The integration of new members went smoothly. The main members of the Southern Army had all sought refuge themselves, so naturally, they had no reason to exclude others.
In a sense, the Soul Cinder King's army was unique in that it had no formal recruitment system; it grew entirely through passive additions. She had never even actively conscripted anyone. People spontaneously and continuously gravitated toward her. After all, in the chaotic Lands Between, she was the only Shardbearer who cared about life.
Frieren's rise seemed to prove that "one can still win by upholding benevolence and righteousness," a slap in the face to all those who acted recklessly and without regard for the consequences.
As her power grew, a common sentiment emerged among the people: "A person of such virtue and talent must be placed upon the throne of the Elden Lord, to serve as an example for future generations. Otherwise, morality and justice would crumble. For ages to come, no one would ever again perform righteous deeds."
Therefore, although the Nox people were filled with thoughts of "I must not be left out of the future rewards for the blessed people of gold," who doesn't have some consideration for their own interests? As long as they were united under one banner, it was enough.
This small interlude did not affect the army's march, as the Southern Army's high command quickly made adjustments.
After a ceremony of allegiance, Frieren continued to pass the time by reading, leaving everything else to be handled by others. In reality, this meant leaving it to Melina's judgment and for the Mimic Tear to handle communications.
Ultimately, the arrangement for the Nox was to cooperate with the underground development plan and first undergo military integration. After gauging their general strength, a decision would be made in the future about conscripting them into the army. The same applied to the Ancestral Followers.
The current Southern Army did not lack numbers; what it lacked was trial after trial by fire to teach everyone how to coordinate. Precisely because of this philosophy, this expedition included a large number of new recruits. Fortunately, they won.
Having passed through this baptism, they earned a new identity: Veterans. These individuals were the foundation of their confidence in absorbing different armies.
The troop transport continued for a full five days, day and night, in perfect order. When the last unit stepped onto the long ladder, it was time for Frieren and the high command to depart.
She looked towards the chief Knight of the Golden Needle, who had been guarding the Slumbering Cocoon.
"Leda, my people will stay in contact with you. I'll come find you after I've sorted things out. Remember your promise, I need to go to the Land of Shadow."
"Rest assured."
The two nodded to each other and then parted ways. In reality, there was little trust between them; a temporary consensus for joint action was sufficient.
The group spurred their horses onward, rushing toward the surface chasm. As Frieren reached a high point, she suddenly raised an eyebrow. From here, she could survey the vast underground world, magnificent yet decayed, and a rapidly departing figure...
At a broken bridge, a Crucible Knight took flight, leaving her range of perception. It seemed to be in a hurry. Could something be amiss?
Thinking back, she hadn't fought any of the Crucible Knights she'd encountered since Stormveil Castle. Frieren had always been curious about their strength. It was said they were at least at the level of divine beings. If they were to unite, they would form a super legion, invincible under the command of the First King, Godfrey. Therefore, their every move was worth watching.
Speaking of which, the Crucible Knights were widely scattered. For them to act in unison implied some kind of signal, was it related to the First King? Or were they simply leaving this place of conflict? After all, she was not a scion of the Golden Dynasty and was ultimately an enemy; she would not receive the Crucible Knights' allegiance.
Noticing the silver-haired girl had stopped to gaze into the distance, Melina followed her line of sight, but saw nothing. Her perception was far inferior to Frieren's exceptional talent in this area.
"It's nothing important, just a Crucible Knight passing by." The silver-haired girl shook her head, interrupting her partner who was about to speak: "The urgent matter is to coordinate all units to return to their garrisons, reward merits, and bring the war against the Mohgwyn Dynasty to a complete end."
And Melina said no more. One didn't need to guess to know that, given Frieren's character, she would love nothing more than for the Crucible Knights to gather in one place so she could fully witness their power and then defeat them.
On the surface.
The Redmane Army, led by Jerren, witnessed the triumphant return of the final expeditionary forces. Aside from the troops on rotation guarding the underground, all personnel were present, a sea of people forming a magnificent display.
A moment later, Frieren, Melina, and the Mimic Tear also arrived.
