Elden Lord of Cinders

The Elden Ring might have been shattered by someone who realized the Golden Order was flawed and tried to fix it.

That's the conclusion Lloyd reached based on the information he'd recently gathered.

Think about it—according to what he knows, the Golden Order already had inherent issues. Even the Fingers had admitted it was flawed. And when he spoke with Old Margit before, the old man had explained that the Elden Ring was the vessel of the Golden Order.

Or to put it another way:

The Elden Ring is like a computer tower, and the Golden Order is the operating system running on it.

One day, the system freezes and crashes. You try all the standard fixes, but nothing works—so the next step is to go unconventional. Maybe smack the case a couple of times. Maybe take it apart and check the hardware. Or just get a new one altogether.

Granted, the analogy isn't perfect, and honestly, Lloyd doesn't have any concrete evidence to back up his theory. He was just putting the thought out there.

But after arranging things for Nepheli, he suddenly realized something—the strange way All-Knowing had acted felt oddly familiar.

It wasn't like someone he knew personally. It wasn't anything from the Dark Souls world either. It reminded him of something much older, something he'd encountered often in the past.

You enter a question, click search, get an answer—maybe with a little advice thrown in—but it doesn't handle anything beyond that.

Isn't that basically a search engine?

Once Lloyd stopped seeing the All-Knowing as a person and started thinking of him as a search engine, everything started to make sense.

Especially in a world where even a constitution like the Golden Order can manifest physically, the idea of a search engine gaining a will of its own didn't seem so far-fetched.

So, after this realization and forming his theory about the Elden Ring's destruction, he went straight to ask him.

But the All-Knowing Search seemed to lag a bit. Its database didn't feel very complete either. After Lloyd asked his question, there was a long silence, and smoke was still rising from the top of All-Knowing's head.

"...How did you come up with that?"

All-Knowing's voice was stiff, as if the words had gotten stuck.

So Lloyd explained his reasoning.

The All-Knowing fell silent.

Truth be told, he hadn't fully understood Lloyd's theory. If it had been anyone else, they'd probably write it off as mad rambling and laugh it off without giving it a second thought.

But he wasn't just anyone—he was Sir Gideon Ofnir, the All-Knowing.

He wouldn't claim to know everything, but he did know things few others did.

And now, even though he couldn't grasp the full scope of Lloyd's theory, the bits and pieces he had caught were already enough to stir up abstract thoughts he'd never dared to consider before.

He pushed those thoughts aside, looked seriously at Lloyd, and said:

"Could you step out for a bit? I need a moment alone."

He was genuinely afraid that if Lloyd stayed any longer and spouted something even more outrageous, it might just push him over the edge.

"Oh, sure. I'll let you get back to it."

Lloyd had only come by to share a thought, and seeing that All-Knowing didn't have much to offer, he didn't stick around.

After he left, just to make sure Lloyd wouldn't barge in again, All-Knowing sealed the door shut with sorcery.

Then he slumped over the table, opened a book, and stared at its contents, his brow slowly furrowing.

White smoke began to rise again from his head.

"Queen Marika..."

...

On the other side.

After leaving All-Knowing's office, Lloyd didn't return to Liurnia of the Lakes right away. Instead, he headed to his room to find Latenna.

"Lord Lloyd, I truly can't thank you enough for what you did for Master Albus…"

As soon as she saw Lloyd enter, Latenna, having calmed down a bit, immediately expressed her gratitude and lowered her head.

"I'm sorry for hiding the Medallion from you earlier, but it concerns the fate of all Albinaurics. With that All-Hearing Brute right there, I just couldn't take the risk…"

"But as it turns out, you're far more trustworthy than I ever imagined. My doubts were laughable…"

"To show my remorse, I'll tell you the location of the other half of the Medallion. And I swear, in the name of the Albinaurics, that from this day forward, I, Latenna, entrust my life and everything I have to you. I will fight for you, and I'm willing to accept any punishment for my earlier actions…"

After hearing her apology, Lloyd thought for a moment and nodded.

"Alright then—show me your foot."

Latenna: "...Huh?"

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Even Roderika and Irina, standing to the side, looked a bit awkward.

It wasn't that they doubted Lloyd's character at this point—far from it. But after she'd just spoken with such seriousness and sincerity, for him to respond like that... it was kind of...

Hard to describe.

After getting Latenna's permission, Lloyd reached out and ran his hand from her exposed ankle to her slightly raised toes.

They were pale, smooth, and cold to the touch.

Not only was the texture silky, but thanks to the comforts of the Roundtable Hold—no more traveling outdoors and the ability to clean up—her feet were spotless, not a trace of dirt or dust, and even carried the faint scent of soap.

But none of that was what Lloyd was focusing on.

As Latenna turned her head away in embarrassment from his touch, Lloyd pulled his hand back and nodded.

"Yeah, you're in much better shape than that old man."

Latenna blinked and looked back at him.

"You noticed something?"

"There's definitely something... but how should I explain it…"

Gazing at her pale little foot, Lloyd thought for a moment.

"I used to think your legs were naturally disabled. But after seeing that old man, I realized it's something traditional among your people—and connected to your lifespan. It struck me as odd at the time…"

"But now I realize—it's not a 'condition' or a 'problem.' Your legs simply weren't finished."

Lloyd looked straight at her, speaking seriously.

"To be blunt…"

"Your entire Albinauric race might just be… incomplete."

Latenna: "…Huh?"

She didn't quite grasp what he meant, and after a moment, asked him to explain.

Then…

"Think of it like modeling a character from top to bottom, but the lower part just wasn't finished."

"The bones in your feet weren't bound—maybe some of the modeling wasn't even done."

"But your generation isn't too bad. At worst, you're half-finished."

