Soon, following a thunderous roar, the massive lift began its slow ascent. This part of the experience didn't differ much from Mohg's memories. As it rose, the mechanical noise of the Grand Lift became surprisingly faint, almost negligible.
At that moment, within the territory of Marquis Kane on the Altus Plateau—the very region where the Grand Lift was situated—a Leyndell Knight responsible for guarding the area noticed the lift's activation. However, he didn't signal for an alert. Instead, he stepped forward and inserted a second medallion into the lift's mechanism.
On this side, the Grand Lift had already been remodeled to reflect the aesthetics of the Golden Order. The massive statues had been reshaped into the likeness of Tree Sentinels. Once the lift received the corresponding medallion from the Altus side, the barriers holding it back vanished, and its ascending speed increased significantly.
"It seems Quiros and the Cuckoo Knights downstairs have finished their end of the deal."
Hearing a slightly aged voice from behind him, the Leyndell Knight, Cardell, quickly turned and bowed slightly. "Greetings, Lord Mabel."
"Mm. Anything unusual at the lift?"
"No. The Ancient Dragons and the beastmen show no intention of attacking this position. We remain in a state of standoff."
"Good. The Marquis has entrusted me with the oversight of this trade mission. There must be no errors."
"Understood!" Cardell snapped to attention, saluting by pressing a hand to his chest.
"As long as you understand. Go now. Arrange for men to move the cargo and receive our guest."
"Will it be the same as usual?"
"We'll see... This one might last a bit longer than the others. Regardless, only one person is coming up according to the rules, so there's no need for excessive caution."
"Understood."
Cardell nodded and strode toward the nearby troops. Soon, a small escort was assembled, consisting primarily of well-equipped Leyndell soldiers, followed by several common footmen tasked with the heavy lifting.
After a series of mechanical clunks, everyone fixed their gaze on the emerging platform of the Grand Lift. Mohg looked out at the surrounding landscape with a sentimental gaze. He hadn't expected to return to this place so soon.
"Sir, please come this way."
Seeing Mohg staring curiously at the surroundings, Cardell stepped forward to guide him. Mohg nodded; it was best to play along until his primary objectives were met.
As Mohg followed, another Leyndell Knight directed the men to begin offloading the cargo. Mohg had managed a peek at the goods during the ascent. It was mostly military supplies and unique glintstone products—specifically, magical items. These were the signature exports of the Liurnia Lake District. The Altus Plateau lacked the knowledge and research in these fields, making such items highly coveted.
Marquis Kane had recognized the immense profit to be made, which was why he had conspired with Marquis Quiros below and the Cuckoo Knights. However, he clearly had no idea that Quiros was merely a puppet set up by the Carian Royal Family.
Under Cardell's lead, Mohg was soon brought before Mabel, a middle-aged man who exuded an air of authority, dressed in the opulent robes of a Golden Order noble. Without confirmation that this was Marquis Kane himself, Mohg refrained from addressing him by title.
"I am Mabel, a Viscount under the fief of Marquis Kane and the supervisor of this trade mission. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Muset."
Mabel gave a slight nod, offering no further pleasantries. Mohg pulled out a heavy bag of runes to present as the "tax," but Mabel raised a hand to stop him.
"You may hand the taxes to Cardell."
Mohg turned to the Leyndell Knight, who took the bag and stepped aside.
"Checking the goods will take some time. In the meantime, I invite you to enjoy the meal we have prepared for you."
Mabel spoke again, his tone slightly less cold than before. Mohg scanned the room and noticed several Leyndell soldiers guarding the exits. Beside him, Cardell had shifted his stance slightly, positioning himself to strike at a moment's notice.
If he refused, he likely wouldn't be walking out of this room.
Of course, that was from the perspective of an ordinary merchant. From Mohg's perspective... he could likely kill the knight beside him and take the Viscount hostage in an instant. He felt no significant threat from either of them, suggesting the strongest warriors of this unit were stationed elsewhere.
He could establish a temporary blood pool and vanish, but the cost would be the exposure of his identity. He wasn't ready for that yet.
"Then I shall accept your hospitality," Mohg said with a smile.
Mabel nodded, satisfied with the merchant's cooperation, and gestured toward the dining area. "We can talk as we eat. I believe you will find our discussion quite interesting."
Soon, plates of exquisite food were laid out. There were various fruits, some familiar to Mohg and some not, along with an assortment of meats—venison, mutton, and what looked suspiciously like bear meat.
Halfway through the banquet, Mabel, seated at the head of the table, spoke. "Mr. Muset, what is your take on the current state of affairs?"
Mohg paused, acting surprised. This wasn't the kind of conversation one usually had with a traveling merchant.
"Haha, Lord Mabel, I am but a simple merchant, forced into this job by circumstance. How could I possibly know anything about such grand matters?"
"Is that so? Mr. Muset, you don't have many options right now, do you? Do you really think you'll be allowed to return home alive?"
