"Surely you have many more suitable candidates under your command? Why me, specifically?"
After a moment of silence, Mohg finally couldn't help but ask.
"You told me before that you used to live on the Altus Plateau, didn't you?"
"I did." Mohg nodded.
"And you have a certain history with the Golden Order. I imagine the Golden Order doesn't even realize you exist, and yet, you harbor a deep-seated grudge against them."
Rellana looked into Mohg's eyes as she spoke.
Mohg didn't bother to refute her deduction. Her reasoning held some truth, but unfortunately, it wasn't the whole story. If the Golden Order ever discovered that someone like him had escaped the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds, they would likely hunt him down with a mad fervor the moment they had the resources to spare.
Of course, he believed his father and eldest brother wouldn't care. But the Erdtree Church, the Church of the Two Fingers, and the high nobility who persecuted the Omen-born would never tolerate such a thing.
He could see how Rellana had arrived at her conclusion. To escape from a region like the Altus Plateau, which was under the absolute control of the Golden Order, and make it all the way to Liurnia—combined with the fact that the strength he had displayed to her wasn't particularly "extraordinary" by her or the Golden Order's standards—it suggested he wasn't a high-priority target.
"Since that is the case, you certainly won't turn traitor when it comes to plans against the Golden Order," Rellana continued. "Furthermore, you are familiar with the terrain of Altus and the layout of the Royal Capital. Coupled with the friends you likely still have there, you are the optimal candidate."
"Are you not afraid that I might have been a spy from the very beginning?" Mohg asked, only to be met by Rellana's unwavering and sincere gaze.
"I believe in you. From the moment you chose to serve under me, I chose to place my trust in you."
Mohg's voice caught in his throat. With a heavy sigh, he nodded.
"I understand. I will not fail your expectations, Princess. I will bring back intelligence on the Golden Order."
"Good. Stay safe during the mission. It would grieve me deeply to lose a warrior such as yourself," Rellana advised, looking down at him. "Now, go and prepare. Sellen will have your identity and equipment ready. She will assist you in reaching the Altus Plateau, but once you are there, you will be on your own. We have no influence in that region."
"Understood."
Mohg nodded and slowly backed out of the room. Internally, he marveled at Rellana's boldness. It was lucky he wasn't actually a spy; otherwise, she would have walked right into a trap.
"You certainly are big-hearted."
"Sister? What are you doing here?" Rellana looked up in surprise as Rennala stepped out from a shimmering blue mist.
"It's because of your arrangements. You're really sending that subordinate of yours to handle matters regarding the Golden Order?"
"Is there a problem?"
"...I must say, you actually made the right call this time. He is linked to an Outer God, so coexistence between him and the Golden Order is likely impossible. Just as he told you, he will indeed carry out this mission with his full heart and soul."
Rennala shook her head helplessly. Rellana let out a small laugh at first, but then her brow furrowed.
"An Outer God?"
"Yes, an Outer God. Though I do not know which one. Generally speaking, however, the entity he is linked to hasn't exerted much influence over him yet. Their connection is likely not as deep as I feared."
"So, he will eventually leave Caria?"
"If our relationship with the Golden Order proceeds as we've envisioned, then yes. Sooner or later, he will leave Caria. Perhaps you could transition him into a Guest General for the Carian royalty; that might be a better option."
"I see..." Rellana nodded, though the tension in her brow suggested she wasn't entirely at ease.
Seeing this, Rennala merely shook her head. Her sister's relationship with that subordinate was currently one of mutual professional respect, but truth be told, Rennala wanted to keep him around as well. With such talent in both sorcery and combat, it would be a shame not to secure him permanently.
After leaving Rellana's chambers, Mohg was led by Sellen to a room filled with opulent clothing and expensive jewelry. Judging by the style, the items were clearly tailored to the tastes of the Altus Plateau.
"This is..."
"Garments for an Altus merchant. Not the Nomadic Merchants; those poor souls mostly stick to Limgrave and Caelid now. They don't dare approach the Lake District," Sellen explained, anticipating his question.
"I see... So my cover for this mission is a merchant traveling between Liurnia and the Altus Plateau?"
"Precisely. That will allow you to pass through the Grand Lift. However, you'll need to pay a fee to the Cuckoo Knights stationed there, and another to Marquis Kane once you reach the top."
"I can just pay my way through? It's that simple?" Mohg looked at Sellen, his brow furrowed in skepticism. "And... what exactly am I selling?"
"Lady Rellana said she has handled those arrangements. All you need to do is pay the fees and walk up. As for the cargo, it is not for you to know."
"Huh? What does that mean?" Mohg was genuinely baffled. As a merchant, he wasn't supposed to know what he was carrying? Unless...
"You are merely a representative selected by a coalition of three parties: a pro-Erdtree noble within Caria, Marquis Kane, and the Cuckoo Knights."
"I get it. In plain terms, I'm a shield. If something goes wrong, I'm the one who takes the fall."
Understanding dawned on Mohg, and he stopped asking questions. As for how these three parties reached an agreement... there was no need to ask. That so-called "pro-Erdtree" Carian noble was likely a plant set up by Rellana or Rennala. As for the Cuckoos... Mohg guessed that as long as there was profit to be made, they didn't care about the details.
"When do I leave?"
"The morning of the day after tomorrow. Take these items, dress accordingly, and you'll be ready. Tomorrow, palace staff will teach you the necessary etiquette and requirements, and help disguise your appearance."
