PinkSnake - Elden Ring First Flame - 452/453

Chapter 452: Mother, I’ve Made Up My Mind

Nolan left the Grand Library without going to comfort Blaidd, who had shut himself away and refused to see anyone. That cold, hard werewolf knight did not like people fussing over him.

In truth, Nolan had always felt that Blaidd was more like a brother-in-law than Rykard or Radahn.

To Ranni, Blaidd was far more like an older brother than those two brothers who were never home.

Blaidd had been by Ranni’s side since childhood. The time they had spent together was even longer than the time the three siblings had spent with one another.

So for this werewolf brother-in-law, and a friend who had fought alongside him, Nolan was willing to put in some effort to help.

Besides, ascending the throne and killing the Two Fingers did not conflict with each other. He could do both.

The most urgent task at present was still the war against the Golden Order Dynasty.

This war could not be avoided. Whether he wanted to claim the throne or eliminate the Two Fingers, he had to defeat the Golden Order Dynasty first.

Nolan intended to become the Elden Lord, and right now, the Two Fingers were his greatest enemy.

As for killing the Two Fingers, those in other regions would not be difficult to deal with. The troublesome ones were the Two Fingers leading the Roundtable Hold, hiding in Leyndell.

So in the end, the conclusion was still the same. This war had to be finished first.

After leaving the Grand Library, Nolan wasted no time and brought Trina and Millicent to the Preceptors’ office.

This place was now his temporary command center. He was preparing to mobilize more troops to attack the Grand Lift of Dectus.

The fighting on the northern shore of Liurnia of the Lakes had proven far more intense than expected.

By all rights, with Vyke, who had already become a legendary champion, leading Borealis and a large force of Fire Knights to reinforce Messmer, this battle should not have been so difficult.

But as the old saying went, nothing in the world ever went exactly as planned.

When the reinforcements first arrived, the Roundtable Hold’s side truly had no strength to resist. In less than three days, they lost every position they held on the northern shore of Liurnia of the Lakes.

But once the Roundtable Hold retreated to the Grand Lift of Dectus, the war fell into a stalemate, because Leyndell’s reinforcements had arrived.

“The heroes of this world really can’t be underestimated,” Nolan murmured, clutching the battle report sent from the front.

The report recorded the details of Leyndell’s reinforcements. Some of the names were completely unfamiliar to Nolan, and they were not even Tarnished Ones.

Yet these people had displayed strength worthy of the name of champion, successfully helping the Roundtable Hold hold back the Firelink Army’s assault.

“Godfrey has returned too. No wonder their morale is so strong. But the one who came is only a phantom clone, so where did his real body go? Mt. Gelmir? The Haligtree? Or is he planning to burn the tree and take the throne directly?” Nolan frowned.

It had to be said that in the hearts of the Golden Order Dynasty’s soldiers and people, Godfrey was practically an object of faith.

Originally, with Nolan’s heroic name as the “Golden Spirit of Leyndell,” public sentiment on the Altus Plateau had already begun gradually turning toward him.

But the moment Godfrey returned, his good or bad reputation no longer mattered. All of Leyndell united as one, their fighting spirit reignited.

It was as though people had forgotten all their previous divisions and disputes. They rallied under Godfrey’s banner, and the Golden Order Dynasty once again became the Dynasty of the War King.

Fortunately, the one who had come to reinforce them this time was only a clone.

If his true body had personally led the Crucible Knights onto the battlefield, the front line would likely be facing far more than a stalemate.

It might have turned directly into a rout.

“We’re gathering strength, and the Two Fingers aren’t fools either,” Trina said with a slight nod. “Leyndell truly does need someone capable of standing against you now.”

With the power Nolan currently possessed, Morgott was indeed no longer qualified to be his opponent.

If Radagon had not been tied down by Marika and chosen to seal himself away, the Fingers would not have needed to recall Godfrey in such haste.

But with things as they were, recalling Godfrey seemed to be the only viable choice.

Godfrey was not especially sharp, and he was also a native barbarian of the Lands Between with a clean background.

From the Fingers’ point of view, even letting Godfrey take the throne again would be better than allowing Nolan to become Lord.

“Godfrey did not come to the Haligtree. We haven’t discovered any forces from the Golden Order Dynasty either,” Millicent said abruptly. Nolan and Trina both knew she was speaking on Malenia’s behalf.

Trina nodded faintly and continued, “Burning the tree to become Lord is also unlikely. The Erdtree isn’t that simple. The Impenetrable Thorns are the will of the gods, and they lack the true Kindling needed to change that will.”

Even the Two Fingers could not control the Erdtree. Otherwise, they would have released Radagon long ago.

Obedient and powerful, Radagon was the Two Fingers’ ideal Elden Lord.

