Elves don't sweat the small stuff; one must live life with a bit of freedom. So, Frieren quickly stopped dwelling on the topic, promising Ranni that she would definitely take her to the Land of Shadow when the opportunity arose. In return, the latter handed her a large, heavy pile of documents.
"At least deal with these before you leave. They're about the production situation in various regions, as well as some new developments."
She didn't forget to verbally summarize the basic situation.
The undeniable atmosphere left the silver-haired girl with no choice but to bitterly review them one by one, forcing herself to be serious.
Any future deployments would directly impact the outcome of the battle for the Altus Plateau. Every decision a monarch makes sets a precedent, and even Frieren had to take it seriously, carefully studying the details with Ranni.
"Strategically, I believe we should deal with Volcano Manor first, then consider attacking the Royal Capital. It stands as a stronghold against the Golden Order."
"Conversely, ignoring them would leave us vulnerable to a sneak attack while assaulting the capital."
"Being attacked from both front and rear is a must-avoid scenario. Besides, I'm familiar with its structure, which should at least guarantee a smooth start to the battle for the volcano. A swift, decisive victory is best."
Frieren nodded, affirming this strategy.
The logic was simple. When they attacked the volcano, it would be difficult for the Royal Capital to launch a surprise attack in turn. The place was remote and mountainous, a veritable independent region, making it convenient to close the gates and fight.
Of course, this also meant committing more troops, as it was notoriously easy to defend and hard to assault.
Even the Grace-Given King, leading the Golden Order's army at its peak, couldn't conquer it.
Volcano Manor hadn't gotten any easier to take now. It was certain that they would need multiple Demigod-level sorcerers to hold the line; otherwise, their firepower would be nullified by the terrain advantage. In that case, only Frieren and Ranni attacking together would suffice.
Timing was crucial.
One had to frequently manage Carian affairs while also practicing soul magic to increase the endurance of her doll body for combat.
The other was an adventurer who roamed the world, prone to disappearing for months on end, elusive as a dragon.
It wasn't easy for them to get together even once.
However, the southern army also needed enough time to prepare. The forces from Liurnia of the Lakes alone were not enough and too risky; they would definitely need to assemble the elite new armies from Limgrave and Caelid.
"Also, this part is about the underground world. Don't forget the forces of the Night's Sacred Ground and the Ancestral Followers. Give them a little something extra."
"For example, help with reconstruction and your promise of fiefs and Grace."
"Frieren, the standardization of magic equipment you've been focused on can be greatly advanced with the gear we captured from Leyndell."
"The new army trained in Caelid must be broken up and integrated into Limgrave's forces. We need to gradually eliminate the influence of the Redmane Army. The entire south will have one and only one banner: the Soul Cinder King's Black Sun Fire Ring."
The constant stream of decisions gave Frieren a headache; it was far more exhausting than trekking across the Altus Plateau.
She gradually discovered the differences between her two capable aides:
Melina could tolerate some laziness and would even handle a considerable portion of official duties on her behalf. Unless Frieren asked, she would never volunteer a progress report.
Ranni would absolutely not do the work for her. She would make things easier, but formally, she insisted on the King being 'personally involved in all matters' to establish authority.
One was lenient, the other strict.
Or rather, Melina's personality and experiences made her somewhat detached and freedom-oriented. She would urge and remind the King but not regulate her.
In contrast, Ranni, shaped by royal teachings, valued etiquette, and her prudent, patient nature meant she was always thinking three steps ahead, always laying the groundwork for a slew of forward-looking decisions.
But at this moment, the two confidantes reached a consensus: Frieren had to make her deployments in advance.
Thus, after a busy day, Melina also joined in. The three of them effectively turned the Church of Vows into their office, and the army camp into a temporary central command.
It was a sight to behold.
Miriel could only endure the clamor, but he gradually grew to like the lively atmosphere.
There was a reason they were all staying by the road to the great lift. The possibility that the Royal Capital's army, furious after losing 2,000 soldiers, might charge down couldn't be ruled out. So, it was better not to return and instead set up camp for a while.
If they dared to attack, they would be met by three Demigod-level powerhouses: the Soul Cinder King, the Moon Princess, and the Golden Witch.
Besides, it was nice for the Church of Vows to have some life in it again after so long. As long as Ranni, whom he had watched grow up, was happy, that was all that mattered.
The warm voices at this moment brought a smile to his face. Candlelight, countless stars, and the fragrant breeze—this was how it should be.
Whenever Frieren showed signs of slacking off, she would even draw a joint, strict correction from both of them:
"What work is being done in what location? Who is the person in charge? What is this person's background? You must commit it all to memory."
