Facing Gwen's words, Malenia did not answer immediately. After meeting Gwen's gaze for a moment and confirming that the man calling himself the Sun King was not joking, she gave a slight nod.
Her faintly gleaming prosthetic arm slowly rose, revealing the blade attached to it. Malenia's surging fighting spirit was no longer concealed and erupted in full, making Goreq, who was nervously watching the meeting from the battlements, turn pale.
"Miquella's Blade, Malenia."
Although she had earned the title of Valkyrie through a series of wars, Malenia had always considered herself Miquella's Blade.
As for Gwen's terms, Malenia had no ability to refuse them—
Whether it was herself, suffering under Scarlet Rot, or the Sacred Tree that required Miquella's blood to sustain it, both needed Miquella's return to continue existing.
If Miquella could not be found, both she and the Sacred Tree would inevitably meet destruction.
Under those circumstances, as long as Gwen could help her recover Miquella, she could accept any condition, just as she had said.
As for becoming another person's subordinate being beneath her dignity—
If Gwen truly possessed strength above hers, strength enough to become Elden Lord, then what was wrong with submitting to him?
Though the Sacred Tree seemed faintly independent of the Golden Tree, was she not still a vassal of the Golden Dynasty?
The instant her prosthetic blade rose, a clear, fluid sword intent, yet sharper than the cold wind of the northern snowfields, surged toward Gwen like a tide. One wave followed another, seemingly without end.
Even though they were merely caught in its wake, Goreq and his subordinates on the battlements turned pale.
This was the power of a demigod-level warrior. Even standing motionless on the battlefield was enough to rob an enemy army of its courage.
Yet although fear