The City of Osan, Northern city gates.
"Father, when will you come back?" Eren asked Elijah as the latter sat on his magic colt. It seemed that the father and son duo had been talking to each other for quite some time as the boy followed his father to the city gates to bid him goodbye.
"I… I have to tell you something, Eren," Elijah spoke with a voice full of seriousness as he looked at Eren. "We… we may not be able to see each other for a very long time."
"Oh. Alright. When can I see you again?" Eren took the news very lightly as if Elijah leaving him behind was not a new thing for him.
Eren didn't mind his father leaving. A man had to work, and Elijah had made Eren realize that he genuinely cared for him. Kinship and love didn't have to be shown by constantly staying together.
"I… I am not sure," Elijah smiled mirthlessly at Eren as he saw how casual his son was even after knowing they may not see each other for a very long time, or ever. He could only blame himself for making Eren a strong individual at such a young age who didn't need constant parental support to grow.
"It'll be a while," Elijah said in a neutral voice. "If things go according to how I want them to, we may see each other in a few years. But I have a feeling they won't be," Elijah spoke in a grim tone as he stared at the path leading outside the City of Osan in front of him.
"Why do you have to go then?" Eren asked, looking at Elijah with a puzzled expressions. "Send someone else to do that job for you. Scroll seven says: delegate the task to your subordinates if you find them too tedious. Hire people to do dangerous jobs for you by offering large rewards. The world will never lack desperate people. Use them," Eren said as if stating the contents of an official document from his memory.
"Hahaha," Elijah chuckled. "I know what I have written in the scrolls I gave you, son. After all, I wrote them," Elijah's expression turned serious as he said. "But this is not something that can be done by methods mentioned in the scrolls. Because if I don't go, someone might come looking for me here. I don't want that. And before you ask, I can't take you with me. It's dangerous," Elijah said before Eren could open his mouth to speak as if anticipating what his son was thinking.
Elijah then told Eren where he was going and how to find him. As far as Eren understood, this place was not in Anfang and was very far.
Nevertheless, Elijah told Eren to remember the place and how to find him without worrying too much about anything else. Elijah told Eren that if he was one day strong enough to leave Anfang, he could come looking for him using the information provided.
Eren could tell that Elijah was not really expecting Eren to find him using the information that was provided. The only reason Elijah had given him the information was for his own peace of mind and to give Eren another reason to start his journey as a Ranker with zeal.
"So… this… this might be the last time we are seeing each other. Where's Mother? Did you tell her?"
Only now did Eren seem a little agitated. He realized that this was not like the usual drill and that his father might never come to see him again.
"We… We talked about it soon after you were born, son. I offered to let her come with me at that time," Elijah said and sighed, a tone of disappointment in his voice.
"But she didn't seem too thrilled about it. I guess she still isn't okay with it and I don't blame her for it. So I won't make her choose again and will leave quietly.
Besides, if your mother stays here, that is good for me as well. At least she'll be here to look after you. As for the others, I have already told them I'm going on a solo mission. So that will be my official record after I disappear.
I suggest you don't tell anyone else about what we talked about. Otherwise, it might bring more trouble for you."
Elijah requested his son. He knew he was asking for something big from a mere child. However, he knew that Eren was mature enough to keep his secrets.
"Alright. I'll tell no one. Not even mother," Eren said while nodding at his father. One could tell that he was intrigued about sharing a secret that only he and his father knew.
"Eren, even though your talent as a Ranker will be subpar, you are exceptionally smart. It is indeed a blessing," Elijah's voice turned soft as he spoke to his son while patting his colt.
"But a smart mind needs discipline. A routine. Otherwise, it will overthink and overindulge in negative things and destroy you from within.
So be careful of your own mind. It is your strongest weapon and most dreadful enemy.
Also, you need to work on your people skills. They are not as good as you think they are. Fake your emotions if you have to. Fake them until you start feeling them for real.
You also need to learn how to read people better so they don't end up taking advantage of you and your intellect. There's a difference between being book-smart and being street-smart, my son."
Elijah concluded and flashed a smile at Eren.
"Your mother is here, so I know you'll be okay," Elijah assured Eren as he led his magical colt by the reins.
"She'll look after you when I'm away. Nina will visit too. Listen to them both. Goodbye, Eren.
I hope we'll meet again. If not, I hope you find someone you can trust, who makes you feel things others can't." Elijah finished speaking and let his colt run to the city gates, leaving Eren behind.
"Goodbye, father," Eren said plainly. While watching his father leave, he realized he wasn't like other kids. They often cried when their parents left for a long time. But when Elijah said goodbye, Eren didn't feel too upset.
Eren wasn't happy that Elijah had left. He wanted his father to stay, to guide him always. But Elijah was usually away as any regular Ranker in Anfang, so Eren found it easy to cope with his father's final departure.
