"Impossible." The teacup trembled in Throne's grip. "If Isshin Ashina killed Godrick, why flee? Since when do heroes run from their own glory?"
"Fair point." A Great Rune would vault any Tarnished leagues ahead of the rest. The Roundtable Hold would be throwing parades, blaring trumpets, dragging him to the Divine Tower kicking and screaming. Even that pompous windbag Gideon Ofnir would choke down his pride and call him champion.
Great Runes don't grow on trees. Tarnished live and die by their own steel—no one's ever pooled resources to crown a king.
"Unless," Oritis tapped his temple, "Godrick's killer wasn't Tarnished at all. Then we're knee-deep in shit." The sorcery professor's mind cut sharper than most in The Lands Between.
Only then would they bury the news. Only then would Isshin Ashina walk free. The man was an enigma, sure, tangled in this mess, yes—but his brand as Tarnished was ironclad.
Oritis exhaled through his nose. "None of this concerns us. The Academy's priority is survival."
Let the world burn. Raya Lucaria was a candle in that inferno.
"The latest experiment bore fruit. Soon, we'll wield greater force."
"You mean Seluvis' Soul Puppet project? Weren't we missing components?" Yug, ever the diligent lecturer, had caught whispers before limping off to Limgrave.
"Components acquired."
"From where?"
"The Ainsel River."
Yug's breath hitched. He hadn't expected the Academy to move this fast—but with Caria's blade at their throats, elegance was a luxury they couldn't afford.
"You mapped the route?"
"Don't be dense. The Eternal City sleeps right under Liurnia. The well's unsealed. As for plundering its treasures..." Oritis jerked his chin toward a cluster of Tarnished loitering nearby. "We've got professionals."
Motivation. Skill. Desperation. The math was simple.
Oritis flicked his wrist, smug as a cat with cream. "Follow me. Let's take a look below."
The mages slipped away, oblivious to the figure melded into the shadows, drinking in every word.
Throne set down his teacup outside the roadside teahouse. The map before him showed Liurnia half-drenched in Caria's colors, their fleets clashing endlessly on the lake. Ranni played the long game—no rushed conquests, just steady, suffocating pressure. A dull knife sawing through the Academy's throat.
Kaiden Mercenaries flooded their ranks now. Village control hung by a thread.
"Experiments, hm?" Throne traced the map's contours. This wooden Melina had grown surprisingly helpful lately, even stooping to eavesdrop.
He drained the last of his Heppa tea.
Soul Puppets. The name curdled in his mouth.
Seluvis' legacy. That rotten bastard was worm-food, but his research festered in Raya Lucaria's halls. Of course the eggheads would crack it open.
The memory left a bad taste. Puppet sorcery never brought anything but grief.
It was one thing that it caused a bitter battle, but even Sellen had used this filth to dabble in horrors. Throne shuddered now just thinking—
The gift in the letter probably wasn't just an implanted magic rune; there was likely a bigger'surprise' waiting for him. "You know Seluvis too?" Melina asked sullenly. If this man said he was brothers with Radagon now, she wouldn't even be surprised.
"Of course I know him. I have quite a history with him." "Are you friends?" Throne grinned, smiling cruelly: "Yes, the kind of friend who ground his head into mud." Melina was speechless, and taking this opportunity, Throne pondered quietly. The conversation between Oritis and Yug was very simple and aligned with the current interests of Raya Lucaria Academy.
Since he had walked away without a care, those mages had been having a rough time. As the saying goes, poverty leads to change. Even these people who were addicted to slacking off had to find a way to keep their heads, otherwise, they would sooner or later be sent flying by Ranni's Dark Moon one by one. 'Seluvis might be annoying, but his research results aren't fake.
Those Soul Puppets are much more powerful than ordinary puppet soldiers. But why did they mention Nokstella?'
Throne knew a little about this underground city; it seemed to be one of the old factions that opposed the Erdtree in ancient times. Its inhabitants were the Nox, and he had even dealt with them in Sellia.
Those two Nox Swordsman who used flowing swords had also left a deep impression on him. They resisted the Erdtree and the Greater Will behind it, and then met a tragic fate. Longing for the starry sky, they were smashed into the underground. Their once-glorious civilization turned to dust, and even the traces of their existence were buried in the dust of history.
