Occupying Stormveil Castle (Bonus chapter)

The nobles cared more about legitimacy than anyone. With the monarch herself utterly bored by it all, they had no choice but to handle the elaborate sense of ceremony themselves. After all, their own families' legitimate rule stemmed from the sovereign's authorization, military protection, and legal basis. Without it, they couldn't truly establish themselves in the Lands Between and would sooner or later be wiped out.

Therefore, Kenneth and the others worried about upholding Frieren's royal dignity on her behalf. Coincidentally, everyone was quite enthusiastic right now. The southern army had long hoped for a Shardbearer representing local interests to emerge. Compared to Godrick, who had ruled for a long time, they actually knew Frieren's character better. For the surrendered soldiers, it was even more crucial that their new allegiance be stable, validating their choice. As for the supporting Tarnished, that went without saying; even Sir Gideon Ofnir's informants were secretly helping out. Gaining another partner at this juncture was considered a good thing.

Except for the disinterest of the person involved, Frieren displaying her authority served everyone's interests.

Thus, Kenneth launched into quite a lengthy explanation...

They'd start with the simplest proclamation first. The coronation ceremony later would have to be done properly, but this could serve as a way for Frieren to get accustomed to it beforehand. Melina was also happy to see this happen, so Frieren decided to listen to their suggestions. Claiming kingship was probably part of the game mechanics anyway; might as well try out a completely new experience.

"Come up."

Complying with the procedure, she called the Black Knife Assassin, the Farron Captain, and Samir the Ancient Hero to her side by the throne. Their merits, strength, and fame were all beyond reproach; they could certainly be considered her personal guard. In truth, without this layer of protectors, the nobles probably wouldn't hold much hope for royal protocol. At best, they'd just install a ruler and be done with it, absolutely unwilling to go through the trouble of a grand proclamation.

Because you simply couldn't hold the position without such support.

A monarch needed protectors, just as Godfrey had his lion regent and his contingent of Crucible Knights – representing a faction of interest in itself.

From every perspective, Frieren seemed perfect, flawless. She commanded abundant forces, held a Great Rune, possessed outstanding strength, and her soul magic naturally gathered people's hearts. Looking long-term, she was poised for significant growth.

But there was still a flaw, one of the reasons the nobles were so eager to elevate her quickly:

Her long ears.

The imposing impression Frieren gave was so strong that it often made people overlook a crucial fact: long, pointed ears were a characteristic of demi-humans. While not quite on the level of "sewer species" like the Omenspawn or the followers of the Frenzied Flame, they were still considered a "lesser species," expected to dine at the same table as Misbegotten slaves.

The Golden Dynasty had reason to exclude them; each group had its own flaws, and suppression served to protect the interests of the mainstream. This long-held prejudice could potentially undermine Frieren's rule. Even if discerning people knew her capabilities had nothing to do with demi-humans – on the contrary, she was exceptionally gifted – the perceived flaw objectively existed. Wasn't Margit, despite his great contributions, still reviled?

This was actually quite problematic.

If the Golden Dynasty raised the banner of "crusading against demi-humans," it would simply attract more hostility towards her. If Frieren's strength had been even slightly less, or if she hadn't defeated Godrick fair and square, she might have faced challenges. Thankfully, her fist was powerful enough, embodying the principle that "strength is the reason for kingship," even if you were suspected of being a demi-human hybrid.

Anyone could guess the Golden Tree would surely make an issue of this. Therefore, Kenneth and the other nobles had to quickly construct a narrative of legitimacy, pre-emptively silencing their enemies.

"Let the audience begin! May those who have rendered meritorious service pledge their allegiance to Her Majesty, Frieren!"

Following Kenneth's subtle cue, Edgar stepped forward, bowed his head, and lightly kissed the back of the silver-haired girl's hand. He felt a wave of relief; the gamble he had staked his life and honor on had succeeded. He and the nobles of Limgrave were genuinely overjoyed.

However, just as feared, trouble arrived:

Some nobles from within Stormveil Castle, exasperated, stepped out and clamored, "She's nothing but a demi-human! The Grace-Given Queen would never permit such a defiling presence! The royal capital's army will level this place and hang you all!"

