In Doldrey Castle, the flag atop the main keep had been replaced. The banner of the Kingdom of Midland now flew proudly in the wind.
The King hosted a celebratory banquet. Though the details of the peace treaty with the Tudor Empire were still being negotiated, both nations shared a strong desire to end the war. The final outcome promised to be favorable.
He lavished praise upon the heroes who had reclaimed the castle—the White Tiger Knight commanders Laban and Irvine—and then upon those who had distinguished themselves in the subsequent battles to reinforce and defend the city, including Griffith, commander of the Hawk Company.
In the several engagements fought to relieve Doldrey and repel Tudor counterattacks, the Hawk Company had displayed extraordinary courage. Griffith, in particular, had commanded with authority, drawing all eyes to him.
Yet despite this, Griffith was inevitably overshadowed by the glory of the White Tiger Knights who had actually captured Doldrey—Laban, Irvine, and the others.
The King decreed that Griffith would be knighted. His exploits in this campaign had reached their conclusion, and no new opportunities for advancement presented themselves.
The Hundred-Year War was ending. In all likelihood, within a few years, the Kingdom of Midland would see no more major wars. Griffith's chances to rise further were dwindling.
This stood in stark contrast to his earlier plans for the future. It left him feeling indescribably restless, a powerful desire for control burning within.
While everyone around him grew drunk, Griffith remained sober. He took small sips of wine and questioned Laban about what intrigued him most in this campaign to retake Doldrey.
"Lord Laban," he asked quietly. "You mentioned that the one who saved you that day was a knight on a strange horse. And that this unknown knight was the assassin who killed Gennon and Boscogn?"
Griffith spoke of "Gennon" without the slightest change in expression—neither anger nor joy, as if the man meant nothing to him personally.
"Indeed." Laban rubbed his chin and smiled brightly. "Incredible, isn't it? At first, I couldn't believe it either. I thought he was mad. But I never expected him to actually do it."
"What a pity—he's vanished now. Why won't he come forward and meet with me? He's clearly the one who contributed most... A hero of such talent—I would certainly recommend him to the King!"
Irvine, seated nearby, chimed in as well. "I also encountered that man. He single-handedly saved the survivors of a village that had been ravaged by mercenaries who were slaughtering innocents."
"He claimed no credit for that either, and left no name..." Irvine couldn't help but sigh. "What a man of principle. I'm ashamed to admit it, but perhaps we nobles are not his equal."
After Laban and Irvine finished describing this man, seven or eight points of connection formed in Griffith's mind.
He smiled faintly and drank in silence until the end.
Griffith had truly believed Nidhogg might succeed—but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon... So swiftly that he could only hastily distinguish himself in the closing stages of this war.
And Nidhogg hadn't returned to the Hawk Company. He had vanished.
This feeling of complete loss of control, this sense that his calculations had been thoroughly disrupted—Griffith did not like it. He did not like it at all.
Returning to the Hawk Company, Griffith attended the latter half of the Hawks' own celebratory banquet. He sat with Guts, Casca, Pippin, Judeau, Corkus, and Rickert, raising cups in celebration.
Guts asked excitedly, "It was Nidhogg, wasn't it? Only Nidhogg could have done something like this, right? I can't believe he actually pulled it off! Hahahaha!"
Casca and the others who knew the full story also looked at Griffith, hoping for confirmation.
Nidhogg had been absent from the Hawk Company for months. There had been no news, and everyone had worried for his safety.
But now, word had suddenly arrived that the governor, the general, and the regimental commanders in Doldrey Castle had been killed one after another—a development that directly enabled the campaign to retake the fortress.
At first, they had been shocked. Then, their thoughts had immediately turned to Nidhogg. After all, Nidhogg had left the Hawk Company precisely for this purpose.
Though it seemed almost unbelievable, the assassinations in Doldrey were likely Nidhogg's work. Everyone was thrilled by the possibility.
Corkus poured himself a flagon of wine and said with a grin, "Alas, that lad really pulled off something huge—bigger than anything we've done in all these years... Too bad our Hawk Company didn't earn much glory in this war."
"Of course, Griffith was knighted, and we can now elevate ourselves from a mercenary band to knights. I'm more than satisfied with that. For someone like me, who used to be a thief, this is truly a dream come true."
Griffith glanced at the satisfied Corkus before finally answering Guts's question: "I have inquired, but there is still no news of Nidhogg."
