After returning to the Roundtable Hold with Nepheli, Gawain glanced around. The familiar faces were still scattered about, occupied with their own affairs.
The usually peaceful atmosphere was shattered the moment the two arrived. Anyone with eyes could see that the normally warm and generous Nepheli was radiating an aura of pure, unadulterated rage.
"Apologies. Please, let me speak with my adoptive father. I believe he can give me a reasonable explanation."
No sooner had the words left her lips than Nepheli slammed her Stormhawk Axe into the wall with such force that fine cracks spiderwebbed across the sturdy steel.
Gawain slowly pried the axe from the masonry. He watched her storm off but made no move to stop her.
Diallos and his attendant exchanged a bewildered look. They couldn't fathom what could have provoked such a massive outburst of anger from her.
"What happened to Nepheli? She's heading straight for Sir Gideon's room. Doesn't she hold her father in the highest regard?"
"It's precisely because she respected him so much that this betrayal cuts so deep. It's better to let her see the truth for herself."
Diallos watched the tightly shut door with unease. He didn't want whatever this was to have too heavy an impact on Nepheli—a woman he considered a very dear friend.
A few moments later, the sounds of an argument drifted from Gideon's study. It didn't last long; it was followed by a one-sided verbal lashing from a male voice, and then, everything went silent.
Nepheli's figure emerged from the room looking utterly desolated. She slumped into a crouch in a corner, her back against the wall. It was clear that now that her worst fears had been confirmed, the rage that had filled her mind had evaporated, replaced by a hollow, profound disappointment.
Gawain walked over to her and reached out a hand to help her up, but she only buried her head deeper between her knees. Her voice was thick with disbelief and despair.
"He admitted everything. Those men were just as you said—acting on his orders to slaughter the innocent and the weak."
"Father has always been my guiding light. But now... I have lost him. He told me this is my punishment for being 'clouded by emotion,' for 'forgetting my orders,' and for 'questioning his decisions.'"
"I'm sorry... but could you let me be alone here? Just for a little while."
"Here is your axe. Hold onto it." Gawain set the weapon down beside her. "Even the sturdiest blade will shatter in the hands of a wavering wielder. Wait for me here. I won't be long."
Gawain pushed open the door to the study. Sir Gideon Ofnir, his anger still clearly simmering, looked up. Seeing the man he had been waiting for finally enter, he regained his habitual calm. His face, obscured behind his helm, betrayed no emotion.
"Ah, you've arrived. I am deeply sorry for what transpired. It seems Ensha was far too impetuous; he began the operation without even conducting basic reconnaissance. As his master, I offer you my apologies."
"Then again, for Ensha to be defeated and lose his life only proves he was beyond saving. I assume that secret medallion is in your hands now?"
Gawain nodded. He knew Gideon had likely investigated his rescue of the Albinaurics thoroughly. There was no point in denying it.
"It is indeed in my hands. It was the reward for giving those Albinaurics a place to belong. As you can see, I achieved the goal without resorting to such methods. I don't understand why you made that decision. Nepheli is truly heartbroken this time."
At the mention of his adoptive daughter, Gideon hesitated for a fraction of a second. Ultimately, he simply gave a small shake of his head.
"I merely told Ensha to secure the medallion by the fastest means necessary. The specific method he chose was no concern of mine. However, since he made the wrong choice, losing his life was the only logical conclusion."
"But, since my subordinate offended you, I shall offer a free piece of intelligence as an apology. The Albinauric woman you rescued, Latenna—she should know the location of the other half of the medallion. If you have any interest in that path, seek her out."
"I know well enough what I need to do," Gawain said. "Let's talk about Nepheli instead. You have always been the father she respected most. You must know what an act like this means in her eyes. Have you truly discarded her just because of this?"
"Yes. I took her in because I valued her potential and her resolve. Since she has begun to harbor doubts, she is of no further use to me."
"It is truly vexing," Gideon continued, his volume rising as if to ensure Nepheli could hear him through the door. "The will of the ignorant is a malignancy, an evil so foul it makes the horns of the Omen seem mundane. But I suspect this is exactly what Queen Marika desired—for us Tarnished to fall into mutual suspicion."
"Even if the girl no longer meets my requirements and has become... what she is now, I must admit she is a raw, unpolished stone with immense potential. It's a pity to see her turn out like this, don't you think?"
Gawain sighed and turned to leave. Gideon's attitude toward his daughter was likely the last shred of "conscience" he had left, even if it was expressed in such a twisted, abrasive way. Regardless, a warrior like Nepheli could no longer serve under such a man.
Seeing that Gawain understood his unspoken meaning, Gideon seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Before Gawain stepped out, the All-Knowing added a final congratulation.
"I am pleased to see you have claimed General Radahn's Great Rune. As one of the few true comrades on the path to the throne, I look forward to our continued close cooperation."
Gawain simply waved a hand over his shoulder. He had originally intended to ask about the whereabouts of Radahn's soul, but he decided to let it be for now. As long as Gideon stayed in the Roundtable Hold and didn't pull any more insane stunts, that was the best he could hope for.
Closing the door, he saw that Nepheli had vanished. After thinking for a moment, he found his target in a secluded, dusty corner of the Hold.
She was still in the same dejected state, crouching against the wall. Seeing the person she was currently most ashamed to face, she silently turned her gaze away, trying to hide her reddened eyes.
"Found you at last. Hiding in such an out-of-the-way spot really made me go in circles."
"I just didn't want you to see me looking so pathetic. Now that I've been discarded by my father... I don't know what to do anymore."
"If he continued to give you orders and tasks, would you be able to carry them out as if nothing had happened?"
Nepheli raised her head slightly, seemingly imagining the scenario, before shaking it.
"No... I don't think I could ever go back to the way it was."
