The warriors on the Ellac Greatbridge were at their wits' end, unable to even directly confront Frieren. The disparity in power was too great.
Everyone fell silent, merely chipping away at the frost, which led to a new discovery:
"It's Dark Moon frost, possessing magic-breaking properties. No wonder it's so powerful that even specially-made shields can't block it."
"She's truly skilled."
Dark Moon Sorcery was one of the Carian Royal Family's most renowned legacies, one they would never divulge lightly. She must have been guided by a true practitioner.
The more they learned, the more they discovered Frieren's deep connection to it.
They looked at each other, filled with awe, before dutifully returning to their posts. The final decision was left to Rellana.
She, too, was a difficult person, long unable to decide how to treat the new monarch, merely ordering her subordinates to remain on high alert.
After Torrent easily crossed the great bridge, the few remaining obstacles were also effortlessly overcome.
Ahead, a small bridge—or rather, a set of steps leading into the city—appeared, as the main structure of Castle Ensis came into view.
Thud!
A tall Carian Troll Knight blocked the path, wearing its iconic silver helmet and cape, and wielding a pale blue longsword brimming with magic.
This powerful unit was one of Caria's ace forces, and in the Land of Shadow, suffused with ancient power, it would only be stronger.
Frieren dismissed her spirit steed.
She would be fighting within the city next, where Torrent's mobility would be of no advantage. It was time for him to rest, while Melina proactively moved to the other side.
Even so, the reaction of their Golden Lineage blood was undeniable. The Troll Knight's gaze was fixed on them both; they were no pushovers. Their very arrival must be a form of guidance from the stars.
"So, you are the monarch of this age, who has forged a pact with Caria? Frieren."
"I am."
Even through the mask, she could sense his confusion.
"Out of nowhere, we heard that Radagon betrayed Lady Rennala, and then that the Moon Princess, as an Empyrean, chose a monarch…"
"What a hassle. But considering we were also betrayed by Marika, it's not surprising. Caria never fully trusted the golden royalty. Nothing today is unexpected."
"Come, let us fight. You may only pass if you defeat me."
Thinking was not a Troll Knight's strong suit. It mattered little; he just needed to grip his sword tightly.
He stood ready, his seemingly wide-open stance was, in fact, flawlessly trained. His aura was condensed, his entire being forming a field of pressure centered on his sword. Even an elite squad would have been instantly crushed before him.
The next moment, his blade fell. Frieren did not dodge, but met it head-on, hurling a Rock Sling in a direct clash.
Boom!
The sensation of the strike was like hitting a mountain, a testament to the powerful compression of the gravity sorcery.
However, the Troll Knight still sliced through it and, with a flick of his wrist, sent dust to obscure her vision while sword-beams crisscrossed through the air, aimed at the petite target.
Yet Frieren parried them with ease.
The vast difference in weight seemed non-existent against her technique. The next few blows were like clay oxen entering the sea, vanishing without a ripple, all neutralized.
So this was true power—an余裕, a comfortable superiority that allowed her to handle a lesser foe with ease, signifying an even more terrifying gap in their strength.
Logically, a sorcerer should not be able to do this so effortlessly.
Carian Troll Knights knew how to fight mages; they had sufficient resistance, rich experience, and a battlemage style that was enough to handle their enemies.
But their opponent was the same, specced into everything. To date, she had demonstrated Dark Moon, Gravity, and Glintstone sorceries, as well as an unfathomably deep swordsmanship.
Yes, even though the silver-haired girl was only using her staff to parry, he was certain of one thing:
Her sword would only be stronger.
The shock from her continuous parries sent tremors through the recoil, causing the Troll Knight's footing to become unsteady; he almost lost his balance.
"This is bad." As alarm bells rang in his mind, Frieren had already charged forward. She first used a Gavel of Haima to knock his greatsword aside, then a greatsword materialized in her other hand, its frosty aura slamming viciously into his body.
The moonlight wave of the Dark Moon Greatsword completely broke through his defense.
The off-balance Troll Knight was sent flying by a blunt strike—not a weapon skill, but an effect created purely through elemental properties.
