Are invasion-type NPCs the trend these days?
Seeing that the other party didn't want to fight and could communicate, Lloyd put away Elizabeth's Poleblade and walked over to talk.
"My name is..."
She seemed to have some memory loss—like she had even forgotten her own name. After thinking for a while, she finally spoke.
"My name is Malenia. I came here to... wait, what was it again?"
Malenia? As in that Valkyrie?
The one who unleashed Scarlet Aeonia and turned Caelid into a land overrun by Scarlet Rot—the main cause of the current mess. But...
Lloyd eyed the figure in front of him, puzzled.
"Aren't you Millicent?"
"No, I'm Malenia."
She shook her head firmly.
"I might not remember anything else, but I know for sure—my name is Malenia."
Lloyd thought for a moment and waved Melina over from not far away.
"Melina, there's someone here calling herself Malenia. Come take a look."
"Malenia?"
Melina approached, scanned the supposed "Malenia" up and down, and her brows slowly furrowed.
"She..."
Melina wasn't sure how to describe it.
She definitely knew Malenia—had seen her before.
But the one standing in front of her now... well...
If she were to say this person was Malenia, Melina would be the first to doubt it.
Neither the golden hair nor the aura of healing matched the Malenia she remembered.
But if she were to say she wasn't... her face really did look like Malenia's. And while the energy coming off her felt different, it gave Melina a distinctly familiar feeling—something only Malenia had.
And that power...
After a moment, Melina's expression changed slightly.
"Miquella?"
The strange Malenia froze for a second.
"Miquella? That name sounds familiar, but... I'm not him. No, brother..."
They talked like this for a while, but Melina couldn't get any useful information out of her.
It seemed the only thing the girl remembered was her name—Malenia. Other than recognizing the name Miquella and calling him "brother," she knew nothing else.
"I can't really figure it out either, but let's take her with us for now. We'll need to change her name, though."
Looking at the odd Malenia, Melina sighed.
"You know how the name Malenia isn't exactly welcome around here..."
Lloyd considered it.
"How about Seriel?"
Melina nodded. "That works."
As for why the two of them made the decision without asking the strange Malenia—well, it was because, after talking with her, they realized she was a little... off.
Not stupid, just... dull. In terms of personality.
She didn't like to talk, didn't take initiative, and would simply do whatever others told her to do.
That kind of type.
After wrapping up their conversation, the trio moved on. A bit further ahead, they came across a wild boss.
An old general swinging a battle standard, who—much like a Phantom Snail—could summon spirit entities.
As soon as his health bar appeared, Lloyd pulled out his Poleblade, ready to see what loot this boss might drop.
But when he looked back, somehow Seriel had followed him into the boss arena. And the moment the old general saw her, he suddenly stopped, surrendered, and handed over an item.
[Obtained item: "Unalloyed Gold Needle"]
What kind of weird side quest did this trigger?
Lloyd examined the item description to make sure there was nothing off, then showed it to Seriel.
She didn't react at all, nor did she seem to know why the old general had given it to her.
After that, they continued exploring the map.
Not much to say about that part.
Same routine as before: kill enemies, kill dogs, kill giant birds.
Wander around, explore the map, pick up loot.
But during their exploration, Lloyd noticed something unusual—Seriel seemed to have an ability that countered Scarlet Rot.
No, not quite resistance... more like a "conversion."
Although the effect was limited to a small area around her, anything within that range—be it rot-filled swamps, corrupted land, or even Scarlet Rot-infected creatures—would naturally transform into something else when near her.
But the effect was temporary. Once out of her range, everything quickly decayed and reverted to its original corrupted state.
"Is something wrong?"
Seriel noticed Lloyd looking at her and tilted her head in confusion.
"Nothing."
Lloyd shook his head.
"I'm just curious about how you're able to purify—or maybe transform—the corruption in this cursed place. I wonder what the principle behind it is."
Cursed place... purify, transform, principle...
Seriel blinked, muttering those words to herself. Then, as if something clicked, she looked around.
"Was it not like this before?"
"No."
Lloyd shook his head again.
"I haven't seen it myself, but I've heard people say this place used to be just like any other. Then someone named Malenia came along and blasted it with Scarlet Rot. That's how it ended up like this."
Malenia... Scarlet Rot...
Seriel frowned, seemingly recalling something.
"I think... it was me..."
"Alright, cut it out. You've lost your memory this badly—what's the point in overthinking it?"
Lloyd sighed.
"If this doesn't work out, the Battle Festival is starting soon. I'll take you to Radahn's side and see if you can purify him."
"You sure he won't just recognize her and try to kill her on sight?" Alice chimed in.
"Not sure."
Lloyd shrugged.
"If things go sideways, I'll just switch to my main build, grab a greatshield, and escort her over. If she can purify him, maybe we won't have to kill the guy."
Radahn...
Seriel's steps faltered again when she heard the name, as if something about it tugged at her memory.
...
