Clang—!
The moment Godwyn appeared, the soldiers and knights present did not hesitate. They dropped to one knee, offering their deepest respect to the Prince.
Galon quickly followed suit, pressing a hand to his chest as he knelt.
"Honorable Prince, may I ask what brings you here?"
Godwyn stared at Galon with a face full of fury, clearly incensed by the man's attempt to play dumb.
"You should know very well that this is my domain!"
"This... your servant is terrified. I am merely following the orders of the Council of Elders to apprehend the Omen-born. I truly did not know this was your property!"
Galon put on a display of panic, bowing his head low.
"Well, you know it now. Leave this place!" Godwyn took a deep breath and stepped toward Galon, his voice a sharp roar.
"As you wish. However, I must take these two Omen-born with me."
"You—"
"This is a command issued jointly by the King and the Council of Elders. I beg the Prince... do not make things difficult for us."
Galon stood up and bowed deeply again. His tone was humble, but the weight of his words carried a different meaning entirely.
Hearing this, Godwyn's expression darkened instantly. He cast a pained look toward Morgott and Mohg. After a moment of agonizing deliberation, he steeled his heart and turned his head away.
Though Mohg hadn't pinned much hope on this "elder brother" from the start, seeing this scene play out still brought a sting of bitterness. However, he knew Godwyn had already provided as much protection as he could. For a prince of such noble character to watch his own brothers succumb to fate must have been a torment far worse than anything Mohg himself felt.
Godwyn seemed to sense Mohg's gaze. After taking a long breath, he slowly walked back to stand before him.
This time, Galon chose to close his eyes, pretending he saw nothing. His previous actions had already displeased the Prince; though he trusted Godwyn's reputation for virtue, it was best not to push him to a total breaking point.
"My brothers... I can no longer shelter you as your elder brother. But I have always loved you... So, take this..."
As Godwyn's words fell softly into their ears, two glows of golden light emanated from his hands, slowly sinking into their small bodies.
Mohg and Morgott immediately felt an indescribable warmth spread through them.
"Brother..." Mohg couldn't help but speak.
A forced, bittersweet smile touched Godwyn's face as he looked at Mohg.
"Thank you," Mohg said, his voice ringing with genuine sincerity.
Godwyn's heart trembled at those words. He nearly lost control, almost striking out at the people surrounding them, but he ultimately held back. With one last deep breath, he turned his back to them.
Beside them, Galon seemed to sense something. He looked around in terror, only relaxing when he realized that the terrifying aura from before hadn't erupted. Still, his expression remained uneasy and suspicious.
Soon, the two were escorted by the squad of soldiers toward a massive palace for their formal identification.
As they entered the palace, Mohg couldn't resist glancing back at the squad. There weren't many of them. He seriously doubted any of these men would live to see tomorrow's sun...
As for "Returning to the Tree"—for those without sufficient strength, returning to the tree often meant simply being reborn as someone entirely different, unless guided back by a specific entity. Furthermore, there was the matter of the path; one had to enter specific catacombs to truly greet a "Correct Death"—that is, "Returning to the Embrace of the Erdtree." Otherwise, one would likely dissipate into the world in some other fashion. Where one's soul finally ended up—whether the Erdtree or something else—was largely left to fate.
"Omen-born of the Royal House..."
"Inauspicious. They should not exist in this world. Their sin is far deeper than that of common Omen-born. I believe they should be executed..."
"You know that is impossible. Regardless of their state, they are the King's children..."
"Precisely because of that—"
"Silence!"
A majestic voice boomed through the palace, and a towering figure slowly emerged before the crowd.
The man wore a white robe adorned with massive Erdtree patterns, and upon his head sat a golden hat shaped like a great tree crown.
Mohg was certain he had never seen such a character in his previous life's knowledge of the game.
As the man approached, his features became clear. He had a snow-white beard and an aged face, yet this was contrasted by a remarkably robust physique and the terrifying power humming within his frame.
The moment he appeared, the noble elders present stood up and bowed.
"Lord Bishop."
"Mhm. Sit. I am here to read the verdict for the Royal Omen Twins."
The High Bishop of the Erdtree Church, Wenger Shalu, nodded curtly and spoke.
The noble elders offered no further objections and slowly returned to their seats.
"The Omen Twins shall be bound with Golden Shackles and exiled to the Royal Capital's sewers. Beyond that, there shall be no interference. Furthermore, from this moment forward, no word of this matter is to leak out. You all know the consequences."
Wenger scanned the room. Though his tone was light, every noble present could hear the blatant threat behind his words. Even the elders who originally had reservations about the sentence swallowed their words in silence.
"This is the will of the Two Fingers and Lady Marika. You should understand what that implies. Clean up your own messes; do not make things difficult for me."
"...Yes."
With that, Wenger turned and walked through the great doors behind him. Beyond the doors was a blinding golden light; as he entered, the gates slowly groaned shut.
Once Wenger had departed, the noble elder at the head of the table stood up.
"Shackle the Omen Twins. Then... exile them to the sewers along with the other Omen infants!"
Clank—!
At those words, a squad of men wearing the uniforms of Leyndell soldiers but sporting golden masks rushed out to fix shackles onto Mohg and Morgott.
Mohg knew he couldn't escape this fate, so he offered no resistance. In his heart, however, he quietly noted that he would definitely tear this place down bit by bit in the future...
Soon, the two were led away in secret.
During the process, Mohg realized who the men in the golden masks were. They were the "Faceless" under the Erdtree Church—men without features, without voices, loyal only to the Erdtree. They were its most faithful adherents.
After the two had left, voices rose again within the Council chamber.
"I recall someone from the Garland family was involved in this operation?"
"Yes. It seems he even volunteered for the task."
"Then his luck has truly run out. The Royal House cannot allow such obvious evidence of this 'stain' to exist. Dispose of him as well. We can provide the Garland family with some compensation."
"Mhm, a good idea. I trust their patriarch will be sensible enough to understand."
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (32 – Ongoing)
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