Moongrum and the others didn't care what would happen to the First Elden Lord; they remained steadfast in their gamble on the Lord of Cinder.
It was an all-in bet.
Frieren's achievements in restoring the three southern regions were her greatest credit; there was no doubt that once she obtained the complete Elden Ring, she would only grow stronger, and The Lands Between would surely usher in an age of prosperity.
As for the Golden Royal Capital faction, they were too full of schemes and couldn't be trusted.
Though Marika and Godfrey had created an age where the Golden Order's grace flowed across the land, they had also personally ruined a promising situation, with a series of unsettling events following.
It was still better to rely on Frieren.
Moreover, her consistent approach of investigating first and then claiming kingship provided a greater sense of security for the Liurnian faction that had failed in the previous conspiracy.
As for the other Empyrean, Ranni, there was no need to say much; they had watched her grow up.
"The so-called return of the First Elden Lord is merely a rumor, no need to make a fuss," Moongrum said bluntly. "Even if he returns, we will still choose to pledge allegiance to Your Majesty. I imagine Limgrave feels the same; they have never truly submitted to the Golden Order."
"In any case, just keep an eye on things."
"Understood."
"Godfrey's return is good news," Frieren added. "It means some factions couldn't hold back and have played their trump card."
Frieren had always looked forward to a battle with the First Elden Lord, and it couldn't be just a duel. She had to emerge victorious amidst a vast army, for the inhabitants of The Lands Between always relished such displays.
She had long understood: these people judged heroes by their military achievements. If one's merits weren't grand enough, they weren't fit to be King—for example, Radagon was only referred to as the King Consort.
To found an empire, no one gained kingship without significant achievements.
In their eyes, what was the greatest hidden legitimacy beyond the Golden Order itself?
It was to squarely defeat the previous King in a large-scale war.
In a sense, the King under the Golden Erdtree system, Godfrey, also fit the "victorious in Ancient Dragon War" criteria by indirectly defeating the Dragonlord of the previous system and inheriting its authority.
Placidusax's failure to appear was considered a loss.
In The Lands Between, there was no debate about "the Warrior King and the Dragonlord never fought, so who is stronger?" Avoiding confrontation was considered a lesser path.
In Frieren's eyes, as an outsider, was what Radagon lacked truly greater military achievements?
No.
It was a rare subtle expression from the people of The Lands Between; though unspoken, they truly thought, "You're only a King if you kill Godfrey," not merely drive him away. Thus, a step in the "qualification procedure" was missing, and he was naturally only fit to be King Consort.
Therefore, the First Elden Lord's "golden body" was unbroken; upon his return, he would still be King.
Even if the southern faction didn't explicitly state it, Frieren could guess their expectation: "I want to see you launch a campaign against Leyndell and kill Godfrey."
A King must answer expectations.
A King has a duty to meet challenges.
"Rest assured, I will kill the First Elden Lord. Then you will understand just how correct your choice today was."
"Praise be to Your Majesty, may you ever be victorious!"
The knights and the mages bowed in unison, their barely contained excitement proving Frieren's guess correct. No one expected their usually aloof sovereign to directly express such fervor for crushing an enemy. Their opponent was the First Elden Lord, and issuing such a bold declaration was tantamount to declaring war.
The news would surely spread: the strongest sorcerer, the undisputed quasi-King a mere step away from the Elden Ring, eagerly awaited the return of the First Elden Lord, keen to adorn her throne with his blood.
She had already surpassed all other Demigods, qualifying to establish a dynasty.
People would sing her praises across the four corners of the land.
No matter when Godfrey returned to The Lands Between, the first news he would hear upon stepping onto the Mist-Shrouded Shore would not be of Marika or the ongoing chaos, but the challenge from another young monarch.
Truly worthy of the Lord of Cinder; this domineering aura always struck a chord with their fervent hearts.
Frieren, however, was not so emotional. She calmly continued to review documents; these things were far more tiresome than battles.
Half a day later.
The silver-haired girl, having cleared her backlog of work, stretched.
"Moongrum, if I'm to go to Ranni's Divine Tower, which way should I go?"
"Your Highness and Her Majesty are close enough for her to reveal such information... Go to the study entrance. Lady Ranni should have given you the mechanism's key."
"I do have a Carian Inverted Statue."
"That's right, but I heard there's a mysterious and powerful guardian in the Divine Tower. Their identity is unknown, but they're incredibly formidable. If Lady Ranni hasn't had time to brief the guardian, there might be a conflict with Your Majesty."
"I won't kill anyone."
"So, are you departing now? Haven't you just finished your official duties? Won't you rest a bit more?"
"This is my rest," Frieren said, then strode off with quick steps, unwilling to stay another minute.
