Once the commotion inside had finally quieted down, the door creaked open. Edgar stepped into the storehouse to find it in a state of utter shambles. Centered around his daughter, cracks scorched by fire radiated outward, crawling from the floorboards up to the stone walls.
"What in the world... Irina? Are you alright?"
Hearing her father's voice, Irina didn't let go of Highvin. She turned her head, looking toward her father with her own eyes. Her face was a mixture of joy and bashful embarrassment, which she finally managed to condense into a single sentence.
"Father, I am fine now. Do not worry."
Edgar stared at his daughter's eyes, now shimmering with a clear, spiritual light. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen such a sight. He walked forward and patted her shoulder. From the scorched environment alone, he could imagine the intensity of what had just transpired.
Even outside the room, he had felt the radiating heat. It was only thanks to Elsa's intervention—using her ice magic to seal the storehouse in frost—that the fire had been prevented from spreading further.
"Good... it's good to have you back," Edgar whispered.
He glanced at Highvin, whose breathing was steady. He seemed to have simply fallen into a deep sleep from sheer exhaustion, much like he had after unleashing those spectacular fire techniques before.
"Irina, let him rest. He truly went through a great ordeal for us this time."
The next morning, Highvin woke from his slumber. In his dreams, he had repeatedly seen the blazing orb of light from the void. It felt as if the entity was trying to communicate something, but the message ultimately failed to cross the threshold of his consciousness.
He didn't quite understand what it meant. Perhaps it was because the glorious Age of the Sun had long since faded, leaving the entity's influence over the Lands Between so weakened that it could no longer transmit clear information.
As for being chosen by an Outer God, he wasn't entirely sure how to feel about it. Regardless, the entity had pulled him back from the brink, so he didn't feel particularly repulsed by it.
He just didn't know what kind of "Order" the Sun represented in this world. If it aligned with his own values, he wouldn't mind accepting it and establishing a deeper connection.
He knew that in the future, he would inevitably clash with many Outer Gods—the Frenzied Flame, the Fell God of Fire, the Formless Mother, the Scarlet Rot—all those malicious existences he found intolerable. To defeat them, he first needed to understand them. For now, the "signal" seemed poor, but he was sure there would be a better opportunity to make contact later.
Looking out the window, Highvin saw Elsa sparring with the Kaiden mercenaries. "Sparring" was perhaps a generous term; it was a one-sided slaughter. The slender Zamor warriors stood a full head and shoulders taller than the Kaiden men. Elsa wasn't even using her curved sword for fear of accidentally killing them; she was simply picking them up like fledglings and tossing them across the yard one by one.
Highvin's interest was instantly piqued. He had been pondering this for a while—her frost magic seemed incredibly practical. The ice skills he currently possessed mostly came from the snowy plains of the Painted World, such as Frozen Weapon and Snap Freeze. They were effective, but he couldn't manipulate the cold as freely as she did.
Driven by excitement, he quickly changed his clothes and leapt directly from the fourth-floor window. He used a burst of storm-wind to buffer his fall, though the landing resulted in everyone present getting a face full of dust.
Elsa coughed twice, staring helplessly at the dust-covered Highvin. Seeing him so energetic, however, she felt a sense of relief.
"You should have told me about yesterday beforehand," she said. "Absorbing the Frenzied Flame... that is a power I have truly never seen before."
Highvin scratched his head. He realized he probably should have mentioned it, considering his "exorcism" storehouse was on the same hallway as her guest room.
"Sorry. I thought it would be a simple fix, but things got a little... complicated."
"Complicated?" Elsa raised an eyebrow. "If I hadn't stepped in to help, the fire probably would have spread to my room. I finally leave that gaol, and I still can't get a moment's peace. So, what is so urgent that you felt the need to jump from the fourth floor?"
"About that... I want to learn your frost magic."
A playful smile touched the corners of Elsa's lips.
"You want to learn my magic? That is no simple task. My people have lived in the mountains since ancient times; the bitter blizzards are etched into my very soul. If you haven't experienced that kind of freezing environment yourself, it will be hard to learn, even if I am willing to teach you."
Highvin pulled out a straight sword and a basic sorcerer's staff as a catalyst. He coated the blade in the frost of the Painted World.
"It might be different from your homeland, but I've spent my fair share of time in the ice and snow. What I want to learn is how to manipulate the flow of cold air as freely as you do."
