Malenia endured the pain and numbness, holding her long blade horizontally across her chest.
But Nolan was no easy opponent. With a sharp flick of his right hand, the greatsword slashed down at an angle.
At that critical instant, Malenia revealed astonishing reflexes and control.
Her left hand braced firmly against her blade while her right wrist twisted sharply. The Lightning Spear that had been driving straight toward her suddenly skimmed along the slanted edge of her sword and shot upward.
The descending greatsword collided with the redirected spear in a crisp clang. The clash flowed seamlessly into the next exchange without the slightest pause.
Malenia pivoted in place. Relying on instincts honed through countless battles, she thrust toward the retreating figure behind her.
Shh—
The blade's force compressed the air into a piercing shriek. There was no restraint in that strike. It was meant to skewer the Golden Needle Knight clean through.
Facing such a lethal blow, Nolan remained eerily calm.
He straightened his body and brought his raised foot down like a hammer.
The instant his foot struck the ground, a violent storm burst outward, shattering the incoming blade energy within rolling waves of air until it scattered into nothing.
Such power from a simple motion, without even invoking an Ash of War. His sister-in-law's martial skill truly stood at the pinnacle.
Nolan silently praised her as he broke through the dust and charged forward. The moment the female swordswoman gave ground, he hurled a blazing spear of light.
Before it even closed the distance, the Lightning Spear detonated, splitting into countless radiant streaks that poured toward her from every direction like a meteor shower.
Malenia moved with light, rapid leaps, yet no matter how she dodged, she could not completely shake them.
Her brows drew together. In the next instant, her toe touched the ground, and she launched high into the air.
Waterfowl Dance!
Brilliant golden light bloomed before her, like a mass of flower stamens bursting open in full splendor.
Within that sea of light, Malenia pressed forward without hesitation. Her blade became a streaking white meteor, dozens of cuts unleashed in the blink of an eye.
The dazzling brilliance lasted only a heartbeat, leaving faint traces suspended in the air before fading. Her long legs came to a steady halt.
"Congratulations. You've finally stepped onto the path of the strong."
The scattered Sunlight Spears had been cut down entirely. Malenia looked at the Golden Needle Knight who had stopped advancing and, for once, offered him a smile.
Nolan still held his sword extended in a thrust. He stared at that gentle expression, momentarily stunned.
"Malenia… she actually has a side like this…"
At his words, the stoic Valkyrie's eye twitched.
She was, after all, the sister of a gentle Empyrean. What was strange about her showing a bit of warmth? Who exactly did this bastard think he was underestimating?
"I was simply surprised," Malenia said coolly. "The little pup I've been raising turned out to be a vicious wolf."
She lowered her blade and lightly brushed the dust from her clothes.
She clasped her hands behind her back, standing tall and poised, and said calmly,
"Don't celebrate too soon. You need greater strength and faster speed. If you think you can take my sister from me, you're eight hundred years too early."
Eight hundred years… that's not really that long.
Nolan said nothing. Her attitude felt slightly different tonight.
"I'll take that as praise."
As if brushing aside the stray thoughts in his head, he laughed openly.
"It's not easy getting a compliment out of you."
"Don't get carried away. You can't even beat Finlay yet," Malenia snorted.
She was just about to turn away when Nolan suddenly stepped forward and shoved an old, timeworn book into her hands.
"What's this?"
Malenia accepted it with a suspicious look and lowered her eyes to examine the cover.
"Bloodhound's Step. As for blade techniques and swordplay, you probably don't need those. I figured this might be useful to you."
Nolan crossed his arms casually as he spoke.
It was late autumn. A cool wind drifted through the air, stirring the hem of his snow-white robe so that it fluttered lightly.
Returning a mother's belonging to her daughter could be considered setting things back where they belonged.
"I've tried it already. It works fine alongside Waterfowl Dance. Very practical."
"Why give this to me all of a sudden?"
Malenia looked genuinely surprised. Her beautiful eyes flicked toward the Lunar Princess sleeping on the Golden Needle Knight's shoulder.
A closely guarded secret of the Carian Royal Family. Would that princess really agree to this?
Putting aside whether it could even be mastered, the technique itself was already immensely precious.
"It's good for staying alive. So you don't end up dead on the battlefield."
Nolan smiled faintly. He tapped the iron armor on his chest, then carefully adjusted the Princess on his shoulder into a more comfortable position before speaking softly,
"I know you're not afraid of death. But you should understand, neither I nor Trina want you to die."
He paused, meeting Malenia's beautiful, resolute gaze.
"They chose to turn away from the Golden Order and create that pure gold for your sake. Wasn't it?"
"You know about that too?"
Malenia's fingers tightened around the book. This was the greatest secret of the Empyrean sisters.
Miquella and Trina had once tried to use the power of the Golden Order to resist the corruption. They had even sought their father's aid. In the end, it failed.
Their hope and faith were shattered. Doubt crept in, and they chose another path, planting the Haligtree in an attempt to replace the Erdtree.
Malenia lifted her head and fixed Nolan with a steady gaze.
"And you? What do you think of my sister's choice?"
"Of course I support it unconditionally. I've always been a bit rebellious. Whether that woman's Order continues or not doesn't matter to me."
Nolan drew in a slow breath and looked toward the Haligtree.
"Besides, I'm the Promised Consort you chose, aren't I?"
"I've made up my mind. If I really do become Lord one day, I'll build a dynasty without war, without pointless suffering, without random lunatics popping up to torment people."
"You can live in that world with us."
What arrogance. How could someone this weak dare say something like that?
And yet… a world like that didn't sound bad.
Malenia gazed at his radiant smile, almost too bright to look at. Her fingers brushed lightly against her cold right hand, and she said nothing.
The endless torment she had endured since birth, the pain that had jolted her awake night after night… it had been a long time since she'd felt it.