[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring":3,"chapter-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-225":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Starting at Hogwarts, Logging into Elden Ring",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1496349,1944,"Chapter 225: Corrosion of the Soul, and the So-Called “Blessing”","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-225",225,"\u003Cp>Miquella urged,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since that's the case, please help Malenia remove the Scarlet Rot as soon as possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he and Malenia were born from a single deity, they were both Empyreans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, because Radagon had not yet become a complete god—and because he had brought back the Scarlet Rot from the Lake of Rot—the twins were born with flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella would remain eternally youthful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malenia, meanwhile, was born with Scarlet Rot parasitizing her existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella's flaw was mild—he simply could not grow up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malenia's was far crueler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment she was born, Scarlet Rot gnawed at her body and soul alike. Even her Great Rune had been corrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That rune should have been the most sacred among all gods and demigods—yet even it could not escape corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone was enough to prove how terrifying Scarlet Rot truly was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Malenia finally had a chance to be rid of it, Miquella was unwilling to wait even a moment longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur nodded and turned to Malenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prepare yourself. I'll extract all the power within your body. The process may be painful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He did not bother telling her to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a battle-hardened Valkyrie, pain like this was insignificant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malenia nodded calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur formed his left hand into a blade and plunged it into Malenia's chest, beginning the extraction of Scarlet Rot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite a gaping wound torn through her torso and blood flowing endlessly, Malenia merely frowned slightly—fully deserving of her title as the Goddess of War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her power drained away, her once-upright figure slowly lost strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she was about to collapse, Arthur reached out and caught her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation startled Malenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time she had ever rested in someone's arms other than her brother's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feeling was strangely familiar—just as reassuring as Miquella's embrace—but broader… warmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an experience entirely new to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, she didn't have long to savor it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's absorption of Scarlet Rot was nearing completion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her power exhausted, Malenia felt her eyelids grow unbearably heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the final moment before losing consciousness, a trace of reluctance toward that warm embrace flickered through her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Miquella's perspective, however—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister closed her eyes in Arthur's arms… and her body crumbled into dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ash was guided by Arthur's magic and condensed into a white crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella was all too familiar with such a crystal—his own soul resided in one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his attention was quickly drawn elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw it clearly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One-third of Malenia's soul was stained crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those were unmistakable traces of Scarlet Rot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella asked anxiously,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Arthur, Malenia's soul is also being corroded—what should we do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur replied calmly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry. Once I fully master Scarlet Rot, I'll be able to separate it from her soul.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, he could already wield Scarlet Rot to a basic degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply wasn't yet confident enough to perform such delicate operations on the soul itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That required caution—and experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella still looked uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the Scarlet Rot is continuing to spread. Is this really okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur watched the crimson corrosion slowly creeping across Malenia's soul and frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This couldn't continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a physical body acting as a buffer, Scarlet Rot was spreading even faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If left unchecked, it might eventually give birth to a Rot Goddess of the Soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur suggested,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why not forge another Unalloyed Gold Needle to suppress the spread for now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malenia's original needle had been lost during her battle with Radahn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without its suppression, she had bloomed in Aeonia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That needle had later been found by Arthur, repaired, and given to Millicent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After her rot was suppressed, Millicent left to travel the world—seeking her memories and origins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This alone proved that Scarlet Rot could even erode memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But the main material for the needle is a branch from the Erdtree… and a massive amount of pure gold. We don't have those here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the Zenith Garden, he produced piles of gold Galleons—and a branch of the Erdtree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Handing it to Miquella, he asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this enough? If not, I have more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where did you get an Erdtree branch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur hadn't even entered the Erdtree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flying up to snap one off was impossible—the Erdtree was surrounded by Thorns of Rejection, a barrier rather than literal thorns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the deep roots—already corrupted by Death—could be touched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By all logic, Arthur shouldn't have been able to obtain this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Miquella didn't know was that Arthur himself had planted an Erdtree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur only smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You'll find out someday.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella stopped questioning and turned to crafting the Unalloyed Gold Needle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur watched closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The needle could suppress nearly all negative influences—even Frenzied Flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a powerful artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur intended to learn everything he could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella didn't object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Arthur was the one saving Malenia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, the needle was complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miquella approached Malenia's soul and gently inserted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Scarlet Rot was immediately suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Malenia awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She examined her current state—and when she saw the lingering crimson stains on her soul, disappointment flashed through her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur reassured her,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't worry. Give me some time. Once I fully understand this power, I'll remove it completely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gloom vanished instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need,\" Arthur replied. \"Go spend time with your brother. I'll take care of the Scarlet Rot infesting the Haligtree.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur's intentions weren't purely altruistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, he needed a target to practice wielding his newly acquired Scarlet Rot power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Haligtree was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had his eye on the tree itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since acquiring the Zenith Garden, Arthur had developed a habit:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a plant looked special, he wanted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tree grown from an Empyrean's blood was too tempting to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His idea was simple—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Embed Miquella and Malenia into the Haligtree, then manifest the entire tree into the Zenith Garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three objectives accomplished in one move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But first, he needed to fully explore Elphael.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much of the city was built into the Haligtree itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he moved it recklessly, the city might collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the inhabitants—the races sheltered by the Haligtree—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arthur didn't consider them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living under the tree's protection, they had already been tainted by Scarlet Rot to varying degrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saving them would be meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Shattering, the Golden Order had malfunctioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had received its \"blessing\" descended into madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the Haligtree's residents believed they were unblessed by the Erdtree—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was merely their own assumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they were born in the Lands Between, the Erdtree had already marked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they died, their power would return to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the Erdtree's perspective—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That mark itself was also a blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Advance Chapters Available on Patreon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FWhiteDevil7554\u003C\u002Fp>",1136,"2026-06-06T04:19:46.381Z",1,"novelbin.me","39f09f78d2373611415ca18b82326af9ea1d395634459b1d5083f4dca6c235e1","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-226","starting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-chapter-224",281,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-at-hogwarts-logging-into-elden-ring-cover.jpg"]