A day and a night after the battle in the Demi-human Forest, the skies finally cleared.
Perched atop her horse, Frieren shaded her eyes, gazing into the distance. The land stretched out before them, endlessly green and vibrant.
"It's quite rare," Frieren mused. "Nature always manages to create such beautiful sights. This place seems very suitable for living; it should develop nicely in the future. Melina, did you ever see it before?"
"No."
"Didn't you travel The Lands Between for a time?"
"No, actually, the time I spent searching for a Tarnished worthy of becoming Lord wasn't as long as you might think... Most of the time, I stayed in one place, organizing documents, practicing my skills, that sort of thing."
She spoke evasively about her past; after all, even she wasn't entirely clear on the specific arrangements. She had only been given a goal, the process shrouded in ambiguity, navigated entirely by feeling her way forward. Melina didn't know how to explain it all, nor felt she should.
She sighed, leaning back against Frieren. Her long silver hair brushed against Frieren's cheek, carrying a faint, fragrant scent.
"...So, much of it you'll have to experience for yourself."
"Did you see the Age of Plenty, then?"
"To be precise, I was present during it but didn't witness it firsthand. You could say I kept myself shut away in a study. It was only when the Age of Plenty ended and the wars began that I needed to act. Therefore, my memories are mostly of ruin and decay."
"Were you forced?"
Frieren suddenly turned, looking directly at Melina, her expression serious, even emitting a faint pressure. The villagers following nearby looked bewildered – why was she getting intense with empty air?
"Don't misunderstand," Melina quickly clarified. "It was a sacred mission given to me by my mother. I undertook it willingly."
"It's true that asking about family matters so early isn't appropriate," Frieren conceded. "But if you ever change your mind, feel that you shouldn't have been shut away back then, you can find someone to blame. Then I'll help you deal with them."
"Wouldn't that just be finding fault in others?"
"Exactly," Frieren replied. "Reduce internal strife, live a slow-paced, optimistic life. My homeland always adhered to that philosophy."
The elves from her village certainly knew how to live; their cheerful outlook was worth considering. As fellow long-lived beings, Frieren always sensed an inexplicable urgency about Melina, something perhaps even Melina herself wasn't aware of.
"Alright," Melina agreed softly.
"Oh? Did you think of someone?"
"If, one day, we uncover the true mastermind behind the Night of the Black Knives, the evil responsible for all the consequences... then Frieren, help me vent my frustrations. Make sure it can never bring disaster to the world again."
"Absolutely. That doesn't count as a wish; I plan on doing that sooner or later anyway. You should think about yourself for a change. Like, is there an enemy you want to beat up, or someone you wish to meet?"
Melina gave a slight nod in response. She had never thought in such purely selfish terms before and felt somewhat lost at the question.
...There are signs suggesting I likely have a hidden elder brother. Should I go meet him?
The answer would have to wait. She had a premonition: her previous solitary journey had been filled with numbness, never truly taking in the sights of The Lands Between. But these short days with the Tarnished had changed things. She was gradually starting to notice the magnificence she had always ignored.
Not pressing for an immediate answer, Frieren spurred her horse onward, leaving the edge of the Demi-human Forest completely behind.
Even so, some villagers chose to follow them, almost like pilgrims.
Suddenly, Frieren's mana sense detected a hidden cave.
This wasn't part of the plan.
She murmured, "Castle Morne's intelligence network probably doesn't extend this far, so their information was incomplete. They didn't know about potential threats still lurking here. Best to clear it out..."
It wasn't surprising, really. The Weeping Peninsula had been fragmented for years, with regions largely governing themselves.
According to the map inscribed on an ancient stele, this place was called the [Mausoleum Field Catacombs]—a typical labyrinth. Being in a starter area, it probably wouldn't hold too many surprises.
However, considering game design, there should be something useful for the player inside, something useful at least until the mid-game. And she wasn't one to refuse any offerings.
Frieren glanced back; some villagers were still following. They showed no fear of the dangers in the wilderness, even proactively dealing with some wandering monsters without her needing to intervene. Essentially, the villagers were taking advantage of her protection to scout the surrounding area on a longer route.
Of course, much of it was pure admiration, which Frieren willingly accepted. Guides were important, after all.
"What do you know about the catacombs ahead?" she asked.
"My lady, you must be careful," one villager warned. "Monsters called Cemetery Shades hide there – vicious and evil, controlling large numbers of skeletal soldiers. Plus, the terrain inside is complex, full of traps."
"Has anyone been inside?"
"It's just based on word-of-mouth from years ago. At most, some lucky souls might have wandered the maze for a short while. There isn't much information."
"So, the Mausoleum Field Catacombs haven't had monsters escaping..."
Just as she spoke, several skeletal soldiers emerged from the entrance. Sensing the living, they shrieked aggressively, clearly hostile, their empty sockets fixing on the group.
Awooo!
They stumbled forward, raising their sharp weapons high, full of menace.
However, before the skeletons could gather, they were met with a volley of arrows from the villagers. Some brave warriors even charged forward, smashing the creatures to pieces, leaving no trace behind.
Even ordinary people could handle wild monsters of this level.
Of course, their organization, morale, and skills were commendable. Give them good equipment, and they could form an auxiliary force. Thanks to the system surrounding the Erdtree, The Lands Between retained significant martial prowess; its war potential wasn't low. No wonder the conflict had shattered the lands so thoroughly.
"I almost forgot something, Lady Frieren," another villager added. "It's said that the spirits of legendary warriors sometimes reside within tombs..."
"Could it be Spirit Ashes!"
Frieren's interest immediately piqued at the possibility of supplementing her forces. She had initially thought she could leave the seemingly inactive cave for later, perhaps clearing it out eventually. But now things were different. If there was even a chance of obtaining Spirit Ashes, she wouldn't refuse, regardless of their quality.
"Wait outside and keep watch," she instructed the villagers. "I'll be right back. See you in a bit."
Frieren dismissed her Spirit Steed and stepped onto the underground stairs. She'd seen countless entrances like this; nothing new. The key was to check every nook and cranny.
A coffin lay inside, but her senses detected only dry bones within. Then, she threw a pebble to test the way.
Clack!
As expected, a skeleton soldier materialized from the ground.
Just as it began to form, a Glintstone Pebble struck it, shattering it instantly. These low-level mobs posed no challenge. However, upon moving further inside, she discovered a passage leading deeper – this was the true entrance.
The aura of death washed over her. Time to be careful.
After performing a wide-range mana scan, Frieren had a clear grasp of the general layout. The so-called traps were flame-spewing mechanisms.
"As long as I have mana protection, they can't hurt me. Elemental damage is always better than things like Death Blight or poison swamps."
Especially those things called Basilisks, which seemed to appear with alarming frequency, leaving quite an impression.
Although this was a beginner-level dungeon, the bloodstains on the ground were numerous. It seemed the traps had a high kill rate for first-time encounters.
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