Elden Ring: With God Chapter 316: You Bring Shame Upon Ranni the Witch!

Bai Shi walked onward along the bank of the Ainsel River.

Swarms of silver fireflies flickered, illuminating the path before him.

Though this was the Ainsel River Main, the water level had dropped, leaving only a shallow stream that barely covered the top of his feet.

All sorts of plants grew lush and verdant, but there was little sign of animal life, likely all eaten by the ants.

If it weren’t for the oppressive darkness of the underground and the giant ants lining the path, the environnt here could even be considered one of the rare idyllic spots in the Lands Between.

Soon, a Site of Grace appeared before Bai Shi.

He lit the site but, rather than pressing forward, sat down within its golden light.

No harm could co to him here, and Bai Shi wanted to try and communicate with the Small Ranni.

It would be for the best if he could contact Ranni now.

Otherwise, given her personality, she might deliberately hide from him.

Bai Shi once again took out the Small Ranni doll, holding it in his palm.

Stroking his chin with his other hand, Bai Shi began to ponder how he could get Ranni to respond.

His previous attempts to contact her using the mark of moonlight had failed; she was probably ignoring him on purpose.

If she had left a sliver of her consciousness in this doll, she certainly wouldn't speak up easily.

In that case, he had to find a way to provoke a reaction from her, to make it impossible for her to continue playing puppet.

However... that would probably be quite difficult in practice.

Players in the ga only needed to click a few tis, and the silent Tarnished would sohow talk Ranni into a shy reveal. Bai Shi, on the other hand, had much more to consider.

For Bai Shi, it felt like playing a visual novel where a multiple-choice dialogue option had been replaced with a short-answer question.

He had to admit, it was quite the challenge.

But Bai Shi decided to give it a try. After all, he had nothing to lose.

He wasn't even sure if Ranni had attached her consciousness to the Small Ranni doll, but so what if she hadn't?

In Ranni's eyes, it would just look like he was muttering to a puppet.

Bai Shi looked at the Small Ranni before him, opened his mouth, and then closed it again.

...Alright, talking to a figurine was a bit too embarrassing.

Although Bai Shi had been a hardcore otaku in his past life, he hadn’t beco *that* socially inept.

The Small Ranni’s face was still tilted upward, staring blankly at Bai Shi.

Bai Shi gritted his teeth, finally suppressing his awkwardness and beginning to speak to the Small Ranni as if talking to himself.

"I never thought Ranni would leave behind a doll like this..."

"What could it an?"

"But the craftsmanship is truly exquisite, to have perfectly replicated such unique beauty."

—

In an unknown corner of the Lands Between, within a cave no one could ever find, Ranni sat quietly on a large, flat rock.

At that mont, Ranni was feeling rather restless.

The doll's usually sowhat inflexible body was now quite nimble, its fingers fidgeting restlessly as its toes curled.

It seed she had discovered one of Bai Shi's unknown secrets.

He actually talks to dolls when he's alone!

And, what's more, he seed to be praising the Small Ranni's appearance.

Listening to the sounds coming from the small doll, Ranni suddenly felt a pang of regret. Why did she have to leave that puppet body behind?

Her original idea was to leave the doll she once made there. If Bai Shi ca, it would be a nto for him, a vessel for the mories of their pleasant partnership.

And if Bai Shi didn't co... well, the doll wasn't anything important anyway. She would just consider it lost...

Alright, Ranni admitted, that wasn't what she truly thought.

If Bai Shi hadn't pursued her, the little doll would have been left abandoned, and Ranni would have been heartbroken.

At the very beginning, when she foresaw that unreliable fate, Ranni had been very resistant.

She was certain no one would stand by her side—a consort was an even more impossible notion, and it certainly wouldn't be Bai Shi.

But later, gradually, certain fantasies began to take root in Ranni's heart.

She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if that faint glimpse of destiny were to truly co to pass.

During their ti together, Ranni had developed a great fondness for Bai Shi.

That was why she had deliberately left her doll behind.

And Bai Shi had indeed found the small doll as she'd hoped.

But... talking to the doll was a bit too mortifying.

Were there things he couldn't say to her face?