“In that case, Godfrey’s true target is Mt. Gelmir,” Nolan said thoughtfully. “He’s doing this to completely cut us off from the Haligtree.”

Nolan pondered for a moment, then went on, “Millicent, tell your brother to have the Haligtree Army ready to move at any time. We’ll do everything we can on our side as well and push the front line to the Altus Plateau as soon as possible.”

Just as he was about to explain the strategy in more detail, a soft knock interrupted his thoughts.

Nolan looked up toward the door and saw a Fire Knight walk in.

The Fire Knight saluted Nolan, then reported, “Your Majesty, Her Highness the Princess of Mt. Gelmir has arrived at Gatefront Town. She requests an audience with Your Majesty.”

“Mt. Gelmir has a princess?” Nolan froze.

...

Inside the magnificent Grand Library, the Carian Knights had already quietly withdrawn outside.

The Queen and the Princess were speaking privately as mother and daughter. There was no place for knights like them to be involved.

They were actually very curious about what the Queen, unseen for so many years, would say to the Princess, but their duties as knights still compelled them to remain at their posts.

Within the Grand Library, Ranni faced her mother’s calm, deep eyes and finally mustered the courage to ask the question that had been lingering in her heart.

“Mother, is it true, as the Priestess Ymir said, that the world was created by the Greater Will?”

Rennala looked quietly at her daughter. She did not answer at once, but asked in return, “Is the answer to that question important?”

Ranni was silent for a long while, as if thinking it over. Then she said, “It is. Especially to me... Mother, is the freedom I’m chasing ridiculous?”

Rennala looked at her daughter gently and said softly, “How many people long for freedom but can never reach it? I am no different. Which of us does not live without true freedom? So the pursuit of freedom is never ridiculous, my child.”

She gently stroked Ranni’s head, as though soothing the unease in her heart.

Rennala raised her head slightly and gazed at the twin moons in the sky before continuing, “My understanding of the world is limited. Based on what I know, I can only tell you that what Teacher Ymir said is true. And the more I understand the stars and the moon, the more I can feel the greatness of the Greater Will.”

The young Lunar Princess stood stunned for a long time. Then, as if she had finally made up her mind, she lifted her head, looked at her mother, and said, “Mother, I’ve made up my mind.”

Rennala looked at her daughter in surprise. “Hm?”

Ranni took a deep breath, then said firmly, “I’m going to marry Nolan!”

Her eyes met her mother’s directly, without the slightest hesitation.

...

Chapter 453: A Family of Three

Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the windows and spilled across the floor of the Grand Library, scattering into patches of mottled light and shadow.

Ranni gently pushed open the ancient, heavy door and slowly stepped out. Her steps were unusually light, as though every burden she carried had been lifted overnight.

Last night, Ranni and Rennala had spoken at length in the Grand Library, their conversation lasting all the way until morning.

During that long talk, the final weight in Ranni’s heart at last settled.

Since all things in the universe came from the Greater Will, leaving the Lands Between no longer seemed quite so important.

She now understood clearly that the freedom she sought was not something she could gain simply by leaving this place.

To other lives among the stars, were the Lands Between not also like a single star in the heavens?

Unless she could find a way to leave this world entirely, she would never truly escape the Greater Will, no matter where she went.

Fortunately, the Greater Will was not currently governing matters.

After killing the Two Fingers, she could, barely, possess some degree of freedom under the Greater Will’s rules.

It was limited freedom, but it was still the one thing worth being grateful for.

She did not have the freedom to choose liberation from the Greater Will, but at least she still had the freedom to choose the one she loved.

At that thought, Ranni’s heart eased a little.

There had actually been one other matter worrying her last night: how to explain Radahn’s death to her mother.

Ranni confessed Nolan’s promise to Rennala and made it clear that killing Radahn and freeing the Starry Sky had been her own request.

Only later did she learn that Nolan had already told her mother everything, and had even described his promise to her as part of his struggle to become Lord. Ranni could not help being deeply moved.

She was glad she had not chosen the wrong person. Nolan was far better than her father.

Once family matters were settled, and after she had discussed her marriage to Nolan with her mother, Ranni also spoke with Rennala about many private matters that only mother and daughter could share.

During that time, she felt unusually at ease, as though all her worries had been cast aside.

However, when she walked out of the room looking thoroughly refreshed, she encountered something rather vexing.

Nolan was gone.

“Where is Nolan?”

She had already asked the patrolling Carian Knights that question. They told her Nolan was in the Preceptors’ office, but when she reached the office, he was nowhere to be found.

After asking around, she learned that Nolan had left with Trina and Millicent.

The moment she thought of how formidable those two sisters were, Ranni’s heart tightened.

Those sisters were beasts that devoured people whole without spitting out the bones. Nolan might not be able to escape their clutches.

Sisters... Tsk. How was Nolan supposed to withstand that?

