A Little Interlude (Continued)

"I see... It seems our last stop will be the Ringed City." Miss Surtr nodded. "Perhaps we can also meet Filianore there... I've heard that this youngest Goddess is just as beautiful as her sister, Sun Princess Gwynevere. I really want to see her for myself."

Indeed, in the Dark Souls series, there is basically no Goddess more beautiful than Filianore... After all, the modeling in Dark Souls III is the best, and she is the only proper Goddess to appear in Dark Souls III.

—Ah... Speaking of which, is Yuria really Goddess?

The girl's thoughts shifted lightly.

The Fire Keeper asked in a low voice, "Are you... interested in Filianore?"

"Well, a little... more than ten thousand years ago, when I was helping Gwyndolin, that effeminate god said that if I were a man, he would introduce his sister to me." She paused. "Of course, I met Him again before linking the First Flame. At that time, He said it didn't matter if I was a woman, the gods don't care about that... Although I never saw His sister in the end, I think Felenenor is probably the only unmarried member of the Filianore."

She felt her answer was quite ordinary.

But upon hearing these words, the Fire Keeper felt as if she were choking on something, a breath stuck in her throat, unable to escape—how could she respond to this doubt? How could she tell this red-haired creature, ' The Dark Sun wasn't just talking; the Protoss always keep their promises?'

Ah... that won't do. His Filianore wants to keep it a secret, to surprise her at the right time, and also to ensure she doesn't hold back in conquering him. Besides...

—Miss didn't directly ask about her relationship with His Highness, did she?

The breath she had been holding in was released gently, and the Fire Keeper bowed to the red-haired creature before her and began to tidy up the makeshift campfire camp.

"You won't be disappointed, Miss." Her words were vague and the meaning was very...subtle.

"Then I'll look forward to it." But the person was completely oblivious to this, instead showing a leisurely and longing expression. "The most beautiful Goddess of our time... Ah, I hope I can get along with her peacefully when I visit the Ringed City."

She said.

As she said this, Kal'tsit, who had been quietly observing, subtly rolled her eyes—it sounds nice, but if this girl really had that kind of drive, would Terra's group of sheltered, resentful women still be in this state?

Miss Lynx thought back to how her personal inbox had been overflowing every hour since news of Surtr's impending return to Rhodes Island spread. Reports, applications, all sorts of reasons and excuses—the sheer volume of documents vying to stay by that red-haired fellow's side was countless. A small portion came from within the island, but the majority from outside. It was practically like a modern-day idol drama that had recently become popular in Columbia!

—Okay, idol drama it is then. This guy has the makings of an idol.

—I really hope she can figure this out soon; it would be good for everyone that way.

Kal'tsit realized—after readjusting her self-positioning and temporarily categorizing herself as a friend—that she felt much more relaxed around Surtr. Not only was she able to control her words, but she was also gradually gaining awareness and understanding of many external circumstances.

She could tell from the conversation that the Fire Keeper and the Filianore had a relationship far beyond Goddess of god and follower. And there was probably some unknown connection between the Goddess and Surtr —to be honest, the Fire Keeper's loyalty to Miss Surtr was practically self-evident. How could such a reliable follower possibly serve two unrelated masters so faithfully at the same time?

—There must be some shared interest between Surtr and that Goddess that is unknown to others, or even to her.

—Perhaps it's some kind of covenant, or some kind of vow... This land is still too unfamiliar to me, and I imagine there are secrets I can't understand buried in places I don't know.

She didn't intend to voice her suspicions—what would be the point? To sow discord? Or could it bring her some benefit?

Clearly, none of the above applies. Therefore, she ultimately decided to remain silent.

They silently rose together to help the Fire Keeper tidy up everything in the makeshift camp.

The night was quiet and long.

Because of her Ashen Body, Miss Surtr didn't need sleep. So she told Kal'tsit and the Fire Keeper to rest inside the caravan. She, meanwhile, consulted a map and drove the Terra version of the campervan towards Farron's location.

She was right; the Fire Keeper had indeed bestowed a miracle upon the caravan. It had rendered the wagon weightless, allowing it to soar through the air pulled by the two gargoyle 'horses' at the front—she knew the principle behind it; it was the 'Stealth Arts' of the Dragon Academy's magic system, which eliminated sound and weight, making the wagon as light as a feather.

That's good.

Because it's a sky lane, as long as you find the right direction, you don't need to be bothered by the path or the terrain.

Although the world of Lordran has no magnetic poles and cannot use a compass, similar orientation correction devices are not uncommon.

So she drove forward, silently traversing the darkness. She passed through dense forests, across barren plains, over desolate rocky mountains and ancient ruins, over misty lakes and swirling seas of clouds—darkness could not hinder her; she could see every detail of this somber land. Many familiar and unfamiliar things appeared before her eyes, and she arranged and dealt with them accordingly.