"Well, there you have it. I don't know what the 'All-Knowing' is studying now that he's abandoned the race for the throne, but I think, as your father, he knows you well enough. He knew he couldn't keep his private machinations hidden from you forever."
"Granting you your freedom and parting ways was likely the best choice he could make. I suspect this outcome is for the best for both of you."
"Is that truly how he feels?" Nepheli whispered. "Then why did he say those things to me in the beginning? Why give me such unrealistic hope?"
"Who knows? Perhaps in his long search for intelligence, he discovered some terrifying secret that changed his nature. Even Finger Reader Enia can see that Sir Gideon is not the man he once was. As his daughter, you must have noticed some clues yourself."
Nepheli recalled her years with her father. It seemed that, at some point, he truly had become increasingly somber and withdrawn. Perhaps the distance between them had been growing for a long time.
As she thought of this, her low spirits seemed to lift ever so slightly. Even if she had been discarded, she wanted to know what had turned a man like her father into someone who would use such unscrupulous means. Staying here wouldn't provide the answers.
Seeing that she was beginning to pull herself together, Gawain felt relieved. He knew a warrior as resilient as Nepheli wouldn't stay down forever.
"So, what do you plan to do next? I believe I can offer some help in that regard. At the very least, Stormveil Castle won't turn away a warrior who commands the storm."
Recalling the past, he smiled and said teasingly:
"You know, back when we were attacking Stormveil together, the 'Old King' mentioned something about discarding me and choosing you as the new Storm King. I'm just glad he picked me first; he's too proud to go back on his word now."
"Of course, my ultimate goal is still to become Elden Lord. When that day comes, I'll let that old fellow know exactly who was 'punching up' in that deal."
"Pffft!"
Nepheli covered her mouth, letting out a couple of coughs before she regained her composure. The gloom on her face had vanished, replaced by a trace of helpless amusement.
"To be honest, you're even worse at comforting people than Diallos. The things he says to his attendant are funny enough, but you're on another level of nonsense."
"But... thank you."
Gawain scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Am I really that bad? Where I come from—before I came to the Lands Between—there weren't many people left who could speak normally. I never had anyone to practice on."
"There was one person I saw every day, but usually, I was the one crouching in the corner being comforted. Just like you are now."
Nepheli looked at Gawain. Since their first meeting, he had always been the image of the perfect warrior in her mind. She truly couldn't imagine him looking pathetic and dejected in a corner.
"I didn't expect you to have such a side to you. How did you become the man you are now, step by step?"
Gawain opened his palm. A storm swirled within it, eventually coalescing into the shapes of various figures—from the Onion Knight to Anri, and all the companions who had hunted Lords of Cinder with him.
"It's not such a big deal, really. These companions are the reason I held on until the end. They were the suns in my heart, and I believe I was the same for them."
"You said your father was your 'guiding light.' But as someone who sailed here from across the fog, you should know this: if you view a lighthouse on the reef as a perfect, unmoving beacon and sail blindly toward it, you'll generally end up wrecked against the rocks."
"Admiration is the state furthest from understanding."
Nepheli pondered his words. It was true; she had only ever admired her father from a distance. She realized now that she hadn't truly understood what kind of man he was at all. That was why her disappointment felt so crushing when the illusion shattered.
"Don't go looking for another unreachable beacon," Gawain said. "Haven't you realized that you've already become a sun for many others?"
"Look at your friend Therolina, whom you're always helping. In her eyes, you are more noble than you can imagine. Strive to be the sun for others rather than a follower. If you do that, I don't think anyone will ever be able to hurt a warrior as strong as you again."
"To become a sun...?"
In Nepheli's misty eyes, a vision of a burning, radiant orb seemed to appear. The remaining resentment and disappointment vanished instantly. Recalling something she had nearly forgotten, she stood up and reached out, gripping Gawain's hand firmly.
"Thank you for your guidance. I remember now—the oath I swore when I first became a warrior. I wanted to stir up a storm that would sweep away the filth of the Lands Between, so that the weak could bask in an equal grace."
"Allow me to state my name once more. I am Nepheli Loux. I am a warrior. Even if discarded by my father, my essence remains unchanged. The only difference is that I have cast aside the beacon that guided me."
"If you are to become Elden Lord, then I am willing to become one of your wings."
Gawain was satisfied to see that she had fully recovered. Seeing an eagle with broken wings was something he never wanted to witness.
Just as he was about to say something, Nepheli suddenly tightened her grip on his hand. With her other hand, she slammed her Stormhawk Axe into the wall, pinning him in a sudden "wall-slam." Without a word, she stood on her tiptoes, tilted his chin up, and kissed him.
"Mmph—!"
"Don't speak. It will be over soon."
Later, Gawain stumbled down the stairs. Diallos, who was busy tending to his weapons nearby, jumped in surprise and nearly dropped his blade. He hurried over to steady Gawain, his eyes wide with shock.
"What happened?! Who could have possibly made you look so disheveled?"
"Cough... I suppose I should expect nothing less from a female warrior of the badlands. It seems I've lost this round."
Diallos sensed something. He looked up to see Nepheli walking out, looking refreshed and carrying her Stormhawk Axe with a light step. A look of sudden realization dawned on him.
"Well, that explains it. A warrior as powerful as Nepheli is not to be trifled with, even by the likes of us."
Lanya, sitting nearby, gave a rather peculiar look. To save her master further embarrassment, she quickly pulled Diallos aside.
Inside his room, Sir Gideon Ofnir listened to the commotion outside. For a fleeting moment, the cold expression beneath his helmet shifted, before he returned to his intelligence work. He had lost one more operative than he had anticipated; he would need to find someone else to fill the void.
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (201 chapter - Ongoing)
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