Redmane Castle.
Inside an office, Frieren opened a letter, recognizing Edgar's handwriting on it. After reading it carefully, she flicked her finger, and a small flame incinerated it completely, leaving not a single trace.
Beside her, Melina, who was helping organize documents, glanced over but said nothing. The letter was for Frieren, not for her. If her companion didn't bring it up, she would act as if it never happened.
"I didn't expect Irina to be able to keenly sense the Frenzied Flame. The aura came from Mohg; perhaps he once guarded the Frenzied Flame's seal."
"That's strange. Why didn't we sense it at the time?" Melina murmured.
"The Formless Mother's aura must have masked it. It was only discovered after it had spread and the influence of blood weakened. In any case, the intelligence is correct. The Frenzied Flame is sealed in the sewers beneath the Royal Capital."
"That's too far away."
"Yes, we can't concern ourselves with it for now. Also, there's news from the Royal Capital: Godfrey will return."
Frieren took the opportunity to share some of the phenomena mentioned in the intelligence report.
Unlike previous instances, which were mere whispers and traces of the First Lord's return, this time his power had manifested clearly. It was speculated that some kind of avatar had been activated.
Judging by the commotion, a battle must have occurred. The truth was easy to deduce: the Omen King had taken the initiative to destroy the First Lord's avatar to signal a crisis.
Although this seemed to confirm that the Golden Dynasty was under immense pressure from the Lord of Cinder, there was no time to worry about saving face now. Rumors were even spreading that the Omen King was himself an Omen; failing to respond was not an option.
They were going all in.
Leyndell was showing its resolve to fight the challenger to the bitter end. It was impossible for them to cooperate with a quasi-king who had explicitly rejected the Golden Order, which left only one option: let war decide.
After hearing the full story, Melina said with relief, "It's a good thing you previously declared that you would welcome a battle with the First Lord. Otherwise, this turmoil might have caused some wavering within the Southern Army."
"Some people will still be unsettled. Ultimately, I need to defeat Godfrey myself."
"I believe in you."
"It's too early to discuss him. As I see it, the greatest value of this intelligence from the Royal Capital is confirming that the Golden Lineage had a contingency plan. We cannot underestimate them."
"From another perspective, wouldn't the powers in Limgrave and Liurnia see them as even more treacherous and worthy of vigilance?"
"That's true. Trust between the South and the Altus Plateau was lost long ago."
The Golden Dynasty's stance was, of course, inspiring to its followers.
Their adversaries, however, now understood more clearly that compromise was not an option. Godfrey's conquests were domineering and direct; the two sides could only clash in a fight to the death. Thus, they had no choice but to rally more closely under Frieren's protection, even if forced by the situation.
As Melina said, it could be considered good news, as it made everyone understand the importance of the Lord of Cinder.
The Lands Between had currently formed a standoff between two powerful factions. The more peripheral forces like the Volcano Manor and the Haligtree were ultimately lacking in influence.
"Your Majesty."
A knight knocked and entered, offering a salute before saying, "We have new developments from our surveillance of Leda's squad. It seems they can use Miquella's power to teleport via Grace, just like you. Some have already departed for the Haligtree and the front lines of the Land of Shadow to begin reconnaissance."
The Southern Army had never trusted this group of Miquella's followers.
Even without Frieren's specific instructions, they had placed spies. Both sides were well aware of this, and revealing some intelligence could put the other party at ease. After all, deception and concealment were futile.
So, the personnel stationed underground quickly reported back.
Sitting at the desk, the pair looked at each other, immediately realizing that the time to assemble was fast approaching.
The silver-haired girl waved her hand to dismiss the knight.
"Could the news from the Royal Capital have spurred Miquella's followers into action?" Melina's face was contemplative. "Their calculations are not simple either."
"We'll know once we get to the Land of Shadow. I'll make some arrangements first, to avoid having work pile up again if I'm away for too long." Now, Frieren was becoming more and more skilled at handling administrative affairs, her pen flying across the paper.
"The Land of Shadow is vast. Exploration won't be finished in a short while..."
"Once things have settled down over there and we have a base of operations, I'll turn my attention to the Altus Plateau."
"You're going to go up there?"
