"Bloodhound Knight" Darriwil

Thanks to "Half-Wolf" Blaidd's keen sense of smell, we avoided the Rune Bears in the Foggy Forest and quickly made our way out. We followed the road back to the eastern shore of Agheel Lake, then headed south toward the Weeping Peninsula.

With nothing else to do along the way, I asked, "Wolf bro, why did you suddenly help me back at the Mistwood Ruins? ...You didn't know I had anything to do with Ka-Kale yet, did you?"

Besides, the Tarnished was supposed to be the sort of character every dog bit and every person attacked. I had never seen Blaidd volunteer to help the player in the game.

I was pretty curious about this branching side quest.

"Oh, that. I was just worried those Rune Bears would tear the whole area apart. If they found me, things would get even more troublesome... I couldn't easily escape from where I was, either." Blaidd sighed. "Still, I never imagined anyone would be bold enough to lure three Rune Bears over at once... What did you do to provoke them?"

With a miserable look, I hurried to protest. "I wouldn't dare! The moment I saw them, I was too busy running for my life!"

"Then they must have been starving. And ever since the trouble at Fort Haight, the whole forest has grown more chaotic. The Rune Bears have been especially irritable, too." Wolf bro added a warning. "Anyway, be careful from now on. Don't go wandering around there for no reason."

...Honestly, I would still have to wander around wherever I needed to. After all, Fort Haight had its own side quest, along with half of the medallion for the Grand Lift of Dectus. That was one of the keys to reaching the Altus Plateau, where the Royal Capital of Leyndell stood.

Still, there was no rush.

I had plenty of time, anyway.

Passing through the eastern foothills, we climbed a small hill south of Agheel Lake.

A broad depression at its summit formed a circular sealed gaol.

Several strange pillars stood around it-they were made of spherical stones stacked together, looking almost like worms. A single eye at the top of each stared at the gaol, emitting an eerie purple glow.

"This is the place." I swung down from my horse.

Blaidd raised his head and sniffed. "That's his scent. Bloodhound Knight Darriwil. So he's become a specter in an evergaol. No wonder I couldn't find him."

"Did he commit some sort of crime?" I asked.

"That man is a traitor, and a traitor deserves a traitor's end."

Uh, I already knew that from the game.

What I really wanted to know was:

-Just how had "Bloodhound Knight" Bloodhound Knight Darriwil betrayed Ranni?

-And why had he only been imprisoned, rather than executed outright? After all, betraying royalty in ancient times could get your entire family and all your relatives put to death!

Judging by that alone, the Carian Royal Family, led by Ranni, seemed pretty merciful.

Blaidd said nothing more, and I couldn't exactly keep pressing him. I was still an outsider, after all. Too many questions would only make him suspicious.

I walked to the very center of the evergaol and looked at the intricate patterns on the circular slab. Only then did I run into a problem-Uh, how was I supposed to open this gaol again? Melina never taught me.

Or was I supposed to feel around on the ground a couple of times, like in the game?

"...What are you doing, Zero?" Blaidd asked, curious and bewildered by my ridiculous pose, which made me look like a nearsighted person searching for a dropped contact lens.

"Ahaha..." I could only admit the truth. "Sorry, I don't actually know how to open the gaol."

"It's all right. Let me." Blaidd walked over beside me and bit his finger.

Blood dripped onto the center of the circular stone slab. At once, dazzling blue light shone up from beneath it, until it swallowed us both.

"...Don't interfere once we're in there, Zero." Blaidd's expression was grave.

I nodded.

Inside the gaol, the air was cold and clear. Magic formed a barrier of light, sealing the place off.

In one corner of the gaol, a fissure emitted a ghostly blue glow.

Blaidd approached with the Royal Greatsword in hand. "Show yourself, Bloodhound Knight Darriwil."

A figure rose from the eerie light.

He wore Carian Armor similar to Blaidd's, with Steel Claws fitted over his left hand. He crouched low to the ground, looking just like a hound. And the curved greatblade he carried on his back, almost as tall as a person, was none other than Bloodhound's Fang-hailed as one of the ultimate weapons for strength-dexterity fighters!

His presence was every bit as imposing as Wolf bro's.

"Oh, if it isn't Blaidd. It's been a while." The voice beneath his helmet was rather hoarse, but sounded quite friendly.

Unfortunately, Blaidd gave no response. Left hanging, Darriwil could only change the subject. "Is the princess well? ...Oh, no, that's not right. Given what she's become, you could hardly call her well."

