At that moment, Rya was sitting at the edge of the pavilion, waiting. Her shoes, soaked through with water, had been taken off and left upside down nearby to dry. She placed a warmed stone on her lap, while her small feet—wrinkled from the water—swung back and forth in front of her.
Though she longed to shed her human form and return to her serpentine body, she dared not relax for even a moment while outside.
If Lucian knew what she truly was, he might treat her just like everyone else who had seen her snake form—with disgust.
The memories of mockery, scorn, and unprovoked hostility rose in her mind, dampening her spirits. She was still young, and back at Volcano Manor she had always been cared for. She didn't fully understand what Volcano Manor meant to the Lands Between. All she knew was that she had to carry out the will of her mother and father; to recruit heroes.
Though she could not understand why "heroes" should be asked to raise their blades against their own kind, as one of the recruiters, she simply followed her orders. So far, she had already brought several Tarnished to Volcano Manor.
But today, the one she met—Sir Lucian—was not like the others. Unlike those who made her uneasy, he gave her a sense of warmth and safety. And he seemed so strong. In that way, he reminded her of Knight Bernahl.
If Bernahl was without doubt a true hero of Volcano Manor, then surely Lucian could become one as well. Still… it would depend on his will.
Rya continued waiting anxiously for his return. She trusted he would succeed in retrieving the necklace, but waiting made the minutes crawl.
Suddenly, she spotted a figure emerging from the mist on horseback. Realizing it was Lucian, she quickly slipped on her still-damp shoes. Her feet were dry, but the wet insides of the shoes made them even more uncomfortable than before.
When she was ready, she stood and walked to the pavilion's front to greet him. But upon closer look, she noticed a bald-headed man trailing behind Lucian's steed—bound by a rope.
Was that the true face of the iron-masked thug? No… his clothes were different. And why was this man being led along by Lucian?
Rya pushed away her questions as Lucian approached. She hurried forward and asked with concern:
"Sir Lucian, were you able to recover it?"
Dismounting from Torrent, Lucian came to stand before her. He drew from his pouch the necklace engraved with Lady Tanith's image, handing it back to her.
"Here. I got it back. This is the one, right?"
Rya clutched the recovered necklace tightly, her face lighting up with a pure, innocent smile.
"Oh, yes, that is my missing necklace. Thank you kindly. I am in your debt, Sir Lucian."
Lucian waved a hand dismissively. "It was nothing. And not entirely my doing. I owe some thanks to this man behind me—Patches."
Without him, Lucian suspected things might have gone far less smoothly.
Patches, bent over and panting, leaned against a pillar. Even so, when he saw Rya's eyes fall on him, he forced what he thought was a winning smile.
"Haha, that's right! Thanks to me fighting tooth and nail with that rogue, we managed to reclaim the necklace."
Ever since laying eyes on the necklace, Patches' attitude had shifted. No longer dragging his feet in reluctance, he had pressed forward—resting only when his body truly demanded it. It was unusual, and Lucian couldn't help but feel uneasy.
If Patches and Tanith were old acquaintances, that would already be dangerous enough. But if he was stirred merely by the sight of the necklace…that would be worse. Tanith was no ordinary woman.
As Lady of Volcano Manor, she commanded a host of recusants. It was not her position as Rykard's consort that gave her authority, but her own strength. The Manor gathered Tarnished who turned their blades upon their own kin, hunting to grow stronger.
In Rykard's time, some among them had truly defied the Erdtree with conviction. But now, the Manor was little more than a den of scoundrels cloaked in the banner of rebellion. Still, with Knight Bernahl's support, Tanith held power. Even the Man-Serpent soldiers of the Manor heeded her alone.
Lucian hoped Patches wouldn't get himself into trouble… but this was Patches, after all.
Meanwhile, Rya's eyes sparkled. To hear that Patches had fought the thug moved her deeply. Another Tarnished, willing to strike at his own kin! His fierce appearance seemed perfectly suited for Volcano Manor's cause.
"Thank you as well, Master Patches," she said earnestly.
Then, gathering her courage, she continued:
"Two heroes, I seek stalwart Tarnished who might join our house. You are very brave yourself. Not only a steady hand, but a steady heart, merciless, even to your own kind. Such strength is precisely what my mistress seeks."
"These are the qualities we desire most. Will you accept this invitation?"
She drew from her garments two letters, sealed with wax. Lucian and Patches each took one. The parchment was fine, adorned with the coiled patterns of serpents. The seal depicted a man and a great serpent face to face—likely Rykard, though blurred by the wax's hue.