Melina immediately grew serious. With the Lord of Cinder's current status, her every move was under scrutiny. Arriving in the Royal Capital's territory would be tantamount to a direct declaration of war, inevitably igniting conflict throughout the Lands Between.
Would she lead the grand army and charge up all at once? Or would she, as always, explore alone first? But with her style, could she remain hidden? She would surely cause a huge commotion.
A closer look revealed a slew of problems. Moreover, Melina didn't think Volcano Manor, which blocked the path up the Ruin-Strewn Precipice, would let her pass. Friction, and even a major battle, would likely occur then.
"Actually, I haven't thought it through clearly. I just feel like I should go up and have a look."
"That's very much your style."
"In any case, that's a long way off. The urgent priority is to confirm the environment of the Land of Shadow, otherwise it's all empty talk."
The two tacitly ended the topic.
They coordinated to issue a new round of deployments, having the southern regions continue to stockpile resources, maintain their efforts in striking down monsters, expanding trade routes, and increasing production, while also assigning tasks to several locations like Castle Morne, Fort Haight, Stormveil Castle, and the Magic Academy.
The forging of certain powerful weapons, as well as Dragon Communion and Grafting, could only be done in these areas, allowing for further technological concentration to induce a scaling effect.
Furthermore, news also arrived from Caria Manor:
Under the preparations of Iji and Blaidd, it was rapidly being rebuilt and developed, becoming a gathering place for the Liurnian nobility. This also relieved pressure on the Academy, allowing it to focus on research and teaching.
After all, many people from the lake region held nostalgic ties to their homeland and voluntarily relocated to new residences.
In the future, Liurnia having two major centers—the Academy and the Manor—also aligned with the South's overall plan, enabling simultaneous development.
The only regret was:
After the immense exertion from hunting down the Two Fingers, Ranni was still slumbering and wouldn't awaken for some time. However, if all went smoothly, her soul would be strengthened, allowing for prolonged activity in the future.
"Your Majesty."
Another knight reported, "There is news from Roundtable Hold."
Frieren, unfazed, accepted the secret letter.
"...Interesting. According to the deductions of Sir Gideon and the Finger Reader, the Mother of Fingers also resides in the Land of Shadow."
"The leader of the Two Fingers does exist, the creator of the Fingercreepers. If Ranni knew, she would probably be interested."
Melina frowned slightly. "This is no small matter. It represents a higher-level liaison within the Two Fingers' system. Could it summon the Greater Will?"
"In my view, the Greater Will doesn't fully manifest as a 'will'. It's more of an objective law that cannot be subjectively interpreted."
"A novel perspective. You seem to understand creation-level powers?"
"The official business is mostly handled. Let's set out. Waiting for an invitation is not my style. Back to the Mohgwyn Dynasty."
"I'll make the arrangements immediately."
Seeing the silver-haired girl's enthusiasm, she had no choice but to stop her and have the craftsmen bring over the repaired armor.
Fully armed for the campaign, this was the first time they would embark on a long expedition together in their physical forms.
Before departing, the King and the Witch only offered a few words of instruction.
Immediately after, they left Redmane Castle and headed for the great chasm in Caelid. With their skills, the pair didn't even need a lift, simply hopping and skipping their way down on their Spirit Steed.
The Mimic Tear was likely with them, meaning the South was now short three Demigod-level combatants.
However, as everyone knew, Frieren could travel freely between Sites of Grace, so her deterrent force was undiminished.
The Southern Army was long accustomed to this. It was already a good thing she wasn't just vanishing at will; at least she gave notice of where she was going.
After spending so much time together, they had figured out Her Majesty's personality:
A traveler.
Leading armies in conquest was work; exploring and collecting with the Witch was life. The ever-free-spirited Frieren was adept at separating work and life. Only the latter could fill her with overflowing passion; when facing the former, she always wore a deadpan expression.
Therefore, her subordinates did not disturb her, and even welcomed Her Majesty's adventures. Otherwise, if she got bored, she might start 'experimenting', and she just happened to be a sorcerer.
Her capacity for 'experimentation' was higher than any of the other Shardbearers.
The Southern Three Lands entered a rare period of peace, full of song and dance, a stark contrast to the turbulent undercurrents of the Altus Plateau.
