Frilian at Elden Ring

101

Chapter 101: Greeting before the battle begins.

"Tops, so what are you planning to do next?"

"Frilian asked curiously."

"There's nothing I can do. If I can't go back to the academy, I'll just wait here. Nothing else matters to me anymore. Maybe if I can stay quiet, I'll come up with some inspiration."

"You are talented."

"Ugh."

Upon hearing this, he shook his head with a wry smile, unaware that Frillie wasn't offering comfort, but rather gathering information from the player's advice, especially an important keyword.

She mentioned force field magic, and Tops generously shared the tricks, even though the inventor didn't seem to care.

"The technique you are researching to deflect magic will absolutely revolutionize academia."

"But I have no hope."

“Don’t worry about those mediocre people. You’re stupid, Tops, stupid because you still have the impression of the academy as a temple of learning, but the struggle for power has ruined everything. They are the fools, otherwise, Professor Serenity, your force field wouldn’t have been repelled, and my soul magic wouldn’t have been able to work.”

Frilian opened her palm and released a wisp of protective power.

Bathed in it, Tops immediately felt a surge of intense energy, which completely reversed the faint zombie-like transformation that had arisen from his despair. In fact, it was more like his magic limit had increased!

"Are you—"

There was no doubt about it, for the silver-haired girl before him slowly opened her palm, revealing a fragment of the Elden Ring, the power of a Great Rune. Few had ever seen it before, but one glance was enough to tell it was absolutely genuine.

The creatures in the border region have all been bathed in the glory of the great power, so they can never be mistaken, and the resonance in their hearts is genuine.

Even though he rarely left his home, he knew that soul magic was despised by the academics, and he also knew that a battle between kings had taken place in Nymgford. The facts were clear: a new demigod was about to cross the cliff and head north.

Such a prominent figure's endorsement of Tops' research, and his recognition as the founder of the school of thought, carries more weight than any professor's evaluation!

"Stop doubting yourself, you know how terrifying that force field is."

“Indeed, in my conception it can deflect all orbital magic, interrupting its effects along with it.”

"I've finally heard you say it yourself."

Upon hearing this, Tops paused for a moment, then said with even greater confidence, "Some people have commented that if successful, magic will be worthless and become the natural enemy of all mages."

"They are their natural enemies. Believe in your abilities, and then believe in magic. It's not that fragile, but people can always question whether the study of magic is just that, so keep researching."

I've seen far too many magically powerful techniques like those of Frillie, and I can still counter them. Knowledge, after all, should be constantly evolving.

Therefore, she did not hesitate to encourage Tops to continue his research.

Even if we take a step back and assume the magical system of the borderlands is completely destroyed, so what? The dialectical logic and research methods will always remain; at worst, a towering building can be built from the ground up. Are academic mages worried about upheaval? They're worried about their outdated selves falling behind the new era.

"Correct."

"I will continue to do it, not for myself, but for the only person who appreciates me."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This magic that redeems souls must contain the inventor's hopes and tenderness for the world. You will surely become the King of Elden."

Tops stood up, his gaze resolute, a far cry from his previous dejection, now displaying a more invigorated air.

Having lived a life of hardship, he never imagined he would be supported by a fragmented king; it was something he never dared to dream of. Perhaps he should continue his research and strive for a sliver of hope. On the other hand, the academy no longer seemed so crucial, becoming increasingly stagnant and closed off.

This demigod is no ordinary being.

There are too many conflicts between the two sides: master-disciple relationships, the struggle for Great Runes, academic disputes... enough to wage several wars, and the corrupt academy will lose.

The sacred temple one pursues may be reduced to ashes in a fit of rage.

"Don't look at me like I'm going to cause trouble. Don't worry, the academy is valuable, I won't destroy it."

Frillian changed the subject: "You can't just sleep in the church all day. Go to Stoneville City. There are magic workshops there where you can do your research."

"Really?"

"It's being handled by Ms. Seren, so you should have common ground. She's aware of the value of the Tops Force Field."

"How could someone as mediocre as me be allowed to conduct research in the workshop?"

His response was a practical action from the silver-haired girl: she wrote a letter of recommendation on the spot and stamped it with a special postmark, the emblem of the King of Nymgford.

"Take the letter and set off. It's not far. Settle down there first, and I'll get back to you as soon as I have news. See you later, and get going as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Tops nodded excitedly, took a few deep breaths, and embarked on his journey.

Although he felt a strong sense of unreality and found it hard to believe, he knew that opportunity knocks but once, so why be sentimental? After much thought, he decided to head to Stoneville, since things couldn't be any worse than they were.

Only after watching her retreating figure did Frilian feel a little relieved, hoping to change the inevitable death ending mentioned by the players.

I'm used to it.

Those who are helped in the Soul World rarely have a good ending, which she's used to, but the absolute freedom of game magic is enough to undo the damage. She hopes Tops' research will succeed soon.

She didn't think she was strong enough to deflect all magic; that was due to the gameplay of other players, while her gameplay leaned towards realism.

There should be variables such as timing, difference in magical power, proficiency, and compatibility. Of course, the mechanism that can reflect magic is still very strong. The important thing is that the operating principle may be used in reality. Wouldn't it have a chance to block an unbreakable curse?

After all, legend has it that the magic of reversal is meant to bounce back.

