Frilian at Elden Ring

"Heh, the problem that Greck failed to solve for so many years and even let expand has been taken care of by the Faded Ones. How ironic."

"Have you found out what her hobbies are? A person's hobbies are related to their character."

"They enjoy exploring dungeons, collecting magic, and killing monsters... It doesn't directly conflict with us, nor will it worsen the situation."

"It really is!"

After some discussion, the nobles realized that they indeed had no conflict of interest with Frilian; on the contrary, their interests aligned. To put it another way, if you like mazes, go ahead and explore them; monsters will inevitably escape and cause chaos, so why not just eliminate them all at once?

Similarly, monsters like the dead birds that roam at night and the corruption of the dead are also on her kill list. If a powerful monster appears, she will rush to kill it.

It turns out that the way the faded person behaves is so suitable, almost perfect.

The reason they hadn't noticed before was simply because they weren't powerful enough. But when the Demon Sword was unleashed and wreaked havoc, the nobles realized how reliable it was; it was a godsend.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Kenneth said seriously:

“We should consider sending Frilian with some soldiers to Moen City to support our colleague Edgar.”

Upon hearing this, the nobles exchanged bewildered glances. They understood perfectly well that the suggestion meant to place a bet; wouldn't entrusting military power to a faded figure be like binding themselves to a war machine? Fortunately, the proposer did not ask for a response.

hold on.

This matter was of great importance. On a small scale, it meant changing the ruler; on a larger scale, it meant raising the banner of rebellion against the entire Golden Dynasty.

But to put it bluntly, how many of the Golden Clan are left?

The mysterious King of Blessing could be considered a well-prepared and determined lord who was willing to fight the enemy. He defended the capital, but he was essentially trapped on the Yatan Plateau, unable to reach the south...

Just as they were racking their brains to weigh the pros and cons, they arrived at Hyde Fortress.

As far as the eye could see, there was scorched earth, the forest was burning, and the ground was riddled with ravines and in a broken state. The only good news was that the main structure of the fortress was intact. Sitting on the steps was a silver-haired girl with twin ponytails. To her left was a black-knife assassin on guard, and to her other side were more than a dozen men in horned helmets.

"You've subdued the Farron Immortals?"

"It is."

As Frilian answered, she glanced at them, who nodded, deciding that it was better to follow their old rival who had defeated them than to wander aimlessly in unfamiliar territory.

The nobles were stunned. They had envisioned a stalemate where both sides were severely injured and neither gained an advantage, and they were even prepared to collect the corpses. In the end, after a great battle, the Demon Sword was defeated, and the worst-case scenario was that the two sides joined forces.

With such a large force roaming around, their destructive power is too great; we must find a way to stabilize them.

"What are your thoughts on Nymgford?" Kenneth asked with a smile. "Is it worth developing?"

"Before coming to the border region, I thought it must be a devastated wasteland, but after getting to know it, I found that people are living tenaciously. You must have hope, right? Then keep it up. If there's anything I can help with, just ask, especially to get rid of the monsters."

"With this kind of dedication, you are definitely a suitable leader."

After he said this, the nobles accompanying him nodded like chickens pecking at rice, as if they had received a signal.

Regardless, the one who has faded away has not yet mastered the fragments of the Dharma Ring. He is hesitant to place a bet rashly, so he can only convey his message indirectly. Awkward as it may be, that is the truth.

Frillie understood the implied meaning.

"...After resolving the rebellion in Moen City, I will head north to Stoneville City to seize Grek's Great Rune. What do you think?"

His undisguised attack on the fragmented king was full of spirit, and his straightforward statement left the nobles at a loss. Should they stop him based on their positions? Should they anger the demon sword and cause its destruction?

The experienced Kenneth remained calm, looking at Hyde Fortress and letting out a long sigh.

"Look at this land without a king, it's a truly pitiful sight..."

“I must find a king, but not someone like Greke, but someone who can be entrusted with the legitimate rule of Nymgford, a powerful king who walks the right path.”

He looked directly into Frilian's eyes.

"Aren't the so-called orthodox lineages of you all descended from the Golden Clan or the local Storm Clan?"

"The sanctity of bloodlines has long been diluted in war. To put it bluntly, even the first king of the Golden Clan, the source of their bloodline, rose from humble beginnings. Ultimately, the orthodoxy recognized by the Borderlands is the Great Rune, it is power. Lady Frilian, you have the qualifications to be king."

The message was clear: Nymgfu was going to choose its own king. This land, which had fought to the very end in the Golden War, was still bursting with sparks, ready to sing the ancient legend.

Kenneth stepped forward and bowed slightly before the steps.

"Two figures from the Faded Ones have ascended the throne, leaving an indelible mark on the Borderlands. You will be the third... no, the third King of Elden. Whether you save the dynasty from collapse or establish a new one, in any case, we choose to pledge our allegiance to Frilian now. Can you accept this?"

"I accept."

The silver-haired girl stood up and extended her hand, and the nobles walked up the steps one by one to pay their respects. The unique ceremony was held at Hyde Fortress.

Chapter 37 Nymgford's Eastern Deployment

In fact, Frilian was unaware of the complicated rituals involved in the so-called allegiance ceremony at the border, but she still refused many of them, citing the tense situation of the war.

She believes it's not too late to formally declare sovereignty over Stoneville after defeating Greck.

The nobles breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone wants things to stay as they are, but they don't want it to be set in stone yet. All they need to do now is show their intentions and be among the first to join the cause. They don't need to make a big fuss about it yet. It would be great if the other party could refuse.

However, for legal reasons, they still intend to give Frilian the title of king later, such as the Blessed King in the royal city. In fact, any fragment king can claim that title.