Hmph. She had thought that, since Nolan had taken the initiative to propose, she could properly reward him for once. Who would have thought that in the end, he would be lured away right there in her own home by that shameless pair of sisters?

Still, Trina and Malenia joining hands truly made for a terribly difficult opponent. There were probably few men who could refuse them.

The more Ranni thought about it, the angrier she became. It felt as though a great stone were lodged in her chest, leaving her stifled and irritable.

So she decided to visit the classroom where the Fire Knights were stationed and see whether she could find Nolan there.

No matter what, Nolan was the leader of these people. In broad daylight, surely he could not be doing anything shameful...

If Nolan was handling proper business, the Fire Knights ought to know where he was.

“His Majesty Nolan is in Gatefront Town.”

That was the answer Ranni received from the Fire Knights.

What she never expected was that not long after arriving in Gatefront Town, she would see Nolan and Trina holding a child’s hands.

The three of them were walking together, talking and laughing. They looked exactly like a family of three.

Ranni’s expression instantly darkened. She strode quickly up to them, looked at the girl whose hands were held by Nolan and Trina, and asked, “Nolan, what is going on with this child?”

The girl’s hair was dazzling as sunlight, a bright and vivid gold.

Her skin was fair as snow, like finely carved porcelain, and her face was lovely, like a flower in bloom. She was clearly a natural beauty in the making.

Yet in sharp contrast to her beautiful appearance, her figure was slightly hunched, making her look a little different from an ordinary child.

“Oh, Ranni. Are you done talking with your mother-in-law? You came at the perfect time. Come meet your niece.”

Nolan spoke warmly, then turned to the little girl beside him and introduced her with a smile.

“Zorayas, this is Princess Ranni. She’s your aunt.”

Ranni’s brow furrowed slightly when she heard Nolan’s words. She lowered her head and stared at the girl in front of her.

“Aunt? That doesn’t sound right. If Trina’s child isn’t calling me mother, shouldn’t she at least call me maternal aunt?”

Looking closely, although the girl did have golden hair, she did not resemble Trina much. Instead, there was something about her brows and eyes that faintly resembled Ranni’s second older brother.

“Aunt,” Zorayas said, her voice rather restrained. She looked uneasy, but still gave Ranni a polite curtsy.

“Ah... hello,” Ranni replied softly. Then she leaned a little closer to Nolan and asked in a low voice, “Since when did I gain a niece?”

“Rykard’s daughter. She arrived this morning. You didn’t know?”

“I had no idea at all.” Ranni gently shook her head, confusion written across her face.

“I thought someone had already told you, so I didn’t mention it,” Nolan said, scratching his head.

When Rya arrived in Liurnia of the Lakes, she looked no different from a refugee. Who could have guessed she was the child of a Shardbearer?

It was only when she reached the eastern shore of Liurnia of the Lakes and encountered the Firelink Army led by Messmer that her identity was confirmed, after which she was brought to Gatefront Town.

Nolan had not sent anyone to notify Ranni, so she knew nothing about Rya’s arrival.

Had she not run into her now, she probably still would not have known that she had a grown niece, one who had come all the way from Mt. Gelmir.

Ranni trusted Nolan deeply, so she had no need to verify Rya’s identity. Just hearing the name made her feel that this girl was indeed one of their family.

“So she came to Liurnia of the Lakes because of The Shattering?” Ranni suddenly asked, her brow faintly furrowing.

In truth, Ranni also wanted to set aside all those disputes between factions and simply treat Rya as someone returning home for a visit.

But with the current situation, she simply could not think that way.

For even his daughter to be sent back, Ranni could not help suspecting that her second older brother had run into serious trouble, and that this trouble was very likely connected to the Golden Order Dynasty.

“Godfrey has led the Golden Army to Mt. Gelmir,” Nolan said with a nod.

Although the God-Devouring Serpent had withstood Morgott’s campaign, against the Golden Army brought by Godfrey, it did not even need to fight to know there was no chance of victory.

If it could not defeat them, then what could it do? It could only seek help.

What Rykard wanted was simply to cooperate with Ranni. He hoped that Mt. Gelmir and Caria could form an alliance, putting greater pressure on the Golden Order Dynasty from the south.

After all, the two sides already had one successful cooperation behind them. The conspiracy of the Night of Black Knives was inseparable from both siblings.

Moreover, in Rykard’s eyes, Caria, whose mother had yet to awaken, was also easy prey for Godfrey. Caria under Ranni’s leadership could never withstand Godfrey’s forces.

Ranni was clever, and Rykard believed there was a very high chance that this cooperation could be achieved.

Not only that, but if they could draw the rising Fire Dynasty into the alliance against the Golden Order Dynasty along the way, that would be an enormous gain.

Note: Zorayas is Rya’s true name, but I am more used to the name Rya, so this book will mainly refer to her as Rya.