"Your Majesty, it's been a while." He bowed deeply: "Redmane Castle is prepared to accommodate everyone, and I hope for your authority, we've also prepared ample scribes to assist Your Majesty's work."
"That's true, Limgrave is a bit far. You're the closest major city. Let's go."
The army continued its march. The crimson landscape of old Caelid had vanished. The wind now occasionally carried the fragrance of flowers. In its place were lush wetlands.
In these years, the Scarlet Rot had not expanded an inch, nor did it show any signs of resurgence. On the contrary, the flower fields and wetlands continued to grow and flourish. It was as if life, long suppressed, had burst forth with tenacious will. Aided by the power of the Elden Ring's shards which cleansed the pollution, it was recovering day by day.
The army marched across meadows, advancing amidst a flurry of falling petals.
Facts proved that the Scarlet Rot was merely an opportunistic corruption; it could not change the fundamental rules of the Lands Between. It was powerless before the restoration backed by a Great Rune.
And this time, Frieren didn't forget to deal a final blow: Grace!
Along the way, she maintained the energy of three Great Runes to ensure any potentially hidden corruption was dispelled.
The army advanced victoriously, admiring the Soul Cinder King's power, and more importantly, her constant concern for restoring the Lands Between.
After arriving at Redmane Castle.
Frieren returned to a life busy with administrative affairs. Ordinary matters could be delegated or simply handed over to Melina, but tasks like recording military merits, commendations, bestowing rewards, and holding audiences could not be done by proxy. She had to appear in person; this was an inescapable responsibility.
So she entered a routine of reviewing documents, receiving audiences, and granting rewards. With the Soul Cinder King in residence, Redmane Castle naturally became the temporary center of the Southern Army.
Although it was a remote location, letters bearing the good news still spread far and wide like a storm. From Caelid to the Weeping Peninsula, from Limgrave to Liurnia, the people under the banner of the Black Sun and Flame Ring rushed to share one piece of news: Victory.
The Mohgwyn Dynasty was now history. Its birth was hidden, its death earth-shattering and memorable.
Especially when everyone learned that the Lord of Blood was an Omen, it became hard to forget. Once the news broke, some fringe Bloody Finger assassins and blood spies, their faith shattered, drew a clear line. The one thing that could not be touched was an Omen. From then on, the blood faction's morale scattered and collapsed; even its minions vanished.
Ultimately, it all served to embellish Frieren's legend. Counting the one from the Queen of the Full Moon, the quasi-monarch who already controlled three Great Runes now possessed four Great Runes. It was unprecedented.
She was not far from a complete Elden Ring, a fact of great significance. As the news fermented in the South, everyone realized that the monarch they served was now unstoppably pointing her sword towards the Altus Plateau. They would either follow Frieren and keep winning until they became people of the Golden Order, or become losers and be reduced to slaves.
After the Mohgwyn Dynasty expedition, the main party at the center of the storm remained low-key. She made no statements amidst the public discourse of the Lands Between.
In reality, Frieren was already overwhelmed with rewarding merits and had no time to read magic books or research spells. Her proficiency in governance, however, was growing ever higher. Indeed, people are forged by their experiences.
She ordered some of the rewarded generals to return to their garrisons first to handle regional affairs. Otherwise, for example, a decision concerning Liurnia would be sent here for Moongrum to judge, who would then pass it on to her, which was a headache.
"Everyone, go back."
Under the commander's order, the 50,000-strong army broke up into smaller units. It was rare for any single place in the Lands Between to maintain a large military force; they typically assembled as needed, otherwise scattering like stars in the sky, garrisoned in various locations, or with some people even taking on part-time work as mercenaries. Even with low supply pressure, one could not maintain an oversized military indefinitely.
Therefore, Frieren's order also served to reduce pressure, at least lessening the burden on blacksmiths and porters.
The South lost some of its grim, martial atmosphere, replaced by scenes of peace and prosperity. The warriors returned to their homes. They brought back bodies strengthened by Grace and Runes, allowing them to complete their work. Although the Lands Between has a casual view on death, believing souls can always be reincarnated, reunions are undoubtedly a good thing.
