"Stormveil is just ahead. After staring at the Scarlet Rot for so many days, I'm actually starting to feel a bit out of place seeing normal colors again."
Gawain sighed as he led Torrent along the path. It was evening, and they were finally approaching their destination. After parting ways with Millicent, he had made a quick stop at Redmane Castle. Since there was still some time before the Radahn Festival began, there was no need for him to stay there indefinitely.
Having personally cleared out the Kindred of Rot in the heart of the Great Swamp, it would take time for new ones to gestate. This had significantly eased the pressure on both Redmane Castle and Sellia, Town of Sorcery. Seizing the window of opportunity, he had decided to take the perfumer Philia back to the castle first.
"Is that so? You seemed to be enjoying yourself quite a bit," Elsa remarked, looking back at him. "After that day, hardly any rot-creatures dared to approach the Smoldering Wall. I took the chance to have a few trolls reinforce the defenses. At least now, with the shift change, I can finally head back for some rest."
Elsa glanced at the transport caravan following them. Just two days ago, a fresh supply of flame-spitters, fuel, and relief troops had arrived. With the newly established watchtowers, she was no longer worried about the perimeter being breached.
She was more than happy to return. After days of slaughtering those monsters, even her armor carried a stench she couldn't seem to scrub off.
She hadn't originally planned to walk back, but she had run into Gawain returning from Redmane Castle with a perfumer he'd found somewhere. Duty required her to escort them back to the city.
"Honestly, I thought you'd stay until the festival was over," Elsa added. "So, did you see him? The legendary 'Strongest Demigod'?"
"I only caught a few glimpses from a distance. Even if he's been driven mad by the rot, he's still terrifying. I'd say he could take on ten Godricks without breaking a sweat."
"Only ten? That sounds lower than I expected. Are you underselling him?"
"Hmm, fair point. Maybe a bit."
"Let's not dwell on it. Keep moving. I think I see Irina waiting for us up ahead."
Philia sat in the back of the caravan, gazing at the colossal city shrouded in storms. She had seen it once before from a distance while traveling through Limgrave toward Caelid, but back then, the notorious Godrick the Grafted had been its master.
Fearful of being caught and turned into "grafting material," she had stayed far away. She never expected to enter this ancient city as a guest under these circumstances.
She made a silent vow: this time, she would achieve something great. If she ever had the chance to return to the Royal Capital, she wanted her peers there to look at her with new respect. She had to make all the hardships she'd endured on the road worth it.
"Welcome back, my King. You've had a long journey."
"Wait, Irina—I probably smell terrible right now."
"It's fine. I don't care."
Gawain felt a bit helpless but hugged Irina nonetheless. Their public display of affection caused Elsa to look away with a face of pure disgust. In her mind, romance was just a distraction that slowed down her sword swings—though she couldn't help stealing a second glance. Is it really that happy of a thing?
Irina took Gawain's hand and led him into the city, excitedly recounting the changes that had occurred in Stormveil during his absence.
"It seems your recruitment drive at the Roundtable Hold was incredibly effective. Father told me yesterday that nearly a thousand Tarnished have come to pledge their service."
"A thousand? That many? Any trouble?"
The number exceeded Gawain's expectations. Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula combined had a population of fewer than a hundred thousand—the size of a small medieval state.
He had only seen a few hundred Tarnished gathered at the Roundtable. It seemed the lure of a stable, welcoming territory for their kind was stronger than he'd realized.
"A few troublemakers tried to slip in, but they were mostly caught at the gates. Strangely, though, we haven't caught any Recusants trying to infiltrate for several days now."
Gawain mused on this. Knight Bernahl had likely told his Recusants to back off, considering his maiden was currently a guest in the city. He wondered when those two would finally reunite.
"Oh, and the 'Old Knight' Istvan also volunteered to help. Having him around has saved us a lot of trouble."
"Good. He's a kind soul and can be trusted. In that case, we can start recruiting those Tarnished into the city guard. Relying solely on the Storm Knights is stretching our forces too thin."
Irina nodded. Between suppressing rebellions in Limgrave, exploring the Siofra River, and maintaining the front in Caelid, their mobile forces were indeed being pushed to the limit.
"Father is already working on the logistics. The Old King is also helping vet the recruits. Most of the Tarnished aren't top-tier warriors yet, but they're fighters by nature. With a bit of training, they'll be a formidable force."
Gawain agreed. Tarnished were almost all descended from warriors and usually came with their own gear. Where else could you find such high-quality, "cost-effective" brothers? They were likely just as grateful for a city to call home.
Before the sun fully set, he and Irina wandered the city. Stormveil was far more vibrant than he remembered.
New settlements were being expanded on the open ground of Stormhill. With trolls helping move stones, the construction efficiency was staggering. These new areas were intended for the arriving Tarnished and the nomadic peoples.
These areas had once been built up during the Storm Lord's golden age, only to be destroyed in subsequent wars. The previous ruler, Godrick, had no talent for governance, and after his humiliating defeat by the Blade of Miquella, reconstruction had been the last thing on his mind.
Watching the bustling city and the smile on the girl beside him, Gawain felt a sense of purpose. The Lands Between shouldn't be a place of eternal decay. This beautiful, fragile reality was what he wanted to protect with everything he had—even if he had to burn himself to keep the darkness at bay.
After surveying the city, Gawain and Irina visited the cemetery outside the walls. White jellyfish drifted through the air—legend said these spirit jellyfish were the manifestations of those buried there.
Using the storm to clear a patch of land, Gawain buried the urn containing the ashes of Commander O'Neil and his spectral soldiers. He planted the Commander's standard above the spot as a makeshift headstone.
"Consider our promise kept. As for the girl you cared about, I'll look after her and see her mission through. Rest easy."