Mohgwyn Dynasty.
Returning to the temple, Frieren saw that the surroundings had been tidied up. After all, the rotating garrison on duty had been maintaining it. Upon seeing her, they even introduced their work enthusiastically:
"Your Majesty, we believe we should at least preserve this central structure of the blood dynasty."
"It is inscribed with the writings, carvings, and statues of the blood faction, and then it became a conquered territory of the Southern Army. As such, it should be preserved as a testament, and also to display Your Majesty's martial prowess."
The purified temple area was still usable.
"Thank you for your hard work. For now, this place will serve as a waystation to connect with the Caelid chasm, which is just right."
Frieren hadn't expected them to be so proactive. They couldn't sit still for a moment, seizing the opportunity to repair and even redecorate the entire temple area. A single, exquisite temple standing alone amidst the ruins possessed a certain beauty.
However, as the silver-haired girl ventured deeper, she discovered that the area around the Empyrean's cocoon was even adorned with offerings like wreaths and Runes.
Something was wrong.
"All personnel, assemble. I will conduct an inspection. Move immediately."
She decisively summoned all the garrisoned soldiers and performed a detailed scan with her spiritual power, but found nothing. There were no traces of their wills being interfered with.
Despite this, when Frieren asked everyone about their impression of Miquella, a clue was still revealed:
"We felt he was too lonely, so we redecorated a bit."
"Although his soul has already departed, we cannot neglect Lord Miquella. After all, he is one of the Lands Between's Empyreans of Law."
"Does Your Majesty mind?"
Frieren replied casually, "Even if our stances are opposed, courtesy must be given. You did nothing wrong. Besides, Miquella and I are considered collaborators now. However, the temple requires quiet. Relay my order for a full withdrawal. I must protect it from disturbance."
"As you command."
After everyone had left, she immediately activated a barrier. It wasn't exclusionary in nature, but rather a dispelling one, meant to suppress any abnormal mana fluctuations within.
This time, she finally detected a faint, unusual trace of spiritual power.
Melina, who had witnessed her partner's actions throughout, frowned and asked, "Could it be that Miquella has already begun his scheming?"
"Not quite. It's just that his charm is too exaggerated, like the law of a Great Rune. Even with him being absent, a mere body can make people unconsciously want to protect and trust it. It is indeed very special."
She had never heard of such an ability; its mechanics were very powerful.
It was likely that even Demigods would... no, Mohg had already been charmed, which meant that even powerful Shardbearers found it difficult to resist his captivating ability.
Alarm bells rang in Frieren's mind. She quickly mobilized a wisp of an Ancient God's power to protect her spirit. *I don't care if you're charming or not, I'll just pollute myself first, you deal with it.*
So be it.
Discovering it beforehand was a good thing, otherwise it would be too late once she had fallen for it.
To be honest, she didn't have many good methods for dealing with spiritual abilities, especially since Miquella's charm could even bypass defenses, making it the strongest she had ever seen.
So she could only use the dumbest and most direct method: actively release some of the Ancient God's power to erode her own spirit.
To ensure it wasn't eroded by other forces.
For a short period, Frieren had to maintain this dangerous state, which would probably affect her deployments in the real world.
If something went wrong, her spirit might sink deeper into the Abyss, difficult to awaken. Should she delay? Should she change her plans just because of a minor threat from the demon race? And the Land of Shadow was becoming increasingly important; there was no room for delay.
"Are you alright?" Melina couldn't help but ask.
The silver-haired girl's expression, so serious it was icy, frightened her a little. She too realized that some kind of spiritual interference was at play.
"It's just some risk. But what aren't we doing now that isn't dangerous? We proceed as planned."
"I will support you."
"Originally, I suspected Miquella possessed a hypnotic ability, but I didn't expect it to be this kind of charm built on subtle influence. However, I've taken countermeasures. What about you?"
"I should probably thank Mother for the seal she gave me. It both makes me unable to recall some memories and also blocks the charm."
"Then he definitely didn't expect two unplanned guests to arrive."
Frieren said meaningfully, then glanced to the side, alerting Melina that someone was coming.
It was Leda, arriving with great strides and offering a standard knightly salute.
