Return to Reality (Bonus chapter)

How could the Deathbed Companion from the opening cinematic not leave a deep impression? Frieren assumed contacting these important figures by default yielded crucial information, so she had been inquiring about them. At the Roundtable Hold, she had already met Sir Gideon Ofnir and the Deathbed Companion.

The former was mysterious, revealing nothing critical, even dodging questions when pressed—difficult to deal with, likely involved in mid-to-late game events. The latter, however, provided some key intelligence. Fia described the basics of Deeproot Depths, the underground rivers, and the Eternal City, corroborating and significantly supplementing knowledge Melina had previously mentioned. That's why Frieren suspected it involved an important side quest; she couldn't rest easy without taking a look.

[Tragedy ahead]

[Damn it, I knew helping would just lead to someone dying. Worked so hard, ran back and forth, only to end up witnessing someone die. Okay, used to it, not angry anymore]

[No choice, must complete this side quest for the Mending Rune, relates to an ending, cannot miss]

[My Fiaaaaa, why did she suddenly disappear]

[Don't be too sad, many of Fia's champions will share the burden]

[The questline rewards are decent, going from Roundtable Hold all the way to Deeproot Depths basically traverses the Lands Between, quite a journey. Worthy of an ending-choice level side quest, especially the boss fight, utterly exhilarating, nothing but special effects]

[I don't mind giving the secret ending for Those Who Live in Death a good rating, but it only solves one problem, still a whole bunch of Rot, Frenzied Flame ready to cause chaos anytime]

[Just counts as one possible answer, I guess]

[Don't forget Deeproot Depths connects to the Royal Capital. Shocking at first sight, the giant tree roots have immense visual impact. Exploring yields good rewards too, the best staff is there]

[Meta answer: Prince of Death's Staff. Though there are other options in specific builds, I can't be bothered with theorycrafting]

[A beauty of pure stats, pick it up and mage build is complete]

Frieren couldn't pretend she didn't see this information. She quickly committed to memory that a treasure existed in Deeproot Depths. Good news. An unexpected delight. Combined with previous player comments, she basically mapped out an upgrade path: Demi-Human Queen's Staff, Meteorite Staff, Lusat's Staff(?), then the supposedly strongest Prince of Death's Staff. Very clear. It seemed she had another reason to go to Deeproot Depths, and not too late, otherwise getting the staff near the end would be pointless.

[The underground river is also related to Ranni's questline, all running together, quite lively]

[Pity, female character quests mostly end badly. But you can see it differently, Fia found her true love, didn't she create the Mending Rune with the Prince of Death? Congratulations]

[Uh, this...]

[Honestly, none of the Ring mending options satisfy me completely, each has hidden issues, always feels like my own faction ends up incomplete]

[Since you can't satisfy everyone, then satisfy no one. Decided, going Frenzied Flame immediately]

[Purely solving the Those Who Live in Death problem, Fia probably succeeded. I think this questline's value lies in connecting the Prince of Death, otherwise he'd remain a background character]

[Many remain background characters, depends if they can win the resurrection match]

[Speaking of connections to the underground river, Ranni's questline involves it the most, practically clears it out, exploring everything thoroughly. Also includes artifacts like the Mimic Tear, truly worthy of the richest side quest]

[Reaching the river's end, indeed the most crucial points are around the Erdtree, importance basically guessed from location]

...The amount of information was even greater than expected. However, Frieren could confirm Fia's questline was crucial. Every key element leading to an ending couldn't be ignored. Based on past experience, if she couldn't force a "theoretically non-standard ending" for complete satisfaction using various MODs in the game, she would have to choose from various bad endings. 

As a baseline, perhaps, even if she wasn't satisfied, there would still be some hope for that world. Of course, this was only the absolute last resort; Frieren would definitely strive with all her might to achieve an unconventional ending. This could also maximize resource extraction from the entire world; otherwise, wouldn't everything being destroyed be a waste of effort?

For now, at least two points were confirmed: Fia and Ranni each involved a major questline. Judging by the nested nodes, the demigod-qualified Lunar Princess likely involved more; meeting her would be necessary eventually.

Leaving the corridor and returning to the central hall of the Roundtable Hold, she saw people gradually waking up. 

Though a rare celebratory feast, moderation was key. Soon, everyone recovered their spirits; after all, they were repeatedly reinforced Tarnished, different from ordinary people.

"Frieren, are you leaving?" Surprisingly, Sir Gideon Ofnir approached. For someone who exuded an aura of never leaving his room, this was an unprecedented farewell, astonishing some colleagues. This reclusive figure, mostly relaying messages through informants, was unusually warm today.

