In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. The knights and soldiers of Shadow Keep learned that their lord had offered his loyalty to a young Lord.
It was hard to imagine, but not impossible to understand. The defeated had only two fates, submission or death. It had been that way since ancient times.
Messmer had lost to Nolan in full view of everyone, with no concealment and no excuses. Everyone knew the mighty Demigod had been utterly crushed.
It had been a battle that drove people to despair, so hopeless that no one could see even the faintest chance of victory.
What truly shocked them was what the young Lord had said.
"Become my son!"
It was naked humiliation. Yet Messmer, the one being humiliated, had actually called him "Father."
For a time, Shadow Keep was filled with grief and anger. The soldiers likely believed Messmer had only accepted such humiliation because he had been threatened by some despicable means.
What had been used against him? Their lord's life? The life of the Caria Princess? Or perhaps the lives of everyone in Shadow Keep?
Anything was possible, yet the humiliated prince refused to explain. That silence was exactly what tormented the soldiers most.
For a lord to sacrifice his dignity for his subjects was a subject's shame.
So even with Messmer's order to protect Nolan, the soldiers still could not help gnashing their teeth at the man who had insulted their lord.
Sensing the murderous stares around him, Nolan sat on the throne of the Piercing General and curled his lip.
"These people really don't know what's good for them. Their lord gained a father. For all they know, he might be thrilled."
"Yay, I won! Nolan, from now on, you owe me one request you can't refuse."
Trina finally cried out in excitement, rocking back and forth as if she were galloping on a fine horse.
"I know," Nolan said helplessly. "So what's your request?"
The wager had still been accepted, but the two sides had switched positions. In the end, the Goddess had regained her trust in the Promised Consort.
But since it was a wager, the two of them naturally could not stand on the same side. That meant Nolan had no choice but to bet on the other one. He could not even refuse, because this Goddess had been making his ears hurt with all her shouting.
Hearing Nolan's question, Trina could not help glancing at Ranni, then at Miquella and Melina nearby, before finally turning her gaze back to Nolan.
They stared at each other like that. Trina looked into those beautiful eyes, thought for a moment, then said, "I haven't decided yet."
"What a gentle Goddess," Nolan sighed.
"As long as you know it." Trina poked Nolan's cheek and said irritably, "You should really have at least a little self-awareness."
"Self-awareness? That's one of my strengths." Nolan was still looking at Trina, his gaze clearly that of someone admiring a treasure.
"Hmph. I don't see it." Trina rolled her eyes at him, then pouted.
The corners of Nolan's mouth lifted slightly.
"Whether you see it or not doesn't matter. My promise is valid for life. You can tell me when you've made up your mind. Naturally, what the Promised Consort values most is a promise."
"The Promised Consort? I suppose that's barely a decent name," Trina muttered under her breath.
Trina stopped talking. Nolan looked left and right, then turned to the gloomy Half-Kindling girl and asked,
"Melina, how are you feeling? What did Messmer say to you?"
Melina, her brows drawn together, turned to look at Nolan. Her expression was even heavier than usual.
"My origins, and my mission. Did you know all along?"
"Yeah... I knew." Nolan nodded.
"Then why didn't you tell me sooner?" Melina seemed not to have expected Nolan to admit it so easily, and she asked in some confusion.
"Leaving aside whether you would have believed me, what would telling you have changed?" Nolan smiled gently. "Would it have done anything except add to the worries of a simple, lost, and slightly foolish girl?"
"I'm not foolish," Melina argued.
"I know." Nolan's smile grew much warmer as he spoke softly.
"I also know that girls like to overthink things. Maybe while I wasn't paying attention, that cute girl would turn into a piece of wood and go up in flames with a bang."
"You don't want me to become Kindling?" Melina asked.
"That's right. I don't." Nolan met Melina's eyes and answered seriously.
"Why?"
"Because the girl named Melina is standing alive right in front of me," Nolan said.
"Foolish mercy. The Lands Between need a Lord. Becoming Kindling is my mission." Melina lowered her head, hiding her entire face beneath her hood.
"A fool calling someone else foolish? You really have grown." Nolan nodded at Melina.
"But rough work like burning trees should be left to grown men. So, young lady... your mission is gone."
Melina froze. She could not blame Nolan for calling her a fool. The girl, still sunk in the sorrow of fate, suddenly remembered the great feats this man had accomplished.
What was that great tree in the north? A divine tree equal to the Erdtree? Before this man, were its thorns any different from ordinary firewood?
If this man could burn away the thorns of The Scadutree, then he could also... The mission she was supposed to bear truly no longer existed.
"But... burning the tree is the reason Kindling exists. Without a mission, do I... still have any reason to exist?" Melina could not help thinking.
The girl fell silent, but Nolan seemed to have read her mind. He scratched his head and said, "A mission like that loses its meaning the moment someone forces it onto you."
"So, young lady, something meaningless like that can't decide your existence. You're in front of me not because the Kindling is here, but because Melina is here."
"I... don't understand," Melina said quietly.
"That's right. You're not supposed to. If I said this to Trina, she would already have thrown herself into my arms. But Melina is different, because Melina is a fool."
Nolan was clearly helpless against the Goddess on his shoulder, whose eyes were blazing with anger.
"I told you... I'm not stupid." Melina raised her head, then lowered her gaze and said gloomily, "I just don't know what I should do."
"Then do whatever you want. Marika's daughter, Messmer's sister, and the beautiful girl who belongs to Nolan. All of those are you," Nolan said.
"When did I start belonging to you?" Melina noticed something wrong.
"Have you forgotten? What was the price of our deal when we first met? 'Me and Torrent.' Those were your own words."
Nolan wore an expression that seemed to ask whether she was trying to go back on her word, and it made Melina feel guilty.
"That's not what I meant." Melina felt Trina's murderous stare from the side, and her confidence weakened even further.
"That has nothing to do with me. You made a promise with the Promised Consort. Whether you admit it or not, it can't be undone," Nolan said.
"That's completely unreasonable." Melina felt utterly powerless and spoke in a dull, unhappy voice.