Chapter 24

TN: Bonus chapter

Konstantin couldn't say whether he was particularly surprised to see Rennala handing him a Great Rune. It glowed in her hands, distorting the surrounding space with its unnatural divine grandeur, capable of bending the very laws of reality. It was irresistibly alluring, begging to be claimed. And Kosta, seeing no reason to refuse, reached out for it.

The Rune flared and, like a golden thread of energy, was absorbed into him, becoming a part of his body. Surprisingly, he could feel how one fragment complemented the other and vice versa. The Tarnished sensed a strange energy resonating from the two fragments, feeding him, filling his body with strength, and further boosting his stats.

All the fatigue from using casual energy vanished as if it had never existed.

"You didn't have to give me this Rune."

Rennala, clutching the amber egg in her hands, shook her head gently, stroking her husband's gift.

"Weave your Sun into my daughter's night, dear. Night has no meaning without day."

Konstantin's actions and words couldn't easily heal her madness. But they achieved something else: they reached what little remained of the queen and gave her hope—relief and liberation she had awaited for so long.

Perhaps, if her daughter ever overcame her fear and tried to help her mother herself, the queen might truly be healed. But for now, it was too soon to speak of such things.

These matters were usually resolved closer to the endgame.

"Understood," Kosta replied solemnly, nodding firmly.

It seemed he had done everything right.

Was it just his imagination, or had he received something akin to a blessing?

At the exit, he was already awaited by numerous sorcerers—a whole crowd of casuals, among whom were the crimson wolf and the Carian knight, both now restored to their senses.

Kosta surveyed the casuals, who didn't seem in a hurry to attack, and then, trusting some strange intuition, donned the robes of a sorcerer. In one hand, he held a staff glowing with the power of a true hardcore casual, while in the other, two resonating Great Runes spun in harmony.

The man raised both hands toward the Sun and, marking his complete and total victory, shouted:

"Praise the Sun!!!"

And, whether they wanted to or not, the casuals joined in, raising their staves to the Sun and shouting alongside him.

A satisfied Melina turned to the silent Ranni.

"He's looking more and more like a true king."

More so, even, than the first king!

Through pain and tears (or perhaps just her own), the chosen one grew, not only in strength. The false Finger Maiden felt like dancing with joy.

For his deeds, she was ready to forgive him all his peculiarities—even that ring…

Her faint smile dimmed slightly.

The ring. She had almost forgotten about it.

"Lost in other thoughts, my lady?" Sellen teased with a sly smile. "Will I be getting my reward?"

"I don't recall you helping my servant much," came Ranni's quiet, grumbling reply, almost causing the sorceress to laugh.

Who would have thought the mad Tarnished would be so determined and bold? Sellen hadn't enjoyed herself like this in ages. It seemed she'd been lacking company these past few years.

At last, life was filled with some color.

"I'll ask Konstantin if I was helpful," Sellen's illusion smirked, noticing Ranni's ghostly face glowering at her with displeasure.

Truthfully, she was a little nervous about provoking Ranni. Though the queen's daughter appeared quiet and, in some ways, even shy, it hadn't stopped her from becoming the main instigator of the madness engulfing their world.

Of course, as long as she didn't cross certain lines, a little fun wouldn't hurt.

"You will receive a new body and leave us," Ranni declared.

Sellen's smile froze. She opened her mouth to respond, but Ranni had already vanished in a starry flash, considering the conversation over.

Naturally, such a development didn't sit well with the sorceress.

Her illusion turned its gaze back to Konstantin.

Oddly enough, even in such a peculiar company, the Tarnished remained, in his own way, the central figure. Though he succumbed to persuasion and manipulation, he always ended up doing things his way. If he thought something needed to be done, he would do it.

And most importantly, her presence clearly wasn't unpleasant for one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Lands Between. If Konstantin didn't mind her company, the lunar demigoddess wouldn't do anything to expel her. She simply couldn't.

At least she wouldn't turn her into a disco ball, worst-case scenario.

