"I told you, it was just to kill time." Thorne snatched the paper. He started to crumple it. Ready to toss it in the trash. A hand clamped down on his.
"Since you wrote it already, tell me. Where do you rank yourself?"
Just moments ago, you were scolding me.
Thorne rolled his eyes. Smoothed the crumpled paper. Glanced at it. His finger landed between the Cleanrot Knight and the Banished Knight.
"Judging by overall strength, I'd say around here."
Sellen's eyes widened. "An upper-tier knight? Apprentice, you're not bragging, are you?"
How little you think of me.
Thorne didn't explain. He said, flat, "If you underestimate me, Seluvis will cry."
"Hehe, true." Seluvis's name. Sellen laughed, instantly happy. She paused, remembering their first meeting. "It's amazing, really. So weak when I first met you. Now, you're qualified to live well in The Lands Between."
Thorne knew his leveling was quick.
He'd been a foot soldier when he arrived. Now, in a heartbeat, he could stab Godrick. He didn't dwell on it. He changed the subject. "Teacher, how do you like the clothes I got you?"
"Cool to wear, but a little tight. I'm used to magic robes."
Who asked you about comfort?
He dropped the topic. He pulled book after book from the spirit-calling ring. Before he could speak, a thud. Sellen had flopped onto the bed.
"Didn't you want to talk about primeval glintstone?"
Sellen rolled over, pulled up the quilt. "Teacher's very sleepy now. We'll talk tonight." She was as willful as ever.
Fine. I'm sleepy too.
Thorne yawned. Last night's fatigue returned. He picked up his hunting gear. Preparing for a bath. Then, a serious problem.
Wait. Where do I sleep?!
Thorne and Sellen were just passing through. The war was no concern of theirs.
Meanwhile, at the top of the castle, Malenia stood by the window, silently overlooking the north. That direction held the Haligtree Army's offensive. A giant Golem's wreckage lay against the wall. Cracks spiderwebbed across it. The open ground behind was scarred with craters. Fallen boulders. Broken weapons. Human limbs. Everywhere. Godrick's soldiers, disarmed, gathered their fallen. They tossed the bodies into pits, ready to burn.
Thin smoke rose, and the storm swept the nauseating stench of corpses everywhere. Malenia's nose twitched, and she turned away in disgust. War never ends, and hatred endures forever. This was a hall with a long history. The solid wood floor was filled with the marks left by time. A giant painting hung on the wall; the person in it was muscular with disheveled silver hair. Just looking at it, one could feel a surging, overwhelming fighting spirit. That was King Godfrey, the founder of the Golden Order, and a name synonymous with the God of War in the hearts of warriors.
When looking at this painting, Malenia's gaze held a bit less arrogance. Faced with a greater epic, she had to show her respect. "Your Highness, they have arrived." Adjutant Finlay approached and bowed in a knight's salute. The Valkyrie, dressed in casual clothes, looked away and walked silently toward the front seat. Knight Finlay understood and went to open the hall doors. Footsteps echoed as two allies of the Haligtree Army, dressed in different attire, entered. The one at the front had a broad executioner's sword at his waist; he was Marais, the head of The Shaded Castle.
Behind him was a lame old man, General Niall of the Banished Knights. The Haligtree Army was a coalition. Malenia's direct forces actually only consisted of the Cleanrot Knights, but her immense prestige could unite various powers. The Shaded Castle was in the northern Altus Plateau, extremely far from the Haligtree, but that didn't stop the head of the house, Marais, from kneeling on one knee on the spot and praising from the bottom of his heart:
"Your Highness, you have created another epic.
I have already ordered the bards accompanying the army to spread your brilliant military achievements throughout The Lands Between as quickly as possible!" It was quite sycophantic, lacking any of the dignity of an ally, but everyone present felt it was normal. The males of the Marais family were born afflicted by disease—a curse that even the Erdtree's blessing could not resolve. Perhaps attracted to the Valkyrie, who was also born flawed and suffered from the Scarlet Rot, this head of the house was practically a fanatical pursuer. "Thank you, but I do not care for that."
