"You're saying they were from the Erdtree?!"
Moon looked at Rick in shock. In his mind, the Carian Royal Family and the Golden Lineage shouldn't have any major grievances between them—at least, that was how it seemed to him.
To the Carians, the stars and the moon were subjects of study, not objects of worship. Why would the Golden Order send someone here to gather intelligence?
Moon's eyes were filled with confusion and doubt. Clearly, he wasn't cut out for overthinking such complicated matters.
"Based on your description, I suspect you encountered one of the legendary Crucible Knights. How large was the person?"
"Well... very tall," Moon recalled briefly. "I'd estimate at least over two meters, maybe even taller."
Rick nodded, his expression growing somber. "Then it's almost certain. A powerful Crucible Knight has descended from the Altus Plateau into our Liurnia of the Lakes. I must return and report this to Her Majesty the Queen immediately."
"Wait! You haven't told me what a Crucible Knight actually is!"
"They are powerful knights who have existed since the era of the Primordial Erdtree. They fought alongside the first Golden Dynasty and are the strongest warriors currently under the command of Godfrey, the First Elden Lord."
Moon froze on the spot. With a loud clatter, his longsword slipped from his hand and hit the ground.
After swallowing hard, he looked at Rick with an expression as if he'd seen a ghost. "You're saying... I just fought one of the top knights in the Lands Between and actually lived to tell the tale?!"
Rick blinked, then stepped forward and patted Moon on the shoulder.
"You're a lucky kid."
Moon wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "Lucky" didn't even cover it; this was nothing short of a miracle.
But was the intruder truly a Crucible Knight? Moon wasn't entirely sure. He knew nothing about such things and could only trust Rick's deduction. If you asked him for his own opinion... he'd only give you a blank stare.
"Regardless of their exact identity, come back with me and report to the Queen. Even if he isn't a Crucible Knight, he is definitely tied to the Golden Order. The 'Aspects of the Crucible' are incantations from the era of the Primordial Erdtree."
"And as far as we know, only the Golden Dynasty and the Crucible Knights possess the knowledge of those incantations."
"I understand. Let's move, quickly," Moon nodded repeatedly. After hearing Rick's theory, he suddenly felt like this place wasn't safe at all...
Meanwhile, led by Mashura, Mohg was drawing closer to Liana's location. He could clearly sense several individuals who had received the Blood Blessing approaching them.
Presumably, these were the people Mashura had mentioned—the ones searching for him.
Without hesitation, Mohg led Mashura toward the group.
Sensing someone approaching, the Blood Soldiers grew wary and drew their weapons. However, as Mohg's figure slowly emerged, they felt the incredibly dense aura of the Blood Blessing radiating from him. The group began to tremble.
Without exception, they all dropped to one knee, offering their total submission to Mohg.
"We... welcome your arrival!"
"Rise. Take me to Liana."
Mohg raised his hand slightly, maintaining a calm and detached demeanor. In reality, he was internally cringing. Since these followers hadn't been recruited by him personally, facing such a grand display of reverence upon their first meeting felt somewhat embarrassing.
"Yes, Lord!"
As they walked back, Mohg began to observe the strength and equipment of these blessed warriors.
Though their weapon types varied, every one of them carried arms designed to inflict horrific lacerations—blades lined with serrated edges or multi-faceted points. For instance, the spear tip held by one knight-like figure was shaped like a triangular spike, while another held a heavy blade whose edge was essentially one giant saw.
As for their strength... it could only be described as average.
Mohg estimated that the strongest among them was roughly on par with a Knight of the Cuckoo.
But it was understandable. The Mohgwyn Dynasty was only in its nascent stages. In the beginning, Liana had been scouting for recruits all by herself, lacking the presence of a truly powerful figure to suppress rivals or attract elites. The fact that she had managed to build this much was already impressive, especially since she had essentially recruited them by "selling a dream."
Soon, the group led Mohg through a forest to the base of a cliff. Pushing through the thickets, they revealed a very well-hidden cave.
"My King, our stronghold lies ahead. It is perhaps too humble; please forgive us..."
The knight leading the way turned back and lowered his head in shame.
"Do not worry. This is but a momentary hardship," Mohg stepped up to the man and straightened his posture. "I believe our Dynasty will grow piece by piece. And you... you are the indispensable foundation of that growth."
"We shall establish a brand-new Dynasty, one of true equality. All who share the same blood are our kin!"
"My King!" The knight looked at Mohg, visibly moved.
Mohg patted the man's shoulder before heading deeper into the cavern.
Along the way, he encountered many other warriors who had received the Blood Blessing, as well as some beings that surprised him. For instance, he saw a bright red crab covered in sharp spikes. It was still relatively small, otherwise Mohg suspected its combat power would be terrifying.
Before long, Mohg reached the heart of the cave where Liana was located. Two blessed warriors stood guard at the entrance.
The strength of one of them caught Mohg's eye. This individual was roughly comparable to that unusual Carian soldier he had encountered earlier. In other words... this person had the strength to become a Pureblood Knight!
Noticing Mohg's gaze, the guard adopted an attitude of profound respect and slowly stepped aside.
Inside, Liana came flying out, throwing herself into Mohg's arms.
"Lord Mohg!"
Looking at her—her demeanor almost entirely unchanged from before—Mohg wore a look of slight surprise. He had expected Liana to have undergone a massive transformation during his absence.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (274 Chapters – Ongoing)
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