"Sigh..."
In the Golden Order Dynasty, after countless forgotten years, a weary sigh echoed within the Royal Capital, Leyndell.
In truth, long before Lloyd kicked open the city gates, Margit—or rather, Morgott the Grace-Given—had already learned of his arrival through spies outside.
But that was exactly what troubled him.
Long ago, Margit had prepared himself for this meeting. He had even aided Lloyd during his journey, offering no small amount of assistance. By all reason, with Lloyd already reaching the Capital's outskirts, even if Margit found it improper to meet him directly due to his position, he should at least have sent a subordinate to greet him.
But...
He didn't want to meet him.
He didn't want to speak to him.
He especially didn't want him anywhere near the Erdtree.
Though there was no proof, and even after enduring countless tortures that had left him somewhat resistant, Margit couldn't shake a feeling deep in his gut. If Lloyd ever saw his true form—especially here, in the heart of the Royal Capital—something would happen. Something that would shatter the very foundations of his worldview.
So even though he knew Lloyd was coming, Old Margit neither went out himself nor sent anyone to bring him in.
He needed time—to compose himself, to prepare mentally.
Until then...
"Forget it. Let him wander around the Capital for a while."
"Whatever he does, don't pay him any mind."
...
On the other side.
Thanks to Old Margit's command, Lloyd entered the Royal Capital without encountering the slightest obstruction.
Along the way, from the Draconic Tree Sentinels to the ordinary militia, everyone looked as though they were under hypnosis. Even if Lloyd waved his hand right in front of their faces, not one of them reacted.
After confirming this, Lloyd sighed, reluctantly slipping his staff back into his inventory.
He had been enjoying himself outside and had planned to make some mischief in the Capital as well, but now...
Ah well. It wasn't every day he came across a peaceful zone. The scenery was pleasant too. He might as well treat it like a sightseeing trip.
Putting his weapons away, Lloyd passed by the Draconic Tree Sentinels, activated a Site of Grace behind one of them, and continued deeper inside.
At the end of the passage stood an elevator. He rode it up, walked forward a short distance, and soon a massive breach in the city wall loomed before him.
Through the gap, he could glimpse the city within. To the right of the breach was a small room.
Inside was a Site of Grace. Activating it revealed the eastern city wall of the Royal Capital.
By all rights, reaching this point should have marked the fulfillment of his agreement with Melina. From here, they should have parted ways—each walking their destined path. One to seek her mission. The other to claim the title of Elden Lord.
But now...
Whether they had reached that stage or not, Melina herself didn't know if she was ready to leave. And even if she was, she dared not now.
Chaos was still there, her stance already made perfectly clear.
If she set foot beyond the threshold, she would surely appear the very next instant.
But this time, Melina miscalculated.
She didn't even need to leave. The moment Lloyd activated the Site of Grace at the eastern city wall, Chaos manifested of her own accord.
"What are you doing here?"
Melina's eyes narrowed, wary.
Chaos chuckled softly, offering no answer. Instead, she stretched out her hand and pointed to the ground.
A moment later, as realization struck her, Melina's expression bristled.
"You—"
"What about me?" Chaos spread her small hands, feigning innocence.
"You're not saying the Great Caravan incident was my doing, are you?"
"Some in the caravan fell sick. Who could have guessed you'd immediately pin it on me and bury them all..."
"Come now. Use those thick skulls of yours. Would anything with a sound mind ever believe in me?"
"They were traveling merchants, always wandering, always meeting new people. Catching an illness isn't exactly shocking, is it?"
"Or, let's say you weren't framing me—maybe you buried them because you feared the madness would spread."
"Then tell me—why is it that so little madness is spoken of in the Lands Between now?"
"Over time, creatures of the Lands Between naturally evolved resistance to madness."
"And the Golden Order's inherent immutability just so happens to bolster that resistance. You Golden Ones are nearly immune to it. Even if a plague did break out, it would be almost impossible for you to be infected..."
