Frilian at Elden Ring

The reserve adventurers are eagerly preparing.

The person in charge is now very panicked. If the meritorious nobleman Wayne and the successor of the divine magician Vlame are both killed inside, he himself would not be able to pay for it with several lives. It would cause a major earthquake in the political arena and the magic world. The most dangerous thing is Frilian's wrath.

His famous act of protecting his own was beating up a massive demon army, even capturing the opposing commander and giving him to his apprentice to practice on.

"I hope the capital is safe and sound."

He gazed at the city walls and castles rising on the distant horizon, and faintly heard the long chimes in the wind, a symbol of praise and welcome.

……

At this moment, a long red carpet has been laid out in the central garden of the royal city, with petals fluttering on both sides.

"The Chief Minister welcomes the association's guests on behalf of His Majesty."

At the same time, the tall knights standing on either side held their heads high and raised their banners, their armor clattering as they moved, making them appear majestic and imposing.

All the nobles watched with bated breath. At the head of the group, Frilian wore a sleeveless gown, a fitted waistband, and a long, flowing skirt with fluttering lace, predominantly white. Her white hair, styled in the same understated elegance, was complemented by two scarlet flowers that added a striking touch and imposing aura.

This magic!

She didn't deliberately suppress her aura, but instead used a hint of intimidation. Even ordinary people could see the distorted vision, as if heat was rising from the ground.

Even the most seasoned royal guards felt a tightness in their throats, unable to meet Frilian's scrutinizing gaze.

The honorary president title is well-deserved.

In contrast, Lyman, who followed closely behind, was much more low-key, dressed in a black tailcoat and white gloves. His slightly slender figure made him appear even taller, and his handsome yet somewhat melancholic face drew admiring glances from many noblewomen.

The two exchanged a glance and then greeted the chief minister.

"Speaking of which, why did the delegation separate from you? And why didn't they arrive at the same time?"

"Yes, it's a pity we were ambushed by the demons in the canyon and had no choice but to fight."

This attack was expected by Lyman. He shut him down with a single sentence, and if he continued to argue, wouldn't that imply that the kingdom's defenses were inadequate and had harmed the association's distinguished guests?

"Let's go."

There's no point in arguing about whether or not to take the blame. As a minister, all I need to do is fully implement His Majesty's orders. Since the royal family's current attitude leans towards opposing magic, I should just carry it out myself.

If the visitor successfully persuades the king, then the visitor can also change his attitude.

The group walked through the courtyard corridor.

The minister, whose magical abilities were inferior, was unaware that the two behind him were constantly sensing and reconnoitering, leaving no detail overlooked, striving to uncover the demonic forces hidden within the upper echelons of the Labyrinth Kingdom. Regardless of the political repercussions, finding a weakness was paramount.

Lyman reported via telepathy: "Traces of demonic power exist, left within the last two days."

"We've been doing this before, for a few months now."

With her superior senses, Frilian saw more details. The aura unique to the demons was very obvious to her. It was truly remarkable that these monsters had taken the initiative to hide their aura.

"wrong!"

"A better approach would be to simply replace some of the court magicians with demons, thus avoiding the difficulty of concealment."

She boldly offered her guess.

That's a bit of an exaggeration.

Lyman's magical telepathy trembled slightly. "At least it's a medium-sized kingdom, not so easily infiltrated and riddled with holes, unless the planner can foresee all the possible scenarios and eliminate variables."

"Unfortunately, the demon race has a prophet. Do you think I'm worth his painstaking calculations?"

Just as the two were talking, a creaking sound came from the end of the corridor.

The doors to the throne room opened, and under the guidance of the chief minister, we entered the magnificent hall, flanked by imposing guards.

Looking towards the end of the red carpet and the flags, atop the nine steps, sits a crowned man on the throne.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"Your Majesty, on behalf of the Magic Association headquarters, please allow me to extend my sincere greetings to Teacher Seria..."

As Lyman exchanged pleasantries, he nodded and glanced at Frilian, who returned his gaze with a murderous glint in her eyes, which she made no attempt to conceal, as if she were about to launch an attack on the throne at any moment.

No way? The worst-case scenario has still happened.

do not.

He tried his best to convey this will to his companions, and fortunately the silver-haired girl remained calm.

At the same time, Lyman looked up and carefully observed King Anders, and immediately noticed that the other man's smile was not genuine, and the strange incongruity between the magic and the body vanished in an instant.

What a brilliant disguise!

If it weren't for Frilian's reminder, which led her to prejudge and look for flaws, she would never have been able to see through the fact that it was just a layer of human skin at that distance. And once the distance was shortened, it would probably be tantamount to suicide for a demon sage.

"I am very pleased that you have come to see me, especially after hearing that you have resolved the attack on the Tomb of the Fallen King."

"It's all part of our job, and the association is willing to handle these kinds of incidents."

Lyman's nonchalant reply was meant to be a message to the non-demon human ministers: first, stabilize the situation and see if they could lure the enemy into a trap.

As for Frilian, she considered herself a nobody and was too lazy to speak.

She has nothing to say to the demons, and she's not going to talk to any forces that have ties to them. Regardless of whether others are aware of the situation, with interests so deeply intertwined, there are no ones who can remain uninvolved; a rebuilding process is necessary.

