"...And that is essentially how it happened. Afterward, I followed Radagon's army across the Altus Plateau and arrived here at the Royal Capital."
Raven gave a general account of the recent events—Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, the assassination attempt in the bunker... Aside from certain personal secrets, he didn't hide much. None of these events were strictly confidential; anyone with the means could easily find out the truth. It was simply that the distance between Raya Lucaria and the Capital was great, and it took time for the finer details of news to travel.
"Did Radagon say anything to you?"
"Nothing. His emotions seem quite detached, and he treats me with a noticeable coldness. Everyone can see it," Raven replied.
"I see. He has done quite a lot behind my back," Marika said. "And so, what do you think? Who do you believe sent those assassins? What threads of conspiracy do you think are hidden behind these events?"
"I... I don't know."
"It doesn't matter. You and I will uncover the truth together. We have plenty of time, don't we?"
Marika's voice was as melodious as a song, each word carrying a divine power that could enchant the soul. Listening to her, Raven felt that if he were asked to repeat what she had said moments later, he would likely remember nothing. He only knew that he was happy to hear her speak; it felt as though her words were incredibly wise and just, making his heart ache to agree with her quickly, if only to seem as clever as she was.
"Even within the Capital, there are those filled with ambition and treachery, lurking in the shadows and peering into my palace. Perhaps you have ambitions too? No matter, I do not mind! You are special. I know that, in the end, you will stand by my side and protect me." She laughed. "I know you have secrets, and I have mine. Shall we explore each other's secrets together, Raven?"
Raven listened to Marika's musical voice, yet to his ears, that music felt like a rising storm.
"This palace is like a cage, and I am the bird trapped within—no, a bird in a cage can at least choose to flee through death. I am a bird embroidered upon a folding screen, stitched amidst silk and false clouds of gold. I am ageless and immortal, until the years grow long, my feathers grow dim and moldy, and even in death, I remain fixed upon the screen."
Marika stroked Raven's chest. "But you are different. You are a bird from outside the cage. You are a Carian Warhawk that can never be truly bound, even if caught. Every feather on your body reflects the radiance of freedom. You shall be my morning star, my hero. Together, we shall overcome all malice."
She snapped a second branch and tossed it into the water. Raven kissed her golden, sand-like hair, his lips brushing past her flawless, jade-like cheek until they met her crimson lips. She smiled, winding her arms around his neck, and they tumbled together into the waters of the Dewkissed Herba.
Gasp!
Raven's eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright in bed.
"Oh, you're finally awake." A young girl dressed in white spoke lazily.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Raven clutched his throbbing head, his vision swimming with bouts of dizziness.
"You're in your own quarters. The palace the Capital assigned to the Carian Prince." The girl hopped down from her chair, her bare feet pattering against the floor. "I am St. Trina. You can just call me Trina."
"Why am I here... Trina? And you're—"
"Alright, alright. I just came to check on the effects of the Dreambrew. Since you've slept off the wine, my work here is done. Bye-bye." She waved her hand. "You can sleep as long as you like, though it's already noon, you know."
"Hey, wait—" Raven tried to call out to the girl, but she had already pattered out the door.
"What happened?" He rubbed his temples, finally feeling his mind clear. He realized he was lying in a massive bed, wearing nothing but a nightgown. "Last night, I..."
Was everything last night a dream or reality? He struggled to remember. Images flashed through his mind—mist, splashing water, Dewkissed Herba, Marika's jade-white body, soft murmurs... but the details were becoming impossible to grasp.
Sitting stiffly at the head of the bed, Raven wondered if he should just lie back down, pull the covers over his head, and pretend nothing had happened.
"Dammit, what did I do?" Before coming to the Capital, Raven had planned everything meticulously. He had even considered the worst-case scenario: having a sack thrown over his head and being tossed into a dungeon the moment he arrived. No matter the situation, he had a countermeasure—but this specific scenario was truly beyond his imagination.
Marika... what was her stance, exactly? How much of what she said was a lie, and how much was truth? Raven recalled the promotional videos for Elden Ring he had seen in his previous life before his reincarnation. There hadn't been much content in the trailers, and the few images provided were quite cryptic, but Raven still remembered the tragic sight of Marika, her body covered in cracks, hanging from the Elden Ring.
In the narration, it seemed to mention that before the game's plot even began, Queen Marika had already vanished, and the order of the Lands Between had collapsed. A character who only appeared in the background lore clearly couldn't be the ultimate mastermind.
Looking at it that way, Marika was a victim—some power had destroyed her. So, could the Black Knife Assassins who had tried to kill him in the bunker also come from that same power?
Raven analyzed it this way. Subconsciously, he was reluctant to assume Marika was an enemy.
Radagon, Marika, and demigods like Godwyn and Rykard whose motives were hard to discern, as well as various military generals, high-ranking clerics, and the remnants of ancient races defeated by the Golden Dynasty... the various forces were tangled and complex. With so little information, Raven couldn't push his analysis any further.
His Carian Royal combat attire was hanging neatly on a rack, with his staff and the Sword of Night and Flame beside it. Seeing the sword, Raven relaxed slightly, while secretly scolding himself for losing consciousness to the point where he didn't even know when his weapon had been removed.
No, wait... did I take the sword off myself?
Slap!
Raven slapped his own face.
He took off the nightgown, dressed himself in the clothes from the rack, and hung the sword and staff at his waist. At that moment, a rhythmic knocking sounded at the door.
"Come in," Raven said.
"Prince Raven, I am the butler of this manor. You may call me Hughes." A gaunt elderly man walked in, his back as straight as a rod. "May I ask if you require servants to assist with your washing and grooming?"
"No need," Raven said. "By the way, who was that girl just now?"
"A girl? I have been waiting outside the door the entire time and saw no girl. Perhaps Your Highness has not yet fully recovered from the wine and saw a hallucination?"
"No, there was definitely a girl—" Raven was mid-sentence when he saw the butler pull out a stack of documents and a letter. "What are these?"
"This document is the warrant authorizing Your Highness to form your own knightly order. Please review the details." Hughes handed over the documents with a solemn expression.
"Oh." Raven's interest was fairly low. He figured the Capital was simply going to assign him a dozen or so knights—guards in name, but spies meant to monitor him.
He took the papers and began to skim. After just a few lines, he was struck with shock.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(68 Chapter - Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────