Elden Ring, my witch is a talkative beautiful girl

"Hey, Grandpa Xugu saw through me." Melina stuck out her tongue cutely and acted adorable.

Xiu Gu gave her a look and said, "Don't try that on me. I'm not the sleepy old woman next door. Strengthening is no problem, but you'll have to handle the Lu Ling Liu (〤四〦) sulfur (〆泣拔恩) that activates the furnace."

"Of course, we can still afford this amount of rune. By the way, I have something else I'd like to ask Grandpa Xiugu for help with." Melina quickly ran behind A Tui and pulled out the timid Little Red Riding Hood. "This is my new friend Rodlika. She wants to stay in the Round Table Hall for a while. Grandpa, didn't you want to find an apprentice before? Can you help take care of her?"

In order to help someone to the end, Melina simply arranged a job for Roderica. Otherwise, with Little Red Riding Hood's simple and shy character, she might be kidnapped at any time. She had to find a reliable person to help keep an eye on her.

"Hello, Grandpa Xiugu." Rodlika rubbed her hands, looking a little embarrassed.

"You can't be a blacksmith's apprentice. You can't even hold a sword." Xiu Gu made his conclusion after just one look at her.

"Huh?" Melina didn't expect him to reject her so bluntly, leaving no room for maneuver. "Why don't you take a closer look? Roderica is very motivated. She won't be like those apprentices who couldn't handle the hardship and ran away secretly."

"It's okay, Melina." Roderica didn't let her usual self-pity creep in. "The Round Table Hall is so big, there must be other things I can do to help."

The days of willingly sinking into self-destruction have passed, and she will no longer be easily defeated by one or two failures.

"I haven't finished speaking yet. What are you guys talking about?" Xiu Gu continued, "She's not suitable to be a blacksmith's apprentice, but she has the potential to help ashes grow and become a spirit trainer. I saw a faded person like her a long time ago, and the color of her eyes is the best proof."

"Me?" Roderica pointed at herself in surprise. "Do I have the qualifications to become a spirit trainer?"

Little Red Riding Hood herself hadn't anticipated such a rare ability. The strength of the ash souls, once they failed to return to the Golden Tree, was frozen at their final moments. They couldn't grow stronger through training, nor could they learn new combat techniques.

There is only one exception, and that is when the soul-tender uses "cemetery lily of the valley" picked from the underground cemetery to tame the ashes and solidify the soul's body.

"Believe it or not, it's up to you. It doesn't matter if you don't want to do it." Xiu Gu lowered his head and started hammering the iron again. "I'm just suggesting a possibility that suits you. It's up to you to decide whether to do it or not."

"I believe you!" Roderica replied without hesitation, bowing sincerely. "I know I'm not good enough, but I will study hard and do my best. I hope you can guide me to become a spirit trainer."

Volume 1: The Journey Begins: Chapter 40: The Dead Sleeping Girl

"I didn't expect such an unexpected gain. It's great that Grandpa Xiugu is willing to teach Roderica how to tune spirits." Melina was very happy for her friend that Roderica had found a new career and a new goal in life. Moreover, she would have another "Royal Spirit Tuner" in her notes, which was a double blessing.

A Tui nodded and said, "Kurara gets along very well with Roderica. She will definitely like this new job."

They promised Little Red Riding Hood that when they passed by the catacombs, they would look for the "cemetery lilies of the valley" that grew there. Then, Roderica could use the lilies of the valley to strengthen the ashes they had, making them more helpful in the battle.

"Nice to meet you, hero who has been blessed and guided." Suddenly, a third person joined the conversation without any sense of incongruity. The woman's voice sounded like an oriole singing out of a valley.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a bonfire flickering slightly in the fireplace of the room at the corner.

The young woman wore a light, black gauze dress and a black agate necklace. Her figure was graceful and elegant, and every frown and smile held a natural allure. Her bare, white feet stood on a thick, precious carpet, her movements silent and imperceptible, as if she were a ghost without substance.

"Amei, who is she?" Ah Tui asked the tour guide when he was unsure.

Unexpectedly, Melina replied: "I haven't seen it, I don't know."

"Huh?" Ah Dai almost fell to the ground. Where was the promised six-star service?

"What's so strange about that?" Melina replied, "There are countless Faded Ones who have come to the Round Table Hall. It's no surprise that there are new people coming in while I'm away, right?"