Konstantin, as if sensing something, turned his gaze toward one of his waifus. The instinct for rolling screamed inside him, urging him to roll out of there immediately.

Unfortunately, the power of waifus was the only thing that could halt the Tarnished's rolls, and it remained to be seen what actions they would take next.

For now, though, he needed to deal with this crowd—and figure out a way to slip away unnoticed.

The crowd of casuals, whom he had inadvertently proclaimed himself the casual overlord of, was grating on his nerves, acceptance of casualness or not.

Sadly, Kosta's standing in the Roundtable Hold had changed yet again. Old twin maidens approached him like a favorite grandson to say hello. Gideon emerged from his office, shook his hand with a sly smile, and asked no questions about what happened to his servant. Ensha, as if he'd never existed, was completely forgotten.

Rogier, acting like an old casual buddy, patted him on the shoulder.

"Who'd have thought you wield sorcery, Konstantin!"

Honestly, the warrior-mage was a bit offended. So, the magic-hating warrior turned out to be a sorcerer himself? Then what was all that negativity toward him about?

Still, Rogier preferred to shove his indignation deep down, not daring to provoke the powerful madman too much. He wasn't a complete fool…

"How about a friendly duel later?" the sorcerer quirked an eyebrow.

Of course, he didn't expect a positive response, but—

"Sure."

Rogier chuckled with delight.

He was genuinely pleased that his relationship with the mad Tarnished had slightly improved.

After Rogier came Fia, who embraced him with a radiant smile, entirely unconcerned about what others might think.

"Your greatness radiates such warmth, my sun."

Fia's whisper was loud enough for everyone to hear. Roderika nearly wanted the earth to swallow her from embarrassment. For various reasons, the rest didn't care.

Konstantin remained as stoic as ever.

Neither Rogier nor Fia lingered long, quickly returning to their own tasks. After all, it wasn't just Kosta who needed to move their questlines forward.

For the first time, the man saw D, the Hunter of the Dead, along with Brother Corhyn and the Knight Diallos in the Hold. They must have hurried here specifically to greet the new wielder of two Great Runes.

Quests broke before they even started. Such was the nature of first playthroughs without guides: things happened, nothing made sense, but it was incredibly fun. Most importantly, he had to find a way to avoid getting stuck during his progression.

"I'm known as D. I hunt down Those Who Live in Death, and weed their Deathroot."

The stern, cold words from beneath his helmet sounded like a warning. Fully armored, he seemed to have just returned from hunting the undead.

As Fia departed, she gave a piercing look at D, her expression brimming with thinly veiled disdain.

"Konstantin, but you can call me Kosta."

"I couldn't care less who becomes the next king," D suddenly declared. "As long as they don't defile the Golden Order. My only goal is to heal these lands, nothing more. Remember that. Now, I must take my leave."

Kosta could only shrug in response.

In his own way, he was a follower of a creed too. The creed of waifu. As such, he regarded other fanatics of varying doctrines with a strange mix of understanding and indifference. His only concern was that they didn't tarnish the honor of waifus.

With that parting statement, D left, evidently convinced he had fulfilled his duty.

Next on Kosta's list was someone he had been curious to meet for some time — Brother Corhyn.

Kosta had to admit, Corhyn looked even stranger than he remembered from the game: shackles around his neck, his eyes obscured by a cloth bandage, raising the question of how he could see at all, barefoot, and dressed in filthy rags that seemed more fitting for an escaped convict.

Corhyn himself looked malnourished and painfully thin, giving the impression of a madman desperately in need of help. The priest's wide smile only worsened the effect, making him seem more unsettling than pious.

If Konstantin didn't already know that Corhyn was a decent guy, he might have hesitated a hundred times before asking him for anything. But Kosta did have a request.

"What an honor!" Corhyn exclaimed. "A Tarnished who has gathered two Great Runes! Such a thing hasn't been seen since Vyke!..."

