"Rest in peace."
After performing the customary priest's rites, Frieren erected a gravestone for Lobo.
Latenna's gratitude echoed in her mind.
The journey through the crystal cave had ended. Next, she had to fulfill her promise to reach the summit of the snow mountain.
It was practically a journey from north to south across the Lands Between, a ten-thousand-miles expedition.
Moreover, one didn't need to think hard to know that reaching the Forbidden Lands inevitably involved passing through the Royal Capital of Leyndell.
It had been under lockdown since the War against the Giants, its walls firmly controlling the essential routes, absolutely not allowing anyone to encroach easily.
Sneaking in would also be very difficult; advancing alone deep into enemy territory was too dangerous.
Therefore, a siege of Leyndell was definitely necessary beforehand, the outcome uncertain.
Frieren wouldn't underestimate the foundation of a dynasty that had lasted for thousands of years. When the time came, all cards would be on the table, and who knew what the result of such a cataclysmic battle would be?
The main enemy was the Omen King, Morgott, but there were certainly other hidden pieces on the board.
As she pondered, she briefly repaired the small hut as a farewell. Perhaps one day it could be useful again.
"There are some ore deposits here. We can send people to collect them later. Once the cave is developed, it won't randomly attract monsters."
"I'll remember that."
Melina was gradually getting used to noting down the Tarnished's usual whimsical ideas to remind her later, especially regarding governance. If she herself didn't pay attention, no one else would remember.
"Looking at the map, the crystal cave is considered a difficult labyrinth to conquer. It's good that we've dealt with it along the way."
"This will make the development of Liurnia much more convenient."
It wasn't impossible to let the army slowly chip away at tough nuts, but excessively harsh terrain would only lead to unnecessary casualties.
For example, no matter how many troops were invested in the crystal cave, they couldn't be effectively deployed. It required strong individuals to break through. Once the right approach was taken, it could be resolved quickly.
This line of thinking had been repeatedly verified during the reconstruction process in the south, and it also conveniently satisfied Frieren's treasure-hunting journey.
From now on, they could proceed step by step; the jurisdiction would gradually recover on its own.
The Lands Between had a high enough starting point. As long as Frieren eliminated the malaises and broke the shackles, the sheer tenacity of life itself was enough to forge a path.
Frieren glanced at the map.
"...There are no overly urgent labyrinths for now. It's a good thing to let the army train a bit." She changed the subject, "Regarding the Albinauric Village, I need to ask Sir Gideon Ofnir about it in person. What do you think?"
"I support your decision, but be extremely careful. The Roundtable Hold is his territory," Melina reminded her.
"As one of the founding elders of the Roundtable Hold, he certainly possesses a vast amount of intelligence, yet he appears inactive on the surface. If we don't keep a close eye on this person, he might cause trouble in the future."
"Even so, you wouldn't easily start a war, would you?"
"Correct."
With these words, Melina felt slightly more at ease. After all, from a companion's standpoint, she didn't want any conflict with the Tarnished organization.
As for secret plots and schemes, they didn't really matter.
When you expected to defeat a monarch through underhanded means, you had already lost half the battle. The two of them had vastly different auras.
Both were sorcerers of the highest caliber, but Sir Gideon Ofnir was more about scheming than actual power.
The mettle and strength Frieren had gained through countless trials were not something a mere skulking coward could shake. Of this, she was very certain.
The Site of Grace in the small hut was instantly lit.
The next moment, the silver-haired girl bent down and touched it. Her body disappeared, and her vision filled with white light.
Swoosh! A sense of inertia came over her. Before her eyes was indeed the Great Grace of the Roundtable Hold, a magnificent entity capable of creating an independent space, located at the very center of the Roundtable.
Today, there wasn't a single person in the hall...
Something was wrong!
In the dim room, the hearth fire was faint, flickering from time to time. The usual noisy chatter was gone.
As far as she knew, Tarnished weren't the type to appreciate quiet.
Suddenly, Frieren slowly turned her head and asked, "Are you going to draw your blade on me?"
In the corner stood a man wearing a skull-faced helmet, his presence concealed to the utmost, a truly first-rate assassin. Yet, he still couldn't escape her keen perception.
His furtive appearance, on the contrary, seemed almost comical.
Ensha, the guard who usually stood before Sir Gideon Ofnir's door. On the surface, he was one of Gideon's trusted men, frequently entering and exiting the Roundtable.
After seeing the silver-haired girl's sharp gaze, he tightened his grip on his blade, only to find his palm drenched in sweat, almost losing his hold.
In contrast, a chill ran through his body; his armor provided no sense of security. If he were to attack, it would likely end badly for him.
"I was responsible for the Albinauric Village. I must see it through."
