Elden Lord of Cinders

Chaos left.

After saying something utterly baffling, she tilted her head up and brushed Lloyd's nose with the tip of her own, the same nose he had just pinched moments ago. Then, as a faint fragrance rose in the air, her body dissolved into golden motes of light that drifted past him before vanishing on the spot.

Lloyd stood there for a moment after she disappeared, breathing in the lingering scent, his expression growing more and more complicated.

Wait… was she just finding a roundabout way to call him stupid?

"No—what do you mean I'm not smart even when I'm sober? Chaos, get back here and explain yourself…"

For the first time, Lloyd's summoning failed.

Two amused hums sounded in the air nearby, but Chaos herself never appeared.

...Forget it.

After waiting long enough to be sure she had no intention of talking to him, Lloyd let the matter drop. He started walking again until he found Renna standing at the edge of a pool, tossing ice chunks into the water.

Hearing footsteps, Renna turned and saw him. She dismissed the ice forming in her hands and spoke, a little awkwardly.

"Ahem… about earlier, I didn't mean to—"

"I know."

Lloyd nodded and stepped up beside her.

"You were probably looking for me to talk about the Albinaurics, right?"

"About that… I couldn't arrange for you to speak directly with the Two Fingers, but I just asked on your behalf. The destruction of the Eternal City had nothing to do with the Tears, so there's no need to worry…"

Renna was quiet for a moment after hearing this, then let out a weary sigh.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Lloyd stood beside her, both of them facing the waterfall ahead.

"So, what's your next move? Research Asimi? If that's the case, I should say this now—if it's to improve the Albinaurics and make sure Asimi isn't harmed, I'll support your research. But beyond that, I also have to consider Asimi's own wishes…"

"Of course."

Renna nodded, unsurprised.

Yet, despite Lloyd's clear offer to help, her expression didn't ease—if anything, she looked more troubled.

"What's wrong?" Lloyd asked, picking up on it.

"Is there a problem?"

"No… not a problem." She paused, then sighed again.

"There are a lot of problems."

Before coming here, she'd thought that all she needed was to find the Eternal King's original body, patch up the missing technology, and the Albinauric issue would be solved. But now that she'd actually found it, looking back, she realized her thinking had been far too naive.

While the Eternal King's body could likely restore the Albinaurics' missing core technology, the problem was that the Albinaurics were missing far more than that—far more than just technology.

First, the war between the Academy Faction and the Carian Faction had destroyed or lost countless records, including those on the Albinaurics' craft.

Second, while she had inherited some of the Snow Witch's memories, it was only a partial inheritance, and much of it was limited to written accounts of Albinauric technology. Given that, the only way to complete—or even replicate—the Albinaurics' technology was to find other Albinaurics and convince them to collaborate.

Unfortunately, for many reasons, relations between the Caria faction and the Albinaurics were strained at best. Especially with Ranni—though she herself had done nothing, she had a brother, Rykard, whose actions toward the Albinaurics… Let's just say they wouldn't pass scrutiny.

That left Renna in a bind. She needed a first-generation Albinauric—second-generation imitations were too flawed—to cooperate with her research, but she couldn't find one. And her own position in all this was already awkward.

On top of that, to carry out such research, she would need at least a proper laboratory, an assistant deeply versed in soul studies, and as much technical data and support as she could possibly get…

"So you get it now, right? I appreciate that you're willing to help me, but even if you and Asimi both agree, this is still only the beginning..."

Lloyd blinked.

"But I already have everything you just mentioned."

Renna shook her head.

"Those are all troublesome matters, and they require a lot of preparation... Wait, what did you just say?"

Because Lloyd's intelligence had been noticeably declining lately, Renna had gotten into the habit of ignoring most of his answers and questions just to spare herself the mental strain.

But now...

"I said, I already have everything you were talking about."

Lloyd answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, then pulled up his map.

"Wait for me here."

...

A moment later, Lloyd appeared in Limgrave and headed to find Latenna.

"Lord Lloyd? Did you come here for—"

The instant he arrived, Latenna instinctively sat on the stone railing beside her, already beginning to take off her shoes to bare her feet.

But before she could move any further, Lloyd spoke.

"I found your mother."

Latenna: "...?"

Without further explanation, Lloyd dragged Latenna straight to Renna and pointed at her.

"Here—first-generation Albinauric."

Then, with a tremor from the silver cocoon in his inventory, a silver-haired girl appeared on his shoulder.

"Here—the Eternal King's original body."

Next, he went to the Ancestor Spirit's forest and hauled over the Regal Ancestor Spirit, who had just finished settling things there.

"Here—soul expert."

As for data and a proper laboratory...

"When we talked earlier, the Queen of the Full Moon told me she's been wanting to pull you over to her side for a long time. She just felt it'd be wrong to poach her own daughter, and she didn't want to risk Ranni losing her temper, so she didn't go through with it.

But if you're interested, they're short-handed right now. As long as you're willing to share your research results, I'm sure they'll carve out a space for you..."

