch a sunset, for real this time. And it was beautiful. The way the blue meshes into the orange was extraordinary but to my surprise, it even held some yellow and red within. I could do nothing but watch, mesmerised at the sight in front of me.

I shake my head, forcing myself to remain concentrated. I was currently escaping, trying to leave the forest. I'm just about to take my first step, except my legs aren't moving. I look down to see they are shaking. My knees are wobbling. I realise my hands are sweaty and I hear my breathing begin to become erratic. The pounding in my chest that wasn't there a minute prior was making it feel like my heart was doing its best to escape the confines of my body.

What's wrong, what do I do? Why can't I move? Move body, come on just take a step. I've done it so many times so why is it so hard to do it now?

"You lot, search the permitter east. Set up a blockade. You're looking for a young half-elf with jade hair. Make sure you find him!"

The shout of a woman brings me back to my senses. Her voice is rough and stern and one I know. I instinctively jump back into the trees as I hear the clunking of armour get closer. I watch armoured guards with swords and bows strapped across their backs run past me. Then she showed up. The one that gave the order.

She was beautiful, but that was a given for most elves born near where I live, myself being the exception. She was atop a white horse with a horn sticking out its head. I think they are called a unicorn but my mind is worried about that right now. Why is she here, is it that important to find and stop me from escaping?

As General Lauria Linfelm, head of the second highest regiment in the royal army, rode up to 10 metres from the bush I was hiding in, I saw her pale blue eyes stare right at me.

'She knows!'

I could tell, she saw me. It was impossible that she hadn't. I had heard the stories about her, from my mother, the maids and even herself on the few occasions when she had visited my mother.

"Keep pushing eastwards, Lieutenant Farloum shall take up responsibility for this area in the next 15 minutes. We will continue this way!"

"HAI!"

As her soldiers registered her command, the sound of boots pounding on the ground became more distant. As she gave her order, she looked away and made her steed catch up to her men without a second look back.

I sit there, stunned.

"Did she just... help me?" I mumble.

The thought was so foreign to me that it completely shut down my mind. An elf, beside my mother, showing something that could be considered as a gesture of kindness... to me, a half-elf? No, that isn't possible, it just isn't. That would never happen, I mean she had even given away that no one would be supervising this area until that other guy got here in 15 minutes.

"Wait... wait, really?" I mutter to myself. Had she told me to get away and that I had 15 minutes to make my escape? I knew she was somewhat close to my mother but to go so far as to help her bastard half-breed offspring, the stain on the royal elf family. The reason for Princess Celia to be imprisoned by her father in the first place.

I decided not to dwell on whether she had helped me or not, instead realising I now had 15 minutes to get as far away as I could. I make my way back to the edge of the forest. I know why my body was shaking. I was scared. Scared of leaving everything behind. Everything that I had ever known.

'What exactly am I leaving behind? People who hate me for existing. A family who would rather see me dead. A deserted house that felt like a prison more than a home. That's why I'm leaving. To go find a new life, with a new family and a place to call home.'

As the half-elf prince took his first step, one of many to come, outside of the Royal Alf Forest, he grasped his necklace in one hand and the letter addressed to his aunt, the one he hoped would take him in, in the other.

Without a second glance back, the young 7-year-old half-elf Prince escaped. Little did he know that that small act of kindness from the General would be the last time someone gifted him such a thing until 7 years later, deep in the pleasure district Orario.

Hey, been a minute hasn't it.

Thanks for the support on the last chapter and I just want to say I didn't mention the reviews or put any after words because it was end of the first major arc of the story. Knossos and Evilus is finished but Hel is still out there. Nathan, now Leo (hope you like the first part of his real name being revealed, I wonder if you can guess what his real name is) is at rock bottom. Riveria is now going to be a major player now and I'm having a focus on Nathan's relationships more as after Freya Familia war and a singualr chapter on the school district arc of SO LN13, I will be ignoring any canon events afterwards.

As for this chapter, I think It's about time I began revealing my MC's backstory and how everything began. I've been drip feeding it but now it will be fully shown, though I'm not sure to do a backstory chapter, then a continous of the story chapter, then back to the backstory or just do the backkstory out right, if so it will be about 3-4 chapters, maybe.

Anyway, onto the reviews of the last chapter:

Jank7457: Yep, Hel is alive. The hunt? Maybe but I think the last thing that Nathan should do is try and hunt her down but I can't stop if he tries.

Guest 1: I'm sorry that I make you fel bad irl. I would also like a happy ending for him and it is a nice idea, having him be absolveed of all his crimes but unfortunatly, real life isn't a fairy tale and consequences exist.

Guest 2: Glad you like it, and hell yh it's badass!

Guest 3: It seems that way but you know what they say about Rock Bottom, only way's up... unless the rock crumbles beneath you.

Korakovroman9: Thanks. This story and the other, which should be my next chapter I finish, shall continue.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing and as always, See ya next time, Peace!