Shadow Beast

The voice of the Two Fingers echoed through the air, and time seemed to freeze at that moment. The hall fell into a deathly silence.

It did not speak again, merely standing there quietly, as if waiting for everyone to slowly digest the news.

Empyrean—a title of extraordinary significance in this land.

They were chosen from among the demigods by the Greater Will, served by different Two Fingers, in the hope that they would become the god who governed the law of the next age.

Before the Erdtree became the law, Queen Marika and the Gloam-Eyed Queen had both been Empyreans of the previous age. The war between the two Empyreans together wrote the prelude to the Golden Age.

And of the three Empyreans of the present day, one would step into the abyss of conspiracy, personally casting out a single shard on that dark and treacherous night, setting off a raging tide that would overturn an entire age in one stroke.

One would wield an unparalleled blade, and on that battlefield of utter brutality, transform into a bewitching scarlet flower in full bloom, dragging the richest fertile soil of The Lands Between into hell.

The last would leave his footprints across countless myths and legends, serving both as the foundation of kingship that schemers would seize at any cost, and as a saint worshiped by countless mortal beings, only to sleep forever in that cocoon of slumber in the end...

What was thought-provoking was that the two mightier existences in the present Golden royal house—Radagon, who sang the praises of Golden Order fundamentalism and was as perfect as a god, and Godwyn, supported by both the old and new factions and the one most likely to end the dual rule of god and lord, becoming both god and king—were, of all things, not Empyreans.

Lucia's heart pounded violently. In his eyes, the so-called Empyrean was no supreme honor at all. Instead, it meant surveillance and control by the Two Fingers, the plots and covetous gazes of ambitious men, and even a malice from the Greater Will that seeped from inside to out like it was raising venomous insects in a jar.

No, perhaps "malice" was not quite right. Thinking it over carefully, it was probably only a kind of mercilessness and indifference from on high.

If being born a demigod meant he had stepped into the center of the age's vortex, then becoming an Empyrean meant he had crossed in a single step onto the fiercest crest of the storm.

Precisely because he knew what Ranni, Miquella, and Malenia would face in the future, he knew he had no way back. Behind him lay the abyss that, like fate itself, would grind the entire brilliant and splendid Golden Age to dust.

At last, he rose and bowed deeply, saying, "I shall obey the divine oracle."

In those few short breaths just now, he had forcibly scattered the chaotic thoughts surging through his mind and compelled himself to calm down—at least for the moment, his identity as a transmigrator remained safe, and the Greater Will did not seem to have any intention of moving against him. On the other hand, the matter of selecting him as an Empyrean was clearly already a fixed decision of the Greater Will, one that allowed no one to question or change it.

The Two Fingers returned his bow and said, "From this day forth, I will remain in the royal capital and serve at Your Highness's side. You may call me 'Epsilon.'"

"ε, Epsilon?" Lucia was slightly stunned. Were the Two Fingers who served Empyreans numbered according to the Greek alphabet? But he was the fourth Empyrean of the Golden Age, not the fifth...

Suddenly, he noticed Queen Marika nearby. Before she had become Queen Eternal, she too had once been served at her side by a Two Fingers. As "α, Alpha," which represented origin and core among the Greek letters, perhaps only the Two Fingers who had assisted a god in founding a brand-new epoch was worthy of that title.

"This is truly heartening news, Lucia."

Queen Marika recovered that waterlike composure. She rose and came to his side, saying with gratification, "Even as gods and demigods, we are but ordinary members of the teeming masses. To receive the favor of the Greater Will and become the defender of the law's next age is undoubtedly our greatest honor."

Lucia smiled faintly. As he thanked the queen for her congratulations, he covertly swept his gaze over everyone's expressions—Lansseax's initial shock had gradually been replaced by delight; Miquella smiled gently and serenely, seeming happy for him as well; Malenia appeared the happiest of all, perhaps because the claim that "all Mr. Two Fingers are good people" had been proven true...

Only Radagon, as the Golden Order's most loyal defender, saw the stunned incomprehension on his face gradually fade, replaced by a frostlike gloom.

"Divine envoy, I may need to remind you of something. What the Ancient Dragon clan believes in is the primordial Elden Ring of the ancient age. They do not belong to the current Golden Order," he suddenly said.

As soon as those words came out, everyone turned their gazes toward Radagon. Lucia noticed the corners of the queen's mouth lift almost imperceptibly. In the look she gave Radagon, a trace of mockery clearly flashed past.

Epsilon bowed slightly and still spoke gently. "Your Majesty Radagon, I have indeed received your warning. However, I must also remind you that the ones with the authority to decide this matter are neither you nor I."

"Moreover, this matter is not without precedent—Lady Ranni, whom Beta serves, grew up under the radiance of the full moon from childhood. Strictly speaking, she likewise does not belong to the current Golden Order."

