Iji stared at the Nox Mirrorhelm that Bai Shi had casually produced, momentarily at a loss for words.
By this logic, didn't Darriwil die for nothing?
He had only acted against him to make way for Blaidd, but it turned out Bai Shi had a spare Mirrorhelm all along.
Iji sighed. Perhaps this was just the tribulation Darriwil was fated to face.
Besides, Darriwil was already beyond communication.
Iji still found it incredible that Bai Shi had simply taken out a Mirrorhelm just like that.
If his memory served him right, the Mirrorhelm was indeed a great treasure of the Nox Dynasty, was it not?
But why had Bai Shi so nonchalantly produced a second one?
He himself had searched tirelessly for countless years and had never found another.
Snapping back to his senses, Iji suddenly realized that Blaidd's problem could now actually be solved.
He quickly asked Bai Shi:
"Lord Bai Shi, may I have a look at this Mirrorhelm?"
"If it is truly a Nox Mirrorhelm, then our problem can be solved immediately."
Bai Shi nodded and handed the Mirrorhelm to Iji.
Iji carefully held the helm, which seemed incredibly miniature in his hands, and began to study it intently.
After a period of examination, Iji put the Mirrorhelm down, his expression one of disbelief.
"This... is indeed a Nox Mirrorhelm..."
"In that case, it seems Blaidd's predicament can truly be resolved..."
This Mirrorhelm was many times smaller than the one on his own head.
But if it was just for Blaidd's use, there would be no problem at all.
Iji looked at Bai Shi, a little curious.
This was not something one could just find lying around in the Lands Between.
Finding anything in the Lands Between was no easy task.
Generally, one would have to learn of an item's existence, then continuously follow clues and leads to confirm if the information was true.
The amount of time required for the search afterward was even more unimaginable.
Even with clear clues, a long search was necessary to find the desired item.
And more often than not, returning empty-handed was a far more common outcome than a successful find.
Iji's own Mirrorhelm had taken him a very, very long time to find, at an unimaginable cost of time and energy.
Bai Shi had many Tarnished under his command who could be dispatched to explore everywhere.
That was an incredible advantage, one that could certainly save a lot of time.
He just didn't know for what purpose Bai Shi had specifically sought out this Mirrorhelm.
"Lord Bai Shi, if I may be so bold as to ask, where did this Mirrorhelm come from?"
"It must have required considerable effort to obtain."
Bai Shi waved his hand dismissively.
"It was no effort at all. I just happened to pick it up recently."
Was this something that could be "picked up"?
Bai Shi thought for a moment before adding:
"If I had to say, it was that I was destined to find it."
"It was fated, so I obtained it with ease."
"I didn't expect it would turn out to be exactly what you needed. How strange."
Iji couldn't tell if Bai Shi was telling the truth.
Logically, Bai Shi had no reason to deceive him.
What was there to gain by tricking an old blacksmith?
But... this was just too unrealistic. Could luck really be this good?
Iji didn't know what to say.
However, what mattered was that they now had a second Mirrorhelm, and that was a good thing.
Bai Shi looked at Iji.
"Master Iji, can this Mirrorhelm be used?"
"Looking at its shape, I'm afraid Blaidd won't be able to wear it."
"After all, it looks custom-made. Even a human would need a perfect fit to wear it."
"Indeed, this shape is not something Blaidd can wear."
"But there is no need to worry."
"The magic of the Nox Mirrorhelm lies in the material it's made from."
Iji placed the helm next to his own, allowing Bai Shi to see the comparison.
Aside from the shape, the material used for the helms was completely identical.
"The Nox Mirrorhelm is forged from a very special material. In all my long life and accumulated knowledge, I have no idea what it is."
"I searched for a long time before but found nothing."
"In any case, as long as we have this material, the shape is not a problem."
"I can use this material to forge a new helm that Blaidd can wear."
Bai Shi nodded, relieved.
Since a professional like Master Iji said it was possible, then it surely wasn't an issue.
"Excellent. I'll leave this Mirrorhelm in your hands, Master."
"Please head to Stormveil afterward and prioritize forging a suitable helm for Blaidd."
Iji accepted the Mirrorhelm and placed it in his personal pouch.
"We are in your debt once again."
"Sigh, I don't even know how to thank you anymore..."
Bai Shi didn't think much of it.
After all, he was definitely going to marry Ranni, so they would all be family in the future.