The hall fell silent, utterly quiet. Indeed, many had only just noticed Frieren's long ears. It was true!

"So?" the silver-haired girl asked, tilting her head with amusement.

"Don't you understand? Under the rule of the Golden Tree, you're not allowed to flaunt your power! You shouldn't even be wearing clothes! No matter how powerful, you're just a demi-human with a bit more magic—"

"The Grace-Given Queen should have received word when I defeated the Tree Sentinel, shouldn't she? That mysterious ruler has never attacked me on the grounds of being a demi-human, nor have her subordinates. Your understanding falls far short of the queen you serve."

At these words, the Stormveil noble was struck speechless. It was true; the Grace-Given Queen even accepted the far worse Omen Fell, Morgott.

"Your Majesty, show no mercy," Kenneth proposed. "Such individuals must be punished."

"Agreed."

Frieren glanced at the Black Knife Assassin. Understanding immediately, the assassin appeared before the target in the next instant, beheaded him, and held the head aloft for all to see. Although Frieren hadn't intended something quite so visually shocking – a simple stab would have sufficed – acting according to local customs was fine. She would impose her rule using logic suitable for the Lands Between.

"Anyone else?"

The silver-haired girl scanned the room. Not a single person spoke up.

This small interlude didn't disrupt the audience proceedings at all. Next came the Banished Knights, mercenary captains, and others who voluntarily swore fealty. She greeted them with a smile and exchanged a few pleasantries. In reality, if something were to happen to the monarch herself, everyone would likely just disperse anyway.

Still, this method was certainly efficient. In the Lands Between, where great power was concentrated in individuals, rapidly building a system of governance around a monarch was easy, preventing total chaos and warfare. At least disputes were primarily centered around monarchs, unlike in Frieren's own world where warlords big and small constantly vied for recognition, attacking and slaughtering each other. That kind of reality was a true nightmare for ordinary civilians, where cries for help went unanswered day after day.

While her mind occasionally wandered, the simple ceremony roughly concluded.

"Praise be to our Queen!"

Amidst the shouts of the crowd, Stormveil Castle officially came under Frieren's rule, especially with the handover of key departments:

The castle garrison, led by the Banished Knights, knew the inventory well and had a grasp of the various resources in the warehouses. The accounts showed considerable wealth, truly fitting for a place supplied by the entire Limgrave region.

Gostoc, the gatekeeper, provided detailed maps. Only then did she realize the castle contained so many hidden passages, cliffsides, and underground areas... Calling it just a fortress was inadequate; it was more like a city, its scale unexpectedly vast.

"The Farron Undead Legion and Master Rogier will explore the underground. Leave the rest to us."

"Thank you for your generosity."

Actually, player advice had vaguely mentioned the presence of the Prince of Death's face, so Frieren had some idea of the situation. Since it wasn't anything good, leaving it to the experienced Abyss Watchers was best. She would look into the relevant intelligence in detail later.

"Your Majesty, now that we have the warehouse resources and the castle defense maps, we effectively have complete control of Stormveil Castle. What are your plans?" Kenneth asked excitedly.

"I need to rest. You all just focus on repairing the walls."

She intended to get a good night's sleep to replenish her energy, putting aside all the paperwork. She'd had enough of tedious formalities long ago.

Morning. A new day dawned in Stormveil Castle.

Frieren, having removed her armor and clad only in a white nightgown, suddenly opened her eyes on the hard plank bed. The castle was trembling, accompanied by an unignorable massive crash:

Boom!

Followed by a stream of curses, "Dragon, watch where you drop those stones! That's not repairing, that's secondary demolition!"

Perhaps the previous master, Godrick, hadn't left things unrepaired out of laziness, but because the objective conditions weren't met. Fortunately, she had only ordered the repair of the damage from the recent battle. Trying to patch the large holes in the cliffs might easily cause further destruction.

In reality, magic that could make objects float or even construct buildings would probably be useful here. She glanced around. Judging by the room's interior decorations and the overall height of the castle, a significant amount of magic must have been used in its construction, but much of it was likely lost knowledge. Though not particularly comfortable, it certainly possessed a sense of splendor.

