Robinson's heart pounded wildly.
The moment the princess and her knights turned their gaze toward him, his instincts screamed one word: run!
Without thinking, he spun around and dashed through the forest.
"I'm not a criminal!" he shouted — though of course, no one understood.
The pounding of hooves echoed behind him, growing closer with every breath.
Branches whipped against his face as he ran, his lungs burning.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the sound of horses faded into the distance.
Robinson slowed down, gasping for air.
"They're… gone?" he muttered, glancing around.
Only the whispering of leaves and the hum of unseen insects answered him.
He wiped sweat from his forehead and looked ahead — and that's when he saw it.
A thin trail of smoke rising between the trees.
"Smoke? From a chimney?"
Following the faint smell of burning wood, he pushed through the underbrush and found himself standing on a ridge.
Below, nestled in a valley bathed in starlight, was a small village.
Wooden cottages lined the dirt paths, their roofs thatched with golden straw.
People moved about carrying baskets of fruit and clay jugs.
At the center of the village, a stone fountain sparkled under the light of two glowing moons.
"A village…" Robinson whispered in awe. "So this isn't Earth after all."
He stepped forward carefully, descending the slope toward the quiet settlement.
But as soon as his sneakers touched the cobblestone path, heads began to turn.
Villagers stopped their chores.
Eyes widened.
Conversations hushed.
An old woman pulled her child aside, eyeing him suspiciously.
A young man at the well froze mid-motion, staring at Robinson's jeans and black shirt.
And near the fountain, a group of girls lowered their voices to whisper among themselves.
"He's… really handsome."
"But look at those clothes—so strange!"
"Do you think he's from the northern lands?"
Robinson gave them an awkward smile.
"Uh… hi?" he said, waving slightly.
The villagers just blinked. They didn't seem to understand his words.
Before he could say anything else, a tall young man stepped forward.
He had brown hair tied back and carried a wooden spear across his back.
"Hey, you," the man said firmly. "Where did you come from? Those clothes aren't from any kingdom I know."
Robinson hesitated. "Uh… I'm just… lost?"
The man frowned. "Lost? Through the Gelian Forest? That's impossible."
He narrowed his eyes. "Are you hurt?"
Before Robinson could answer, a calm voice interrupted.
"Let him be, Theo," said a girl walking toward them.
She had soft, silver-violet hair and carried a basket of flowers. Her eyes shimmered a pale blue, gentle but curious.
"He looks exhausted and frightened."
Theo sighed, lowering his spear.
"Fine. But if he causes trouble, it's on you, Lyra."
The girl smiled faintly, then turned to Robinson.
"My name is Lyra. This is Lunareth Village. You're safe here."
"Lunareth…" Robinson repeated softly.
"So this really is… another world."
Lyra tilted her head. "Another world?"
He quickly waved his hands. "Ah, no, I mean… this forest is really beautiful."
She giggled, a light, musical sound.
"Strange, but polite," she said. "You must be hungry. Come, follow me."
That night, Robinson sat beside a warm hearth in Lyra's small cottage, eating a bowl of vegetable stew that tasted oddly sweet but comforting.
The night sky above Selenaria Kingdom shimmered softly, painted with drifting blue auroras.
From afar, the silver towers of the royal castle gleamed beneath the moonlight — majestic, yet carrying a quiet tension in the air.
The great doors of the palace opened slowly.
Princess Liora Selenar stepped inside, her blue cloak flowing with her graceful, determined stride.
Guards bowed as she passed, though her mind lingered elsewhere — on the strange young man she had met in the forest earlier that day.
At the marble staircase leading to the grand hall, someone was waiting.
Prince Kael Selenar, her older brother, stood with his arms crossed.
His dark hair was slightly tousled, his silver eyes sharp and watchful — the eyes of a seasoned knight "You're finally back. The sun's been down for hours, Liora."
Liora sighing softly "I know, brother. We stopped in the southern woods… I found something. Or rather, someone."
Kael raised an eyebrow "Someone?"
Liora "Yes. A man — a stranger. His clothes were strange, not from any land I know of. Not a knight, not a traveler, not one of our people."
Kael's expression hardened slightly "A stranger, you say?"
Liora nodded. "There was… something odd about him. A faint light surrounded him before we approached. I can't explain it."
Silence filled the grand hall, broken only by the distant trickle of the palace fountain.
Then Kael spoke quietly "Interesting timing. The royal seer just returned from the southern temple. He said the old prophecy's signs have begun to stir again."
Liora rolled her eyes slightly.
Liora: "Oh, not this again. Another prophecy."
Kael's gaze sharpened"Don't mock it, Liora. The prophecy of the Star Knight isn't just an old tale. Grandfather once spoke of it — the same words that warned of the first darkness a century ago."
Liora met his eyes, her voice firm but cold."And you truly believe that? That some mysterious outsider will appear and save our kingdom?"
Kael said nothing, only stared out the tall window toward the glowing sky.
Liora stepped closer, her voice rising with conviction.
Liora "If darkness really comes, then the people of Selenaria will fight it with their own strength! Every one of us is a true knight — we don't need a savior from another world!"
Kael turned to her, a faint, almost sad smile on his lips.
Kael"You've always been strong-willed, little sister. But fate doesn't ask for belief — it simply unfolds. Whether we welcome it or not."
Liora spun around, her cloak swirling gracefully.
Liora"Then let fate wait. I'll believe it when I see it with my own eyes."
Her footsteps echoed as she walked away through the tall columns of the palace hall.
Morning sunlight filtered through the small window of the simple inn in Lunareth Village.
Birds chirped outside, and the faint smell of baked bread wafted from the kitchen. But when Lyra entered the room, her face fell.
"Huh? Robinson's gone!"
The blanket was still messy, but the bed was empty. Lyra immediately ran outside, calling the village youth on watch.
"Theo! Robinson's disappeared!"
Theo, the friendly young villager, turned quickly.
"What? Disappeared? Since when?"
"Since this morning. I went to wake him for breakfast, but he was already gone."
Theo sighed.
"That kid… I hope he didn't wander into the forest again."
Meanwhile, Robinson was at the edge of a crystal-clear river, a few kilometers from the village.
The cold water splashed against his skin, refreshing him after a night of strange dreams.
He had just finished washing and was about to put on his T-shirt when he noticed a tall, bald, muscular man standing in the water across the river, holding a long spear to catch fish.
Robinson crouched behind a rock to watch.
But without realizing it, his hand brushed against a beehive nearby.
"A–ah…!"
His foot slipped, and he tumbled into the water, creating a huge splash.
The bees buzzed loudly, flying around him, and Robinson panicked.
The bald man turned sharply, his deep voice booming:
"Who's there?!"
Robinson emerged from the water, soaked, his hair plastered to his face.
"Uh… sorry… I was just… washing up!" he mumbled awkwardly.
The man looked at him, raising an eyebrow, then laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Rarely do strangers fall into the river because of a beehive! You're quite the character!"
Robinson, still shocked and confused, admitted:
"I… I don't have a home here…"
The man nodded, as if understanding.
"I'm Borek. I live in the village at the foot of the castle. If you want, you can come with me. You can eat and rest there."
Robinson nodded, relieved.
He didn't know anything about the village, but at least he wouldn't be alone.
"Alright… I'll come with you. Thank you."
Borek slung his spear over his shoulder and started walking toward the village, with Robinson following, still dripping wet, walking slowly while taking in the strange, new world around him.
"So… this is my temporary home, huh?" Robinson murmured to himself.
He had no idea what awaited him in Lunareth Village, but one thing was clear: his life in this new world had truly begun.