While they were talking, Lloyd spotted a small shack up ahead, with a massive, corrupted dog standing guard nearby. He dealt with the dog, then stepped inside.
A man dressed in red lounged on a chair. When he saw Lloyd enter, he slowly began to speak.
"Oh, I've been expecting you. My name is Gowry. In the past, people called me Sage."
"I have a favor to ask. Please, hear me out."
"This is a task that only someone like you—someone who has crossed the Swamp of Aeonia and remains strong—can accomplish."
"Of course, I won't ask for your help for nothing."
"If you agree, I'll tell you the secret hidden in the nearby town of Sellia."
Just a side quest, huh.
Lloyd nodded and got straight to the point.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Oh, you're willing to help?" Gowry smiled. "To be honest, I need your help to treat a girl."
"Her name is Millicent. She's at a church on a cliff beyond the town of Sellia. She's stricken with the disease of rot and lies bedridden..."
"Millicent's rot is incurable. Even in the Erdtree's golden age, not even the demigods closest to the divine could do anything about it."
"Though it can't be cured, it can be suppressed."
"I want you to find the needle that can suppress the rot. In the vast, red depths of the Swamp of Aeonia ahead of Sellia, there's one..."
"You mean this?"
Lloyd pulled out the Unalloyed Gold Needle.
Gowry blinked, then nodded once he realized what it was.
"Oh, you already have it? That saves us a lot of trouble. Then I can tell you about the secret of Sellia right away..."
"I also found her."
Lloyd brought Seriel inside and asked sincerely,
"Do you recognize her?"
Gowry paused again. When he saw her clearly, his expression grew strange.
"Ah... you are... the other half, now whole..."
But he didn't finish the sentence. He just shook his head.
"Alas, even if you're whole, under the Golden Order, the corruption of all things cannot reach its final state. Without that, there can be no abundance. Moreover..."
He looked Seriel up and down again, a hint of sorrow in his voice.
"Even whole, it's merely a crude patchwork. Without the immutability of gold, corruption and abundance—unable to merge—remain fundamentally different things..."
What the hell is this old man talking about?
Lloyd didn't follow a word of it. He simply handed over the Unalloyed Gold Needle. Gowry took it, examined it for a moment, then said it was damaged and needed repairs. He told Lloyd to wait a bit.
"If you've got nothing else to do, you might want to look into the secret of Sellia while you wait."
While working on the needle, Gowry glanced at Seriel and sighed.
"Even if abundance is beyond reach for now, may the bud still bloom... ah, the brilliant cycle of rise and fall..."
With that, Gowry lowered his head and focused on repairing the needle.
Seeing he had nothing more to say, Lloyd left the rundown hut with Seriel. After walking a bit farther, they arrived at the Town of Sorcery—Sellia.
Sellia, true to its name, was once a hub of magical research.
In addition to being riddled with Scarlet Rot, the area was littered with Glintstone crystals and inhabited by stealthy sorcerer-type mobs that only revealed themselves when approached or attacked.
But there weren't many of them, and they weren't particularly strong. After riding Torrent through the town once, Lloyd had more or less cleared them all out.
Then, following Gowry's instructions about the secret of Sellia, Lloyd lit the flames atop the three pedestals, breaking the seal over the town.
Afterward, he returned to Gowry's shack. When he received the repaired needle, Gowry finally made his request.
"Thank you for waiting. It's done. This needle can now suppress the rot."
"Could I trouble you to deliver it to that girl, Millicent? Of course, I'll compensate you accordingly."
"Millicent is lying sick in a church on a cliff past the town of Sellia."
"A group of ignorant pests are doting on her—no, they're treating her rot as divine, worshipping it like some sort of blessing."
"Don't you find that absurd? That girl's done nothing to deserve this..."
But Lloyd didn't leave right away. He looked down at the Unalloyed Gold Needle in his hand, thought for a moment, then spoke.
"You said this needle can suppress rot?"
Gowry was briefly stunned, then nodded.
"Yes. Is something wrong?"
"Then what if I used this thing on Radahn?"
After all, in Souls games, items often have multiple uses. Giving the same item to different people can trigger entirely different events.
"Well..."
Gowry hesitated.
"General Radahn has been tormented by the rot for far too long. Even with the needle, it might only offer limited suppression. Besides, that girl—"
"And that stuff you said earlier, about rot and abundance—I didn't really get any of that."
Lloyd was fiddling with the needle, clearly not paying attention.
"But I've heard something before: 'Flowing water doesn't rot.'"
"You say gold is unchanging, that rot and abundance are isolated. But can't I look at it the other way around?"
He looked up at Gowry, his tone serious.
"If the unchanging gold could be destroyed, and flowing water used to link rot and abundance into a new cycle—wouldn't that solve this land's problems?"
Corruption decomposes and becomes nourishment, which gives rise to abundant life. That life flourishes, then dies and decays, becoming nourishment again.
A cycle of life and rebirth, independent of the Golden Order.