A moment later, he staggered to his feet, covered in dust. Though disheveled, he was not seriously injured, all thanks to his opponent holding back. Otherwise, a critical hit would have left him dead or maimed.
A close call.
More than that, he was concerned with the Dark Moon Greatsword that radiated a chilling aura.
It wasn't just the Troll Knight; Carian warriors who heard the commotion cast their gazes over, only to see the silver-haired girl holding the Dark Moon Greatsword. Of course, there was also that brilliantly shining ring—it was hard not to notice.
Nevertheless, he raised his sword again:
"Royalty or not, it doesn't matter. Now, I just want to witness the power of a prospective monarch."
"Gladly," Frieren nodded, then asked, "You must have witnessed Radagon's power. How strong was he before he became consort?"
"Stronger than you are now, if this is all you have. Don't hold back on account of Castle Ensis. Come."
—Starcaller!
A gravitational vortex pulled in everything from the surroundings, eventually forming a tornado that reached from the earth to the sky, laced with lightning and frost.
The weather changed abruptly, and the hundreds, even thousands of stationed soldiers were caught off guard and sucked in. Even one as strong as the Troll Knight had to plant his sword in the ground to barely hold on.
Only the demigod remained, calmly observing the battlefield.
Melina was slightly taken aback. This was so familiar—wasn't this the multi-elemental manipulation of the Divine Beast Dancing Lion? She had already learned it, and its power was magnified when combined with gravity sorcery.
She watched as a host of soldiers were packed into the tornado to be electrocuted, filling the air with crackling sounds.
All of them were paralyzed.
Frieren's chosen method of demonstrating power without causing injury was simple and brutal: using absolute strength to cast an incomparably massive spell, neutralizing the combat effectiveness of all warriors on the outskirts of Castle Ensis.
As the wind speed and gravity steadily increased, even the Troll Knight could no longer hold on.
The next moment, he was exhausted and swept away.
The fierce wind, carrying lightning, struck every target equally. On the surface, it was the wind absorbing everything, but in reality, it was a byproduct of the gravitational vortex.
And the caster had already minimized the lethality as much as possible; otherwise, it wouldn't have been a perfectly-calibrated paralyzing thunder within.
If she were facing an enemy, Frieren would have used Chaos Flame, or lightning like the Sunlight Spear. Now, the display was more about deterrence than actual destructive power.
She watched as Messmer's scouts retreated a great distance.
This was a greeting.
A piece of advice for him to think carefully before acting. At a time when there was no fundamental conflict of interest, he should not provoke the prospective monarch.
Otherwise, even if she were alone, the power of a sorcerer was comparable to an army, enough to shatter the very heavens and earth.
Only after a while did she retract her magic. A strange sight then appeared before Castle Ensis: it was raining men.
One by one, they fell from mid-air with whooshing sounds. The height was just right; their physical conditioning ensured they wouldn't be harmed, just left dizzy and seeing stars.
By the standards of an army, their organization had collapsed, and they no longer posed a threat.
Only two people remained standing.
Frieren looked around; there were no more obstacles. The city gate was open, and behind the Troll Knight was an inconspicuous archway.
Having a large guardian block a small door was indeed a good choice.
The silver-haired girl looked at the Troll Knight, who was sprawled on the ground and disoriented. He presented two points of light: a Somber Smithing Stone [9] and Royal Knight's Resolve.
"I'll give these two items to you."
"Thank you."
The grease used to coat weapons wasn't very useful, but a high-tier smithing stone was incredibly precious; every single one had to be used with careful calculation.
After all, there was no reforging system. Once a weapon was upgraded to a high level, you had to stick with it.
As Frieren examined the smithing stone, she felt a coarse sense of age, perhaps from a mine in the Altus Plateau.
She glanced back to see a chaotic scene of men and horses tumbled over each other.
Melina had already caught up. Since there were few left who could talk, it was better to press forward. Declaring the monarch's will through action was best—it meant beating everyone into submission.
As the two entered the room, they saw another sorcerer who had fainted.
Waiting for an ambush, were you?
He hadn't expected to be knocked out by Frieren's indiscriminate electro-therapy.
He lay wretchedly on the ground, the only consequence being that they had to lift their feet to avoid stepping on him as they passed.
It was best to let the fellow sleep in peace.