Stormveil Castle's exterior still had some dilapidated ditches and holes, looking somewhat decayed, but its interior was actually exquisitely crafted, especially the main tower, which featured much brilliant gold design. For the main castle of just the Limgrave region to be so grand and wealthy, what would the Royal Capital be like?

It should be even more magnificent.

Frieren stretched lazily. Several heavy books lying on top of her tumbled down with a thud. Most were about local history or pure data records she had found in the castle library. As the absolute central hub of the south, equivalent to a national capital, it naturally housed a vast collection of information. Taking over such a large territory would be impossible without their help.

Although she had no interest in ruling personally, she enjoyed collecting various books to increase her knowledge. Staying up late reading was quite rewarding. Given time, Stormveil Castle should be fully renovated; after all, some long-forgotten items might prove useful. Elves sometimes forgot about small trinkets, and finding them again years later could be a novel experience, like a treasure hunt.

"Ah well, I'll deal with it later."

Frieren, still sleepy-eyed as usual, got dressed and washed up. At some point, Melina had appeared and was expertly combing her hair, a scene that had played out several times during their journey. Originally, Frieren had found the Tarnished's various slow preparations annoying, especially hair combing, which took ages. She couldn't resist helping out, and it became routine. This companion seemed adept at turning others' care into a regular occurrence. It turned out she wasn't slow at all; despite her leisurely pace in daily life, she fought like an unstoppable force.

Now, here they were, resting in the best room in Stormveil Castle – something utterly unimaginable back in the Chapel of Anticipation.

"The bed planks are too hard. I didn't sleep well at all."

"Not many people use beds in the Lands Between. Those who have become living corpses just sit anywhere to rest. Sometimes you can't even tell if they're dead or alive."

"It's alright. Things will change slowly. With the Great Rune, I intend to try and reverse the living corpse symptoms for some people."

"Really?"

"The fragments of the Elden Ring symbolize the manifestation of the world's rules. They are also full of tolerance and can serve as a medium for me to wield different powers. Their connection and amplification can further my research into soul magic."

Frieren was never careless when it came to magic research, always striving for perfection.

Knowing this gave Melina a bit more confidence. Comparatively, saving more people was just as important as restoring the Elden Ring, because the established Laws couldn't reverse the state of living corpses.

"By the way, last night they preliminarily confirmed the path leading underground, but they didn't enter. They're still investigating the outer areas."

"Waiting a bit longer is fine."

"There's one more thing: let me know anytime you wish to go to the Roundtable Hold. We've already established a connection with the Great Hallowing space."

With that, Melina dissolved into particles of light, merging back into the Tarnished's body as usual. She always kept things brief – a quick update, then a hasty departure, seemingly always too busy for lengthy conversation. This dynamic actually suited the slow pace of the elven race.

With time on her hands, Frieren checked the notifications on her game panel. As expected, there was a new change:

[Cloud Save MOD Acquired] You can save at any time without affecting game progress. Upon the user's next return, the state will be preserved from the previous moment.

[A Miraculous Gift of Temporal Power]

[One of the Supreme Powers]

[Perhaps your existence is meant to mend those regrets that are hard to grasp]

Even the description was the same. According to the pattern from previous encounters, the MOD unlocked after the first major boss fight was fixed, while others were random. Still, having a save function combined with her own accumulated strength was sufficient. Theoretically, Frieren could leave right now, return to the elf village, hole up for decades studying magic, and reappear in this very bedroom in Stormveil's tower the next time she returned.

Wait a little longer.

Some things were still unfinished. Leaving abruptly would feel too jarring. At the very least, she should get the troublesome coronation done, not leave it for next time. This castle needed careful planning and refurbishment, as did the Limgrave region. Better to wait until things were on track. Besides, the elven race was never rushed; even returning to reality, there wasn't anything too urgent. Apart from dealing with the threat of the Demon Generals, she likely wouldn't be too busy.

"Since I'm idle anyway, I might as well go collect some things from the armory..."

With this thought, Frieren stored her equipment, donning a simple, light, and loose mage robe and boots. Only during game boss battles or real combat would she fully arm herself and prepare every possible means; otherwise, she preferred convenience.

Creak!

