"If only I could try killing an Ancient Dragon and see what happens. If I could transform into one, that would be a massive payoff."
Nolan lightly rubbed the bridge of his nose, already thinking about finding a chance to visit Farum Azula and take a look at the Dragonlord for himself.
The rock-like scales of Ancient Dragons were famous far and wide, their toughness second to none. Compared to that, the bodies of ordinary Flying Dragons were hardly worth mentioning.
He subconsciously glanced at the dragon scales covering the back of his hand, and any thought of deliberately hunting Flying Dragons for power vanished on the spot.
Flying Dragon scales were simply not sturdy enough. In fact, they did not even inspire as much confidence as the protection offered by Golden Needle Knight Armor.
Perhaps slaying more dragons could further strengthen his dragon-transformed state, but Nolan simply did not have the time or energy for that right now.
Even so, the power hidden within his body was already there, waiting for him to explore it further and draw it out.
"Nolan… could it be that you've already undergone Dragon Communion?"
Startled, Ranni abruptly lowered her head, staring at the claws that kept shifting in shape. A trace of worry flashed across her face, so fleeting it was almost impossible to notice.
She knew all too well that the path of Dragon Communion might seem tempting, but its end was plainly visible from the very start.
Hearing her question, Nolan quickly waved his hand and shook his head.
"No, I haven't. This was the first dragon I've ever killed. Even I only discovered this ability by accident after I finished it off."
As his words fell, the silver sheen of dragon scales on his hands began to fade, slowly receding until they disappeared entirely.
He turned his gaze toward the mirror in the room. His once-clear azure-blue eyes shimmered with a strange light, transforming into brilliant golden vertical pupils.
They looked as though flames were burning within them, exuding a presence that made one's heart tighten.
But the power did not last long. The golden pupils gradually dulled, eventually returning to their familiar appearance.
When he drew on that strength, even his form of life itself changed, yet through sheer will, he could largely maintain a human shape.
"To gain dragon power without undergoing Dragon Communion… or perhaps that power was always hidden within you, merely never awakened?"
"Could it be that you have dragon blood? How strange. Do you feel any discomfort at all?"
Ranni lifted her head again, studying those eyes that had returned to their normal blue, her concern unmistakable.
In truth, she was deeply curious about how Nolan had managed to do such a thing.
But she knew little about the domain of Ancient Dragons and had no real interest in probing too deeply into such matters.
Compared to that, she cared far more about whether her loyal and courageous knight might be put in danger because of this.
The Lands Between were full of all manner of strange beings. By her side alone were Flying Dragons, trolls, werewolves, and even unique creations like the Albinauric.
Adding one more shapeshifting "little dragon-man" hardly seemed worth making a fuss over.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. At present, I don't feel anything unusual with my body."
"However, this matter involves dragons. If word were to spread, it would likely bring no small amount of trouble."
"So I hope Your Highness will keep this a secret for me," Nolan said.
He trusted this princess, which was why he had not put the doll away in his spirit ring.
Just looking at the followers around her made it clear that she did not particularly care whether someone was human or not.
If he tried too hard to hide it, it would only arouse her curiosity. If she insisted on getting to the bottom of it, things would become even more troublesome.
So this was a secret between Nolan and me. Miquella definitely doesn't know.
"I understand. A lord bears the responsibility of protecting his vassals. I will not speak of this to anyone."
Ranni nodded solemnly, folding her arms across her chest.
Nolan scratched his head, feeling more amused than helpless as he watched Ranni nodding atop his shoulder. Her small, earnest expression showed no sign of careful restraint at all.
Honestly, the longer this princess stayed by his side, the more adorable she became.
Tsundere, tsundere. What was pride without a bit of softness?
The glow of the twin moons faded beneath brighter hues as the radiance of the Erdtree steadily intensified.
All of it heralded the end of the long night and the arrival of a new day.
More than half the village lay in ruins. The bodies of villagers and Limgrave soldiers had been cleared away, leaving behind only empty streets and shattered walls.
Early that morning, the village chief had already dispatched a militia unit. Their destination was the Redmane camp to the east.
General Starscourge had a solid reputation. With the Redmane Knights' support, there was no need to fear Limgrave's bandits returning for revenge.
"Thank you for your assistance, noble knight."
The white-haired village chief was a man of sense. He made no mention of the damage caused during the fighting, instead presenting several gifts as a token of gratitude.
"It was nothing. If those scoundrels dare come back for revenge, you can simply tell them who I am."
Nolan did not bother concealing his identity as a Golden Needle Knight. Rescuing a village from bandits was hardly something to be ashamed of, and reputation was itself a measure of a faction's strength.
"We have no way to repay your kindness, my lord." The village chief turned and accepted two bags from a nearby villager.
"What's this?"
"A small expression of everyone's gratitude. Please accept it." Watching Nolan mount his warhorse, the village chief lifted the bags high.
"I'll take the reward."
Nolan accepted one of the bags. From the sound alone, he could tell it was filled with runes. It was barely palm-sized, not much at all, but even a well-off village could only scrape together so much.
"Those bastards weren't worth this much anyway. The rest doesn't belong to me. I have matters to attend to, so I'll be on my way."
He nudged Torrent with his heels, and the steed let out two sharp whinnies.
Clop, clop, clop.
Clear hoofbeats echoed across the open plains as a bleak autumn wind brushed against his face.
Bathed in the morning light, the young steed carried him north along the muddy road.
Nolan had already gathered the information he needed. This time, the Haligtree forces had bypassed the snowfields, advancing by sea instead. They had landed at Shaded City and begun their assault on the Royal Capital Leyndell, with the front lines now pushed to the outer city.
The two of them rode on together. Along the way, they passed knights galloping at full speed, none of whom gave Nolan any trouble.
Clad in Golden Needle Knight armor with a bizarre doll perched on his shoulder, he looked unsettling enough. Who knew if he might be unhinged?
A single misunderstanding could easily spark conflict among allied forces.
Holding the reins, Nolan rode swiftly and steadily atop Torrent, his thoughts lingering on everything that had happened the night before.
Malenia would soon receive word that the Golden Needle Knight had slain a Flying Dragon, but she would almost certainly never suspect it had been him.
After all, this was the same knight who once struggled against a mere assassin. How could she imagine that he was now capable of killing a fully grown Flying Dragon more than ten meters long?
Nolan would not only bring her an unexpected surprise. He had also discovered a fascinating path toward greater strength.