"Those big-headed alien-looking things wandering around outside? They're not even half-complete. Probably based on your blueprint, but whoever copied it really botched the job…"

What is he even talking about?

If she could still vaguely follow what he was saying earlier, now she was completely lost.

"So what you're saying is…"

"I can't fix the flaw in your kind. I don't even understand how your system works. All I can do is offer some treatment."

Lloyd shrugged.

"But if you're willing, I can try something else—bind the bones for you, in a different way. Help you stand and walk."

He couldn't cure innate disabilities. But after examining her, Lloyd realized her issue wasn't with her body—it was with her soul.

In a case like this, even if you pulled her soul out, reforged it in the Crucible, and gave her a perfect body, she still wouldn't be able to walk.

And since she was an artificial lifeform with a unique internal system, Lloyd hadn't studied it and didn't dare tamper with it.

Still, at the very least, he could craft her a crutch.

Or rather, a soul-bound prosthetic.

It wasn't particularly advanced—and since it was an external tool, he didn't have to worry about harming her.

"But just so we're clear—I've never actually made one of these before, so I might need a bit of practice first."

"If it sounds like too much trouble, or you don't want to be a test subject, feel free to say no…"

"I agree."

Latenna nodded without hesitation.

Even putting aside the fact that she had already sworn her life and trust to him, the idea of a soul prosthesis—if it really worked—would mean as much to the Albinaurics as the legendary Haligtree itself.

Their lives were directly tied to their legs, and the reason they searched for the Haligtree was merely to find a place to exist. None of them had ever dreamed of standing on their own feet one day.

Now, that chance was right in front of her. How could she possibly turn it down?

"So, is there anything I need to do?"

She asked earnestly.

Lloyd thought for a moment.

"Not really. Just give me your foot when I need it."

"...That's it?"

"What else? Unless you know how to make soul prosthetics?"

Latenna: "..."

Fair enough.

So that was that—the decision was made.

Still, even though they had agreed, Lloyd didn't start crafting the prosthetic right away. Like he said, he'd never done anything like this before, so some practice was definitely in order.

And once it was made, since it was his first attempt, there would definitely be lots of tweaks, checks, and upkeep needed.

To put it simply—

Never mind the person, Latenna's foot wasn't escaping Lloyd's grasp anytime soon.

...

After settling things with Latenna, Lloyd returned to Liurnia of the Lakes. While exploring further, he stumbled upon a strange presence.

It was a half-ruined church, dark red with coagulated blood and pus. He had passed by it before and found nothing inside after looking around.

But today, there was someone inside.

When he approached, the figure didn't attack—just rested her chin on one hand and silently watched him, as if lost in thought.

"Do you need something?" Lloyd asked.

The strange woman looked at him for a while, then shook her head.

"Just watching."

"Watching what?"

"You."

What's there to watch?

He chatted with her for a bit, and once he was sure she had nothing more to say, Lloyd left.

But soon after, he noticed that every time he explored for a while, her figure would flash briefly in his vision.

She wasn't hiding, attacking, or communicating.

Just like she said—she was watching.

Lloyd didn't think much of it. Ever since he entered this world and met Alice, then escorted Ranni, someone had always been tailing him. He was used to it by now.

...

With the woman still silently following, Lloyd eventually ran into a familiar face—Yura, the man who called himself the "Bloody Finger Hunter."

After a quick chat, the two of them took down a Blood Finger known as the "Ravenmount Assassin."

Once it was over, Yura finally explained his reason for being here.

"I'm hunting a woman named Eleonora. She's the most dangerous of the Blood Fingers. Many skilled warriors have fallen trying to stop her…"

"Like the others, she's obsessed with Accursed Blood, slaughtering her kin one after another."

"But unlike the rest, even in her bloodlust, she retains her sense of honor. She'll give everything she's got in a fight."

"I won't harm you. If she comes for you, just run. There's no shame in fleeing from someone like her. Remember that."

"Go now. If fate allows, we'll meet again."

Once Yura left, Lloyd fell into thought.

What exactly is Accursed Blood?

While pondering, he spotted that same strange figure flicker again and instinctively looked up at her.

She blinked when she noticed his gaze.

"Hey, don't blame me for this, alright?"

Who asked you?

Lloyd gave her a questioning look.

"You have something to do with Accursed Blood?"

"Kind of?"

She thought for a bit. "I mean, in a way, I made it."

"...That's more than 'kind of,' isn't it?"

"But I didn't give it to anyone willingly."

—Though I didn't exactly resist, either.

She paused, then shook her head.

"And honestly, I don't like dead people. Once they're dead, the blood dries up. You need to keep them alive if you want fresh blood and open wounds to keep flowing… You get what I mean, right?"

Lloyd nodded.

Got it. Into some unspeakable kink.

In a modern, civilized world, this would probably be criminal.

But in the Lands Between, where freaks are the norm, it's just another Tuesday.

With that, Lloyd finally understood what the Blood Fingers were.

"People so deep into their kink they forget the safe word, love dragging others into it in broad daylight, and might even kill someone in the process—basically, dangerous perverts."

Lloyd shook his head with a sigh.

"No wonder people are out to get you. Back in our world, this kind of stuff would get you labeled immoral at best…"

The Formless Mother: "...?"

She was expecting words like "brutal" or "bloodthirsty," not… "immoral?"

"Wait—aren't you misunderstanding something here?"

"Am I? But didn't you just describe exactly that? And from the sound of it, you go pretty hard…"

As they talked, Lloyd spotted another church up ahead. Stepping inside, he was greeted by a massive white turtle.

It wore a white priest's hat atop its head.

When Lloyd entered, the turtle lifted its head, looked at him slowly, and said in a calm voice,

"Are you a Tarnished?"

"Welcome to the Church of Vows."

And with that, Lloyd froze where he stood.