Opening the door revealed a troop of busy maids cleaning the rooms, seemingly intent on tidying the entire tower. Seeing the silver-haired girl emerge, they immediately greeted her with "Good morning" and bowed.

"So many people showed up after just one night?"

"Your Majesty, you've actually slept for two days. It was Lord Kenneth who had us move into Stormveil Castle for a major cleanup. He said that besides attending to Your Majesty's daily needs, we must also transform this place into one reflecting the vitality worthy of your rule."

"You can skip the daily needs part. I'm more familiar with you; they wouldn't be able to do it," Melina whispered in her ear.

Frieren nodded in deep agreement with her witch partner and verbally declined the offer:

"I will be traveling frequently and rarely stay in one place for long. Your main task should be organizing the books. Be careful of bookworms; it would be best to transcribe copies of everything."

"As you command. After all, you are destined to become the Elden Lord."

Although she had only recently declared her kingship, the reputation of "Frieren, the Demon-Slaying Sword" had already spread across half the Lands Between. Everyone understood this newcomer Tarnished had lofty ambitions; only the Royal Capital was a fitting target. The grand and brilliant Altus Plateau, even ravaged by war, possessed a foundation incomparable to remote regions.

That was the true stage for a monarch.

Whether the maids understood or not didn't concern Frieren. She headed eagerly towards the armory. It had already been taken over and organized by the southern army, so passage was naturally unobstructed. The guards immediately showered the new castle lord with flattery upon seeing her. Frieren paid them no mind, instead focusing on whether there were any good items to collect...

It was a vast, semi-underground elliptical domed chamber, filled with a dazzling array of weapons. More importantly, it stored a scarce resource:

Smithing Stones.

Frieren picked up some of these angular, whitish chunks. They felt cold and surprisingly heavy. As far as she knew, there weren't many smiths capable of utilizing Smithing Stones. Therefore, the current equipment of the mighty Queen of Limgrave was actually all at +0 reinforcement. She had relied purely on skill to compensate; otherwise, her damage would be like pinpricks against a demigod.

Just then, Edgar also walked in.

"Do we have any more Smithing Stones like these? The ones I see seem to be of lower grade."

"There are no more. In fact, many of the Smithing Stones here were collected by Godrick from the Altus Plateau. They belong to the foundational wealth of Leyndell, the Royal Capital. They possess the most weapons, equipment, and corresponding smithing resources. Legend says they once attempted to forge a god-slaying weapon."

Because his family had inherited a halberd reinforced a full eight times, Edgar knew more than the average noble.

"I heard the best Smithing Stones are in the legendary Crumbling Farum Azula."

"In the domain of the ancient dragons? Then you'd first need to find an ancient dragon, perhaps become a Dragon Knight? But those only existed during the peak of the Golden Dynasty."

Frieren couldn't help but recall her deathmatch against the Nameless King atop Archdragon Peak in the world of Dark Souls, fighting amidst thick fog and lightning. That battle had been incredibly difficult; airborne enemies were extremely troublesome, especially a dragon-and-king combination. The Dragon Knights of the Lands Between were surely powerful too, but sadly, they hadn't appeared for a very long time, existing only in history.

"That's too far off... What are you doing now?"

"Your Majesty, we are consolidating and maintaining these weapons. Don't be fooled by the quantity; Limgrave's armaments have been neglected for far too long. The vast majority of weapons and armor are difficult to use."

"Is it serious?"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty. By employing a large number of smiths, we can still maintain basic functionality. But frankly, with our current resources, we cannot hope to assault the Altus Plateau."

Edgar, whose ancestors had faced the armies of the first Elden Lord, knew the disparity in strength all too well. Serving Frieren, he wouldn't hesitate to organize an army immediately, but throwing pebbles against a boulder wasn't a good choice. Long-term, they should use Liurnia of the Lakes as a natural barrier for defense, preparing for a protracted war with the main battlefield around the Academy of Raya Lucaria. If they were to attack, it could also serve as a major rear base – provided they could sort out the chaos there first.

It was impossible for a mage not to be interested in the Academy of Raya Lucaria. After all, since taking charge, Frieren had been relentlessly ordering the collection of various spellbooks, scrolls, and texts, thirsting for knowledge. The nobles were also happy to offer treasures. An academic supreme ruler was always better than one who liked to randomly mess things up. Spending her surplus energy on magic was a win-win situation; her greatest value lay in her contributions to magical research.