Ranni's attitude was gentle, but her tone was unquestionable.
"That's too hard."
Melina's tone was slightly softer: "Then at least remember the individuals involved. No matter the task, it always comes back to the person executing it."
"Correct. The Carian Royal Family's education teaches not to generalize about groups so easily. Within any organization, there are slackers, the diligent, the cunning, and the defiant..."
"Some people's positions remain constant, while for others, the only thing that never changes is that their position is always changing. You are the King; don't be lazy and make sweeping judgments about an entire organization. You must deal with specific people specifically."
Frieren nodded vigorously, a thoughtful expression on her face. Through osmosis, she probably began to understand the principle.
Until a flying dragon suddenly descended from the sky, setting off alarms throughout the entire camp.
It arrived with torrential momentum, and stranger still was its direction of approach. How did it dive in so suddenly from a height that was impossible to see?
"Dragon-slaying ballistae, prepare to—"
Suddenly, the flying dragon's speed slowed, and it deliberately exposed its belly without any attempt to evade, showing sufficient sincerity.
But this also meant that any accident or misjudgment would spell its immediate doom; it had completely disregarded its own life and death.
As the distance closed, people finally recognized it. It was carrying a massive scroll that looked exceptionally luxurious. Could it be a letter?
What kind of letter arrives from the heavens? Could it be some envoy?
And it was delivered to Frieren by a flying dragon of extraordinary bearing? Since she gestured for them to stop aiming, the alert was temporarily lifted.
The encampment at the great lift was currently the safest place. With the three of them present, even the Golden Order's army at its peak would be routed. No one should be reckless enough to launch such a bizarre attack.
Rustle!
Unfurling the scroll revealed a massive tome, and the script was just as grand and majestic.
At a glance, it was completely unrecognizable, not the common script of The Lands Between that Frieren was familiar with; it seemed far more ancient.
"It's the script of the Ancient Dragons," Melina asserted.
Ranni further explained: "Penned by the High Priestess Lansseax herself, sent from the sky city, Crumbling Farum Azula... The contents are truly shocking. So such a complex affair existed. It's too much to explain in a moment."
"So, where do I go and who do I kill? Just the location and name will do."
Hearing this, the two aides exchanged glances, looking at Frieren with deep meaning. What sharp intuition. This truly was a hit contract.
She guessed right!
Frieren had grown tired of being a relentless document-stamping machine and had just spoken casually based on experience, but she had hit the nail on the head.
Melina and Ranni, with their abundant experience and knowledge, naturally read the ancient dragon's letter. The next step was to figure out how to convey it. Better to give Her Majesty the conclusion first, otherwise she'd probably be too lazy to listen to the specific details.
"Remember that black, spike-like mountain we saw in the distance?"
"The target is a great sinner of the Ancient Dragon clan who has been exiled and imprisoned—"
"He once ambushed Dragonlord Placidusax and led a group of rebels in a challenge against the ancient dragon dynasty, which ended in failure. He himself was crippled and exiled by the Dragonlord."
"However, the Dragonlord has since gone into seclusion, and without him, there is hardly any other means to execute Bayle. Bayle is too strong."
"Over time, the execution has been delayed. But Lansseax sees hope in you, which is why she issued this request."
Melina relayed the facts concisely.
Ranni, beside her, also nodded in agreement. She was very confident in this translation.
In reality, the letter was filled with all sorts of meaningless pleasantries. If their king could read the dragon script, she would probably start yawning after one glance.
The silver-haired girl sat up straight, the weariness in her expression swept away, replaced by a sharp, focused aura.
She just needed to remember two keywords: Spiked Mountain and Mad Dragon Bayle. As for who the opponent was, it didn't matter at all; that wasn't important.
Coincidentally, she had been planning to explore the eastern side of the Land of Shadow anyway. The sequence of events was perfect.
Seeing her rubbing her hands in anticipation, seemingly unconcerned with the reward, Melina quickly added:
"Lansseax also mentioned a companion, one who has been dedicated to spreading dragon communion to cultivate a champion strong enough to kill Bayle. He should still be in the Spiked Mountain area."
"Take this letter. If you succeed in killing Mad Dragon Bayle, Lansseax will recommend that this priest forge a pact with you... Additionally, you will gain the friendship of the Ancient Dragons of Crumbling Farum Azula."
Melina paused when she mentioned the pact, and Ranni's eyes flickered beside her.
Intervening in their complex relationship?
The two subconsciously looked at each other, a strange flicker in their eyes. They had truly achieved a tacit understanding in a peculiar way.
