Cock-a-doodle-doo!
A rooster crowed at dawn, the eastern sky lightening to a pale fish-belly white.
Nidhogg woke up in an unfamiliar tent. He rubbed his eyes and reached out to touch the brand on his chest, summoning the floating lines of text.
「Level」 LV 21 (Mediocre)
「Armor」 Vagabond Knight Helm / Vagabond Knight Armor / Vagabond Knight Gauntlets / Vagabond Knight Greaves
「Weapons」 Longsword (Skill: Square Off) / Ashen Knight's Battle Axe (Skill: Charge-forged Heavy Strike)
「Shield」 Heater Shield (Skill: Parry)
「Long-term Quest」 Reach one of the following: The Age of Darkness, The Never-ending War, or The Age of Dawn.
「Mid-term Quest」 Golden Seed & Sacred Tear Flask (Condition: Reach Level 27)
「Short-term Quest」 Encounter Key Members of the Hawk Company (1/6) / Defeat Rickert / Def Corkus / Defeat Judeau / Defeat Pippin / Defeat Casca / Defeat Guts / Defeat Griffith
The new quests had updated last night. Nidhogg had checked them then, but seeing them again confirmed that everything that had happened was real.
He thought back to his personal encounter with Griffith and the Hawks the night before. He'd managed to keep his turbulent emotions in check. He hadn't been nearly as rattled as he was during the castle battle.
"Ugh..." On the other side of the tent, on a simple wooden bed, Guts was also waking up. He yawned, sat up, and immediately winced. "Tch... Didn't sleep well..."
He frowned and touched the bandage on his shoulder. He'd aggravated the wound getting up.
Nidhogg couldn't help a small smirk. "Serves you right for charging at Griffith last night. Got taken down in what, a few moves?"
"What was I supposed to do? Just agree when he asked us to join the Hawks out of nowhere?" Guts grumbled, clearly unhappy as he got dressed.
Nidhogg pulled on his own clothes. "The Hawks all worship Griffith. You challenged him right in front of them. Getting off with just a wound and having it treated? That's not bad."
"I didn't ask them to treat it." Guts grabbed his massive sword from beside the bed, still tense. "I was going to leave. You're the one who insisted we stay."
Nidhogg shook his head, fastening his sword and shield, adjusting his vagabond knight's gear.
"You were the one who was so impulsive. You didn't say a word, just attacked him. And you made the bet: if you lost to Griffith, we'd both join the Hawks. Now that you did lose, what do you expect me to do?"
Guts fell silent.
Nidhogg had made him stay, of course. Not because of some stupid bet, but to let Guts's wound heal. And to complete his brand quests. To level up as fast as possible.
He hadn't challenged Griffith himself because if Guts couldn't win, neither could he. Not yet.
Besides, Nidhogg always assumed the worst of people. He believed Griffith was the type who, if he couldn't have something, would destroy it. Refusing to join now would only cause problems later.
Footsteps approached from outside.
A shy-looking boy with bangs entered the tent tentatively.
"Ah, you're both awake... I'm Rickert." The boy met Nidhogg and Guts's eyes and grew a little nervous. "Griffith sent me to bring you to him."
Nidhogg glanced at the silent Guts, then nodded. "Please, lead the way."
"Of course, of course." Rickert waved his hands quickly.
As they walked through the Hawk Company's camp, they were met with many unfriendly glares.
The Hawks didn't understand why Griffith wanted to recruit these two. Guts's attack the night before had only made their resistance stronger.
Rickert, leading the way, glanced back at Nidhogg and Guts. They both looked completely calm. He was surprised.
Normally, just walking through the camp under those hostile stares was enough to make a person feel like they were about to be killed...
He remembered the two of them slaughtering the bandits the night before. Even without the Hawks' help, they would have won easily. And Guts had managed to last several exchanges with their commander before losing...
The more Rickert thought about it, the more impressed he became.
He felt like he understood why Griffith wanted them. Wouldn't such powerful comrades be good for the Hawks?
「Short-term Quest」 Encounter Key Members of the Hawk Company (2/6)
Nidhogg looked up, startled, and met Rickert's slightly admiring gaze.
Based on his experience with Guts, the quest only updated when someone genuinely acknowledged him from the heart.
Last night, Griffith had decided to recruit him and Guts. That must have been the first sixth of the quest.
So now Rickert was the second key member to acknowledge him? But he hadn't done anything. Did Rickert just... admire him spontaneously?
Nidhogg didn't question it. He could only assume it was true.
Soon, Rickert led them to a small hill. Griffith stood under a locust tree on the slope, nodding slightly as they approached.
The only woman in the Hawk Company, the dark-haired girl named Casca who had stood beside Griffith the night before, was also there. She glared at them coldly.
"I'll go now." Rickert, his mission complete, nodded to Nidhogg and Guts and left.
Nidhogg and Guts walked up the slope and stood before Griffith.
Griffith's eyes fell on the bandage on Guts's shoulder. He smiled. "Guts, have that bandage changed later. Let the wound heal quickly. It shouldn't affect your training."
Guts had lost to Griffith last night. For someone as proud as him, it was a bitter pill. He didn't respond, just stood in silence.
Griffith turned to Nidhogg, studying him.
Last night, Nidhogg hadn't challenged him like Guts had. Griffith didn't think less of him for it.
Nidhogg's strength wasn't weak, but he wasn't as strong as Guts. Not yet.
But after Griffith defeated Guts, Nidhogg had been able to read the situation, handle it calmly, and convince Guts to accept the outcome. That was a rare ability. One Griffith valued.
Griffith was so pleased that he smiled. It was a beautiful, innocent smile, like a child seeing a new toy.
Nidhogg and Guts both stared, stunned. It was hard to imagine the leader of a five-hundred-man mercenary company making such a childlike expression.
Casca wasn't surprised. She'd seen Griffith make that satisfied face before.
It only made her more frustrated. Why did Griffith value these two so much?