It was quite some time before the guards at the gate got up, looking at each other with mixed feelings.
"She answered that question from before, didn't she? 'Who's stronger, her or Radagon?'"
"We have our answer, don't we?"
"Indeed. He couldn't pull off something like that when he attacked the Academy. But that might not be true after he learned sorcery from Lady Rennala."
"I heard the Prince Consort has also gone missing, just like Marika. But they must both still be alive."
"Then we'll have to be enemies once more."
"Actually, I think Lady Frieren has already answered. Regardless of how she compares to Radagon, as long as he stands as an enemy, he must be vanquished. They will have to fight sooner or later."
The Carian warriors were lost in thought, their feelings complex.
Learning of the turmoil in the Lands Between lately had left everyone at a loss, but honestly, there was a sense of satisfaction.
After all, didn't the Golden Dynasty abandon them? Such a treacherous faction deserved its decline.
Besides, the region of Liurnia was rapidly recovering after the Shattering.
And it was under Frieren's rule. Seeing her today was truly remarkable.
A new sovereign?
As Ranni's consort, holding multiple fragments of the Elden Ring, she was a monarch.
In truth, they had already accepted her in their hearts. It was just that bowing down to the Soul of Cinder so suddenly felt a bit abrupt.
They would observe for now, at least until they heard Rellana's opinion.
The group rested for the time being.
Frieren, at the center of it all, seemed unaffected, searching the area of Castle Ensis as usual.
After passing through the small gate the Troll Knight had been guarding, she found another wide set of stairs.
It seemed one couldn't judge by the conventions of main gates; the castle was built into the mountain, rising layer by layer, making it impregnable.
An outsider attacking would discover its onion-like structure.
"Truly a fortress worthy of guarding the main road of the Land of Shadow. It could likely hold out for some time even against a siege of tens of thousands."
Having seen the walls of Leyndell, Melina was well-qualified to judge, and she clicked her tongue in wonder.
"Yes, and there are plenty of good things too."
The silver-haired girl couldn't care less about the military value of the fortress. She simply summarized it as a must-occupy location and proceeded to search everywhere.
Though she wanted to complain—wasn't this occupied land?—since the hosts didn't mind, she would do as she pleased.
Having defeated the foreign guards, taking some spoils of war was perfectly justifiable in the mindset of the Lands Between. To possess through victory is the way of a monarch.
Atop a high tower.
Following the trace of treasure, Frieren opened a chest:
An elegantly shaped weapon with a Carian aesthetic. Its type was a light greatsword, something she had never seen before. It was light and nimble to wield, yet had a long blade.
She performed a few flourishes; it felt good in her hands. The slender blade and weight suited her frame.
[Maiden's Sword]
[Compared to a greatsword, a light greatsword with an equally long blade but with its weight reduced to the limit.]
[A quality weapon graced with the beautiful title of a noblewoman.]
[Its form is sleek, and its swing speed is comparable to a straight sword.]
One could imagine it would be even more convenient with an Ash of War.
Even its current performance was enough for Frieren's use. She executed a few swings, each one brimming with killing intent, resonating with the Maiden's Sword's sharpness.
With just a few swings, she was sure it was a serviceable weapon. Come to think of it, she used quite a few Carian weapons.
You could always trust their aesthetic sense.
Its strength was harder to determine, as the Ash of War was a major factor.
Having nearly misjudged the Bloodfiend's Arm last time, she decided to directly check the player advice to avoid missing anything:
[Elegant.]
[Strength is temporary, but style is eternal. The first time I saw the stance holding the Maiden's Sword aloft, I was sold. Decided. You will be my main weapon, paired with a nice outfit.]
[Though the stance is more for show than practical use, if the Elden Lord likes it, that's all that matters.]
[Why can't I hold it horizontally aloft?]
[You need to use it with the one-handed stance Ash of War. It's not hard to find, and it's easy to use. The Maiden's Sword is a viable weapon, much better than the ones that are just for fun.]
[The most beautiful and realistic-looking weapon, based on its model.]
[I want to try making one, but it must be heavy.]
[It has to be a Carian weapon. Of all the factions, they invested the most in the Tarnished's path to becoming Lord. I hereby grant you the merit of aiding a dragon.]