Iji and Blaidd were like family to Ranni, so in Bai Shi's view, he was naturally obligated to protect them well.
"By the way, Master Iji, can you contact Blaidd directly?"
"I have already obtained the Fingerslayer Blade with Blaidd. I'm a bit worried now that the Two Fingers might realize something ahead of time."
"If possible, it would be best to call him to Stormveil so he can put on the helm as soon as it's finished."
Iji was surprised to hear that Bai Shi had already obtained the Fingerslayer Blade.
He had assumed Bai Shi was just passing through on his way there.
This was even more cause for celebration; Ranni's wish was now within reach.
Iji patted his chest.
"The moment I finish forging it, I will call Blaidd to put it on. There is no need to worry."
It seemed they did have a way to communicate.
Bai Shi was curious as to how they managed this sort of long-distance communication.
He had been coveting such a method for a long time. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝※𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖※𝕟𝕖𝕥
Communication between Tarnished was just too underdeveloped.
Back in Limgrave, Bai Shi could barely manage to use Stormhawks as messengers to contact others.
Once he left Stormveil, there was simply no way to communicate.
So, Bai Shi began to ask Iji about it.
"I'm a bit curious, how do you all communicate?"
Iji stood up and led Bai Shi out of the evergaol.
"Lord Bai Shi, look at the sky."
He saw that even under the canopy of the Erdtree, an immense moon hung in the distant sky.
Though it was not conspicuous against the dazzling light of the Erdtree, it was still clearly visible.
Unlike the distant sun, the moon's proximity to the Lands Between made it seem almost close enough to touch.
It was hard to imagine such a massive moon.
Iji explained to Bai Shi:
"As long as one is under the moonlight, those who bear Ranni's personal sigil can communicate with each other."
"Of course, it's really only used by Ranni, Blaidd, and myself."
"By the way, speaking of which, you should have a sigil from Lady Ranni on you as well, Lord Bai Shi."
Iji knew Ranni's ways. Since Bai Shi was in deep cooperation with her, a sigil was a certainty.
Bai Shi was surprised.
He hadn't even known that Ranni had left a sigil on him.
No wonder General Radahn had asked him to convey a message to Ranni before he died.
It was a pity Radahn had collapsed before finishing his sentence.
So, at that time, he must have noticed Ranni's sigil on him.
In that case, could Radahn's fierce attacks on him have been for the same reason?
It must have been when he swore an oath to Ranni under the moon.
Bai Shi looked down at himself but saw no trace of it.
Then again, if it were easily visible, he would have discovered it long ago.
"I have one too? I had no idea."
"And Ranni never told me about these functions before."
Iji stroked his chin.
"Er, that I do not know."
"However, since Ranni left a sigil on you, she must have intended for you to use this function."
Iji then began to teach Bai Shi how to use it, step by step.
Under Iji's guidance, Bai Shi quickly succeeded.
'I can. You see, it worked.'
Bai Shi thought he heard a faint click of the tongue, but he wasn't sure if he had misheard.
After experiencing this novel method of communication, Bai Shi started thinking about how he could replicate it.
No matter what, Bai Shi wanted a way to communicate over long distances.
In the Lands Between, forget long-distance communication; even regular communication was inconvenient.
Normal communication generally relied on birds for message delivery, but they could crash for various reasons along the way.
Only the demigods likely possessed some special means.
If Ranni could use the moon to allow her subordinates to contact each other, could he perhaps use the sun to achieve the same in the future?
But it seemed impossible for now. He had to deal with the colorless sun first.
Speaking of long-distance communication...
Bai Shi suddenly remembered that Stella had once shown him a magical glintstone block.
That object could function like a magical walkie-talkie, and Bai Shi was quite interested in it.
Because it was likely the simplest and most manufacturable communication device Bai Shi could find at present.
He happened to have a sample on hand. He might as well ask Master Iji if he could make some.
Bai Shi took the magical glintstone block out of his spatial disk and handed it to Iji.
The academy's magic sigil and crest were branded upon the glintstone.
"Master Iji, I obtained this magic item in the Town of Sellia."
"It's something made by the Academy of Raya Lucaria. They are created in pairs and can be used for long-distance communication."
"It's not very convenient for me to contact my subordinates right now. Could you see if you can make some for me?"
Iji took the small device from Bai Shi and held it up to his eye, examining it for a while.
"Hmm—, so it's this kind of thing..."
"I didn't expect those folks at the Academy could create something ."
"Hmm, that's not right... Huh?"