"And for the record, I had no hand in any of it."
"In fact, had their final despair not been so intense, I wouldn't even have known what you did."
Chaos looked at Melina, her expression sincere.
"It was not I who chose to descend upon this land."
"It was you—who summoned me with your own hands."
Hearing this, Melina's chest burned with fury. She opened her mouth, but no words came.
Because everything Chaos said was true.
In short...
Because the Frenzied Flame carried a foul reputation in the Lands Between, and those aligned with it were never of sound mind to begin with—
For quite some time, the people of the Lands Between—not only those of the Golden Order Dynasty—held a simple attitude toward the Frenzied Flame: kill it on sight and be done with it. They had no interest in understanding it.
No exchanges, no research. Even when slain, it was immediately destroyed or sealed away...
Under such conditions, it was only natural that the people of the Lands Between knew nothing about the Frenzied Flame.
Because of its resemblance to the Madness disease, people easily equated the two. But in truth, they are completely different.
It's like Malenia, who possesses the Law of Rot, the power of rot, and can even become the Goddess of Rot. Yet rot itself exists in nature, beyond the Goddess of Rot. In fact, it's precisely because rot exists that the Goddess of Rot has a foundation to manifest.
The relationship between Madness and the Frenzied Flame is the same. But the Golden Order Dynasty never understood this.
And then, by coincidence, while they were still ignorant, the great caravan of the Nomadic Tribes arrived in the Lands Between.
They already worshipped heretical deities, and as wandering merchants constantly traveling and trading, some contracted the Madness disease, sparking a plague. Because they had maintained good trade relations with the Golden Order Dynasty, the nomads trusted them deeply. When the plague broke out, they turned to the dynasty for help.
But when the Golden Order saw them... Madness!
And so, with Queen Marika's authorization, the great caravan was lured into the Royal Capital. They expected aid, but what awaited them was live burial.
Yes, live burial.
An entire nomadic tribe—an entire caravan, renowned throughout the Lands Between and beyond—buried alive beneath the Royal Capital.
But the strangest part wasn't even that. The strangest part was that the Nomads had only been afflicted with the Madness disease. Yet after being buried alive, their despair drew forth the true Frenzied Flame. The Golden Order struggled greatly before managing to seal it away.
By this point, the story is already bizarre enough.
But even more absurd is that, because of the incident with the nomadic tribe, the Golden Order finally began taking the Frenzied Flame seriously, conducting research and investigation. And then they realized.
They might have, probably, almost certainly, buried the wrong people. Those people had only been sick—and it was precisely because they trusted the Golden Order that they confessed their condition and asked for help. But the result...
In the end, all records of the incident were suppressed, and strict orders were given never to speak of it again.
As for Queen Marika herself, she once considered digging up those buried beneath the Capital. The problem was, even if it had begun as a misunderstanding, after being buried alive, the nomads truly came to believe in the Frenzied Flame...
So even though Melina hated the Frenzied Flame, even flinching at the mere mention of it, on this matter alone, she had no way to refute Chaos.
But just as Melina fell silent, Lloyd glanced at Chaos from the corner of his eye.
"So, because some people were buried alive, you plan to bury the rest—even those who had nothing to do with it—alive as well, is that it?"
Chaos only smiled and gave no answer.
After more exchanges, Lloyd finally understood her purpose: she wanted to guide him to the great pit where the nomads had been buried.
And as for what lay there...
"I've been preparing something there for a long time. Originally, I meant to absorb it myself, to use as leverage when facing you, my kin. But now, I wish to entrust it to you. My dear kin."
As she spoke, Chaos raised her hand, reaching out to defile Lloyd. But before her hand could reach him, the scowling block of wood darted out, planting herself between them and blocking the gesture.
Chaos's hand froze in midair. She looked at Melina before her and spoke flatly.
"You should be seeking your own destiny, sister."
Melina met her gaze, unyielding.
"Stopping you is my destiny now."