In the current The Lands Between, only scholars know of this ancient civilization. As for what Raya Lucaria Academy is doing in Nokstella, Throne is still unsure. Perhaps some professor is integrating their own research into Seluvis's research. After all, in another 'Eternal City', the ultimate form of a puppet appeared. "In the end, am I still the one taking the blame?" Throne smiled bitterly.
Without the mess he left in Liurnia, the mages wouldn't have had to exercise their subjective initiative. He looked at the people coming and going on the Bellum Highway outside, thinking to himself that the history of The Lands Between was becoming increasingly incomprehensible.
Those who should be alive are dead, those who should be dead are alive, and those who shouldn't have returned have returned. After ten years of fermentation, many 'prophetic insights' have gradually become useless. Fortunately, this butterfly that I am has also become increasingly powerful. Besides the matter of Seluvis, Vyke's answer also satisfied him.
Vyke did not lie to the Roundtable Hold; he only concealed some speculations, which effectively weakened Throne's role in a roundabout way. No matter how much Sir Gideon Ofnir suspects, he cannot reach a conclusion until he finds Isshin Ashina. 'If I'm not mistaken, Vyke will have a place in the Limgrave of the future.
It just depends on when this idle move comes into play.'
Having a friendship means there's a foundation for future—no, for reasoning with him later. Throne left a few runes, abandoned the cooling Heppa tea, and left, heading northeast. Melina soon noticed something was wrong. "Aren't you going to find the Carians?" "What, are you very eager to see Her Highness Ranni?" Throne asked in return.
Seeing no response, he simply laughed, "Having been away for so long, it would be truly remiss to not bring some gifts when meeting Her Highness." Who wants to see the Lunar Princess? Melina wrinkled her nose and dissipated into particles. Compared to ten years ago, the mirror-like lake surface had not changed much, except for the water level having dropped slightly.
He had once been hunted here, and at the critical moment, he went to the Haligtree Army camp; some broken wooden stakes still remained there. Some familiar faces flashed before his eyes, but things had long since changed. That powerful army had already returned to the northern Haligtree and might bring variables to The Lands Between in the near future.
And those Cuckoo Knights whom he had previously avoided at all costs had become air; there was no longer any need to be on pins and needles. The damp air was so familiar. Raya Lucaria Academy still stood in the center of the lake. Throne walked and thought about how to conquer this palace of sorcery without triggering a backlash from the Two Fingers.
Mother-in-law, oh no, Her Majesty the Queen has been under house arrest for so many years; it's time for her to regain her freedom. Actually, conquering this academy is not difficult. You have to know that since Thops went to Caria, they have had an overwhelming advantage in combat power. As long as Thopss Barrier is popularized, the mages will be useless.
The difficult part is the people behind them—Black Knife Assassin, Baleful Shadow; these are the ones that give a headache. 'Could it be possible to push that bald, tough guy out and turn it into an internal faction struggle at the Academy?
It is feasible, but I have to see what level Thops has reached over the past ten years.'
Throne hadn't been in Liurnia for long before he had some leads, and as he walked, a group of people blocked his path ahead. That was a checkpoint. Cuckoo Knight and Kaiden Mercenaries were patrolling back and forth on horseback. Seeing Throne approach, their originally fierce faces softened a bit.
"Tarnished, where are you going?" "Just wandering around. Can't I find a place to rest?" Throne raised his staff. He was both a mage and a Tarnished; why would he be afraid of these people? The knights looked at each other. Although they were very annoyed, they could only suppress their tempers. Tarnished were always running around everywhere and couldn't be managed.
They happened to be in the spotlight, and their superiors had instructed them many times never to provoke the Tarnished. The affair in Limgrave had already spread. A Tarnished had killed a demigod and taken the entire territory. Anyone with a discerning eye knew they would become regional lords. "Where are you from?" "Limgrave. What, does Liurnia also practice confinement?"
So it was a Tarnished from Limgrave; that was even more not to be trifled with. Who knows if they would be a noble lord in the future. The leading Cuckoo Knight jumped off his horse and saluted: "The Academy is currently recruiting Tarnished, and the benefits are very good. Are you interested?" Throne considered for a moment and felt the risk was a bit high.
he only wanted to figure out what experiments Raya Lucaria Academy was conducting. "Sorry, I'm just wandering around." This reason was too frivolous, but it was incredibly real. Every day, countless Tarnished were 'wandering around' various places in The Lands Between. In the past, they could have suppressed them arrogantly, but now they didn't dare, at least the Cuckoo Knights didn't.
