At the summit of the Albinauric Rise.
Frieren opened a treasure chest in the attic, revealing a talisman: [Graven-School Talisman].
[The nightmare of the academy—a talisman depicting the first Graven-School of sorcerers, a form known as the Seed of Stars.]
[Greatly raises potency of sorceries.]
[The primeval current is a forbidden tradition of glintstone sorcery.]
[To those of the Graven-School, employing the collection of sorcerers to fashion them into the seeds of stars—]
[Is but a means of discovery.]
Looking closely, countless faces of sorcerers were carved upon it, seemingly struggling and screaming. Even Frieren raised an eyebrow at the sight. She was naturally familiar with this thing, as her teacher, Sellen, had nearly researched herself into this very state back in the day.
Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.
It was no wonder such a talisman was hidden deep within the snowy mountains; ordinary people would not want to touch it. However, according to the messages, it provided a significant boost to magic power, making it worth using.
She immediately equipped the Graven-School Talisman, treating it as preparation for the upcoming battle at the Haligtree.
The silver-haired girl spoke to the Spirit Calling Bell: "Latenna, continue to guide us. We are heading to the ruins you mentioned right now."
"As you command, Your Majesty. I shall loose my arrows to point the way."
Ever since the squad entered the Consecrated Snowfield, the blizzard had grown increasingly intense, blurring everything in all directions. Only with her assistance could they ensure they hadn't deviated from their course, complementing Frieren's wide-range perception perfectly.
Whoosh!
Frieren accelerated further, reaching the western side of the Consecrated Snowfield. Only then did Latenna call out a loud reminder: "We are almost there."
Descending, they indeed found a set of ruins, within which lay a towering Albinauric woman.
She sat sideways on the ground, her eyes closed tight, her expression serene. Although situated in the harsh environment of ice and snow, she seemed to retain a sliver of vitality. Her massive size implied a high content of Runes; she was no ordinary powerhouse.
Everyone except Latenna stepped aside voluntarily.
They were quite curious about this special ritual concerning the fate of the Albinaurics.
"Come, my young yet towering sister, receive the Birthing Droplet." She sent a wisp of light into the other's body, offering her blessing: "For the sake of us Albinaurics, may life burgeon within you."
Immediately after, Latenna let out a long sigh, finally unburdening herself of the heavy weight.
Whoosh!
A strong power of Runes rose up as the Birthing Droplet combined with her sister. Even though she had not yet awakened, one could feel a powerful strength brushing through her limbs and bones. There was no mistake; a more perfect Albinauric would be born.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have finally fulfilled my mission. My towering sister will surely become our hope."
"Of course. The dynasty I rule will also do its utmost to reduce the persecution of the Albinaurics."
She presented a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone with both hands.
"Your Majesty, let me fight alongside you until the very last moment... And then, when the war is over, could you bury me beside my wolf, Lobo?"
Latenna felt a lightness she had never experienced before, and a raging fighting spirit ignited within her. She had fulfilled her mission, accomplished the dying wish of her people, and passed on hope. In the tribulation-filled Lands Between, this could already be called fortunate.
She wanted to repay the Soul Cinder King for recognizing her worth. Back when Frieren had not yet dominated the Lands Between, she had made a promise, and she had fulfilled it to this day.
Such a Majesty was worth dying for.
"I promise you. But you must witness me ascend to the throne."
"As you command."
After a deep bow, Latenna vanished, returning to the Spirit Calling Bell. The future Ash Army would still need her contribution.
With this, a thread of fate extending from the Village of the Albinaurics came to a conclusion in Frieren's hands. A long time had passed; preserving a spark of hope from Sir Gideon Ofnir's massacre was considered complete here.
"This can be considered fulfilling the village chief's request," Melina said, a look of reminiscence also appearing on her face.
"Yes, and I will make Sir Gideon Ofnir pay the price."
Back then, they had passed through the Liurnia region in a hurry, unexpectedly missing the tragedy of a massacre happening right under their noses. To be honest, Frieren had experienced many such tragedies, but she could not tolerate familiar people being involved. For instance, Nepheli had been devastated for a time after seeing through Gideon Ofnir's true colors.
That old conspirator had gone too far.
Now that he stood on the opposite side, the score had to be settled all at once.
Arriving at the Haligtree, the paradise that sheltered the Albinaurics, was not the end. To fulfill the Albinauric chief's request, the sinner had to pay the price. There would be no more Confessors in the Lands Between hereafter.
"Because the blood of the Albinaurics would pollute the Erdtree, their placement has always been a major issue."
Ranni spoke bluntly: "If Your Majesty intends to preserve them, then the Haligtree, which hangs overseas and effectively forms a self-segregated isolation, is a good place. Moreover, it preserves numerous species. Alternatively, the Land of Shadow could also count as a settlement location."
"In short, it is not easy to handle."