Saying this, he became even more frightened. Why had he blurted it out? He couldn't maintain his caution under this pressure.
"I'll give face to the rules of the Roundtable Hold, which forbid infighting. Even if you brandish your weapon before me, I won't particularly object, but this is as far as it goes."
"Next, I'm going to visit Sir Gideon Ofnir. Please make way."
From beginning to end, Frieren was empty-handed, not even holding her iconic Demi-Human Queen's Staff. Unarmed.
If there was a time to attack, this was the best opportunity.
However, Ensha wasn't foolish enough to think he could defeat a demigod, especially a Shardbearing Lord at the zenith of her power, who had triumphed over equals three times.
The bloody scent of the battle at the Church of Vows seemed not to have dissipated yet, and her oppressive aura was overwhelming.
Although he had been aggressive due to the mistake of letting survivors escape the Albinauric Village, he was clear-headed now.
A mortal could absolutely not compare.
The gap between them was not just in terms of strength. Before Frieren's magical pressure, he felt as if he had shrunk.
Thus, Ensha couldn't muster any fighting spirit and could only obediently put away his weapon and step aside.
He watched as the silver-haired girl strode past him, exposing her back to an assassin who had shown killing intent just a step away, yet she remained perfectly composed.
If I attack at this moment, I will definitely die.
Ensha's combat instincts told him not to act rashly. His subconscious hostility just now was simply a rush of blood to the head.
In his mind, both Sir Gideon Ofnir and the Lady of Soul Cinders were demigod-level sorcerers, but the latter displayed superior aura, majesty, and leadership – an all-around powerhouse, one who was challenging for the throne of the Elden Lord.
"...I don't know how this matter will end. This is difficult."
After watching Frieren walk into the corridor, Ensha wiped away a cold sweat.
If the two of them were to fight in the Roundtable Hold, he didn't know if this space could withstand it. He could only pray for peace.
Knock, knock!
After a polite knock, a response came from within, and she then stepped into the office.
Sir Gideon Ofnir was still in his usual posture, hunched over his work, likely not having moved for a long time. However, his immense magical power was genuine.
A profound gaze projected from within his helmet, and he gave a slight nod as a greeting.
"Someone in the Roundtable almost died just now."
"Respected colleague, I deeply regret that incident. As his master, it is necessary for me to offer an apology. Fortunately, he restrained his impulsiveness; otherwise, I would have lost a useful subordinate."
"You wouldn't even bat an eye if he died. Just an insignificant pawn."
"Let's get down to business."
"What you did in Liurnia harmed my interests. If word gets out, it will cause panic among the people who have finally stopped hiding, making them question the safety of the lake region. This puts me in a difficult position."
Frieren seemed to be complaining, but her imposing manner was palpable, her face showing anger.
The crucial point was that without the Albinaurics as research samples, the advancement of her life-manipulating arts would be delayed. Wouldn't that affect Melina's resurrection?
All related materials and documents in the village had been looted, presumably in search of news about the Haligtree. Not even a single written word was left.
"My apologies."
On the surface, Sir Gideon Ofnir offered a sincere apology, leaving no room for complaint. In reality, he had no intention of reflecting on his actions.
He was conversing with a queen; the bloodshed in a mere village was not worth mentioning. For now, they certainly couldn't afford a complete fallout.
Avoid direct conflict, lest a small loss leads to a greater one.
Frieren, having successively defeated three demigod powerhouses – Godrick, Rennala, and Margit – was at the height of her power, her invincible aura still eager for a fight.
"...If I'm not mistaken, you should be in need of materials related to the art of life manipulation, correct?"
"I can offer them as compensation. Anyway, the Haligtree medallion is unattainable now, so it's useless. Additionally, a portion of the Full Moon Queen's magical research comes from the Eternal City. You can seek answers there."
Sir Gideon Ofnir summoned a servant to bring in a large number of scrolls. Seeing this, her expression softened.
"Is there a connection between the Full Moon Queen and the Eternal City?"
"Yes, that was a kingdom with advanced magic. They even created powerful Nox lifeforms and once dabbled in the forbidden: assassinating an emissary of the Greater Will. As a result, they incurred destruction by a meteor, and their civilization vanished."
"How big was that meteor? How many times could it be used consecutively? Was the caster within observable range? What did it look like?"
"..."
The barrage of questions left Sir Gideon Ofnir speechless.
My point was that the enemy is very strong and ruthless, so what are you trying to achieve by asking about the location's appearance?
He almost thought he was exchanging information with an assassin, gathering basic information before setting out.
He silently handed over an investigation report.
Unfurling the parchment, Frieren witnessed the basic devastation of the Eternal City. It was a true annihilation of a nation. The culprit was a monster resembling a large dragonfly, known as Astel, Naturalborn of the Void.