Mohg's eyes narrowed, but he quickly masked it with a look of pale, feigned terror. Seeing Mohg's reaction, Mabel's smile widened.
"Currently, the lords in the Royal Capital are battling the Ancient Dragons and the beastmen. The King is on an expedition to the Mountaintops of the Giants. The dragons are wary of Lord Kane's army, and since the area we guard holds little value to them, we are in a period of temporary peace."
"Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lord Kane has seized total control of the Grand Lift. These powerful magic weapons and tools are worth a fortune. But can this situation last forever?"
Mabel stopped and stared directly at Mohg.
"Obviously not. The Royal Capital will eventually emerge victorious. The dragons will retreat. The old administrators and interest groups will return. And the Golden Order, seeing the value of Liurnian magic, will not give up on exploring—or even conquering—the Lake District."
"What are you trying to say?" Mohg asked, wiping fake sweat from his brow.
Mabel laughed. "Don't be so nervous. You possess a great value that you are unaware of."
Mohg was genuinely confused this time. He couldn't imagine what "value" this alias could possibly have.
"Lord Kane does not wish to give up the profits from Liurnia, nor does he wish to lose an excellent merchant like yourself. Therefore, we wish to strike a deal."
Mohg finally understood. The cards were on the table. They wanted him to switch allegiances from Marquis Quiros to Marquis Kane. It wasn't about his talent; any merchant would have faced this. Kane just needed a pretext and a subordinate on the inside.
"Even if I were willing to serve Lord Kane, I wouldn't survive the retribution from Lord Quiros once I return to the lands below..."
"That is not your concern. You only need to agree and return to Liurnia as our representative." Mabel placed a letter on the table. "This is for Lucuvelle, the Captain of the Cuckoo Knights. If you agree, take it and deliver it to him."
Mohg fell silent. He suspected this letter was meant to incite the Cuckoo Knights to defect in the coming war. Seeing Mohg hesitate, Mabel didn't rush him. He simply continued his meal with a thin smile. He was confident the man would make the "correct" choice.
"And what do I stand to gain?"
"Hmm, let's see. Lord Kane promises you the status of a Golden Citizen, guaranteed safety, and a handsome commission. If I were you, I would have agreed already."
Mabel's smile grew broader as he crossed his arms. After a brief pause, Mohg reached out and tucked the letter into his robes.
"Please convey my deepest gratitude to Lord Kane for his generosity!"
"Haha! Excellent! Then we are on the same side. Come, let me take you to receive the Golden Grace."
As I thought, Mohg noted internally. He knew it wouldn't be as simple as just delivering a letter. How could they trust him so easily? The real leash was the Golden Grace.
For commoners, receiving the Golden Grace was a blessing, a rare honor. But for the upper class, it was something granted with a single word—especially this most basic, ritualistic form of it.
If Mohg were truly just a merchant, being branded with the Golden Grace would mean there was no turning back. If Lucuvelle accepted the terms and joined Kane's alliance, everyone would be happy. If not... the merchant would be the first to die.
But for Mohg, receiving the Golden Grace was impossible. The moment the ritual began, his true nature would be exposed. He wasn't even sure if he still had the Golden Grace within him, or if the Grace of Blood had completely overwritten it. Either way, he couldn't let it touch him.
In other words... Eat shit, old man!
BOOM!
A sudden, violent explosion of sound caused the smile on Mabel's face to vanish, replaced by utter shock. Cardell, standing guard, immediately tensed. But before he could act, a massive force slammed into his raised shield.
Cardell's vision went dark as he was sent flying backward, the scenery turning into a blur.
CRASH!
After the impact, Mabel finally processed what was happening. Seeing Mohg standing before him with cold, murderous eyes, he desperately tried to draw the longsword at his waist.
CRACK!
"AAAAAAAHHH!"
With a sickening crunch of bone, Mohg shattered Mabel's right hand. In one fluid motion, Mohg drew the Viscount's own sword and pressed it against his throat.
"Lord Mabel, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to endure some discomfort."
"You... who are you?!" Mabel hissed, clutching his broken arm, eyes wide with terror and rage.
Mohg didn't answer. Instead, he said provocatively, "To be honest, your weakness caught me off guard. If you were any stronger, this might have been difficult."
"You—!" Mabel's face flushed with humiliation.
Mohg took the opportunity to survey the room. Aside from a few Leyndell soldiers who were too afraid to move for fear of hitting their lord, the room was empty. Without hesitation, he tore open his merchant's robes, revealing a scroll etched with magical seals, and slammed it onto the ground.
BOOM!
A blinding teal light swallowed everything. The roar of the glintstone magic explosion and the resulting thick smoke drew the attention of everyone in the vicinity.
Cardell, who had just regained his bearings outside, saw the smoke and felt his world go dark again. He could already see his career—and perhaps his head—ending over this.
As the light faded, the room was a ruin. While everyone's attention was fixed on the debris, a dark red blur hugged the ground, moving with incredible speed until it vanished over the edge of the cliff.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (459 Chapters – Full)
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