"Is everyone… alright?"
A trace of emotion surfaced on Nolan's face.
Right now, that was the question he cared about most.
He stared intently at Lansseax, waiting for an answer that would put him at ease.
Lansseax smiled faintly, her expression carrying a subtle, hard-to-read meaning.
"Hmm… where should I start? Malenia has awakened. She's the one who sent me to find you."
"As for the others, they're all fine. Except…"
She continued smiling, idly twirling a strand of her white hair around her finger, though her tone had turned more serious.
Once her curiosity was satisfied, she usually lost interest in everything else.
Even though she had agreed to become a Saintess Knight, she had never really cared much about the Saintess herself.
The only one Lansseax truly cared about was the man in front of her. Even becoming a Saintess Knight had been because of him.
It was normal for her not to care.
But Nolan couldn't ignore it.
In what she had just said, one crucial person had clearly been left out.
Someone who should have been mentioned first.
Nolan narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking onto her.
"Except what?"
Lansseax shrugged lightly, answering at her own pace.
"Oh? Except Her Highness, of course. She's gone to a place called the 'Land of Shadow.'"
"The Land of Shadow? Mohg took her there?"
Nolan's expression changed instantly, confusion flashing across his face.
He had clearly seen Mohg being driven off. Could his memory really be that unreliable?
"No. Didn't you beat that guy away yourself? Don't tell me you forgot after one nap?"
Lansseax's smile didn't change in the slightest.
"Stop dragging it out. Just say everything properly."
Nolan sighed, clearly exasperated.
Sometimes her personality was entertaining. Other times, it was simply exhausting.
"You humans really are impatient."
"It's nothing serious. Didn't Her Highness already make plans for your resurrection?"
Lansseax spoke slowly, unhurried.
"There was a small problem during the preparations. Without the Golden Prince, we used the bodies of many heroes as substitutes."
"Everything was ready, but the final step failed. No matter what we did, we couldn't summon your soul."
"The experiments with those willing to sacrifice themselves for the Empyrean all worked."
"So Her Highness concluded the issue was with your soul."
"And then she went to the Land of the Dead?"
Nolan's eyelid twitched slightly. The whole method sounded insane.
"That's right."
"How did she manage it?" Nolan asked, frowning.
Without Mohg's help, reaching that lost land should have been nearly impossible.
Lansseax thought for a moment before answering.
"As far as I know, she used the power left behind by the Blood Lord to find a path to another world."
Could this really be my doing?
Nolan fell silent, deep in thought.
The power left behind by the Blood Lord… the only thing he could think of was what he had once made Mohg leave behind at the Haligtree.
That hand.
He remembered that battle clearly. He had pierced Mohg's heart and cut off one of his hands.
The power of the Formless Mother was contained within Mohg's cursed blood. That was the origin of the accursed blood.
That Mother's power could cross the boundaries of space.
Nolan also remembered that, in the game, Miquella had used Mohg to enter the Land of Shadow.
But he had never imagined that a single severed hand could still hold such power.
"So, can you still contact her? Does she know I'm back?"
Nolan pressed for answers, but what he got was far from reassuring.
"She knows. But Her Highness can't return for now."
"What happened to her?" Nolan frowned.
Lansseax waved a hand dismissively.
"Relax. There's no need to worry about her safety. The Empyrean's charm hasn't faded. Even in the land of the dead, there are still those willing to protect him."
"They just can't come back. That hand isn't as powerful as you think. It only worked once, after all the blood was drained."
So now there was yet another reason to find Mohg, and this time, it wasn't optional.
Nolan let out a long sigh.
"That guy Mohg really is a nuisance."
If Mohg hadn't interfered, things wouldn't have become this complicated.
Lansseax's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she'd thought of something amusing.
"Want to continue the King's battle from three years ago?"
Faced with her eager expression, Nolan waved her off without hesitation.
"Not now."
Going after Mohg at this point would be suicide.
If he failed to kill Mohg and ended up dying instead, both the Promised Consort and the Saintess would be gone for nothing. Malenia would probably be furious enough to lose her mind.
"So what are you planning to do?" Lansseax asked with a grin, clearly not quite following.
"I'm sure Malenia would gladly entrust her life to you."
If you put it like that, who would dare go back? Why am I surrounded by women like this?
Nolan felt a headache coming on. Thinking it through, he couldn't help but circle back to that equally troublesome Marika.
That woman took her children's lovers without even saying a word.
It was one thing for her to be insane, but hardly any of the children she bore turned out normal either.
Nolan couldn't help but suspect something was wrong with that goddess's bloodline.
"First we kill Godrick. Then we deal with Mohg. After that, we break into the Land of Shadow."
Killing intent flickered in Nolan's eyes. This was only a rough plan.
He still didn't know what effect obtaining a Great Rune would have. If it didn't meet expectations, he would have to adjust later.
"Hunting a Demigod? Now that sounds interesting."
Nolan turned his head and saw the Ancient Dragon grinning widely, leaving him speechless.
Most people would either think he was overreaching or worry about him.
Only this dragon looked excited.
"You came at the perfect time. I could really use your help right now."
The dragon maiden blinked her large, beautiful eyes. A lazy, teasing expression spread across her face.
"Oh? I never said I'd get involved in your little conflict."
She even stuck out her tongue playfully, making it clear she had no intention of helping.
She was here to watch, not to do the work.
"If I disappear again this time, the next time you see me might be decades or even centuries from now."
Nolan spread his hands, his expression a mix of resignation and teasing.
"Or maybe you'll never see me again."
Lansseax frowned slightly, looking a bit troubled.
She touched her chin, thinking for a moment before finally speaking.
"Fine, fine. You really know how to make people work for you."
"But let's be clear. I won't interfere in your fight with the Golden Descendant."
After a brief pause, she looked at Nolan with a more scrutinizing gaze.
"If you can't even beat him, then I misjudged you. And you're not worth my attention."