The nervous laugh that followed, combined with the oppressive silence in the hold, made it clear this was not a topic to dwell on. Konstantin understood everyone's unease: Vyke, a cut, mangled character who still somehow made it onto the game's cover, wasn't exactly a pleasant subject. And what became of him? Reduced to a minor boss most players could stumble upon without realizing who they'd killed. As for the fate of his Great Runes, players wouldn't learn much of anything either. (1)

Thankfully, Corhyn quickly pivoted.

"I'm Corhyn, a man of the cloth. I teach incantations, the strength granted us by the Two Fingers, and explore the secrets of the Golden Order. So that one day, if a Tarnished of the Roundtable Hold should become Elden Lord, I might counsel them, ensuring order regains its proper form, righting rule over men. By the way, do you still see it? The guidance of grace."

Corhyn's unexpected question, paired with his deranged smile, made Kosta blink in surprise.

He thought this was common knowledge by now.

Kosta noticed the weary Gideon rubbing his temples as he observed the exchange, clearly exasperated by the incompetence of freeloaders.

"Yes," Kosta replied.

"You do!" Corhyn clasped his hands in a prayerful gesture. " Wonderful news. Most Tarnished are blind to it these days. You are something of a rare breed. Well, what do you say?"

Corhyn's smile suddenly became more slippery, like that of a street scammer about to con someone out of a handful of runes.

"Care to learn an incantation of the Two Fingers?"

Had Corhyn approached Konstantin before he accepted the casual nature of things, he might've regretted his offer. Fortunately, the current Konstantin had embraced his role as the unspoken casual overlord, so he took the priest's suggestion in stride.

"Do you have healing prayers?"

He didn't fully understand how prayers worked in this world, but he assumed it all tied back to casual energy. At least, that's how it seemed in his case. Thankfully, he was no lore nerd obsessed with mechanics.

If it worked, it worked. Why overthink it?

"Of course!" Corhyn said with glee. "I—"

"I might need your help healing someone," Kosta interrupted.

Although Konstantin couldn't see Corhyn's eyes beneath the bandage, he was certain they lit up. Not in a bad way. (2)

"I'll do everything I can! In that case, I'll remain here in the hold until you've resolved your issues. Haha!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Kosta noticed Gideon's scowl deepen. The Tarnished's mood improved slightly.

A pleased Corhyn departed, presumably to settle into his assigned quarters.

Finally, the last person Kosta was waiting for appeared — Diallos, the knight. Although calling him a knight was rather generous.

"An honor to meet you, illustrious Konstantin! I... uh..."

Diallos seemed to be searching for a grand introduction, but he quickly realized that among the Tarnished, formalities were meaningless. Besides, Konstantin, despite his unassuming appearance, wielded two Great Runes and, more impressively, had single-handedly claimed not only Stormveil Castle but the entirety of Raya Lucaria Academy. As pitifully diminished as they were in this Age, Kosta's accomplishments were undeniably significant.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Kosta was either unaware of his influence or simply didn't care. Why bother? Waifu quests and farming took priority. The rest could wait until the endgame.

"Call me Diallos," the knight finally introduced himself plainly. "The honor of one's house holds little import in these lands…"

Diallos sighed, visibly saddened.

"Your deeds inspire me, Konstantin! I'm honored to meet such a noble warrior!"

Kosta felt an itch to scratch his nose.

Diallos shook his head dramatically, as if rehearsing a scene from a play.

Konstantin quickly realized this was just a prelude to what truly interested the knight.

"By the way, have you met a young woman named Lanya on your travels? She's my servant, but fickle as the wind. Take your eyes off her for but a moment and she's good as gone. If you find her, please be sure to tell me. I will be eternally grateful. Though… Perhaps your retainers could..."

Gideon, who had been watching, placed a hand on Diallos' shoulder. The knight snapped out of his rambling and quickly backtracked.

"Ah, yes, apologies... I must continue my search. It was a pleasure meeting you..."

Diallos hurried off.