Ah Tui once again deeply realized how unreliable her own witch was in small matters, and that omitting some explanations was her personal characteristic.

"Nice to meet you, both of you." Listening to their conversation, the young woman smiled charmingly and took the initiative to introduce herself. "My name is Feiya, and I'm temporarily staying in the Round Table Hall for some reason. As you can see, I'm just a weak woman, and the only service I can provide to you heroes is some humble skills."

Melina whispered the girl's name: "Fia... I feel like I've heard this name somewhere."

The two of them craned their necks to look. Right above the door to the room, a signboard of "Dead Sleeping Girl Massage Parlor" was laid out with colorful stones. Even standing outside the door, they could smell the precious scent of incense wafting from inside, which made people feel peaceful.

"Your expenses running this place must be quite high, right?" After spending so much time with Melina, Ah Tui could roughly estimate how expensive the paintings, incense, and furniture in the massage parlor were. He figured the fees wouldn't be cheap. Runes had to be spent wisely, not frivolously on the pleasures of the business.

"Don't worry, I don't charge runes here, and the services I provide to you heroes are also free. The items here are all kind gifts from my guests." Feiya smiled calmly and opened her arms. "Hero, just a moment. Can I hold you tight? While soothing your battle-weary bodies and minds, I can also feel the warmth and will you bring. In return, I will grant you the 'Blessing of the Bed Curtain' as a souvenir."

"Should I agree? It's just a hug, no runes spent, and I can get an item. Ah Mei shouldn't mind..." Ah Tui was thinking about the answer to the multiple-choice question.

Suddenly...

stare--

Melina Xiao stared at her partner's back with her golden eyes, which emitted a startling chill even through the armor.

You don't need to ask to know that she really cares!

Ah Tui felt like he was being pricked up by a thorn in his back. He clearly felt how terrifying the witch's sharp gaze was. If he gave a wrong answer here, he would have to crawl out of the Round Table Hall lying down today, and then be mentally prepared to spend a week or even longer trying to make Melina happy. The witch was no joke when she was upset.

Now the choice has become a life-or-death situation. Under the influence of a man's strong survival instinct, even he, as slow as he is, knows what to say at this moment: "Ahem, we have things to do, so we won't come in as guests. Goodbye."

"That's right." Melina hooked her arm around Ah Tui's right arm and dragged him as far away from the "dangerous" massage room as possible. "We still have to go see Mother-in-law and Two Fingers. Come back and enjoy a free massage next time you have the chance. Bye~"

Watching the two figures disappear in the distance, Feiya still had a faint smile on her face. "We look forward to seeing you all next time, heroes. I will bring you a peaceful feeling like death."

Melina dragged Ah Tui back to the lobby, making sure that Feiya hadn't come out to continue soliciting customers. The witch finally let go of her hand and threatened, "Buddy, you can't go to that massage parlor behind my back anymore. Do you understand?"

Ah Tui's hands touched his almost dislocated arm and asked, "Do I look like that kind of person?"

"Do you understand?" Melina emphasized her tone, her expression like a precursor to a coming storm.

Ah Tui smiled helplessly and said, "I know. I promise I won't go to Feiya's place without telling you."

"That's more or less the same." Melina finally felt satisfied, her mood brightening. "I just remembered hearing the name 'Death Sleep Maiden' somewhere. She was a Faded One who once served 'Gold' Godwin. Even after her master was corrupted by the Death Rune, she remained loyal to him. Fia must have her own reasons for returning to the borderland. Perhaps she's interested in the throne of King Elden."

"Godwin is also one of the demigods, right? Why was he corrupted by the Death Rune?" Putting aside Melina's unfounded conspiracy theory, A'tai was more interested in the demigod nicknamed "Gold", Greg's father.

"Didn't I tell you that?"

"Have you ever told me about this?"

The two stared at each other with big eyes and small eyes.

Melina looked thoughtful. "Oh, yeah, I think I forgot to tell you about the Night of Conspiracy. That was the beginning of the chaos at the border, the beginning of everything. So many unexpected things happened during our first meeting that I completely forgot about it."

Ah Tui took a deep breath: "...It's okay, I'm used to it, I'm used to it."

After spending a long time with Melina, he felt that his tolerance and cultivation had greatly improved, and he developed an attitude of tolerance towards her various behaviors. However, some people were not as tolerant as him.

