Elden Ring: Atai vows to have a perfect ending

(This article is narrated from Bernal's first-person perspective)

"Master Bernard! Master Bernard!"

There was a constant call in my ears.

In this dark and lightless world, the scorching heat is leaving me, leaving only a cold sigh.

In a trance, she seemed to be back in that snowy land, with the pure white snow floating down and landing in the palm of her hand.

"Hey, be careful not to fall. I can't save you." I reminded her that I was standing on the edge of a dangerous cliff and her frail body might be blown away by the icy wind from the snowfield.

"Lord Bernal, the scenery here is very beautiful~" She didn't care at all, and even called me to go over with her.

Sighing, I walked over to her side.

As the clouds passed by, the entire golden Yatan Plateau below looked like a scroll, spreading out before people's eyes, contrasting with the majestic and towering golden trees.

To the sky, the golden branches seem within reach;

To the ground, the whole world seems to be within the grasp of one hand.

——Indeed, it is quite a nice scenery.

"Right~" The other person turned around and looked at me with a smile, as if he could read my mind.

Her bright smile always makes people wonder how to accept it.

I turned around and changed the subject: "Let's go, the giant cauldron you saw in the prophecy is still quite a distance from here."

"Lord Bernal, can I ask you a question?" She caught up with me.

——Even if I stop her, she will continue asking.

"If you could really recreate the Elden Ring, what kind of world would you create?" She really did ask a rather strange question out of the blue.

"What kind of world is this?" I thought about it for a moment, but my mind seemed to be shrouded in a fog and I couldn't find a good answer. "To be honest, I just came back to complete the mission entrusted by the Queen and haven't thought about this question carefully."

"Then think about it now. Anyway, we still have a long way to go," she said as she followed.

“…If possible, let’s create a world with many heroic warriors. This way, my fighting skills can be further refined, and I can also compete with warriors with different fighting styles and learn from each other.”

“Haha, that’s a very Lord Bernard-style answer~” She laughed again and said, “Then I will continue to accompany Lord Bernard on his journeys. I can heal your wounds and find blessings for you… By the way, I can also help you. When Lord Bernard fights, he always seems to be disregarding everything, even giving up himself… What do you think, Lord Bernard?”

“······Even if I told you not to, you would still come with me.”

"Hehe, of course~"

······

Obviously, this is the agreement.

bake--

In the cauldron on the giant's snowy top, when I opened my eyes again, she had been buried in the blazing flames, no longer speaking, nor would she smile at me again.

No, this is not what we agreed on, is it?! Didn't you say you would continue traveling with me, heal my wounds, find blessings for me, for me, for me... and hold me in the fight?

But why now, you are the one serving the fire, leaving me here alone? !

······

My head ached and I felt dizzy, but the fire in her could not be extinguished.

—I’m sorry, Lord Bernard.

——My guidance was not effective, but I hope you can become the King of Elden.

"What King of Elden..." I reached out to touch the motto she left on the ground. As soon as I touched it, it disappeared in the flying snow like a butterfly emerging from its shell. "It's just an illusion."

On my way back from the snowy mountains, I also heard news about many other faded people:

Wick, a "Knight of the Round Table" favored by the ancient dragon, caused a riot in the royal city of Rodel for some unknown reason, causing the flames to burn most of the lower city area.

Some said that he was bewitched by the flames and committed a serious crime for the sake of a witch;

Near the Glacier River in the Giant Snowfield, it is said that a ghost named Yuno Khosrao appeared, wandering day and night looking for and hunting people followed by the Finger Witch;

A knight known as "Hundred Wisdom" disappeared at the border for unknown reasons.

Some said he knew things he shouldn’t have known;

Others said that he met with misfortune and was locked up in a corner.

······

Countless rumors entered my ears, making me more and more certain of one thing.

——We are all just pawns deceived by Queen Marica or the Finger. No one can become the King of Elden.

Before I knew it, I returned to Nimgfu, to the land where I met her.

——What should I do next?

I'm totally out of ideas.

I happened to hear that the so-called "Golden King" Greg was hunting down the Faded Ones in this land. Perhaps, it wouldn't matter if I was caught by him, as this would put an end to my meaningless mission.

······

But on that day, the man named Zero brought a psychic girl named Roderica.

Although her eyes could not see the guidance of blessing, they could see things that ordinary people could not see, such as souls that had clearly dissipated.

"Master Bernard, it turns out that you, like Master Zero, have always had a witch following you around to protect you."

--Um?

The moment I heard those words, I felt as if my heart skipped a beat, and then began to speed up and catch up.

I swallowed involuntarily, wondering if I had heard wrongly. "You, what are you talking about? Rodlika."

“······If I have offended you, I am very sorry, but, but I did see a faint shadow beside you, and I thought...ah!” Roderica quickly covered her mouth as if she had said something wrong.

"You, what did you see?! Roderica!"

"Yes, I'm sorry! Lord Bernard!" The girl was so scared that she apologized quickly.

I came to my senses and realized that I had grabbed her delicate shoulders and twisted them so hard that her eyes sparkled. I quickly let go of her hand and said, "No... No, I should apologize. I lost my temper."

"...It seems that this witch is very important to you, Lord Bernard." Roderica forgave me, but asked with some curiosity, "But why does your witch seem a little angry?"

--angry?

——Is she angry?

I couldn't help but burst out laughing.

——I should be the one who is angry. I don’t know what tricks he used to make me faint at the giant cauldron on the snowy mountain. He broke our agreement without saying a word and left without saying goodbye.

What right do you have to be angry at such a person?

"Be, Lord Bernard? What's wrong with you? Have I offended you again?" Roderica beside me suddenly became flustered. She frantically searched for something and finally took out a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to me. "Yes, I'm sorry, please use this."

······So, was it me who shed tears?

I took her handkerchief and wiped my cheek. The wet handkerchief still retained a trace of warmth.

——Ah, so she hasn’t left yet, and is keeping her promise and staying with me all the time?

My finger witch, Cecilia.