News of the victory at the end of the Liurnia Highway spread quickly.
After all, as early as the event's fermentation stage, various factions had dispatched spies to closely monitor the armies of both sides, especially an offensive ordered by the Grace-Given King, which held extraordinary significance.
However, the turn of events was too convoluted.
It was initially thought that Stormveil Castle's weak army would crumble in minutes, yet they managed to entangle and hold off the Royal Capital Army for several days. Indeed, the front-line commander, Margit, had also misjudged, thereby missing a golden opportunity.
It wasn't his fault, because during Edgar's desperate defense, a major event unforeseen by all occurred:
The Academy of Raya Lucaria fell, achieved by the Shardbearer Frieren single-handedly.
The commotion was immense; she basically attacked openly, thus revealing a great deal of intelligence, clearly intended to awe any clandestine observers.
How audacious!
But the strength she displayed was indeed impeccable. Fighting her way in from the Academy gate, her Spirit Ash legion alone harassed the entire Academy, preventing them from organizing an effective defense and turning the place upside down.
Subsequently, she defeated the Academy's high-ranking mage contingent, Radagon's Red Wolf, and the Full Moon Queen.
The battle between Shardbearers unfolded just like that.
No one had anticipated Frieren would so openly stride into the library and then just as boldly walk out. The victor was plain for all to see; the title of the foremost sorcerer in the Lands Between now had a new, well-deserved owner.
The aftershocks of their battle truly befitted the demigod title, and it was a battle between Shardbearers possessing Great Runes, making it even more valuable.
Thus, Frieren had militarily suppressed the Academy.
Logically, it wouldn't have mattered if it ended there, because this broken place was a muddle of academic factions, royalist factions, and other struggles, a confusing mix, making true unification difficult and instead leading to chaos.
Just when she was drowsy, a pillow arrived, or perhaps she had planned it all along; someone helped Frieren complete the consolidation of power.
The Moon Princess.
Ranni, who had been silent for many years, actually took action, proactively cooperating to complete the operation. As the schemer behind the Night of the Black Knives, what was her intention this time? It inevitably stirred unease among various factions.
Only after retreating to Leyndell, Royal Capital, did the army understand what had transpired in Liurnia.
In the throne room, a travel-worn Margit, leaning on his staff, sighed heavily, "This is no longer surprising."
The Night's Cavalry responsible for the report fell silent.
"......No wonder she dared to rush to provide support immediately after defeating the Full Moon Queen. With the backing of the Carian Royal Family's legitimate heir, it's enough to subdue the various factions in the Academy. Coupled with the army, Frieren has already occupied the Academy."
"Lord Morgott, according to past patterns, even if the Soul of Cinder King occupies an area, it will take a long time to repair. We could use this to harass them."
"No, we have already completely withdrawn from the lowlands. There's no need for further complications. Even ceding the Grand Lift is fine. The urgent task now is to reorganize the Royal Capital's defenses and prepare to protect our homeland." His tone was filled with regret; ultimately, they couldn't avoid sliding into this situation.
Damn it!
In the end, a Tarnished with no reverence for the Erdtree and its laws was to take over the dynasty? It was hard to say if it would even remain a dynasty in the future. Everything he had protected would be put to the torch. In a daze, Morgott understood his true desire: perhaps he simply wanted to protect the beauty of the Golden Capital he once looked up to.
It must not fall into the hands of outsiders.
He instructed his confidants to propose defensive measures, abandon all illusions, and prepare for the inevitable moment.
"We should increase the conscription of the Golden People, reinforce the city walls as much as possible, and increase our armed forces. After all, the Battle of the Church of Vows proved they are difficult to deal with. We must especially prepare to counter multiple demigods."
"It's alright, we've faced a coalition of kings before, haven't we repelled them just the same? And they were stronger than Frieren."
"The Royal Capital is protected by numerous heroes. Suppressing an extra demigod or two with numbers isn't difficult; war is about organization. Moreover, we have an absolute advantage in weapons and equipment. Over time, the enemy might even break down before the city walls without a fight."
Overall, the officers were optimistic.