Two faded beings walked into the hall one after the other. The leader started with a sarcastic remark: "You forgot to even tell the faded beings you serve such a basic thing. You are still the same unqualified finger priestess as before."

(P.S.: I have no idea what Fia hug is. My desire to survive is maxed out.)

Volume 1: The Beginning of the Journey: Chapter 41: Deciphering Destiny (5k)

"Who did I think it was?" Melina retorted, hearing the newcomer's sarcasm. "Isn't this Gideon O'Fnir, 'Lord of the Hundred Wisdom,' who calls himself the wisest of the Faded Ones? You've been holed up in the Hall of the Round Table for so long, and you're still like a solitary dweller? Aren't you afraid your old bones will rust and you won't be able to walk?"

When it comes to talking, the beautiful girl Melina has never been afraid of anyone in her life, so how could Sir Baizhi get any advantage in front of her?

"Hmph, now's the time for you to be so shameless and sharp-tongued." Sir Baizhi snorted coldly. The dozens of ears engraved on both sides of his helmet only added to the mysterious aura of this wise man. "The subordinates I sent have collected intelligence on the five demigods. They will soon be able to seize the Great Rune held by the kings. By then, the seal placed by the 'Two Fingers' in the royal city of Rodel will no longer hinder our progress. As for you..."

He looked at A Faded beside Melina and said, "As a fellow Faded, I advise you to stay away from this unqualified witch. Even though she brought you to the Round Table Hall, you are just a passerby now. Keep this in mind and don't overstep the boundaries."

I have seen arrogant people, but I have never seen anyone so arrogant.

Originally, A'tai wanted to listen to see if there was any misunderstanding, but when he heard Sir Baizhi insulting his own priestess like that, he definitely couldn't tolerate it.

This clay figure still had some anger. If his staff and weapons hadn't been given to Xiugu to strengthen, and he only had a shield, he would have at least released a Comet Azler and sternly glared at Zi Baizhi: "I don't understand a word you're saying. Amei is my partner, the person I trust the most since we arrived at the border! Don't let me hear similar words from you again, otherwise... we will fight to the death!"

Feeling the astonishing murderous aura erupting from A'tai, Sir Baizhi's expression changed slightly. He had to admit that he had made a mistake. For a moment, he seemed to see the shadow of the former King Ge Fulei in this seemingly ordinary man.

"Foolish!" Sir Baizhi was furious at his own baseless delusion. "When you die because of the misfortune she brought upon you, you will surely regret it."

"Who's the truly ignorant one?" Melina said with a playful smile, a sign that she was about to play a cruel trick on someone. "Buddy, show us what you won from Greg and let these ignorant people open their eyes."

Normally, when encountering such a situation, Ah Tui would act as a brake and persuade his partner to quit while he was ahead. But today, this good guy didn't step on the brake. He stepped on the accelerator to the bottom, and six circular fragments with intersecting arcs appeared on the palm of his hand. The aura emanating from the fragments was sacred and inviolable.

"This is... the Great Rune?! How is it possible, how could it be in your hands?" With Sir Baizhi's vision, there was no way he could be wrong. His knowledge told him that it was definitely not a cheap imitation, but a real fragment peeled off from the Golden Law.

This slap in the face came unexpectedly, and even though Ofnir was a shrewd man, he couldn't control his expression and turned pale with anger.

Melina raised her eyebrows proudly and laughed as happily as she could. "I've always wanted to see your face like that, the face of jealousy. It must be really unpleasant to know that someone has intercepted your plan first, hahahaha!"

"Bastard!" Sir Baizhi finally realized that the witch was deliberately teasing him, and he was so angry that his brain blood vessels were about to burst.

Sensing his master's anger, the man wearing a skull mask and with a body as thin as a shadow, who had always been standing behind Sir Baizhi, began to move. The bone spurs that popped out from his arm armor crossed each other, making a harsh chirping sound.

Enxia, ​​the "King's Skeleton Knight," is the shadowy assassin who serves alongside Baizhi. He never speaks, for the blood splattered by his weapons and his enemies is his best form of expression. The last thing his prey sees before their death is Enxia's withered, silent face.

"Preparing to resolve this with force? Just what I want." Seeing the two men planning to fight, A'tai sheathed the Great Rune and, with both hands holding the shield, protected Melina while giving her a wink. Both O'Fnir and Enxia were among the most formidable of the Faded Ones. If things proved impossible, A'tai might have to unleash the Sword Skeleton and engage the Oath of Vengeance head-on.

