Beside the church ruins, atop a tall, broken stone pillar standing alone, a small, peculiar blue figure was seated.
Four hands delicately cradled an equally small doll wearing a strange tall hat.
The moonlight (or rather, the light distorted by the Erdtree) seemed to particularly favor that spot, clearly outlining her figure—the silhouette of a petite girl, like a meticulously carved doll, emanating a cold, mysterious glow.
Most of her face was hidden beneath a wide, magical pointed hat; only a small section of her smooth chin and slightly pursed lips were visible.
Seeing this figure, Guilliman immediately guessed who it was.
After all, a blue-skinned, four-armed monster wife, who wouldn't know.
Witch Ranni!
She sat, her slender ankles crossed, her gaze—or rather, the direction of the shadow beneath her wide hat brim—fell precisely on Guilliman, filled with scrutiny and intense curiosity.
"Your arrival… has indeed stirred this stagnant water. Fate, because of your appearance, has rippled."
She continued in her unique tone, her small head tilted slightly to one side.
"But, have you ever considered if your otherworldly seed of law can truly take root and sprout upon the remnants of Marika's shattered throne?"
As expected of a born demigod, a witch who would stop at nothing, even abandoning her own flesh, to defy predetermined fate.
This seemingly petite girl spoke in an arrogant, riddle-like manner, exuding a special sense of mystery that left a deep impression.
Guilliman looked at the blue-skinned doll-girl seated high above, his gaze moving from her fair face to the small protrusions on her chest, a question forming in his mind.
He wondered if this doll would feel soft to the touch, or if it would be hard.
As an experienced gamer, he knew.
Obtaining Ranni as a wife was actually quite simple: one only needed to become the Elden Lord and then choose to leave with Ranni.
After all, in a dangerous and chaotic world like the Lands Between, romantic love was merely a luxury; only those with matching strength could be together.
As for why Ranni was looking for him now, it was obvious without much thought.
In the early stages of the game, perhaps also sensing the fluctuations of fate, Ranni, like Melina, also came to the vicinity of the Church of Elleh, likely observing the newly awakened Tarnished.
Whether it was Melina becoming the Tarnished's Maiden and gifting the Spirit Steed Torrent in the game, or Ranni appearing at night to gift the Tarnished the Spirit Calling Bell to summon spirits, both were considered early investments in the protagonist.
Unlike Melina, who only focused on the Erdtree and the fate of the Lands Between, Witch Ranni was a determined and resolute woman who would stop at nothing to pursue freedom and explore the mysteries of the cosmos.
Now, with his appearance as a traveler capable of traversing different worlds, it was perfectly normal for Witch Ranni to be interested in him.
However, Ranni was a very cautious person. Although observing from a distance these past few days had provided her with some information about Guilliman, she clearly wouldn't easily trust this powerful otherworldly individual before her.
Hence, this active appearance and conversation.
After hearing Witch Ranni's riddle-like speech, Guilliman feigned not knowing the doll-girl before him and asked in a somewhat puzzled tone:
"May I ask who you are, esteemed one?"
"What is your purpose in saying these things to me?"
Ranni, seated high above, made no movement, but Guilliman felt her gaze fixed on him from beneath her large magic hat.
After a few seconds, Ranni's ethereal, doll-like voice came again.
"I am the witch who resides in the magic tower outside Caria Manor. You may call me Ranni."
"As for my purpose in seeking you."
"I observe any strong individual who wishes to challenge the Erdtree's law, hoping they can break this predetermined fate."
"You possess such potential, warrior from another world."
"So, I wish to offer a little help."
As she spoke, Ranni's four arms gently pushed the small doll she held forward, and the doll, almost like a miniature Ranni, slowly floated down before Guilliman.
Then Ranni's voice continued:
"This is a doll imbued with a fraction of my will. She can answer some of your questions about this world and witness your journey."
"When you truly encounter certain difficulties, you can come to my magic tower to find me."
"I may be able to offer you some guidance."
After saying this, Ranni seemed to nod at Guilliman, and then her figure transformed into a shower of fluorescent dust, disappearing from the top of the stone pillar.
Watching Witch Ranni's disappearing figure, Guilliman felt a pang of emotion, thinking, indeed, very much in the style of a witch.
He then, without any doubt, picked up the doll that had fallen before him and examined it closely.
The doll had the appearance of a small girl, with four arms crossed over her chest, blue eyes and hair, fair skin, dressed in a white robe with cracks, and wearing a witch's hat.
What was even more special was that the doll had two faces overlapping at the left eye, one a doll's face, the other a white transparent spectral face.
Overall, it gave off a mysterious and slightly cold feeling, as if it contained endless magical power.
When he played the game in his previous life, he had wished for such a figurine, finding it very cute, and now, unexpectedly, this wish had come true.
It was a pity he couldn't chat more with Ranni. As a knowledgeable witch who loved to explore the mysteries of the cosmos, Ranni surely possessed much useful knowledge.
And at her demigod rank, her research into world rules and various powers must far surpass that of mere mortals like them.
Speaking of knowledge, Guilliman immediately thought of Sorcerer Sellen, the magic teacher the Tarnished encountered in the game.
Perhaps he should also seek out this magic teacher who enjoyed teaching students; he might even learn powerful Glintstone sorcery from her.
Although Glintstone sorcery, apart from attacking, was basically useless, adding to his offensive repertoire and pretending to be a sorcerer would also be an interesting endeavor… Early morning a few days later, the golden mist had not yet dispersed.
The female knight Fia's figure silently appeared at the reinforced entrance of the church.
Her silver armor was stained with recently congealed dark red blood and dust, emanating a cold metallic scent intertwined with the smell of gore.
She silently removed her helmet, revealing a beautiful female face, sharp-featured yet subtly weary, dampened with sweat, with a few strands of silver-grey hair clinging to her temples.
She did not look at the Witchers who were assigning tasks by the campfire, nor did she pay attention to Orianna, who was sensing with closed eyes in the distance. Her gaze was fixed on Guilliman, who was polishing his Blasphemous Blade.
Guilliman felt the gaze and looked up.
Fia spoke directly, her voice clear, concise, and crisp:
"I am going to Stormveil Castle, but there is a problem now."
"Margit, the Fell Omen, are you interested in dealing with him together?"
Guilliman immediately showed an interested expression.
He knew that name—the Fell Omen who resided at the end of Stormgate, the unavoidable path to Stormveil Castle.
He was also the first "wall" boss many players encountered, prompting them to give up.
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