Chapter 28

No matter how much Ranni longed to rest—she would always awaken. The cautious demigoddess never let her guard down entirely, even now.

More than that, she never stopped her vigilance.

The Three Sisters. A region cloaked in magical wards, difficult to find, let alone enter. Even if someone managed to break through the enchantments, the projection of her loyal Royal Knight would meet any intruder with a raised scythe. If that wasn't enough, the descendant of the ancient dragons, sworn to the Dark Moon, would make it abundantly clear that strangers weren't welcome.

...Unless, of course, he ran away again. (1)

The spectral visage of the demigoddess almost puffed up in frustration. Her foggy thoughts kept pulling up absurdities.

Ranni adjusted herself more comfortably on her chair, her doll-like body perched atop a pile of books.

Her vessel was far too small, occasionally giving an incorrect impression of her stature.

"I have a warrior who serves me, named Blaidd, a half-man, half-wolf," Ranni began softly, folding her hands. "You should already be familiar with him. I will ask you to assist him in searching for the hidden treasure of Nokron, the Eternal City. Blaidd will meet you below and explain everything."

Although Melina had vanished, she, of course, overheard Ranni's words. The assignment for her Tarnished couldn't help but set her on edge.

"Down there, you will also meet my war counselor, Iji, and the accomplished sorcerer Seluvis," Ranni continued in a measured tone. "They are quite the odd pair, but don't hesitate to seek their advice and assistance. I'm confident they will do the same."

"Seluvis..."

For the first time, a genuine malice filled Sellen's whisper, Seluvis' name spoken as if it were a curse. The smiling, ghostly visage of the sorceress vanished, replaced by an expression of pure disdain. If she had her way, she would have personally transformed Seluvis into one of his grotesque puppets.

Kosta understood the sorceress-waifu's sentiment well.

In fact, he wasn't particularly eager to step into the domain of one of the best waifus, largely because of the necessity of meeting one of the chief antagonists of all waifu fans.

Kosta would have gladly shattered Seluvis' mask if he didn't already know that the best waifu was fully aware of her "servant's" intentions toward her.

How many times had he botched the questline, unable to resist attacking the sorcerer outright...

As usual, the greatest challenges for a casual tryhard weren't conventional battles.

The lunar demigoddess felt a wave of relief as she passed along her instructions. With all preparations complete and her new servant given a task that would best test his loyalty and prove whether he deserved her trust—true trust. Ranni also found herself eager to see how the man would explain himself to his faux Finger Maiden once she realized what her Tarnished was being sent to retrieve.

And, of course, whether he truly deserved to be so bold as to steal her ring. As if strength alone was sufficient!

The demigoddess's mind conjured an image of the man striding inexorably toward his target, hammer in hand. He seemed to know exactly how to strike the chords of her mother's soul. And not just her mother's.

The spectral visage nearly puffed up again.

The Tarnished's unpredictable actions unsettled her in ways she wasn't accustomed to. She'd already been unnerved by his kneeling before her—not as an ordinary servant but with something altogether different in mind. Now, with the ring in his possession (albeit sealed within an inaccessible chest hidden in some mysterious subspace), and her mother having essentially given her blessing for him to keep it, the Tarnished's actions carried an unexpected subtext.

What if his remarks about her feet weren't a slip of the tongue?! Could this unflappable Tarnished, surrounded by so many women, actually intend to "set her feet in motion"? She didn't even have a living vessel! How did he even imagine that would work?! She wasn't thinking about such things at all!

Ranni huffed internally, her spectral lips pressing into a slight pout. She urgently needed to rest.

The lunar demigoddess turned her sleepy gaze to the brooding exiled sorceress.

"Seluvis will guide you to your new vessel. After that, you will gain the freedom you deserve. I hope you can avoid conflict. That goes for you too, Konstantin."

The Tarnished furrowed his brow as if his focus and poise had been broken.

Of course, Ranni was well aware of Seluvis' plans. She was curious to see how far the fool was willing to go and how confident he truly was. This would be a test not only for him but also for her new servant and the sorceress.

As Ranni's consciousness began to sink into the darkness of sleep, she cast a final glance at the Tarnished.

At least he had learned to remain clothed most of the time... Melina had done a good job...

"The projection of my servant and the sworn dragon guard this land. They won't harm you. I believe in you. And upon my awakening, I expect good news."

She was half-lying. She didn't fully believe it. But she wanted to.