The atmosphere around was tense, and both sides seemed to be planning to break the rule of no violence in the round table hall and have a big fight in the hall.

"Enough! Stop it!" Just before the conflict broke out, an old voice roared like thunder. A short old woman, leaning on a cane, walked out of the room in the central corridor of the hall. "Little devil, my granddaughter Meimei came back to visit an old woman like me. Does she still need your permission? You've been showing off in the Round Table Hall for so long, do you think you're the master here?"

"No, I just..."

"Just what? As soon as I came out, I saw you bullying my sweet granddaughter. You're such an adult, do you think it's fun to bully a little girl?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't control my men well." Sir Baizhi hesitated for a second and then gave in.

Because Enya, the Finger-Removing Crone, was Two-Finger's spokesperson, specifically responsible for interpreting Two-Finger's will and conveying it to the Faded Ones. If she angered him, there would be no place for him or his subordinates in the Round Table. He was destined to lose this fight. If he won, he'd be kicked out; if he lost, he'd be humiliated. It would be better to retreat before the situation escalated. It would be unwise to end up being expelled from this place just to fight for a moment's anger.

"Also, don't call me a brat." He protested softly, as a last ditch effort to preserve his dignity.

On the other side, A'tai also took the opportunity to put away her shield. This old woman with full of energy said something like "my granddaughter", and it was too obvious which side she was leaning towards.

As expected, Melina immediately went up to him with a smile on her face and started to act coquettishly: "Grandma Enya, I missed you so much! If you didn't come out to take charge, I would be bullied and unable to return home."

The old woman pinched her face and scolded her with a smile, "Don't I know you? You little devil, you're so arrogant. You said you'd make some achievements before coming back. How could you come back empty-handed and let others criticize you?"

From the tone of her voice, it was clear that she had actually noticed the noise outside a long time ago while staying in the inner room. Only after Melina showed her cards and slapped Baizhi in the face did she step out to clean up the mess.

"Let's go back inside. Lord Two Fingers also wants to meet the Faded One you brought back. Being able to get the Great Rune from Greg shows that the young people nowadays are really better than the previous generation." The old woman glanced at A Tui twice, a look of satisfaction flashed across her turbid eyes, and she turned around and moved slowly.

Melina supported the old man and before leaving, she turned around secretly, lowered her eyelids, and made a face at Sir Baizhi: "Lululu, bye, Sir Idiot. When we get the second Great Rune, remember to prepare a celebration banquet."

Sir Baizhi's lips trembled with anger behind the three of them, and Enxia leaned against the wall and shook her head repeatedly.

Along the way, the old woman walked very slowly, and it felt like she had walked several thousand meters in just a few dozen steps. Ah Dai was not in a hurry. Respecting the elderly and loving the young, and doing good deeds every day are his interests. If it is a national holiday, he will help several times a day.

"Amei, how old is Grandma Enya? Are you really her granddaughter?" At this moment, he was asking the witch about the old woman's origins. Ever since the old woman said the three words "my granddaughter", he felt the nervousness of meeting the parents at their home.

Melina whispered, "I don't know how old Grandma is. I heard from the senior students in the academy that Grandma has been the dean since the academy was founded thousands of years ago. She taught the theory class from the first class of miko to the last class I was in."

Many of the Faded Ones died once before, and then, summoned by Queen Marika, were brought back from eternal sleep under the guidance of a blessing.

Olfnir had once followed King Gaffrey on his campaigns, earning the title of "Lord of the Hundred Wisdoms" during that time. Therefore, the woman who called him "little devil" must have been around as old as the Golden Dynasty.

The old woman leading the way laughed and said, "Hahaha, it has nothing to do with blood. All the witches who have studied at the academy are my recognized granddaughters. Meimei is the most talented of all the children I've ever taught, but she's also the most mischievous. I'm so happy to see you grow up and find your own destiny. Even if I die, I can still smile at you."

"Grandma, don't keep saying that." Melina held the old woman's wrinkled hand and whispered, "You were like this back in the academy. You're in good health. You'll have more than enough to live for another few hundred years."

Enya was delighted. "You have such a sweet mouth. Grandma likes that about you. All your senior sisters are either as rigid as a block of wood or extremely shy. It would be great if they could all learn from you."

