"It's a long story."
"Then let's save it for later. Everyone, please come in. Everything is ready."
Rellana gave Muriel a meaningful look. The latter nodded in understanding and led a squad of knights to guide Melina and the grafting doctors to a castle to house the Misbegotten. That place would become an operating room for creating new life.
With a Scion of the Golden Lineage most skilled in healing incantations stationed there, who also possessed Misbegotten blood and understood the situation, she was clearly the perfect lead physician.
Not to mention Frieren was present to provide an infinite safety net. A Quasi-King skilled in souls and healing was on site, and with three Great Runes, as long as there was a breath left—no, as long as the soul remained—it would be fine.
They split into two groups.
The remaining members—Ranni, Frieren, and the Mimic Tear—followed Rellana's lead to a bedroom.
The room was filled with not just a large bed, a desk, chairs, and an armor and weapon rack, but also various small trinkets. However, the intricate textures and generous design marked them as items from the Carian Royal Family. There were even some toy dolls.
This was what a normal room should look like, full of the warmth of life.
"I usually pass the time living here and in the tower, but the latter was damaged and is under repair, so I'll host you in my room to rest for a bit."
"A meal is being prepared; it'll be ready soon."
Upon hearing her special mention of this, the Mimic Tear nodded in pleasant surprise, then began to look around with mischievous curiosity.
This child, unlike its reserved and steady creator, was not shy at all, warming up to people instantly.
Seeing her guests take their seats, Rellana's tone grew serious:
"My catching up with Ranni can wait. Since so many of you have come, you must have a plan, right?"
"What is your plan? The fate of the Land of Shadow will depend on your judgment, Your Majesty."
"What's happened?"
"The Crusader Army observed that the magic within the sealed Spiral Tower was steadily growing, and the army of Hornsent inside was growing restless. They are far from peaceful."
Rellana believed that a battle to end the long holy war was imminent.
This premonition grew even stronger, especially since Frieren was leading a party into the Land of Shadow for the third time.
The great Soul Cinder King had brought both her right and left hands, as well as her heir apparent. Any strategy could be decided on the spot; this expedition was meant to settle things.
The silver-haired girl nodded.
"Do you know anything about Miquella's movements when he first came to the Land of Shadow? Any clue will do."
"Before arriving at the Spiral Tower, he also visited the Cerulean Coast, but what he did there is unknown."
"I see. That lines up with what Thiollier said."
Frieren had previously asked the dazed apothecary. Although communication was difficult, with the addition of player advice, she could make a judgment. The clues pointed south.
"I'll go investigate the Cerulean Coast. Ranni will investigate the Waypoint Ruins."
"I'll go with you."
Upon hearing this arrangement, Rellana immediately volunteered, saying: "It's safer if we move together, and besides, I do have some information, especially concerning that detestable Finger-mage, Ymir."
"Alright, but don't worry. We will only conduct a preliminary investigation. Frieren will handle the final stages."
She never let anyone else handle the decisive battle.
Of course, Rellana's intention was to ensure safety. The Finger forces were unsettlingly bizarre, and she feared some accident might befall the little princess.
A warrior and a mage paired together was the most thorough combination.
In just a few words, they decided to split into two groups, each responsible for one area.
Each team had a configuration of no less than two Demigods, which could already be considered overkill. Moreover, with Frieren's mobility, she could provide rapid reinforcement if either side ran into trouble, which was more than enough to cover any unexpected situations.
"When will you go to see Messmer?"
Touching upon this point, Rellana grew a little nervous. Her tone was quite earnest, filled with both anticipation and worry.
Because seeing Messmer meant putting her romantic relationship with him on the table. The two before her were also her "family," and she couldn't ignore their opinions. This was very important.
A thousand years ago, his actions had somewhat resembled eloping.
Although her elder sister Ranni hadn't pressured her and had even given her blessing, she always felt it was better to be independent and not let her family worry.
But after enduring many hardships, Rellana finally realized that the Carian Royal Family was always her support.
She had to consider all sides.
Ranni spoke first: "We are inclined to win Mr. Messmer over. After all, they were also victims of betrayal. They have a motive to stand with us... or at least, they might remain neutral. You will try to persuade him, won't you?"
"I'm not good at being a lobbyist, especially when it involves telling Messmer things he most likely hates to hear."
The great Twin Moon Knight turned her head away, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.
So lame, Auntie. And there was another one just like her—her own mother.
"Caria really is..."