"I should be leaving."

"Where are you planning to go next? Decided yet? Apologies, if it's inconvenient to disclose, just pretend I didn't ask."

"Limgrave still has many unresolved caves. Besides, the monster clusters wandering the wilds can't be ignored either. Might as well clear them out." Honestly, Frieren enjoyed pushing through the map bit by bit. The nobles rushing her coronation actually shortened some exploration time, a pity. But re-clearing it was fine; the relatively critical caves were already under military surveillance anyway. After saving and exiting this time, handle the demon invaders back in reality, research magic concurrently, then return when progress is made.

Sir Gideon Ofnir feigned contemplation for a moment. "I have a suggestion. Why not entrust those wild monsters to other Tarnished as commissions? A good opportunity to cooperate, like a guild. Rest assured, I will handle the related operations and regulations."

"Okay, but why the sudden interest?"

"Perhaps I'm reflecting on my past passivity. Maybe giving the Tarnished welcomed in Limgrave some training opportunities will produce more skilled individuals."

"I agree. In fact, I intended to push for this from the beginning."

"Glad for your generosity. Here's to a pleasant cooperation." Actually, there were many player comments about Sir Gideon Ofnir too, but Frieren hadn't looked too closely, and the truly critical comments might be left for later. So, while remaining vigilant, Frieren wasn't opposed to establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with the Roundtable Hold's leader. After all, the normal population was increasing, and Stormveil Castle's rule needed supplementary forces; cooperation fit perfectly.

With that, she waved goodbye. Amidst the farewell calls of numerous Tarnished, she teleported away from the Roundtable Hold via the Great Grace.

Around the Site of Grace before the Limgrave Gatefront.

Southern Army soldiers stationed here were busy repairing fortifications, reorganizing broken bricks and tiles.

"What a mess." Anyone arriving would lament the large-scale destruction from the siege. The ground was riddled with potholes, and several immovable boulders required troll assistance to move, obstructing the main road. Additionally, residual magic from Frieren occasionally kicked up blinding gusts of wind. During the coronation ceremony, everyone worked overtime to clear a portion, barely allowing carriages through. Now, a thorough cleanup was necessary.

According to Stormveil Castle's plans, proposed by Kenneth, the main road was to be reinforced and widened, restoring or even surpassing the road system of the former Storm Lord era. Repairs were needed to ensure rapid resource mobilization within Limgrave. Thus, soldiers doubled as laborers, orderly transporting stone for replenishment. Fortunately, with assistance from numerous afflicted and other races, construction proceeded smoothly, relatively easily, likely finishing ahead of schedule...

Omm!

Suddenly, golden light swirled,materializing a figure. The stationed soldiers instantly heightened their alert, forming ranks. The next moment, a twin-tailed girl in silver armor, mage robes, and wearing a crown appeared. Her iconic silver hair and long, pointed ears were unmistakable, now familiar throughout the Lands Between.

"Respected Your Majesty! Welcome back to inspect the Gatefront." They saluted one after another, feeling not just awe but also admiration for Frieren. Their superior was already tirelessly active, not planning to stay within the city walls. Unlike Godrick, who holed himself up constantly—this was how a true Shardbearer acted.

"Relax, I'm not here for a surprise inspection or anything, just resupplying here before heading out."

"Is Your Majesty going on a clearing operation?"

"Yes." She had already issued a notice about this. Regardless, she would be out of sight for a while, partly due to saving and exiting the game, partly because exploring caves definitely took time.

Hearing this, the soldiers admired her even more. Having reached the pinnacle of the Lands Between, yet still diligently working for the entire domain. Though they might not recognize the caster anymore, most had benefited from soul healing magic, making them absolute supporters of the Soulflame King. She represented a new kind of blessing born amidst the chaotic world.

"Your Majesty, coincidentally, a new batch of supplies has arrived. Various basic medicinal herbs and items are available. We've left those more active caves for you, just waiting for Your Majesty's arrival to completely conquer these monsters." The commander ordered his subordinates to bring the supplies, letting Frieren pick what she needed. Among them were many Rowa Fruits; might as well feed them all to Torrent. He had worked hard throughout the journey, likely destined to travel the world alongside the Tarnished.

"All set." Her deliberate appearance was also a way of informing everyone she would be leaving for a while.