...

With that, all of Renna's requirements were met.

When it came to follow-up discussions, Lloyd kept offering to explain the situation and make introductions for her. But in the end, everyone chose to ignore his offers, leaving him quietly disappointed.

Once talks were done, no one had any objections to Renna's plan.

The Regal Ancestor Spirit saw it as a chance to study her own condition. Asimi also needed technical support and to complete himself.

After hearing Renna's explanation, Latenna was a little stunned, but this was a chance to restore the entire Albinauric race—there was no way she'd refuse.

Still, after agreeing, she didn't look at Renna. Instead, her gaze shifted to Lloyd, her expression growing increasingly unreadable as her feet rubbed together inside her boots, as though she were turning something over in her mind.

As for Renna...

"You really are... unbelievable."

After a long pause, that was the only word she could find to describe him.

Lloyd didn't see anything unusual about it.

After all, he scoured the map so thoroughly precisely to avoid missing any items or side quests.

Renna, of course, had no idea what he meant by "scouring the map," but it didn't matter. They hadn't just met yesterday—she'd long since learned to tune him out when necessary.

"By the way, is there anything you want? Or anything you need help with?"

Renna looked at him steadily as she spoke.

"You've helped me so much, and given my current circumstances, I don't have much of real value to offer. If there's something you need, tell me, and I'll see if I can help..."

Lloyd thought for a moment. He didn't feel like he had any requests—until something occurred to him just as he was about to shake his head.

"How about making a covenant with me?"

Renna: "...?"

Seeing the ring suddenly appear in Lloyd's hand, held out to her, Renna went silent.

A covenant...

If she hadn't already seen Lloyd pull out a ring and chase after the Two Fingers, she would have refused him outright.

But after that scene—and knowing his usual behavior—it was hard for her to imagine there being any other meaning to this.

After a short but awkward exchange, she more or less understood what Lloyd meant by "covenant." After a moment of hesitation, she slowly extended her hand.

"If that's your request..."

Truthfully, something about this felt off. Even if she knew Lloyd didn't mean it that way, Renna was familiar enough with the customs of the Lands Between to know she should at least hesitate longer, weigh more possibilities.

But...

There's a saying: since ancient times, night and fire have always walked together, drawn to each other and inseparable.

It isn't only the cold dark moon, nor just the full moon or twin moons, that are drawn to red hair—flame.

It also includes the cold Witch who gazes at the stars from the summit of the Consecrated Snowfield.

And if we're being precise, Renna had actually spent more time with Lloyd than Ranni had.

From that cave in Liurnia of the Lakes, she had been at his side all the way to Ranni's domain.

Later, she stayed with Ranni to share her burdens, parting ways with Lloyd for a time.

But once Lloyd agreed to supply Ranni with souls on a regular basis, Renna was there to watch almost every time. She had even, out of curiosity, tried a taste or two herself.

Ranni took it as Renna trying to tease her—and yes, there was a little of that in it.

But was that really all there was?

Renna felt she didn't.

At most, she had simply found the place a bit warm and wanted to get closer, as if to warm herself by a fire.

And so, she moved nearer and nearer to the flames, until—she put on the ring.

[Obtained Covenant: "Favored of Ice and Snow"]

[Favored of Ice and Snow]

[A covenant made with the heretical Snow Witch]

[When equipped, increases Cold damage]

[Slightly increases Frost buildup]

[The heretical Snow Witch is powerful and mysterious]

[But at this moment, she has been reborn]

[As nothing more than a tender clump of snow]

[Beneath that cold, unyielding exterior]

[She too longs for warmth and companionship]

[Obtained Sorcery: "Renna's Ice Spear"]

[A sorcery of the reborn Snow Witch, Renna]

[Fires a powerful Glintstone Ice Spear]

[On hit, inflicts heavy Frost damage]

[Slightly reduces target's Magic Resistance]

[Can be cast while moving, and in rapid succession]

[Charging increases its power]

[The newborn Snow Witch longs for warmth and companionship]

[Which is why she is drawn to flame]

The covenant's effect was nothing special, but the magic it granted was formidable. Its only drawback was a steep Intelligence requirement and high FP cost—well beyond what Lloyd could currently manage.

After sealing the covenant, and with nothing else pressing, Lloyd sent Renna back so she could make preparations for her research.

...

Before that, though, there was a small incident.

Renna distinctly remembered that when Lloyd had put the ring on her, it was on her index finger. Yet in the blink of an eye, it had shifted to her ring finger, and there was no way to move it back...

To avoid misunderstandings—particularly from a certain someone—she thought for a moment, then asked Lloyd for a pair of gloves.

Only after slipping them on, concealing the ring from view, did she allow him to send her back.

...

Once Renna was returned and arrangements made with the others for their teleportation schedules, Lloyd finally had a moment to breathe and check the spoils from his last battle.