"However, I suspect that if it was indeed him, and he has completed his mission, he ought to return to the Hawk Company. The fact that he hasn't... something may have changed."
After hearing Griffith's words, everyone considered this carefully. They felt it was likely true, and couldn't help but frown.
Rickert had only learned of Nidhogg's secret mission from Guts recently. Now he couldn't help but ask anxiously, "Nidhogg couldn't be in trouble, could he?"
"How could he possibly be in trouble?" Guts rested his hands behind his head and leaned back. He had grown even stronger and taller now. "He'll come back to the Hawks. He promised. Don't worry, Rickert."
Rickert listened and smiled.
Griffith smiled too. Then he addressed what Corkus had said:
"You need not regret it. Missing the opportunity to capture Doldrey does not mean the Hawk Company's journey ends here. The threat from the Tudor Empire and the Kushan Empire is never-ending. We will still have chances to advance."
Corkus, feeling he had spoken poorly, quickly raised his wine cup and shouted, "Yes! We still have chances! Knighthood isn't our end! We're still young—there's plenty of time!"
Everyone raised their cups in unison.
Griffith joined them, lifting his wine. He pondered for a long moment, but his eyes had grown cold.
---
「Quest」 End the Hundred-Year War (Completed)
「Reward」 Level Up: LV 52 → LV 54 (Low-Rank Apostle). Acquired: Golden Seed, Sacred Tear, Smithing Stones
「Quest」 Spirit Calling Bell & Spirit Ashes (Condition: Reach Level 54 — Completed)
「Reward」 Unlocked: Spectral Sight, Rune Melting, Spirit Ashes Summoning
「Quest」 Incantations & Sorceries (Condition: Reach Level 81) / Eliminate Low-Rank Apostles and Low-Rank Invaders in the Kingdom of Midland (Open World Quest)
The moon hung high overhead.
Nidhogg sat alone in a noisy tavern, eating a simple meal, when the notifications for quest completion and updates appeared. He touched the golden brand on his chest to review the details.
No one here could see the brand except him. He was free to relax.
Level 54 and above—this was the realm of low-rank Apostles.
So-called Apostles were humans who used a regular Beherit to summon the God Hand, performed a sacrificial ritual, and became demons by offering up their loved ones.
Low-rank Apostles were the most common type. They possessed strength and longevity far beyond ordinary humans. Some could also create and command low-level monsters.
Mid-rank Apostles stood above low-rank ones, with absolute authority over them. They could lead large numbers of low-rank Apostles and were among the elite of demonkind.
High-rank Apostles were the most powerful beings among the Apostles. Because of their immense power, they were often ambitious, worthy of ruling kingdoms, and some even dared to defy the God Hand's commandments.
Having reached Level 54, Nidhogg's combat potential had surpassed all ordinary humans. He had reached a level where he could contend with low-rank Apostles.
Nidhogg couldn't help but feel a twinge of emotion. It had taken him three years to reach this point. Guts had needed over a decade of accumulation. Of course, leveling up through the brand was still considerably faster.
If he had remained with the Hawk Company, it would likely have taken longer—at least until the King decided to launch a major campaign. That was why he hadn't rushed back to the Hawks now.
Golden Seeds, Sacred Tears, and Smithing Stones were materials used to upgrade his Flask and weapons, respectively.
Rune Melting was the ability Melina had mentioned earlier—melting down items into Runes and channeling them into his body, further accelerating his leveling.
As for Spectral Sight, it allowed him to see more spirits and intuit more information, such as enemy health bars and his own status conditions.
But the Spirit Calling Bell and Spirit Ashes—Nidhogg searched himself thoroughly, touched the golden brand several times, but couldn't find them.
They couldn't have been swallowed up, could they?
Nidhogg left the tavern, still noisy in the dark night, and stepped onto the relatively quiet streets of the small town outside. He was pondering this strange matter when he suddenly felt a premonition. He looked up.
At a street corner sat a pure white spirit, head bowed, seemingly lost in thought.
Nidhogg approached and reached out to touch it. His hand made contact—it was cold and smooth, like touching chilled water.
The next moment, the spirit slowly moved. It raised its hand and pointed in a certain direction.
Nidhogg looked where it indicated. On a hillside in the distance, shrouded in clouds and mist, stood a ruined church that hadn't been there by daylight. It looked quite mysterious.