Behind the manor lay a stretch of woodland. At the edge of the trees stood a hunter's shack, directly facing the shallows where the skiff had departed. The shack had long been partially dismantled, its timber used to reinforce the outer walls. Upon the remaining ruins sat a petite figure.
She wore a wide-brimmed witch's hat and a heavy cloak. A cream-colored dress traced her slender silhouette, while her short blue hair was slightly tousled, adding a touch of wild beauty to her serene appearance. Her skin was a ghostly blue, her face as exquisite as a work of art. Her right eye, etched with magical sigils, was closed; her left blue eye gazed at the calm lake, its pupil shimmering with the radiance of stars and the full moon.
"Blaidd, why have you taken such an interest in a mere magic apprentice?"
Her voice was clear yet carried an inherent authority. Were it not for her legs swinging gently beneath her long skirt, one might have mistaken her for the Carian Queen herself.
The Half-Wolf stood beside the ruins, spine straight, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings with the vigilance of a predator. Hearing her question, Blaidd's toothy maw twitched. He thought to himself that she was the one who was interested; he had merely reported the facts and pointed out some irregularities.
Having grown up with Ranni and knowing her temperament well, Blaidd cleared his throat and answered gravely, "Despite the pressure of war, Don Wright adapted far too quickly. He gives me the impression of..."
"Of what?" Ranni tilted her head slightly.
"A warrior of a hundred battles. A man-slayer who has put countless enemies to the blade."
Such high praise?
The girl's eyes widened slightly. She knew her Shadow—cold, stern, and entirely ignorant of how to flatter. She asked instinctively, "Is he strong?"
"Not particularly. His raw strength is no different from a veteran like Villa." Blaidd paused, choosing his words carefully. "But that heart of his... it is unlike any ordinary man's. Unless there is some hidden trouble, he can only be seen as a natural-born talent."
"A born warrior?"
Blaidd nodded heavily, his mouth opening in what looked like a bloodthirsty grin. "Yes. Some are born for the slaughterhouse."
"He sounds like quite the talent." Ranni's interest deepened. Seeing a figure emerge from the manor, she stopped the slight swinging of her legs and assumed a posture of greater dignity. "I should indeed see him."
Don stepped out of the manor. The rear of the estate had no walls for cover. The war had erupted so suddenly that the Carian Royals were lucky to have converted a manor into a one-way fortress; there had been no time for proper fortifications.
"Don, go and have your audience with Her Highness." The knight Alayn stopped at the threshold, his hand gripping the greatsword at his waist as he warily surveyed the area. This "on-the-verge-of-combat" look made Don hesitate for a second before he understood.
Ranni was, after all, a co-conspirator of the Night of the Black Knives. She had triggered the first death of a demigod, creating a bug in the Golden Order that erased Destined Death, thereby shaking the foundations of the Erdtree's eternal rule. It could be said that without the Night of the Black Knives, there would have been no Shattering of the Elden Ring, and no war to sweep the continent.
For the one who turned the still waters into a storm, many factions wanted her life.
No wonder, as the de facto ruler of Caria, she never fights on the front lines. Don nodded to show his understanding. The entanglements of gods and demigods were not for a common soldier to pry into.
Walking down the flagstone path, he could see the Half-Wolf from a distance. Upon the ruins sat the small figure, her wide hat obscuring her features. Don's expression grew solemn. This wasn't out of awe for power—in terms of territory and troop numbers, the Lunar Princess wasn't much mightier than Genichiro Ashina—but rather the dense, ferocious aura she projected. It felt as though it wasn't a doll-girl sitting there, but something far more primal.
Is this the power of a demigod of the Lands Between?
In the eyes of the world, Ranni's father, Radagon, had abandoned his wife, Queen Rennala, to join Queen Marika and become the new Elden Lord. As stepchildren of the golden lineage, the three siblings had been granted the title of demigod. But Don knew better. Because the gods played by strange rules, Radagon was more than just a "King." He and the Erdtree's chosen "Goddess," Marika, were one body with two souls. Male or female, husband or wife—he was both. Naturally, the children born of such a union were genuine demigods.
"Art thou Don Wright?"
As Don's thoughts wandered, a voice—gentle yet commandingly dignified—rang in his ears, snapping him back to reality.
"Yes, Your Highness. I am the magic apprentice, Don Wright." He performed a Carian salute, striking his chest as the knights did, and looked up at that exquisite face.
Very dignified. But could you come down here to talk to me?
Ranni had no idea the apprentice was critiquing her in his head. Her fingertips remained joined as she spoke slowly. "Greetings. Pray forgive that I cannot stand alongside thee on the battlefield. Yet, beneath the radiance of the full moon, we all fight for survival. Only the battlegrounds differ."
She was polite and refined, explaining her difficulties from the start. Had Ranni's enemies not been so terrifying, a common soldier could have simply sat back as a cheerleader while she swept across the battlefield.
"You are the commander; you shouldn't be on the front lines. As long as you live, the enemy will hesitate to strike the killing blow," Don replied frankly. He clearly understood that Ranni's enemies were not things ordinary soldiers could handle.
