Day 3 of analyzing the seal.
Frieren was still continuously seeping her magic into the golden veil. During this time, she also teleported via a Site of Grace once to ask Thiollier for information.
Unfortunately, aside from stating, 'I will head to the Cerulean Coast immediately,' the only valuable clue he offered was the strange description: 'The one inside should be Trina, a being abandoned by Miquella.'
In any case, the two were closely connected.
Noticing this gave her all the more reason to break the seal.
As the silver-haired girl carefully deduced the barrier's formula, her two companions waited patiently.
They had been meditating for some time. Although it was a bit dull, they weren't worried about the progress of the analysis in the slightest, having absolute faith in the abilities of the Lord of Cinder, who never disappointed.
Crack!
The sudden sound of shattering startled the two.
Before Frieren's eyes, tiny cracks appeared on the golden veil. They were almost imperceptible, yet they marked a monumental step forward.
It wasn't indestructible after all.
She murmured, 'Don't worry, I've found the trick to it. I won't keep you waiting much longer. I can finish it today.'
She had to admit, Miquella's barrier magic was quite brilliant, intricately woven with the barrier of the Shadow of the Erdtree and fortified by the power of a Great Rune, making it seemingly impenetrable. But her own recent studies hadn't been for nothing; given enough time, she could still find a flaw.
A single flaw was enough to overcome it. She seized upon this hard-won opening.
Frieren also channeled the power of her Great Rune, seeping it in. As expected, the cracks on the golden veil gradually widened, bit by bit peeling away to reveal a cavern.
So she maintained her rhythm, holding her breath as she dismantled the formula. She didn't know if there were any additional counter-traps set—what if it triggered another hypnosis spell? She had to proceed with caution.
Fortunately, everything was going smoothly so far.
Beside her, Melina and the Mimic Tear were infected by the tense atmosphere, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
After all, they didn't know what kind of difficulties she was truly facing.
In terms of specialized magical academia, only research-oriented talents like Ranni, Rennala, Sellen, and Thops could truly help Frieren. They could only watch.
However, even a layman could tell that the barrier was continuously collapsing at a considerable speed. Under the silver-haired girl's constant infusion of magic, it was being unraveled thread by thread, and the repellent magical force was weakening.
Crack!
After another crisp crack, all fell silent. The barrier blocking the party dissipated into the wind.
Frieren couldn't help but wipe the sweat from her brow.
It was no less taxing than a high-intensity battle, especially having to maintain focus every second. It was tiring but joyful, and the gains were substantial. It was her first time witnessing such an exquisite barrier, and it had also raised her own skill level. At least she no longer found it as tricky as before.
'All done,' she said, stretching. 'We can continue exploring. Miquella's hidden past should be just ahead.'
Melina couldn't help but ask with concern, 'Do you need to rest?'
'It's fine. It just took some concentration, not much magic. Exploring is my rest.'
'I can't wait!'
Since Her Majesty and the Mimic Tear were both eager, they had no choice but to press on. No matter what dangers lay ahead, they wouldn't stand a chance against this lineup.
The three exchanged a glance and set off with brisk strides, heading into the depths of the cavern.
What came into view was a set of stone steps leading continuously downward, marked with fissures—likely the result of some past earthquake that had ultimately carved out a natural, ancient underground base.
Without a thorough investigation, it's likely no one would have ever found it.
Even if someone had sensed it, they would have been helpless against the seal. After all, Frieren's level of magical expertise was exceedingly rare. Miquella probably never expected that a single team would assemble all the necessary elements. The Unalloyed Empyrean had miscalculated in the end.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stone steps, an expansive cavern dome came into view, where hanging stalactites intertwined with massive coffins.
The Fissure of the Stone Coffins!
'This must be the place that white spirit spoke of, the end of the drifting journey.'
Frieren could hear the gushing sound of a waterfall; it was the waters of the Cerulean Coast rushing overhead. The surroundings were covered in marks of water erosion, a process that had continued unchanged for millennia.
Seeing such a wondrous sight, all her fatigue vanished. As expected, The Lands Between was not lacking in magnificent scenery.
'Who are these huge coffins for?' the ever-curious Mimic Tear wondered aloud, puzzled. 'A mass grave? Unlikely. Or maybe they were prepared for the ancient giants; those fellows were huge.'
'Or perhaps they're purely ornamental?'
Melina replied, 'At the very least, there are no bodies in these coffins, so their practical value is questionable. If they have ritualistic value, that would depend on the cultural context.'
