Old Acquaintance

Because of that sudden ceremony to enshrine a godly person, the banquet had already run late into the night by the time it ended. Queen Marika had long since arranged Lucia's sleeping quarters, but she could not withstand Malenia's earnest pleading. After asking Lucia himself for his opinion, she had no choice but to make new arrangements and place him in Valeria Hall, which stood only a wall away from Haligtree Hall, where Malenia and Miquella lived. She also handed the task of escorting him there to the siblings.

In addition, aside from a few necessary palace maids, the queen did not assign any guard troops to Valeria Hall. Instead, she entrusted all protective duties to Lansseax and the Ancient Dragon Temple under her command, to be taken over by the Storm Knights once Dectus's ancient dragon envoy entered the royal city. Overall, if one ignored his de facto status as a "hostage," the queen had shown Lucia full respect in every regard, while also ensuring his freedom of movement within the royal capital to the greatest extent possible.

At that moment, Lucia and Miquella walked shoulder to shoulder along the main road inside the royal court. Attendants held glass lamps to light the path around them. A maid pushed Malenia along behind them, while more than a dozen Leyndell Knights guarded the front and rear of the procession.

"Malenia has been cursed by Scarlet Rot from the day she was born," Miquella said with a soft sigh, a deep exhaustion showing between his elegant brows.

Behind them, the white fox that had just formed a soul contract with Lucia was being held in Malenia's arms. From time to time came the little fox's soft cries as it was teased, and from time to time came the girl's clear, bell-like laughter.

"The rot gradually eroded her limbs. Before she was five, she could still rely on prosthetics to move with difficulty, but later on she could only sit in a wheelchair," Miquella said bitterly. "Over the years, the flare-ups of the rot in her body have grown more and more frequent, while Golden incantations have become less and less effective at suppressing it. I don't know why, but only my divine power can barely ease her condition. Even Father, Mother, and Eldest Brother are helpless against it..."

"That's because this was never directly related to how strong someone's divine power is. The only thing that can truly help her suppress the curse of rot is the unalloyed gold law you'll create in the future!" Lucia thought to himself.

But then again, in his memories, the Flowing Sword Technique that Malenia practiced also had a certain suppressive effect on the rot. The Blind Swordsman who taught her the flowing sword had learned from a mysterious Blue Dancer, and had once performed the great feat of sealing Scarlet Rot.

Yet at this point in time, Miquella had not even conceived the idea of creating an entirely new law. And looking at Malenia, who even struggled to walk and move, how could she possibly practice any sword technique?

After pondering for a moment, Lucia said, "I once saw some records about rot sickness in Sky City. There should still be quite a few rot sufferers within the Golden Dynasty's domain, right? I heard their conditions can be suppressed with simple Golden incantations?"

"That's right, and that is precisely what I don't understand," Miquella replied. "Over the past two years, I investigated the situation of rot sufferers throughout the Golden Dynasty and discovered two extremely abnormal phenomena. First, in the forty-six years since the dynasty was founded, the rate at which rot sufferers have increased has clearly grown faster and faster. Second, across the entire continent, the closer a place is to Altus Plateau, the denser the distribution of rot sufferers becomes, and the more severe their symptoms are."

"So far, there has never been any sign of rot sickness spreading from person to person. Every patient was born cursed, then grew worse over time until they completely rotted away. Therefore, this abnormal distribution is absolutely not the result of patients migrating on their own. Rather, the closer one is to the center of the dynasty, the greater the possibility of being cursed."

"In remote regions such as the Far North Ice Fields, the Weeping Peninsula, and even parts of Caelid, a monk with devout faith and the most basic training in Golden incantations can effectively treat rot sickness. There have even been many cases of complete recovery. But in Limgrave and Liurnia, patients at least need a Golden Church bishop with profound divine power to suppress their constantly worsening condition. As for Altus Plateau and even the outskirts of Leyndell... in the past several decades, not a single rot sufferer has ever recovered."

Miquella shook his head heavily. "Malenia's condition is more severe than all of theirs. If she were not in the Golden Sanctuary, protected by the power of the Erdtree, we might have lost her long ago... Many times, even I feel afraid. Everything happening to her simply doesn't seem like rot sickness. It is like a vicious curse personally bestowed by that god."

Hearing this, Lucia's heart could not help tightening. He knew all too well what kind of existence "that god" Miquella spoke of was.

Scarlet Rot—a god almost as ancient as the supreme will. Even though it had vanished from public view for many years, Lucia knew that at the end of the Ainsel River, there was still a lake of rot as vast as a sea of blood. The followers of rot had built a new Rot Temple atop the ruins of the Uhl Dynasty, worshiping a mysterious dagger called the Scorpion Stinger and devoutly awaiting the descent of their god.

And the god they longed for... Lucia looked back at the girl behind him. Malenia was holding the little fox by the forelegs, and the two little heads were pressed together in a headbutting game. After a fierce struggle in which neither gave ground, she suddenly relaxed and leaned back. The little fox stumbled and fell into her arms, letting out a burst of excited cries.

"Wait a little longer. If we wait a little longer, there may still be a way." Miquella suddenly seemed to recall something, and a note of hope entered his voice. "Father said that after I pass my tenth birthday and my divine power grows stronger, he will teach me the most fundamental power of the Golden Order. When that time comes, there will definitely be a way!"

Miquella's words echoed by his ears as Lucia gazed at Malenia's clear, crystalline eyes. In those dark-red pupils, he could not see the slightest trace of fear toward pain or surrender to rot. All that lingered within them was a radiance full of life. For a moment, he could not tell whether the source of that light was the blessing of the Erdtree, or the girl's soul itself.

In a daze, he seemed to see a long-lost old friend within that light.

It was many, many years later, in the center of that withered and decaying Haligtree, beside the pool of Scarlet Rot, amid falling blossoms that scattered like colored rain. The dying red-haired girl gazed gently at the Tarnished, whose heart had all but died, and said softly:

"It seems my journey ends here. It is truly hard for me to say this to you... I have already pulled out that needle. Please tell the source of that malice—for me to become something that is not myself, to bloom into a flower, I would rather rot away here."

In the dark night, Lucia tilted his head slightly to the side. A moment later, he let out a long breath and said, "Yes. There will definitely be a way—"

He did not want to suppress Scarlet Rot. He wanted to completely end the curse on her body.

Even if such a method did not exist in this world, he had to create it.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at Valeria Hall. Reluctantly, Malenia handed the little fox back to Lucia, then asked carefully, "Lucia, can I... can I come play with her again tomorrow?"

"Of course." Lucia smiled and stroked the soft hair on top of her head. "Your Highness already ordered Her Majesty to move my bedroll next door to you. How would I dare fail to take the hint?"

"Really?" Malenia's eyes lit up. "Then it's settled!"

The little fox also seemed very satisfied with Lucia's answer. Excited, it did a somersault on his shoulder, then stuck out its warm little tongue and licked his cheek.

"Mm. It's settled."