[Fragment of Defiled Essence]

[Essence fragment left behind by an Outer God]

[Brimming with defiling power]

[Too small to be of direct use]

[But can serve as an anchor]

[To connect with a deeper essence]

It was something he couldn't use directly, and with no idea what it was good for, Lloyd tossed it into his inventory without much thought.

As for the other...

[Incomplete Soul of the White Lady]

Ding, ding, ding—

At the chime of the summoning bell, a faint, ethereal figure appeared before him: the spirit of a white witch.

She bore an uncanny resemblance to Asimi—or rather, Asimi's humanoid form had clearly been modeled after her.

Long hair cascaded down to her waist, her delicate features framed by a fluttering white dress. Her eyes were closed, and after being summoned, she simply stood there, still and silent, like someone lost in a deep sleep.

In truth, it was almost the same as sleep. This soul had been wrapped in, and tormented by, that defiled essence for so long that she was nearly consumed entirely.

If not for the support of Lloyd and the spirit-calling bell, she would have dissipated the moment she appeared.

But now...

This soul's condition was even more pitiful than the Finger Maiden's, worse even than Seriel's—she couldn't manage even the slightest self-repair.

After a brief moment of thought, Lloyd walked over, carried her into the shade of a tree, pried open her mouth with his fingers, and began pouring souls into her.

Even so, he couldn't help but wonder if this soul could actually be repaired.

The damage was far too severe—calling it nothing more than a single lingering wisp of spirit would not be an exaggeration. In this state, even if he fed her souls directly, she might not be able to take them in. Worse, the sudden influx could wash away that last shred of awareness, leaving nothing but an empty shell...

Huh?

Sensing something, Lloyd lowered his head.

Under his gaze, that tiny remnant of consciousness was not swept away at all. Instead, it rallied the last of its strength, moving the spirit body to cling to his finger, drawing in more and more souls from him.

Nourished by the steady flow, the wisp of awareness rapidly began to recover and grow stronger.

"I still have... things... unfinished..."

"I must... save... them..."

"And... the children..."

"I... want to live..."

From the fragments of thought lingering in that awareness, Lloyd understood why she had managed to endure the filth for so long.

He had suspected from the start that her survival meant there was some kind of deep-seated obsession keeping her going. He had thought that once the filth was purged, that obsession would fade—or vanish altogether.

But now, it seemed the obsession had only grown stronger. So strong, in fact, it bordered on madness.

"Let's stop here for today."

Pulling his finger free from the spirit's mouth—despite her continued sucking and even attempts to keep him there—Lloyd shook his head.

"That's enough for you to digest for a while. If you keep going, you won't be able to handle it."

With that, he returned the Spirit Ash to his inventory, leaving her to recover quietly.

...

Once that was settled, Lloyd made his way back to the Roundtable Hold and headed to The All-Knowing's office. This time, the door was unlocked, and no one else was inside.

Upon entering, he saw The All-Knowing glance behind him, as if checking for something. Once satisfied, he let out a small breath of relief.

"You're here."

His gaze and tone shifted subtly as he focused back on Lloyd.

"Here to ask me something again?"

"Yes." Lloyd nodded.

"I've finished up in the Eternal City. I'm debating whether to head to Volcano Manor or Leyndell next. Any suggestions?"

The All-Knowing froze for a moment. He had been prepared to be interrogated, but this was unexpectedly straightforward.

After a short pause to think, he replied slowly.

"Normally, after securing two Great Runes, I would tell you to head straight to Leyndell... but from the information you've given me before, I've drawn a few conclusions.

I can't go into too much detail, but in short—I don't recommend going to the capital first."

So, Volcano Manor it was.

Lloyd nodded, chatting with him for a bit longer. But to The All-Knowing's surprise, while the conversation was still mildly exhausting, Lloyd didn't spout any outrageous theories, nor did he take advantage of his unbuffed state to grill him mercilessly.

Had this man's personality changed overnight?

As the thought crossed his mind, The All-Knowing remembered something.

"By the way, earlier I heard some kind of disturbance outside, but when I asked around, no one could tell me what it was. Do you know?"

"Oh, that." Lloyd nodded casually.

"I pulled the Two Fingers out and gave it a bath. You should take a look later—it's spotless now."

The All-Knowing: "...?"

What on earth did he just say?

Before he could react, Lloyd continued, sounding almost wistful.

"After I washed it, I wanted to make a covenant with it, but it flat-out refused. Said it was 'emotionally conservative'..."

"I honestly don't see what emotional conservatism has to do with a covenant. So I figured I'd ask you, and while I'm at it..."

Watching the subtle shift in The All-Knowing's expression, Lloyd blinked, then produced a gray ring and held it out earnestly.

"I thought I'd make a covenant with you. Someone as rational as you wouldn't say something like 'emotionally conservative,' right?"

Silence.

A long silence.

"Just tell me your new idea or theory." The All-Knowing finally raised his head, speaking with quiet resolve.

"I... can handle it."

...

[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]

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