Frieren, well-versed in such matters, accepted the Liurnian nobles' pledge of allegiance on the spot. Although the ceremony was simple, essentially a formality, it was the sentiment that counted. They had encountered the Soul of Cinder King amidst their most arduous trial and recognized her; only she could lead the way of kings. It had to be her.
Evidently, these nobles had already made up their minds. Even if many were introduced by Ranni, they actually leaned more towards Stormveil Castle, as the Carian Royal Family currently lacked executive power.
They had long been seeking a monarch to support. However, they were wary of their old masters, the Carians. Now, it was a situation where they could achieve two goals with one action; since they had become allies, they were now related. Thus, they seamlessly chose the King of Stormveil.
The Academy of Magic was an afterthought; the entire region was already nominally under Frieren's rule. Even the most devout, Moongrum, would not object. A Tarnished of royal stature naturally possessed charisma; choosing her was a matter of course.
And the Carian Royal Family now had Empyreans; they needed a king's choice to enact their laws. It was normal for them to attach themselves to her; the nobles' unease was understandable.
Never mind. The Carian Royal Family had been dormant for too many years; it was normal for the Liurnian nobles to integrate with the other side.
While Frieren was busy accepting pledges of allegiance, Commander Edgar was cleaning up the battlefield. As far as the eye could see, there were countless suits of armor and weapons, many of them already enhanced...
"Truly befitting the Royal Capital." No wonder they always had the upper hand in direct confrontations; the basic quality of their soldiers was vastly different, not to mention the disparity in weaponry.
Some of the abandoned hero-grade weapons were even more powerful and had to be specially collected. Later, when stronger troop types were cultivated, these would be distributed to enhance their strength. Moreover, Edgar already had candidates in mind; for example, the Dragon Communion adherents had performed well.
On the other side, the Farron Undead Legion stood resting like statues, also keeping watch. Their bodies were like iron, their willpower firm. A rare moment of relaxation appeared on the battlefield. Edgar gave some basic instructions and then announced a rest on the spot.
They lacked the strength to either return to Stormveil Castle or take over the Academy of Magic; it was better to recuperate first.
A moment later.
After finally finishing the process of receiving the nobles, Frieren put away her staff and yawned. "Finally done with them, they're so long-winded..."
"Congratulations. With this, it's basically announced that the Liurnia region has submitted. Not a single monarch during the Shattering managed to unite these two lands," Melina offered her blessings.
"It went fairly smoothly, I suppose. Was it because of the Moon Princess's influence?"
"It was your charisma, actually. In truth, the Carian Royal Family is not what it once was. The nobles will support them, but not necessarily dispatch troops as they would for you." To be frank, the Carian line of Elden Lord candidates had been disappointing.
After so much planning, both Rykard and Radahn met with disaster, losing all their gambled chips – a crushing defeat that left many investors with psychological scars. It was somewhat inauspicious, so they would be cautious and conservative if another Carian-linked monarch appeared.
Circumstances are ever-changing. Frieren had now become the best candidate. She wasn't of the Carian line, whose fate was locked and repeatedly met with misfortune, and she was powerful with a stable mental state.
No noble with aspirations of supporting a monarch would pass her up, especially in Liurnia, where such traditions ran deep.
They might seem to have acted too quickly, superficially lacking consideration, but in reality, they had been planning for years, just waiting for a candidate, and moreover, she held a trump card.
Melina asked, "The nobles must have asked you to treat their Hollowed relatives and friends, right?"
"Yes, they want the latest experimental magic."
"They should also have you explore some minor labyrinths for them; it would save them a few trips."
"It's only fun if you open treasure chests yourself." Melina knew Frieren's personality; she couldn't resist running around collecting things. Even being a king was just a part-time job for her; her main profession was adventurer. Regardless, Melina was happy for the Tarnished. She had taken a big step closer to an audience with the Elden Ring. Strategically speaking, the threat of the Grace-Given King's army garrison had finally been eliminated.
"Speaking of which, after witnessing the Full Moon Queen's ultimate magic in the illusion space, do you still think her esoteric art can be deciphered and replicated? It might have side effects on the caster."