Fortunately, Frieren immediately came to the rescue with a suggestion:
"Don't worry, there's also Melina's connection to him. She'll help persuade Messmer. If worse comes to worst, I can make him see reason. I'll know where to draw the line."
The conflicts of the Lands Between would inevitably culminate in battle.
Her proposal was met with their approval. Conquering with a king's bearing was a viable option. In battle, people's true thoughts would surely be revealed, making it the most suitable form of communication.
And with that.
The three decided on a general strategy. All that remained was to prepare. With no time to waste, they immediately gathered around the map and intelligence reports and began to plot the best route, striving for a quick resolution.
The subsequent focus was on Shadow Keep, as the follower squad's target was also there.
Meanwhile, Melina was presiding over the healing.
Inside the temporary ward, under the hands of the grafting doctors, the excess flesh on the Misbegotten was safely removed.
Furthermore, they even performed a degree of reattachment and suturing. After all, they couldn't just remove without adding.
Thankfully, the Misbegotten's bodies were durable enough to withstand it; otherwise, the surgery would not have gone so smoothly.
It was also thanks to the healing incantations; the entire room was now enveloped in the care of a Minor Erdtree.
But she was getting a little tired from the effort alone. Maintaining high-intensity healing was not easy, and the surgery was visibly going to last a long time...
Buzz!
Another wave of Incantation: Erdtree Heal light came from the tower, clearly bearing Frieren's magical signature.
To be able to handle powerful healing while in the middle of a brainstorming session? Only she could afford such a luxurious output of magic, and she had to divide her attention to cast the spell.
Everyone was startled but had no time for admiration, immediately speeding up their life-saving actions.
"Thank you, Lady Melina. I feel so warm."
"I didn't expect Her Majesty to still remember us."
The gratitude of her Misbegotten brethren was her greatest reward. With their worries resolved, she could now proceed with the plan with confidence.
"It's not just about liberating you, but the Land of Shadow as well."
Lower Ellac River.
Frieren's figure materialized in a flash at the Site of Grace. Arriving with her were Melina and the Mimic Tear; the small squad had assembled. Their objective was the cliffside waterfall ahead, its waters thundering, indicating a significant drop.
Melina looked back towards the Castle Ensis and murmured, "Can the Waypoint Ruins be investigated so easily?"
"They'll return to wait for us after they've gathered the basic intelligence from the periphery."
"That's good."
"This time, the goal is to find what Miquella left behind at the Cerulean Coast, most likely the name Thiollier mentioned... Trina."
The silver-haired girl rubbed her hands together, recalling the past information.
Melina, who knew her best, understood that this was no expression of someone looking for something. It was clearly the look of someone intending to start a huge fight. She would probably only be satisfied after razing the entire Cerulean Coast region—very much in her partner's style.
She just needed to handle the logistics, especially keeping an eye on the map and records. The rest of the fighting could be left to Her Majesty.
The two of them gazed forward together.
The Lower Ellac River Site of Grace was located beneath a giant rock, similar to a grotto. This type of terrain was common in the Liurnia region, and now she saw it in the Land of Shadow as well. The air was quite humid; touching the cave walls would leave one's hand covered in water droplets.
Mist filled the air, and at their feet was the rushing river, racing towards the cliff's edge.
In the dim light, the seated phantom of a white spirit was quite conspicuous. Seeing it, Frieren walked over briskly, filled with curiosity, and listened:
"...According to legend, the final destination of the drifting stone coffins is a velvet garden where clusters of deep purple flowers bloom in profusion."
"If I must die, I truly wish to close my eyes in that garden."
A garden?
From the description, it seemed like a beautiful place.
Melina unfolded the map and carefully cross-referenced it with their intelligence before shaking her head. "There's no mention of it in our reports. I think the 'deep purple velvet garden' refers to both a landscape and some kind of symbol."
"We haven't even seen a stone coffin, so of course we can't talk about a final destination. But drifting along seems to be the right idea."
With a whistle from Frieren, her spirit steed appeared. Torrent, who she hadn't seen in a while, reared its hooves and neighed, brimming with excitement, ready to charge.
It showed no fear of the waterfall, but rather was filled with a desire for a challenge.
The silver-haired girl swung herself into the saddle and extended a hand. Melina grabbed it, hopped up, and settled sideways behind her, instinctively wrapping an arm around her waist to steady herself. They were practiced and ready.
