Elden Ring, building a legion of ashes

Chapter 65 Farewell to Moen City

"Lady Xia Tong, it's me."

The voice outside the door was soft and timid; it was clearly Elena.

Xia Tong opened the door.

However, they discovered that two ordinary Moen City soldiers were following behind Elena.

Both soldiers were carrying heavy trays.

"Come in."

Xia Tong stepped aside.

The two soldiers placed what they were carrying on the table, then bowed respectfully, closed the door, and left.

"This is?"

Xia Tong lifted the lid of one of the soup pots.

"call--"

Steaming hot.

It was a pot of thick, milky-white broth, with some tentacled-like objects that had turned white from being cooked.

"This is... a land octopus?"

Xia Tong recognized it at a glance.

"Yes, this is made from the tenderest tentacles of the baby octopus, along with some core meat pieces, and has been stewed for several hours."

Elena said somewhat shyly:

"I also sprinkled some sea salt and wild onions to remove the fishy smell."

Xia Tong then lifted the lid of another huge tray.

A rich aroma of meat wafted over instantly.

"Wow, it's a roasted lamb leg, perfectly browned and juicy!"

"This is a leg of lamb from a multi-horned goat caught near the castle, roasted and sprinkled with chopped herb for flavor."

"And also..."

Elena's expression suddenly became somewhat awkward, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Xia Tong suddenly noticed that her clothes were bulging at the chest.

Then Elena turned her back and slowly pulled a wine bottle, still warm from her body, from her bosom.

It was an exquisite little crystal bottle with beautiful metal embossing.

The seal on the bottle is still intact, indicating that it is a fine wine that has been around for some years.

"My father said that this was a fine wine that he had treasured for many years and that the royal city had once bestowed upon him."

"He specifically asked me to bring this to you, saying it was... to thank you for your help to Moen City and to me."

Xia Tong looked at the table full of delicious "hard dishes" and couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

Having been in this dilapidated border region for so long, eating dried meat and drinking salty soup every day, he had never had such a decent meal.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Xia Tong then invited Elena to sit down with her, and the two began to enjoy their meal.

After a hearty meal, Elena's face was flushed.

Xia Tong took a small sip of wine. The liquid flowed smoothly down her throat like silk, with a rich and lingering flavor, carrying a scent of sandalwood as if it were wrapped in honey.

"This is truly excellent wine!"

He looked at Elena and casually asked:

"Why isn't Lord Edgar here?"

Logically, the host should be present at such a thank-you banquet.

Elena paused for a moment, then said softly:

"My father said he needed to be alone for a while to think about some things."

Elena didn't know what her father was thinking, but she felt very happy and blessed to be able to have dinner with Lord Xia Tong and to confirm that her father and Moen City were safe.

……

The main building of the castle, in the lord's room.

Edgar lit five grease candles, illuminating the room very brightly.

He sat alone at the table.

He was holding a leather whip in his hand.

The tip of the whip still faintly bore traces of dried, brown blood.

That was the instrument of torture used by the overseers to beat the mixed-race slaves when they worked too slowly or disobeyed.

He himself had even used this whip.

"They...are lowly, unclean..."

Edgar muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.

However, Xia Tong's meaningful look before leaving, and the resolute figure of the lion hybrid willing to die for his people, weighed on his heart like a boulder.

"Could it be... that I was really wrong?"

Edgar closed his eyes in anguish.

But without realizing it, his hand holding the whip slowly loosened.

"Clatter".

The whip fell to the ground with a soft thud.

.......

The next morning.

Inside a guest room in Moen City.

Elena slowly woke up.

She slept soundly, the most restful sleep she had had in the past two weeks, during which she had endured harsh conditions and slept outdoors.

She then listened intently; the room was quiet, and even her own breathing could be heard.

After realizing there was no movement, she seemed to suddenly understand something, her shoulders trembled, and she couldn't help but cry softly.

"Lord Xia Tong... has she left after all?"

"Yes... how could a faded being like him, burdened with a mission and destined to roam the borderlands, stay by little Elena's side forever?"

After eating and drinking my fill last night.

She mustered her courage and asked if she could stay with Lord Xia Tong for one more night.

Poor Xia Tong initially refused, after all, they were alone together.

However, after Elena's repeated pleas, he reluctantly agreed.

Since there was only one bed in the room, Elena insisted on setting up a makeshift bed on the floor. After all, it was her request, and she couldn't let Xia Tong sleep on the floor while she slept on the bed.

But when Elena woke up, she found herself lying comfortably on a soft bed, covered with a warm wool blanket.

Thinking of this, Elena couldn't help but cry again.

She stumbled and climbed off the bed, groping her way to the makeshift bed that had originally belonged to her.

There was no one there anymore.

But there seemed to be a faint trace of body heat and a reassuring aura still lingering on it.

……

In front of the city walls of Moen.

Xia Tong slowly walked out of the blessing point, stretched, and felt satisfied.

Before leaving, he specifically asked Lord Edgar of Moen City for a lot of supplies.

It not only replenishes a large amount of sea salt and sugar cubes, but also some precious cooking spices.

Even the ordinary torch that Xia Tong usually carried on his back for lighting was replaced by a more advanced "steel wire torch".

These torches are wrapped with specially made steel wire, making them not only more heat-resistant but also usable as weapons when necessary, and even capable of spewing out special combat flames.

After greeting her old friend Moen in front of the city wall, Xia Tong summoned Toret again and rode her horse toward the hills north of Moen City.

He had to get to the little golden tree he had seen before before dark.

Fortunately, it was only early morning, so there was plenty of time.

That hill was not far from the front of the city wall of Moen.

Torret ran wildly, and after only half an hour, Xia Tong saw that familiar hill again.

Even though the sun was shining brightly, the faint golden glow emanating from the little golden sapling was still very noticeable.

Xia Tong reined in his horse and stopped, carefully observing his surroundings through his binoculars.

There was no sign of the dead bird.

It seems this thing, just like in the game, only appears at night and isn't there during the day.

Xia Tong stepped forward with confidence and gently placed the golden dewdrop—the golden seed—into the Holy Grail bottle.

With a flash of golden light, the liquid inside the Blue Dewdrop Holy Grail bottle slowly rose to the surface, increasing its maximum capacity.

"Done!"

The Blue Dewdrop Chalice Bottle now has an extra mouthful, which is of great importance to him.

Having finished this task, Xia Tong looked up at the distant city of Moen.

From this vantage point, the majestic city of Moen appears as a tiny outline, standing between the sea and the sky.

"Farewell, Lord Edgar."

Goodbye, Miss Elena.

Xia Tong silently bid farewell in her heart.

After saying this, Xia Tong prepared to have Melina teleport her to the next blessing point.

But just then, heavy footsteps suddenly came from the hillside behind them.

"A dead bird? A dead bird shouldn't be appearing at this time!"

Xia Tong was startled and turned around abruptly.

From below the hill, a very tall figure slowly walked towards them.

The figure had a full head of fiery red mane, which floated in the breeze on the hillside, like a burning flame.

That half-human, half-beast face looked incredibly majestic.

On its back, it also carried a huge, rusty red greatsword with jagged edges.