The knight had no choice but to clear the way, warning: "Please be sure to avoid certain restricted areas." "I have no intention of causing trouble." Throne performed an ancient Astrologer salute and walked slowly past under the gaze of the group. The prestige of the Tarnished was too useful, and it was becoming more and more useful.
Originally, these people were just out to gain power, from graveyards to ruins, licking everything clean. 'Someone is following us.' Melina reminded him. "It happens often. We'll just shake them off." Throne whistled, mounted the suddenly appearing Torrent, and disappeared into the woods next to the highway.
The Kaiden Mercenaries trailing from a distance exchanged grim glances. One by one, they turned back, faces tight with frustration. Tarnished who carried such rare artifacts weren't to be crossed lightly. Killing Tarnished might yield runes, but for mercenaries, the risks outweighed the rewards. They'd gain nothing and could easily be sacrificed as pawns. Only fools would take that gamble.
Throne guided his horse through the dense forest, his voice cutting through the rustle of leaves. "Another problem just occurred to me."
"What?" Melina asked, her tone cautious.
"Caria isn't recruiting Tarnished. If they were, those mercenaries wouldn't be so relaxed."
Melina hesitated. She'd been wrong too often to challenge his logic now. "Why?"
"Her Highness Ranni probably doesn't trust Tarnished. She's not interested in forming a faction like Rykard's Recusants." Throne chuckled dryly. "She's surprisingly… detached sometimes." "I've heard the Full Moon Queen is known for her majesty." "Majesty?" Throne laughed outright, tugging Torrent's reins to a sudden halt. "You'll see for yourself soon enough. Just be careful. She won't exactly roll out the welcome mat."
He'd already pieced together Ranni's mindset. Melina's ties to the goddess Marika and her shadowy mission would raise alarms. Ranni's tendency to overthink had likely brewed a storm of suspicions. Throne rubbed his temples. Sellen's like this, Melina's like this. Always stuck playing mediator.
He shook off the thought, loosening the reins and letting Torrent circle aimlessly. Melina's voice broke the silence, her words landing in perfect unison with his:
"Magic barrier."
It wasn't surprising. Raya Lucaria Academy was encased in a massive barrier, amplifying magic within its confines.
Throne scanned the endless stretch of trees. "Concealment and vigilance. Must be Professor Ella's work." He dismounted, his boots crunching against the forest floor. "I'm a physical entity. Touching it will alert them. Can you pass through?"
Two weeks ago, Melina might've rolled her eyes at such a request. But things had changed. Without hesitation, she materialized. "I can. And I can take you with me."
Throne blinked. "You can do that?"
"What are you staring at? We've crossed enough lines already. One more won't hurt." She dissolved into spirit particles, swirling around him instead of dispersing. The sensation was… odd. Like being enveloped in a mother's embrace.
"Move! This takes a toll on me." Throne stepped forward. A ripple washed over him, followed by a force that pushed outward. One step, and the world shifted.
The forest in front of him disappeared, replaced by a cliff, and below it stood a circular structure. Throne raised an eyebrow. "An exquisite illusion." The mechanism mirrored an illusory wall, but with an added layer of alarm. Breaking it would summon every mage in the vicinity. He glanced at the building. "The Ainsel River well?"
The sight caught him off guard. He'd never spared a moment to examine this gateway to the underground, yet here it was—already active. Desperation pushed them here, didn't it? Cornered dogs leap walls. If they couldn't outmatch Caria, they'd scavenge resources elsewhere. Throne pieced together the Academy's reasoning and sifted through his memories, searching for fragments about the Ainsel River.
The underground of The Lands Between also hides many secrets. Most are forgotten places where the Erdtree's defeated linger in shadow. Beneath the Ainsel River lies more—the ruins of Uhl Palace, the so-called Eternal City of Nokstella, the lingering spite of an old thief, the foul Lake of Rot, and those repulsive crimson ants.
Melina materialized beside him, her breathing faintly labored but her face unreadable. "How is it?" she asked, her voice flat, her presence abrupt.