As the expeditionary forces gradually disbanded under Frieren's military orders, it also meant the aftershocks were fading. At least she no longer had to worry about military supplies.
Among the powers in the world that could maintain a large standing army, they either had a high proportion of monsters or possessed immense resources. The former was represented by Volcano Manor, the latter by the Royal Capital. The Southern Army fit neither description and could only be disbanded during peacetime.
Of course, this situation was only temporary, lasting until the invasion of the Altus Plateau. Once they began to face the pressure from Leyndell, Royal Capital, there would be no luxury of disbanding. In fact, with the lifts blocked and the Ancient Ruins passage sealed, now was a rare period of stable development.
Castle Morne.
Edgar, leading his personal guard, returned triumphantly to his homeland, only to see Irina waiting to greet him at the castle gate, her bright eyes filled with joy.
"Yes, it's been a long time. Though I often come to the South, it's been several years since I returned to Castle Morne. Here..."
A small town had naturally formed around the castle, even decorated with greenery, flourishing and beautiful. This phenomenon was very familiar. It was happening frequently all over the South.
As Frieren continuously cured the zombification sickness, allowing large numbers of civilians to return to normal, they gradually formed settlements around the major castles, generally undertaking tasks like transport, smithing, and hunting. These scattered small towns were the true symbol of vitality.
And between these castles, even more villages were distributed, spreading out along a network of roads and covering an astonishing area, filling the southern lands with vibrant life.
The sight of bustling traffic and traveling merchants made Edgar sigh with emotion: "Can the Weeping Peninsula really have such a scene?"
"It is all thanks to your conquests, Father."
"It's mainly thanks to Her Majesty. Any other Shardbearer would not use a Great Rune for healing."
It was common knowledge that Frieren's Great Rune had increasingly transcended spiritual healing, now causing plants to grow, rivers to be purified, and soil to recover... It was a manifestation of a conceptual rule, requiring a high degree of synergy between the power of an Elden Ring shard and the caster's will. Only she could do it.
Therefore, the Elden Ring responded to this compassionate heart and created miracles. Even if she didn't specifically cast a spell, that energy...
Irina actively helped her father dismount, and the two walked towards the castle together.
"Was everything alright while I was away?"
"As you can see, Castle Morne is developing very quickly. And we've taken on some of the material production tasks, earning quite a few Runes. I suppose we've prospered because of the war."
"Indeed, this is the most important activity in the Lands Between. Even under the First King's rule, there were constant conflicts, big and small."
"I heard the Lord of Blood was an Omen, is that true?"
"It's strange, Father should have fought him, but why is there a Frenzied Flame atmosphere? Why?"
Hearing this, Edgar's brow furrowed tightly. He led his daughter into a secret chamber in the castle. Seeing him so serious, Irina cooperated fully; it must be something important. Because her eyes were repaired with Frenzied Flame materials, she might have sensed some clue.
"There is something Her Majesty has only told a very few members of the high command."
"Mohg is indeed a son of Marika, and he has a brother who is also an Omen, the one who goes by the title of the King of Grace. He actually operates under the guise of Margit, the Fell Omen, and was once imprisoned in the capital's sewers..."
"So, because I've had contact with Mohg, I have an aura of Frenzied Flame, which means the Frenzied Flame is in the capital's sewers? This needs to be reported to Her Majesty."
The impact was immense. The explosive amount of information made even the intelligent Irina scratch her head.
"No wonder. That explains why a powerful, unknown demigod suddenly appeared during the Shattering? Giving birth to two Omens is undoubtedly a stain on Godfrey and Marika, and a severe challenge to the Golden Dynasty's legitimacy, especially now without Godwyn."
"However, Her Majesty does not intend to expose this for the time being, and even wants the King of Grace to keep it a secret."
"Because you either don't reveal it, or once you do, you must be ready to take over the Royal Capital. Otherwise, a leaderless Leyndell will only descend into a civil war with rivers of blood, which is not in Lady Frieren's style."
