Frilian at Elden Ring

"So you know the information inside?"

"I don't know. Only the older demons know what dangers are hidden in the tomb."

"waste."

Even with Lyman's composure, he couldn't help but curse. Perhaps it was the secrecy, or perhaps it was the demons' long-standing laxity, that had kept their plans deeply hidden. Apart from issuing warnings, they had achieved nothing of substance, only knowing that a dangerous trap lay ahead.

He then asked a few more questions, but to no avail; it was clear that the planners behind it had meticulously planned everything.

183

Chapter 183: Sudden Attack on the Tomb of the Fallen King.

Lyman changed his questioning approach, subtly inquiring about what the demon mage had seen and heard before his arrival.

He took notes while controlling the other person's answers, doing it with practiced ease.

There is no action that leaves no trace; every action leaves some kind of clue. Therefore, he was not discouraged by the initial setbacks and continued his investigation. However, the target controlled by the shadow magic was losing his life force, and his condition was declining at a visible rate.

"Cough cough!"

Even with the heavy support of shadow magic, it was difficult to save its life force. The body finally succumbed to its violent coughing up of blood and fell silent, gradually turning into ashes.

It's quite remarkable that they've held on this long.

After sighing, Lyman said leisurely, "Although there isn't much information, I have some deductions."

"The operation is likely being carried out by the forces under the Corrupt Sage and the Ever-Changing Sage. Some of them should have arrived in person. Both of these guys have caused legion-level carnage on the battlefield and are very difficult to deal with."

"The so-called trap plan has two key elements: first, the scattered royal tombs themselves; second, the controlled royal army."

The intelligence ended there, but the situation did not improve at all; in fact, it was getting worse.

"What does the president think?"

After exchanging glances, everyone turned their attention to the silver-haired girl.

After a moment's thought, Frilian replied, "According to the information he just revealed, a large number of adventurers have already arrived... Lord Vlame will explore with them, while Lyman and I will test the King. Let's not worry about diplomatic etiquette; just pretend we arrived ahead of time."

"Since they're already a force infiltrated by the demons, why bother pretending? It's better to catch them off guard openly and cover up our actions on the other side."

"Let's begin after we've checked the outer perimeter of the maze. We're bound to have a fight eventually."

The silver-haired girl's resolute assertion.

Go to war.

There is no doubt that Frilian was the one who prepared before anyone else, eager to start the war and cause trouble for the demon race.

Her stance was clear: the infiltrated labyrinth kingdom was an enemy, an obstacle to be overcome; they should be wiped out. This assertive approach surprised her teammates slightly, but they ultimately nodded in agreement.

Even if we do nothing, the enemy will attack first, it's unavoidable.

Lyman added, "I have collected all the evidence along the way, enough to prove the disaster caused by the Labyrinth Kingdom's negligence and the infiltration of the demons."

"That's right, political implications must be taken into account."

Wayne chimed in, "I'll prove it for you. Now that the association is being targeted by the demons, it means we've found the right path to fight back. We must protect our achievements."

"Don't worry, that's exactly why I came here."

The two represented the more civil servant side of the team, prioritizing cleanup over fighting.

"Then let's send a message."

With Frilian making the decisive order, she was the absolute core and commander of the team. Now that the general strategy had been decided, there was no need to delay any longer.

Upon hearing this, Lyman carefully packed up the letters, and the familiar would send the backup evidence and all the intelligence gathered so far to the North.

"We've done everything we can; now it's up to us."

After saying this, Vlame laughed loudly, his face full of anticipation.

Choosing to join my master's team on this expedition was definitely the right decision. It's so adventurous, just like those legendary heroes. Now that I'm one of them, how can I not be excited?

She had a strong premonition that the trip to the Tomb of the Fallen King would be more unpredictable than she had imagined.

"Alright, don't get too excited."

Frillie patted the red-haired girl's head and warned, "You'll have to explore the maze first; I might not be able to take care of you."

"Ah."

"I suspect the demons chose the royal tomb as a trap because it contains powerful monsters that cannot be missed, and perhaps they are already leading the way. So let's be prepared; the enemy is probably more formidable than we anticipated."

"Should we wait for backup?"

Wien asked.

Lyman shook his head in denial: "The mission is reconnaissance, we can't stop here with this result, we need to continue the investigation."

"Don't worry, everyone. I will take responsibility as captain and do my best to protect you."

Since Frilian has put it this way, there's really no point in looking back.

The sense of security provided by the Divine Era Mage was unparalleled; now they too experienced the support of the true disciple, Vlame. Looking back at the valley they had come from, rubble blocked the path; there was no option to retreat, only to move forward.

The four of them set off towards the horizon.

……

The carrier pigeon soared over towering mountains, its broken body flapping its wings as it sped along, weaving through the tassels of wind and clouds, heading towards the majestic and imposing royal city complex in the distance.

