Gawain looked at Rya's anxious face, and a strange thought suddenly popped into his head: If I refuse her right now, she'll probably cry for a long time.
However, he wasn't that heartless in the end. In a sense, she was his future niece-in-law.
"You look like you're in quite a hurry, so I suppose I could give you a hand. Tell me, what's the matter exactly? Did you get separated from your family?"
For some reason, Rya felt a sense of elder-like concern in the stranger's tone. She didn't recognize this warrior, but the fact that he was willing to help made her heave a sigh of relief.
"That's wonderful! Truly, thank you so much. Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Rya. I was traveling on my lady's orders, but I was attacked by a thug. I'm quite distressed because he took my precious necklace."
Rya held her arms as if shivering, her tone tinged with a hint of gritted teeth as she continued her request.
There were far too few people here in Liurnia of the Lakes; it lacked the vast number of Tarnished found in Limgrave. If she missed this warrior, she didn't know how long she would have to wait for another.
"After arriving in Liurnia, I met someone who, like you, is a Tarnished. However, I later realized he was nothing but a thug. At first, he treated me quite warmly and said everything was free of charge, but he changed his mind soon after. In the end, he tricked me and stole my precious necklace. Since it is incredibly important to me, I want to get it back no matter what. I beg of you!"
Perhaps feeling her request was a bit much, she added another sentence.
"Since it might involve fighting a fellow Tarnished... if a gentle person like you is unwilling to fight your own kind, please do not force yourself. I will find another way."
Though she desperately wanted the necklace back, as a recruiter, she also needed to find those brave enough to turn their blades against their own kin. She didn't want to coerce anyone, especially someone willing to help her. Thus, she could only phrase it as a request to retrieve her necklace, while simultaneously testing the man's attitude.
Gawain nodded and agreed. Then, he noticed her shivering body.
"Sure, no problem. Leave it to me. But... are you feeling cold?"
Rya was about to shake her head in denial, but her nose betrayed her with a sneeze. For a moment, she nearly reverted to her true form.
As a man-serpent from Volcano Manor, she possessed 100% fire resistance; bathing in lava was like child's play to her. But having come to this cold, damp Liurnia, she was currently soaked to the bone and hadn't dried off yet. She truly couldn't handle the environment here.
"Alright, don't force it. It would be bad if you caught a cold."
Gawain casually used a pyromancy to place a Warmth flame in the gazebo. The temperature in the immediate area rose instantly, and Rya almost couldn't resist the urge to throw her arms around that bundle of heat. To her, that was the temperature she was actually used to. She managed to suppress the impulse at the last second.
Gawain found the youthful Rya's behavior a bit amusing. Recalling what she had just said, he concluded she wasn't lying; the loss of the necklace was likely an accidental circumstance.
As a recruiter for Volcano Manor, Rya had to travel everywhere to select Tarnished willing to hunt their own, but she had no reason to use such a precious personal item as bait.
Furthermore, he knew that the "thug"—commonly known as the Prawn Bro—was just a foul-mouthed man who occasionally took small advantages. In the current state of the Lands Between, he was actually a decent person who still harbored the desire to be a "good man."
"If you get cheated, it's the fault of the one who got cheated."
That was the Prawn Bro's own philosophy. God knows how many of the man's prawns Rya must have eaten for things to end up like this. The Prawn Bro probably saw that her clothes were quite fancy and was likely waiting for her family to come by and pay some Runes before returning the necklace.
After learning that Gawain was going to help, a happy smile appeared on Rya's face, and she bowed deeply once more.
"Thank you a thousand times! Ah, I'm sorry, I haven't even asked for my benefactor's name yet. How rude of me."
Gawain waved his hand, telling Rya not to worry about such trifles. It was clear that she had received quite an education in etiquette from her mother back at Volcano Manor. However, because she was still young, she hadn't quite mastered the execution yet, which instead made her seem clumsily adorable.
"Just call me Gawain. That thug you mentioned—where is he?"
Rya silently committed the name to memory. For some reason, she felt like she had heard it before from Uncle Bernahl?
Regardless, it was better to get the necklace back first. After all, that necklace, carved with her mother's likeness, was her most precious possession.
Rya pulled out a map of the Liurnia region. Almost all the landmarks were clearly marked. It was only to be expected of the massive Recusant organization backed by Volcano Manor; she could pull out such a detailed map at a moment's notice.
However, it looked remarkably similar to the map Gawain had seen at Caria Manor. It was likely a shared map between the three Carian siblings.
Rya pointed to a spot on the map and then stood up to point toward a specific direction. In the distance sat a dilapidated wooden shack.
"That thug should be resting in that abandoned shack over there. I beg of you, please give him a good lesson on my behalf."
Under Rya's expectant gaze, Gawain set off in the direction she indicated.
Once he had traveled some distance and there was no one else around, Melina's voice whispered in his ear.
"That girl is not as simple as she appears. The patterns on her clothes are the emblem of Volcano Manor. Though she doesn't look like those Recusants who wander about hunting their own, there is a strange sense of dissonance about her."
"I find it hard to describe. It feels as though this appearance is merely a disguise, yet strangely, this appearance doesn't seem fake either."