Elsa looked at the frost-covered sword and nodded with satisfaction. She could sense a decaying, frigid aura from it. While different from the cold of her home, it meant she could skip the basics.
"Very well. Combat is the best teacher. We didn't have room to move in that Evergaol, but now I will show you the true art of manipulating frost."
The Kaiden mercenaries, who had been watching from the sidelines, instinctively backed away a few steps. They were eager to see a duel between two masters, and some even ran off to fetch their leader to watch.
"This is intense!" someone shouted excitedly. "Watching a duel between these two... it's worth the price of admission alone!"
Irina stood on the balcony, stretching her limbs. Since she finished resting last night, she had been standing there, looking down at the scenery of the entire city. No matter how long she looked, she never grew tired of it.
She knew that although she was free from the Frenzied Flame, her aptitude as a Maiden remained unchanged. Once she left a safe area, she would likely be hunted by Frenzied Flame cultists trying to forcibly convert her into their Finger Maiden.
Cowering in a small, safe corner had been her daily life for a long time. But now, things were slightly different. she no longer had to worry that every external stimulus would cause the flame within her to spread.
Now that her sight was restored, there were many things she could do. Whether it was learning more incantations like the Finger Maidens, or assisting her father in managing the affairs of Castle Morne, both were viable paths.
The sudden relaxation was actually a bit difficult for Irina to get used to. Occasionally, she feared this was all just a beautiful dream—that when she woke, there would be nothing but endless darkness and the howls of Misbegotten slaughtering the residents.
But she knew that wouldn't happen. If she were to ask why, it was because now, when she closed her eyes, she no longer saw that tempting candlelight. Instead, she saw a blazing ring of fire that had once pulled her soul back from the edge of the abyss.
Irina sat on a chair on the balcony, quietly watching the crowd gathered below in the training yard. The field, which had been covered in dust moments ago, was now coated in ice. Two figures clashed in the center. Occasionally, a shard of ice would fly off from a collision and strike a lucky spectator, and even from her height, she could feel the occasional chilly breeze.
A soft smile touched her lips. She withdrew her gaze and pushed aside some books on incantations. She opened an old box that her father had given her after her recovery. Looking at the items inside, her expression softened with nostalgia. There were childhood drawings and old toys.
Tucked away at the very bottom was an unopened letter. She knew it was a keepsake from her mother. Originally, Edgar hadn't wanted her to feel too much sorrow while she was blind, so he had never told her about it. But now, there was no longer a need to hide it.
Carefully, she opened the envelope and took out the letter. She began to read the words her mother had wanted to leave for her while she was gravely ill.
"Dearest Irina, by the time you read this, you must have grown into a clever and beautiful young lady, haven't you?
I want you to know that tonight, I am sitting here imagining what you must look like—inheriting my wit and beauty, and your father's resilience and stubbornness.
I imagine you wearing the robes of a cleric. Perhaps, with your kind heart, becoming a Perfumer who heals the sick would be a good choice. I imagine you as the proud head of a household, and I imagine Edgar and me growing old, watching you live your happiest life...
Haha, I know what you're thinking, you naughty girl! You're probably planning to read these words back to me just to make me feel embarrassed!
Even so, I hope you can see that I once wrote down these hopes and blessings. I once dreamed of such luck.
It's quite strange. Edgar just tried to snatch my pen away, telling me to rest and not think too much. He said he would tell you these things himself when you grew up. But I secretly had a servant bring it back to me. Before I knew it, I had filled the page with my hopes for you...
Sigh, is this just how sentimental one becomes after becoming a mother?
I truly hope for a day where we can be proud of each other—even if the winds of fate blow our futures into a mess and cause us to lose all our beautiful expectations.
I also hope you can look into my eyes and tell me that the things I, an inexperienced mother, brought to you weren't entirely full of regrets. I am sorry I couldn't give you the best home, and that even staying by your side while you grow up has become a luxury.
But being your mother, and Edgar's wife... it has made me very happy.
If fate truly forbids me from accompanying you further, I hope you won't be too sad. Even if the Lands Between have become shattered by endless war, there are still beautiful and kind things out there. May all the world's beauty be entwined with you."
Tears dripped onto the long-sealed letter. Irina recalled the gentle silhouette that had long since blurred in the depths of her memory.
"Do not worry, Mother," she whispered. "Those kind and beautiful things... they have never left me."
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (40 chapter - Ongoing)
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