After all, if the coalition of kings could be repelled twice back then, there was no reason they couldn't succeed a third time.
Furthermore, in the thousands of years of decline, Leyndell, Royal Capital, had regressed at the slowest rate. The gap, in fact, had widened compared to before. A simple matter of arithmetic.
For example, could Frieren now gather the peak strength of Volcano Manor and Caelid? On the contrary, they were in the worst state.
Who was left?
Don't be fooled by the Soul of Cinder King's aggressive posture, occupying Liurnia and Limgrave. In reality, only these two places could provide combat-ready troops. Could their resources alone sustain a large army?
They even looked forward to thoroughly exhausting them, creating a weary force.
After listening to their discourse, Morgott said, "In that case, fully open the armories. And prepare more mages with defensive measures."
"My lord, I believe conscription should be handled cautiously. The defeat in this battle has caused dissatisfaction among some nobles... They even demand that the Grace-Given King himself provide an explanation."
"There's no time to bother with them."
Compared to the goal of defending the Royal Capital, everything else was a minor matter. Thorough preparations were essential. With this thought, Morgott looked towards the hall before the Queen's bedchamber. His father, Godfrey, the first King, existed there as a projection.
At the critical moment, he would surely act to protect the Royal Capital.
Or perhaps, he shouldn't rely on a projection. Should he find a way to inform the Warrior King to return?
"Although I don't know what plans Goddess Marika and my father have, if the situation deteriorates further, it will be necessary to inform him, even if he is outside the Lands Between."
"How to contact him?"
"Simply harming the projection's master will let him know. Besides, he has probably already received some news."
"Indeed, some of the foreign Lords of Cinder were active outside the Lands Between before."
Morgott shook his head and sighed, "However, I still have some persistence. I hope to defend for a while longer with my own strength. Let this be a trump card plan. Don't always think about powerful external aid."
The crowd exchanged glances and nodded, feeling both joy and shock. Could the First King truly return? Wouldn't that turn the tide?
All disputes over legitimacy would be meaningless before Godfrey. As the founder of the Golden Dynasty, his mere presence would unite the world; the enemy's morale would likely crumble.
At that time, only one way to prove legitimacy would remain: defeat the First King.
That was impossible.
With this layer of assurance, the atmosphere in the room recovered somewhat. Watching the officers discuss, Morgott fell into deep thought: Godfrey would definitely return, and there should be a timeline, most likely triggered by the appearance of a Tarnished of kingly caliber, meeting the minimum standard to audience the Elden Ring.
In other words, when Frieren clearly possessed two Great Runes, he should set out.
He wasn't entirely sure about this guess; consider it a father-son intuition.
But as everyone knew, the Full Moon Queen's Great Rune had not been taken, so the missing one needed to be supplemented from other monarchs.
Mohgwyn Dynasty.
Receiving news from his numerous spies, Mohg shook his head in boredom.
"Meaningless. I thought they would fight until both sides were crippled. At the very least, my pedantic brother should have annihilated the Southern Army. Truly uninteresting."
Although he didn't forget to criticize his brother, he was actually feeling indignant. How could the Grace-Given King, on a rare expedition, encounter so many unexpected situations? From the Royal Capital's perspective, it was all outside the plan.
The Limgrave army was tougher than expected.
The Academy of Magic was even more servile and fawning than imagined, surrendering to the intruder in minutes.
Even the Full Moon Queen, hailed as a demigod-level sorcerer, was defeated so quickly, and furthermore, failed to inflict a fatal blow on Frieren. As a result, the Royal Capital Army was repeatedly defeated by her, with news of victories constantly arriving—utterly disgraceful.
The consequences of this failed expedition should not be underestimated. The momentum was surrendered, and they had effectively become the enemy's stepping stone.
One could imagine that some who originally feared Leyndell's power would become active.
For example, Mohg.
He constantly sought to spread his faith with the power of the Blood Fingers and throw the world into chaos. The more slaughter, the better; ultimately, it was all groundwork for his own dominance.
"If that fellow had been more decisive, things wouldn't be like this today. Just claim kingship, face the challengers directly. That would be much more interesting. People would have to choose between a demi-human mongrel Tarnished and a Son of an Omen. I'd like to see the expressions on those high-and-mighty nobles' faces."
