Malenia's gaze fixed firmly on the armored knight before her. She had no intention of speaking in riddles.
"Do you really think this will end so easily?"
"If we retreat now, if we choose to yield, do you believe that will truly put an end to everything?"
"The Lands Between need a Lord. But some are not satisfied with merely that…"
Nolan said nothing.
Of course it wasn't simple.
If Marika or Radagon had stepped forward, this catastrophic war might never have broken out.
But what had they done? One shattered the Ring and pushed the world toward war. The other followed and ended up hanging there with her.
And then there were the self-righteous Two Fingers, who claimed to speak for the Greater Will. Since the war began, they had played dead, doing nothing.
If they had taken a clear stance, whether or not it could have ended the conflict, the pressure on the Royal Capital would at least have eased. The situation would not have spiraled into such madness.
The Night of the Black Knives had only been a fuse.
The true cause of this disaster lay in the indulgence and manipulation of those at the top.
Gods and Lords on high. Hidden hands in the shadows. Every side had its own design.
Even as war consumed the Lands Between, even as thousands upon thousands of innocents died, even as once-exalted Demigods fell and their bones piled high…
It was all just paving stones for someone else's path.
Malenia had said enough. The fact that she spoke so openly was itself a show of confidence.
She did not need to test him with veiled words. Nor did she care how much he inferred.
Without strength, knowing too much only brought trouble.
"It seems you understand," she said.
"Strength is not merely the reason one becomes a Lord. It is the foundation that supports all ambition."
"For now, focus on how you will bring my sister here."
Her face was expressionless.
Nolan stroked his chin. "So you're not going to do anything? That's it?"
"That's it."
Malenia let out a soft snort and smoothly fitted the golden prosthetic arm onto her shoulder. Her voice was cold.
"I am the commander of the Haligtree Army. I will not abandon my soldiers and run."
As if he would believe that.
When it came to Trina's safety, he didn't believe she would truly stand by and do nothing.
The Valkyrie was the Blade of Miquella. But she was not only that. She was also Malenia.
She was no puppet without will. She had her own judgment.
That gentle Empyrean still carried love in her heart. She had not abandoned it.
Nor had she ever tried to turn her sister into a hollow shell that obeyed without thought.
"Everyone walks a different path," Malenia continued. "Everyone carries a different burden."
"As the Valkyrie, I remain here."
"As the Blade, I fulfill my sister's command."
"And as the Golden Needle Knight, what is it that you must do?"
Is she trying to brainwash me?
Nolan sighed.
"What else? Protect our Saintess."
The Malenia before him was the leader of tens of thousands, a true Golden Lord in her own right.
He was not Miquella. He was not Trina.
A few words would never shake her resolve.
"Since you've decided to fight on, then I'll do what I can to reduce the risks."
"Oh?" She turned her head slightly, interest flickering in her eyes. "And how do you intend to do that? If it proves useful, I might cooperate."
"First, send someone to find Finlay. If the task you assigned her cannot be completed, have her withdraw."
"Very well."
Malenia nodded.
If Godrick fled back to Stormveil, even someone as capable as Finlay could not take that fortress with only a handful of knights.
That junior had only managed to obtain a Great Rune by luck. His strength was still pitiful.
He was not worth much trouble.
Let him cling to life a little longer.
"I'll also help you suppress the corruption inside your body."
At that, Malenia's expression stiffened. She was silent for a long moment before finally forcing out a reply through clenched teeth.
"There's still time. There's no need to rush."
"I'm worried that once you're on the battlefield, once the killing starts, you'll lose control. What if you do something reckless?"
Nolan sighed. At this rate, if she didn't achieve her goal, she might very well paint Leyndell red.
The Altus Plateau was the most prosperous land in the Lands Between.
The Scarlet Flower was beautiful.
It was better if it never bloomed.
"The fighting at Leyndell is already tense," Malenia said after a brief pause. "There isn't time for me to sleep peacefully. And besides, the golden needle my sister left me is still with me. It should hold for a while."
So far, she had fallen into slumber three times. The longest had lasted nearly a year.
A year was no small gap in a war.
Even she had struggled against the Fell Omen. Finlay alone would not be enough to hold back the Royal Capital's forces.
"Relax," Nolan said. "Last time, we already cleared out most of the corruption hidden in your body."
"You won't fall into slumber like before."
"This time I'm just worried that the Goddess will take advantage of a moment of weakness. Better to be prepared."
The explanation caught Malenia off guard.
This was not her domain. Every time before, she had simply endured it, unable to intervene. Fighting corruption required Nolan's strange soul power. Her strength lay in battle and command.
"Is that really necessary?" she asked. "I don't feel anything wrong with my body."
"Do you understand corruption better than I do?" Nolan shot back. "Or is the invincible Valkyrie afraid?"
"Hah. Afraid?" Malenia let out a cold laugh. "The Blade of Miquella knows no fear."
She knew perfectly well he was provoking her.
But in front of him, she refused to concede.
Her golden prosthetic hand shot out and grabbed Nolan by the collar.
The motion looked slow, yet he had no time to react.
Cold metal brushed warm skin. Their eyes met for a brief instant.
Her face moved closer.
Nolan had just opened his mouth to speak when the words vanished.
His lips were sealed firmly.
Breathing grew difficult.
But he dared not complain.
Expecting Malenia to be gentle was already asking too much.
Asking for more might very well get him beaten to death.