It is essential to have a resounding name to distinguish oneself from the previous rulers.

Unfortunately, I'm not very interested. First, I'm lazy, and second, wouldn't it be self-aggrandizing to choose my own name?

Kenneth, noticing the silver-haired girl's bored expression, suggested:

“Lady Frilian, we’ve just discussed this. The situation in Moen City is special; it requires a large number of manpower to support it, or it could be taken over by force in the event of a rebellion by that loyalist lord. So it would be best to bring as many people as possible. Please come to my manor as a guest; I have some troops to entrust to you.”

"Alright, let's hurry up and go. You can think of whatever you want about the king's title or the coronation process. I'm not interested in these formalities."

"As ordered."

"We'll also be replenishing our supplies, so we'll be troubling you in advance."

If it weren't for the assumption that becoming king was part of the game's progression, Frilian wouldn't actually be interested. From an elf's perspective, a great human monarch vanishes in the blink of an eye, and a dynasty can easily collapse—it's not worth mentioning...

The situation in the border areas is certainly special. Here, people live long lives but do not have serious psychological problems. Instead, their bodies decay first. What kind of ruling logic will this lead to?

It's worth taking a look at now when I have some free time.

The group headed to the eastern fiefdom of Nymgford, and counterintuitively, chose a location on a relatively remote plain.

It was more like a small village than a manor, its buildings smaller than many ruins, and many of the tents seemed ready to be abandoned.

On the surface, it appeared desolate and empty, but upon closer inspection, Frillie discovered it had reached a scale of tens of thousands. In the current context, a five-figure number of fully recovered and alive people was indeed rare, and they warmly welcomed her:

"Long live the triumphant return!"

"It's Lady Frillien—"

"Heroes of Heidegger."

Many children even gathered around her, and seeing this, she dismounted and demonstrated a few fancy magic tricks, which drew laughter and cheers.

What's puzzling is why they adopted a nomadic-style settlement? According to the nobles, monsters often roam the main roads and open areas, and occasionally there are outbreaks of undead creatures and zombies, so it's necessary to maintain mobility and keep a safe distance at all times.

Although Frilian offered to help, the nobles declined, saying they needed to focus on their business first.

The above troubles are caused by the broken Elden Ring, so the only solution is to repair the ring. Getting bogged down in minor details is a waste of time; we should focus on the main problem.

They answered sincerely, "Since we have survived for so long, there is no need to worry about us. As long as Lady Frilian becomes the King of Elden and bestows supplementary or new laws, that will suffice," full of anticipation.

So enthusiastic.

How many hopes must one carry on this journey to reach the foot of the golden tree? It's no longer just for oneself.

The silver-haired girl looked up at the towering tree, which was comparable to the sun.

It is clearer today than ever before.

The borderlands are more expansive, intricate, and magnificent than any game world Frilian has ever visited, especially with the many immortal species that soothe the soul.

Even though elves don't live particularly long lives here, they remain passionate and resilient despite living in such an environment. Their genuine emotions are evident in their expressions, something that the apathetic long-lived species should learn from.

She had worried that the game had given too much emotion to characters like the Fire Keeper and Anri, fearing that "possessing the emotions of a short-lived being in the body of an immortal being" would only cause more trouble.

Perhaps it could be less awkward; a tree-assignment system at the boundary would be a good thing.

"I will definitely repair the Ring of Law, for everyone, and for myself. And for you, Melina."

"The witch, of course, expects the great achievements of the faded one."

Ordinary people thought that Frillian was just reciting an important name, but only she could clearly see the spirit and hear the response.

is this okay?

Melina sensed that her partner, initially aloof due to his race and especially cold expression, underwent a dramatic change in his heart within just a few days, revealing a surge of emotions. He seemed capable and eager to experience the world, rather than merely a passerby.

She couldn't tell if it was good or bad.

Just as he was pondering this, Kenneth summoned about three hundred lightly armored soldiers. Although there were no cavalry, they appeared to be well-trained and moderately equipped.

"Lady Frilian, these are our elite troops, who can accompany you in your conquest of Moen City."

"Where would we get so many troops if we only consider the population's ability to support them?"

"As a newcomer to the Faded One, you may not know this, but because of the Tree Return System, a soldier's shelf life is very long, and they are not easily sick or in a slump. Serving for many years is not a problem."

"So, it means low logistical requirements, good combat effectiveness, and only need to maintain equipment?"

"Correct."

Kenneth then touted the soldiers' high level of organization and discipline, highlighting the plantation's long-standing top-tier defense capabilities.

Not only for war, but also to take care of daily needs, and to take over a fortress in the fastest time. With them around, at least things won't be chaotic.

Frillie didn't know much about large-scale warfare, but she did know how troublesome things were, such as setting up camp, logistics, and preventing disease, and she had always avoided them. But the fact that the soldiers at the border had it so easy was actually quite intriguing.

After thinking it over, she finally agreed.

Surely one person can't take over a city or be busy cleaning up the mixed-race rebels? It's best to save effort where possible, and the nobles are happy too, since Frilian promised to protect them.

Even the worst-case scenario would allow the soldiers to harvest runes and upgrade their equipment.

From this point on, burying the Demon Sword was considered to be on the same side as Hyde.

All troops have been brought under their control, and if blame is leveled, it will be impossible to explain. Only victory will suffice.

Kenneth cautioned, "The western part of Nymgford is controlled by Stoneville City, and even has the Night Cavalry under the Blessed King active there. It's a tough nut to crack. We can't hold out alone in the east, so we must win the support of the Weeping Peninsula as our rear base."

"On the contrary, if we don't control it in time, we will definitely be attacked from both sides, so you must remember to make sure we control the peninsula."

"understood."