Valora

'To ride into battle, one must have cause. Mine—past, present, and forever—is the same.'

Loyalty courses through the veins of the Aegis bloodline, a creed Valora lives to perfection. As the old master's fiercest knight, she rides alone into battle, raises her Vassals, and secures the family's glory. Though the old master is gone, her devotion remains unbroken. To her, the Bathory legacy is sacred—and only those of the rightful bloodline may carry it forward.

A weathered metal saddle acquired from a marketplace vendor, its patches of rust concealing the ancient engravings etched beneath.

The traveling merchant claimed he had discovered it among the ruins of an ancient battlefield near Ganelon territory, hoping to turn a handsome profit from his find.

Clearly, he had no inkling that the heraldic crest bore the marks of both Bathory and Aegis. Had he known, he never would have dared hawk such a relic in broad daylight, lest the Silver Cross come calling in the shadows of night.

Once the truth dawned upon him, terror seized him. He thrust the saddle into my hands for a mere 1 Soli and hastily began gathering his wares.

Bearing this saddle, I made my way back to Bathory Castle.

What forgotten time lay buried beneath that veil of rust? As one who had lost all memory of my own past, I found myself consumed by curiosity.

I talked to both Empousa and Jestel, hoping they might shed light on this mystery.

Empousa declared she knew nothing of its origins, while Jestel revealed that such intricate patterns were exceedingly rare, even within the Aegis family.

Throughout the family's long history, only one ancestor had earned the right to bear such markings—the great Valora Aegis herself.

I made arrangements with Valora to collect the saddle.

The Bathory had awakened several elders from the Ancestral Vault, and Valora was among them.

Our previous letter marked my first communication with her. Before our meeting, perhaps I should learn more about her.

From the Cartographer's survey notes, I discovered that she had been gravely wounded in a bitter battle.

Strangely, however, despite her standing as both general and knight of the Bathory, the family's records concerning her remain frustratingly vague. I have combed through every chronicle, yet cannot piece together an idea about her. Even the crucial reason for her slumber remains shrouded in mystery, leaving only the words 'gravely wounded.'

When I asked Cain, he merely smiled and offered nothing.

At the Observatory, Valora gazed across the entire Bathory territory and recounted the history that Baphomet had erased.

Though I had already read the survey notes, I was still struck with shock by the historical details told firsthand by someone who had lived through them.

'But why arrange to meet at the Observatory?'

Hearing my question, Valora fell into silence for a moment before revealing her reasons.

'In the time I have slumbered, all things in this world have changed beyond recognition. All of this feels foreign to me; only the eternal stars above still whisper of home.'

Before departing the Observatory, I told Valora that I had once asked Cain about her past. She advised me to maintain a certain discipline of caution around Cain.

The more I conversed with Valora, the more I came to admire her.

On the battlefield, she charged alongside Ludgard, facing formidable enemies with unwavering courage.

In the Hall of the Elders, she chose to serve as advisor to the young master, maintaining her unwavering loyalty to the Bathory. Even when her loyalty caused Baphomet's resentment, she never once regretted it.

When friction frequently arose between the Bathory and the Ganelon, she wielded compassion to preserve the fragile peace.

Valora possesses every quality a knight should embody.

Therefore, she deserves the treatment a knight has earned.