Frieren nodded. After all, she was long past being the ignorant novice Tarnished she once was; she was naturally aware of the entanglements involved.
"Our new dynasty exists to handle thorny problems. We face difficulties because difficulties do not simply disappear; they are there and must be solved."
"And it cannot be a lazy solution, otherwise it would be no different from the maladministration of our predecessors."
"Let's set off first."
She was not interested in the remaining monsters on the Consecrated Snowfield. Time was tight and the mission was heavy. While the squad moved, the Royal Capital Army and the Lord of Cinder Army were also in conflict. The urgent priority was to reach the Haligtree first.
Suddenly, Ranni suggested:
"I want to go to a place called the Cave of the Forlorn before reaching Ordina, Liturgical Town. It is not far to the east."
"Even you are interested? Is there some special collectible?"
"Not necessarily there. Let's find it first."
"Lead the way."
Clearly, Ranni did not wish to delve deeper into the topic, intending to forget the matter if they didn't obtain the objective.
Carrying this curiosity, Frieren advanced rapidly according to the guidance. Sure enough, amidst the heavy snowfall, she found a secluded cave rooted in the snowfield for many years. It showed no signs of destruction, maintaining its primitive appearance.
As usual, she poured in a unidirectional psychic perception scan. It was just some Misbegotten monsters; nothing formidable, just a bit berserk.
The silver-haired girl leaped and entered the cave.
Almost simultaneously, Glintstone light erupted and splashed within the narrow cave.
Each shard was comparable to an arrow, capable of easily penetrating flesh and blood. How could they have anticipated such a fierce assault? Consequently, they met their sandy end, riddled with Glintstone shards in a single encounter.
Crack, crack!
The flashing Glintstone Sorcery ricocheted and rubbed against the cave walls, harvesting the Misbegotten one by one along the way. Seeing that Ranni cared about this place, Frieren didn't waste time. She pushed through with full-range perception and AoE magic, crushing everything in her path as she went deeper into the cave.
Its structure was very simple; not a dungeon in the conventional sense, but more like a hole one just drilled into.
"These Misbegotten might be related to the Haligtree," Trina speculated.
Frieren could also sense that the intensity of the enemies here far exceeded the trash in the Weeping Peninsula. They were extraordinary, though the difference wasn't huge to her.
Soon, they reached the depths.
Before them stood a Leonine Misbegotten. Aside from a touch of Holy attribute mana, it had no special characteristics. Everyone's focus was not on it, but on its weapon.
A greatsword with a form resembling the Golden Order, radiating an extraordinary aura.
"Are you worthy?" Ranni's rhetorical question carried anger.
"That is the sword—"
Dragon-Wounding Slash!
Before the voice had faded, Frieren threw out a red sword breath. With the speed of thunder covering one's ears, it beat the Misbegotten until it was dripping with blood, forcing it to stagger back. It was more fragile than imagined, though its poise was passable.
The reason for opening with a Weapon Skill instead of magic was to test the target's physical tier, as magic impact feedback was less obvious.
She made a rough judgment, and her gaze became sharp.
The caught-off-guard Misbegotten flashed a trace of fear in its eyes. After all, it hadn't expected the enemy's offensive to be so fierce. This was bad; a moment of carelessness could get it killed. It had to be careful—
Whoosh!
A Sorcery: Night Comet grazed past, wounding its leg without warning.
The Misbegotten subconsciously swung its sword, but struck nothing but air. The signature silver-haired figure had vanished.
Turning invisible, transitioning into Unseen Blade.
The two great sorceries acquired not long ago in the Altus Plateau were utilized by Frieren. She pierced the Misbegotten's body from the front. From start to finish, it noticed nothing, receiving a penetrating wound just like that.
The tactile sensation was relatively hard; it seemed this guy's physical constitution wasn't bad.
The Misbegotten struggled and rolled away, finally maintaining a safe distance. Frieren, meanwhile, raised her staff, shaking out grey-black skulls that bared their fangs and brandished their claws.
It wasn't over. Sorcery: Ancient Death Rancor followed closely, covering the area.
If an encirclement formed, the death energy could instantly take the target away. She wanted to see what was so special about it.
The Misbegotten assumed the Golden Order stance, and the greatsword instantly radiated golden light, illuminating itself.
Holy Light Slash!
While dispelling the Ancient Death Rancor, it unleashed an upward sweeping slash straight for Frieren's throat. In that instant, she stepped sideways to avoid it. The pursuit didn't end there; the greatsword, lingering with Holy attribute mana, swept repeatedly—layer upon layer of killing intent, dangerous at every step.
Yet she—dodged, as if specifically sensing the energy within.
It was no ordinary Holy attribute; supreme and domineering, yet not lacking in restraint... It was a bit strange, showing traces of having been reforged.
The Misbegotten thought it held the advantage at this moment.