However, they knew what was important, and this was definitely a good thing. Throughout The Lands Between, who didn't know the power of the Ancient Dragon clan? Gaining their friendship was worth a fortune and would become one of the foundational pillars for the reign of the third Elden Lord.
A throne without the support of the Ancient Dragons would be incomplete.
If not for this turn of events today, sooner or later they would have advised Frieren to deal with the sky city, which would have inevitably led to a river of blood.
Now was good.
Otherwise, going to war with the Ancient Dragons would be neither economical nor safe, yet they couldn't be ignored. For the hegemonic ambitions of the Soul Cinder King's faction, it was a difficult situation to handle. The current opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
In comparison, Frieren's considerations were much simpler. She just nodded.
"I was just regretting not having a proper fight with Lansseax, and now she brings me such good news."
"Though it's a crippled mad dragon, plenty of strong figures in The Lands Between have old injuries. It's fine, I'll test some new incantations on him."
Since the monarch had spoken, the matter was settled, directly determining their itinerary in the Land of Shadow.
She could teleport there at any time.
But before that, Ranni still convened a meeting with the Liurnian high command, and together with Frieren, made long-term arrangements.
Since a portion of Stormveil Castle's forces, led by Edgar, was also active here due to the great importance of the lift, the orders were issued to them as well.
This time, it wouldn't be like the last, where she entered the Land of Shadow and vanished without a trace, causing worry.
The group deliberated for another three days, partly to see if the Royal Capital's army would make any further moves. As it turned out, they held back, indeed contracting behind the high walls of Leyndell to prepare.
Good.
Both sides tacitly adopted a conservative stance.
Coupled with Volcano Manor needing to be wary of both the Royal Capital and the southern forces, their raids were limited to outlying villages. Thus, The Lands Between could enjoy a rare period of stability. She could leave for a while with peace of mind, without having to look over her shoulder.
Beside the Site of Grace at the Church of Vows, Frieren accepted another letter from Ranni.
"This is from my mother and me to my Aunt Rellana. Just pass it on to her. Give her some time; don't rush her to consider the stance of the crusade army."
"Of course, I know. The situation is very complicated."
"Perhaps I'm not ready to face my brother yet, so we won't be going to the Shadow Keep for a short while."
Melina always held a question in her heart: in what capacity would the two of them meet Messmer? She always felt a sense of unease and was unwilling to go until she figured it out. She would probably find the answer later on.
The two of them each made their own preparations. All was ready.
As the others watched, Frieren took her hand and turned to step into the light of the Grace.
Whoosh!
Energy flowed at super-high speed, forming streams of light at the edge of her vision. Her body felt a slight weightlessness, as if everything was being stretched.
Immediately after, a dazzling scene appeared ahead, and with a whoosh, she arrived on solid ground.
A long-awaited return to Belurat.
And it was the scene of the indoor moon-viewing pool, newly repaired after the last great battle, looking just as it did during the duel with the Twin Moon Knight.
Before they could even steady themselves, a white figure came flying over.
"Mother, Lady Witch, you're finally back." The Mimic Tear's eyes were shining.
"So, have you decided where to go and who to kill?"
"I've received a commission from the Ancient Dragons of the sky city: go to the Spiked Mountain and kill the traitor, Bayle."
"As expected of them."
Melina was just pondering how to describe the whole story, but the two of them settled it with a quick, efficient exchange of question and answer. Such tacit understanding. The Mimic Tear had smelled the bloodlust the moment she arrived.
"That guy is extremely strong. If you weren't a quasi-king, I'd think the sky city was plotting to send you to your deaths."
At that moment, Rellana leaned against the doorway and waved. Though they had been apart for a long time, her demeanor was much softer than before.
There was less confusion on her face, and the light in her eyes seemed sharper and more focused. At least she didn't have that wishy-washy feeling from their first meeting.
"Elaborate."
"I guess the Ancient Dragons were too proud to tell you something important: Bayle tore off two of Dragonlord Placidusax's heads."
Her words were met with dead silence. Even the fearless Mimic Tear swallowed hard.
If Godfrey was the first king of the Golden Dynasty, then the first hegemon of the entire Lands Between should be the Ancient Dragons.
And the Dragonlord was the first Elden Lord.
Placidusax had clearly dominated The Lands Between, creating a brilliant civilization led by the Ancient Dragons. Legend says he was suddenly severely wounded and went into seclusion for some unknown reason. Only now did they know it was related to Bayle.
Just how strong was the Bayle who could wound the Dragonlord so grievously that he had to withdraw from the stage of history?
_____
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