"I heard the battle between the Promised Consort and the Valkyrie lasted three days. You never returned, and the cold wind and sea tides continued for three days as well. You only came back this morning."
Nolan had just pushed open the door to the Goddess's chambers. Before he could even step inside properly, Trina's voice came from within.
Her voice was clear and pleasant, like heavenly music, yet carried a touch of childish softness that made one instinctively feel affection for her.
It was hard to tell whether Trina's tone was her usual casual greeting or the seriousness of official business.
But no matter what, as long as that voice came from her throat, it gave people a gentle, soothing feeling.
That was why Trina had once been responsible for preaching on Miquella's behalf.
People liked coming into contact with the Saintess not only because she represented the Empyrean.
More importantly, her gentle nature and her words seemed able to make people forget all their troubles.
The Empyrean's fanatical following had grown so large, and at least half the credit belonged to the Saintess's tenderness.
"I remember my Goddess saying she didn't like meaningless fighting."
As Nolan spoke, he walked into the room and casually shut the door behind him.
He lay down on the bed, picked up Trina, who had stretched out both little hands toward him, and could not help smiling faintly.
Nolan had long since grown used to Trina acting spoiled like this.
The more someone understood Miquella, the more they would fear that Empyrean, and the more they would come to like this Saintess.
Because while that boy's methods were ruthless, this girl was genuinely gentle and lovable.
Her tolerance for Nolan was enough to move the man to tears.
"This is a battle that decides the future of a Lord and a god. How could it be meaningless?" Trina said with both hands on her hips, her face serious.
But before she had even finished speaking, she seemed to deflate, and her whole person became a little listless.
"Though I suppose it really doesn't mean much. Even if she wins this time, can she keep winning in the future? That would be the real headache. What kind of Lord keeps losing forever?"
"So you're saying Malenia wasn't fighting me with the resolve to win? She just wanted to bully me more while she still could? When you put it like that, she really is awful."
Nolan sat up against the bed and could not help adding that comment.
Hearing this, Trina turned to look at Nolan, a teasing smile appearing on her face.
"But from the look of it, you won, didn't you? Where is my adorable little sister? Is she too shy to come see her sister? What is there to hide about something like this?"
"Mm, I won." Nolan nodded, feeling that his private life should not be accepted so easily by someone who could be called his lover.
But after thinking about it again, he realized it was still the memories from his first life influencing him.
Leaving aside what kind of extravagant lives the Golden Royal Family led in this life, the heroic Lords of the Dark Souls world did not seem to have much to do with chastity either.
That old man glowing with golden light always appeared in dreams as a noble, righteous, majestic figure, but who knew how many illegitimate children he had?
Nolan could not help sighing inwardly. He had once been a pure and flawless young man, yet even he had been corrupted by this murky world.
He shook his head helplessly, then took a glittering golden object from his spirit ring.
"What is this...?" Trina looked over curiously, blinking as she tilted her head.
"Your own work. Have you forgotten?" The corners of Nolan's mouth lifted slightly into a faint smile as he raised a cold metal arm.
The arm was made of pure gold unique to Miquella. Under the glow of the Glintstone lamps, it gave off a dazzling radiance.
"It seems Malenia truly has abandoned her sister. In this life, she can no longer escape the mark of the Promised Consort. She has become the Promised Consort's blade, held in Nolan's hand."
A delighted smile spread across Trina's face as she stood up from the bed.
She held the prosthetic arm in both hands, her gaze resting on it. This was the gift she and Miquella had given to their little sister.
The golden prosthetic arm shimmered with a faint golden light, carrying the power she knew best.
Trina's thoughts gradually drifted away as she remembered her adorable little sister, Malenia.
Since childhood, Malenia had suffered the erosion of the Goddess of Rot and lost her arm.
That torment had tortured both her body and mind. Even worse, sooner or later, she would lose herself in that endless pain.
For that reason, they had begun seeking power beyond the Golden Order. This golden prosthetic arm was proof of that, made only to give their little sister the smallest bit of help in a world full of suffering.
When Nolan had first returned to the Haligtree, he had considered using that wondrous fire to heal Malenia.
But at the time, whether out of the Valkyrie's pride or her attachment to her brother and sister, she had refused.
Now, that prosthetic arm was placed before Trina.
There was not the slightest sense of loss in her heart. Instead, she felt only joy.
Because although Malenia seemed to have lost this small support of hers, she had gained a far greater one.
"This is the trophy Malenia left me." Nolan's voice was very soft, as if he were afraid of startling someone.
His gaze fell on the prosthetic arm, which carried Malenia's deep attachment to her brother and sister.
That woman had cherished the things her brother and sister left her. But she also knew what Miquella and Trina wanted to see.
A healthy, whole Malenia would be the best answer she could give them.
Over the years, with Nolan's help, Malenia had kept her eyes and legs. Now that she had regained her right hand as well, she lacked nothing.
Who knew how many Tarnished seeking to become Lord would come to see a complete Valkyrie as a nightmare?
"What do you plan to do with this trophy?" Trina looked up.
"What do you think about adding this pure gold to my armor? From now on, I'll be the one holding this sharp blade."
Nolan thought for a moment, then raised his right hand as he spoke.
After the small talk passed, silence fell over the room again.
This time, Trina did not cling to Nolan as usual, because before the "major matter" in front of them was resolved, there was no need for haste.
Just before Nolan returned, she had received Leda. From that moment on, both her and Miquella's attention had been drawn to more distant affairs.
And now, Nolan had suddenly appeared here, clearly because of those same affairs.
"The latest battle report from the Shaded Castle. Leyndell has already broken into Volcano Manor's main base."
Trina's voice echoed through the room. Her gaze fell on Nolan lying on the bed, and she noticed that he did not speak.
"However, the Volcano Army seems to have temporarily held off Leyndell's attack. The two sides have been locked in a stalemate for several days, and Leyndell's army still has not captured Volcano Manor."
There was a trace of puzzlement in her tone. After all, any normal person hearing that the main base had been breached would assume the battle was already decided, and that only the fight between Demigods remained.
That battle might shake heaven and earth, but judging by the powerful combat strength Margit had displayed in Leyndell, cutting off Rykard's head should not take very long.
Once Rykard died, the war at Mt. Gelmir would naturally end as well.
But the battle at Volcano Manor had dragged on until now despite disadvantages on the battlefield and an enormous gap between Demigods. That was already far from normal.