Elden Ring: With God Mode Enabled

Chapter 351: A Matter of the Heart

Night fell, and the Land of Shadow, already darkened by its perpetual gloom, was plunged into complete blackness.

Yet, from within the church on the mountaintop, a soft, bright light still shone.

By now, the interior of the church had changed considerably.

Using his command of gravity, Bai Shi had pulled massive stones directly from the earth, reshaping them into beds, chairs, and other furniture.

With this new furniture, along with the physicians, the place had finally started to resemble a proper treatment center.

Gravity sorcery was quite convenient, wasn't it?

Bai Shi was currently seated on one of the stone chairs, feeling a bit weary.

Two days had passed since his return to the Land of Shadow.

After two full days of treatment, he had finally managed to heal the Numen one by one.

The process was quite draining of both energy and stamina; even Bai Shi felt a touch of fatigue.

He glanced at Irena, curled up beside him and sleeping soundly, and shook his head with a faint smile.

These past two days had been utterly exhausting for her as well.

Although the healing was primarily performed through Bai Shi's power, Irena had to remain by his side, constantly channeling the pixie's power to guide the process.

Having only recently acquired this power, Irena's physical constitution and strength were much improved, but she hadn't made any drastic leaps in progress.

She was stronger than her former self—an ordinary girl—but she was still a long way from reaching the level of a hero.

More importantly, Irena's reserves of spiritual power were still very low, which was the single biggest factor limiting their efficiency.

Even with occasional breaks, two consecutive days of high-intensity work proved too much for her to bear.

And because of that, she was now completely worn out and had fallen into a deep slumber.

Regardless of the process, the outcome was excellent, and that was enough.

There had been no unexpected twists or turns; all the Numen were treated successfully.

It was all thanks to Irena inheriting the pixie's power. Otherwise, he might not have had a solution.

After separating them from the flesh of the Hornsent, Bai Shi used the healing properties of his sunlight to mend all their wounds.

Their physical injuries were now healed, but the trauma etched into their minds could only be soothed with time.

When it came to matters of the psyche, Bai Shi was at a loss.

There were no effective methods for psychological therapy in the Lands Between.

On the contrary, there was a whole slew of techniques for tormenting and breaking the mind.

Fortunately, Bai Shi had the foresight to bring a considerable number of physicians with him from Stormveil.

Now it was their time to shine.

They would act as caregivers, tending to the Numen while also providing psychological support.

Even if psychotherapy in the Lands Between was underdeveloped, professional physicians were always more useful than amateurs.

Just then, Bai Shi saw Melina, who had been beside him, stand up.

Melina extended her right hand from her cloak and gave him a small wave.

Bai Shi rose as well and followed Melina out of the church.

They walked in silence, Melina leading Bai Shi to the edge of the cliff.

From this vantage point, they could look directly at the twisted, withered Shadow Tree in the distance.

Under the night sky, the silhouette of the Shadow Tree merged completely with the darkness, its outline only faintly discernible by the slow drip of golden light.

Melina adjusted her cloak and sat gracefully on a rock at the cliff's edge.

Seeing that Melina seemed to have something to say, Bai Shi casually sat down beside her, their shoulders nearly touching.

In a fleeting moment, Bai Shi realized Melina’s hand was already covering his, holding it tight.

Melina began to speak softly.

“For a while now, I’ve come here whenever I had a spare moment.”

“There is no Erdtree in the Land of Shadow, so I could only stare at that Shadow Tree in confusion.”

“Sometimes, I would suddenly wonder if my memories were false.”

“After all, those memories feel so illusory to me, so distant.”

“Mother was always cold, impersonal, leaving me with no real understanding of the concept of a mother.”

“For me, the only thing I truly possess is this beautiful memory of journeying with you.”

“Though I am willing to fulfill my purpose, thoughts like these still surface outside of that mission.”

Melina turned her head, her gaze fixed intently on Bai Shi.

She knew with certainty that she had fallen in love with him.

Was she truly meant to burn all of this away with her own hands, to melt away all love and hate, joy and sorrow?

But if her purpose was truly as she understood it, this was likely the only way for Bai Shi to become the Elden Lord...

If that was the case, then there was really nothing to hesitate about.

Though it pained her to think of it, if it was for Bai Shi, her desire to fulfill her mission was no longer tied to her mother’s expectations.

Melina spoke again.

