"I—" Mohg seemed somewhat intimidated by his elder brother. He wanted to explain himself, but the words wouldn't come.
"Mr. Mohg intended to tie himself to the rope and go down the waterfall to save you," Raven interjected. "A very brave gesture."
Morgott showed a look of surprise. "Forgive me. Because of what happened before, I thought you..."
He didn't finish the sentence, simply patting his younger brother on the shoulder.
Raven didn't know what had transpired between the two brothers previously to make them so awkward around one another.
"Tata, the Great Waterfall must be guarded in shifts from now on," Morgott said.
"No problem. Is it to prevent more people from being swept over?"
"No, it is to prevent the things at the bottom of the waterfall from coming up," Morgott replied. "I encountered a group of mindless beings down there. They seemed to be soldiers of an ancient nation, and they were highly aggressive."
"Ancient soldiers?" Raven asked, intrigued. "What were their characteristics?"
"On their shields, there seemed to be a crest of an inverted eagle."
As Raven pondered what that sigil represented, Lansseax clapped her hands. "I know! That's the Fallen Hawks Legion of the Storm King."
"How would the Storm King's army end up underground?"
"That was a very long time ago. They were ordered to investigate the Eternal City. Later, when the Eternal City was struck by a falling star and buried deep underground, they vanished along with it and were never seen again."
"I did indeed see some massive structures down there. It seems the waterfall leads to the Eternal City," Morgott confirmed.
"Since the Fallen Hawks who went to investigate are still alive, there might be survivors among the residents of the Eternal City as well." Raven was delighted by this unexpected discovery. Compared to a living Eternal City, the uninhabited ruins in the Deeproot were nothing.
"Is Your Highness interested in the Eternal City?"
"Yes. Mr. Morgott, I hope the Deeproot can assist me in launching an exploration of the Eternal City. In return, I will do my best to help the Deeproot negotiate with the Golden Dynasty."
"If we are permitted to stay here, we would conduct our own explorations for the sake of security anyway, given such a mysterious city sits beside us. You would be welcome to join us then," Morgott said. "There is no need for a 'reward.' We have no intention of negotiating terms with the Dynasty."
"I heard from Tricia that the Golden Dynasty intends to evict you," Raven frowned. "Is that not the case?"
"A final decision has not been made," Morgott said after a moment of silence. "But I have indeed received a warning. If this is the decision of the Law..."
"The Law doesn't concern itself with such trivial details; people decide these things," Raven interrupted. "You have likely become pawns in a political struggle. There are tens of thousands of residents in the Deeproot, most of whom must be immigrants. I don't believe for a second that the Golden Dynasty was so slow that they only just discovered this place. Someone must have been covering for you, intending to use you for something."
"It is not that complicated."
"Do you know more than you're letting on?" Raven asked sharply.
"It was Godwyn who was covering for us."
"There it is!" Raven said immediately. "Godwyn wouldn't help you for no reason. He must have an objective."
"Please, do not make baseless suspicions. Godwyn is the elder brother to myself and Mohg."
"Elder brother?" Raven was stunned.
"When Mohg and I were children, we were exiled to the sewers because we exhibited the signs of the Aspects of the Crucible," Morgott explained. "Accursed blood flows within our veins, but Godwyn did not shun us. He still reached out to contact me occasionally.
"He was glad we could find a utopia like the Deeproot. Not only did he not expose us, but he also provided us with a great deal of assistance. However, as the settlement grew larger, I knew the day of discovery would eventually come. I am prepared to accept whatever arrangements the Golden Dynasty deems fit."
"Can Godwyn not continue to fight for you?" Raven asked.
"If it were revealed that Godwyn had been in contact with the Deeproot from the beginning and allowed it to develop, he would certainly be attacked in the court. I cannot cause him any more trouble."
"I see."
"I did not wish to speak of these matters, but I do not want there to be any misunderstanding between Your Highness and Godwyn," Morgott said, shaking his head. "Please, keep this in confidence."
"Of course," Raven replied thoughtfully. He then asked suddenly, "Morgott, did you send anyone to the surface to spread word of the Deeproot?"
"Never."
Raven raised an eyebrow. If the Deeproot had never promoted itself, why had so many heard of its existence? According to Tricia, the residents didn't just come from the Capital; many were fugitives from the Altus Plateau. For word of the Deeproot to spread so widely, someone must have been fueling the rumors. Godwyn was a prime suspect.
However, seeing Morgott's absolute trust in Godwyn, Raven knew there was no point in pushing the issue.
As they walked, the elevation continued to rise. They were nearing the town built around the massive Erdtree roots. Countless wooden houses were arranged in tiers, with water gurgling beneath them, reminiscent of a subterranean Venice. Raven made a rough estimate and realized the population of the Deeproot Depths was far more than just "tens of thousands."
"Truly... remarkable," Raven murmured.
"Too many people come through the sewers. Almost every day, the number is in the triple digits," Morgott sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if something has gone wrong with the Golden Dynasty. Why are so many people fleeing the jurisdiction of the Law?"
"No Law can please everyone," Raven said. "There will always be those who gain too much and those who suffer losses."
"The Golden Order is not at fault," Morgott stated. "It is people who err. I have heard of the wicked deeds of many nobles. They deceive the ignorant masses, monopolize the interpretation of the Golden Order, and commit atrocities in the name of the Law."
"They conquered the realm, so they feel entitled to the spoils," Raven shrugged. "That's how these things usually go."
"They did not conquer the realm. The Erdtree conquered the world," Morgott countered. "They were merely soldier ants. Now they have become parasites, even planning for their descendants to be parasites as well, hollowing out the Erdtree from within."
"If those parasites intend to strike at the Deeproot, don't you think you should resist?" Raven asked, following Morgott's logic.
"Once resistance begins, things will spiral out of control," Morgott sighed. "First comes the verbal protest, then the shaking of fists, and finally, the taking up of blades and spears. That would not be resistance; it would be a rebellion against the Golden Order."
"You cannot speak for everyone in the Deeproot," Raven said. "You might be willing to calmly accept whatever the Golden Dynasty arranges, but can you convince everyone else to do the same? When the Lordsworn army comes here to evict you, thousands upon thousands will take up arms. Will you suppress them? Can you suppress them? When the rivers run red with blood, that is when things will truly be out of control!"
Morgott fell silent.
After a long while, he finally spoke: "Then, what do you suggest I do?"
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(161 Chapter - Ongoing)
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