Kenneth Haight

Just as my overstepping made Meme storm off in anger, a man I hadn't expected appeared in the Third Church of Marika.

Kenneth Haight. Wasn't he supposed to be atop the valley near the edge of Mistwood, standing on that enormous chunk of ruins that had fallen from Crumbling Farum Azula and calling for help? What was he doing here?

"Hmm, judging by your appearance, you're a Tarnished... I see. Have you come to pay your respects to Queen Marika as well?" Kenneth Haight said, drawing his own conclusions.

Uh, honestly, I hadn't come to worship the statue.

"Roar!" Suddenly, a roar came from outside the church. I looked up and saw an enormous face looming beyond its broken wall.

A Troll Giant!

Why had Haight brought a monster here?!

I quickly drew my Straight Sword.

-Troll Giants were fairly troublesome monsters early in the game. They had plenty of health and hit hard, but moved rather slowly.

-Most warriors dealt with them by huddling behind their heels and giving them a pedicure. You just had to watch out for their stomps...

Huh?

This one had drawn his sword right away, too. Didn't Troll Giants only draw their swords once their health dropped below half?

"Hey, old friend, calm down. This fellow doesn't look like an enemy!" Kenneth actually tried to reason with the Troll Giant. Then he turned and pointed at the Straight Sword in my hand. "Tarnished, put your sword away as well. This giant isn't your enemy."

...Huh?

I watched the Troll Giant. To my surprise, he actually listened to Kenneth Haight and returned his sword to his back.

With that, I couldn't very well insist on fighting, so I stood down too.

Kenneth walked over with a smile. "Troll Giants may be huge and frightening to look at, but they're actually quite honest and dependable, and very obedient. Unless there's some danger, they won't attack people unprovoked."

Uh, honestly, that was another thing that differed from the game.

Of course, it might just have been that everyone hated the Tarnished. The Troll Giants in the game certainly weren't that friendly.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself." Kenneth placed a hand over his chest and said confidently, "My name is Kenneth Haight, eldest legitimate son of the ruler of Limgrave... Ah, I suppose I should say the former ruler now."

As he spoke, a trace of dejection crept into his expression.

I held out my hand. "My name is Zero. Nice to meet you."

"Hmm? Is this a custom unique to you Tarnished?" Kenneth obligingly shook my hand, then continued, "It is indeed a fine gesture. Whatever the race, hands are the greatest aid in building its civilization... Joining such symbols together in a clasp is the finest proof of goodwill!"

-Uh, why did this guy sound so much like a pedantic scholar?

-Still, Kenneth Haight had been a benevolent lord in the game. Even in these chaotic times in the Lands Between, he advocated equality for all, believing everyone could uphold a just order regardless of their station.

But right now, what interested me more was-

"What's that fellow going to do?" I pointed at the Troll Giant passing outside the church, heading step by step toward the coast, and asked Kenneth curiously.

"Oh, him? He's helping me hunt crabs." Kenneth sighed softly. "To tell you the truth, I have little talent for combat... Stormveil sent a dull-witted knight captain to help me manage my fort, but he became obsessed with blood and drove me out... Afterward, I took shelter in this Third Church of Marika. I was so hungry that I thought I'd catch some little crabs on the beach to fill my belly. Who could have imagined an enormous monster taller than a man would emerge from beneath the sand!"

...I knew exactly how that felt.

-Back when I first started exploring, those giant crabs would suddenly pop up whenever I passed through a lake or along the coast and slam their huge pincers down at me. They gave me quite a fright.

Kenneth continued, "Naturally, I was no match for it and could only flee. Fortunately, our Troll friend saw me and pinned that enormous crab to the ground with a single strike! Truly impressive! ...Unfortunately, he's so large that he can't easily get through Mistwood to help me retake my fort."

"Speaking of the fort, I've already dealt with that knight captain."

The moment I said that, Kenneth excitedly grabbed my shoulders, his eyes widening. "Really?"

"Y-you need to calm down first, Mr. Kenneth."

"Oh, sorry, sorry. I lost my composure." Kenneth let go, and I walked over to the Site of Grace, took out the Whetstone Knife, and carved the Ash of War-Bloody Slash-onto my nameless Straight Sword.

"This should do it... Bloody Slash!"

Holy crap-that hurt! That really hurt!

This wicked move actually launched a blade of blood by cutting open my palm. No wonder it drained my own health!

Seeing this, Kenneth couldn't help muttering, "Th-that is indeed that scoundrel's signature move. Then, my friend Zero, you really have dealt with that blood-crazed knight captain?"

"Yes."

"C-could I ask you a favor and have you escort me back to my fort?" Kenneth drew closer in excitement again. "Whatever reward you desire, if I, Kenneth Haight, can afford it, I shall reward you handsomely!"

"That wouldn't be a problem, but..." I pointed at the sky. "It's already quite late. Crossing Mistwood with just the two of us would be rather dangerous."

Never mind all the Rune Bears in the woods-nighttime visibility in the real world was far worse than in the game.