'Unless we have detailed information about the civilization that built these coffins, we won't be able to figure it out.'
In her years of wandering The Lands Between, she had seen far too many inexplicable structures.
She'd grown numb to it.
The time for curiosity had long passed. Even though the Golden Dynasty had produced rich cultural achievements, it couldn't conceal the many traces of previous dynasties. Whether destroyed or lost to the river of time, they were now nearly impossible to investigate thoroughly.
Just as the party was advancing, a splat echoed from the ceiling, and a puddle of ooze dropped down.
'It's a slime monster!'
Frieren raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected the monsters in this underground environment to be such familiar faces. They were similar to the many slime creatures in the Eternal City, which was a strange sort of resonance, almost nostalgic.
'Nokstella is full of this kind of thing. Though over there they're mostly tears, they still look disgusting.'
The silver-haired girl, as sharp-tongued as ever, casually dispatched the slime.
This action unexpectedly triggered a roar. On the cliff face opposite them, several bloodfiends appeared, baring their fangs and claws, showing the utmost malice toward the uninvited guests.
The Mimic Tear, of course, showed no mercy. It picked them off one by one with ranged magic, each shot a precise headshot, never missing its mark. With this hyper-aggressive mage clearing the path, everything became quiet; no further attacks were needed.
Following behind, Melina and Frieren maintained their perception.
It was very empty.
Although there were traces of monsters, the vast cavern still felt sparsely decorated.
Besides the seal Miquella left at the entrance, was there nothing else?
Refusing to believe it, Frieren focused her energy on a one-way perception and, sure enough, discovered the mark of a crescent moon in a cross. No mistake, it had been a while since she'd seen a body left by Miquella.
'Let's pick up the pace.'
With precise guidance, the team reached the target in just a few leaps. The distance from the surface high point to here was conveniently a straight drop, making for easy jumps. The rest of the path was intermittent and required caution.
However, she couldn't spare a thought for that for now and instead studied the clues:
First was a white spirit in a kneeling posture, looking both weak and regretful, its soul emanating a rich sense of emotion.
She had relied on their guidance all along the way, so Frieren was willing to first listen to the words of this deceased person:
'...Lord Miquella, it seems you have cast it aside—that which should never have been abandoned.'
'If you cannot even save your own other half, how could you possibly save all living beings?'
Other half?
Hearing this keyword, the three exchanged thoughtful glances. This was quite important; it was like another side of oneself that could not be cast away. To have another half was, in fact, a kind of fortune—someone you could trust absolutely, a completion of one's own world.
It was no wonder Miquella possessed such unimaginably profound skill in hypnosis; his innate talent for spiritual power was already high.
So why would he abandon such a useful other half?
The white spirit's tone didn't sound like an enemy's. It spoke from the perspective of a loyal subject considering their lord's actions, yet it held a dissenting opinion. What sort of unknown, deeper considerations were at play here?
Frieren saw more:
[I'd call him a philosopher. The great sage's words convinced me I was right, otherwise I almost would have let you little femboy off the hook]
[Torrent, I was mesmerized by Miquella. Can he truly create a gentle world?]
[What a disgrace]
[I actually seriously considered the Law of Purity's plan because I thought there would be a key choice later. Thinking about it, uniting different races and abandoning hatred seems okay? But then again, isn't that just the Infinite Tsukuyomi?]
[You people just don't get it. What's wrong with a world of illusion?]
[I didn't think that much, I just think Trina and the white spirit are right. Besides, I was already the Lord of Stars long ago.]
[You won't even spare your own other half? Hachimi, you bastard.]
[While many of the Laws are just choosing the lesser evil, I think the so-called gentleness of the Law of Purity is too hypocritical and also hopeless. The Lands Between cannot be ruled by a god with no humanity.]
[Don't forget the last words of Old Man Anhaiser from our final battle together...]
[The nasty Hachimi is even harsh to himself.]
After reading the messages, Frieren had a few more speculations, but she didn't rush to a conclusion. Instead, she approached Miquella's mark with questions in her mind.
Hum!
After resonating her magic with it, a line of cold text appeared:
'The words engraved, surface in the mind: Here I divest myself of my love.'
After reading it, the silver-haired girl sighed in disappointment. To write something like that so brazenly, did he think he was accomplishing some great deed? It was significant, but not necessarily a good thing.
She had always thought the Unalloyed Empyrean was resourceful, tolerant, and gentle. Now he had gained a kind of divinity, and she had expected him to become even more magnanimous.