“After seeing the tragic state of my kin, whether any of it is real or false no longer matters to me.”

“Mother... she must be in as much pain as I am. Of that, there is no doubt.”

“I don’t know what her reasons were, but it must have been for the sake of a better Lands Between.”

“For the ones we love, some things must be sacrificed.”

“Now, I can finally understand her, just a little.”

Bai Shi quietly met Melina’s gaze.

Her face was already deeply engraved in his heart, clearly visible even in the darkness of night.

Taking a deep breath, Melina leaned closer to Bai Shi.

“I’m sorry you had to worry about all this.”

“You should have been continuing your journey toward becoming the Elden Lord, yet you stopped your advance because of this...”

Bai Shi lowered his head, resting his forehead against Melina’s.

“None of that matters.”

“Time is not so pressing that I have to race against every second.”

“Since I have the leeway to deal with this, how could I possibly stand by and do nothing about your troubles?”

“After all, you are what’s most important to me.”

Melina stared intently at Bai Shi, and a smile bloomed on her face.

“If, one day in the future, a critical situation arises, and it’s something caused by me...”

“Then you must make becoming the Elden Lord your goal.”

“I want to be a help to you, not a burden that holds you back.”

Bai Shi hesitated for a moment, deciding not to tell Melina about Godfrey’s imminent return to the Lands Between just yet.

The chapter with the Numen had only just closed; he didn’t want her to immediately start worrying about the next crisis.

“Alright. For all the sane living beings in the Lands Between, and for you.”

“I will become the Elden Lord.”

“I believe I was brought here for that very purpose.”

With this important matter of the heart settled, Melina finally felt the heavy shackles that had been weighing on her mind release.

However, the pressure that had built up over the past days still needed an outlet.

Before she fulfilled her purpose, she still had time to create more memories with Bai Shi. This was a wonderful thing.

It was a small, selfish wish of hers. When the final moment of farewell arrived, Melina didn’t want Bai Shi to forget that she had ever existed.

Gazing at Bai Shi with deep affection, Melina’s fingers moved unconsciously, gently brushing against the hard calluses on his palm.

Naturally, Bai Shi felt the touch.

He couldn't help but swallow hard. What was this all about?

They were so close that they could feel the warm breath from each other’s nostrils on their faces.

And Melina's unique, faint fragrance drifted into his nose at the perfect moment.

It was like the natural scent of small wooden logs warmed by the midday sun in winter. It wasn’t stunning, but it was utterly intoxicating to Bai Shi.

Bai Shi’s heart pounded, like a small drum in an orchestra striking up a fast-paced march, thumping ceaselessly.

Wait, we're just holding hands. It's not like we've never kissed. Why is my reaction so strong today!

As he thought this, his hand, which had been resting on the stone, almost subconsciously flipped over, and their palms met as their fingers intertwined.

His thumb gently rested on the back of Melina’s hand. He held her like that, neither of them applying any force.

Though they were pressed together, there was still a sense of elusive distance between them—the kind of distance born from the distinction between a man and a woman.

The mountaintop suddenly grew very quiet, and time seemed to slow.

A Gravebird rustled its wings in the cemetery below. A cold wind carrying the stench of decaying corpses blew through the woods, making the leaves tremble.

Everything felt so right... even in the oppressive atmosphere of the Land of Shadow.

In such a broken world, being with the person you love is better than anything else.

Bai Shi couldn’t help but think.

Melina’s thoughts also grew complicated.

A rush of heat climbed from her neck all the way to her cheeks, making them feel hot.

Bai Shi is as dependable as ever...

Melina recalled the time he came to the Grand Library to get her after she had reconstructed her body.

She then thought of the time in Stormveil that had been interrupted...

Gradually, Melina’s breathing grew a little ragged.

Just then, to Melina’s surprise, Bai Shi turned his head and kissed her on her soft lips.

Melina closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

A long time passed before their lips parted, both still wanting more.

“Let’s go back to Stormveil.”

Melina exhaled slowly, wrapping her arms around Bai Shi and resting her head on his shoulder.

In response to his words, she simply gave a submissive nod.

“Mm...”

—

By the time the two of them returned to the church, it was already noon the next day.

In the night that had passed, they both had grown a great deal, leaving behind a beautiful memory.

Other than it being slightly unfriendly to the bed. The collapsed bed: I have no objections.