She saw the settlement of the undead—or more precisely, the towns and villages that would become undead settlements in the future. Because at this point in time, there weren't many undead roaming this land. And that slaughterhouse that would become a notorious place in the future was currently just a town near the area of Sunken Church.

But she still recognized it—because the Corrupted Great Tree had caught her eye. In the game, the mountain-like tree had grown hands and feet, and the alien embryo within it was about to be conceived. In this era, where the flames were only fading and the rules of time had not yet become unbalanced, the cursed tree had not yet mutated from absorbing too much curse.

But it remains enormous, so enormous that the local townspeople worship it as a deity—they conceal its existence from the nation that rules the land and will feed it with undead in the future.

Therefore, as Miss Surtr drove her wagon over the town, she unleashed Flame Sword forged from the Profaned Flame in the direction of the tree.

The sleeping Fire Keeper and Kal'tsit were not disturbed, as the wagon was well-insulated, and she merely kept it circling in the sky without stopping. The crimson flames quickly reduced the cursed Giant Tree to ashes, for the curses accumulated within Giant Tree fueled the Profaned Flame.

This small matter has been settled.

Panic gripped the village. The townspeople, who would only be corrupted by the mysterious priests in the future, were now nothing more than powerless and ignorant fools. They did not resist, nor did they know how; they only screamed, wailed, and begged for mercy. And when Miss Surtr's caravan circled back and forth over the town, they knelt down to the sky to show their submission and fear.

Meaningless actions, Miss Surtr didn't care about that.

But Miss Surtr noticed something else she wanted to see—obviously, the Swamp Sorcerer wouldn't be in this village, which wasn't yet a slaughterhouse. But her gaze, focused intently, found a man and woman hiding in the crowd. The man was older, unassuming in appearance, but his nimble hands and feet suggested a skilled wanderer. The woman, on the other hand, was young and beautiful, protected by the man, and wore a blue tearstone ring on her finger.

—Found them, Greirat the thief from Dark Souls III, and Loretta, whom he longed for.

Miss Surtr thought to herself. In the game, Greirat is a character who is benevolent towards the Ashes from the very beginning. Once you rescue him from the prison within the High Wall of Lothric after completing the first map in the tutorial, he will appear at the Firelink Shrine and sell cheap items to the Ashes—so cheap that other trading characters are scorned by players as shady old hags and shady Patches. As the exploration of the Ashes progresses, he will also bring them more and more high-quality goods.

He was just an ordinary, weak man, incapable of fighting. But to repay the Ashes for saving him, he would steal goods for them three times. The first time was the Undead Settlement, easily accomplished. The second was the Irithyll; without the help of other characters, he would have died in the sewers. The third time, he would enter Lothric Castle after the Ashes had defeated most of the Lords of Cinder. He had already anticipated his death, but he still stepped into the castle, and after successfully stealing the goods, he failed to escape and died on the rooftop of the palace.

—Why would someone who is just an ordinary person go to such lengths?

—I can't understand, so...

—You shouldn't be a normal person anymore.

Miss Surtr thought to herself that although they had never met, that did not prevent her from making a willful decision—and so, the Flame-haired maiden lowered her eyes high in the night sky.

"I bless you, that swords may not touch you, that your strength may be perfected, that your mind may become sharp, and that your fortune may grow ever stronger." —Miss Surtr, speaking softly. The world acknowledged this otherworldly Word Spirit, and at the cost of burning the unclaimed soul of the entire Cursed Tree to ashes, the otherworldly art was established.

Unseen Blessing, falling precisely.

In the game, Loretta's Blue Tearstone Ring is usually the player's first accessory— Greirat will ask the player to deliver the ring to a woman named Loretta after Greret is rescued, venturing to the Undead Fortress. However, what Ash ultimately brings back is only Loretta's ashes and Greirat's despair. This protective ring, meant to shield life and save the wounded from certain death, becomes Greirat's first gift to Ash.

I was deeply impressed.

But even if you receive such a gift, it's hard to feel happy about it.

Miss Surtr pulled on the reins, guiding the gargoyle in its intended direction. Under the cover of night, she clearly saw Greirat's eyes, which she had blessed, suddenly brighten, a light of wisdom emanating from the depths of his previously clouded gaze.

He glanced around instinctively, then quickly realized what was happening. He took the girl's hand and swiftly headed towards the direction from the fortress.

The blessing has taken effect; this guy won't stay here, and he's destined to become at least a renowned knight, with a smooth and successful life ahead of him. So...

—The people we cherish and value are the ones we should protect with our own hands.

The girl pondered, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having achieved her wish, and continued sailing towards the distant place where Fran was.

The night is still long.