As Frieren prepared to bid farewell, the surrounding soldiers immediately saluted, cheering in unison. They sincerely hoped for the day the south returned to peace, bringing tranquility to Limgrave and the Weeping Peninsula. They had fought for years for this, and now finally, hope emerged. Amidst everyone's gaze, the silver-haired girl mounted her horse, waved one last time, then spurred onward, quickly disappearing over the horizon. The morning sun shone brightly on the open road ahead.

In a sense, Frieren's official actions signaled Stormveil Castle's effective control over the entire region, integrating resources with unprecedented organization, wielding immeasurable power. They too hoped to one day participate in the siege of Leyndell—the third time, and hopefully, a successful one.

Later that Night.

Frieren chose to spend the night temporarily at the Church of Elleh. This was where she met Ranni and received the Spirit Calling Bell, one of the starting points of her journey. A good place to save and log off, completing the cycle. But before that, she needed to check the map.

"The Murkwater Cave line needs priority clearing. There are also scattered ones to the west. These two sides contain the only remaining active caves currently..." Marking them beforehand prevented confusion upon returning, unsure what to do. Actually, Limgrave no longer needed her intense focus; it operated systematically, capable of handling things for a while. She just preferred full completion.

The nobles back in the castle likely had mixed feelings. Happy that sweeping the area was trivial for a Shardbearer, easily dealing with all monsters. Worried Frieren might get too engrossed playing outside and refuse to return; after all, Her Majesty's aversion to official duties was plainly visible, never hiding her intention to be a completely hands-off manager, clearly disliking the role of castellan.

"Melina, help me allocate all the Runes exchanged from the Remembrances." As soon as she spoke, the maiden in the traveling dress appeared. Removing her hood, she reached out, touching Frieren. The next moment, Runes were guided into power.

First choice: Intelligence. Second: Faith, for using various Incantations. Additionally, other attributes, except Vigor which got a few points, were distributed evenly, always reinforcing towards a quality build.

A moment later, Frieren felt surging energy flow into her body, enough to cause changes in her real self. In reality, the default was her original body, which best withstood the combined buffs stacked from different accounts. Hence the need to level up the Astrologer character again; having another trump card in case of a tough battle was crucial.

"Alright, thank you. I'll reinforce again after accumulating more Runes."

"I also advise you to level up further. Neighboring regions, whether Liurnia of the Lakes or Scarlet Rot-infested Caelid, harbor stronger, dangerous monsters."

"Of course."

"Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on the advice from those at the Roundtable Hold?" Though Melina remained silent throughout the trip to the Roundtable Hold, she witnessed everything and formed her own understanding. Their intelligence corroborated each other's, deepening their understanding of the Lands Between, better than remaining ignorant.

"Sir Gideon Ofnir hides too much, Fia doesn't care about things outside her mission, the others know too little..."

"I think Enia's advice was more practical." Frieren spoke her mind frankly, also harboring a personal desire to travel the entire Lands Between. Melina nodded in agreement upon hearing this; their opinions aligned. Both felt witnessing things firsthand was proper; investigation couldn't be neglected either.

"I have a feeling you're about to sleep for a long time. I won't disturb you further. Farewell." With that, she actively dissipated into spirit form. Even Frieren was slightly taken aback; she must have been quite obvious. To people in the game, it indeed felt like taking a nap. Well then, let's begin.

Save.

Elf Village.

Frieren opened her eyes to a familiar ceiling. Then she chose to close them and continue sleeping. After all, good sleep was rare in the Lands Between. Returning home naturally meant reverting to a relaxed lifestyle, so she immediately caught up on sleep for half a day.

Only then did the elf girl slowly sit up, her long silver-white hair messy, needing careful combing herself. The first day without Melina, the inconvenience was immediately felt. However, Frieren wasn't the type to fuss. She quickly shifted into a lazy state, sitting and looking through a magic book after combing her hair before finally deciding to move.

How's the village situation?

Standing up and leaving her room, she saw the houses still neat and orderly, dotted with a few flowerbeds, not many active elves around. Although a demon attack occurred recently, most perceived it weakly. Elves live extremely long lives; many seemingly catastrophic events pass by in the blink of an eye, unimportant in their view.

"That's what worries me. Judging by the intensity of the demon attacks, it's likely more than just harassment." She muttered to herself, simultaneously extending her senses. At the distant forest edge, traces of battle had already appeared. They might cease now, but perhaps not in the future. If this continued, they would eventually invade the elf village. Yet, getting everyone to relocate would likely be harder than reaching the heavens; protection seemed more realistic.

Though she heard there were indeed some active elves outside, they were experienced and powerful. Rashly moving the long-peaceful villagers would put their lives on the line...