Besides, if I remembered correctly, the Misbegotten entered a sort of berserk state at night-their eyes glowed red, and their attack power increased somewhat.

If they surrounded us, getting away wouldn't be easy.

Kenneth calmed down as well. "You have a point. Since the greatest problem at the fort has already been resolved, another night's wait won't hurt."

Boom!

Suddenly, a tremendous crash rang out beside us.

We turned to look. The Troll Giant really had killed an enormous crab, then tossed it in front of the church entrance. "Roar!"

"Hahaha, thank you, my good friend!" Kenneth went out to greet him with a smile. He examined the crab, pointed at one of its legs, then at himself. "It looks even bigger than yesterday's! The usual arrangement-just this leg for me... Oh, our new friend will need one too, won't he?"

"Huh? Yes." I nodded, still finding the harmonious scene before me rather unbelievable.

"It seems tonight will be a little livelier. Old friend, sorry for the trouble, but could you fetch some firewood from the forest? I'll prepare this thing." Kenneth gestured as he spoke.

"Roar!"

The Troll Giant headed toward nearby Mistwood, step by step, while Kenneth actually set aside his noble status, took out a dagger, and began cutting at the crab's legs.

Watching him struggle until sweat covered his forehead, I finally stepped forward. "Let me do it."

"Then I'll leave it to you." Kenneth stepped aside.

I hacked at it with my sword... I had to admit, the damn crab was tough.

Seeing this, Kenneth suggested, "Zero, my friend, when dealing with these large sea crabs' shells, try thrusting hard rather than chopping. Their shells are very hard but fairly brittle. Once you've made an opening, they're easier to break apart."

As he spoke, he came forward and grabbed one of the crab's legs to hold it steady. "Go ahead!"

Without standing on ceremony, I gripped my sword in both hands and thrust with all my strength!

Crack!

I pierced straight through the crab's leg. Then I brought my sword down hard along the crack and severed the leg with ease.

"Oh, just what I'd expect from a Tarnished! Truly impressive!" Kenneth applauded.

I was beginning to see Kenneth in a new light, too. After all, when he called for help in the game, he'd struck me as rather haughty. "I didn't expect you to know so much, Kenneth. When you said you were the eldest legitimate son of Limgrave's former ruler, I assumed you wouldn't know much about preparing crabs."

Kenneth gave a rueful smile. "Life is unpredictable, my friend Zero. After I was driven out of my fort, I had to struggle and learn to survive, just like you Tarnished... I thought of that because I noticed our Troll friend always thrust his sword into the crabs to break them open, rather than smashing them."

"Hahaha, I see." I couldn't help laughing. "Then let me presume to offer a suggestion as well. Friends sound closer when they simply use each other's names. Insisting on adding a title afterward only makes us sound distant, and rather awkward."

"I-is that so?"

"Try listening to the difference yourself. Kenneth... My friend Kenneth."

"...It does seem that way, my friend Ze... Zero."

"Also, since that Troll has helped you so much, you could give him a name yourself. It would make addressing him easier, wouldn't it?"

Kenneth looked at me, understanding dawning as his eyes lit up.

By the time the Troll Giant returned carrying an entire tree, we had chopped off all the crab's legs and lit a fire.

It turned out they hadn't known how to prepare the crab's body and only ate the meat in its legs.

I tried explaining to the Troll that a crab's shell could be pried open from the back, and that there was more meat and even tastier crab roe inside.

Unfortunately, the instant we pried it open, the fishy water trapped inside splashed all over us!

Well, that was fun in its own way.

Afterward, I used the removed crab shell as a pot and made soup with the crabmeat. It had a distinctive flavor of its own, prompting Kenneth Haight to marvel in admiration while the Troll Giant applauded repeatedly. It was quite a lively affair.

Hmm? Wait, what was that narrow-necked golden flask you just used to hold the soup?

Don't tell me that's the Wondrous Physick Flask of Crimson Tears? So you've had it all along!

"Hmm? I happened to find this flask when I first arrived at the church. It seems to be a blessing left by Queen Marika." Kenneth smiled proudly. "No matter how much I drink, whenever the water runs out, it refills itself! ...Oh, do you want it, Zero? Then escort me back to Fort Haight, and I'll give it to you as your reward!"

Fine, fine, fine. So that's how you're playing it.

I'll accept this commission through my tears!

After we had eaten our fill, the Troll actually entered the church and knelt devoutly before Marika's statue to pray.

That surprised me just as much.

Kenneth Haight, however, took it in stride. "Though no one understands why that Queen shattered the Elden Ring and plunged the Lands Between into such terrible chaos... In ages past, she created the flourishing Golden Dynasty, willingly embraced all living things, and bestowed supreme blessings upon us. Both I and the Troll Howl hold this 'Eternal Queen' in the utmost reverence."

As he spoke, he walked over to the Troll who had been given the name Howl and prayed to Marika's statue. "...Our revered Queen, where could you be... Could it be... that you truly intend to abandon us, your subjects?"