Oh, right. She was the one ignoring him at the mont.

Ranni sighed, a hint of happiness still blossoming in her heart.

She had been keeping a close watch on the small doll's situation.

After their farewell, Ranni had set out alone, treading her own dark path.

She and the Two Fingers had cursed one another, and now she was on her way to slay them.

So ti had passed since her departure, and she had made so progress. She had just been taking a rest.

It was for this reason that when she sensed the doll she left behind had been touched, Ranni was able to imdiately project her consciousness into it.

Just as Ranni thought it was so ants blundering into it again, as had happened before, and was about to shoo them away...

She discovered that this ti, the one who had touched the doll was none other than Bai Shi, the very person she had been waiting for.

So she had been observing in silence, right up until Bai Shi began to speak to the doll.

However, Ranni had no intention of revealing herself.

Bai Shi’s voice continued to filter through:

"I can't reach Ranni now. I wonder how she's progressing."

"I can't get in touch with her... After it's all over, I wonder if she'll just run off with the Fingerslayer Blade..."

Ranni raised an eyebrow.

What a joke. Whether as Ranni the Witch or Ranni, the Lunar Princess, her word was her bond.

To even question such a thing... Bai Shi clearly didn't trust her enough, despite the depth of their cooperation.

Then again, it was understandable. After all, she was the one who first told him to be wary of the treachery that filled the Lands Between.

Still, it was incredibly irritating to have that wariness turned on her!

Elsewhere, Bai Shi paused for a mont before continuing.

"Sigh, there's so much I can't usually say. I'll take this chance and pretend you're here."

"In truth, I don't doubt your resolve to keep your promise."

"Even if sothing unexpected happened, I'm sure you'd find a way to return the Fingerslayer Blade."

"I just don't know if you'll be able to complete your revenge. Or rather... I'm worried about your safety."

Hearing Bai Shi's words, Ranni froze.

A frigid chill began to spread through the cave. The great stone beneath her instantly froze and cracked, an unsubtle reflection of her flustered heart.

Ranni’s mouth fell open, her fingers beginning to tremble.

Bai Shi’s voice ca from the small doll once more, pulling Ranni's chaotic thoughts back into focus.

This ti, Ranni listened with her full attention.

"At first, I only sought you out to cooperate, to achieve my own goals..."

"But in the process, I ca to feel your unique charm."

"I never expected that I would gradually find myself drawn to you."

"Though you seem as cold as ice, keeping everyone at a distance, you're actually very caring on the inside."

"Though you bear a burden of sin and carry yourself with poise, you are but a delicate and lovely girl who is always pushing herself too hard." Hearing Bai Shi's words, Ranni pursed her lips.

"Sotis I find myself wondering, is there any way I can help you?"

"That way, you wouldn't have to shoulder everything yourself."

"But in the end, it seems the help I could offer was limited..."

Ranni closed her eyes and gently shook her head.

Quite the opposite. If Bai Shi hadn't been involved, she probably would never have been able to take the first step.

After all, that first step required defeating her brother, Radahn, to break the seal on the stars and allow fate to flow once more.

Blaidd alone would have found it an impossible task.

What's more, the Fingerslayer Blade that ca after was delivered by Bai Shi's own hand.

Still, Ranni didn't let the small doll show any reaction.

Seeing that Ranni still wasn't responding, Bai Shi sighed softly.

The words he had just spoken were ant to draw Ranni out, but they were also his true feelings.

Since that hadn't worked, Bai Shi would have to resort to sothing stronger.

And this ti, Bai Shi would employ a very sharp technique.

"In the Land of Shadow, I learned many unexpected things. So of them even have to do with you."

"...Never mind. It's not like you can hear

anyway."

"I'll share it with you when I get the chance to see you again."

Hearing Bai Shi cut himself off so abruptly, Ranni, who had been listening intently, gritted her teeth in frustration.

To deliberately bring up such an intriguing topic, only to stop at the most crucial mont—it was infuriating!

People who leave their sentences half-finished deserved to be severely punished!

Ranni took a deep breath. At so point, frost had completely coated the cave, the cold air seeping into the doll's empty shell.