Whether due to strategic interests or personal preference, the new Shardbearer would head north.

"You carry on with your work. I'll collect some supplies here."

As she spoke, the silver-haired girl continuously picked up weapons, tucking them away into her embrace where they vanished. In the Lands Between, the power of Runes permeated all things, allowing some powerful individuals to carry weapons this way, especially convenient for those with access to the space granted by Grace. And as everyone knew, Limgrave's new monarch had a collector's habit, wanting to pick the best version of everything to take with her. While most Tarnished were struggling desperately, she, in contrast, was enjoying the world. This attitude alone was enough to inspire her subordinates.

"We won't disturb you further."

Edgar bid farewell and went to inspect other equipment. They needed to reorganize their fighting strength as quickly as possible, for instance, by breaking up and reforming the southern army and the castle garrison to ensure loyalty to the Lord of Stormveil Castle. The ruler only needed to possess strength and the legitimacy of a Great Rune. Nobles like them had much more to consider.

After Browse around, Frieren found nothing new besides better-quality versions of standard equipment she already possessed. Not even a single item triggered a notification sound.

"Could it be that the southern regions, Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula, are actually quite poor?"

Melina answered, "It wasn't always like this. But after the Storm King was defeated, his forces were scattered across the Lands Between, and vast amounts of valuable resources were transported to the Royal Capital, almost draining Limgrave dry."

"It would have gradually recovered, but then came the Night of the Black Knives. You know what happened next. The whole world seemed to freeze at that moment of utter decay."

"What a pity." Frieren couldn't help showing disappointment, not expecting the main castle of an entire region to hold so few good items.

"So, is the south of the Lands Between both remote and plagued by disasters?"

"Indeed. The adjacent region of Caelid resembles the apocalypse more than anywhere else, filled with Scarlet Rot and the monsters that thrive in its ecosystem... Otherwise, it should be somewhat wealthier than Limgrave, being the fiefdom of Starscourge Radahn. The quality isn't bad."

On the other side of the wall of fire lay death. The only active and normal living beings were the Redmane Knights, faithfully guarding and cleansing the corruption. Otherwise, the catastrophe would eventually spread.

Touching upon this, Frieren took out a map and examined it closely. With the maps from Stormveil's archives supplementing her knowledge, she no longer needed to copy inscriptions everywhere. At least she now had a rough understanding of the surrounding areas, including Caelid. The scarlet soil was so striking, filled with an atmosphere of death – the most apocalyptic land.

"Tell me more."

Melina had long adapted to the Tarnished's endless curiosity and thus proficiently recounted intelligence about Caelid. Unlike those who kept their distance and only relied on hearsay, she had actually visited during her travels. Even spirits felt uncomfortable in the land where the Flowers of Scarlet Aeonia bloomed.

"Honestly, deep down, I feel the wall of fire isn't reliable. One day, the contamination will surely reach Limgrave, causing devastation."

"I quite like flowers. I wonder what the Aeonian Flowers look like?"

Melina, who had been deeply worried, almost lost her composure hearing Frieren's oddly angled remark.

"You seem very relaxed?"

"Yes. As long as it's magic, or even most technology, it possesses logic, meaning it's reversible. We should try to analyze it. There must be a way to cure the Scarlet Rot; otherwise, none of us can feel secure with such a threat looming, can we?"

"...Over the years, countless mages and scholars have studied it. Back then, the demigod Miquella poured everything into trying to heal his sister, all to no avail."

"But the Lands Between has also never achieved soul magic."

This sentence made Melina pause slightly. It was true. Frieren's current achievements were unprecedented. Her impact might even rival that of becoming Queen. Could souls be healed? Then what about Scarlet Rot? Perhaps it was truly possible.

"First, I suggest you seek out magic or incantations related to rot, the stronger the better. Perhaps they can inspire you."

"I was thinking the same."

Just as the two were discussing their next steps, a loud rumble echoed from below, and an astonishing energy reaction surged from beneath Stormveil Castle!

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