"No, truly proficient magic doesn't have that many problems." The silver-haired girl pondered for a moment. "However, the Academy holds many secrets that concern me. It all feels so confusing; I don't know what exactly happened in the past..."
"Then you can ask the most suitable person, or rather, a wise beast."
"Who?" Melina pointed towards the distant church. They had just urgently teleported from that direction, yet had overlooked it. It was known that Radagon and Rennala's wedding officiant resided there, an elder sage in the Lands Between.
Hearing this, Frieren immediately decided to set off. She told her subordinates she was going for a stroll and slowly departed. Although her condition hadn't fully recovered, a little walking wouldn't hurt. In any case, even without the power of her 'account,' her main body's base stats were still formidable.
The church entrance was overgrown with grass and trees. The place where a grand wedding ceremony was once held was now dilapidated, with crumbling walls and a gap in the ceiling. Traces of decoration could still be faintly discerned: red carpets once laid on the green lawn, colorful ribbons once adorning the trees lining the path, gongs and drums sounding to the heavens...
Unfortunately, the most common scenery in the Lands Between was that of faded prosperity. Today's Church of Vows was nothing more than a pile of broken bricks and tiles. Even having seen paintings of the wedding scene in the Academy's records, she couldn't connect them to what lay before her. She continued inside and immediately noticed a treasure chest in the corner.
Good stuff! The silver-haired girl instantly forgot her fatigue, strode over in a few steps, and opened the chest. Inside was a long, thin metal object, its name displayed as [Gold Sewing Needle]. Just by its feel, she knew its performance was extraordinary.
[A large sewing needle made of gold.]
[A special item used to alter demigod attire.]
[One of the belongings Radagon brought with him when he became the husband of the Full Moon Queen to live with her.]
The description was surprisingly rich in history! A treasure of truly extraordinary historical significance, a witness to a legend.
"Boc would probably like this. I'll give it to him to try next time we meet." She did know simple sewing, but more often relied on magical assistance. Besides, altering demigod attire probably wasn't that easy; professional matters should be left to professionals. The urgent task now was to inquire about past information.
Her gaze shifted from the treasure chest to the large tortoise in the deepest part of the church. The latter had been observing the uninvited guest for a while but had refrained from speaking and disturbing her. Truly a Tarnished, making herself right at home, calmly pocketing the Gold Sewing Needle in its presence, taking it with a clear conscience.
"Your Majesty, it seems you have returned victorious, having even repelled the Grace-Given King's Golden Army."
"You are Miriel, Pastor of Vows?"
"Indeed." The large tortoise nodded and spoke slowly, "I know what you wish to inquire about. I will tell you everything I know."
Ask what? Actually, Frieren wasn't interested in the Carian Royal Family's convoluted affairs; she had no mind for gossip. Besides, judging by one of the parties involved, the Full Moon Queen didn't seem like the scheming type in the marriage. That left only one person.
"I want to know about Radagon, especially all his deeds in those events."
"An expected answer. The world is full of curiosity about the Royal Consort, and his past is shrouded in mystery. All I can tell you is about that wedding..."
Miriel, Pastor of Vows, recounted the course of events. He lightly skimmed over the backdrop of the Golden Conquest and the war with the Academy of Magic; after all, he hadn't personally participated and offered no comment, just a brief mention.
The key was his description of the details of the engagement, baptism, and wedding, as he was one of the organizers and naturally knew them well.
Listening quietly, Frieren grew increasingly puzzled. No matter how she looked at it, the couple didn't seem devoid of affection, at least not as heartless as the rumors suggested. Moreover, everyone acknowledged that Radagon had provided well for his three children through enfeoffment.
Strange. Why did Queen Marika, upon Godfrey's departure, hastily recall Radagon, who then also cut off all ties? No, the Unborn Great Rune was proof of another contingency.
At least in the eyes of the world, the accusation that Radagon abandoned his wife and children was a bit too heavy; he had indeed made a series of meticulous arrangements.