Kosta watched the disoriented knight leave, feeling a twinge of pity. While Melina wasn't the best example, if she had suddenly disappeared and he later found her corpse, he wouldn't even know how to feel.

Rolling through the culprits wouldn't be enough to settle the score.

He strongly doubted Diallos' servant was still alive but decided he could at least try to fulfill the request.

"Don't mind him," Gideon remarked with a wry smile. "He's a poor excuse for a knight."

"I believe he simply hasn't found his calling yet," a timid voice interjected.

Roderika's words made Gideon glance at the girl in the red hood. His smile grew even more strained.

"Perhaps. Well, I must be going. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Konstantin."

The worst part was that Gideon genuinely seemed pleased.

"Where's Nepheli?" Kosta asked.

Gideon raised his bushy gray eyebrows.

"Somewhere on the lower floors. How disgraceful, she didn't even come to congratulate you."

Gideon seemed lost in thought for a moment.

"A determined plebian is more wicked than an Omen horn, quite frankly. I suspect... that's just what the Queen wants (3). A dose of ambition, to incite the Tarnished. Ah! Don't forget to meet with Enia and the Two Fingers."

It was incredibly hard for Konstantin to stop himself from rolling right then and there. Only the realization that he would have to deal with the consequences of his actions later gave him the strength to hold back. Unfortunately, few would understand if he suddenly decided to attack their dubious yet undeniably effective leader, who had managed to unite them under a single banner.

Apparently satisfied that he had said everything he wanted to, Gideon left, leaving Konstantin alone with Roderika.

"Your feats both inspire and terrify me, Konstantin," Roderika sighed deeply, still dwelling on how Fia had... congratulated him. "Thank the heavens you're okay..."

Kosta could see how uneasy Roderika was. It seemed like every time she saw him, she felt smaller and more insignificant. A worthless coward.

It was physically difficult for her to stand in the presence of someone who, wearing nothing but a loincloth in battle, had nonchalantly taken down an enormous Castle, an entire Academy, and acquired two Great Runes on top of that.

Could a poor commoner ever feel comfortable standing before such an influential noble? Roderika felt something similar standing near Konstantin.

A noble who loved stripping down in battle, but hey, everyone had their quirks. His strength allowed him to do things others simply couldn't.

And truth be told, Roderika wouldn't have minded if Konstantin decided to strip down even outside of battle...

Her face suddenly flushed to match the crimson of her hood.

"You still haven't found your calling?" Kosta asked gently, noticing the far-off look on her face.

Clearly, it was time to nudge her questline forward.

"No..." she answered hesitantly, snapping back to reality. His reminder brought her back to a grim, depressive mindset. "But I won't give up!"

Roderika clenched her fists. However, the trembling in her hands made it clear that she was close to giving up entirely.

She had no talent for wielding weapons, no aptitude for sorcery, and even prayers eluded her. It was as if the Greater Will had decided to make her a completely, irredeemably hopeless Tarnished.

"You have a gift," Konstantin said firmly. "You just need to keep trying and not give up. Maybe stop by the blacksmith later. I think he can help you."

Roderika blinked in surprise.

The blacksmith? Help her?

"I... I'll try... I-I think I should go now... It was nice seeing you, Konstantin..."

She hurried off, leaving Kosta alone by the massive convergence of grace.

Naturally, his business in the stronghold wasn't finished yet. Konstantin had grown far more comfortable dealing with people who weren't actively trying to kill him. Well, mostly.

First, Konstantin headed to the blacksmith.

"Well, look who it is—bearer of two Great Runes," Hewg muttered, glancing up. "Not that it really matters. Go on, hand over your weapon."

Konstantin blinked.

"I already gave you a sword."

The blacksmith blinked back.

"Right. That rings a bell..."

Deciding not to push the topic, Konstantin silently pulled out a sizeable pile of smithing stones from somewhere known only to him. Not just one or two—he dumped them in a heap before Hewg.

Kosta didn't fully understand how weapon upgrades worked in this world, so he figured it was better to over-farm materials and let the blacksmith sort it out.

