That was right — the red-haired girl who had appeared out of nowhere was none other than Shin in his disguised form.
After consulting with the others in the chat, he had been granted permission by Marika to enter the Lands Between. His first order of business had been to scout out the current state of the story, and once he confirmed that the alliance that had laid siege to Leyndell had already fractured over Miquella's disappearance, he made straight for Caelid.
What he had not bargained for was stumbling right into the middle of Malenia and Radahn's standoff. If that wasn't the universe going out of its way to inconvenience him, he didn't know what was.
Oh — one thing he'd forgotten to mention: the part where Shin had knocked Godrick out and absorbed his Great Rune hadn't been streamed. Godrick was Marika's direct bloodline, after all, and ambushing someone right in front of their grandmother felt a little too low even by Shin's standards.
So the others in the chat had no idea Shin was currently carrying two Great Runes.
[Moon Princess]: Oh wow~! [Aspiring], I didn't expect your disguise to be this convincing — it's practically identical to the reference portrait Lady Marika sent!
[Moon Princess]: There seem to be quite a few shape-shifting group members around, hm. Great Witch's child too. If you're all like this when we meet in person, please don't pull a "Sitting-in-Forgetting Dao" on me — I'm terribly gullible~
What does that even mean?
Standing in the middle of the battlefield, Shin read the message in genuine confusion.
Hang on — the Lunar Capital has a literary culture developed enough that Kaguya knows that reference??
[Moon Princess]: Ah, looks like nobody picked up on it. So awkward.
[Moon Princess]: @Aspiring to Be the Perfect Human Being — what's your plan from here? From what I watched in your stream, just going by the title of Lady Marika's child doesn't seem like enough to stop their war, does it?
[Moon Princess]: Lady Marika really does have all the luck — she's already claimed another daughter just like that. I'm older than you, [Aspiring], so why haven't you offered to call me Mother~?
[Moon Princess]: Sigh, I've lived so many years and I've never once gotten to enjoy family life~ When will I finally get to know that joy~
Having children means family bliss? Shin was skeptical.
He had a feeling a certain other chat member — currently lurking — might have a thing or two to say about that. Not that he knew what state that person was currently in.
Knowing this chat's taste in members, though, their situation probably wasn't great either.
Come to think of it, every single member of this chat was locked up in something. A complete sweep of captivity, really.
Kaguya — imprisoned (in the Lunar Capital). Marika — sealed (by the Erdtree). Great Witch — chained (to the island). (×3)
Morgan's situation was probably next — she'd already mentioned the faeries were getting restless.
Shin just hoped he wouldn't get dragged into the lineup himself. Oh wait — he was currently under house arrest in the manor. Did that count? (×1)
[Lord of Lands Between]: Princess Kaguya, you jest. The title was simply to make [Aspiring]'s movements more convenient.
[Lord of Lands Between]: That said… I do rather like you, child. I didn't expect you to have secured Godrick's Great Rune so quickly. Perhaps you truly have what it takes to become a King.
[Lord of Lands Between]: I leave the matter of stopping my children's conflict in your hands. And if what you say is correct, Miquella has a great deal to answer for.
Right — when Shin had started moving in the Lands Between, he had done so with Marika's approval. He had promised not to take Godrick's life, only his Great Rune.
— A classic case of asking forgiveness instead of permission, but points for speed, right?
He had even been upfront about the full story with Marika — including the fact that the true culprit behind the Shattering's descent into chaos was Miquella. Smart boy, that one.
[Aspiring to Be the Perfect Human Being]: Rest assured, Lady Marika. I won't betray your trust.
Shin, with zero awareness that he had just informally gained a second mother, looked up from the chat and surveyed the two sides now watching him warily.
Radahn's shock — that inexplicable sense of familiarity emanating from this red-haired stranger — was plain to read. Malenia, on the other hand, was all guarded suspicion.
Another demigod. An unknown one, at that. One who had never appeared among the allied forces that had besieged Leyndell during the Shattering.
"You know where my brother is?"
Malenia spoke first, her eyes hidden beneath the winged helm.
"That's exactly why I'm here. Our father — no, our mother — is displeased with your fratricidal conflict and has sent me to put an end to it."
"Father" here naturally referred to Radagon — Marika acting on Radagon's behalf, with Radagon's blessing. He had no objections, apparently.
"But before I take you to find Miquella — I need an answer to one question."
"Malenia. Your march on Caelid — was it truly, and only, to search for your missing brother?"
This had always nagged at Shin. The clash between Malenia and Radahn could only be described as utterly pointless — Miquella wasn't even in Caelid. That was a fact that could have been settled in two sentences.
And yet look at what they'd done to each other: one infected by the Scarlet Rot, stumbling around as a half-living husk; the other half-dead, suspended by his life from the roots of the Haligtree.
Shin didn't believe for a second that Miquella's Charm — his Unalloyed Gold rune, his tool of enchantment — had played no part in pushing them toward that outcome.
"…"
The undefeated Valkyrie fell briefly silent.
"That is none of your concern."
"Tell me where my brother is. Otherwise I will begin my assault on Caelid this instant."
The Valkyrie leading the Cleanrot Knights pressed forward with a single-minded intensity that bordered on obsession.
"Don't waste your breath on this woman, little sister — I've been fed up with her for a long time!"
"She wants a fight? Then I will give her one. I want to know exactly how much that so-called 'undefeated' title of hers is actually worth!"
Radahn laughed — openly, generously — and it was clear enough that the appearance of this supposed half-sibling of his had put him in good spirits.
"Miquella is within the Mohgwyn Dynasty. He's somewhere beneath Caelid — in a realm built by Mohg, one of the Fell Twins."
"The one who abducted your brother wasn't anyone from the alliance. It was Mohg. You know who he is."
Let Mohg take the blame for now — Shin knew full well he was acting against his own will.
"So, Malenia — now that you know the truth, will you stand down your forces?"
"The Mohgwyn Dynasty… Mohg…"
Malenia murmured the names quietly, visibly wavering.
"Very well, I will—"
[My dearest sister — find me. Then bring me my Promised King by any means necessary.]
But at that moment, an invisible whisper seemed to rise from thin air — so faint it could barely be called a sound, aimed at Malenia alone, inaudible to everyone else present.
"?" Shin stiffened as he caught the shift in Malenia's presence.
"As you command, my brother."
Malenia whispered it to herself. Then she spun around to face the two demigods apparently standing on the same side — that is to say, both Shin and Radahn.
Her left hand reached up to her prosthetic shoulder. Pinned there, unmistakably, was a golden needle —
To be continued…
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