Blaidd

After Lin Luo left, Ranni finally came to her senses.

"Damn it!"

It was a good thing dolls could not blush, or else Ranni probably would have...

Ranni gripped the bouquet tightly.

"What is he talking about... saying that only he can become my king. Isn't that far too presumptuous..."

Ranni's voice gradually softened, and in the end, she did not finish her sentence.

Ranni hugged the bouquet tightly. For some reason, she had not felt this happy in a very long time...

She carefully placed the bouquet into a box as though it were a treasure, but then seemed to remember something and took it back out, holding it close.

A long-lost smile appeared on her face...

When he stepped out of the room, Lin Luo saw Melina quietly watching him by the stairs. She tilted her head, looking utterly adorable. Her reddened eyes made him feel an involuntary pang of tenderness...

Lin Luo wrapped an arm around Melina's waist and gently kissed her forehead. (Honestly, I'm not good at writing romance. Even though it's all written by one person, why do I feel like I've made the protagonist into such a scumbag? But it's fine—the one in Sadako's book is the real scumbag. ♪(´∪`●)ゝ)

"Come on. Let's go meet Blaidd."

Melina nodded lightly, leaned against Lin Luo's shoulder, and walked downstairs with him.

The three of them had remained on the rooftop for a long time, and the sky had already grown dark.

Yet Blaidd and Iji were still waiting there. Seluvis, however, had long since become impatient. If he had not been afraid that Blaidd would cause trouble for him afterward, he would have left already.

At that moment, Lin Luo came down from upstairs with Melina, and the three immediately noticed their arrival.

"Oh! You finally showed up. Some nobody actually made me wait here this long!" At the sight of Lin Luo, Seluvis finally found an outlet for his anger.

Lin Luo gave him a cold glance and could not be bothered to respond. He was merely a spirit, not worth his attention.

Besides, he would settle the score with Seluvis's real body sooner or later.

When Lin Luo ignored him and even looked at him as though he were trash, Seluvis was overcome with rage. What was that supposed to mean? Did he think I was garbage?

Seluvis pulled out his staff, ready to teach Lin Luo a lesson.

However...

Lin Luo's unwillingness to deal with trash did not mean Melina felt the same way.

A flash of golden light shot forth, instantly piercing Seluvis's body. He did not even have time to cry out before his spirit form dispersed...

It was only a spirit form, but it still possessed at least one-fifth of his true body's strength. On top of that, it carried his consciousness... It was impossible—at the very least, it should not have been instantly defeated, right?

Blaidd and Iji both examined Melina, shocked by her formidable strength.

Only then did Iji shift his gaze to Lin Luo.

"Hmm?"

"Oh? It's you... Lin Luo?"

Iji smiled faintly. "My memory is poor, but I remember your name, Tarnished. After all, it has been a long time since anyone chatted with me."

"Allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Iji."

"I heard that you intend to travel with Blaidd to the Eternal City and search for the way to Nokron."

"I am willing to offer every bit of advice I can. Please, you must succeed."

Iji coughed twice and cleared his throat.

"It seems my earlier warning was directed at the wrong person. I never expected you to be fated to meet and serve Lady Ranni. I can only say that I failed to recognize your worth. Please forgive me."

"And from now on, I hope we can work well together. Let us strive for Lady Ranni."

"Of course."

Lin Luo answered with a smile.

"Hmm... Your name is Lin Luo, right..."

Blaidd walked over. His voice was somewhat hoarse, yet unexpectedly powerful.

"My name is Blaidd. I also serve Lady Ranni... Welcome to our ranks."

Blaidd was concise and went straight to the point.

"Then let us get straight to the mission..."

"I am currently still in Limgrave. Since the Eternal City lies beneath this land, I intend to descend into the well in Mistwood and find the route to Nokron. I will wait for you there."

Blaidd was clearly a man of action. He exchanged no needless pleasantries with Lin Luo. To him, Ranni's orders were evidently the most important matter.

"There's no need to go."

Lin Luo spoke up at that moment.

"The well in Mistwood Ruins leads to the Siofra River, but there is no route to the Eternal City there."

"How do you know?"

Blaidd looked at Lin Luo doubtfully.

"Because I've been there, of course..."

Lin Luo helplessly rubbed his forehead and could only explain it all to Blaidd.

"Although you can see a corner of the Eternal City from the Siofra River, there is simply no path forward."

"Even if there were, you would not be able to enter."

Lin Luo looked at Blaidd and pointed toward Caelid.

"General Radahn once sealed the Stars. That man is himself the seal upon the Stars. Only when he dies will the fate of the Stars begin to move again, and only then will the path to the Eternal City reopen."

In truth, as a member of the Carian royal family, Radahn's sealing of the Stars was indeed a great act of rebellion.

But in order to protect the living beings of Caelid, he had no choice but to seal the Stars.

Radahn's tragic resolve—so long as he remained alive, he would never let them descend.

That was precisely the brightest aspect of Starscourage Radahn: his heroism.

However, Lin Luo could not save Radahn, who had already stepped halfway into the grave and lost his mind.

To die in battle was the best ending for Radahn.

"I see..."

Blaidd was rarely so dejected.

"So we must first kill General Radahn?"

"Yeah..."

"Then..."

"Let's go to Redmane Castle first."

Blaidd paused. "I heard that a Warrior's Festival concerning General Radahn will be held in a few days..."

Radahn had not yet died. The meaning of this festival was obvious.

"Then we shall meet again then..."

Blaidd spoke slowly, and his form gradually faded away as well.

"That day has to be faced eventually."

"So, we're going to find Radahn..."

Melina walked over then, her expression carrying a trace of concern.

"General Radahn is hailed as the strongest demigod. Lin Luo, you must be careful..."

"Mm."

Lin Luo forced a smile. "Don't worry. I'm strong. Even if I can't beat him, I'll run away. I definitely won't..."

"Leave you a widow."

"What are you talking about!"

Melina gave Lin Luo a shove.

"There won't ever be such a day..."

"I think so too..."

Lin Luo had ample confidence in his own strength when he said those words.