"Your information is good. I'll remember it. Thank you."
"I mean, be careful of its power when operating in the underground world. Don't provoke it lightly. Of course, all this presupposes that you can open the way to the Eternal City."
Despite saying so, Sir Gideon Ofnir didn't think the Lady of Soul Cinders would back down. After all, she was already plotting with Ranni to kill the Two Fingers.
She couldn't be scared off.
However, ultimately, it didn't affect him. Diverting the trouble eastward wasn't a bad idea either.
He felt that if Frieren continued to be so active, she would sooner or later encounter Astel's terror, and then she would pay a heavy price, or fall even earlier at the hands of Starscourge Radahn.
"After I'm done with matters in Liurnia, I'll go to Caelid to open up the situation."
"Frieren, you seem intent on completely restoring the Lands Between. Don't you think that people struggling to survive like this is also a form of historical evolution?" Sir Gideon Ofnir voiced the question in his mind.
Hearing this, the silver-haired girl solemnly put down the parchment.
"Gideon Ofnir, I don't know what you've been revering all this time. You lack the drive to venture into anything, so listless. That's why you have this doubt."
"For me, any situation that causes everyone suffering should disappear, even if it means reclaiming Destined Death to stop corruption from breeding cyclical life and to let Those Who Live in Death return to silence."
"—This is where we diverge."
With that, Sir Gideon Ofnir lowered his head and continued to busy himself organizing documents.
He believed that gods were unshakable, and the manipulators behind them were even less to be questioned. The current situation was the result of everyone's collective choice.
Since it couldn't be changed, why not struggle to live as best as possible? After all, thousands of years had passed; why stir up more trouble on a shattered foundation?
This was not right.
If one day the point of divergence between them became utterly irreconcilable, he would intervene, even against the Lady of Soul Cinders who was on her way to the summit.
Having no more to say to someone she didn't see eye-to-eye with, Frieren waved her hand, took the documents about the Albinauric Village, turned, and left.
She had received an unexpected boon; this trip was not in vain.
Exiting the room, she was surprised to find Nepheli leaning against the corner, lost in thought.
The sorrow and unease between her brows had finally dissipated a little.
"It seems you've reached an agreement and settled things peacefully. Honestly, I was worried just now that you two would suddenly start fighting and turn the Roundtable Hold upside down." She spread her hands. "After all, Ensha almost made a move just now."
"I wouldn't mind sparring with the legendary Sir Gideon Ofnir, but he has no fighting spirit."
"He knows a lot, and based on that, he stands on a high pedestal and concludes that many lives should struggle. I don't understand, nor do I agree."
"Are you alright?"
"Rest assured, I will continue to dedicate myself to the cause of the Tarnished. I just need to draw a clear line with Ofnir. This is as far as it goes."
The demigod battles and Frieren's long-standing example had given Nepheli more confidence. The world was undoubtedly terrible, yet it was steadfastly being turned around. She couldn't fall into depravity either.
So, after a brief disappointment, she quickly pulled herself together.
Compared to the hypocritical Sir Gideon Ofnir, it turned out that the Lady of Soul Cinders was the true standard for the Tarnished: compassionate, courageous.
Having such a friend encourage her made Nepheli feel somewhat better, no longer tangled.
"It's good that you've thought it through. Don't get hung up on it. Speaking of which, there are still many places in Liurnia that need clearing. Do you want to come?"
"Of course."
She was convinced that only by aligning her path with Frieren's could she truly save the Lands Between.
For years, everyone had tried so many methods; it still depended on this magic research fanatic to solve things. She might as well go all out.
Just as the two were chatting, familiar Tarnished arrived one after another.
"Long time no see." The most enthusiastic was Rogier, who greeted them with a smile. "We've heard about everything. As long as everyone remains peaceful, it's fine."
"By the way, have you made any progress in your investigation of the Night of the Black Knives?"
"There's a crucial point that requires the Cursemark of Death of the Lunar Princess. Can you get it?"
"I don't think I know her that well."
The corners of everyone's mouths twitched.
You're at the point of expecting to take over the Golden Dynasty, and you call that 'not knowing her well'?
Fine, they're probably both blockheads. Expecting any emotional exchange between them is wishful thinking, not to mention the fate of the stars has yet to turn.
"It's alright, I'm just investigating. No rush," Rogier added. "There's a labyrinth on the east side of Liurnia. Perhaps there are Black Knife... "
"I can give you one of those things right now. After all, I have Black Knife Assassins under my command."
As she spoke, Frieren took out a twisted trace of magical energy. It was unmistakably the lingering aura of Destined Death after it had dissipated.
The real deal!
_____
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