Irina

Lucian used his sword to lift the Confessor's hood, revealing an utterly ordinary face. His faded eyes proved that he truly was a Tarnished.

Lucian had not necessarily intended to kill him, but once the fight started, he could not hold back.

It could not be helped. The man had simply been too weak.

Though the Confessor's combat skills were passable, Lucian had already leveled up several times. With his attributes completely overwhelming the man's, his defense was like paper. After two strikes, he could no longer even hold up his shield.

Well, he was dead already. It would be a waste not to loot him.

Lucian picked up the Confessor's equipment: a straight sword called a Broadsword +2, a Blue-Crest Heater Shield, and a Finger Seal. There were also three Smithing Stone [1]s and an Iron Cleaver.

Lucian had done quite a bit of research on Irina's death in his previous life. A Confessor coming to assassinate Irina was well within his expectations.

In the game, Irina had clearly not been killed by Misbegotten. That had merely been a staged scene.

At the place where Irina died, two pools of blood had been left on the rock behind her.

The smaller one had come from a penetrating wound. It was older and had already turned black. The other, much larger pool had been splattered across most of the rock.

An Iron Cleaver used by Misbegotten had been planted nearby. It had likely been used to mutilate the corpse and create the scene.

But the Misbegotten had suffered abuse and humiliation. After rebelling, they constantly vented the rage in their hearts. Even after an enemy died, they would keep swinging their cleavers until the corpse was hacked into pulp.

That was why Lucian believed the scene had been staged. The Misbegotten would not kill someone, toss down their weapon, and leave.

Melina's voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

"He truly was a Confessor who served the Two Fingers... I am not saying there was anything wrong with you killing him. It is simply that if the church of the Two Fingers finds out, it may cause some trouble."

Lucian was somewhat surprised.

"You don't think this is some kind of heresy?"

"What is so strange about it? Just as you said, following guidance does not mean following the guidance of the Two Fingers."

Thinking it over carefully, Lucian realized that such things indeed did not seem important to Melina. Even if he became a Recusant, joined Volcano Manor, and hunted his own kind, she would not object.

Except for the Frenzied Flame. That was Melina's sore spot.

"In that case..."

Lucian hoisted the Confessor's corpse over his shoulder and walked toward Torrent.

Irina was still gripped by panic.

She had only just escaped from the castle when she encountered a group of Misbegotten on the road. All the guards at her side had stayed behind to hold off the enemy.

Her servants had fled with her, but one by one, they had fallen silent. She had no idea where they had been separated from her.

She remembered her father once saying that a great bridge connected their Castle Morne to Lord Godrick's territory.

So she had followed the stone railing along the roadside, intending to seek help from the soldiers stationed on the bridge.

Then she heard the rider tell her that someone was behind her. Had he not warned her, she likely would have died without ever knowing why.

Thinking back on it now, her servants had probably been assassinated one by one by that person following them.

Her life had been peaceful before, but today, that peace had been shattered.

Her father remained in the castle, his fate unknown. The soldiers who had stayed behind to cover their retreat were likely doomed as well, and the servants who had raised and cared for her had already been killed...

Irina wanted to cry, but she could not. With her disability, she could not even shed tears.

When she heard Lucian approaching, she shuddered.

The battle had been a little too far away. She only knew it had ended, not who had won.

Lucian walked up to her. Seeing her body tremble uncontrollably with fear and grief, his heart ached for her.

"It's all right. The person who wanted to kill you is dead. I killed him."

Hearing her savior's voice, Irina's tightly wound nerves finally relaxed.

But grief and lingering fear washed over her even more fiercely. She sobbed without tears, muttering indistinctly beneath her breath.

She wanted to dismount and thank her savior, but her physical limitations nearly made her fall to the ground.

Fortunately, Lucian reacted quickly. He tossed the corpse aside and caught Irina.

Feeling the soft body in his arms trembling with sobs, Lucian could think of nothing but the pain in his heart.

He gently patted Irina's back, comforting her again and again.

"It's all right. You're safe now. As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you. It's all right. It's all right..."

Irina gradually calmed down. She was a strong girl, and she still had something important to do.

She raised her face, grasped Lucian's hand with both of hers, and pleaded:

"Please, could you take this letter to my father? He is the lord of the castle in the south. The Misbegotten have risen in rebellion, and everywhere is filled with the sounds of fighting and furious cries."

"My father had the soldiers and servants take me out of the castle, but he himself is still holding it. Please take the letter to him and tell him to run."

"Even if he must bear the name of a coward, I still want him to live, because he is my father..."

"I am sorry. You only just saved my life, yet I shamelessly ask you for another favor."

"But please, I beg you..."

Lucian held Irina's hands and promised in a solemn voice:

"Leave it to me. I will reunite you and your father."

Lucian rode Torrent to the edge of a cliff. Behind him, Irina held him tightly. Her spirit had been battered so severely today that she had actually fallen asleep against him on horseback.

Lucian intended to keep Irina with him. Leaving her alone was far too dangerous. He did not know whether the Confessor had acted alone, nor whether anyone else still wanted her dead.

Lucian held one of the Confessor's feet in his right hand and dragged the corpse all the way there, leaving a trail of blood and mud behind him.

He coldly tossed the corpse, with only half its head remaining, off the cliff. Only after hearing it fall into the sea did he turn and leave.

To keep Irina from falling off while she slept, Lucian moved her to the front of the saddle.

He had her sit sideways on the horse, held her body with his left arm while controlling the reins, and drew his blade with his right.

He was furious now. He wanted to cut something.

Thus, every Misbegotten on the road to Castle Morne who was still mutilating soldiers and servants met with disaster.

Lucian rode away from the Misbegotten encampment. Not a single corpse behind him remained intact.

The entire slaughter had failed to wake Irina.

Having lost her seat, Melina floated beside Torrent, somewhat shaken. Lucian's combat skills seemed almost instinctive.

Though his enemies had merely been a group of weak Misbegotten, compared to before, his weapon handling, timing, and responses under siege had all improved greatly. And he was still growing stronger.

Ignoring the Teardrop Scarab rolling an Ash of War along the road, Lucian soon arrived outside Castle Morne's outer wall. There was a Grace there, as well as a merchant roasting by a campfire.

Night had already fallen. Lucian did not plan to enter Castle Morne today. Resting and recovering his strength was extremely important.

He greeted the nomadic merchant and gave him 100 Runes, persuading him to let them share the fire.

Lucian held the sleeping Irina in his arms, lost in thought.

From the bushes on the other side of the road came rustling sounds. Lucian looked over and saw pairs of goose-yellow eyes, like burning flames, lighting up the darkness.

Lucian knew those were eyes inhabited by the Frenzied Flame.

"Looks like the truth is even more complicated than I guessed."

There were all kinds of theories about why Irina was murdered. Personally, I think the Two Fingers wanted to kill Irina because she was suspected of being a Frenzied Flame Maiden, while the Three Fingers wanted to abduct her and turn her into a Frenzied Flame Maiden. That is why both sides acted in the story. As for Irina being a Maiden, that was based on the fact that Lord of Blood's Favor, which requires Maiden blood, could be dyed red using Irina's corpse in the game before. White Mask Varré must have some way of determining whether blood came from a Maiden. Since Irina's blood could complete the quest, that meant she truly was a Maiden, or at least had the bloodline to become one. This is only my personal speculation. After all, I am writing a novel, not studying Elden Ring lore, so please do not take it too seriously. Friendly discussion is welcome. And shamelessly asking for a recommendation vote as well. ^_^