"It seems you're feeling quite well."
Mohg looked down at Kay as she slowly rose from the blood pool.
"Yes, Lord Mohg. I can feel the power of the Cursed Blood surging through my veins... This level of blessing, Lord Mohg, is it perhaps...?"
"You are worthy of such a blessing. I have high hopes for your strength and potential. With time and refinement, I believe you can reach the realm of the Demigods."
"I will not fail your expectations!"
Kay's gaze was resolute as she answered. A flicker of blood-flame ignited in her hand. She pressed her right hand over her heart, and the crimson fire erupted into a shower of magnificent sparks, a scene of haunting beauty.
"By the covenant of Blood and Moon, the Blood Moon Knights stand ready to ease your burdens!"
Mohg nodded in satisfaction. He then directed Kay to inquire among the Silver Moon Knights to see who else was willing to accept the Blood Blessing.
As for the final results... they were neither exceptionally good nor terribly poor.
Upon learning from Kay that the blessing was not mandatory, the remaining Silver Moon Knights were quite surprised. When they had decided to follow Rellana, they had already mentally prepared themselves to undergo the ritual.
Learning that they had a choice left them somewhat stunned.
Once the surprise faded, they began to weigh their options. Accepting the Blood Blessing would undoubtedly forge a deeper bond with the Blood Dynasty and grant them the formidable power of the Cursed Blood—a power they had already witnessed on the battlefields against the Golden Order. There was no doubt that mastering such power would elevate their combat prowess to an entirely new level.
However, there was a price: they would be irrevocably bound to the Blood Dynasty. They would have to cast aside their former "Silver Moon" and embrace the "Blood Moon."
In the end, one hundred and fifty of the original Silver Moon Knights chose to accept the blessing, forming the core of the new Blood Moon Knights. The rest chose to remain as Silver Moon Knights.
Given the choice, they preferred to retain their original connection to the silver moon. Mohg understood perfectly; after all, their faith did not conflict with his own goals.
To distinguish between the two groups, Mohg had Kay and Liana collaborate on a new armor style for the Blood Moon Knights. He then handed the designs to Luke and his apprentices to begin production.
Luke, the Scaled Misbegotten Mohg had rescued earlier, had already begun teaching blacksmithing techniques. He had trained a group of Misbegotten apprentices, all of whom Mohg had granted a minor Blood Blessing to enhance their physical constitutions.
After all, forging powerful weapons and heavy plate required immense physical strength and endurance.
As for the Leonine Misbegotten, he was assigned to teach combat techniques to the rest of the Misbegotten warriors. Through long years in the gladiator pits, the Leonine had mastered various Greatsword styles perfectly suited for the Misbegotten physiology.
Mohg let him drill the others, even if the training resulted in occasional casualties. It was a natural consequence; many Misbegotten had yet to shed their feral instincts. Perhaps such incidents would decrease as they grew more disciplined.
With these arrangements settled, Mohg began to evaluate the Blood Dynasty's current overall strength.
First, in terms of allies: they had the residents of the two Eternal Cities, the Storm Dynasty, the Carian Royals (secretly), the Church of Dragon Communion, and the Golden Dynasty—the latter of which could be manipulated under specific circumstances. There were many other potential allies he had yet to contact.
Specifically, he was looking at the lost dynasties scattered across Caelid. Those were prime candidates for recruitment—or for "poaching" talent.
He had originally considered the dragons, but like the Storm King, he held too many reservations about them and had temporarily shelved that idea.
Next were their strongholds: the main headquarters in the Eternal City, small hidden outposts in Limgrave, Fort Gael in plain sight in Caelid, and several ultra-miniature safe houses throughout the Lands Between.
As for manpower... they had Hero-class individuals like Niebla, Kay, Sellen, and the newly promoted Holuf, Pillar, and Liana. Their Knight-class forces were also growing.
While their numbers had been somewhat underwhelming before, the addition of the Silver Moon Knights made them a force to be reckoned with. Every member of the Silver Moon unit possessed Knight-class strength, and several of their squad leaders were Hero-class.
Combined with the original Blood Knights, the Blood Dynasty now commanded roughly six to seven hundred Knight-class combatants.
Thinking about it, it was the "rank and file" base that Mohg needed to focus on now.
He only had a few hundred standard Blood Soldiers. Adding in the Misbegotten, Demi-humans, and other miscellaneous recruits, Mohg estimated his total manpower was around 1,700 to 1,800—certainly not exceeding 2,000.
"This is a bit of a headache..." Mohg murmured.
He had already ordered Fort Gael to recruit more hands, but the results were slow—only about a hundred or so new faces.
He suspected it was because the Blood Dynasty didn't have a strong presence in Caelid yet, so many people were still playing wait-and-see.
The people of Caelid valued martial prowess above all else. If you showed sufficient strength and offered a sense of honor, they would gladly fight for you. As for religion... long-term chaos had left the region with a chaotic mix of fragmented beliefs. Faith there was rarely pure.
Many would say, "Sure, I believe," and then do nothing. Their faith was superficial. In truth, the people of Caelid only worshipped one thing: the strong.
"Hmm, perhaps I should find an opportunity to stir things up in Caelid... Maybe I should just wipe out the Koule Dynasty. They're in the way regardless."
Mohg contemplated, deciding the fate of the Koule Dynasty in that moment.
He intended to use this opportunity to personally visit Sellia, the Town of Sorcery, and make contact with the powers there.