Such a cold and decisive style of action would probably be recognized by the rite of the Divine Gate; it was indeed very divine.
'There's no humanity in these words at all,' the Mimic Tear clicked its tongue.
'How can someone who doesn't love themselves love others?'
Melina also shook her head and sighed. In truth, she wished there was another path to save The Lands Between, but the actions of this path's proponent were chilling. She simply could not agree with them.
Compared to him, the other Empyrean, Ranni, was practically a saint. At least she acted like a normal person.
Looking back at the white spirit's words now carried an even greater sense of heartbreak. To have followed one's lord this far only to see his true face... A collapse of faith was inevitable. Even those who dwelled in the Haligtree could hardly have predicted that the creator of their paradise would make such a judgment.
There was no good or evil, right or wrong. Everything done for the sake of godhood was an interpretation of the path to divinity that would follow.
They did not agree with Miquella's interpretation.
There was even a sense of frustration, like watching a promising talent go astray. If only you were truly one of us. In the end, it seemed they could only fight to the death.
Frieren picked up the nearby Scadutree Fragment and touched the mark.
'There's nothing underneath,' the silver-haired girl murmured. 'The 'love' he spoke of, his other half, must be hidden deeper within the Fissure of the Stone Coffins. We'll have to go and ask.'
'—And that other half's name is Trina.'
Various pieces of information were confirmed here, and what's more, the player messages became especially active:
[Emo family]
[Trina, I will become your king. Let us ascend to the capital together!]
[However, the fates of the other half and the main body are intertwined. When you decided to defeat Miquella, the ending of Trina's questline was already sealed, wasn't it? A pity about the encounter.]
[Even your other half says you must be stopped from becoming a god. You must be really unlikeable.]
[Godwyn: Miquella can no longer be allowed to exist in this world of hope. Send him to me.]
[Why did it suddenly get so tragic?]
[For the Elden Ring, for restoring The Lands Between, for saving all living beings, so many people have tried so many methods. In a sense, Miquella came very close, but to do it this way... it's such a shame.]
[The fundamental logic of this world is rotten. I get it now, we have to use the flame after all. Burn it all down.]
[Miquella can't even save his own other half, who can he be expected to save? Leda, who still follows him, must have lost her mind.]
[Turned from a fan into a hater.]
[Ruined by a femboy, now I can't even hang out with the bros properly.]
[I think Miquella's path also serves to validate the Tarnished's choice. Different humanities and divinities collide to create different endings. As a king, how should one choose a Law, choose a god? I can't say there's an answer here, but the world has become clearer.]
[Right, it adds to this grand journey. Everyone is heading towards the final throne.]
[Many heroes have tried to save The Lands Between in their own way, but only the Tarnished makes the final choice.]
[Not enough freedom in the game, otherwise I'd totally make that little femboy my consort. As Elden Lord, I'm magnanimous enough to feed one more mouth. Such a talented operator would be useful in the future.]
[Explain 'useful' in detail.]
[Of course, to have Miquella assist in building a better Lands Between.]
[Sigh, I can't even be bothered to call you out.]
...The player messages gradually went off-topic, but the key information was conveyed, and it was priceless.
Frieren had confirmed the general situation. In short, Trina was a key figure worth saving, and she needed to have a good talk with her after they met.
This matter concerned the struggle for divine orthodoxy in The Lands Between and could not be taken lightly. Her perspective as an outsider was too narrow; she needed to ask more questions. This was also the duty of a monarch. If she were to become too autocratic, she might easily lose her humanity like Miquella.
The silver-haired girl waved her hand, signaling them to follow.
Only then did Melina and the Mimic Tear gradually come to their senses. To be honest, it was shocking—truly bombshell news.
They were even more convinced that supporting Frieren as king was the right decision.
Although Her Majesty could be goofy and slow at times, she was full of human warmth. She cared for the common people without losing her decisiveness, and her martial prowess was exquisite, yet she remained humble. To this day, her worth has only continued to rise.
Whoosh!
A gust of air rushed from ahead, brushing against their faces—it was a deeper cavern, issuing an invitation.
The coffin cavern was already deep enough, and they had to go even further down? They were probably approaching the same level as the Eternal City. Who knows how much more history lay sedimented below.
'The path is getting rough.'
The Mimic Tear pointed at the massive, tilted, and broken coffins, which served as dangerous footing.
'Then we'll take the route through the inside of the coffins,' Frieren decided without hesitation.
____
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