After a moment's standoff, Chaos lifted her head, her eyes shifting past Melina to rest on Lloyd.
"When you arrive there, I can give you powerful Incantations, and equipment to match."
Hearing this, Melina stiffened, then instinctively clutched Lloyd's hand.
"Don't..."
Her voice trembled with hurt and unease, soft and endearing.
Lloyd thought for a moment, then arched his brow.
"Hey, how about this?
I don't want to make things too tense either. Let's settle this peacefully—like, teach me to sing. Whoever teaches me best, I'll..."
Before Lloyd could finish, two voices chimed in at once.
"Then you shouldn't go."
"Then you should go."
Of course, it was just a joke. Chaos had only come to guide Lloyd there; she never intended to force him.
As for Melina, once she calmed down and thought it through, she realized this guy seemed to be defiling the Frenzied Flame rather than embracing it. Letting him take a look didn't seem entirely unreasonable.
Thus, after Lloyd's interruption, the tension in the group gradually eased. In fact, upon noticing Lloyd's desire to speak, the two even began to show subtle signs of cooperation.
Yet despite the softened atmosphere and hints of collaboration, the brown wood stubbornly remained wedged between the two flames, blocking any chance of them crossing paths.
Perhaps it was Chaos's provocation. After instinctively grabbing Lloyd's hand earlier, Melina might have kept holding on to stop Chaos from touching him again. Or maybe she simply forgot. Or perhaps there was another reason altogether.
In any case, she never let go of his hand afterward.
This, however, left Chaos rather displeased. She didn't mind adding more fuel to Lloyd's fire—she was even willing to help. But after lending him her aid, he immediately hogged the benefits for himself...
"Isn't that a bit unfair?"
Melina pretended not to hear her meaning, keeping her hand in Lloyd's as they wandered through the Royal Capital.
Come to think of it, for various reasons, Melina hadn't set foot here in quite some time. And because of the war, much of the city had changed. Fortunately, the general layout remained the same, so she could still lead Lloyd through the streets.
After a while, the walk began to feel like a casual outing. Lloyd thought for a moment, then decided to summon his little red flower as well. With four of them together, they strolled leisurely through the Capital.
Scanning the map, activating Sites of Grace, picking up items...
Thanks to Old Margit's order, Lloyd faced no battles along the way. During their walk, they even came across two patrolling Crucible Knights.
No combat was needed. After Lloyd presented the Crucible Fragment, the two Crucible Knights offered their Strength, further enhancing it.
Once strengthened, and with enough fragments and Strength gathered, the Crucible Fragment transformed. It grew larger, its color more vivid, and most importantly, it now contained greater power, unlocking new crafting options.
For example, the body of a Demigod.
Even though the conditions to craft a body for Ranni were now met, Lloyd wasn't in a rush. After briefly inspecting the Crucible Fragment, he tucked it back into his inventory, planning to finish exploring the Royal Capital first.
Then, they continued onward.
Some time later, Lloyd and his companions passed a grand structure. Melina hadn't paid it any mind and intended to walk right past.
But Lloyd stopped, staring at it. Something about its appearance felt strangely familiar.
This place...
Wasn't this the Roundtable Hold?
To be precise, it was the location of the first-generation Roundtable Hold. Melina offered an explanation, then, seeing Lloyd's eagerness to explore inside, led him over.
As soon as they stepped inside, Lloyd's system suddenly popped up with a notification.
[Detected Spatial-Temporal Dungeon 'Knights of the Round Table']
[Proceed?]
Since they were currently strolling around, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, Lloyd chose not to activate the Dungeon, though he made a mental note of it. After briefly exploring the first-generation Roundtable Hold, Lloyd and his companions set off once more.
After walking for some time, Lloyd lifted his head to look upward.
On the side of the Royal Capital Leyndell lay vast ruins. Above those ruins, a colossal dragon-like creature lay sprawled. According to Melina's explanation, that dragon was named Gransax. It had once breached Leyndell's city walls—the only instance in history where either a human or a dragon had ever succeeded in doing so.