"It certainly deserves an award, but it's a pity that only the two of you came. I heard that Wayne and Vlame were also very active."

"Sorry, they have to stay behind."

"That would be such a disappointment. Let's hold a grand award ceremony once your team is all here."

Suddenly, the fake king changed the subject: "But the premise is that our teammates must return safely, because the Tomb of the Fallen King is very dangerous. Wouldn't it be a huge disappointment if something unexpected happened? President Frilline, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Lyman's heart tightened, fearing his teammate might be provoked and erupt. However, the silver-haired girl replied calmly and confidently:

"They will be safe and sound. We know each other's strength and will not split up our forces without a proper assessment. Afterwards, Vlame will be standing in the throne room."

"Well, let's get down to business first."

Small talk and pleasantries are not something demons are good at, so they simply continue with the established procedure.

Just follow the instructions of the prophet Shurahat. The shapeshifting sages are too lazy to think much before the real battle begins; they are nothing more than a flock of lambs to the slaughter.

What is even more concerning is that another corrupt sage might come along to steal the credit and intervene.

Yeah.

The most nervous person was Lyman. What if a battle broke out on the spot and innocent people were harmed? Even if Frilian was strong enough to protect ordinary people while fighting, she couldn't avoid destruction. It would be better to get through this hurdle first and then make a long-term plan.

Moreover, he had a mission: "Gentlemen, please allow me to reiterate the Magic Association's principles and cooperation arrangements..."

Public speaking out is indispensable.

Clarifications should be made where necessary, and communication should not be refused due to some prejudices. Therefore, Lyman generously explained the association's development and answered some questions and misunderstandings on the spot.

So what if the king and some of his guards are demons?

This spirit, spoken to the people of the Central Region, and to the world, is something that barbaric monsters cannot comprehend.

Although the imposter on stage looked utterly bored, many nobles present took notice and gradually became interested under Lyman's persuasive tongue.

The fake king's indifference gave Lyman room to maneuver, and they even started talking about the association:

"As long as His Majesty agrees to establish a branch, we can provide assistance with matters such as maze excavation in the future."

"Ah."

The absent-minded demon sage nodded casually. In reality, he had been keeping a close eye on the imposing Freylian's movements, unsure if she had seen through him. But how could a demon doubt the magic he relied on for survival? Wavering would prevent him from becoming a strongman.

Therefore, he barely listened to the lively discussions among the nobles below the stage:

"You're saying the sharing of magic is true?"

"of course."

"That's strange. Even if it's a negotiation condition, it's a bit too generous. Shouldn't the association have many conservative mages?"

“Yes, so I am only agreeing on behalf of Teacher Celie to share some of the magic. Thanks to President Frilian’s efforts in popularizing it, it has been proven that allowing the spread of magic is the least important hurdle; talent is still required.”

"I don't care about those long-term things. As long as we strengthen our military and strike at the demons, that's enough."

"I have a suggestion regarding the situation on the northern front..."

Once he got into the zone, Lyman wasn't afraid of the danger of being in enemy territory at all. Instead, he seized the opportunity to promote the association, determined not to let this slight opening revealed by the enemy go to waste.

He did not forget to observe his surroundings.

The enemy, suspected to be a demon in disguise, was primarily focused on Frilian, maintaining a delicate balance where conflict seemed imminent but was not explicitly threatened.

It was dangerous, but fortune favors the bold, and she managed to attract attention from all sides.

Politically, she's a nobody, the nobles just need to be polite. But in terms of combat power, she's far too formidable, causing the demons to watch her with bated breath, creating a very tense atmosphere.

Naturally, he was watching Frillie closely from the shadows, but she seemed increasingly relaxed, her calm and collected expression revealing nothing of her thoughts.

After a while.

The brief and concise audience procedure has concluded.

The court official led the two to their quarters and instructed them on a long list of details, such as the schedule and etiquette. The sheer amount of detail was quite an eye-opener for Frilian, as they were even more particular than the nobles from the border regions.

After confirming that no one was around, she spoke: "There are no spies here, and I've set up a shield. Please feel free to chat."

Lyman slumped heavily into his chair, wiping away sweat.

"I never imagined I'd actually make it to such a dangerous place. It was really close."

"A significant number of key personnel have been replaced by the demons. The kingdom is no longer a functioning organization. Abandon it and prepare for war."

"really."

It must be admitted that Frilian's unwavering attitude at crucial moments was inspiring. Her aura easily became a pillar of support, often rallying people's hearts, and her calm demeanor soothed their emotions.

After calming down, Lyman thought about it carefully.

"Let's act tonight. I can use shadow magic to disperse as many unrelated people as possible under the cover of night."

"If the demons hadn't replaced those powerful mages, I would have been more concerned. Right now, all I need to do is control the movement of ordinary people."

"But this brings up a problem: I need to cover myself as much as possible."

He looked directly at Frilian, who nodded.

This decision was tantamount to letting the other party willingly walk into a trap, but the skilled and daring magician of the Age of Gods did not refuse; rather, it was an opportunity he had been eagerly awaiting to capture them all in one fell swoop.