She looked travel-worn, likely having just teleported back from the Haligtree.
"Your Majesty has arrived at the perfect time. The others have all departed, just waiting for us to rendezvous."
"Are you two ready?"
The pair nodded in unison. Whatever dangers lay ahead, they had to brave them to find out. The worst-case scenario was that everyone over there had become Miquella's followers. If not, then there was surely a lot of room to maneuver.
Anyway, once they lit a Site of Grace, they could come and go as they pleased. At that point, the entire land beneath the Scadutree would open its embrace to them.
Cutting straight to the point, Leda stepped forward and took Miquella's hand. Immediately, a golden light shone and spatial fluctuations spread. She gestured for Melina and Frieren to touch her shoulders, and so the fluctuations spread to them as well.
VMMMM!
A roar echoed in their ears, as if the mana had reached its peak.
"My lords, the spatial energy has finished charging and we will teleport shortly. Do not resist this magic. When you feel Lord Miquella's will, you'll know it's right. It begins now—"
Immediately, the surrounding scenery stretched rapidly, flying past with a powerful sense of flow.
The wind howled, carrying gentle whispers. The scene of the Mohgwyn Dynasty faded, replaced by the faint outline of a cave.
The two passengers exchanged a wary glance.
That was right. Besides the spatial fluctuation, Miquella's active charm was mixed in. A close call. If they hadn't prepared beforehand, they would have certainly fallen for it and become his followers, and unconsciously at that.
As expected, the Empyrean of pure law had never let his guard down against a competitor.
The sense of enchantment was fleeting.
Melina and Frieren, who had been on edge, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The latter used her spiritual sense to check on the Mimic Tear. The child, still in deep slumber, paid no mind to the whispers, completely ignoring them.
The three of them had escaped disaster and passed through safely. At the same time, the spatial fluctuations began to subside.
It seemed Miquella had seized this one and only opportunity to make his move.
Only by using Leda's words as a pretext to lower their guard, and then using the spatial teleportation to cast his charm, could he create the possibility of success, thereby leaving an important mark: The Crown's Golden Ring.
The two could sense that they each had a new mark. Coincidentally, Leda had one too. So was this a token for Miquella's followers to identify each other?
Although they also had it, the charm was unsuccessful. Or rather, Frieren had intercepted a portion of the information and applied a layer of disguise to herself, turning the tables on him.
Even Melina couldn't help but want to scold her for being too reckless, but the dust had settled. At this moment, the cave's scenery gradually became clear.
Crack!
They leaped down from mid-air, landing on solid ground. Leda, who was half a step ahead, immediately turned back, her scrutinizing gaze sweeping over the passengers, before her expression softened slightly.
"How was it? Did you experience Lord Miquella's power?"
This question was phrased rather vaguely. Clearly, she wasn't completely at ease and needed to test them a bit more.
This action also confirmed for them that Leda was in on it.
"To be able to cultivate the Land of Shadow in secret for so long, using even Mohg as a pawn... truly the most fearsome Empyrean. There could be no better collaborator than him."
"I wish to ask him about Marika."
Frieren and Melina spoke truthfully and with sincere attitudes, without any particular display of fanatical admiration, and the mark was also correct.
Leda relaxed a little. She didn't expect them to become fanatics; it was enough that they leaned towards Lord Miquella's position. The rest could be smoothed over time; the plan required a long period.
The three of them walked side-by-side out of the cavern, and the view before them opened up to a vast expanse of lush grass and trees, swaying in the wind.
An endless wilderness was filled with floating wisps, and a gentle breeze brushed through Frieren's long silver hair, causing her to reach out and catch a piece of grass that seemed to emit a faint fragrance.
"It's the scent of dew. It's as if Grace has never been far from this land."
Melina sniffed the air and made her judgment.
"Not just that. It should be said that time moves slowly here. This is a continent that was sealed off at the end of an age of abundance."
"You two have sharp eyes, your guesses are correct." Leda nodded. "These wax-sealed tombs on the plains are signs of a massive loss of souls. We might be standing on an ancient battlefield cemetery, and not one from the distant past."
"So, that over there is the legendary Scadutree?"
