Chapter 189: So, let's hold a banquet!

When Godrick’s Soldiers finally broke through the Crystal Wall and saw Godrick.

They found that the scene before them was vastly different from what they had imagined.

Originally, they had heard Godrick’s roar and the roar of battle from outside the courtyard.

The Soldiers subconsciously assumed that those two intruding Tarnished had entered the courtyard.

They understood what the Tarnished wanted—to steal the great rune belonging to the demigod and usurp the throne of the Elden Lord.

The Crystal Wall that had suddenly risen to block them outside only confirmed this.

As the sounds of battle within the courtyard gradually died down, that Crystal Wall showed no signs of breaking, nor did Godrick loudly announce his victory.

The hearts of the Soldiers sank to the bottom; the Omen brandished his great blade, attempting to hack through the Crystal Wall.

But…

The Crystal Wall collapsed a good while after the sounds of battle in the courtyard had ceased.

But it was not broken by the Soldiers.

Whether it was the warriors of the Banished Knights, the warriors of Godrick’s legion, or the knights who were supposed to be guarding Godrick before the hall, including the Omen, they all swarmed in.

“Your Majesty!”

The Banished Knight raised his halberd and charged forward together with the greatsword-wielding Godrick knight.

They saw their beloved Majesty Godrick, safe and sound in the courtyard.

More or less safe and sound, anyway.

Godrick’s clothes, which had turned into rags, could not be restored by Mia’s Erdtree Prayer.

“Ah, my warriors!”

Godrick opened his arms, joyfully welcoming everyone who had arrived.

The knights and Soldiers clearly saw the traces of battle in the courtyard, as well as the young Tarnished girl sitting on an intact tombstone, calmly looking at the gate.

Mia was not far from Godrick, and it seemed there was absolutely no tense, sword-drawn atmosphere between them.

It was very difficult to connect all of this with the booming battle sounds from just a short while ago.

A Troll leaned down from outside the gate, peering into the courtyard.

“Your… Your Majesty?”

Seeing such a scene, the warriors who had originally prepared for battle, intending to risk everything to protect Godrick, did not know how to react.

“What are you doing? Hurry and put your weapons away.”

Godrick said displeasedly, seeing the swords in the warriors’ hands.

“But, but…” The knight’s gaze shifted between Godrick and Mia, not knowing what to do for a moment.

“This is a misunderstanding,” Godrick said. “Warriors, glorious warriors under my, Godrick’s, command, please put away your weapons. Your loyalty gives me immense comfort, but there are no enemies here.”

Mia took another look at Godrick.

She had thought he was just a loser who had survived this long only because he was protected by his subordinates, but now it seemed that Godrick still possessed the basic abilities of a leader.

Through speeches to unite morale and win people’s hearts, Mia could feel that Godrick was proud of his warriors from the bottom of his heart.

“Warriors who serve the main branch, do not lose your manners. Standing before you, besides me, is another demigod!”

Reasonably speaking, Godrick could not really be considered a ‘demigod’.

He was more of a ‘quarter-god’.

However, his small actions, driven by vanity, did not cause any dissatisfaction among anyone.

The Soldiers looked at each other.

Godrick’s explanation did not dispel their doubts.

The Shattering was, after all, a war between demigods.

An explanation like “another demigod” obviously could not reassure the Soldiers.

But Godrick was Godrick, after all; he was the liege of the Soldiers.

And a demigod was still a demigod, a powerhouse that ordinary people could only look up to.

The leading knight saw Godrick so happily announcing Mia’s identity to everyone and did not raise any objections.

But Godrick saw the hesitation of the warriors.

“Warriors, why are you still standing there?” Godrick opened his arms. “Bow to Lady Mia; she is my aunt, she is my family, and you must treat her as you treat me.”

Only then did the Soldiers kneel down in fear and trepidation.

They paid their respects to the girl before them with the etiquette used for a liege.

Godrick turned his head, his eyes filled with anticipation.

He was clearly hoping that Mia would say something.

“From now on, my Soldiers are your Soldiers.” Godrick bowed.

A smile appeared on his face—not the obsequious smile of a villain, but a comforting, relieved, and relaxed smile.

…

Why did it feel like Godrick was in such a hurry?

Mia scanned the soldiers and knights; most of them didn’t even have a clean surcoat.

The young girl hopped down from the tombstone.

She looked around her surroundings.

Mia didn’t know how long these people had followed Godrick, but it must have been a very long time.

Their loyalty was enough to make any Earthling feel ashamed.

“Warriors,” Mia began.

Then she got stuck.

If she were to say something encouraging like ‘I will lead you home,’ Godrick had undoubtedly said it many, many times already.

Repeating the same speech as Godrick would likely fail to boost morale.

After all, Godrick had been painting this particular pipe dream for who knows how many years since he proclaimed himself the Golden Lord.

She needed to give them something substantial.

Mia paused for a moment.

Then, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she pulled out the Sacred Tear bottle and took a sip.

Next.

It was time to witness a miracle!

Yes, for these soldiers exiled to the borderlands…

The massive phantom of the Erdtree appearing in mid-air was a true miracle.

Mia was like a priestess of some deity, manifesting a miracle before everyone’s eyes.

She told everyone that the Erdtree was with them.

The grace of the Erdtree would lead them home, back to their distant motherland.

In the end…

Among the soldiers and knights currently following Godrick, how many still remembered the scene of fleeing the Capital?

Perhaps there were very few left who even remembered Godrick suffering humiliation at the hands of Malenia.

But this was a legacy.

The word ‘home’ was the legacy of countless generations in this army over the years; it was the vision of this army and the one they served.

They might have never seen the Capital, but the Capital was their spiritual home, a sliver of spiritual sustenance in this hopeless world.

As everyone gazed at the Erdtree crest and felt the warm light of grace, Mia remained silent.

Mia gave everyone time to accept her and to accept the future.

After a while…

Godrick suddenly shouted, “Today is the day we break free from fate!”

“Therefore, let there be a banquet!”