Moreover, even as her consciousness faded into slumber, a fragment of her spirit would always watch over them. Had she been any less paranoid and cautious, her existence would have ended long ago.

These were the last words the lunar demigoddess spoke. Her head dipped, her hat veiling her doll-like face. In the tower, they were left alone.

Kosta stared at one of the best waifus for a moment before letting out a slow exhale and heading downstairs.

Who would have thought waifus themselves would be responsible for transporting him to the necessary locations? In times when quest deadlines loomed, being a casual player whose path was smoothed out felt better than ever.

The man, with the sorceress still concealed within his robes, descended to find three projections waiting for them below. The demigoddess had ensured that her retainers could interact with one another from any point in the Lands Between.

Otherwise, the poor half-wolf would probably have been hopelessly lost in Limgrave ages ago.

"Ah, it's been a while, my friend!" Blaidd's joyful laugh rang out. "I'm glad to see you serving Lady Ranni now!"

He was genuinely overjoyed. His lady's news about her new servant had lifted his spirits considerably.

However, Blaidd's joy didn't last long. The wolf let out a melancholic sigh.

"Alright, let's get to business... I'm still in Limgrave…"

Seluvis' projection, though his mask concealed it, clearly winced.

"Understood... So, you're the one Lady Ranni recently recruited. Yes, yes, I've heard of you. I am Seluvis, a tutor in sorcerous arts."

The sorcerer offered a faint bow. He had, of course, heard of Konstantin—not just as his lady's servant. The man standing before him was rather terrifying. There weren't many left in the Lands Between who hadn't heard tales of such a powerful warrior and, as it turned out, sorcerer.

Though Kosta maintained an outwardly stoic demeanor, deep down, he wanted nothing more than to storm Seluvis' tower and perform several emphatic dodgerolls.

Fortunately, the conversation was taken over by the enormous giant who barely fit inside the tower. Even seated, the projection's head brushed the ceiling, yet the giant smiled warmly at the unflappable man.

"So, you're the one she spoke of!" the giant boomed. "Lady Ranni has explained everything. Again, I am Iji. The Carian royal family's dedicated blacksmith, and Lady Ranni's war counsellor."

The giant courteously attempted to bow his head before the new servant whom his mistress had accepted, but—he couldn't.

The projection was immaterial, but it was bound by the mental restrictions of those who utilized it. Among the trio, the only one truly skilled in sorcery was Seluvis. Mental and internal limitations played a decisive role for casual casuals.

A casual who believes they can't "casualize" something and starts trying hard isn't a true casual. Just like everything can be turned into a challenge; everything can be turned into casual gameplay.

"Konstantin," the man responded succinctly.

Seluvis, clearly uninterested in prolonging the conversation, made his stance as obvious as possible:

"I reside… in another tower nearby," the projection reluctantly stated. "Visit me if you truly wish to serve Mistress Ranni. I understand I am to assist someone with acquiring a new body, correct?"

Konstantin felt the illusion of the sorceress beneath his clothing twitch.

Seluvis's gaze shifted to Iji, subtly signaling that the topic shouldn't continue in the giant's presence. (2)

The giant wasn't just aware of Sellen—he openly disapproved of her. Quite understandably so.

Fortunately, the Lunar Demigoddess and Sellen had managed to reach an agreement. At least in theory.

In any case, Kosta wasn't about to let his waifu turn into a disco ball, whether through someone's malicious intent (even if that someone was a waifu herself) or through Sellen's own error.

He had seen how her quest ended in the loading menu.

"If it were up to me, I wouldn't waste my time on someone like you. But who am I to oppose the will of my mistress?"

With those words, the sorcerer's projection dissolved.

Blaidd bared his fangs, struggling visibly to suppress his anger. If not for the fact that Seluvis served Ranni, he would have buried the sorcerer somewhere long ago.

But first, of course, he needed to get out of the Siofra River…

"Don't mind him, Konstantin. That vile little rat…" Blaidd sighed heavily, visibly deflated. "I'm still stuck in the Siofra River. Now that you serve the mistress, I can be upfront: we're searching for the Eternal City of Nokron. It's somewhere below. I'm planning to descend the well in the Mistwood. Perhaps I'll find the way there…"

He sighed again, looking as if the weight of countless years of wandering weighed on him.

Blaidd often wondered why it was him who had to scour the Lands Between endlessly instead of someone like Seluvis. He was sure he'd navigate much better!

Konstantin was about to stop the half-wolf and tell him that the path to the underground city was already known, but Blaidd's projection disappeared before he could.

