"I—I don't know which one is better." Mohg reached out to touch the formal suits, but he recoiled hesitantly before his fingers could make contact.
"I'll choose for you, then." Raven swept a casual glance over the selection and pointed to three sets. "Pack these two up, and he'll change into this one right now."
"Nova, take this guest to the fitting room and help him change," Lady Morgan directed.
Mohg picked up the clothes with stiff movements and, guided by a maidservant, ducked into the adjacent fitting room.
"Lord Raven, who exactly is this...?" Lady Morgan asked in a hushed voice.
"His name is Mohg. You can think of him as the brother of a Lord whose territory has a population of over a hundred thousand," Raven said vaguely.
"A hundred thousand! Then, I suppose I should address him as 'My Lord,'" Lady Morgan said in surprise. The maidservants whispered among themselves. "Where is his brother's territory located?"
"That territory hasn't been officially recognized by the Golden Lineage yet," Raven said. "He's come to the Royal Capital specifically to handle that matter."
Lady Morgan was the widow of a viscount and was rumored to be the mistress of a powerful figure; her social circle was incredibly vast. With Raven framing it this way, news of Mohg would undoubtedly spread through the upper echelons of the Capital in no time.
Mohg pushed open the fitting room door and walked out like a puppet. His feet dragged across the carpet as if he were afraid that any large movement might tear the fabric of his new clothes.
"Mmm, I almost forgot about shoes," Raven mused. Even in Lady Morgan's shop, it was unlikely they would find shoes that fit Mohg's anatomy.
"We can custom-order cloth shoes; they'll be ready by tomorrow. Wearing cloth shoes is the current fashion trend, after all." Lady Morgan quickly came up with a solution. "We can specially reinforce the toes to prevent his claws from poking through."
"I appreciate it," Raven said. "Mohg, how does it feel?"
"I don't know..." Mohg was looking down, struggling with his buttons. His elongated, grotesque fingers, tipped with sharp claws, were proving to be incredibly clumsy.
"That's not how you do it." Raven stood on his tiptoes to fasten the buttons for him, then stepped back and tilted his head to observe the effect. "Not bad at all. You look quite sharp."
Mohg's tense body slowly began to relax. He let out a long breath and unconsciously rubbed the fabric of his sleeve.
His discarded animal skins lay in a rumpled heap on the table. Because the material was so coarse and stiff, the maidservants didn't even have the strength to fold them properly. They could only pile them up like a mound of refuse. It was a glaring eyesore, utterly out of place in the elegant boutique.
"Can I really wear clothes like these?" Mohg asked. "This gift is too valuable. I'm not worthy..."
"This is your armament in the Capital. Just as a warrior arms himself with plate and mail, you are arming yourself for society. You will have even better equipment in the future."
Once the maidservants finished measuring Mohg's feet, Raven turned to Lady Morgan. "I've caused you quite a bit of trouble, My Lady. Mohg and I will take our leave. I'll send someone with the payment for the clothes shortly."
"You are far too polite, My Lord. Lord Mohg is welcome to visit us anytime," Lady Morgan said, laughing behind her hand.
The maidservants bowed to Mohg as he left. They were momentarily amused by his clumsy attempt to return the gesture, only stifling their smiles when Lady Morgan shot them a sharp look. Their attitude was a world away from when Mohg had first walked into the shop.
"Captain Leon, may I borrow your horse?" Raven asked for the mount and then turned to Mohg. "Mohg, that carriage is too small; I won't crowd you inside."
The passersby all saw Mohg, but this time, there was no public disturbance.
People cast curious glances, taking in Mohg's brand-new attire before looking at the City Watch following behind, who appeared for all the world like his personal retinue. Several nobles greeted Raven, and they even nodded and smiled toward Mohg in passing, showing not a hint of outward discrimination.
Mohg looked around and straightened his back. Everything felt like a dream. Clad in the formal wear Raven had chosen for him, he suddenly felt a surge of fearlessness, as if none of the heroes of the world could strike him down.
A family of three walked past. A young child pointed at Mohg's face and shouted, "Omen!"
The mother gave the child a sharp yank, while the father said politely, "Forgive us. The child is young and knows no better. Please, have understanding."
"It's fine." Mohg offered a smile and reached out toward the child's head.
The mother's face turned pale instantly, and she moved to pull the child away, while the father's hand drifted toward the hilt of his Noble's Slender Sword. But Mohg's hand had already descended; his large hand, tipped with deep purple claws, gently ruffled the child's hair.
"Don't touch my head!"
The child angrily pushed Mohg's hand away. Mohg quickly withdrew it.
"Let's go, now!" the father barked at the child. His face shifted between green and white as he hissed through gritted teeth, "Monster... stay away from my child!"
Watching the father drag the child away, Mohg stood frozen on the spot.
"Bye-bye!" The child turned his head back, grinning as he waved a hand and shouted at Mohg.
Bewildered, Mohg lifted his own hand and gave a small wave in return. The child was yanked away by his father and didn't see the response, and the family of three soon turned onto another street.
"A suit of clothes cannot erase prejudice," Raven said flatly, turning his horse. "Get in the carriage. We have work to do."
Raven's first visit was to General Connaught. After the incident at Dominula, the High Knight had voluntarily resigned his post as Commander of the City Watch and was currently living in leisure. Despite this, everyone knew that Connaught still held Radagon's absolute trust; his return to power was only a matter of time.
Ordering a servant to bring tea and refreshments, General Connaught sat in a wide-legged, commanding stance on his couch, dressed in casual home attire. "Prince Raven, to what do I owe the honor of this sudden visit?"
Detecting a hint of sarcasm in Connaught's voice, Raven calmly picked up his teacup. "Surely the General isn't still brooding over me taking the villagers from Dominula?"
"The mastermind behind Dominula was Godwyn. Telling me that earned you a favor," Connaught snorted. "However, my daughter has never known a day of grievance in her life. Because of you, she's spent the last two weeks locked in her room crying her eyes out. That is a debt I intend to remember."
Raven choked on his tea. "I'm sorry... do I need to meet her again to explain?"
"Don't bother. Better a short, sharp pain than a long, dull one," Connaught waved a hand dismissively. "You Golden Gods should just stick to marrying your own kind. Hmph. Rejecting a girl as good as my daughter... you'll regret it one day."
"My rejection had nothing to do with bloodlines..." Raven began to explain, but seeing the General's bristling beard and glaring eyes, he decided it was better to keep his mouth shut.
"So, what's the story with this Omen?" Connaught looked toward Mohg, who was sitting obediently cross-legged to the side. "You're here because of him, aren't you?"
"It's a long story..." Raven breathed a sigh of relief at finally moving past the topic of the General's daughter. He began to explain the situation regarding the Deeproot Depths to Connaught.
"General, you commanded the City Watch for years. Did you truly never notice anything?"
"It's no wonder the number of missing persons in the Capital rose so sharply over the last three years. So that was the reason." Connaught shook his head. "The City Watch's duty is to maintain order within the Capital. So long as the disappearance of marginalized people doesn't affect stability, it isn't our concern. If anything, the people heading to the Deeproot were potential unstable elements anyway; it saved us a lot of trouble."
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(161 Chapter - Ongoing)
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