Of course, the remaining bits and pieces of work were left to her subordinates. Moongrum and his party were used to this; no one was perfect, and among the Demigods, Frieren was by far the most reliable.
Across the Liurnia Highway lay a small cluster of buildings.
A sturdy, somewhat square building stood before her. Compared to the ancient atmosphere of the Academy district, this place had a touch more vitality.
Frieren shaded her eyes with a hand, gazing towards the distant Divine Tower, which soared into the clouds.
Extremely tall.
Grand structures abounded throughout The Lands Between, but in terms of series average height, the Divine Towers were likely the tallest. Each corresponded to a different Demigod, and Ranni's was particularly magnificent.
How long ago were they built?
Frieren had already visited two other Divine Towers, but Ranni's was unique; she didn't possess a Great Rune. On the contrary, Frieren was here to retrieve a Cursemark.
The study was quiet upon entry.
Various bookshelves filled the surroundings, immersing one in an ocean of knowledge that evoked a sense of solemnity. If she had leisure, Frieren would gladly indulge in some reading, but the matter of the Divine Tower was more pressing.
The most prominent central point was a high platform.
She tried taking out the Carian Inverted Statue and placing it in the recess. Sure enough, a mechanism whirred.
Click!
Once the passage opened, Frieren carefully entered. At the same time, her senses detected enemy movement.
"A Fingercreeper is still in a place like this."
Facing unsettling monsters, she never held back. With the stance of Night and Flame, she swept away the formidable enemy, the flames reducing it to ash.
Almost simultaneously, a Glintstone Shard pierced through the flames, heading towards Frieren.
Clang!
Even with a surprise attack, she easily parried it, the confident blow having no effect. Yet, a sweep of her senses found nothing—no, wait, there was a deeply hidden trace of magic. This fellow was also skilled in concealment, sharing similarities with the Mimic Tear.
Suddenly, a Glintstone Sorcery flew in from another direction. It was easily parried again, and at the same time, she shifted to another spell.
Carian Retaliation!
Frieren unleashed a greatsword arc of light, but it struck empty air. Immediately after, magic came from an awkward angle. Rather than exquisite skill, it was more that the caster was constantly teleporting, leaving no openings, moving with extreme caution.
"Preceptor Miriam? I've heard you guard this study and have developed fascinating spells."
"Are you going to say Ranni guided you here? I won't believe it."
The voice came from all directions within the study.
"What I mean is, your magic isn't clever enough. A few more uses and you'll expose yourself."
Frieren's voice made Miriam's heart clench, almost causing her to falter.
Why was this person so confident? How could she believe she could see through Miriam's strongest stealth technique, one that even the Academy's many abilities couldn't penetrate? It shouldn't be possible.
But after all, she had guarded the study for so many years, dedicating herself to research, so she wasn't very familiar with the outside world and dared not jump to conclusions.
Both sides spontaneously halted their movements.
"You are very cautious; you understand combat better than those Academy sorcerers." The silver-haired girl raised her staff. "Coincidentally, I also have a new stealth spell I've learned."
Invisibility Magic.
The silver-haired girl vanished right before Miriam's eyes.
It was like a magic trick. Miriam knew she would vanish, she observed with all her might, yet she disappeared right under her nose. It was absurd and utterly baffling.
Little did she know, this was one of the ultimate techniques of Night Sorcery, unseen even by sorcery professors.
It came from the Mimic Tear's memories.
As the master, to learn abilities from the Spirit Ash was, in a sense, mutual progress that led to both becoming stronger.
Regardless, it was shocking. After this display, Miriam dared not make any rash moves, for her spiritual senses couldn't detect her opponent's hiding spot at all. She was at a loss.
Move first.
She once again used Miriam's Vanish, teleporting to another rafter.
She benefited from the complex upper structure of the study, which offered protection.
Little did Miriam know, all of this was under Frieren's observation. After the initial surprise attack, Frieren had immediately locked onto her target with her magical senses. To be a step ahead, this was fundamental; one's discernment had to be superior. Besides, Frieren had seen plenty of invisible enemies; they were largely all the same.
"So this magic can teleport?"
The voice actually spoke right beside her, startling Miriam, yet she still couldn't pinpoint her enemy's location.
So, in desperation, she activated her teleportation again, simultaneously creating a glintstone mist that rapidly spread to various parts of the study's rafters, obscuring perception.
She, meanwhile, continuously cast spells to prevent the enemy from locating her.
Frieren, however, remained unseen, hidden deep and flawlessly.
The two, who should have been exchanging magical bombardments, instead converged on covert combat, beginning a contest of stealth. This feeling of meeting a worthy opponent was indeed novel. However, the competition was unequal, for Miriam's concealment was slightly superior.