But now, only corruption remains—unchecked and ever spreading.
Gowry stood frozen in place.
Before he could respond, Lloyd suddenly remembered someone.
"I don't really know much about this stuff, but no worries. Wait here—I'll go check with the All-Knowing."
This time, the All-Knowing's door was open.
After hearing Lloyd's explanation, the All-Knowing's head figuratively steamed for a moment before he nodded slightly.
"What you're suggesting is indeed possible, but there are several problems..."
"First, if my information is correct, the Law of Abundance is held by the Empyrean Miquella. And right now, not only have we not found Miquella—we don't even know where his Haligtree is..."
"Oh, I don't know how, but I might've already picked up someone carrying the Law of Abundance. That's actually why I came to ask you."
The All-Knowing: "...?"
People are just picking up godlike beings with divine laws off the ground now?
After a pause, he continued.
"Second, to link rot and abundance, you'd need to break the barrier between them—namely, the Golden Order's immutability. In other words, you'd be defying the Golden Order..."
Lloyd mulled it over, then turned and left the office. After a short while, he came back.
"The Fingers have no objections. The Golden Order's broken anyway, so I suggested adding compatibility layers and maybe an external backup system. It said that's workable."
The All-Knowing: "...?"
The All-Knowing took a deep breath.
"Alright. That just leaves one last issue."
"According to what that man said, even without the immutability of gold, rot and abundance still can't interact... So how do you plan to solve that?"
That one actually stumped Lloyd.
But after a moment, he turned to the All-Knowing and answered as if it were obvious.
"That's why I came to ask you."
When the All-Knowing stayed silent, Lloyd suddenly seemed to recall something.
"Oh, right, I had a theory earlier..."
"Stop!"
The All-Knowing's instincts flared, and he immediately cut him off.
"Don't say anything. Give me a moment to think. I'll figure out how to connect the two for you."
"...Oh."
Why is he so intense about this?
After a short while, under the pressure of Lloyd's intense rhetoric, the All-Knowing suddenly remembered something.
"Flowing Sword."
He looked up at Lloyd, speaking seriously.
"There was once a swordsman taught the Flowing Sword by a fairy. He used it to seal away the corruption."
"Flowing water doesn't decay. It might serve as a bridge between fertility and rot—or at least suppress the corruption."
Lloyd considered it and felt like it made some sense.
"So where can I find this Flowing Sword?"
"I don't know."
The All-Knowing shook his head.
"The Scarlet Rot in Caelid is far too severe. Even my people can't reach deep inside. And the Flowing Sword? That's a legend from long ago, so..."
"Alright."
Lloyd nodded, paused briefly, then added, "Oh, about that theory I mentioned earlier..."
"...Let's save it for next time."
"Sure."
Lloyd nodded again and left. The door closed behind him and was sealed with several layers of wards.
...
After gathering the information he needed, Lloyd returned to Caelid. Following what Gowry had told him, he went to a church perched on a cliff behind Sellia.
After taking out two multi-jointed, white grasshopper-like creatures guarding the entrance, Lloyd came face to face with the girl known as Millicent.
The red-haired girl lay half-reclined against one side of the church, clearly in pain.
When she heard footsteps, she lifted her head and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Ugh... Who are you? Whoever you are, you'd better stay away from me."
"The Scarlet Rot inside me is stirring. It's a curse—not something ordinary people should get close to..."
As Lloyd looked at the suffering girl and prepared to take out the golden needle, Seriel, who had followed him there, suddenly seemed to recall something and, unusually, spoke up on his own.
"Let me try?"
"Of course."
Lloyd nodded. Seriel walked over, crouched down in front of the girl, and reached out his hand.
With a surge of radiant golden light, the pain on Millicent's face visibly eased, and her eyes slowly opened.
Her expression shifted to one of surprise.
"You are...?"
"I don't know who I am either."
Seriel shook his head, then glanced at Lloyd.
"But he calls me Seriel."
As Millicent's condition stabilized, the golden light gradually faded—but Seriel remained by her side.
"Her corruption is rooted deep in her essence, worse than anywhere else. I need to stay with her to keep up the 'transformation.'"
Lloyd looked at the needle in his hand.
"What about this...?"
"No need for now. I don't have much combat ability at the moment anyway, so I'll just stay with her."
It seemed like he'd just fulfilled some major side quest condition.
Lloyd nodded, then remembered something.
"By the way, do either of you know about the Flowing Sword? I'm looking for it."
"Flowing Sword?"
Millicent, still on the ground, looked startled.
"May I ask... why are you looking for the Flowing Sword?"
"Not much of a reason. I just heard it could help transform the rot around here, so I figured I'd track it down."
Silence.
Just as Lloyd thought they wouldn't have any useful info, Millicent slowly raised her hand.
Her only hand.
"If you're talking about the Waterfowl Dance Sword Style..."
"I think... I know a bit about it..."
...
[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]
p@treon com/ BlurryDream