"Forget it, my brain will explode..." Ah Dai muttered to himself.

There was an Ah Mei chattering in his ear, asking whether he needed to clean up the mess or not, which was enough to give him a headache. If there were a few more, there wouldn't be enough to ride on Torrett, and the spirit horse would have to evolve into an extended deluxe version to have enough capacity.

"We're here." Enya paused in the dimly lit candlelit room. Melina helped her sit on an old, aged wooden chair. Not far from the three of them, at the end of the red carpet, a replica of a round table and a hall stood silently. Two enormous fingers curved outward, their stone-like skin a malnourished, withered yellow.

Enya spoke slowly, "Look carefully, the finger is trembling slightly, which means He is welcoming you, the holder of the Great Rune."

Looking left and right, up and down, Ah Tui stared wide-eyed but couldn't see that the two specimen-like things were trembling. But since the old man said so, he wouldn't be so low in EQ as to refute it. Didn't he see that the usually noisy Melina was listening quietly to the teachings?

"The great Elden Circle is the embodiment of the Golden Rule, bringing order to the world and bringing happiness and blessings to the world."

The finger-untied old woman began to convey the will of the "Two Fingers", which was also a ritual performed on the newly faded ones who were recognized by Him.

"Breaking the law is a heinous crime, and the consequences are inevitable. Now, the world and life have been destroyed to an extent beyond measure, and curse and misfortune continue to spread."

"Even so, the Supreme Will will not abandon the world or life. Therefore, you Faded Ones are guided by the Blessing and given a mission."

"O Faded One, the Great Rune you hold is a fragment of the Elden Ring. Continue on your journey and seek the next Great Rune. Then become the King of Elden and restore the Golden Law!"

The solemn recitation concluded, and Melina yawned softly. "It's finally over! I've heard this passage so many times I'm practically callused. Sure enough, it's best to just do as I said and record it and read it over the loudspeaker at the door. You don't have to shout through it every time, Mother-in-law."

"Shut up!" Enya raised her cane and tapped the priestess's forehead. "I've told you countless times that etiquette and rules must not be violated. You must show due respect to Two Fingers-sama and always remember your identity as the finger priestess."

"I know..." Melina said perfunctorily, turning her head away and muttering softly, "I've heard this sentence hundreds of times. Ah! I was wrong, I was wrong. Stop knocking, mother-in-law! I have a bump on my head, it's so ugly."

After hitting Melina several more times, Enya, feeling disappointed with her, finally stopped and said to A-Tu with a pleasant face, "Having Meimei around you must have caused a lot of trouble, right? She's a good girl, but sometimes she has some wild ideas and can't control her mouth. Please bear with me on this journey."

"That's where I've been receiving help from Ah Mei." Ah Tui rubbed Melina's red forehead and replied, "If I hadn't met her, I would have died in some unknown corner. She is the best witch I have ever met."

When the old woman heard these sincere words from the heart, her satisfaction with A-Tai increased rapidly.

Being humble and capable, and turning protecting oneself as a witch into an instinctive behavior when an accident happens, this kind of outstanding young man is most loved by the elderly.

She waved to Ah Tui and said, "Come, let me read your palm. A person like Ah Tui who was chosen by Mei Mei must have something special. This journey to see the Elden Ring requires the support of the two of you. There is no need to underestimate yourself."

Hearing this, Ah Tui took off his gauntlets and stretched out his hand. He did not believe in such vague things as palmistry, but it would be okay to let the old woman take a look.

"Your life line is very long. As long as you are careful, you won't die easily. Your career line will experience a big setback, but once you get over it, you will have a smooth journey. Your destiny line..." The old woman held on to Ah Tu tightly, and her hand holding the magnifying glass trembled unconsciously. "Iron and sword, blood and fire... Your destiny is shrouded in a fog. At the end, I can only see darkness, and in the darkness, a small flame is burning..."

"Clang!"

She suddenly let go of Ah Tui's hand as if she had been electrocuted, and the magnifying glass fell to the ground and shattered into pieces of glass.

"Mother-in-law?!" Melina immediately noticed burn-like marks on the old woman's skin, which had never happened when she interpreted palms in the past.

The old woman quickly calmed down and waved her hand, signaling her to calm down. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that his fate fascinated me so much that I peeped too deeply into it, and I suffered a little backlash."