Irina, having heard the story of the Banished Knights on the way, placed a bouquet of St. Trina's Lilies before the standard. She didn't know if the souls could see it, but she sincerely hoped these long-wandering spirits would find peace.
"So the old fool finally made it back, eh? You're far too kind-hearted, bringing him all the way from Caelid just for a burial."
The Old King's spectral form appeared abruptly behind them, his voice tinged with nostalgia. He remembered O'Neil well—a high-ranking general under his command. O'Neil's surrender after the defeat was one thing, but the Old King hadn't expected him to serve that Empyrean Miquella with such genuine devotion.
"Regardless, he did his part to suppress the Scarlet Rot in the end. Let him rest here. For many in this world, even death is a luxury."
The Old King said nothing more, quietly staring at the standard as if lost in memory—until something else caught his eye.
"That damned dragon is stealing Stormhawk eggs again! I'll go deal with it."
With a roar, the Old King's spirit vanished. High above, the flying dragon Agheel streaked across the sky in a desperate retreat, pursued by a colossal phantom of the Old King and a swarm of screeching Stormhawks. The "thief" was chased out of the city center before the chaos subsided.
"Er... does Agheel do that often?"
Irina nodded with a helpless expression. "Frequently. Even more so when you're away. When the hawks corner her, she turns into a human and hides behind me. I don't know what to do with her."
"Well, as long as it's just eggs. At least she isn't eating her 'colleagues' while she's on duty."
That night, Gawain changed into comfortable clothes. After a thorough bath, the stench of the Scarlet Rot was finally gone. He sat in his study, holding the scrolls Irina had handed him—detailed records of the city's progress.
To be honest, he didn't have much of a head for logistics or numbers. He was a traveler and a warrior; his "stat points" were all in combat. He could offer suggestions, but the heavy lifting of governance was beyond him.
Irina organized the scrolls, then seemed to remember something. "Oh, Master Sellen heard you were returning and wants to see you. Blaidd the Half-Wolf is also asking for an audience."
"They've met already? I'll go see them tomorrow. I actually have some questions about Gravity Sorcery I want Master Sellen to help me with."
"Gravity Sorcery? Isn't that the specialty of General Radahn?"
Gawain nodded. Ever since obtaining the Ruins Greatsword, he had been thinking about practicing Gravity Sorcery. Having a master like Sellen teach him would be far more efficient.
However, the fact that Sellen and Blaidd were already meeting likely concerned the destiny of the Carian Royal Family. Ranni probably wanted to collaborate to ensure the stars began to move again.
As he set down the scrolls, he noticed Irina had changed into an outfit he hadn't seen before.
It was her usual light color palette but designed with the flair of the Royal Capital—reminiscent of a noble's traveling attire but modified. The form-fitting cut clearly outlined her figure. The intricate patterns gave her an air of authority she hadn't possessed before; it seemed that working alongside Edgar to manage the city had truly matured her.
"The outfit looks good. Is it custom? I haven't seen it before."
Irina looked down at her new clothes, a small, triumphant smile playing on her lips. He finally noticed.
"Yes. I showed my old clothes to the city tailors and had them make something new that fits my current station. Of course... I only wear this one at times like this."
Click.
The door was locked. The windows followed suit, sliding shut via a pre-set mechanism.
Gawain tried to push the locked window, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck. He had just spent days fighting for his life in Caelid and was utterly exhausted. He thought he had reached a safe haven, only to realize he had walked into a different kind of "trap." Having washed himself up and delivered himself to her door, he felt a sudden surge of pressure.
"Er... I was actually hoping for some rest today. Maybe another time?"
"It's fine. Leave everything to me. I'm not letting you out until sunrise."
As Irina pinned her hair back and entered "combat mode," Gawain let out a futile cry before being caught.
"Gua! Elsa, save me!"
His plea for help barely cleared the wall before being muffled by a literal barrier of ice.
In the adjacent room, Elsa was meticulously maintaining her favorite weapon. The moment she had entered her room, she had anticipated this. Using her frost magic, she had created a soundproof wall. This time, she absolutely wouldn't be kept awake by the noise.
She thought she heard a faint sound and looked up, hesitating for a moment before returning to her work. Probably just my imagination. She had gathered many Runes from the recent battles; she needed to decide how to distribute them.
On the roof of another building in Stormveil, Sellen gazed at the starry sky. The time when the stars would converge over Caelid was drawing near. Catching a glimpse of the tall figure beside her, she let out a huff, thinking of a certain unpleasant person.
"Seeing you reminds me of that loathsome man, Seluvis. However, since you've promised that this collaboration won't disadvantage my apprentice, I'm willing to help you this once."
"My deepest thanks. In the future, I will personally retrieve your puppet body from Seluvis and return it to you," Blaidd said with a nod.
He knew the obstacle Lady Ranni had to overcome to step toward her destiny, and it was no small feat. For that, the help of that man was essential.
"That won't be necessary. I no longer have any need for that puppet," Sellen replied, shaking her head. She no longer had to fear for her life. "The destiny of the Carian Royal Family moves with the stars. Not even Lady Ranni, whom you serve, is an exception. But when General Radahn crushed the laws of the stars, their flow came to a halt. The man himself is the seal upon the stars."
"As long as General Radahn lives, the stars remain frozen. Are you truly prepared for the destiny that follows his death?"
Blaidd understood her meaning. He looked at Sellen with unwavering resolve. "I will never betray Ranni. As long as she can reach her destiny, I am willing to pay any price."
"Very well. My apprentice has returned today. You will see him soon. But can you really fulfill your promise alone?"
"Lady Ranni and my other companions will be visiting soon. The sincerity we bring will ensure this cooperation proceeds smoothly."
"Hmph. I hope so."
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