"Understood."
Sellen walked outside and waved her hand, signaling the waiting handmaidens to enter. With their help, Mohg donned the merchant's attire.
The style was remarkably similar to that of the Golden Lineage, yet there were distinct differences. For instance, the Erdtree motifs were significantly smaller, replaced by other decorative elements. Additionally, the base color of the fabric was brown rather than the gold favored by the nobility, and the amount of gold embroidery was much more sparse.
However, there were fewer restrictions on the jewelry. Gold set with red gemstones was the standard; the only things to watch for were the size and quantity of the rubies. Gold itself wasn't strictly regulated, unless one was foolish enough to engrave forbidden symbols upon it. These nuances were part of the unspoken understanding between merchants and nobles on the Altus Plateau. The Carians, of course, were too meticulous to make such a basic mistake.
Two days later, Mohg had mastered the basic etiquette and memorized the necessary protocols. As for the fact that some of his movements were slightly unpolished... according to the two Carian shadows who trained and disguised him, that was exactly the effect they wanted.
He was playing the role of a novice being pushed into the deep end—an inexperienced merchant. This was the consensus of the three parties involved in the deal. They wanted a newcomer who didn't know the ropes, making him easier to manipulate and ensuring he wouldn't cause trouble.
As for Mohg's current appearance, his hair had been dyed gold with an unknown substance, and even his eye color had been altered with a magical pigment. The effect would only last about a week, but that was more than enough time.
He boarded a carriage provided by the Carian noble, escorted by personal guards as they headed toward the Grand Lift. The journey was uneventful; the Carian royal crest was prominent enough that no one sought trouble, especially so close to Carian territory.
Soon, the convoy reached the vicinity of the Grand Lift. Through the carriage window, Mohg saw the Cuckoo soldiers closing in, clearly looking to squeeze some coin out of them. However, they were arrogantly rebuffed by the lead guard, who brandished a document and scolded them. The Cuckoo soldier didn't dare talk back; he simply bowed and scraped in apology, even digging into his own pocket to offer up some runes as a tribute.
Mohg shook his head. The Cuckoos really didn't deserve any sympathy.
Passing through the checkpoint established by the Cuckoo Knights, they reached the core area. Well-equipped Cuckoo Knights were everywhere. Their shields and armor, crafted with high magic resistance, made one wonder if they were preparing to fight the Erdtree or the Academy and Caria.
Regardless, they posed no threat to him for now.
Guided by a guard, Mohg stepped down from the carriage. To be honest, the strength of the Cuckoo Knights was incredibly inconsistent. Some were formidable enough to give him a sense of danger, while others seemed no different from standard Carian foot soldiers.
"This must be the representative for this trade mission, Mr. Muset?"
A middle-aged man, wearing Cuckoo Knight armor but with his helmet removed to reveal a friendly face, approached the group and extended his hand. Mohg glanced at the helmet tucked under the man's arm before shaking his hand.
"Hello. I am Muset, the representative chosen by Marquis Quiros."
"Understood. My name is Rosa, Vice Captain of the Cuckoo Knights. Our Captain has other matters to attend to and could not be here to receive you; please accept my apologies on his behalf. The cargo is ready. Mr. Muset, if you would..."
"I understand. I will take the goods and proceed to the Altus Plateau immediately."
Rosa flashed a satisfied smile. This merchant was sensible, which saved him a lot of breath.
"By the way, is the tax you owe prepared?"
"Of course." Mohg nodded and handed over a heavy pouch.
"Haha! Excellent. Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Muset. When you return from Altus, I'll buy you a drink and introduce you to some of our dancers."
Rosa beamed, giving Mohg a knowing look. Mohg played along, raising an eyebrow in return, before being led to the cargo transfer point. The rest of the escort would not be following him to Altus; that was a requirement set by Marquis Kane.
The moment Mohg walked away, Rosa's expression turned cold and indifferent. He weighed the coin pouch in his hand and sneered.
"A drink? Dancers? Live through the trip first before you talk like that."
While Rosa was busy being contemptuous, he had no idea that Mohg felt exactly the same way about him. In Mohg's eyes, this Vice Captain was pathetic. He estimated the gap in their power and concluded the man likely wouldn't even be a match for him even if he didn't reveal his true form.
Though there were four Vice Captains in the Cuckoo Knights, this level of strength clearly wasn't enough to earn a seat at the main table. The Cuckoo Knights only survived in the cracks by clinging to the coattails of larger powers. Their only real advantage was their sheer numbers and military hardware.
Then again, it was hard to say for sure; their Captain hadn't shown his face yet. Perhaps the Captain's strength was on a different level.
After a moment's thought, Mohg put the matter out of his mind and followed the soldiers to the lift. The cargo was already arranged on the platform, waiting for his arrival. Without a word, Mohg stepped onto the lift. A nearby Cuckoo Knight inserted a medallion into the mechanism.
It was slightly different from Mohg's memories. He watched as the medallion entered a slot, and a beam of light shot into a statue on the right. At this time, the Grand Lift did not yet have such a heavy Golden Order aesthetic. The statues here were not yet images of Tree Sentinels, though he couldn't quite recognize what they were supposed to represent.
He suspected that the medallions used now were likely different from the ones he would know in the future.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (459 Chapters – Full)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────