A pang of guilt unexpectedly hit him: if no one helped Blaidd, the odds of him finding his way out…

Were close to zero.

Konstantin increasingly suspected that one of the best waifus was simply trying to keep the hapless half-wolf with topographic ineptitude at a distance, knowing the danger he might theoretically pose.

Now only Iji remained in the tower.

"If you need the help of a blacksmith or a military advisor, you can always come to me," the giant said with a warm smile. "An old fool like me knows quite a bit. I usually rest by the ruins of the royal family's estates. It shouldn't be hard for you to find me, Konstantin of the Tarnished."

Iji paused in thought before breaking into a hearty laugh.

"Assuming you don't have the same problem as Blaidd."

Kosta shrugged.

Soulslikes had honed his sense of direction. Even if he got lost exploring the locations, he would eventually find the "shortcuts." It was a mandatory skill for every true Soulslike player—be they a pure casual, a hardcore purist, or a true casual-hardcore hybrid.

In the end, Kosta found himself alone in the tower, except for the hidden Sellen and the unseen Melina.

The first task was obvious: resolve the matter of Sellen's body. Whether they liked it or not, Sellen would benefit from greater independence. Her real body was bound in a place known to all interested parties, and the illusion of the sorceress was barely capable of much on its own.

Outside the tower, the mist was thick. One could almost feel the casual energy radiating from the massive, shiny stones sprouting straight from the ground.

Not far off, a dragon lay sprawled, its eyes snapping to Konstantin as he exited the tower. However, remembering the words of the mistress, the dragon quickly lost interest in the man and closed his eyes.

Clearly, no free runes would be obtained here.

"Disappointed, teacher?"

Sellen's soft question made the man's eyebrow twitch.

"I can't teach you anything."

Konstantin glanced back before heading into the mist, searching for the right tower and relying primarily on the flow of grace to guide him. There were plenty of clusters nearby, ensuring he could always return here if needed.

The distance between the towers was significantly greater than the man remembered.

"Really?" Sellen's voice turned more seductive. "Am I truly so… unpleasant to you?"

Kosta almost stumbled.

Unfortunately, the waifu wasn't about to stop there.

"I admit, I'm not the best person. But am I worse than the one who led the world to the Shattering? Or the one who originally wanted to use you without caring about your opinion?"

Of course, Sellen suspected that Melina might be nearby. But no matter how unpleasant her words were, she wasn't lying.

Konstantin couldn't dodge-roll or parry such a devastating and unexpected verbal attack. He froze mid-step, feeling a darkness creeping at the edges of his vision.

The world too often demanded skills he didn't specialize in.

"I really can't teach you anything."

"Why?" the sorceress asked, her tone now serious.

Her frown deepened, and she grew tense. It seemed as though at any moment, the Fingers' false maiden might appear and wouldn't let her go.

And then, if things went badly… They might show her the disco balls again.

Konstantin frowned, trying to find the right words.

"I can use casualness, but I can't explain it."

"How is that possible?"

The thought seemed to flash simultaneously in the minds of both Sellen and Melina. However, they quickly found the answer: an Outer God. Of course, granting the man such a unique body and abilities likely included bestowing him with magic.

The illusion of the miniature Sellen, who wasn't considering such matters, bit her lip. Fortunately, an idea quickly came to her mind.

"You're such an odd one…" she chuckled. "I'd be delighted if you shared even the feelings you experience when using magic. In return, I'll teach you everything I know. I'll be your pupil, but you'll also be mine. A fair deal, don't you think?"

Kosta wasn't particularly interested in any of this. As mentioned before, he wasn't a scholarly mind (a lore expert) and didn't aspire to become one. And yet, something inside him told him not to refuse. Perhaps it was his heightened perception, picking up on the faint plea in the waifu's voice, as if the success of her questline somehow depended on it.

"Fine."

Melina pursed her lips in annoyance, deciding to withdraw for a while. She likely wouldn't see or hear anything interesting in the near future, and she still had her own task to complete—a promise to fulfill.

Yet, despite her resolve to leave, she couldn't help but witness what happened next. The miniature illusion of Sellen shifted into an adult form and clung to Kosta, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Entirely innocent, as if no deeper intent lay behind the gesture. But from the sorceress's gaze, Melina could tell it was just the beginning of what Sellen was capable of.

Seeing the brief flicker of confusion on Kosta's usually impassive face, the sorceress laughed playfully before reverting to her miniature form.