[...]
As expected, the Maiden's Sword was as strong as her trial suggested.
Of course, Frieren took note of the need for a one-handed stance, likely the most compatible weapon skill, one that would complement it to achieve maximum effect.
She had a variety of Ashes of War in reserve for infusion, but the strongest was always the most suitable.
She would find it as long as she continued to explore.
After weighing it a few times, the silver-haired girl put the sword away and left with Melina.
At this moment, Castle Ensis was bustling with activity, filled with the clamor of voices.
The guards at every pass were strengthened, shaking off the previous somber atmosphere and adopting a state of utmost vigilance.
Acknowledging the Soul of Cinder was one thing, but they couldn't let her conquer the castle so easily. Where would the Carian army's pride be? Where would the crusading army's be?
They weren't on the same side yet. She needed to be taught a lesson.
The original plan was to use the great bridge's defensive line to dull Frieren's edge to facilitate communication, but she had punched right through it.
Humiliating.
Many Carian Knights, seeking to regain their honor, wandered about, determined to challenge the monarch chosen by the Moon Princess.
And she was one of the Tarnished, no less. They had to test their mettle against her.
The pair in the grass below the tower easily avoided the patrols.
With their superior perception, they were often prescient, allowing them to effortlessly bypass their opponents.
They hid not out of fear—skulking was not their style now—but because Frieren had made a new discovery:
"There's one of Miquella's sigils over there!"
"Again? In how many places did he leave them?" Melina murmured thoughtfully. "Those he has charmed can sense them more easily. Perhaps there's a message from his followers. We should check it out."
Although Frieren and Melina didn't often use stealth techniques, under the cover of the Unseen Form sorcery, they easily avoided the patrols. This was night sorcery from the Mimic Tear, very useful for exploration.
The two advanced towards the sigil.
"You're certainly a bit rusty, but I feel you must have used stealth many times before, right?" Melina, who was crouching and moving forward with her hand on the silver-haired girl's shoulder, suddenly asked.
"You guessed right. In the past, when I was weak or just couldn't be bothered, I had to rely on stealth and sneak attacks."
When progressing through an area, a Frieren who couldn't win a direct fight could only resort to a series of cheese tactics like bypassing, sneaking, or luring enemies away, unlike now, with her solid base stats and hard-won skills.
Of course, the main reason was that she was alone. Now, with the Mimic Tear and Melina, she could even face challenges head-on.
A moment later.
They stopped before the cross-and-ring sigil. Magic drew forth a line of text:
[Words, carved and surfacing in the mind: A part of my body, I relinquish here.]
It was definitely Miquella's handiwork. The two, having deduced that he had passed through the Spiral Tower's seal in his spirit form, were not surprised.
They would see more discarded body parts, but this also raised a grim question:
Was he still himself?
It was hard to believe that the once-renowned Empyrean of pure law could abandon even his own body.
The allure of godhood was immeasurable.
To casually split oneself apart cannot come without a price.
Frieren gently touched the sigil and murmured, "The body and soul may seem separate, but they do affect the mind. The more you split, the more hidden dangers you plant. It's very dangerous."
"What kind of consequences will there be?"
"Instability, especially on a mental level. It's like becoming a different person."
"You know so much. Have you also experienced splitting your soul?"
What worried Melina was that the silver-haired girl nodded honestly. No wonder she had so quickly deduced Miquella's methods; it was born from experience, and she immediately made the connection.
She didn't know that the emotionally stable, ever-composed companion before her was already the result of such a split.
For convenience, Frieren had split off several souls, just as the First Flame had split into souls.
For example, one portion remained in the world of souls to continue serving as a Lord of Cinder, maintaining that burning yet dark world, watching over the river of time, waiting alongside the Fire Keeper.
Although there was also a 'Usurpation of Fire ending' save file, there was no point in keeping it, or rather, the First Flame would still converge all outcomes regardless of the choice.
It made no difference.
Theoretically, it counted as leaving an anchor point she could return to.
Otherwise, bidding a final farewell to that spectacular world would be a bit regrettable. It was good to leave a Lord of Cinder self behind; in the end, it was all a part of herself.
