Kiro was not stupid.
Her way of thinking was simple and direct, and she was used to turning complicated problems into game mechanics, but that did not mean she lacked basic analytical ability.
She stared blankly at Loran and opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“So it’s better to be careful.”
Seeing that lost look on her face, Loran softened his tone a little.
“Until you fully understand what the death penalty in this world actually is, try not to die.”
Kiro spent a long time digesting that information.
She looked at her own hands for a while, then at the broken statue of Marika inside the church. Her eyes were empty and confused.
After a long while, she finally nodded slowly.
“...Oh.”
She did not argue again.
Nor did she continue asking about the “confession.”
The fear directly tied to survival itself had temporarily overwhelmed her boundless curiosity and her natural tendency to chase chaos.
“Then... are we still going to take on the Omen?”
“Yes. Why wouldn’t we?”
Loran answered without hesitation.
Hearing that, Kiro turned to look at him, and that “are you insane?” expression appeared on her face again.
“We’re still going? Didn’t you say we should be careful? Melina just acted like that... and Stormveil Castle is the first place she guided us to, isn’t it? Now that we’ve pissed her off that badly, wouldn’t going there be walking straight into a trap?”
“Two things.”
Loran held up two fingers.
“First, I was the one who scared Melina off. Her aggro should mostly be on me. You’re just an innocent incantation main who got dragged into this by me.”
Kiro heard the mockery in his words and clicked her tongue unhappily, but she did not argue.
“Second,” Loran continued, “Sellen’s questline requires us to go to some ruin on the Weeping Peninsula and release the seal on her true body. She said that place is dangerous. With our current equipment and level, rushing over there would give us a very low chance of survival. So we can only put that route aside for now.”
“We need to figure out how this world actually works. Irina surviving proved that the ‘plot’ can be changed. Melina losing control proved that NPCs have a ‘free will’ we can’t predict. Then what about the game’s main storyline? Is Margit, the Fell Omen, still faithfully guarding the entrance to Stormveil Castle like he does in the game? If we defeat him, can we still go on to challenge Godrick? Has this world’s ‘main quest’ deviated from its original path? These are all things we need to confirm.”
“So we follow the game’s original progression and test it first. We challenge Stormveil Castle. That’s the lowest-risk option with the highest information return.”
Kiro listened to Loran’s analysis without interrupting again.
She realized that although this idiot sometimes did truly ridiculous things, when it mattered, his thinking was unusually clear.
“...Fine.”
In the end, she was convinced.
“We’ll do it your way. But I’m saying this first. If we run into another situation as ridiculous as Melina, you’d better come up with something again. I don’t want to die without even knowing why.”
“I’ll try.”
Loran gave a noncommittal answer.
“Let’s go.”
He was the first to walk out of the church.
The sunlight was just right, driving away the chill inside.
Kiro followed behind him.
One in front and one behind, the two of them walked along the road back to Limgrave.
“Hey.”
Kiro’s voice came from behind him.
“Mm?”
“That... just now...”
Kiro seemed to have trouble getting the words out.
“Thanks.”
Loran’s steps paused. He looked back at her, somewhat surprised.
Kiro immediately turned her head away and refused to meet his eyes, muttering quietly under her breath.
“Don’t get the wrong idea! I just... I just think dying in such a pathetic way would be way too unfitting for my status as the future Elden Lord!”
[Kiro’s Affection toward Loran: -100 → -99]
Looking at that tiny change in number, Loran could not help smiling.
The road to Stormveil Castle had been cleared with unusual smoothness.
For the first time, Kiro showed real talent as an incantation main.
She used her incantations skillfully. She no longer charged in mindlessly like before, but had learned to coordinate with Loran’s Glintstone Pebble, covering each other and keeping enemies pinned down.
They pushed all the way to the entrance of the boss arena.
A sorcerer in a large hood was sitting against the wall.
The golden summon sign in front of him was clearly visible.
This was a cooperator who could be summoned.
Sorcerer Rogier.
“You two are here to challenge the guardian of that gate as well?”
When Rogier saw them, he spoke first. His voice was gentle and weak.
[Name: Rogier]
[Identity: Sorcerer investigating the truth of Those Who Live in Death]
[Affection: +10 toward Loran / +10 toward Kiro]
[Status: Requesting Assistance / Seeking the Truth]
“Yes!”
Kiro answered before Loran could, her tone unusually polite.
“Master, do you know that... Margit, the Fell Omen? We’re just about to challenge him. If you don’t mind, would you like to... come with us?”
She had finally begun to understand the simplest truth of all.
One more person meant one more chance of winning.
Hearing that, Rogier showed a faint, relieved smile.
“Of course. Margit’s strength is unfathomable. One more person means one more bit of hope, after all. My sorcery should be able to offer you some small assistance.”
[Rogier’s Affection toward Kiro: +10 → +15]
“Great!”
Kiro’s joy showed plainly on her face.
“With Rogier taking the hits up front and us pew-pew-pewing from the back, how do we lose?”
She turned her head, just about to share the good news with Loran, only to see Loran raise one hand and block the space between her and Rogier.
“Wait.”
Loran’s voice was not loud, but the atmosphere froze instantly.
The smile on Kiro’s face stiffened.
“What are you doing now? You were the one who said we should follow the game’s progression! Summoning Rogier to fight the Omen together is standard progression, isn’t it?”
Loran did not answer her.
Instead, he looked at Rogier and politely shook his head.
“Master Rogier, thank you for your kindness. But now is not the time to fight.”
“Oh?”
Rogier seemed somewhat surprised.
“Then, in your opinion...”
Loran’s gaze passed over them and fell on the boss arena.
“I’m going in alone first.”
“Alone?”
Kiro’s voice rose again.
“Are you crazy? With that tiny health bar, he’ll flatten you in one combo!”
“I’m not going in to fight.”
Loran answered calmly.
He turned his head and looked at the confusion written all over Kiro and Rogier’s faces.
“I’m going to talk to him.”