"Treacherous, treacherous witch!"

Far more treacherous and bold than the other one…

Melina gripped her cloak, feeling a fire begin to kindle within her. She hastily shut her cursed eye, which had reflexively opened in outrage, but even that brought no relief.

Realizing that lingering any longer would only escalate her irritation at the shameless, conniving, and utterly unscrupulous sorceress, she decided to resume her search. She needed to calm herself down.

If she didn't act soon, her Chosen One might be ensnared so completely that even his strength couldn't set him free!

Even as an emissary of an unknown Outer God, Konstantin wasn't invincible. Their influence wasn't all-encompassing. The history of the Lands Between was rife with forgotten Outer Gods and their servants, their power lost to the sands of time. While Kosta might be unparalleled in combat, he had weaknesses—ones that could be exploited against him.

Melina tightened her grip on the ring Kosta had given her and left the waters of Liurnia behind.

It didn't take long for Konstantin to locate Seluvis's casual tower. He entered reluctantly, and his mood soured further upon encountering the real Seluvis.

It was clear the sorcerer had been waiting for him.

"Well, well. Catching me at my word. That was just politeness, you know. You country bumpkins never cease to amaze me…"

The clearly antagonistic sorcerer clicked his tongue in irritation upon realizing that Kosta's expression didn't even twitch.

It would have been much easier if the Tarnished attacked him first. While Seluvis had no intention of provoking Konstantin... too much, crossing a certain line would justify retaliation. His... mistress would surely defend him.

"I'll lead you to what you're looking for," Seluvis said, heading for the exit without waiting for Kosta.

The sorcerer wasn't sure how his mistress had learned so much about his little hobby, but he didn't see any real harm in it. Sorcerers often used the souls of their victims to craft puppets—it was an accepted practice in the Academy.

Seluvis had simply taken it a step further. He wanted to create adorable dolls—not for combat, but for his own... personal solace.

As long as his mistress didn't suspect him of betrayal, there was no cause for concern. He had bowed to her for so long; surely, she trusted him?

The Lands Between had grown too accustomed to stagnation. Few seemed to realize that time, whether they liked it or not, continued its relentless march.

Seluvis led the silent servant of the demigoddess to a graveyard—one of many scattered across the Lands Between—and descended into a small but fully equipped tomb that doubled as his laboratory.

The sorcerer approached an illusory wall concealed by enchantments, but before he could do anything...

Kosta started smashing the walls with his club.

"W-what are you…"

Seluvis's jaw dropped as cracks began forming in the walls. Before he could fully process what was happening, a final swing obliterated his material illusion, revealing a hidden chamber.

Kosta examined his now-worn club, then casually stored it away in some mysterious inventory before stepping into the once-hidden room.

"I was just looking for the entrance," he said innocently.

Seluvis barely restrained himself from hurling a particularly lethal spell at the man.

'Damned Tarnished!'

Kosta's unshakable calmness made it impossible for Seluvis to tell whether the man was mocking him. Madness was practically commonplace in the Lands Between.

Much like Blaidd—whom the mistress refused to part with—Seluvis was certain that as long as a servant had muscle, Ranni would overlook any lack of brains. Strength and loyalty were all she cared for.

Gritting his teeth, Seluvis followed Kosta into the newly exposed area, wincing at the thought of the repairs—or illusions—he'd need to fix the damage.

Inside was indeed a body—a near-perfect replica of Sellen's original form.

"It's yours," Seluvis said begrudgingly. "I don't know how the mistress knew about our little arrangement, but if you see Sellen, remind her of the favor she still owes me."

The illusion of Sellen almost snorted in disdain.

Kosta approached the new vessel for his waifu and effortlessly transported it into whatever mysterious space he used for storage. Seluvis stared, wide-eyed, at the vanishing body.

As Kosta turned to leave, unwilling to prolong his interaction with the puppeteer, Seluvis suddenly spoke up.

"Perhaps I have another task for you."

Kosta stopped in his tracks.

"There's a woman named Nepheli. Find her and give her this potion. Even you should be able to manage that, right?"

The Tarnished turned his head slowly, his impassive gaze locking onto the sorcerer. To Sellen's surprise, instead of acting rashly, he asked:

"Is this a quest from one of the best waifus?"

Sellen barely concealed her shock.

'He knows this can't be from the mistress! What's he planning?'

"Are you talking about the mistress?" Seluvis clicked his tongue. "Yes, yes, of course. So, will you serve Lady Ranni?"

"Yes."

