Melina

Night fell, and the enormous moon gradually hung in the sky as the Erdtree's radiance slowly dimmed.

Lucian, waiting in the bushes, gazed at the moon as his thoughts began to wander.

"That shouldn't be right. The moon clearly exists, so why is there no sun during the day?"

"No, Sunshade City, and the legendary weapon Eclipse Shotel, are both related to the sun."

"Why did the sun disappear?"

Before long, Lucian gave up thinking any further. Those matters were still far too distant from him.

The Erdtree's radiance constantly shone across this land. Even at night, it merely reduced visibility somewhat.

But that was enough for Lucian.

Lucian emerged from the bushes and flexed his left hand. The wound had completely stopped bleeding.

Lucian cautiously approached the ruins before the checkpoint, arriving at a spot he had chosen beforehand where no soldiers were stationed nearby.

He took the Kukri from his bag and hurled it high in the direction away from the checkpoint.

The curved blade traced a massive arc through the air, flew over most of the camp, then crashed down.

Clang—

The crisp impact startled the nearby soldiers. They drew their weapons, raised their torches, and gathered toward the sound.

Lucian quickly ran toward the gate beneath the checkpoint.

Using the cover of night, he intended to dash through the gate in one go, minimizing the time his silhouette spent within the soldiers' sight beyond the walls.

Keeping his movements quiet, Lucian ran as fast as he could from the left side of the gate to the right.

The soldier inside the gate holding a crossbow only saw a blurry figure flash past the city gate.

His body instinctively raised the crossbow, but by the time he had done so, the target had vanished.

He stared blankly at the spot where the shadow had last appeared, then slowly lowered his crossbow and resumed his aimless watch.

By then, Lucian had arrived at the Grace.

This Grace lay beneath the junction of the city wall and the cliff face. With walls at his back on two sides, Lucian felt much safer.

"Just as planned."

"Ah, wisdom is precisely why I am fit to be king. These soldiers will never understand my earth-shattering intellect."

Lucian muttered smugly to himself.

After praising himself, Lucian did not forget the main purpose of this journey. He reached out and touched the Grace.

A warm feeling enveloped Lucian.

Lucian felt the Grace inviting him, inviting him to accept it more deeply.

Not knowing what to do, Lucian thought for a moment, then imitated the movements from the game and sat down beside the Grace.

At once, the Grace's light spread outward, enveloping the surrounding space as well.

Lucian's vision blurred. The distant scenery became hazy, as though he were in another realm.

Warm light washed over Lucian's body, and the wound on his left hand began to tingle.

Lucian removed his bracer and untied the strip of cloth he had used as a bandage. The wound had already healed completely, without even leaving a scar.

He took off his helmet and shook his head. The exhaustion from a full day of travel vanished, and his spirits were fully restored.

Lucian hurriedly opened the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow panel, but unfortunately, its number of uses had not recovered with the Grace's cleansing.

Lucian inwardly laughed at his wishful thinking. Wind Spirit Moon Shadow came from another dimension—how could it possibly be recharged so easily?

Then, thinking that he would probably be meeting Melina soon, Lucian could not help but feel happy.

But he soon grew awkward again, thinking:

I'm filthy, and even my helmet and bracers were cobbled together from whatever I could find. Will she find me disgusting?

How should I talk when we meet? Should I be warm and proactive, touching that little piece of shy wood's heart? Or should I act cool and aloof to stir her curiosity?

Lucian amused himself with his own thoughts.

Oh dear, I barely spoke to girls in my previous life. It would be embarrassing if I stammered and couldn't get a word out later.

Come to think of it, I still haven't looked in a mirror. Is this really my face, or the game's default face?

Hey, if I suddenly went mad and confessed to her, what expression would she make? I really want to see it...

What Lucian did not know was that Melina was secretly watching him from the side in spirit form.

Watching him grin foolishly one moment, then cover his face and shake his head the next, Melina was somewhat speechless.

As she stroked the spirit steed's mane, she asked:

"...Torrent, is it really this person?"

The spirit steed named Torrent snorted, as though saying, You doubt my judgment?

Seeing that Torrent had set his sights on this person, Melina sighed as if resigned to her fate.

After all, when she had chosen him on the beach, Melina had also recognized that he possessed the qualifications to become a king.

The powerful, ancient soul quietly dwelling within him was the best proof of that.

Melina rose to her feet and pulled up the wide hood of her cloak.

As she walked toward Lucian, her body gradually took form.

Lucian was still agonizing over his thoughts when he suddenly saw a lovely figure gradually materialize beside him.

Tall leather boots wrapped around slender legs and feet. As she walked, a hem of pure white skirt swayed beneath her wide cloak.

The broad hood concealed her face, revealing only soft, sweet, candy-like lips and a delicate little nose. A few strands of hair framed her lovely cheeks.

She parted her cloak with both hands and knelt beside Lucian.

When she lifted the hood, a cascade of rose-gold hair spilled down. Her left eye was tightly shut, as though sealed by strange runes, while her right eye radiated the golden light of Grace.

Once Melina had settled down, she spoke to Lucian in a sweet voice:

"Hello, one who came through the mist. My name is Melina."

"I wish to make a bargain with you."

When Melina truly appeared before Lucian, he found it hard to describe what he was feeling.

Was it excitement and delight? Panic? The emotion of a long-awaited reunion? Or affection?

Perhaps it was all of those things.

But more than anything, sorrow welled up in his heart.

Melina... my second Maiden. In the end, I still failed to protect you.

You asked me whether I was ready before the Giant's Cauldron. Back then, I thought I was ready...

Even if I could embrace the Frenzied Flame, how could I trample on your resolve and deny the meaning of your life?

Even after using the Unalloyed Gold Needle to suppress the Frenzied Flame, you never came back.

My Maiden was burned to death by fire. No matter what choice I made, my Maiden was burned to death by fire.

Seeing Melina standing before him alive and well, Lucian wanted to say something, but he could not open his mouth.

Lucian merely looked at Melina sorrowfully, saying nothing.

Melina silently met Lucian's gaze, but as time passed bit by bit, she gradually could not keep it together anymore.

*?*

Why isn't this person saying anything? Why is he just staring at me?

Was there something wrong with my entrance?

The light of Grace gently swayed, leaving only Melina standing in the wind, utterly disheveled.

Melina! My Melina! /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~