Bai Shi stared blankly at the scene before him.
Since transmigrating, he had only known the perilous Chapel of Anticipation and the dark, oppressive caves and tombs. He had completely forgotten the artistic beauty of Elden Ring's landscapes.
Bathed in the Golden Tree's light, Bai Shi felt the same sense of wonder he experienced the first time he played the game.
It was pure joy; just opening the game made him excited for what was to come.
The warm glow of the Golden Tree, a faint floral scent, and the leisurely wandering sheep.
It was hard to imagine such a harmonious scene on a land drenched in blood.
This beauty made Bai Shi feel, for the first time, that he was truly alive in this fantastical and magnificent world.
The denial of his death in his past life and the question of whether he had truly transmigrated—all the things that had been plaguing his mind were now cast aside.
He no longer struggled with the past. Since he was in this world, he might as well enjoy it.
Hakan walked over to Bai Shi's side.
"Impressive, isn't it? Even though the Golden Order is shattered, the Golden Tree still stands."
Bai Shi was silent for a moment before speaking.
"I've decided. I'm going to bring peace to the Lands Between."
"What? You... are you serious? Do you know how difficult that is?"
"It's a sudden idea, but my heart is not lying."
Bai Shi said with a serious expression.
Hakan's face was a study in conflicting emotions.
He didn't think Bai Shi could succeed, but in his mind, he was starting to imagine what that would look like.
"Sigh, I wish you success. Maybe I'll be able to bask in your glory and experience a peaceful world then."
Hakan sighed. He still couldn't imagine such a thing happening in the Lands Between.
He patted his warhorse and swung himself onto its back.
"This is where our journey ends. It was a pleasure traveling with you. I hope we never have to cross blades."
The last line sounded inauspicious, but Bai Shi knew it was a tragedy that could very well happen in this land.
"Haha, I still owe you a drink. Just don't die in some corner before then."
Bai Shi said goodbye to Hakan with a cheerful laugh. Hakan looked back, and the two exchanged a knowing smile.
Hakan seemed to remember something, pulling an item from his horse's saddlebag and tossing it to Bai Shi.
"Catch."
Bai Shi caught it easily. It was a metal helmet, covered with scale mail at the back and top. The face was protected by fine chainmail, with only the eyes exposed.
Bai Shi was surprised. This was the Kaiden Helm. No wonder he had never seen Hakan wear it; it had been in his bag all along.
"What about you if I take it?"
Hakan didn't turn back, simply waving his hand.
"Helmets are for warriors. You happen to need one, and I just don't have a use for it anymore."
"I'm not a warrior anymore."
Bai Shi held the helmet, saying nothing else.
"You'd better stay alive until the future Elden Lord can buy you that drink. If you die first, I won't forgive you."
"Hahahaha! I'll look forward to it."
Bai Shi had come to see Hakan as a friend, and they didn't know if they would ever meet again.
But neither of them would stop their own journey for the other.
In the Lands Between, everyone had their own purpose.
Bai Shi looked toward the distant church ruins and started walking.
After walking for about ten minutes, Bai Shi followed the guidance of a Site of Grace and came to a small hill.
He couldn't help but complain.
"It really is different from the game. The map is so much bigger, but that makes it more realistic."
"In the game, it's just ridiculous to cross a mountain in a few minutes on horseback. The map's scale was shrunk for gameplay's sake."
A Site of Grace was burning warmly in front of him.
But just as Bai Shi was about to touch the Grace, a rustling sound came from a nearby bush.
Bai Shi held his breath, his hands on his weapons, ready to fight at any moment.
But the sound quickly stopped, as if a small animal had just passed by.
Bai Shi knew better. There was a specific individual who would appear in this area.
"Don't hide. I can tell the difference between human noises and other sounds."
Rustle, rustle—
The bush parted, and a figure emerged.
The person wore a white mask with a smiling face and a full set of white clothing stained with blood that had turned black over time.
Bai Shi knew him: it was White-Mask Varre, a follower of the Lord of Blood.
Once a battlefield physician who would grant mercy to the dying, he was taken by the Lord of Blood, Mohg, and willingly accepted the cursed blood to serve him.
"Hehe, what a keen sense of observation you have."
He praised Bai Shi with a sickly sweet voice.
Just hearing his voice gave Bai Shi a feeling of disgust.
It was as if Varre was chewing his own tongue and mouth as he spoke, relishing the blood and wanting to smear it on the listener's ears.
And he was a total sissy.
Bai Shi resisted the urge to slash him with his sword, pretending not to know who he was.
"Who are you?"
Varre intertwined his blood-stained gloves, rubbing them together slowly like a fly.
"Oh, a Tarnished, huh? Driven to the Lands Between by a desire for the Elden Ring."
"But, what a tragedy... You have no Maiden."
"You can't draw strength from Runes, and you'll never be invited to the Roundtable Hold. I suppose you're destined to die in obscurity, hehehehe..."
Bai Shi's frown deepened. This guy was even more insufferable than in the game.
Seeming to notice Bai Shi's disgust, Varre's sickening smile faded slightly.
"But don't worry, my dear. Even without a Maiden, there's still a sliver of hope."
"I just happen to know you need a little help, and you're lucky to have stumbled upon me, Varre."
"You know about Grace, right? That golden light allows you to rest for a while. The path you must take is where the Grace points."
"Yes, Grace will guide you—where to go... or where to die."
"I don't know if you're one of the few Tarnished who can see the Grace, but I suspect the Grace is guiding you towards that castle on the cliff: Stormveil."
Bai Shi listened patiently to Varre's speech.
'It seems the lore and timeline haven't changed much from the game.'
"What's your purpose for being here?"
Bai Shi asked.
Varre chuckled a few times before answering:
"I am here on the orders of a certain great lord to help the Maidenless Tarnished get on the right track."
"Now, off you go. Head toward Stormveil, the home of that old, ugly demigod, Godrick the Grafted."
"If you're Maidenless but still crave the Elden Ring, that is what you must do, hehehe."
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