"Good, good," Seluvis said, smirking behind his mask as he pulled the potion from his robe. "Find Nepheli and make sure she drinks this. I expect good news. Quickly, now."

"I thought you were such an idiot only during the quest," Kosta muttered. (3)

Whether it was his heightened perception or the sheer erosion of Seluvis's brain by casual absurdity, one thing was clear: anyone who betrayed a waifu for their own twisted desires couldn't be considered sane.

Still, compared to some of the more extreme cases, Kosta wasn't so bad. Relatively speaking.

"What?"

"What?"

Kosta's muttered judgment was so quiet that Seluvis barely caught it. The sorcerer, however, couldn't decipher the man's utterly unreadable expression and chalked it up to his imagination.

When Konstantin left and they were alone, Sellen's illusion couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer:

"Why do you need it, Konstantin?"

"To give it to Gideon."

Seluvis squinted with interest.

"You don't want to harm that deceitful puppeteer yourself to avoid going against your mistress's words, so you're handing it off to that woman's foster father instead? You keep surprising me, teacher-student."

Either they seriously underestimated this man, or his madness wasn't as severe as they'd thought, and he was slowly regaining his sanity.

"It's just an option from the questline," (4) Konstantin replied stoically.

Sellen laughed.

"What a peculiar man. Let's go—the stars won't wait forever, and I want my well-earned freedom. You'll need to be very gentle with my new body. You haven't lost my Primal Glintstone, have you?"

The illusion's tone was laced with irony; she always knew where her true vessel was. However, she couldn't describe exactly where the man had tucked away her soul like some random item. She only knew that it was… nearby.

Kosta shrugged.

First, they needed to find a suitable spot. On the other hand, when it came to mobility, The Tarnished was perhaps too resourceful.

It didn't take them long to transfer the Glintstone into the new vessel. Konstantin, as though he had done this countless times, seamlessly placed the stone into the sorceress's chest. Sellen needed a moment to adjust to the new sensations.

Konstantin never would've guessed that the sorceress would be so delighted. After a brief adjustment period, she started practically dancing with joy.

"This body is brimming with youth and energy!" Sellen exclaimed. "A perfect vessel for my Primal Glintstone. But most importantly, I'm finally free of those dreadful bonds!"

The jubilant sorceress literally clung to the ever-stoic Konstantin.

"My dear Konstantin, I owe you an unpayable de—"

"Don't try invading the Casual's Lair or taking it over. The last thing I need is for one of my waifus to turn into a disco ball."

His words may not have been the most heartfelt—or even comprehensible—but he at least spoke with sincerity.

Sellen froze.

"What are you talking about?"

The man didn't answer, fixing her with an inscrutable gaze through the eyes of her new vessel. Though it bore an uncanny resemblance to her previous body, its appearance was still subtly different.

Sellen was about to speak again, but at that moment, Melina appeared, pulling back her hood and cutting her off.

The false Finger Maiden's icy stare bored into the woman clinging to her chosen one. Then, in a low voice, she said:

"I bring news, Konstantin. I managed to locate Sage Gowry, the one you mentioned."

Kosta's eyes lit up.

A meeting with a new waifu could happen very soon!

"That's not all. Rumors are spreading that the next Festival of Combat might be approaching. Heroes from across the Lands Between will journey to the Starscourge Wastes."

At least a handful would, anyway.

Quests—whether Kosta wanted them to or not—continued to advance, sometimes in utterly unexpected directions. At last, he could participate in something he was genuinely good at, giving it his all.

An unexpected thought crossed The Tarnished's mind.

How would the poor half-wolf even know where to go?

And, just as importantly, why did Meli-Meli's voice sound so cold and, well, upset again?

Sometimes, he wondered if leveling his stats had been a mistake. With heightened perception everything around him was becoming far too complicated…

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(1) The dragon will run away after losing 50% of its health.

(2) After defeating Radahn, Iji directly says that he wants to remind one of his acquaintances about his promise to get rid of Sellen.

(3) In the game, Seluvis offers the character to secretly feed Nepheli a potion. He doesn't care at all whether the demigoddess is watching them or not; how loyal the character is to Ranni and whether he will want to immediately tell the lady about what he heard; there are no preliminary "checks" whether the player is even capable of completing the task. It is questionable whether the quest is implemented poorly or Seluvis is really not very smart - everyone has to decide for themselves.

(4) The player, having taken the potion, can give it to Gideon, and he will immediately understand what it was needed for.