Seeing Bai Shi and Melina return to the church side-by-side, Irena seemed to sense something and lowered her head, biting her lip.

The moment they stepped into the church, Lilianna impatiently rushed up to Bai Shi and asked:

“When are we going to find the Lord of Frenzied Flame?”

“I’ve been remotely sensing and observing him for the past two days.”

“Although that guy is in a sealed state, it’s not a stable seal.”

“No, it’s hard to even say if he’s sealed at all. It’s fluctuating as if it could be undone at any moment.”

Lilianna shivered.

The thought alone was terrifying.

Even with the power she’d inherited from the pixies, she couldn’t say for certain that she could seal him.

Could other, cruder methods have truly contained the Lord of Frenzied Flame?

Bai Shi nodded. The Frenzied Flame was indeed something that needed attention.

This was the Lord of Frenzied Flame they were talking about; he had to be dealt with as a priority.

In the Frenzied Flame ending, the player character who becomes the Lord of Frenzied Flame burns the Erdtree and the entire Lands Between.

Even if the one here wasn’t as powerful, once he was unsealed, he would cause unimaginable destruction.

Bai Shi thought for a moment, then took out a map and said to Lilianna:

“Let’s go now.”

“Mark his approximate location on the map, and we’ll fly over.”

To his surprise, Lilianna shook her head and replied:

“No need for all that trouble. I’ll just teleport us there directly.”

Lilianna stretched out her hand, and a vast amount of spiritual power radiated from her petite body.

A viridian light enveloped everyone, and the space around them rippled like water.

The next moment, their figures vanished from the church.

—

When he came to his senses, Bai Shi found himself in a shallow pool of water, surrounded by massive stone coffins and tombstones.

A thick fog hung in the air, exuding an ominous aura. It seemed to swallow all sound, leaving the area in dead silence.

Melina glanced around and quickly spotted traces of the Frenzied Flame.

On a nearby cliff face, a large patch of the rock was scorched and melted, leaving behind a vivid yellow scar.

The bright yellow hue was so intense that just looking at it instilled a sense of madness.

Just as Bai Shi thought they had arrived, Lilianna spoke up in confusion.

“Strange... this isn’t the location I targeted.”

“The Lord of Frenzied Flame should be much deeper in. Why did we appear here?”

With that, Lilianna began to doubt herself.

“Could my teleportation have malfunctioned? Did I make a mistake...”

Lilianna once again released her spiritual power, and the viridian light enveloped them. She attempted to teleport again.

However, when they opened their eyes, they were still in the exact same spot.

Though Bai Shi didn’t know the specifics of what was happening, he had a rough idea.

Clearly, something had been set up here to specifically counter teleportation, preventing them from going any further.

Sure enough, Lilianna quickly realized what was happening and said:

“The teleportation was intercepted...”

“This is the farthest we can go. We can’t teleport directly any deeper.”

“Fortunately, we’re still some distance from the Lord of Frenzied Flame, but we’re not far now.”

Irena felt a bit uneasy. This was the first time the pixie's power had failed.

Lilianna asked Bai Shi for the map and pointed at it with her finger.

“We’re currently located right at the entrance to the valley floor.”

“And the Frenzied Flame creatures are all along this path, guarding the Lord of Frenzied Flame.”

Bai Shi understood.

“Perhaps they were the ones who intercepted us. They don’t want us getting near the Lord of Frenzied Flame.”

Lilianna frowned, a strange expression on her face.

“Is that so? But I don’t think this has ever happened before...”

“...Alright, I guess that must be it. In any case, let’s get moving.”

Just then, several spiraling columns of grayish-white light erupted from beneath their feet.

After a brief moment of charging, the rings of light exploded outwards.

Bai Shi grabbed Irena and easily dodged the attack.

Melina and Lilianna, who didn’t need his help, dodged on their own as well.

Watching the spiraling energy dissipate into the air, Bai Shi immediately recognized it as an incantation from the Tower Settlement.

The assailant had to be one of the Hornsent.

A gloomy, low voice slowly drifted from the fog. The sound was ethereal, making it difficult to pinpoint the speaker’s location.

“I didn’t say you could leave.”

Bai Shi sneered contemptuously.

“Hmph, trying to be mysterious.”

Who did this guy think he was, trying to act all high and mighty in front of him?

Acting tough, huh? In a moment, I'll send you flying!

His feelings for his little wooden doll weren't anything special. It was just love.