Gawain was surprised by Melina's sharp intuition. She had managed to spot Rya's peculiarity so quickly?
Indeed, Rya was a very special individual, likely different from the mass-produced man-serpents. That was why Tanith valued her so highly. In the game, she was the only one who could switch between human and serpent forms. In a sense, both forms were her "true" self; while her serpent body was primary, her human shell wasn't exactly a "fake."
"Yeah, but everyone has secrets. To be able to travel through the Lands Between so freely and produce such a detailed map, she must have some extraordinary backing."
As they were talking, several Giant Crayfish suddenly erupted from the lake's surface within his field of vision. Although these "Sniper Shrimps" were disgusting, he had dealt with their high-pressure water jets before. They weren't actually that much of a threat.
What was surprising, however, was that the crayfish didn't seem to have noticed him. It appeared someone else had disturbed them—a figure clad in silver-white armor was currently fleeing in a panic.
"Is that... Patches?"
Gawain frowned. It seemed that after the Radahn Festival, Patches really was squatting in Liurnia of the Lakes. But why did he run into this guy every single time? He hadn't even bothered to look for him after getting the shackle.
"Gwah! Someone save me, damn it!"
Patches seemed to notice Gawain standing not far off and immediately started screaming his head off to draw attention.
His shouting only disturbed more wild seafood hiding beneath the surface. Various crabs and crayfish crawled out, and it was clear that these creatures had now noticed Gawain's position as well.
"Sigh, since I've run into it, I guess there's no choice. Might as well test if this weapon is easy to use."
A storm suddenly enveloped the area, intercepting the high-pressure water jets spat out by the giant crayfish. He drew the Sword of Night and Flame from his back. As he infused it with his own power, blue and golden light began to flicker across the ornate engravings on the blade.
Two torrents, representing Miracles and Glintstone Sorcery, surged from the sword. The two fused perfectly without repelling one another. With a single horizontal sweep, every creature in front of him taller than himself was sliced in half.
"Hmm, feels pretty good. A bit hard to control, though. I almost cut Patches along with them."
Gawain looked at the fragments scattered everywhere, thinking that he didn't know how long it would take for the Prawn Bro to boil this much meat.
Not far away, Patches scrambled up from the ground. He took off his helmet and rubbed his bald head with lingering fear. Well, it looked like no parts were missing. If he hadn't flattened himself fast enough just now, that move would have taken him out too.
"Whew, that was dangerous! Could you be a bit more careful next time? I'd have been finished if I wasn't quick on the dodge!"
"Hmm?"
Patches' complaining face withered the moment he caught Gawain's stare. His face immediately broke into a groveling, sleazy smile.
"Haha! Looks like my luck is holding up, meeting you in this gods-forsaken place. Long time no see!"
"What are you doing in Liurnia, and why are you being chased by so much seafood?"
Patches sighed, appearing to recall some unpleasant memories.
"Such is life. I had picked up a lot of good stuff in the Wailing Dunes, but on the way back, I got attacked by those Kindred of Rot. Well, I managed to scramble out alive. Indomitable Patches doesn't get discouraged by little things like that!"
"So, I came to Liurnia to try my luck, but I accidentally provoked those beasts. Luckily I ran into you. However, since I've been handling the 'stocking' myself lately, I can't do things like I used to. So, while the merchandise is a bit thin, the Raya Lucaria branch of the Patches Emporium is officially open for business! Want to buy something?"
"Forget it. I have no interest in your scrap metal."
Gawain pointed toward the shack ahead.
"Someone seems to be living in there. He should still be inside."
"I think I did see a fellow in an iron mask hanging around."
"Alright then. Go play somewhere else. I have things to do."
"Wait! Don't leave me behind! It's dangerous out here!"
Despite being rebuffed, Patches knew that the dangerous things in this area weren't limited to just those crayfish. Having a "thigh" like this to cling to, he was going to stick around no matter how thick-skinned he had to be.
And so, Torrent ran in front, Patches chased behind, and Gawain—with a face full of black lines—watched his stalker. He sighed and had Torrent slow down to a walking pace so Patches could keep up.
Even so, Patches was panting and exhausted, having to stop for breath every now and then. It seemed that while his armor could block a lot of damage, it was a massive drain on his stamina.
Fortunately, the journey wasn't long. By the time Patches stopped for his last break, Gawain could already see a wisp of smoke rising from beside the shack.
As they drew closer, the little shack stood out among the many ruins of Liurnia as being relatively intact. Though it looked dilapidated, it was certainly fit for habitation. Not only did it provide shelter from the wind and rain, but it was also raised above the water, meaning it wasn't submerged.
Arriving at the front of the shack, the two caught a whiff of a delicious aroma. Following the scent, they reached the front entrance.
No one was there, but a massive pot had been set up. The fragrance was wafting from within, and a fire made of dry wood was burning beneath it, seemingly boiling something.
Patches, hungry and exhausted after being chased all day, didn't think twice. He walked up and lifted the lid. He saw bright red crabs and prawns filling the pot. There were no complex seasonings; the simple boiling process had released a thick, savory aroma.