As for "Radagon used court intrigue to expel Godfrey and then took his place," that was even more far-fetched. The Golden Lineage had love, but it would never outweigh considerations for the bigger picture. It was meaningless to speculate with gossip; there had to be a major issue here, many inconsistencies...
"It's more like Radagon went to face something?"
Hearing Frieren's murmur, the large tortoise nodded. "You think so too, don't you? Yes, in my view, Radagon and Rennala did have feelings for each other. The former probably went to embrace some responsibility."
"Miriel, don't speak in such a speculative tone. You definitely know more. For example, details that even demigods might not have noticed?" Suddenly, the silver-haired girl became very certain, because messages on the ground had hinted at some information. Even snippets were enough for her to understand that this pastor knew more than he revealed, having witnessed many secrets.
It might not be the truth, but a few doubts were enough; in the end, she had to find out for herself anyway.
The large tortoise spoke meaningfully, "I've told you all the confirmed news. If Your Majesty is still not satisfied, then go to the Royal Capital. Radagon's statue there holds a secret. But if you've seen too little, knowing that secret won't clarify its meaning."
It didn't elaborate further; revealing more would invite disaster. Moreover, a hard explanation would involve a host of related concepts. It was better to let the king seeking the truth experience it herself.
"Another clue pointing to the Royal Capital."
"Yes, many truths of the Golden Dynasty are hidden there. A thorough investigation will surely yield results."
"What I seek is not just the secrets of the Golden Dynasty. At least, before it, there was the Eternal City, the ancient dragon civilization, and so on. In my view, the Night of the Black Knives bears traces of the extension of accumulated contradictions from past generations. It's impossible to understand without knowing the past."
"That's too long ago. You should ask an ancient dragon. Their lifespans are almost the same as the Lands Between." The large tortoise slowly shook its head.
Hearing this, Frieren fell silent. As an elven race also considered to live as long as heaven and earth in reality, she certainly knew that longevity didn't equate to omniscience. Many old elves in her home village knew nothing when asked.
Ancient dragons had become increasingly rare, having long ceased to watch the turmoil on the ground.
Asking them would probably be futile, not to mention there were no clues about the floating city of Farum Azula.
Wait! Miriel looked at the silver-haired girl's thoughtful expression, thinking to himself that it was rare to have a king who cared about the truth and had a clear mind. He hoped she wouldn't get caught in the intertwined conspiracies of various parties.
And based on her current state, she probably wouldn't be able to dig up much information. But the next moment, this thought was overturned:
"Do you know the term 'Land of Shadow'?" "Actually, I'm not sure if it's a specific place or a metaphorical name for an item. In short, it should be very important, hidden very deeply." While speaking, Frieren observed the other's facial expression, but unfortunately, it was a tortoise.
"Compared to your previous topics, this is a relatively recent story: During the peak of the Golden Erdtree, Grace-dews were scattered across the world, bringing infinite prosperity. But one day, the Eternal Goddess Marika launched a holy war. The battlefield was obscured, and Grace no longer descended.
The brief era of abundance came to an end." "That land is called the Land of Shadow. It is considered taboo, a symbol of the destruction of the age of abundance. Coupled with the Goddess's deliberate concealment, almost no one remembers it ever existed." It was very curious how the Soul of Cinder King knew, and knew only by name at that.
Never mind. Suddenly, Frieren spread out a map and hurriedly asked, "Where is the Land of Shadow?"
"It's hard to say where it is, because it has been completely hidden, not spatially connected, though theoretically, their coordinates are together... If I had to say, it's that gap in the middle and the area extending eastward." After seeing the general area the large tortoise indicated with its head, she was astonished. Such a large piece of land had actually been erased. Unfortunately, there was no way to get there.
Melina, beside her, was even more stunned. This was Goddess Marika's doing? Why did she know nothing about it? It was clearly so important. Was information unrelated to her mission completely withheld? If she didn't understand the whole picture, how could she be sure her mission was good for the Lands Between, good for the Tarnished? It was unsettling.