"Indeed, Her Majesty always has compassion for all living things."
One didn't need to guess to know that once the King of Grace's Omen identity was exposed, the golden nobles of the Royal Capital would be the first to object. The Night's Cavalry, who are absolutely loyal to him, might brandish their blades, while the stances of the Tree Sentinels, Valiant Gargoyles, and others are unclear. Some might support him, some might oppose. It would be a total mess.
It's a difficult situation. But it would surely be filled with the smoke of war, and the damage would be even greater than that of a siege.
Frieren is unwilling to occupy a ruin, only to admire the remains of golden rooftops from amidst rubble. She would probably even get angry.
"The important thing isn't his Omen identity; Her Majesty doesn't care about that anyway. But she definitely cares about the Frenzied Flame." Edgar stroked his chin and pondered for a moment. "That power is rejected by the entire Lands Between, and it tried to corrupt Her Majesty."
"Is it that serious?"
"It's just like the incident at the Frenzied Flame Village in Liurnia. Don't forget what happened to Vyke."
"If only these eyes of mine could be of help..."
"They've already been a great help. At least Her Majesty will know to be careful of the capital's sewers. It's almost certain that the Frenzied Flame Three Fingers are sealed there. It would be best to eliminate them."
After cross-referencing their information, the father and daughter confirmed their findings and immediately sent a report. This topic ended here.
A grand conspiracy on the scale of the Lands Between was not something they could decide. They just needed to report their conclusion to Frieren to ensure the Soul Cinder King was informed. The rest would be left for the king to judge.
There was no need to worry about her. After all, she is a king, and even more so, the destined Tarnished who is invincible and ever-victorious.
Fort Haight.
Since the expeditionary army set out, Haight had been fraught with worry. Every day, he would inquire about the situation on the front lines. Even if the news was slow and there was no progress, he would ask regularly, even preparing for it to become a part of his daily routine for the next few years. After all, sieges in the Lands Between were always long and arduous.
However, this time was unprecedented. The victor was decided in just two months. It ended with the defeat of Mohg, Lord of Blood, and the destruction of his dynasty. In the history of warfare in the Lands Between, this could be called a blitzkrieg, cutting through the mess with a swift blade.
The majority of the time was actually spent on gathering forces and traveling.
Ruin-Strewn Precipice.
As the person in charge of the lift in this area, Haight had a direct feel for it. The operation was much more stable than before, without the frequent gravitational disturbances and shaking. It was clear that the magical environment had changed.
He listened to the sorcerers' opinion: "It should be that Her Majesty's creation of the Great Caelid Chasm has smoothed the magical exchange with the underground world, which has reduced much of the turbulence."
"It can even work like that!"
"The Tarnished we sent out should be returning soon. They will surely know more clearly."
"Our chasm here is connected to the Eternal City, the Liurnia chasm links to the Siofra River, and the remaining Caelid one leads to the Mohgwyn Dynasty..." Haight nodded to himself. "Does this mean the underground and the surface are now completely connected? We have another route for movement."
"Theoretically, that's correct, but it will depend on subsequent scouting and road building, especially since the terrain of the Eternal City is complex."
"Simple."
Nepheli had not yet arrived, but her cheerful voice came up with the lift.
She flashed a bright smile and said: "We met the Nox people down below. They have already sworn allegiance to Frieren and will help us develop the underground world together."
This statement stunned everyone present.
Before anyone could ask, a Nox Swordstress had already walked up to greet them. After chatting with her, they learned that the Eternal City had submitted.
"It's clear what a momentous decision you all made today. Congratulations, everyone."
"That's right. We will place Her Majesty Frieren on the throne of the Elden Lord."
The current demand of the Nox people is very simple: On the basis of self-preservation, they want to reserve a seat at the table for when the spoils are divided in the future. That is all. Any greater desires would not match their current power.
"Continue."
At Haight's command, the lift continued to operate at high speed, the clattering of gears and chains echoing through the deep pit.