It felt it had seized the opportunity and immediately launched a berserk attack—wave after wave, layer upon layer, faster and faster. Clearly, its state was getting better and better, but strangely, the opponent continued to stroll idly, allowing the Holy Light to brush past her repeatedly, yet remaining unscathed.
Why?
Especially the doll beside the silver-haired girl revealed an expression that was appreciative yet complex—not directed at it, but at the sword. It didn't put the wielder in its eyes at all.
Preposterous. For years, such an arrogant figure had never appeared in the Consecrated Snowfield.
Just then, the greatsword in the Misbegotten's hand gradually dimmed. A round of bursting attacks had ended, yet it failed to eliminate the enemy. This was bad; such a situation had never occurred before, and its mana was insufficient to activate it again...
The crowd before it revealed looks of disappointment instead.
The silver-haired girl lightly tapped the ice beneath her feet, causing the Misbegotten to slip impartially. As a result, thump, it crashed right into her embrace.
Into the embrace of the Soul Crystal Sword, as if it had actively embraced death.
It was still struggling.
However, Frieren's Soul Crystal Sword cut horizontally, bisecting it at the waist. Simultaneously, her staff switched to Carian Slicer. Crack, crack! It slashed through the flesh, leaving it broken and fragmented, accompanied by a mist of blood. No residue remained; it died without a whole corpse. The Misbegotten who had luckily picked up a treasure met its end here.
She would not tolerate such trash lacking in reason.
"You couldn't bring out the power of this sword at all." Only then did Ranni on her shoulder stop being angry.
Her Majesty's martial arts had advanced further.
Killing a mere Misbegotten wasn't difficult; the difficulty lay in defeating it so lightly. Controlling the rhythm firmly throughout, flowing like moving clouds and water—the powerful Misbegotten entrenched in the depths of the Consecrated Snowfield was not an enemy that could last a single round.
Frieren picked up the weapon Ranni had been thinking about from the ground. It had substantial weight, containing a magnificent aura of the Order, as well as a familiar...
"It was actually modified from the Dark Moon Greatsword? There was another Dark Moon Greatsword?"
"It was once a gift from Mother to Father."
"..."
No wonder the Lunar Princess wanted to reclaim it yet felt complex emotions; it concerned a complicated family drama bridge.
She had tasted enough gossip about the Golden Lineage, but this matter indeed held commemorative significance. Reforging the Dark Moon Greatsword—did it not symbolize Radagon letting go of his attachment to love, devoting himself entirely to the Golden Order, and becoming a loyal guardian?
He was destined to be incompatible with the Full Moon Queen Rennala, and destined to be enemies with herself. This sword also signified a farewell, making them strangers henceforth.
[Golden Order Greatsword]
[Greatsword made of light, modeled after the Elden Ring itself.]
[Forged by King Consort Radagon to proudly symbolize the tenets of the Golden Order.]
[One of the legendary armaments.]
[Telltale signs betray that this was once the greatsword bequeathed to him by his first wife, Rennala.]
[Weapon Skill: Establish Order]
[Skill that raises the armament in a salute to the Golden Order, releasing a golden explosion.]
[Repeated inputs send out waves of golden light.]
Holding it in her palm transmitted intense Holy attribute energy. Allowing it to guide her, Frieren assumed the Golden Order stance. Immediately, Holy Light lingered, surging and condensing on the blade. A few sweeping moves carried decent power.
Unfortunately, it didn't stand out among legendary weapons; the effects were mediocre, and the mechanics lacked distinct features.
It looked good, but that was all. The Weapon Skill "Establish Order" had a long wind-up and took a long time to execute, yet the payoff was low. Viewed comprehensively, there was only one evaluation:
It would hold one back.
Frieren would not use such a Weapon Skill in high-speed combat; the opening was too large.
Besides that, the messages also gave similar evaluations: "Only the looks are top tier," "The weakest among legendary weapons," "What did Radagon mess with? Pure nerf," "Useless, fits the simplicity of obtaining it," "Go gather dust." Clearly, they weren't satisfied.
As a weapon for a late-game map, it was indeed lacking.
She asked, "Ranni, do you want this sword? Perhaps returning it to the Carian Royal Family's collection is also a destination."
"No, I don't need it anymore. This broken marriage needs no commemoration. Keep it safe, Your Majesty. Perhaps there will be a chance to show it to Radagon."
The blue-haired doll frowned slightly as she witnessed this weapon, her tone carrying a trace of anger.
Truly annoying.
Noticing Ranni's emotions, Frieren silently put away the Golden Order Greatsword. She didn't know how Radagon would react if she showed it to him later? Probably no reaction at all. Reforging the Dark Moon Greatsword represented his attitude.
It was just a daughter collecting one more reason to oppose her father.
She confirmed that nothing was missed in the Cave of the Forlorn, then strode away, returning to the snow-covered land.
Next, they would head straight for Ordina, Liturgical Town.
____
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