No one dared to respond to Mohg's words, allowing him to laugh maniacally, brandishing his spear like a scepter.
"If I'm not mistaken, Frieren will probably choose the Caelid region for the next Great Rune. If she dies, it's one thing. If Radahn is defeated, we'll have to consider supporting the Royal Capital. What do you think, Ansbach?"
"That general will not be easily defeated. But just in case, we should prepare for an all-out war with the Soul of Cinder King."
The old man nodded with deep apprehension.
He was an absolute powerhouse among the Blood Knights, with an illustrious battle record and keen insight. Since he made this judgment, he likely still favored the new Shardbearer King.
The title of the strongest demigod had been around for a long time, but nothing in the Lands Between could remain undefeated forever. In terms of sheer presence, Frieren, who was still rapidly growing, was not far behind. The Festival of Combat would decide the outcome; a historic moment was approaching.
"Right."
"—If Radahn is defeated, it means she possesses the strength to threaten the Royal Capital and must be eradicated."
A deep apprehension showed on Mohg's face, but not enough for him to act personally. He had to guard this place; at most, he could create weak demigod-level avatars to help Morgott.
Besides, Leyndell wouldn't fare too badly in a defensive war.
As a local, he knew too well how much power was hidden within, unfathomable. It was also good to let the Southern Army wear themselves out first.
Ansbach proposed, "My lord, we should now dispatch more Blood Nobles to establish outposts in the Lands Between in advance to support future military operations. For example, it would be best to screen another batch of Albinauric legions or bloodfiends."
"I'll leave it all to you. I still have to deal with Miquella here."
After speaking, Mohg's body sank into a pool of blood and vanished. In the vast main hall, only a cocoon remained, a withered arm extending from a slit, exuding an eerie aura.
The old knight gazed at the Empyrean's sleeping place, his eyes flickering, always feeling as if the other was bewitching something.
Was it an illusion?
"Never mind, there are still important matters."
He shook his head and turned to leave. With Mohg's prowess, he shouldn't be susceptible to a sneak attack, especially since Miquella had little combat strength.
The subterranean Mohgwyn Dynasty began to stir. Under the power of the Formless Mother, an Outer God, more bloodfiends and numerous Albinaurics were created, their howls echoing in the underground starry sky.
Meanwhile, the luxurious manor far away in Volcano Manor was equally lively.
Within the lava, a giant serpent and a pile of sludge devoured each other. Sometimes, when bored, they would devour the surrounding basilisks, cheering joyfully together, like a scene from hell.
Their powers were compatible, so they devoured together, even helping each other digest and fuse. Of course, their wills also became further twisted in the continuous entanglement, leaving only a call of hatred:
"Kill the last Lord of Cinder, Frieren, to avenge my being hunted and used as kindling."
A roar erupted from Aldrich's sludgy body, while Gwyndolin's body atop it was listless.
He had been weakened in the last battle, his digestion of the god diminished. This scion of Gwyn was actually showing signs of struggle and had to be suppressed.
"Destroy the Golden Erdtree, full of lies, and torture that Fell Omen—"
Ever since the failed attack on Leyndell and the subsequent counterattack on Volcano Manor thousands of years ago, Rykard had not forgotten the humiliation. It was an insult to Ranni's planning; he had to make amends. Devouring the great serpent was his reliance for power.
Roar!
The two behemoths cheered.
Standing by the lava pool were three figures: Patches, Bernahl, and Tanith. A Crucible Knight stood at the entrance leading here, like a statue.
The lady of the manor spoke first, "The outcome of the Battle of the Church of Vows proves Leyndell is strong on the outside but weak on the inside. With Volcano Manor's current reserve strength, at least on the demigod level, we already surpass the Royal Capital. In your opinion, is it enough to launch another siege?"
"At any rate, we can't let Margit have an easy time. Send some insignificant cannon fodder to harass them," Patches said with a sinister smile.
"Indeed, but for an all-out attack, we need to observe first," Bernahl warned. "The Royal Capital's hidden strength is greater than it appears. Even I, Rykard, and Aldrich might not be able to take it down."