She became even more determined to fully understand all sorts of information before burning the Erdtree. She should unearth the truth with her partner; otherwise, if she were alone, wouldn't it be easy to fall into a trap? How could she, with a mind always preoccupied with treasure chests, contend with conspirators?
"Thank you. Are there any clues to the Land of Shadow? Where would they be?"
"Back then, Her Majesty the Queen's younger sister, Lellana the Twin Moon Knight, went on an expedition with the holy war army. You should be able to find clues if you search carefully in this area."
"..." Frieren immediately thought of the Three Sisters. So that was the foreshadowing! She hadn't expected the Carian Royal Family to be so martially proficient, with masters as numerous as clouds, even having a Twin Moon Knight join an expedition.
Unfortunately, when asked further about Lellana and the commander of the holy war army, the large tortoise just slowly shook its head and feigned ignorance.
Don't say it, please don't say it. This was a topic Marika had forbidden discussion of. You, a rebel of the Golden Dynasty, aren't afraid, but I still have to be cautious.
It proactively changed the subject: "Also, if you have any incantations or incantation scrolls you'd like to learn, we can study them together. After all, more skills don't hurt, right?"
"Someone did indeed recommend you to me as an incantation teacher."
"I don't deserve such praise. Compared to the founder of Soul magic, my knowledge is merely based on the experience of predecessors. However, if Your Majesty is willing to grace me with her presence, that's fine." The large tortoise displayed the incantations it could teach.
[Blessing's Boon] Frieren, having collected and researched various healing methods, was naturally interested in healing types. She immediately and humbly sought guidance from Miriel, Pastor of Vows, and obtained this latest incantation ability. With the Clawmark Seal from Beast Clergyman Gurranq, she had enough to cast incantations; she should cultivate both magic and incantations.
[Encompasses nearby allies, bestowing a blessing of grace.]
[Has the effect of slowly restoring HP.]
[While continuously active, maintains the prayer state and does not take effect.]
[In the past, the Golden Erdtree once dripped dewdrops of grace—]
[This may be a fragment of those dewdrops of grace.]
Its description made Frieren pause slightly. Indeed, the large tortoise hadn't lied. The past age of abundance primarily relied on the Golden Erdtree's dewdrops of grace, bringing almost limitless prosperity to the world.
This "Blessing's Boon" incantation was also a form of nostalgia for that past era; only Miriel, who had truly witnessed it, could not forget. Although longevity was common in the Lands Between, it didn't mean memories weren't lost. Moreover, with the risk of hollowing tormenting the world for so many years, few people remembered what the age of abundance looked like.
Then she looked at the other magics. Yes, the two were not separate, so the pastor also taught magic:
[Carian Greatsword]
[Glintblade Phalanx]
She knew their general effects just from the names. Honestly, they were identical to some of her current variations. Ordinary mages weren't so talented; a single variation had to be learned as a new spell.
Adhering to the principle of learning more, practicing more, and understanding by analogy, Frieren still chose to accept.
As night fell, magical traces flickered in the starlit Church of Vows – golden healing power, and Caria's blue magic...
Having obtained the new magic, the silver-haired girl immediately began to experiment. "The two Carian spells are nothing special, but Blessing's Boon is very useful. The basic principle of blessing within it can be referenced.
Moreover, it's large-scale battlefield healing and fits the rules of the Lands Between, very suitable for the current situation." Golden light surged in Frieren's hands as she continuously tested healing and incorporating the effects of soul magic. Perhaps this could overcome the inefficiency of treating a few targets in batches.
Genius! Little did they know, these actions seemed outrageous to Miriel. Even the renowned genius astrologer girl of yesteryear, the Full Moon Queen, didn't possess such talent. She practically grasped the trick and researched it upon obtaining the magic, achieving twice the result with half the effort.
And that wasn't all; she even explored new uses by integrating her own unique magic. One could imagine that the Soul of Cinder King must have witnessed a vast array of diverse magics to be able to think by analogy so easily. Experience cannot be taught.
"Your Majesty, your magical talent is the strongest I've ever seen. Truly worthy of being the sorcerer who twice repelled that Fell Omen."