Another, heavily-tainted Hunter self was kept in Yharnam.
It was a dangerous thing Frieren didn't want to touch.
Unless she encountered a situation that forced a large-scale induction into the dream and lost control, she would never activate it.
She shouldn't run into a situation where several 'worst-case scenarios' overlap.
She shook her head, clearing away the stray thoughts.
"...I won't ask about the specifics of your split. Just remember that no matter what aftereffects or hidden dangers there are, I will help you." Melina said with concern.
"Ultimately, you didn't abandon everything like Miquella. In fact, your split was for the sake of a better preservation."
"That's not wrong. I just wonder if, under these circumstances, his followers will still remain loyal to Miquella once the charm is broken."
"They will. Many of them have no other choice, are fanatical, or are already too deeply involved."
"Let's look at their letter first."
Frieren picked up the letter hidden at the sigil:
[A letter from Goxu, Knight of the Needle, to his fellow seekers of Miquella—]
[Lord Miquella's destination is surely the Gate of the Gods within the tower sealed by shadow. We must burn the sealing tree to reach that place. And to burn the tree, we need fire.]
She passed it to Melina to read. She hadn't expected Sister Renna's investigation to be so fast, and so conclusive.
It all matched up.
To break the seal, they had to burn a certain sealing tree, thereby liberating the Spiral Tower, in order to have an audience with Miquella—perhaps even a Miquella who had ascended to godhood. No wonder the tone was so impatient.
The Knight of the Needle must hope for his lord's great success and share in the glory.
The question was, where was the tree?
And where was the fire to burn it? Logically, they both thought of the Frenzied Flame at the bottom of the valley.
"Could the so-called sealing tree be the Scadutree?"
Frieren gazed with interest at the colossal structure supporting this micro-continent.
It was said to have countless ties to the Erdtree, perhaps even being two sides of the same coin.
If she could destroy the Scadutree, wouldn't it be good practice for burning the Erdtree?
She could generate the level of output needed to destroy the target, but that was in a numerical sense. She didn't know if there was a mechanism that required a specific method.
Mechanics were more troublesome.
Melina replied, "Not necessarily. According to Sister Renna's words, the sealing tree must be elsewhere."
"That's true. So the situation Marika left behind was a double insurance: using the Scadutree to seal this continent, and the sealing tree to isolate the Spiral Tower, so that even if someone entered the Land of Shadow in the future, they couldn't do anything about the Gate of the Gods."
"Probably. So we must at least find a suitable fire first."
"Mhm. If we can't break the seal, allowing Miquella to join forces with the last of the Horned Folk in the Spiral Tower will be troublesome."
"The ones I can think of are the Giants' Flame from the forbidden snowfields, the Serpent's Fire of blasphemy, the Flame of Frenzy that hates all..."
No one understood burning trees better than Melina.
Professional questions required professional answers. If they were looking for a fire to burn a tree, there were many choices. Even the primordial flame deep within Frieren's soul would work.
And she was certain it would take a long time for others to find a fire.
The silver-haired girl murmured, "So this step will likely hold up the followers?"
"Yes."
"I'm not so sure. You said the Serpent's Fire is also an option. With their methods, they're bound to run into Messmer sooner or later and will target him. At worst, they can still rely on the valley forest for clues. It will delay them, but they won't give up."
"What do we do now?"
"We continue at our own pace. First, we make sure Castle Ensis doesn't block our way again, and we can ask Renna about it while we're at it."
Frieren remained calm, unsurprised even after learning that Miquella's followers intended to burn the tree.
Instead, she couldn't understand why Melina was acting as if they were facing a great enemy, deeming it a grave sin.
Perhaps, whether it was the Erdtree or not, desecrating a tree that could grant the shadow's protection was not permissible.
Even if she herself might burn a tree in the future, that didn't mean it wasn't a grave sin.
As a witch, she held respect for blessed things.
However, this was a layer of consideration the two would not exchange opinions on. The whole story was long and complicated.
The immediate priority was to explore Castle Ensis until they met the Twin Moon Knight.
"Wait!"
A sudden flash of inspiration from Frieren made Melina's heart tighten.
"Will we have to burn the Erdtree in the future?"
_____
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