Melina was currently sitting on the Roundtable, her hands propped on its surface. Her legs dangled in the air, swinging back and forth as she stared blankly at the dome of the Roundtable Hold in utter boredom.
After all, the Roundtable Hold was the domain of the Two Fingers. While Melina had no particular opinion of them, she didn't want to reveal her presence.
The reason? Her intuition, of course.
So instead of exploring the Roundtable Hold with Bai Shi, she had stayed behind alone by the Site of Grace, lost in thought.
The golden grace shielded her from all prying eyes; as long as she stayed here, there was no chance of her being discovered.
But it also meant she couldn't do anything but swing her legs and space out in boredom.
In the past, her sole purpose on her journey had been to find a suitable candidate. Everything else was merely something to be observed from the sidelines, never to be taken to heart.
Wandering far and wide with Torrent, searching for a Tarnished who had the potential to become Elden Lord, she had never once felt lonely or bored.
But after choosing Bai Shi, her sense of urgency had faded. All she had to do was wait for him to grow stronger, and then he would take her to the foot of the Erdtree.
Only by experiencing things firsthand did one realize how exciting they could be, and in turn, how tedious waiting truly was.
Melina was, in truth, a very pure girl, as pure as a blank sheet of paper, because that was how she had been "made."
She possessed all the skills needed to support another: turning runes into strength, applying Ashes of War, reading maps—for her mission demanded it of her.
She had studied etiquette and knew how to speak without causing offense, for her mission demanded it of her.
She no longer even had a body, only a soul, yet she remained in the world of the living, for her mission demanded it of her.
But no one had ever taught her what to do when traveling with a companion, or how to speak in a way that would make someone happy, not merely avoid their anger.
All her memories, save for the common sense and knowledge she required, had been wiped away.
For none of it was necessary to fulfill her mission.
She, too, was lost, for she only knew that she must find her purpose. Beyond that, she knew nothing.
Everything was for her mission, yet even she was still searching. What was that mission, exactly?
Though Melina did not resent the mission bestowed upon her and was determined to see it through.
But when Boc spoke of his mother, she still found herself wondering: what was the relationship between an ordinary mother and child truly like?
When Irena was reunited with her father, she couldn't help but think: what would it feel like to be loved by her own parents?
Melina had no answers to these questions, for her life had always been defined by one thing: her mission. Orıginal content can be found at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥
But things were different now.
She had a companion she could trust, one who was both gentle and strong.
It didn't matter if her own heart was filled with uncertainty. She could believe in him, just as he believed in her.
She was grateful. Before they reached the foot of the Erdtree, she still had time.
Time to search for these answers, time to commit the sights of their journey to memory, and time to fill the void in her heart.
"In that case," she thought, "until I find my purpose again, I shall simply enjoy the journey."
Bai Shi approached the great Site of Grace on the Roundtable. Unlike other graces, he didn't need to sit; a simple touch of his hand was enough to enter its sanctuary.
Melina's swinging feet froze for an instant before resuming their rhythmic motion.
"We're companions," she thought. "It should be fine even if I don't act so proper, right?"
In her own clumsy way, Melina was testing the waters. She was, after all, just a young woman who yearned to understand things beyond her mission.
Like how to be with a companion.
Bai Shi was quite surprised. Melina seemed different, acting with such casualness.
But he could also tell that she was simply bored from the long wait; her actions made that perfectly clear.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
Melina stopped swinging her legs and asked Bai Shi,
"How was the Roundtable Hold?"
"Beyond my imagination. The facilities, the people, the services..."
"And the heroes? Were there many powerful ones?" "To be honest, I didn't see any. It seems the Roundtable Hold has fallen into decline."
Bai Shi sighed with some emotion. Of the Roundtable's founders, some had gone mad, others had turned traitor. Only Sir Gideon was left to hold things together.
Unfortunately, Gideon was a cunning schemer, which meant that on the surface, there was no one left in the Roundtable Hold who could truly keep things in order.
Melina, too, was a little disappointed. This was not the Roundtable Hold she had known.
Still, Bai Shi quite liked the present-day Roundtable. Compared to the one in the game, it had a much more lived-in atmosphere.
"But the items and tools inside the Roundtable Hold are very useful, and the people seem decent enough. Overall, I quite like it here."
"Is that so? Well then, shall we set a small goal to start?"
Melina thought for a moment, then raised an index finger between them, a confident smile spreading across her face.
"Before you become Lord, let's make it your goal to become the strongest warrior in the Roundtable."
"I know you can do it. You radiate the qualities of a hero."
"Courageous, strong, kind... and so many other things I can't put into words. That... is how I see you."
Bai Shi never imagined Melina saw him in such a light. He was almost overwhelmed by the praise.
It felt like being praised for his good grades by a girl he had a crush on back in high school.
They weren't particularly special words, just a simple compliment, yet they made Bai Shi's heart pound in his chest.
It wasn't the words that were special, but the trust they conveyed—and the person who spoke them.
Bai Shi didn't know how to handle others' expectations, because no one had ever expected anything of him.
Becoming the strongest warrior in the Roundtable Hold would not be difficult for him now, but he didn't know what to say.
No one had ever taught him how to respond to expectations or accept a compliment.
He had never needed to. Because of his family situation, there had never been anyone to praise or expect anything from him.
In his previous life, whenever he faced a problem, he would simply retreat into the world of games. It was his only refuge.
Should he agree with confidence? Or refuse with humility?
Bai Shi had no answers, for his life had only ever been about games—about escaping.
He didn't really understand much about anything else.
But thankfully, things were different now.
He had grown stronger, strong enough to bear the weight of another's expectations. He no longer had to run away.
Bai Shi wanted to learn more about how to carry someone's trust.
And so, Bai Shi removed his right gauntlet and extended his little finger toward Melina. His hand, he now noticed, bore numerous scars that even the grace could not erase.
"I'll do it. Let's make a promise."
Though Melina had never seen this way of making a promise, she instantly understood his gesture and extended her own little finger, which was covered in the scars of old burns.
As their two scarred little fingers intertwined in a promise, these two surprisingly similar souls became irrevocably bound to one another.
They were like two lone beasts who had found a companion, each licking the other's wounds.