Malenia's expression was indifferent as she simply asked, "The first phase of the combat objectives has been completed. Will The Shaded Castle continue to fight alongside me?" "Of course. I have already ordered The Shaded Castle to send another thousand soldiers. Wherever your blade points is where my heart belongs!" "A thousand? What about the defense of The Shaded Castle? Are you not afraid of a sneak attack by Rykard?" "That Lord Justiciar has his hands full dealing with Morgott; he has no time to sneak attack The Shaded Castle.
"Besides..." The man pressed his right hand to his chest, bowed low. "For your goal, I would not hesitate, even if it meant losing my territory!"
His fanaticism, almost a twisted worship, left one speechless.
Malenia nodded, her tone unchanged. "I am moved. Thank you."
Hearing the word 'moved,' Marais visibly trembled with excitement. Before he could offer more, the Valkyrie looked away.
"Niall, what are your thoughts on returning to your homeland?"
A bitter smile etched itself across the old general's weathered face. He scanned the hall, his gaze settling on the giant portrait. The King. A hero. A conqueror. The storm remained, but their King was gone.
"Things have changed. Everything has changed. But rest assured, Your Highness, my loyalty to Lord Miquella remains unwavering."
Stormveil was his home. Few of the original knights remained. Most had scattered. The branch he led had gone north. Their homeland conquered, their former loyalty now a sin. They were called Banished Knights.
"Your Highness, I wish to replenish our forces in Stormveil Castle and see who else wishes to leave this place."
"Those who wanted to leave have long since left. Try if you must." Malenia paused. "Do not dwell on the military success at Stormveil. Our target is that 'Starscourge General.' His prowess needs no reminder."
The mention of Radahn immediately shifted the atmosphere. Everyone knew Godrick was unfit to even polish Radahn's boots. That was why the Haligtree Army hesitated to launch a direct assault.
"He commands prosperous Caelid and the powerful Redmane Army, while we are on a long-distance expedition..." Old General Niall considered, then spoke carefully. "Your Highness, must this battle truly be fought?"
"It must be fought. I am certain my brother is somewhere in Caelid," Malenia answered without hesitation.
Ah, this...
The old general's mouth moved, but the word 'negotiation' remained unspoken. The two sides were already enemies. To claim the goal was to find Miquella — only a fool would believe that. It was a deadlock. Even if Thorne declared Marika appeared in his dream, revealing someone else had taken Miquella, it would be useless unless Radahn himself delivered him. Impossible. Malenia had no interest in the throne, but Radahn sought to decide the victor and ascend. The Haligtree Army was his greatest enemy.
Having finally caught an opportunity to wait for an exhausted enemy, it was better than him leading the Redmane Army on an expedition to the north. "This battle cannot be avoided. Radahn will never stand idly by and watch us return to the Haligtree," Malenia's voice was resolute, cutting off all paths of retreat. "Yes, intelligence has already arrived that the Redmane Army has completed its assembly." Finlay immediately took out a document and said coldly, "Their assembly point is right on the Limgrave border, waiting for us to head over."
"But there is intelligence saying that those flying dragons are constantly harassing them from behind. Is the assembly of military forces intended to resolve that back-end trouble?" Niall remembered something. The flying dragons were descendants of the Ancient Dragons. If it weren't for them constantly causing trouble in the rear, with a coward like Godrick, Limgrave would have been swallowed by the Starscourge General long ago. "No, the Dragon Mother 'Greyoll' can already hardly move. Those flying dragons alone cannot hurt Radahn's core strength.
As long as we show signs of retreating, he will surely rush out and bite our tail to seize the initiative." Malenia shook her head. The Haligtree Army had crossed the entire The Lands Between; the journey was thousands of miles, and both coming and going were difficult. Even though she missed her brother every day, she remained cautious in the face of a formidable enemy. "But the flying dragons can also help us.
If Radahn does not take the initiative to attack, we will rest and reorganize in Stormveil for a month, prepare our armaments and provisions, and then, in peak condition—"
"Fight the decisive battle with Radahn!"