"Thy words bring me comfort." Ranni nodded slightly. She had observed him; there was nothing overtly suspicious about this apprentice. She shifted the topic. "Then, canst thou answer me one thing?"
"Ask it, Highness."
"Why dost thou stay and fight for Caria?"
Don had expected this question. He answered without a pause. "Out of hatred and interest. Of course, there's a bit of gratitude mixed in. Caria has treated me with sincerity; I shall return the favor with righteousness."
His words were airtight. The first half aligned with his origin and the reality that they shared a common fate; the Knights of the Cuckoo weren't known for their discipline, only for pillaging. There was no such thing as "surrender" to them. The second half was a principle he had learned in the Land of Reeds. A man without honor or loyalty rarely lived long.
Don Wright had been a "useless eater" for so long; if the Carian military law had been even slightly harsher, he would have been executed as an example long ago. This debt had to be repaid.
Ranni's gaze shifted slightly. Compared to cold, transactional interests, she preferred the second half of his answer.
"Sincerity met with righteousness? Blaidd, I told thee not to be so impatient. The soldiers are not without heart."
The cold Wolf looked embarrassed and turned his head away.
Ranni didn't press him, continuing to Don: "Thou hast spoken well. I value those who fight for Caria of their own will. Should the full moon eventually fall, I would accept it with grace."
Don remained silent. He knew Ranni had inherited a mess. A "scummier" boss would have turned to dark arts long ago; her mindset was at least better than Genichiro's.
Seeing his silence, Ranni allowed a small smile to slip through. "Do not be so restrained. Thou hast performed great deeds. What reward dost thou seek?"
A proper ruler rewards merit. Don knew the "real" part of the conversation had begun.
"I have two requests."
"Speak."
"First... I wish to know how much time has passed in the Shattering," Don answered after a moment's thought. This was vital for him to anchor the timeline.
Ranni was surprised. She had expected him to ask for gold, a title, or at least a transfer to a safer fortress. She hadn't expected his first request to be for information.
"Art thou interested in the affairs of the world beyond?"
"A man with short-sighted vision usually doesn't live long."
His directness earned a bit more favor from Ranni. She disliked hypocrites and had no interest in blind loyalty.
"Every word is of survival. Thou art quite genuine. Very well, I shall tell thee." Ranni thought for a moment before answering smoothly. "The Second Siege of Leyndell has ended. Not long ago, Malenia the Severed began leading her Cleanrot Knights on a march south. Her purpose is unclear, but I suspect she intends to decide the conflict with my brother, General Radahn, in Caelid. Thou shouldst know who they are."
Don nodded. Among the demigods, those two were legendary. Radahn was Ranni's brother—the "Elder Brother" of countless players—and the lord of the Caelid Wilds. Malenia, that brother-obsessed freak, was a product of Marika and Radagon's "self-union," occupying the Haligtree in the far north.
It seems the Shattering is entering its final stages. Malenia and Radahn are about to clash, both sides will be crippled, countless lives will be tainted by Scarlet Rot, and the demigods—unable to find a victor—will be abandoned by the Greater Will. Then, the first of the Tarnished will return.
"What art thou thinking?" Ranni asked with interest, seeing Don's silence.
Don shook himself out of his reverie. He had finally pinned down the timeline. He had a better grasp of the future now.
"I'm thinking that there is no peaceful place in the Lands Between. I wonder when we'll ever live a quiet life again." He put on a look of bitterness.
Under the shackles of the Order, pain is eternal.
The answer flashed through Ranni's mind. The dice had been cast; even if a demigod were to win and repair the Elden Ring, it would be nothing more than another cycle of agony. Since such matters were too far removed from a magic apprentice, she chose to gloss over it gently.
"The future is full of possibilities. Thou needst only remember: there is no such thing as a free lunch in the Lands Between. Some things are blessings, and others are curses."
The words were somewhat cryptic, but Don glanced at the massive Erdtree and countered, "Are you referring to the loss of sanity after the Ring shattered?"
"Spoken like a true sorcerer; thou hast a knack for connections." Ranni was genuinely surprised and was about to delve deeper into the topic when Blaidd gave a soft cough.
"Highness, dawn approaches."
It sounded like a code. Perhaps it was Don't's imagination, but he thought he saw the Princess pout in annoyance. Upon closer look, her exquisite face was once again a mask of dignity.
"Tell me, what is thy second request?"
Don patted the straight sword at his waist and smiled bitterly. "This blade doesn't suit my hand. I request a replacement."
This request was even simpler. After their conversation, Ranni wasn't surprised by the youth's strange train of thought. She immediately instructed the knight Alayn to take Don to the armory and let him choose whatever he liked.
"Highness, dawn approaches," Blaidd reminded her again, his tone urgent as if a powerful enemy were nearing.
"What is the rush?" Ranni's voice lost some of its majesty, but she quickly regained her composure. "Don Wright, may the full moon be with thee. I look forward to thy performance..."
As the words fell, azure particles fluttered into the air. Before Don could react, the Lunar Princess vanished. Only the star-like particles remained to prove she had ever been there.
As expected of a demigod. Even her exit is top-tier style.
Don felt a sense of longing. Recalling the conversation and those subtle, involuntary gestures, his lips curled upward.
Ranni was... quite interesting.