It used all its remaining strength to reach the tower, and almost fell to the ground.

Suddenly, a hand firmly grasped the carrier pigeon; it was a demon.

"He was seriously injured. Was he only sent out when he was in danger? It seems there was a problem with the plan."

He hurried towards the attic, shouting, "My sage, something's happened!"

From the shadows of the tower stood a faceless demon dressed in a magnificent robe and wearing a crown, and a sharp gaze seemed to emanate from him.

He sighed after receiving the letter.

Dozens of demons, forming a small squad, gathered around them, all remaining silent in fear.

Not so good.

It's rare to see an adult so serious. Even if you can't see their expression, you can tell there's bad news. Has the ambush been foiled?

"That idiot lost everything and didn't kill a single one. Oh well, it's his fault too."

The faceless demon changed the subject: "Because the opponent's squad is led by Frilian."

"Wait, could it be that elven mage?!"

A person's name is like a tree's shadow. When mentioning the Battle of Northwind Fortress, one cannot ignore this person's illustrious reputation. He represents the pinnacle of the current magical realm and is famous throughout the world. Unexpectedly, the Magic Association has sent a great gift, which may indeed be able to take care of him as well.

As the letters circulated, they learned that there was more to it than that; Vlame, Wayne, and Lyman were also acting as deputies.

The association has assembled a full complement of veteran, middle-aged, and young high-end combat forces, right? Moreover, the class combinations are seamless, clearly indicating that they have prepared a maze strategy.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The Sage of a Hundred Faces said smugly, "It's alright. The demon from the mythical era in the Tomb of the Fallen King grows stronger with stronger opponents and isn't afraid of numbers. With a little guidance, try to get the clone to act independently so it can coordinate with our battle. Do as I say..."

His orders drew frequent nods of approval from the demons, who were filled with admiration.

"My lord, just in case, should we request reinforcements from other sages?"

"No need. We already have the Kingdom as a pawn. There's no need to mobilize more personnel to alert the enemy. This battle is basically half-open."

"As ordered."

Several shadows spread out from the top of the tower.

……

The outer perimeter of the desolate royal tomb.

The stationed soldiers were on high alert, patrolling fully armed, with mages among them helping to ensure no detail was overlooked.

The officer ordered, "From now on, adventurer teams and guild members will provide support in succession, but we cannot let our guard down. We have already been attacked by monsters twenty times, so we cannot be careless."

"Yes, sir. We will continue to strengthen the perimeter security."

The maze excavation work has been more difficult than expected, and monster disasters have occurred frequently in just a few months.

Some of them came from the tomb itself, some of which were used as nesting sites. Others were simply attracted by a large amount of magical reaction, resulting in quite a spectacle.

Too busy.

Despite being located not far from the royal city and heavily guarded, they still managed to cause quite a stir. Only with the arrival of reinforcements were they finally able to stabilize the situation, preventing the demons from breaching their defenses and making a fool of themselves.

The soldiers were not alarmed, because this place had been used as an archaeological site most of the time, so it was normal that they couldn't react quickly enough.

Next, we'll thoroughly conquer the maze.

"Report, support from the Magic Association headquarters has arrived. Allow them to pass."

The unexpected news invigorated everyone, who immediately lined up in neat formation to welcome it, their morale soaring. The adventurers nearby also cast curious glances, wondering who this burgeoning super-organization had sent.

They just hoped it wouldn't be the type that dragged them down, like those idiotic nobles who, a few days ago, recklessly decided to explore the labyrinth.

coming.

At the dilapidated entrance of the ruins, broken walls and carved pillars guard a broad avenue, majestic yet weathered, welcoming a group of people at the end of the stone bricks.

Leading the group was a petite, elfin girl with silver hair braided into twin ponytails, adorned with two scarlet flowers that added an eerie touch. Dressed in simple travel attire and boots, she moved with an effortless gait, as if strolling through the streets. But what was most striking was the terrifying, fully unleashed magic power she possessed; the magic's radius had already crossed the street by the time she reached the doorway—an utterly unbelievable feat.

"She's Honorary Guild Master Frilian? The second known Divine Age Elf Mage!"

"How many years would it take to accumulate this kind of magic?"

"The maze must be solved!"

At this moment, Frilian looked around, further unleashing her magic to see if she could lure the demons. She had come in a high-profile manner, aiming to attract as much firepower as possible.

Wait a minute, it turns out that even after the master has reached this level of liberation, it's still not the whole story!

When Vlamé noticed the barely perceptible tremor of the magic pillar, her lips twitched; it was utterly unfathomable.

Little did he know that his magical reactions were considered monstrous by others. After all, Frillian was of unknown age, while this apprentice, at only 15 years old, was comparable to a seasoned great mage.

Indeed, a good teacher produces outstanding students.