"...That was the princess's own decision. It isn't our place to interfere, Bloodhound Knight Darriwil." Blaidd finally couldn't hold back. "So you still can't accept it?"

Uh, by your princess, you mean Ranni, right?

You don't actually have to hide it. We're all on the same side.

"Hmph. As loyal as ever, Blaidd." Bloodhound Knight Darriwil reached behind himself. "But can you still say that after seeing this?!"

I immediately grew wary. When "Half-Wolf" Blaidd saw what Bloodhound Knight Darriwil brought out, he gave a slight shudder as well. "Th-this is..."

"Through the seemingly endless years in this gaol, I practiced, practiced, and practiced some more, improving it all the while... At last, I completed it-yes, this is the perfect form the Lunar Princess ought to have, Blaidd!" Bloodhound Knight Darriwil grew increasingly excited, even raising the object high above his head as he spoke.

It was, of all things, an exquisitely carved wooden fig-figurine?

The carving depicted a beautiful girl, her long, curly red hair tied into a ponytail. She wore deep blue-green sorcerer's robes, holding a Glintstone Staff in one hand and a book in the other. Even her expression was vividly rendered: a star pupil basking in success, with a hint of proud disdain.

I couldn't help rubbing my eyes.

But when I opened them again, the sight before me hadn't changed in the slightest.

Blaidd gritted his teeth and, refusing to be outdone, pulled a wooden doll from inside his clothes. "Nonsense! The princess as she is now is the true royal heir!"

A snow-white dress and a pointed sorcerer's hat adorned the little blue, four-armed doll. Naturally, it depicted the Witch Renna-Ranni's current appearance.

...Uh, allow me to ask: what kind of comedy plot from the road to the Erdtree is this? Don't tell me you two actually fell out over your differing views on figurines.

And while we're at it, Blaidd, why did you bring Miniature Ranni along?! Wasn't she supposed to be left for the Tarnished?

"You over there!" Bloodhound Knight Darriwil suddenly shouted, dragging me, an innocent bystander, into their group chat. "You be the judge! Which princess looks better?"

For a moment, I had nothing to say.

Blaidd actually came back with a clever retort. "Bloodhound Knight Darriwil, you've lost confidence in yourself in the face of the true princess, haven't you? That's why you're trying to win Zero's approval!"

"What, are you afraid to hear the result, Blaidd? My princess is clearly superior!"

Why were they bickering like schoolchildren now? Were they really that close?

"Um..." I cautiously raised my hand and spoke up.

That only got the two of them even more worked up.

"Go on, Zero. Say it, and shut this noisy fool up for good!"

"Hmph, Blaidd, do you think wolves and humans have the same taste? Anyone with eyes can see mine is better!"

"Stop, stop, stop. Honestly, either one is fine. I..." Before I could finish, an angry voice cut me off.

"How can either one be fine?! This is what the princess was meant to look like! ...The princess... Why did she have to suffer such a cruel punishment and end up like this?!" Bloodhound Knight Darriwil suddenly shouted hoarsely. "Yet you all stood there and watched her burn in the flames, watched half her life be taken from her! ...Like-like the figure I carved, the princess should... she should have had a better future!"

"The princess had her own reasons! She had no choice but to make that decision!" Blaidd roared back. "She will one day have her own stars and dark moon! All we need to do is help her along her path!"

"Hmph, help her along her path? By taking her into hiding everywhere, never showing yourselves, like rats in the night that never see daylight?!"

"I won't let you insult the princess any further!" Blaidd bared his fangs in fury.

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil continued holding forth. "Just as I thought, my choice was the right one! The Carian Royal Family should join forces with Starscourge Radahn and the Jurist, conquer Leyndell, and seize the Elden Ring! We should take everything back for the princess!"

"Now I understand. Old Iji was right, Bloodhound Knight Darriwil. You're far too reckless! Doing that would only push the princess into the abyss and ruin her plans! It's no different from betraying her!" Blaidd put Miniature Ranni away and raised his greatsword again. "You're simply too dangerous. You must be eliminated!"

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil lowered his body and tightened his grip on Bloodhound's Fang. "Then don't blame me, Blaidd. Today, your blood will mark my departure from this gaol!"

The instant his words fell, a tearing shriek erupted through the air.

Their blades clashed, throwing off dazzling sparks.