At those words, Radagon abruptly clenched both fists and stared fixedly at the Two Fingers before him. Yet the latter only stood there calmly and made no further addition.

After a long while, he slowly loosened his hands. A somewhat wooden emotion showed in his eyes, and after letting out a long breath, he nodded. "I understand."

"Divine envoy," Marika suddenly said, "according to past custom, every pure and flawless Empyrean will enter a soul pact with a shadow beast. Lucia... can he also have a shadow beast attendant?"

Lucia's heart abruptly trembled. A shadow beast attendant?

Could it be one of those shadow beasts that usually monitored its master in secret, then immediately went mad and devoured its master the moment they turned against the Two Fingers?

For a moment, he practically wanted to sing the queen a song called "Thank You for That." This sort of thing was not something he could handle at his current stage of life. Could he please not have one!

Yet before he could express his stance, Epsilon replied, "Indeed. Although the two most recent Empyreans, Lord Miquella and Lady Malenia, were unable to form contracts because each bears a curse, just as Your Majesty has Maliketh and Lady Ranni has Blaidd, Lord Lucia should likewise have his own shadow beast attendant."

It looked toward Lucia. "We will prepare the shadow beast summoning ritual for Your Highness now. I will open a fog gate. You need only determine within your heart your requirements for a shadow beast attendant, and the being in The Lands Between most compatible with you will answer your call and descend from the other side of the fog gate."

As its words fell, streams of golden light flowed out from Epsilon's body, extending through the air like vines and weaving into a golden archway. At the center of the arch was a void of mist.

Lucia's mind was in utter chaos. It even wanted him to determine his own requirements for a shadow beast attendant?

Feeling the complex, subtle gazes from every direction, he was so anxious he wanted to scratch his head. He had no idea how this kind of forced sale had landed on him. Wasn't this clearly pushing him to plant the Greater Will's spy and lackey at his side?

If he really had to say it himself, he did not want a monster on the same level as Maliketh the Black Blade. Otherwise, he would be tied down by the Two Fingers for the rest of his life—just look at how loyal Wolf-Bro had been in the end, only to be driven mad by that Two Fingers named Beta. If he really chose a Maliketh the Second, then in the future, the moment he had even a crooked thought, he could be chopped down.

If he absolutely had to choose, it would be better to get someone useless except for being cute, who only knew how to freeload and wait for death every day. At least that would spare him the risk of being stabbed in the back... As he thought wildly, he failed to notice that faint glimmers of light had begun to shine within the originally empty fog gate.

The next second, light burst out from the fog gate!

Countless brilliant rays pierced through the mist, and a dazzling cocoon of light drifted out from within, slowly floating before Lucia.

He stared blankly at that cocoon of light, his cold hands and feet going numb. Just when exactly had his clumsy hand accidentally clicked matchmaking, and when exactly had he locked in the confirmation?!

The cocoon of light hovered at eye level with him. Suddenly, a crack appeared on its surface. Then more and more cracks spread, until with a bang, the cocoon shattered into countless drifting motes of light.

Amid the flowing radiance, a creature barely larger than a fist appeared. Once the glow faded, everyone focused their eyes on it and saw that it was, astonishingly, a little fox as white as snow!

Her fur was pure white like frost and snow, with only a pale golden vine-like pattern at the corners of each eye. At that moment, she was curled up in a ball, her eyes slightly closed, and only the fluffy tail that made up more than half her body length swayed leisurely in midair.

Lucia tentatively reached out two fingers and gently stroked her little head. She instinctively nuzzled into it in comfort. Her eyelids trembled slightly, and she opened a pair of equally ice-blue eyes, meeting Lucia's dazed gaze.

Just then, the flowing light surrounding her dissipated completely. She blinked in confusion, then suddenly cried out in alarm and fell toward the ground!

Fortunately, Lucia was quick-eyed and quick-handed, scooping her up in one grab. With a whoosh, the little fox climbed up Lucia's arm to his shoulder, clutched his clothes tightly, and no longer dared to make a careless move.

"So... this is his shadow beast attendant?" Queen Marika froze for a long while before murmuring softly.

Epsilon, the Two Fingers that had been as composed as a mountain ever since appearing, also fell into silence at that moment. Only after a long time did it say, "The fog gate's choice is the projection of an Empyrean's inner image... Lord Lucia is worthy of being an Empyrean chosen by the Greater Will. His way of doing things is indeed extraordinary."

Radagon sat there in silence, not the slightest ripple visible on his handsome face, which was like an ancient Greek statue.

Miquella lightly propped his knuckles against his jaw, his expression thoughtful.

After her initial astonishment, Lansseax had already understood the current situation and could not help covering her lips with a soft laugh.

Among everyone in the hall, only Malenia looked at the little fox on Lucia's shoulder with stars in her eyes and exclaimed, "Wow, she really is so cute..."