Night Comet!
Frieren suddenly unleashed a spell towards the center of the glintstone mist, grazing Miriam's face.
"So fast! Did she miss?"
The next moment, following the attack's path, she retaliated with a Glintstone spell, but there was no response. Had her opponent already moved away?
Zap!
The instant the thought arose, a Night Comet flew in from another direction. Its tricky angle and the spell's unique stealth properties left her completely unaware, and she was wounded in the same spot.
There was only a shallow scratch on her cheek, but it struck terror into her heart.
It turned out that from beginning to end, she had been as exposed as if unclothed in her opponent's senses. The invader could launch a lethal attack at any moment; the two attacks were warnings not to act rashly. The difference between them was like heaven and earth.
"This is Night Sorcery. Have you been to Sellia, Town of Sorcery, or the Eternal City?"
"Both," replied a voice echoing through the study.
"No matter your purpose, my duty to guard this study for the Carian Royal Family will not waver. Prepare yourself."
"Let's finish this."
Immediately, a powerful suction force pulled Miriam's body. Caught off guard, she instantly lost her balance and, with a choked sound, fell from the rafter.
Then she found herself floating weightlessly in the air; no matter how much she struggled, it was useless.
The silver-haired girl's figure appeared beside her.
Her opponent's eyes, full of interest, seemed to be experimenting with new ways to use magic, easily subduing the enemy by overwhelming power. Thus, her expression was satisfied, while for Miriam, it was utter humiliation.
She hadn't expected her opponent to be so proficient in Night Sorcery, and to also possess Gravity Magic!
"Who are you?"
"You should have asked earlier. My name is Frieren. I was entrusted by Ranni to retrieve the Cursemark of Death. We are allies."
As she spoke, the silver-haired girl opened her palm, revealing two heavy shards of the Elden Ring, which emanated a warm glow, momentarily illuminating the entire study and dispelling the shadows. Even if they had never seen them firsthand, every living being in The Lands Between would confirm them as Great Runes with a single glance.
The stir deep within their very beings would never be mistaken.
These manifestations of the world's great power and rules resonated strongly; one look was enough to recognize them.
Moreover, what they felt was not a covetous desire, but reverence and awe. The aura of one who held shards of the Elden Ring was undeniable.
Especially two.
Miriam sighed, "When did a quasi-King appear in The Lands Between? I believe you, Your Majesty Frieren. But why didn't you reveal your identity sooner?"
"Because your magic was interesting. I wanted to observe it closely."
"Those who hold curiosity for research are good people. I don't mind telling you what little I know..."
After regaining her footing, she shared the spell's secrets:
[A technique of the Preceptor who serves the Carian Royal Family. Allows one to merge with glintstone mist, concealing one's figure, reappearing after a moment.]
[Can control reappearance position forwards, backwards, left, or right.]
[It is said that the study's caretaker is proficient in this magic, thus it is named after her.]
Indeed, it wasn't exaggerated to the extent of spatial teleportation; it was merely a combination of mist and rapid flashes that gave the illusion of teleportation. Still, it was quite fast. If Frieren herself were to use it, it would be even faster, barely distinguishable from true teleportation.
Frieren tried it on the spot.
The silver-haired girl's figure flickered repeatedly throughout the study, her movements more fluid, leaving barely any trace even without the aid of glintstone mist.
The same spell yields different effects in the hands of different casters, let alone a Demigod sorceress.
"Truly remarkable insight..."
As a Preceptor, Miriam had seen countless apprentices. Who among them could learn a spell instantly like Frieren, mastering it as if it were an extension of her own limb, as if she had studied it for decades? It was a bit too exaggerated.
No wonder she could defeat two Demigods and earn the title of quasi-King.
"Oh, by the way, Your Majesty," Miriam continued, "since your relationship with Princess Ranni is quite deep, does this mean you intend to choose the Age of the Stars?"
"Not necessarily. One reason is that I don't yet know her interpretation of the Age."
"You needn't worry. I believe Her Highness's intention is to open the seals, allowing The Lands Between to embrace more external powers, integrating them all, while gods and kings would still watch over the world, serving as ballast, rather than departing for distant realms. Besides, The Lands Between has already incorporated many foreign elements over the years."
"That could work."
"Although I lean towards the Carian Royal Family, the matter of the Elden Lord is of great importance. A King has the duty to choose, and Your Majesty's careful consideration shows responsibility."
"Yes, I am also investigating many things, such as collecting all the Great Runes and restoring the Runes."
Frieren's answer left Miriam utterly stunned.
"Truly, a lofty ambition."
-
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