Thanks to the opening of another chasm, the magic in the underground world has stabilized, enough to support larger-scale exploration. One can imagine that the territory directly governing the star-gazing town will be on the fast track, maintaining rapid development. Just the endless stream of Tarnished from the Roundtable participating has boosted the town's business.
As Nepheli's squad completed their exploration, it was the next team's turn, which was led by Rogier. He had always been full of curiosity about the underground world. The two made eye contact and greeted each other.
"Since we last met at the Roundtable, I've been doing commissions in the South. How is D's situation?"
"Thanks to Frieren performing emergency treatment, the assassination wasn't fully successful. He can already walk around freely, and just needs a bit more time to recuperate to regain his combat strength, with no lasting effects."
"That's good. Any progress on the investigation into Fia?"
"That's exactly what I'm here to do. The forces serving the Prince of Death are most likely entrenched in Deeproot Depths. Following the underground river should lead to them."
The Nox people who overheard the topic exclaimed in surprise, and even Haight next to them paid attention.
Rogier asked politely: "Perhaps you know something? We can trade for the information, and I guarantee a fair price."
"No need. We are all for a common cause. To get back to the point, in the land where Astel was once entrenched, there exists a teleportation point to Deeproot Depths, but it is extremely well hidden."
"So they're connected spatially, not geographically?"
"Correct, and that's the difficult part. Even if found, it can only transport a very small number of people. And there are Dragonkin Soldiers and Valiant Gargoyles active there. It's extremely dangerous."
"Where is it specifically?"
Hearing this, everyone showed a hint of regret. But they quickly regained their spirits. A new exploration meant a new opportunity. Since that was the case, they now had another objective, which should be considered a good thing.
Far away in Liurnia, the Carian Knights finally returned to the Magic Academy.
Following Frieren's instructions, Moongrum brought piles of Blood Oath magic scrolls to the laboratory. The sorcerers, who had been somewhat somber, were instantly excited. Like the Soul Cinder King, they all loved new kinds of magic.
"As you can see, these are the spoils from the Mohgwyn Dynasty. They will surely strengthen Raya Lucaria's power. There is no faction better suited to studying magic than us."
"Understood, Lord Moongrum."
"Additionally, research Night Sorcery as well. We cannot be completely ignorant of our future allies."
His words were full of meaning, and the researchers naturally understood. It was business as usual.
For years, the Carian Royal Family had always been on guard against both the Golden Order forces harassing them with the Cuckoo Knights and the academy factions trying to stage a comeback. In the Lands Between, they were the only true magic faction in such a perilous situation, so they had to be quick-witted.
But things were different now. Under the Soul Cinder King, the academy finally entered a period of peace, stable and prosperous, as Her Majesty directly faced the pressure from the Golden Order. But they couldn't let their skills atrophy; they had to step up their research.
"How is Frieren?" Sellen asked with concern. "It seems she has no intention of coming back?"
"Indeed, Her Majesty chose to handle official business at Redmane Castle for its proximity, likely to set out for the Land of Shadow at any moment. She probably can't wait."
"That place is very dangerous."
"Have you discovered something? Or is it intelligence from Her Majesty the Queen?"
"She is currently in a deep sleep to rest. It seems creating Melina's physical body took a heavy toll. However, I did find from archival documents that the Holy War Army took away the elite of Caria, as well as the main force of the Golden Dynasty from Flame Peak."
"If that hadn't happened, perhaps the academy faction would not have been able to seize power and trouble the academy for so long."
The usually calm Moongrum let out a rare, cold snort. Though he said this, he wasn't blaming the leader of the expedition, Twin Moon Knight Rellana. Rather, he felt the Golden Dynasty had deceived them, making them contribute a large number of elites only to lose them in the Land of Shadow. How cruel.
"Shameless."
"It wasn't knightly conduct at all. As expected, the Golden Lineage is full of conspiracy and cunning, unlike the honor-bound Caria."
Sellen handed over a thick document, saying: "Have this forwarded to my busy apprentice via Stormveil. She has always been interested in the Lands Between's..."
The two then began to discuss the victory ceremony and plan the academy's next steps of development.
"Always be prepared for the next war."
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