Chapter 182: Entering the City

With a filter as desolate as late autumn in the wilderness.

The broken walls of Stormveil reappeared before their eyes.

They were back.

No dramatic interludes flung them into another world again. Under the guidance of grace, they returned to The Lands Between safe and sound.

This was still the bridge where they had fought Morgott.

Mia didn’t know how long they had been gone. The journey in Britain had indeed lasted several weeks, but after returning here, she found that the cracks left on the bridge from the last battle with Morgott were still there, exactly as they were.

When they went to Nuln last time, because they didn’t stay there for long, they didn’t feel any difference in the flow of time at all.

Of course.

One couldn’t rule out the possibility that the people in the city were just lazy and simply didn’t bother to repair the damage on the bridge.

Well, looking at the dilapidated state of this city, that possibility was not small.

Mia looked up at the sky. The biggest difference from Britain was that there was almost no scent of the stars.

Dark clouds obscured the firmament. As far as the eye could see, the only light in the sky was the Erdtree.

The Lands Between should have a sun, but it could not be seen now.

As for that Erdtree? Even as a descendant of the Erdtree, Mia couldn’t feel much of a sense of kinship with that tree.

The tree was indeed so tall and magnificent, but what it made Mia feel was a sort of late-stage gloom.

Was this a bad thing for Mia?

Perhaps not.

When she first arrived in The Lands Between, she was unable to read what kind of aura was contained within the light of the Erdtree.

When Mia first saw the Erdtree…

Other than ‘Holy crap, it’s huge,’ she had no other feelings.

The girl straightened her belt.

“Let’s find a way in,” she said, looking at the towering spires.

In the game, there were two ways to enter Stormveil Castle.

The first was to charge through the main gate.

Of course, the ballistae and defenders in the city would give any Tarnished who fought their way there a very hard time.

The second was to accept the gatekeeper Gotok’s suggestion and sneak into the city via the side path under the walls. Compared to the main gate, this was much simpler, but the challenge still existed.

However.

Mia had some rebellious ideas.

Why did they have to go through the front gate?

She looked at Wilden.

Although the surcoat Wilden wore was somewhat faded, it still bore the crest of the Great Tree and the Lion.

She had tried to mend this robe while in Britain, and the results were quite good.

“Do you think you can get in?” Mia asked.

Wilden thought for a moment. “I think I can try.”

“It’s best not to push yourself.”

Mia didn’t want to overly provoke Godrick’s already fragile nerves.

This time, she didn’t plan to disguise herself as a sacrifice like before, but she still preferred her old approach—if conflict could be avoided, she would avoid it. Carving a bloody path to find Godrick was the last resort.

Perhaps it was because she possessed the Golden Lineage herself.

Mia had a unique affection for The Lands Between; in her heart, she viewed everything in The Lands Between as something she would eventually possess.

With such a somewhat selfish sense of possessiveness, Mia didn’t want to overextend her future for the sake of a battle.

Mia neither intended to take the difficult side paths nor be attacked by the Guards at the main gate.

However, she also had no intention of disguising herself as a sacrifice again.

As is well known, Stormveil Castle is the destination of Grafting; all sacrifices are sent into the castle for the ceremony.

Inside the castle, the freedom of movement for someone disguised as a sacrifice is limited; one cannot simply wander around.

The solution was simple.

Melina could hide herself, and Mia only needed to use Shadow Magic to turn herself invisible.

As long as Wilden could enter the city smoothly, everything would be fine.

“I’ll follow you.” Saying this, Mia concealed her form.

Wilden looked up at the high, sharp-angled gatehouse of Stormveil Castle and walked forward.

When he arrived below the castle and stood before the tightly closed iron portcullis, the castle seemed as if it were completely deserted.

Relying on his memory, Wilden turned toward the guardroom by the gate.

The door to that room had long since disappeared, leaving only a few tables and chairs inside.

Someone was sitting on the floor, their face buried between their legs.

Naturally, this was one of the Erdtree Folk.

Looking at his withered white hair, dry and wrinkled skin, and skeletal frame.

Sitting on the floor, he looked no different from a corpse when he remained motionless.

“Best find a way to ask him how long we’ve been gone,” the invisible Mia whispered beside Wilden.

“Mm…” Wilden agreed, then shouted coldly at the fellow lying on the ground.

“Hey, get up.”

The man shuddered and opened his eyes.

Upon seeing Wilden, he hurriedly scrambled to his feet.

“My lord,” he said with clear humility.

Even with a withered body, as one of the Erdtree Folk, he was much taller than Mia.

Though he couldn’t compare to Wilden.

The gatekeeper was hunched over, and a decorated wooden board hung from his neck.

Mia knew this was a certain tradition in The Lands Between.

The subjects of the Erdtree used this method to express their worship of the Erdtree.

“Were you sleeping?” Wilden questioned roughly.

The gatekeeper flinched back half a step, then said, “I didn’t mean to, my lord…” He looked at the ground while observing Wilden’s expression. He thought of something and gained a bit of confidence: “I am guarding the gate by the order of His Majesty Godrick.”

“Is that so? What is your name?”

“Gotok, my name is Gotok! This is the name bestowed upon me by His Majesty Godrick!” Gotok was clearly very proud of his name.

So much so that when he mentioned it, his previous humility toward Wilden vanished into thin air.

Instead, he looked at Wilden with a slightly proud expression, as if to say, ‘Be polite to me, I am a gatekeeper named by King Godrick himself.’

Wilden frowned.

“So what?” he barked. “Know your place, servant! Do you think a name is an excuse for dereliction of duty?”

Wilden’s firmness made Gotok cower.

He hunched his body further. “Of course not, my lord. I just mentioned it in passing, my lord. I have already realized my mistake, my lord…”

Gotok’s eyes darted around. “I am infinitely grateful for your guidance. If you could give me another chance… To be honest, my lord, you are the ones I respect most—soldiers, Soldier. You are His Majesty’s most loyal warriors. I admire you even more than the knights! Because knights are promoted from among the soldiers, right?”

A nauseatingly fawning smile appeared on Gotok’s withered, mummy-like face. “If possible, I would really love to become a soldier.”

“Very well,” Wilden said. “If I am able to have an audience with His Majesty Godrick, I will surely convey your wish to him. I look forward to becoming your comrade-in-arms.”

Hearing this, Gotok hurriedly waved his hands. “No, no, that would be too much trouble for you. You see, this city is like a machine; only when every gear does its own job can the city function in an orderly fashion…”