It had been a while since they had experienced such an adventurous atmosphere, but her riding skills were still sharp.
Giddy-up!
The moment she flicked the reins, the spirit steed charged at full speed. With a light step on the cliff face beside the waterfall, it found a foothold on the narrow ledge and leaped to the next level.
The climbing ability it displayed at that moment was comparable to a mountain goat's.
Combined with the force-absorbing effect of its mid-air double jump, even a towering and treacherous waterfall was no obstacle. At full throttle, Torrent's speed was considerable, racing down alongside the falling water. Even when the current occasionally carried down loose rocks, they couldn't harm its nimble form.
Within a few breaths, they had descended half the waterfall.
Along the way, they did indeed spot small goats, as well as fierce Lightning Rams. The ecosystem here was no different from the Gravesite Plain. It wasn't surprising, as the areas were connected and hadn't suffered any major environmental disasters.
But there was one exception.
As the mist cleared, a giant Wicker Man appeared in the middle of the river, right on their path. It had noticed them as well.
Its furnace mask lifted, and what seemed to be a hostile gaze locked onto the rapidly descending figures.
No matter how many times she saw it, Frieren still thought this war machine built by Messmer was impressive, a cut above the giant Golems of the Caelid region.
Sensing the hostility as well, Torrent picked up its pace.
The spirit steed leaped effortlessly between the protruding rocks on either side of the cliff. Its hooves never once touched a drop of water from the waterfall, showing no sign of the thrilling danger of a rapid descent beside a torrent from a cliff.
As the group landed steadily in the pool below the waterfall, ripples spread from beneath their feet.
Thud, thud!
The Wicker Man took its characteristically heavy steps, its massive body creating shockwaves that shook the very ground. More rocks tumbled from above the waterfall, and the nearby goats fled with their fur standing on end, wanting no part of it, getting out of there as fast as possible.
Frieren didn't dismiss her summon, because having fought one before, she understood that mobility was key against a Wicker Man.
"Ready? Hold on tight."
Before the words had even left her mouth, she whipped the reins and dashed forward, narrowly dodging a falling fireball. Even so, she felt the hot wind lift her long hair.
Because the attack came from a higher elevation, its damage spread easily.
In the Lands Between, large size is a mechanic in itself. It's highly effective against both armies and elite individuals. Judging by the tormented souls burning atop the Wicker Man's head, it had dispatched plenty of Hornsent in its time.
Unfortunately, it no longer distinguished friend from foe, merely following the instincts of a combat puppet to target anything rich in magic.
In the Wicker Man's eyes, Frieren was quite conspicuous.
Sorcery: Collapsing Stars!
The silver-haired girl flung a spell that accurately struck the Golem's face. The moment its movements faltered, Torrent's speed carried them around to its rear, leaving its entire back wide open.
Comet Azur was suddenly unleashed, aiming squarely at its right foot with a powerful blast.
Demigod-level magic was a qualitative change.
Even though she used a burst attack instead of a sustained one, it was still enough to make the Wicker Man's body tremble violently. It momentarily lost its footing and nearly fell.
Once it was down, it would be difficult to get back up.
In its urgency, it immediately released a jet of flame from its feet, using the propulsion to barely right itself while simultaneously unleashing a torrent of fire at the silver-haired girl.
Unfortunately, the next moment, it was replaced by frost.
Such a hastily improvised move was completely ineffective; it couldn't break through Frieren's barrier.
"Its intelligence is much higher than the one at the Fire-Kissed Ruins."
It also had fewer scars.
It probably hadn't been worn down by too many Hornsent armies, so it retained more of its combat strength. Judging it by the standard of that oaf from the Fire-Kissed Ruins could lead to a miscalculation.
But it was far from being a threat.
Without her needing to chant, Torrent simply swerved and dashed forward, perfectly dodging the subsequent stomp.
The Wicker Man continued its pursuit, but its attacks repeatedly missed their mark.
The mobility gap between them was immense. Whenever it tried to attack, she easily pulled away. In contrast, Shard Spiral constantly bombarded its body, clanging against its wicker structure and even knocking off some parts.
But it was no sitting duck. Even without the emotion of anger, it knew the situation was dire.
It had to go all out, with no need to hold back. It had to risk it all.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the Wicker Man knelt on one knee, aiming the giant torch on its head at the silver-haired girl.
The extreme heat created a tornado of air, like a fire dragon rushing towards its target. A crimson, star-like orbit seemed to form and rotate around it.
____
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