Stormhill, Stormveil Castle.
Intact in this time of peace, Stormveil Castle was grand and imposing. After all, it was a structure that encompassed an entire mountain. Water bordered it on two sides, with only one road in front and another behind, making it easy to defend and hard to attack. It certainly fulfilled its purpose as a castle.
Zhao Si craned his neck at the towering, thick walls, his mouth hanging open. The gates stood open, with people streaming in and out, while soldiers in full armor stood alert at their posts.
Helena pulled Zhao Si into the castle at a light jog, deftly weaving through the crowd. Zhao Si could only steal hurried glances at what lined either side of the road. Most of Stormveil's residents were ordinary people going about their everyday lives. Shops were open for business, and the streets bustled with people and chatter.
It certainly deserved its reputation as the largest castle in Limgrave. Fantasy worlds like Elden Ring generally took their inspiration from medieval Europe, with vast stretches of sparsely populated land. Most people lived inside castles, with villages, towns, and farmland outside.
Zhao Si had seen it while playing the game, but now that he was seeing it with his own eyes, he felt the game had actually understated things. Stormveil had everything a castle ought to have, and its residential areas were neatly organized.
Sure enough, the game's map had left out a lot of unnecessary things for the sake of gameplay.
Back when he played the Souls games, Zhao Si had often wondered whether living in cities like these was convenient for the world's inhabitants.
Now that he had seen it for himself, he understood: no one but the player would find it inconvenient.
"How did you recognize me?" Zhao Si asked Helena.
Helena paused. "I can see tiny flames on you."
Looking at Helena's covered eyes, Zhao Si grew even more curious about how she could "see."
The roads through Stormveil Castle were not particularly complicated. Before long, the two of them reached the open space in front of the Throne Room. It was full of chattering people, many of whom, judging by their clothes, were nobles there to enjoy the spectacle.
The doors to the Throne Room were tightly shut. A chair stood at the top of the steps, occupied by a lavishly dressed man with an unruly expression. He was enjoying grapes offered by the maid beside him-actual grapes.
A row of knights stood guard below the steps. They were the elite soldiers known as Banished Knights in the game. At least, Zhao Si considered them elite.
Then the man before him was...
Hiding behind the crowd, Zhao Si quietly asked Helena, "Is that Godrick?"
Helena nodded. "Of course. Lord Godrick himself, in the flesh."
Zhao Si looked at the long-haired man, who was not especially tall or broad and was rather handsome, and felt that calling him "old and ugly" might have been unfair. Still, if the comparison was with the other demigods, perhaps Godrick really was not much of a looker.
"Why did you bring me here?" Zhao Si asked, puzzled.
"It was the Fingers' wish," Helena said.
True enough. Summoning the Tarnished was not something Godrick could do.
Godrick swallowed a grape, spat out the skin, and cleared his throat. Then he called out in his somewhat shrill voice, "Where are the Tarnished? Have all the Tarnished arrived?"
Helena immediately raised her hand and bounced on her toes. "We're here! Over here!"
Then she pushed Zhao Si out of the crowd. He stood in the open space, looking straight at Godrick.
Behind him, Helena was still cheering him on. "Nicholas, do your best!"
"Huh?" Zhao Si was utterly confused.
Do my best at what?
The others' actions soon answered his question.
More Tarnished emerged in twos and threes to stand beside him. Some were dressed as knights, others as mages, and one particularly conspicuous figure was dressed as a samurai.
Godrick surveyed them for a moment, then impatiently slapped his chair's armrest. "The Two Fingers said it wants the Tarnished to go to the Roundtable Hold for an audience. I don't know what for, but I think sending all of you would be too many people. So I want you to fight it out first. The winner goes to the Roundtable Hold. As for the losers, go back to whatever you were doing."
Zhao Si's eyes widened. Now he was in trouble. He looked at his opponents beside him, and not one of them seemed ordinary. At the very least, their helmets and armor made them look far more professional than him, empty-handed and without any equipment.
He timidly raised his hand. "Um, may I ask... can I forfeit?"
"Hm?"
Almost everyone voiced their disbelief. Godrick's brows drew together. "The Tarnished are descended from warriors, brave and fierce, every one of them. What's wrong with you?"
"I didn't know there was a tournament today. I haven't prepared at all. I only just revived, and my head's still muddled." Zhao Si's eyes darted about as his words grew jumbled. "I don't even know my own maiden."
"Hahahaha!" Godrick burst into laughter at that. "To think there's someone as weak as you among the Tarnished."
Zhao Si felt a jolt. You bastard, don't tell me you see something of yourself in me?
Godrick himself was considered the weakest demigod. Without his family's "golden" Great Rune propping him up, he would probably have been even more pathetic-perhaps only a little stronger than an ordinary person.
In a world where bloodlines and strength decided everything, he was just a tiny bit pitiable. His later atrocities, however, had completely erased that trace of pity.
The thing was, Godwyn was still alive now. Godrick would not be getting that Great Rune.
Godrick looked at Zhao Si with interest. "Tell me, who has the greater gift of persuasion-you or the Two Fingers?"
Zhao Si frowned.
The Two Fingers doesn't even have a mouth. Who the hell knows how it talks?
That was what he thought, but what he said was, "I'm a clumsy speaker. Of course I can't compare to the Two Fingers."
He had not respectfully addressed the Two Fingers as "Lord Fingers." He simply could not muster any reverence, much less call anyone "my lord." What a joke. He had lived nearly thirty years without ever using such a feudal form of address. How was he supposed to remember to use it now?
Godrick's face lit up. "Good! I've decided to send you to the Roundtable Hold as a bonus! The rest can fight it out."
"Wh-why?" Zhao Si's face fell. How had this turned into a forced deal?
"Hmm..." Godrick actually thought it over. "Because I want to know how you'll say all that to the Two Fingers' face. Hahaha! It wants Tarnished, but there's a useless weakling mixed in among them. Just thinking about it is amusing."
"You..." Zhao Si's face twisted, and he was about to unleash a torrent of abuse. But then he saw a Banished Knight shift slightly, the knight's full suit of plate armor clinking, and immediately changed his tune. "...made a truly brilliant decision."
But he still wanted to say, Where's the logic in that? No wonder everyone thinks so poorly of you!
Godrick looked delighted and waved a hand. "Take him away. Have him wait to be sent to Leyndell."
A knight came over to lead Zhao Si away. He lowered his head and silently followed.
He was sensitive to such things and could feel strange looks on his back. Perhaps the other Tarnished thought he had pulled some strings, or perhaps the spectators thought he was a disgrace.
But this isn't my fault. I didn't want this either. Everything happened too suddenly. I'm too weak. I have no power.
Comforting himself, he followed the knight toward a four-wheeled carriage pulled by enslaved giants.
Only Helena watched him go, praying silently, "Honored Tarnished, you must fulfill your mission."
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