"You two are too cautious. Our objective is to create destruction first."
"Lady Tanith, just as Patches said, mobilizing some miscellaneous troops is enough. If we deploy demigod-level power, it will put all factions on edge."
"Is there no other way? In my opinion, Rykard needs some encouraging news to maintain his sanity."
He was overjoyed after hearing Margit had failed twice.
So happy that his speech even became a bit more normal, as if he had wrested some will from the great serpent. However, overall, he was already a fused monster; his true nature was hard to say.
"Find allies?"
Bernahl hadn't expected the newcomer Tarnished from Warmaster's Shack to grow to this extent. His admiration grew, convinced she possessed the demeanor of a king.
So he proposed a united front with the Southern Army, which would perfectly solve Volcano Manor's predicament of insufficient grassroots troops. After all, they had eaten almost everything; organizing a large-scale offensive was very difficult.
Patches, however, sneered, "Didn't you hear how much Aldrich and Frieren hate each other?"
The two glared at each other resentfully.
Tanith made the final decision, "We won't consider an alliance for now; after all, we are still competitors. As for harassing Leyndell, don't worry. We have as much cannon fodder as we need. The Altus Plateau will become lively."
Then the three discussed further plans, deciding to probe the Royal Capital's actual strength after its failed expedition.
Roundtable Hold.
Sir Gideon Ofnir, at the head of the long office table, rarely looked up as he listened to Knight of the Great Jar, Diallos's report:
"The Battle of the Church of Vows ended in Frieren's victory. According to intelligence, the allied forces have now gone to the Academy of Magic to take full control. Those cowards joined without putting up any decent resistance. The strongest fortress in the entire lake region has fallen into her hands."
"There are many traces of the demigod Ranni's involvement in this incident, indicating an absconder is about to become active. However, since she doesn't possess a Great Rune, it doesn't matter."
"Additionally, Volcano Manor dispatched a group of basilisks to harass the Altus Plateau, killing dozens of guards. Their style is very arrogant."
"That should be one of the reasons Margit withdrew his troops."
"There is also intelligence indicating the Blood Fingers are active, secretly establishing strongholds..."
Diallos recounted all the various changes happening in the world. In terms of intelligence gathering, Roundtable Hold was top-tier, especially this team they were responsible for; gathering news was effortless.
Very lively.
The recent events should collectively be called the Second Liurnian War, divided into several battles, from Frieren's surprise attack on the Academy gate to repelling the Royal Capital Army.
Undoubtedly, after this war, she was already considered a Tarnished of unparalleled kingly caliber, her fame soaring.
Consequently, the actions of Roundtable Hold members also went a bit smoother. After all, both regions welcomed Tarnished, not to mention this Shardbearer King's character was impeccable. Rumors had already begun to spread that she was performing large-scale soul healing.
"Honestly, I didn't expect it to be so fast! Sir, what do you think?"
"Diallos, the Lands Between are vast enough. Looking beyond the Lands Between, it's even larger. After a few thousand years of vacuum, it's normal for strong individuals to become active."
Although he said so, the strength Frieren displayed truly shocked Sir Gideon Ofnir. Perhaps he could still suppress her somewhat with his full power now, but if she continued to grow, it wouldn't be certain.
He stood up and headed for the hall to audience the Two Fingers.
"Well done."
"Give that Margit a good thrashing; he beat me up."
"Today, we drink until we drop."
Passing through the central room, he heard several Tarnished celebrating as if they shared the glory. What did it have to do with them?
Even if she herself was often absent, Roundtable Hold was always filled with legends of Frieren. Now, the title of the First Tarnished was unquestionable, even placing her a step away from audiencing the Elden Ring.
Sir Gideon Ofnir arrived at the Two Fingers' room. As always, it was gloomy. The so-called messengers of a god were dull and uninteresting; he still had to ask Finger Reader Enia.
"Enia, what do They think about someone allying with those hunted by the Two Fingers?"