Frieren shielded her eyes with her hand, her gaze passing over layers of mountains and structures to finally rest on the focal point of the horizon: a massive, twisted black tree, with gold flowing from its withered bark.
With it at the center, a thin veil draped over the continent, vast and boundless, majestic and mysterious.
A spectacular view ahead.
Without even needing to look at the messages on the ground, she knew what hints they would offer. As expected of a vast new area, it filled one with anticipation for what the distant buildings might hide. It felt like returning to the beginning of an adventure, everything unknown, to be measured only by foot and staff.
Walking here, even an elf's dull senses would be stirred. The human perception of beauty is universal; one cannot help but admire it.
They took in their surroundings, too absorbed to speak, until they reached the first Site of Grace.
VMMMM!
The moment the Grace was lit, warmth spread through their bodies.
"You two, I must depart ahead to rendezvous with my companions." Leda pointed into the distance. "That is the location of the Tower Town, the first major area we need to explore. We must investigate the Horned Folk carefully."
"Feel free to proceed at your own pace, just head towards the Tower Town. We will meet later before the castle gate."
Frieren gazed at the magnificent structure.
"...There's a very large monster over there. A giant? Woven from wicker and wearing a torch on its head, almost as big as Astel."
"That's called a Wicker Man. It is a war machine of the demigod Messmer, commander of the holy war army. It's very powerful. During the slaughter of the Horned Folk, a single one was worth an entire army. See that torch? Targets are thrown inside to be burned to ashes, and those feet will crush chariots and fortresses. It is indestructible."
Melina murmured, "The Horned Folk must have had a miserable fate."
"My lady, they are not worthy of sympathy. They were merely the losing side in a struggle. Once you understand the actions of the Horned Folk, you will understand why the holy war was necessary."
"Alright."
In truth, Frieren loved this kind of 'go explore for yourself' approach, her heart filled with joy.
Seeing her enthusiasm, Leda gave a few more instructions, generally introducing locations like the Sealed Mausoleum, the Church of Repose, and the Fire-Kissed Ruins.
Combined with the map fragment they had just acquired, there was plenty to explore.
After giving her report, the Knight of the Golden Needle departed hastily. As the leader of the followers' squad, she was duty-bound to go to the front lines first.
Although she concealed a lot of information and was the primary supporter of Miquella's scheme, her competence was certainly not in question. Otherwise, she wouldn't be so valued. She was, after all, an elite handpicked from the Haligtree army to directly execute the grand plan of the pure Empyrean.
The two rested for a moment.
Frieren studied the map for a while before storing it, having committed it to memory. At the same time, she checked the guidance from the Site of Grace: Scadutree Fragment and Scadutree Blessing.
"Do you also feel your magic is sluggish, that there's some kind of suppression?"
"Yes, it's the work of an ancient power. Our bodies are having an adverse reaction to the different magical environment." Melina's answer was more professional: "We either adapt over time or find the source. I found this—"
She opened her palm to reveal a Scadutree Fragment.
By resonating with it and refining its power, they could obtain a blessing.
In other words, adapt.
All outsiders would encounter varying degrees of suppression. Even the pair—one a divine being, the other a Golden Demigod—felt distinctly weakened. Their magic was sluggish, their stamina reduced, and most importantly, a range of their resistances had diminished.
Due to the drastically different environments of the two lands, their original resistances were naturally ill-suited.
Blessing +1
Feeling the Blessing strengthen, the two were not pleased. Having to specifically collect these things was too much trouble. They would probably adapt by adjusting their own magic before they finished collecting them all. They could just look for them along the way.
Of course, it also meant they had to be prepared: for a considerable period, they would be unable to fight at their full strength.
The silver-haired girl waved her staff and cast a few spells, then jumped, rolled, and quickstepped in place a few times, extremely agile.
No different from usual. She could just treat it as weight training.
"I'm more or less fine. Don't worry, you just need to provide support."
"You seem to be adapting quite well." An intuition suddenly struck Melina, and she said, "Frieren, considering the risk of your special powers going out of control... have you never actually experienced your own limits?"
"You're right, I haven't."
__________________
Our community goals are still running!
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 55 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters for ALL STORIES!
Want to help us continue with our projects?
By joining, you get instant access to:
✅ Up to 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
👻 P - Walnutchan