His primary goal was the Koule Dynasty's territory. The biggest factor limiting his recruitment was a lack of land and resources. With enough territory, he wouldn't have to worry about sustaining his growing army.
Especially now that the Silver Moon Knights had joined... he was starting to feel the strain of feeding so many hungry mouths.
Beyond the military, the Blood Dynasty needed to formalize its internal structure—civil servants, common residents, agricultural managers, and so on.
While the Dynasty was already divided into elite knights, perfumers, blacksmiths, physicians, and priests, the categorization was still messy.
They also lacked true cavalry. His current knights had "Knight-class" strength, but their horsemanship was lacking, and most didn't even have proper warhorses.
Mohg didn't have a quick solution for this. While there were many warhorses in Caelid, they were either exorbitantly expensive or simply not for sale.
The horses currently in the Dynasty's possession had been "acquired" earlier and were being transformed into a new breed under the influence of Cursed Blood. Breeding a new generation would take time.
"Lord Mohg, are you planning to go out again?"
Liana saw Mohg walking out of the throne room and hurried forward to ask.
"Yes. I need to visit Sellia in Caelid, and then return to the Eternal City on the other side."
"Then please, take me or Sir Holuf with you. We wish to share your burden."
Liana looked him in the eye as she made her request. Mohg studied her for a moment before finally nodding.
"Since you ask, come with me. We'll head to Sellia first. I believe we established a hidden outpost there some time ago?"
"Yes, Lord Mohg. It was a hidden move you made long ago. They have already secured a foothold in Sellia and gained a certain level of influence."
"Oh? That's a pleasant surprise. Tell me more about the situation there."
"Understood."
Liana began to detail the state of Sellia. Mohg learned about the primary power distribution in the town.
Because of their previous trade agreements, he hadn't looked too deeply into the town's internal politics until now.
The dominant force was undoubtedly the local sorcerers. They were divided into several groups: the Outcast Sorcerers, the original Sellian Sorcerers, the Meteorite Sorcerers, the Night Sorcerers, and the Battlemages.
Sellia still maintained "classrooms," but they weren't as strictly segregated as those at the Academy of Raya Lucaria. The Academy rarely allowed a student from one classroom to study the magic of another, with the exception of the Haima or Twinsage scholars.
Sellia had no such rules. Generally, if you had the talent, you could study any school of sorcery you wished.
They pursued raw power. The ideology of the Battlemages thrived in the harsh environment of Caelid, making them a massive faction within the town.
Then there were the Night Sorcerers and the Outcasts. The Meteorite Sorcerers and other specialized sects were considered minor branches.
Outcast Sorcerers flocked to Sellia because of its inclusive atmosphere and the ease of exchanging magical knowledge. Consequently, the town boasted a significant number of high-level magic users.
Aside from the sorcerers, the other major powers in Sellia were the Church of Dragon Communion, the Bace Dynasty, and the Assassins' Guild. However, given the current situation, the Blood Dynasty would now have to be added to that list.
The presence of a powerful Demigod and the mysterious power of Cursed Blood was more than enough to secure a place in Sellia's black markets.
"Hmm... If I go like this, I'll be too conspicuous. I suspect my current appearance is well-known among many factions..."
Mohg frowned, remembering his distinct look just as he was about to set out.
At that moment, a voice echoed within him.
"Hostage... I mean, Master."
"Asimi? You're awake?"
Mohg was startled, but his face quickly lit up with joy.
"Yes, Master. Thank you for your nourishment; it allowed me to recover so quickly and master a great deal of knowledge... You seemed troubled just now?"
"A bit. My current appearance is too recognizable. I'm looking for a solution."
"I see... Then leave it to me, Master. I will provide a disguise for you. You need only wait a moment."
"I appreciate it... By the way, Asimi, I have a question."
"Yes, Master?" Asimi sounded curious.
"My current face... is it my true face?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean..." Asimi replied, sounding confused by the sudden existential query.
"...If you removed the Omen horns and features, would I look like this?"
"Ah, I understand... While there are some differences, your overall features are indeed what you see now, Master."
"Then let me see what I should truly look like."
"Understood."
Asimi's voice faded until it vanished within his mind.
Simultaneously, Mohg felt the silver fluid of the Mimic Tear surge across his skin, wrapping him in a cocoon.
"Lord Mohg?!"
Seeing this, Liana gasped in alarm, instinctively moving to check on him. Mohg raised a hand to stop her.
"I'm fine, Liana. It's just a disguise. You're too tense."
Relieved, Liana stood back and watched.
Moments later, the silver shell receded, revealing a completely new person to Liana.
He had long black hair and golden eyes. While he bore a resemblance to Godwyn, he also possessed features from his previous life—his facial structure was softer, and his build was lean and elegant rather than purely muscular.
Overall, he looked more like Marika now. Perhaps due to the fusion of his previous soul's traits, he possessed a unique, gentle "Eastern" aesthetic.
"A pleasant surprise... and a fitting one," Mohg said, narrowing his eyes as he touched his cheek.
Body, consciousness, and soul—the three influences had constructed his form in the world of the Elden Ring. It seemed this was his true self.
The bloodline of Marika and Godfrey in his flesh, his own modern consciousness, and the fusion of his soul with the original Mohg's.
However, I'll keep this face tucked away after this trip, he thought. The past is the past. Let it stay there. ---
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