"It's nothing. I just summarize patterns after collecting many spells. What's important isn't how strong a single performance is, but adapting to different situations, just like now—" Frieren scattered Blessing's Boon towards the distant allied army encampment. Golden embers fell, like the dewdrops of old, soothing hearts.
The soldiers, feeling the familiar magic, readily accepted it. Sure enough, wounds healed, stamina recovered. Even in the dead of night, they didn't want to sleep, full of inexhaustible energy, greatly uplifted. Most importantly, the fatigue of their souls was swept away, the risk of hollowing suppressed.
Even the dead would have a better state of soul returning to the Erdtree. They couldn't help but cheer, wishing they could run over and praise her immediately.
The effect was good. Although the description mentioned slow recovery, as long as one was willing to infuse a large amount of magic power, coupled with the assistance of soul magic, the performance could definitely be greatly enhanced. It was another means to deal with large-scale battlefields, not inferior to those top-tier killing abilities.
Never mind. "If you have any incantation scrolls in the future, we can study them here together. Anyway, Your Majesty has Grace-given teleportation, right?"
"Thank you, I'll be relying on your guidance in the future as well."
"It's good to have someone to chat with, but I've been active for a long time and I'm a bit tired. I should rest. After all, today's commotion is a once-in-a-millennium event." Even the usually calm Miriel couldn't help but complain about one of the parties involved.
"Blame Margit. I don't know why he targets Tarnished everywhere. He clearly has no personal grudge, yet he always harasses the people of Roundtable Hold."
"That being has his own difficulties. Their paths are different."
"By the way, since you know so many of Radagon's secrets, do you know the identity of the Grace-Given King?"
The large tortoise's silence was the best answer. Clearly, it involved a major secret, one that could even shake the rule of the current Royal Capital, Leyndell. However, he wasn't sure either, merely speculating. Rather than making a wrong guess in the end, it was better to feign ignorance from the start, at least not to lead to a misjudged option.
Understanding his meaning, Frieren nodded and didn't dwell on these matters. In terms of spatial distance, she hadn't even reached the Altus Plateau, so what was the point of inquiring about secrets? At the very least, she had to personally experience the lands of the Shattering War's ruins. The current intelligence puzzle was very incomplete; there was no point in pestering a large tortoise with questions. Could the Pastor of Vows reveal everything?
"You've helped me so much. Would you like me to send people to repair the Church of Vows?"
"I like peace and quiet. Before the Carian Royal Family is truly revitalized, just trimming the surrounding flowers and grass is enough to make it look more pleasant. I'll entrust that to Your Majesty."
"Miriel, farewell for now." After a moment of contemplation, Frieren waved goodbye, leaving a retreating figure, more upright than when she arrived. In just a short while, she had recovered most of her magic power.
Left in its place, it gazed at that retreating figure and sighed. Wise beasts had their own intelligence channels, so it had learned about the renowned Soul of Cinder King earlier. It hadn't expected her to become so strong in such a short time, but at least it gave Caria hope for recovery.
Unknowingly, the sky began to lighten. Coupled with the power of the earlier Blessing's Boon, many were eager for action.
Move out! The army marched towards the Academy of Magic, banners filling the sky, dust rising. It was clearly visible even from the Church of Vows. The correct choice: carry the momentum of victory to quickly sweep away the riffraff in the Academy and restore clarity to Liurnia. Only then would there be hope for revitalization. The large tortoise gazed at the distant high tower, seemingly sensing the Full Moon Queen's aura, and Ranni's gradually fading projection. Since mother and daughter had met, there should be no need to worry. At least the lake region had escaped disaster.
"But there won't be a next time. How many troops will need to be mobilized for the Third Siege of Leyndell?"
"I hope that merciful King can restore as much of the people's strength as possible." He knew of the prosperity in the South, acknowledged Frieren's managerial abilities, and looked forward to her bringing prosperity to the even larger Liurnia region... With this thought, Miriel lowered his head and fell asleep. No need to worry anymore.
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