Even Celia, who is known as the progenitor of magic, uses the principle of "if you can't understand it, then bounce back" to solve problems. She should have found the right principle in theory; it's just a matter of how to apply it.

But those things are still a long way off.

After calming down, Frillie continued reading the player's comments left on the ground:

Tops Field is your top choice for primary skill mechanics; it's incredibly effective against magic that can be reflected. It requires skillful play, and its performance in actual combat isn't top-tier, but it's exhilarating to play.

[I've always been curious about how he died. Some say he was murdered, others say he died from overwork, and there's even controversy about the scene of Tops' death. It's like a scene from a mystery novel.]

Both are possible; I can only say there's controversy, but I'm more inclined to believe he died from exhaustion and painstaking effort.

The murder theory seems a bit conspiratorial, and while it makes sense given the background, I circled the body and didn't find any signs of foul play.

It was murder.

Stop arguing, I've already wiped out the magic academy!

When I came here, I thought the monsters would drop a few magic scrolls each, and I'd finally see what they were like. Turns out, this is all. There are some useful ones, but not many. No wonder they're so averse to Professor Serenity and Professor Tops; the academics are the ones who are wrong.

The specifics of the situation are still unknown to Frilian, but it is clear that players have some complaints.

Magic academies are not good places.

They hadn't made a good impression on Frillie from the start, and now that impression was only deepened.

The expelled teachers, Seren and Tops, were of good character and had high moral standards, while the mages who lived high in the academy constantly provoked them and even rejected soul magic, which was clearly beneficial to everyone.

Need to clean up.

She wouldn't offer kind words to someone who's courting death.

Regardless, Stoneville City and the Magic Academy have accumulated grudges. It's not that they won't settle things, it's just that the time hasn't come yet. They'll be taught a lesson later.

The silver-haired girl shaded her eyes with her hand and gazed in the direction of Kalia Fortress. Then she took out a map and examined it carefully. Thanks to the spies she had sent out and the intelligence network of the Faded Ones, Frilian knew the general map early on, which included the numerous caves scattered throughout.

"We should go take a look..."

"Don't forget the important matter."

Seeing that her partner might be unable to resist the urge to adventure, Melina immediately advised, "The maze is there and won't go anywhere, but since you're considering the Law of the Rings, you should at least go and meet a divine being to familiarize yourself with it."

"I know, but why does this sound like I'm proposing a collaboration?"

"The meaning is similar. Of course, what matters is your opinion; choosing which god to choose is the king's prerogative."

"Yes, there's no need to delay any longer. It's better to be early than late."

After saying that, Frilian whistled to summon Torret, and at the same time reached out and pulled Melina to sit in the back. The spirit horse carrying the two of them then galloped away.

Their target was a series of rugged mountains west of the Lakelands, which were actually quite flat on top; rather, the Lakeland of Lienia was more like a crater. Now they were heading north towards the royal domain.

……

Following the cliff upwards leads to the back of Stoneville City. Just look for the largest building and head in that direction; you can't go wrong.

Tops reached the door easily.

A troop of soldiers, fully armed and menacing, was approaching. They were clearly heading towards the magic academy. Had the Fragment King really decided to use his troops?

His monk attire naturally attracted attention, but no one paid much attention to it.

Everyone can tell whether someone is hostile or not. Besides, there are plenty of elite fighters here. Do you think we'd let someone with no magical abilities barge in and cause trouble? Unless he can hide like His Majesty.

If someone can control magic to that extent, they're practically a demigod. There's no point in being wary of them; we might as well see what they're up to.

"Hello, I have a letter of recommendation..."

Tops showed it to the doorman, without even opening the package, the postmark alone made the doorman take it seriously and subconsciously straighten his body.

"I apologize, I almost made a mistake. This is the first time I've seen His Majesty write a letter of recommendation. The postmark and the magical reaction on it are both fine. Go into the city and find the magic workshop in the southwest. It's very conspicuous, and there are signs pointing to it."

"Thank you very much."

He was respectfully welcomed in, and a guard was specially assigned to guide him.

Without even needing to think about finding their way, they entered Stoneville City. A low growl came from the heavy and sturdy city gate, revealing a huge flying dragon lying down and scrutinizing them.

It is stronger than a typical dragon, with hardened scales and bright, piercing eyes, making it appear even more spirited.

"Don't be too surprised, it was His Majesty's order."

The guard shrugged. "She said there should be a dragon guarding the treasure chest at the city gate."

Nobody knows why, but Frilian has her own aesthetic sense and is quite skilled at building castle levels, as if she's waiting for someone to come knocking so she can enjoy designing.

Strong people often have some peculiar quirks.

More than the grand architecture, Tops is actually more concerned with the vibrant life within it.

"...Wow, that's amazing! I heard that only the Queen of the Full Moon ever commanded dragons and formed contracts with them. But Frilian can do it too, and she's even tamed a whole bunch of dragons. Did she empty the entire Lake Agil? And the Stormhawk too!"

Both powerful aerial species now belong to Frilian's command. Already formidable in the Stormlands, they would only become more threatening elsewhere.

No wonder.

That's why Stoneville was able to create a false impression, because there were a large number of scouts in the air who could see all the enemy's movements.

They probably already know that the college is all bark and no bite.