In all other conflicts—from the Giant Wars to The Shattering—Leyndell's walls had never once been breached.
After Melina finished her explanation, Lloyd pondered for a moment, raising an eyebrow.
Wait a minute, Gransax...
"Is this dragon trying to grab you to fight in the ancient battlefield?"
Melina: "...?"
After a moment of banter, Lloyd approached the dragon—or rather, its corpse—for a closer look. Then...
[Detected Spatial-Temporal Dungeon: 'War of the Ancient Dragons · Leyndell']
[Proceed?]
Plenty of dungeons around here.
After stepping down from the dragon's corpse, Lloyd pondered briefly before deciding to seek out Old Margit for a chat first, then investigate the situation beneath the Royal Capital. Thus, guided by Melina, Lloyd and his companions proceeded toward the throne.
After some time, they arrived at the Elden Throne where Old Margit resided.
"Old Margit, I'm here!"
Upon reaching the Elden Throne Site of Grace, Lloyd scanned the area but saw no sign of Old Margit.
"I'm at the Elden Throne. Where are you?"
"Stop shouting, stop shouting. I'm here."
Old Margit emerged from the Erdtree with a look of utter reluctance. After a resigned sigh, he beckoned to Lloyd.
"Come here."
Then, Lloyd followed Old Margit's footsteps to the front of the Erdtree. There, he saw the dense, barbed thorns of Rejection covering the entrance to the Erdtree. Upon touching them, a system prompt appeared.
[Thorns of Rejection, rejecting all]
[No one may enter the Erdtree]
"See? The Erdtree rejects everything."
Seeing Lloyd hesitate to enter, Margit—or rather, Morgott the Grace Given—exhaled in relief, thinking to himself that this man had finally acted normally for once.
"In that case, no matter who comes, they cannot become the Elden Lord..."
Lloyd blinked.
Morgott sensed trouble brewing.
And soon, that sense of foreboding proved accurate.
"Why can't one become the Elden Lord just by failing to enter the Erdtree?"
Silence.
Just as Morgott trembled, preparing to explain to Lloyd, a golden figure emerged.
"Because you must enter and repair the Law to become Elden Lord—or rather, to gain the Administrator's privileges."
"I see."
Lloyd nodded, then seemed to grasp something.
"Then you..."
"I'll go in first and see what's wrong."
With that, Alice walked straight into the Thorns of Rejection.
Seeing this, Morgott fell silent. Seriously, sis. I finally calmed down, and now you're starting again? And who even are you? How did you just walk right in?
After a while, Alice emerged.
"Checked it out. The Law inside is frozen solid. Gonna need some brute force to unlock it."
Lloyd blinked, a flame igniting in his hand.
"Then I…"
"If you want to set the entire Lands Between ablaze, go ahead."
"Better not."
Lloyd extinguished the flame in his hand.
"What do we do next?"
"Find a port. Use as little Strength as possible to open a passage here."
After a pause, Alice remembered something and added.
"Oh, right. While I can't get you inside, I can still borrow power from within to craft something for you right here. Just place your hand on it."
So Lloyd placed his hand on it. Then, after a flurry of golden threads weaving together, Lloyd's system popped up a notification.
[Obtained Item 'Golden Twig'*10]
[Obtained Crafting Notes 'Alice's Crafting Notes 1', usable for crafting Golden Twigs]
[Golden Twig]
[A slender branch severed from the Erdtree]
[Can be used to communicate with the Erdtree]
[Delivering this to another person establishes long-distance communication capabilities via the Erdtree]
[The Erdtree is the server]
[The Little Erdtree is the base station]
[And this thing in your hand can send messages]
[You should understand that, right?]
[Unlocked Feature]
[Lands Between Chat Group]
After withdrawing his hand, another message popped up.
[Detected Anomalous Spacetime Dungeon]
[Golden Prime]
...
[Up to 20 chapters ahead for now]
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