"Well, I'll be damned..." Hewg muttered, genuinely surprised. "Where did you find all these?"

Smithing stones weren't just junk lying around. They possessed supernatural properties, carefully and deliberately crafted, created specifically to grant even mundane weapons the ability to harm spiritual beings.

They were so valuable that slaves were often forced to mine them endlessly.

"Any experienced Souls player knows to comb through an entire area to find one useless feather and feel completely satisfied."

Of course, Kosta had spent some time exploring caves where they were mined. Even though, unlike the game, these caves were eerily empty, he always managed to find veins of ore.

Meli-Meli was often shocked by how easily he stumbled across these forgotten caves, as if they weren't procedurally generated locations meant to waste an hour of his life but ancient treasure troves lost in the wake of the demigods' wars and the subsequent apocalypse. (4)

Obviously, Konstantin wasn't too fond of caves. But he still needed a reliable weapon.

For now, he relied on "consumables" like increasingly fragile swords, clubs, and, as recent experience had shown, hammers that couldn't withstand his growing strength. But that couldn't last forever—if his hammer had broken before he managed to demonstrate Radagon's moveset to Rennala, he'd never have forgiven himself.

He was determined to reach the endgame, even without upgrading his weapons, but having alternatives wouldn't hurt. After all, challenges shouldn't interfere with helping waifus. The waifu's light came first—everything else was secondary.

Kosta's serious, confident answer left Hewg scratching his head. The blacksmith didn't fully understand what he'd just heard.

In any case, where they came from didn't matter anymore.

"Madman," Hewg declared, chewing on his lip. "Got it. I'll take care of it."

The blacksmith was about to turn away, assuming their conversation was over, but Konstantin had come for more than just upgrades.

"What do you think of Roderika?" he asked.

The surprised blacksmith raised an eyebrow.

"She's despondent and barely knows how to swing a sword, but she's got a knack for strengthening spirits. I've seen her kind before, long ago. They've got the same eyes."

Konstantin nodded thoughtfully, realizing he could safely move the quest chain forward. Roderika had gained a little fame and left a positive impression as a diligent—if not particularly skilled—waifu.

"Can you help her?"

Hewg practically jumped.

"Are you out of your mind? Who'd stay with an ugly brute who only knows smithing? Nonsense," the blacksmith grumbled, hunching further—if that was even possible. "Besides, she'd never agree to such a thing…"

It was clear the smith wanted to help the poor girl but couldn't overcome himself.

"In that case, if she comes to you on her own, will you agree?"

Hewg frowned.

"Comes to me on her own? I refuse to believe that."

Konstantin shrugged.

He'd done all he could. Now, it was up to the waifu herself.

Next, Konstantin descended to the lower levels of the fortress in search of Nepheli. Due to the sheer size of the structure, this wasn't an easy task. But fortunately, he eventually found her.

As usual, the real challenge for a Soulslike player wasn't defeating the boss but navigating the location itself.

Nepheli sat against the wall, staring into the void. Naturally, she noticed Konstantin.

"I heard you've acquired the Second Rune…"

Konstantin shrugged indifferently.

"You could say that."

"I couldn't bring myself to congratulate you, Konstantin…" Nepheli sighed. "I'm sorry, but… please, leave me alone. I know that…"

"Gideon drove you out."

Nepheli flinched.

No one was supposed to know that yet, but apparently, no one had told Konstantin.

"So you know already, do you?" she exhaled deeply. "Right. It's true. My father cast me out. For indulging my emotions. Forgetting the mission. Punishment for offing his pawns…"

She had sought justice, answers. But instead, her father—no, Lord Gideon—simply and unceremoniously disowned her. She had served him for as long as she could remember.

Now, with the arrival of the Tarnished, whose appearance had already become a symbol of sudden and sweeping changes, her story took an equally unexpected turn.

She bore no grudge against the Tarnished. She couldn't. Living on in blind ignorance would have been far worse. Sooner or later, she would have faced the truth—though perhaps in a far more horrific way.

