"Tara, stop!"
"But—!"
Stopped by a cold, clear female voice, Tara whipped her head back, her expression a mask of conflict.
Mohg, still locked in a stalemate with Tara, followed her gaze with curiosity. Sure enough, a tall woman dressed in the raiment of a Night Maiden was making her way through the ranks of Nox Swordstresses toward him.
Her attire was adorned with intricate patterns and gemstones that other Night Maidens lacked—a clear indication of her high status.
"Unknown traveler, I wonder which faction you represent?"
"As I said before," Mohg replied with a faint smile, looking directly at the Night Maiden, "I represent the faith of the horn culture, though I am quite different from the entities you likely associate with that term."
Namiya studied Mohg for a long moment.
"To be honest, if it weren't for the strength you just displayed, along with your bearing and conduct, I would suspect you were merely an Omen refugee who had crawled out from some gods-forsaken hole."
Mohg's expression stiffened for a split second, but he quickly recovered.
"That is indeed my fault. Coming through the rot, it is difficult to ensure one's garments remain perfectly intact. I ask for your understanding."
A flicker of gravity passed through Namiya's eyes. Being able to traverse the Lake of Rot unscathed said a great deal about his capabilities. As for whether he was lying... the lift below only led to the Lake of Rot. There was no reason to lie about it; any path he took to get here would have required passing through that wretched, stagnant place.
"Before we speak formally, I have yet to learn your name."
"Namiya. I am the leader of this generation of the Eternal City."
Namiya nodded and gave Mohg her name, a gesture that signaled her recognition of him as a potential partner.
Part of it was due to the strength Mohg had displayed, but it was also about his potential. More importantly, there were far too few beings in the Lands Between willing to associate with the survivors of the Eternal City these days. Since someone with decent power had finally shown up, she wasn't about to turn him away immediately.
"Tara, escort Lord Mohg to the drawing room."
"Understood."
Tara gave a slight nod. Having accepted the order, she turned her focus back to Mohg.
"Please follow me, Mister..."
"Mohg."
"Yes, Mister Mohg."
Tara nodded with some visible effort and signaled the others to disperse.
Mohg followed Tara up the stairs. Only now did he truly have the time to appreciate the scenery of the Eternal City.
"Truth be told, the view here is quite spectacular..."
"If you had to look at this unchanging, false night sky every single day, you wouldn't think so," Tara replied, her voice tinged with a strange, weary emotion.
Seeing this, Mohg didn't press the subject. He knew he had accidentally touched upon a sore spot for their people.
"What are those things?" Mohg asked, pointing.
Tara followed his gaze to see several Silver Tears slowly wriggling across the ground.
"Those are technological creations of our Eternal City."
Mohg nodded, waiting for more details, but Tara fell silent. She simply gave him a brief glance and continued leading him toward the drawing room.
Mohg shrugged. It was to be expected; he was currently only a guest and a potential collaborator.
Once he was settled in the room, Tara left immediately, looking as though she didn't want to spend another second in his company.
Shortly after she departed, a silver mass wiggled its way inside. Its head had reshaped itself into a platter-like form, carrying a chalice filled with a silver liquid. After placing the cup in front of Mohg, the Silver Tear turned and wriggled away. Watching this, Mohg found himself genuinely curious—was it really necessary for the thing to turn around?
"It seems you are quite interested in our technological creations."
Namiya's voice rang out from outside the door, and she stepped in to sit directly across from Mohg.
"Ah, yes. I believe anyone seeing such a thing for the first time would be intrigued. After all, such products are unheard of on the surface."
Namiya nodded in agreement. However, this wasn't the primary focus of their meeting. Recognizing him as a guest was one thing; agreeing to an alliance was quite another.
"So... now you must tell me your true origin and what you represent. Do not try to brush me off with those vague words from earlier."
Namiya stared intensely into Mohg's eyes as she spoke.
Mohg chuckled. He spread his fingers, and in the next moment, the bloody power of the Formless Mother manifested in his palm.
The instant that power appeared, Namiya's brow furrowed.
While she didn't believe power was inherently "good" or "evil," the power of blood carried side effects—it tended to drive its wielders into a state of madness and bloodlust. If she collaborated with such a person... she worried about a knife in the back.
"The power of the Mother of Truth... I never expected to see a follower of that deity in this age. Though, considering your heritage, I suppose it isn't that surprising."
Mohg wasn't shocked that she recognized the source of his power. The Formless Mother was a deity forgotten in the depths, and since the Eternal City resided in those same depths, it was natural they would know of her.
"However," Namiya continued, "it seems your forces are not particularly strong. So... in this cooperation, what do you have to offer? Furthermore, we must be wary of your people falling into a frenzy under the influence of the cursed blood. I don't see the gains outweighing the risks here."
"Our potential is worth your investment," Mohg said, slowly standing up to meet Namiya's gaze. "The Mohgwyn Dynasty does not permit its members to indulge in mindless slaughter. To butcher the defenseless or to crave the blood of allies is a violation of the honor of blood."
Namiya's eyes widened slightly at the mention of "honor." She didn't recall the word "honor" ever being associated with the faith of the Formless Mother...
But potential...
Namiya narrowed her eyes, as if weighing where exactly this "potential" lay.
"Within my veins," Mohg declared, "flows the blood of a god."
Namiya's eyes snapped wide. After a moment of stunned silence, she let out a sudden, enigmatic laugh.
"Fine. I acknowledge you as our ally!"
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (352 Chapters – Ongoing)
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