On the terrace outside the Erdtree Sanctuary, the towering Omen knelt by the railing, hands clasped before his forehead, praying in silence.
"You need not pray out here," the High Scholar said. "Though you are an Omen, I have granted you special permission to enter the Cathedral to pray."
"Prayer requires no one's permission," Morgott replied. "And besides, praying here makes me feel better."
Raven followed the direction of Morgott's gaze. The profile of Queen Marika's statue flickered in and out of view amidst the drifting mist.
Below, the architectural sprawl of the Royal Capital stretched into the distance, and the streets seemed to have regained their vitality. Freight wagons and hand-drawn flatbeds crowded the thoroughfares; because the Sovereign's Army had previously besieged the city, merchants had clustered outside the gates, afraid to enter. Now that they were allowed in all at once, it had created a massive traffic jam.
A squad of Flame Chariots was stuck in the flow, unable to move forward or back. Several crewmen sat atop the chariots, watching the throngs pass by, seemingly unsure of what they were even there for.
A few children squeezed excitedly toward the war machines, reaching out to poke the wheels. After the soldiers made feigned gestures to scare them, they scattered with a laugh, only to huddle back a moment later to continue their provocations, never tiring of trying to see the soldiers get angry. On a roadside balcony, a struggling painter opened his window and dabbed at a canvas, capturing the scene.
"To keep the Capital running, a massive amount of resources must be brought in from the outside every day," Raven noted. "If the armies face off at the gates for one day, it causes an uproar; if they face off for a week, I fear many will starve."
"The military is the last resort for solving problems; mature politicians do not escalate situations lightly," the High Scholar said flatly. "Had Fortissax not been the first to deploy the Capital Garrison, things would never have reached this point."
"But from where I stand, every move the Royalists made was anticipated by the opposition. If Morgott hadn't stopped the main force of the Sovereign's Army from entering the Deeproot, there would be more than just eight hundred men trapped down there right now."
"The fact that the opponent could manipulate roots to cause a cave-in was indeed outside my expectations," the High Scholar admitted. "But the opponent's plan failed due to an accident as well, did it not? To put it another way, even if they had succeeded, such petty schemes and trickery cannot truly threaten the Royalist Party."
Raven did not argue. For now, it seemed the situation remained under Royalist control.
Before heading to the Roundtable Hold, the group went to visit Miquella. Perhaps due to the fright he had received, his face was slightly pale, but his spirits remained high.
"Fortissax did not treat me roughly; please do not blame her. She was merely at her wit's end because Godwin would not wake. She mistook me—having appeared at the site of the corruption attack—for the culprit and took me away to treat him."
"So, is it true that Godwin is afflicted by corruption and in critical condition?" Raven's eyes flickered.
"I cannot say for certain," Miquella shook his head. "The most terrifying aspect of the Scarlet Rot is the alienation and distortion of the mind, changing a person from the inside out. Godwin appears normal on the outside, yet he cannot wake. I am powerless to help."
"I understand," the High Scholar said. "Please rest well, Your Highness. We shall not disturb you further."
"No, I will attend the meeting with you." Miquella smiled and stood up, his frail appearance evoking a sense of protective pity. "While suppressing the corruption for Malenia, I could feel the Goddess of Rot becoming increasingly active, constantly exerting influence over the Lands Between through the seal. I hope everyone does not fall into bickering and forget the true threat."
"Corruption breeds in stagnation," the High Scholar nodded slightly. "To the Erdtree, the Goddess of Rot is indeed a threat second only to the Fell God of Flame. I will take Your Highness's opinion into serious consideration."
In front of the gates of the Roundtable Hold, Lansseax hopped lightly off the carriage. Raven was about to follow when he saw Lansseax's body stiffen. With a zip, she jumped backward, shoving him aside to scramble back into the carriage.
"What's wrong?" Raven asked, bewildered.
"Come out, Lansseax. I saw you." A voice came from outside the carriage.
Raven stepped down, closing the door behind him, and looked at the tall, beautiful woman sitting atop a horse. She wore a deep black, form-fitting hunting outfit and a tricorne hat adorned with Stormhawk feathers. Her silver hair was tied back neatly.
"Fortissax?" Raven asked.
Upon seeing Raven, Fortissax's eyebrows shot up; she looked very much like she wanted to jump down and give him a thrashing. But in the end, she simply turned her face away and said stiffly, "Greetings, Prince Raven. Could you please ask Lansseax to come out?"
Raven was startled for a moment and asked uncertainly, "Is this... some kind of 'courtesy before the storm'?"
"I'm not here," Lansseax's voice drifted from inside the carriage.
Snap. The reins in Fortissax's hand were pulled so hard they broke.
"Steady, steady," Raven quickly soothed, fearing she might transform into a dragon on the spot and hurl a Lightning Spear. "Is there something you need to say to Lansseax?"
Fortissax was silent for a moment, then dismounted. "During the Roundtable meeting later, could I ask for a favor from you both?"
"What kind of favor?" Raven asked cautiously.
"I will propose an expedition against the Goddess of Rot. The marching route will pass through the Carian Kingdom. Can Your Highness provide safe passage?"
"An expedition against Rot?" Raven raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "You misunderstand. Carian defense matters are decided by the Full Moon Queen and the Carian Parliament. I have no authority to interfere."
"As long as Your Highness is willing to help, it will suffice," Fortissax lowered her head. "I beg of you."
Lansseax poked her head out of the carriage window. "Did something really happen to Godwin?"
Fortissax nodded. "The Goddess of Rot must be eliminated using Destined Death. If the Dynasty cannot send troops, I will set out alone to bring back the essence of the Goddess of Rot."
"You idiot sister!" Lansseax pushed the door open and rushed out, grabbing Fortissax's arm. "Godwin is a Golden Demigod; he won't die anyway. Why do you care about him!"
Fortissax turned her face away, remaining silent.
"I won't allow you to do this! Even if I have to fight you again, I will stop you!"
"If Raven were the one afflicted by Scarlet Rot," Fortissax asked in a low voice, "Sister, what would you do?"
"I—" Lansseax stopped, her grip instinctively loosening.
"The meeting is about to start. Fortissax, I must prioritize Caria's safety." Raven stepped between the sisters. Seeing Lansseax's eyes were red, he fell silent for a moment. "Unless it can be guaranteed that this expedition poses no threat to Caria, I will not mention this to my mother."
Fortissax nodded. "Thank you. I can promise you that."
"We'll talk after I see the details of the expedition plan," Raven sighed, walking toward the Roundtable Hold. "Besides, even if I am willing to cooperate, I fear such a shocking proposal will find little support in the meeting."
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(182 Chapter - Ongoing)
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