Though it had no practical effect, the action helped calm her down.

Calm... Stay calm...

This news from the Land of Shadow was never part of her plans anyway.

Yes, just pretend she hadn't heard anything.

anwhile, Bai Shi, who had paused intentionally, was waiting for Ranni's response.

Seeing she hadn't taken the bait, Bai Shi sighed internally.

Even a confession that embarrassing couldn't lure her out. Trying to get her with a cliffhanger was indeed wishful thinking.

"Sigh... The news was just too shocking. I really have to get it off my chest."

"Your mother's own sister, Rellana, Twin Moon Knight, is also in the Land of Shadow."

Ranni froze in place, her mind racing to process Bai Shi's words.

‘My mother’s sister?’

‘How co I’ve never heard of such a person?’

While the news was stunning, it wasn't enough to make Ranni waver.

Setting aside whether the information was even true, utterly destroying the Two Fingers and completing her revenge was her highest priority.

Ranni was crystal clear on her current objective.

Neither the matter of her mother's sister—her aunt—nor the mysteries of the Land of Shadow would distract her for now.

Perhaps after settling her old scores, she might try to explore that land, but it would certainly not be at this mont.

—

Seeing that he truly couldn't make Ranni reveal herself, Bai Shi sighed, ready to give up.

Perhaps if Bai Shi had used so cheesy pickup lines, Ranni would have lost her composure and appeared out of embarrassnt.

But Bai Shi simply couldn't bring himself to say such things.

Muttering to a doll was already strange enough. Saying even weirder things was a line Bai Shi just couldn't cross.

Bai Shi sighed again.

Maybe Ranni's consciousness really wasn't in this little doll?

"Hmm..."

Bai Shi gazed at the Small Ranni sitting in his palm and suddenly had a bold idea.

What's the first thing one does after getting a new figurine?

Isn't it to admire it from every angle?

Bai Shi had already given it a once-over, but there was one critically important place for a figurine that he hadn't yet seen.

The view under the skirt, of course!

No one could resist the primal urge to inspect the scenery under the skirt of a new figurine.

If Ranni was in there, this would surely force her out.

And if she wasn't... well, it would satisfy Bai Shi's curiosity.

Just how detailed was this Small Ranni figurine? Let him bear witness with his own eyes!

Bai Shi swallowed and reached a hand toward the Small Ranni's leg.

His movents were slow, intentionally giving Ranni enough ti to react.

Sure enough, a sudden chill filled the air, completely obscuring Bai Shi's vision.

"To think the celebrated Sun King could be so utterly shaless..."

"You bring sha upon Ranni the Witch!"

The icy mist dispersed. The Small Ranni was now standing in Bai Shi's palm, her face a mask of sha and fury as she stared daggers at him.

Bai Shi suddenly recalled his initial thought.

‘Find a way to provoke a reaction from her, to make it impossible for her to continue playing puppet.’

‘It will probably be quite difficult.’

...Was it really that difficult?

Bai Shi smiled at the Small Ranni.

"Well, well. So you really were listening."

The Small Ranni's eyes widened as she understood.

Everything before had been a performance to make her speak.

Ranni sighed and asked:

"When did you know I was here?"

Bai Shi smiled.

"To be honest, I didn't know at all."

"I just figured it was the sort of thing you would do."

Realizing she'd been completely seen through, the Small Ranni covered her face.

"...Hmph. I never thought you'd be so persistent."

"I really thought you had a habit of talking to dolls, only to find you were baiting ."

"You truly are..."

...Wait a mont!

Realizing that Bai Shi had known she was there all along, Ranni blinked, and it suddenly dawned on her.

"So, what you said earlier..."

Rembering Bai Shi's previous words, Ranni paused.

Though she desperately wanted to ask if he ant what he said about her, the words simply wouldn't co out!

"...Hmph! Forget it!"

"I never intended to reveal this form to the world. But since you have found , you shan't escape unscathed!"

"I bid thee go, and lend

thy strength—"

"To seek and slay the baleful shadow of this land for ."

"...Thou'st shad Ranni the Witch. I shall not permit thee to refuse."