"It doesn't matter. The Two Fingers each choose their own paths. The ones hunting Ranni are her Two Fingers; the conflict arose from breaking the rules. As for Frieren, her actions so far have been within a reasonable framework. The Two Fingers of Roundtable Hold absolutely welcome her."
"It seems you indeed don't communicate with each other, and you lost contact with your superiors even earlier."
Silence was the best answer. Indeed, the power of the Two Fingers in the continuously decaying Lands Between was greatly diminished; the military forces they could mobilize were increasingly weaker.
"And what do you know, Sir Gideon Ofnir?"
"A little more than you, a so-called messenger of a god who doesn't live up to the name."
With that, he turned and left. Confirming the attitude of the Roundtable Hold's Two Fingers was enough. It seemed this fellow wouldn't become Frieren's enemy, so he had no reason to expose certain facts prematurely.
Academy of Raya Lucaria.
All key sections had been completely taken over by the Southern Army. Guards were stationed every three steps, sentries every five, ensuring every corner was checked first.
After all, it was well known that mages liked to set traps; a thorough search was necessary for peace of mind.
Commander Edgar's other idea was to maintain deterrence, letting the army, fresh from a bloodbath, awe and suppress any errant thoughts. Otherwise, these arrogant and incompetent individuals might still cause trouble.
Little did they know, they had been scared out of their wits when Frieren rampaged through the Academy and were now cooperating obediently.
When the eternally aggressive Farron Undead Legion, seemingly searching for the Abyss, stationed themselves, everyone became even more afraid. This one was equally powerful and even less communicative than the Soul of Cinder King—all action, few words, not to be provoked.
With the help of the Liurnian nobles, they quickly controlled the key parts of the Academy. As for the mages, it wasn't really a purge; they were simply returned to their proper places.
Of course, Sellen handled the work of revenge.
All those academic warlords who had slandered her and persecuted the Primeval Current faction were thoroughly eliminated, avenging her grievances with great satisfaction.
"A pity, you fools didn't even know the locations of Masters Azur and Lusat."
That was probably the only regret.
The key informants were on her apprentice's kill list and had already been annihilated. She hadn't shown any mercy when she charged through back then.
"Never mind, there's no rush to find the masters. We can take our time."
Now, there was a new school of magic that Sellen and Frieren needed to work on: Soul magic. Progress was quite rapid, the effects intuitive, and its significance for the Lands Between after the Shattering of the Elden Ring was immense. It had to be perfected.
In her view, this new Soul magic was more important than the esoteric Primeval Current school.
Boom!
Suddenly, a blast of lunar magic erupted in the Academy plaza, the sound shaking the surroundings. But no one was surprised, because everyone knew their leader was researching new magic.
Ranni's projection's two hands held Frieren's two hands, while her other two hands condensed icy magic.
"Feel my magic's rhythm carefully. If it didn't work just now, try again."
"Sorry, I almost hit you."
"It's alright. After all, it's your first time with Full Moon sorcery."
The reason she was willing to put in so much effort was because Frieren was interested in the moon magic her mother had previously displayed, constantly poring over texts. It was better for her to teach it herself; ultimately, it would strengthen her ally's power.
Beside them, Melina sat on the ruins, bored, witnessing this, thinking to herself that these two were becoming increasingly in sync, sharing quite a common language.
"Alright, I'll try again."
The silver-haired girl spun on the spot, curled up into a bright moon, and then cast it forth. Body and magic became sharp for an instant. The dark moon landed on the ground and exploded with a powerful impact.
Obtained the new sorcery [Ranni's Dark Moon].
[The symbolic sorcery of the Carian Queen, one of the "legendary sorceries"]
[Can summon a cold dark moon to oneself, which will fly towards enemies]
[The dark moon can dispel all magic it touches, and those hit will temporarily have their magic damage negation reduced]
[Guided by her mother, Rennala, the young Ranni encountered the moon—]
[It was a cold and dark, mysterious moon]
Ah?
After reading the description, Frieren realized this was related to the Carian Queen. For the royal family, it should be full of symbolic meaning. No wonder its power was strong and its effect solid; it truly lived up to its legendary name.
It was indeed rare for Ranni to be willing to teach such magic so generously. She was indebted to her.
______________
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