"Mmm, smells great! Don't mind if I do!"
Seeing the boiled prawns and crabs in the pot, Patches sat down without ceremony. Ignoring the heat, he grabbed one and started eating.
"Oh? I didn't expect to find perfectly cooked prawns and crabs just lying around here! Marika be praised, today truly is my lucky day. I was just getting hungry."
Gawain didn't know what to say to the completely shameless Patches. Even he felt a bit tempted to see what they tasted like.
Besides, Patches was already eating. It wasn't like he could dig the prawn out of the man's mouth. At worst, when the Prawn Bro showed up later, he'd just pay him for the trouble.
"Huh? What thief dares to steal from me?"
Hearing the commotion outside, a figure rushed out of the dilapidated shack. It was the owner of the shack and the pot—the "thug" Rya had spoken of, the Prawn Bro.
Wearing an iron mask that covered his entire head and with caestus on his hands, the Prawn Bro appeared before the two. He pointed a fist at Patches' bald head and roared.
"Hey! Who are you? Why are you eating my prawns and crabs? Give me an explanation or I'll slaughter you!"
However, Patches completely ignored him. After finishing the prawn in his hand, he shoved several more crabs into his mouth. With a look of disdain, he glanced at the Prawn Bro, put his helmet back on, and mocked him in a muffled voice.
"Whatever I set my eyes on belongs to me! Who told you to leave food outside and boil it so fragrantly?"
"You bastard! I'll kill you!"
"Pfft, if you have the guts, try cracking my armor with those fists of yours. Don't say I didn't warn you—even the strongest Demigod felt helpless against my defenses!"
Patches, in his full Lapp's set, stood chest-to-chest with the iron-masked Prawn Bro. The two of them bickered back and forth like children.
Gawain hadn't spoken yet; he just stood by and watched them interact, occasionally taking a prawn from the pot and popping it into his mouth. Hmm, the taste really is excellent.
As the saying goes, it takes a villain to grind down a villain. In the face of a human piece of trash like Patches, a small-time hoodlum like the Prawn Bro was like a green recruit when it came to being a scoundrel. The portion of his face visible through the iron mask was clearly turning red with rage.
Before the two actually started swinging, Gawain finally interjected.
"Hey, did you meet a girl recently? She wears a green robe, has blonde hair, and looks quite young."
Hearing this familiar description, the Prawn Bro immediately knew why they had come.
"Hmph, so you know that woman? What, are you her elder or something? Looks like she didn't die on the side of the road after all."
"In that case, let's hear it. Why did you trick that girl and take her necklace?"
The Prawn Bro looked at the man's exquisite armor. In terms of pure aura, he didn't know how many times over this warrior crushed the loud-mouthed thug next to him. One look told him this was someone he couldn't afford to provoke.
He quickly cooled down from his heated state, rubbed his iron mask, and spoke.
"You mean that girl... well, she came by to eat my prawns. I figured a little girl like her couldn't eat much, so I thought it wouldn't matter. But then she just picked up the whole pot and polished off every last bit in one go! You have no idea how exaggerated her appetite is! I spent a long time catching those!"
The Prawn Bro paused. Looking back now, that girl was strange no matter how he thought about it.
"That girl was weird. I can't quite describe the feeling. I didn't want to get too involved with her, so I made up a reason to trick her out of the necklace as collateral for the bill and chased her off."
Gawain nodded. The actual process was pretty much what he had expected. There was no point in dwelling on it further. He casually grabbed another prawn and put it in his mouth.
"I see. In that case, give the necklace back to me. I'll cover the Runes she owes you. Also, these prawns you boil are good—I'll take everything here too."
The Prawn Bro breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, this warrior—the one putting the most pressure on him—was a reasonable person, at least much better than the one next to him.
"I knew it. No one who likes prawns can be a bad person. Judging by your look, you're an elder in that girl's family, right?"
"Hmm. Not exactly accurate, but saying so isn't a big problem."
"Liurnia hasn't been peaceful lately. Best not to let kids wander around, or they might run into something dangerous. Wait... what's going on back there?"
Before the Prawn Bro could finish his sentence, he noticed a massive pile of crayfish and crab carcasses floating on the lake behind him. It looked as though they had all been sliced into two pieces at the exact same moment.
For a moment, he felt a cold sweat break out. He glanced at Gawain out of the corner of his eye. He hadn't expected that girl to be able to summon such a powerful figure.
Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately returned to the shack and dug out an exquisite necklace.
"This is the necklace you're looking for. I haven't touched it, I swear."
Gawain looked at the intact necklace and nodded. It was carved with the relief of a woman; from the appearance, it was likely Tanith, the current mistress of Volcano Manor.
Looking at the beautiful face on the relief, he couldn't help but admire Rykard's taste. Even now, Tanith possessed quite a lingering charm; no wonder she could rise from a mere dancer to become a consort of a Demigod.
Shifting his gaze from the relief, he immediately saw the glint in Patches' eyes beside him. Wait... it couldn't be what I think it is, could it?
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Elden Ring: In the Name of Ash (189 chapter - Ongoing)
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