Still, knowing the truth didn't make it any easier.

"Father...rather, Lord Gideon has offered me guidance all my life. I would have done anything for him, to place him on the throne of Elden Lord. And yet I... Though it was not my intent... I betrayed him..."

"You didn't betray him," Konstantin disagreed. "Your only fault was letting yourself be used. You've realized that, and now you can move forward."

Konstantin understood Nepheli: waifus unexpectedly turning into real women also hurt the heart of a waifu fan. Whether it was heightened perception or simply that he had woken up enough to adapt to reality, he noticed how the women tried to lead him down their own paths.

Be it Melina, Ranni, Sellen, or even Fia—he obviously knew their actions had motives. Not ones that would end badly for him, but if he fully followed their lead, one or all of the waifus would eventually suffer.

To get his own ending, the tryhard Tarnished had to undertake the hardest challenge of his life: aligning the waifus' goals, whether they wanted it or not. Making them agree—or at least avoid open conflict.

Their personal desires, as much as it pained Kosta to think so, were secondary.

At times, the Tarnished felt it would be easier to do a no-walking Soulslike run (5) than to get the waifus to consider each other's interests.

Nepheli remained silent for a while. Of course, the Tarnished's confident, supportive, and strangely understanding voice sparked a faint hope in the warrior's heart.

"…I need to think…"

Konstantin nodded sternly.

He decided not to rush the quest and truly give the warrior-waifu time to think. He knew how to finish the quest properly.

Finally, he visited the Finger Reader and the Fingers themselves.

"Well, well… I had my doubts, but...my, look at you.," Enia chuckled quietly. "Only once before have I seen two Great Runes together. Look there. The Fingers shudder with exuberance."

Konstantin could indeed see them trembling. He was increasingly convinced they just wanted someone to scratch them.

However, Enia interpreted the Fingers' movements differently:

"Fine work, brave Tarnished. The Greater Will is pleased. You have earned the right to become Elden Lord. Now, seek the Erdtree, and an audience with Queen Marika. To become Elden Lord, and restore the Golden Order. The Fingers expect… As much from you as they do young Gide—WHAT?"

Enia stared, stunned, as Konstantin handed her a spiked club.

"Scratch them."

"What are you…"

The Fingers trembled even more violently, as if begging for relief. Enia's mouth hung open as she wordlessly accepted the club.

The atmosphere grew awkward in an instant. The Fingers shook like never before, demanding someone finally scratch them. Enia cleared her throat.

"Go now. Claim the power of the Ring."

Shrugging, Konstantin headed for the exit.

He still needed to gain the priest's support, visit Stormveil Castle, and then…

Well, he decided to play it by ear. A full encounter with the waifus awaited him after obtaining the Second Rune, and he didn't like how reluctant they seemed to make contact.

His instincts told him that while he focused on the main storyline, the world was preparing trials that no Soulslike player could ever be ready for.

And yet, progressing without, well, walking somehow felt easier…

(1) Initially, Vyke was planned to have a separate chain of quests. Apparently, FromSoftware later realized that they did not have time for that, and cut out all the quests related to him. Thus leaving in the game only bits and pieces that create serious plot holes in the existing lore, which can only be connected through incomprehensible jumps in logic and giant assumptions.

(2) The Flame of Ruin, (TN: I assume that's the flame the Author was talking about. I couldn't determine if I translated this correctly as the Russian Wiki doesn't have an article on it, in its Russian name) the main enemy of the Erd Tree, appeared to Corhyn. Fortunately, the priest was able to resist its influence.

(3) Gideon hints that their path is some kind of plan of Marika, and Nepheli is a part of it. However, Gideon's real thoughts, of course, are completely different.

(4) It's easy to confuse one cave with another, in the game they are basically copies of one another. As you pass through each cave, you will either think that you have already explored it five times or that you are having memory lapses

(5) This is not a random example, such unhinged challenge runs really exist. Note: https://youtu.be/watch?v=hIA4KYiHHlU