"Good morning, Frieren~~"

"It's afternoon now."

"Not much difference. Good afternoon then." Her lazy old acquaintance, Millialde, waved while drinking. According to her, she failed pursuing some goal once, fell in love with alcohol thereafter, occasionally carving inscriptions to prank future generations.

Such elves actually constituted the majority, unconcerned with worldly turmoil, content living their small lives. Not about right or wrong, just a philosophy. Unfortunately, they were also rather slow to danger; most threatening signs seemed trivial to them. People like Millialde wouldn't worry unless demons were literally at their doorstep.

Never mind. Currently, she had no intention of forcing her kin to leave, let alone scattering them. Elves maintaining a social structure still reproduced, at least producing a few children... In contrast, what about elves outside? The Goddess is fair; long lifespan means low fertility. If the elven society were allowed to be destroyed, they would likely enter a countdown—an extinction countdown potentially lasting eons, even as long as the world itself, but even more terrifying. A continuous state of being half-dead is torture. Having seen too much, Frieren wouldn't allow that. If necessary, she should protect as many elves as possible with all her might.

Barrier magic seemed like a good option. The elf village wasn't devoid of power besides herself; Frieren had even forced her alcoholic old acquaintance to learn some magic, not to mention techniques taught specifically to everyone... At least several decent magic users provided combat strength. Combined, they should handle one or two greater demons without issue, plus herself if needed. With the home-field advantage of a barrier, they would be even stronger.

Barrier magic? Unfortunately, she wasn't skilled in it. Her game experience influenced her real-world combat style: firepower paramount, wide range, high rate of fire, quick reaction, auto-intercept maxed out. Defense wasn't Frieren's style; consequently, she knew little about barriers, the pinnacle of defensive magic. Confident she could analyze it, but not deploy it.

Perhaps staying in the village herself for now was better. No reason to travel far anyway. An ordinary elf might feel bored, but she had game magic, so it was fine. She could observe the situation more.

"Frieren, you didn't used to make that expression often. Worried about the demons?"

"Yes. They're getting closer."

"The demon general responsible for this area, Azart, declared he wants to exterminate the elves, claiming orders from the Demon King. Actually, some people are quite scared, feeling unsafe."

"But ultimately, they haven't acted yet, right? Millialde, you also think it will be fine after some time passes." The latter tilted her head back, took a sip of thick tea wine, and nodded, her face flushed.

"Besides, doesn't our elf village have you? I believe Frieren will protect everyone." Then she continued her carefree drinking, reflecting the attitude of most. Couldn't judge them as ignorant or dull; leaving home offered no good options either.

Leave? Moving house during wartime was no different from suicide. Huddling together in a corner was decent enough now; why abandon a good situation? Over long timescales, the village had actually weathered several crises, pulling through each time. Compared to embarking on a long journey with uncertain survival, sticking to the current stronghold was safer, unless you were a legendary prophet capable of pinpointing the safest location.

"Of course, I will do my utmost to protect you all."

"Speaking of which, even though you barely leave the house, you increasingly exude the air of a traveler, just like those who venture out, their fate unknown after leaving."

"Are you worried I'll leave?"

"No, I'm saying if you want to leave, feel free to go explore anytime. Please don't let us become a burden holding you back."

"Rest assured, there's a way to have the best of both worlds. I'm here precisely to solve this." Frieren had almost resolved to stay in the village permanently, but her friend's insight made her realize she still yearned for wider horizons. At the very least, she should go out more to encounter different kinds of magic. Otherwise, her entire combat style derived from game magic experience; lack of real-world understanding could easily lead to disadvantages. Knowledge should be exchanged. After all, she hadn't forgotten her goal of finding powerful sorcerers to research with.

Since deciding to leave for a while, she faced two choices: First, research barrier magic she wasn't skilled in, at least giving the village basic defense, maybe just enough to stall until Frieren could return promptly. Conservative, but highly feasible.

Second, offense is always the best defense. "Dealing with demons should involve simple, direct power. If necessary, just leave destruction for them. Contaminate first, then heal. The key is sufficient efficiency." Frieren spread her palm, a golden-red flower bud slowly rising, yearning to bloom, eager to blossom in this new world.

Not bad. If the experiment succeeded, the Flower of Aeonia would become her widest-range destructive magic. But unfortunately, releasing it slightly in reality didn't produce the feeling of vaguely praying to the Goddess of Rot experienced in the Lands Between. So it was incomplete, a version nerfed layer by layer. How to compensate?

"I heard there exists magic capable of creating a field of flowers."

______

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