Lucian had no need of an invitation; if he wished to enter Volcano Manor, he could simply go. Still, there was no harm in keeping it.
Patches, however, raised a hand before asking; "Before that… may I ask, who is the woman carved on your necklace?"
Rya blinked, puzzled by the question. "That is none other than my lady—Tanith."
She did not speak of their blood relation. As a recruiter, she could not address Tanith as "mother".
Patches froze. His face twisted into a strange mix of emotions Lucian had never seen on him before—hesitation, regret, conflict… and faint joy.
Then he burst out laughing. "Ha! A hero, you say? Sounds just like me! Guess I'm exactly the kind of man you lot are after!"
He plastered over his turmoil with bluster, but Lucian noticed the change.
Rya, oblivious, covered her mouth and giggled. Confidence was good. After all, one could hardly be a hero without it.
"And you, Sir Lucian? What say you?"
Lucian nodded. "One day, I will go to Volcano Manor. But not yet."
Rya's smile brightened. "Brave Tarnished, seek the Altus Plateau, the realm of the Erdtree.
Most Tarnished are Doomed to wander the outskirts of the Lands Between, peering wistfully at the towering Erdtree... But you are no ordinary Tarnished."
"Once your strength is proven, the Volcano Manor will fully extend its invitation. To fight, amongst a family of champions."
She recited the words with practiced ease; such speeches were routine for her.
"Very well," Lucian said. Then he pulled Patches aside. "Something about Volcano Manor bothers you, doesn't it?"
Patches flicked his head lightly. "Hah, not at all. Just piqued my interest, that's all. Didn't you hear? She called me a hero. A hero! How could I refuse?"
Lucian muttered inwardly: Patches, a hero? Hardly.
Still, Patches noticed his odd behavior but dismissed it. Madness was his nature; inconsistency, his constant.
"What about you, eh? Got a grudge against the Manor's name?"
Lucian shook his head. "No. Only rumors I've heard."
Patches wasn't about to tell him more. Even though Lucian was the closest thing to a companion he had in the Lands Between, this secret he would keep.
"By the way…" Patches scratched his bald scalp and leaned closer. "Think I can… put off that mining sentence until after I visit the Manor?"
Lucian nodded. "Yes."
"…Eh? You—you mean it?"
Patches hadn't expected agreement. He'd asked only on a whim, not believing it possible.
"If that's what you want, then go," Lucian said. "You're sly, but not loathsome. You swindle, but you're not without limits. You care for your men, and even for that thug earlier. You're not without kindness."
"I'm not so heartless as to deny you."
Patches' face twisted oddly before returning to his usual crooked grin. "You've got it wrong, though. I am a scoundrel—through and through. That's the highest praise for me!"
"But I'll admit—I didn't expect you to answer that way. Thought you'd be the cold, righteous sort. An ideal saintly king."
Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Do you wish me to be a stern, merciless king, then? One who punishes you without hesitation?"
"Haha, no, no… of course not…" Patches waved it off quickly.
Lucian lifted his gaze toward the distant Erdtree. "An ideal king… yes, I would wish to be one. But I will never abandon my feelings. I would be a king who bears the weight of lives—and because of that, they will follow me."
He knew well his own shortcomings. Ruling, governing—such things were beyond him. If not for the companions who had gathered to his side, he would be lost.
Even Morgott, the Omen King, had managed more. He had stopped the Shattering's coalition, kept Leyndell under control, and ruled despite his cursed form. Though they were enemies, Lucian did not despise him. If anything, Morgott was one of the few foes he respected—both as a player once, and now.
When Lucian and Patches returned, Rya greeted them. "Ah, so you've finished speaking. Then it must be time for farewells."
Lucian nodded. "Yes. But before that, may I borrow your map? Patches has offered to draw something on it for me."
For her benefactor, Rya had no reason to refuse. "Of course."
While Patches squatted down to mark the map, Rya spoke again, as if remembering something:
"Ohh, and... One more thing, only for you...
This land of Liurnia is connected to the Altus Plateau by the Grand Lift of Dectus, beyond the High Road. But the lift has been defunct for an age, meaning there's no simple means of passage."
"So instead, you must seek the old ruins in the cliff.
At the base of the valley near the Grand Lift, there's an old tunnel.
It was excavated from both ends, linking Liurnia to the Altus Plateau."
She pointed out the location on the map.
"I hope this helps you on your way. I have faith in you, A champion, through and through.
I do hope that we can meet again."