Watching Arthur bring Jerren's life to an end, Sellen couldn't help but marvel.
"My apprentice… I truly didn't expect you to grow to such a level. Even a problem that I once found troublesome was dealt with so easily by you. I heard what you said just now as well—never did I imagine I would hold such weight in your heart. To be honest… I'm deeply moved."
Arthur shook his head.
"The reason you found him troublesome was only because you were restrained—and because this body has already become far too frail. That's all."
If Sellen had been at her peak, it was far from certain that Jerren could have defeated her. The reason she had been sealed here in the first place was largely because the Academy had assisted him.
"But no matter what," Sellen continued, "this body can no longer be used. My apprentice, if possible… I'll have to trouble you to find me a new one."
"Don't worry, Teacher," Arthur replied calmly. "I've already prepared everything."
As he spoke, Arthur produced the female glintstone sorcerer puppet body he had once discovered in Seluvis's hidden puppet cellar.
Originally, he had intended to resolve Sellen's troubles first and only then replace her body. He hadn't expected that the so-called trouble would arrive so quickly.
Now that Jerren was gone, Arthur decided to perform the transfer right here.
"Oh?" Sellen said with a light chuckle. "My apprentice truly is thorough. There's no need for thanks—that would only make things feel distant between teacher and student. Then… I'll leave the rest to you."
With that, Sellen lowered her head, and her body finally went still.
The last trace of starlight drifted out from within her, settling into Arthur's palm.
This was a tiny fragment of primal glintstone—a remnant soul she had prepared to fake her death and deceive Jerren if necessary.
Arthur accepted it, but instead of immediately placing it into the new body, he took out another item—
A soul crystal, refined from Mohg's soul.
Arthur intended to add a safeguard to Sellen's primal glintstone.
From his encounters with the two primeval sorcerers, Azur and Lusat, Arthur had already understood the essence of a primeval sorcerer.
They returned themselves to origin—
turning into the so-called "amber of the stars," becoming children of the stars.
Both masters had ultimately transformed into crystalline beings. Their silence—even their near-total muteness—was the result of having returned almost everything to the origin, leaving behind only a faint trace of consciousness. That trace existed solely to guide those who followed the same path.
Arthur could not accept his teacher becoming like that.
So he chose to modify Sellen's primal glintstone.
By fusing the demigod soul crystal with her primal glintstone, he not only strengthened her foundation but also ensured she would never fully dissolve into origin.
What Arthur did was equivalent to setting an anchor inside the primal glintstone—
allowing Sellen to explore the origin while still being able to return to the material world at any time.
Only after completing all of this did Arthur carefully place the primal glintstone into the new body.
A surge of magical power spread outward.
Arthur knew immediately—Sellen had awakened.
Sure enough, her voice followed.
"Thank you… my good apprentice. Thanks to you, I have obtained a new body once more. This one is excellent—young, healthy, and highly compatible with my primal glintstone. And that hateful restraint… is gone at last~."
Before Arthur could respond, Sellen continued:
"And tell me—what exactly did you do to my primal glintstone? It feels… significantly stronger."
Arthur grinned.
"Heh, nothing much. I just added a demigod's soul power."
Sellen let out a long sigh.
"Ah… my apprentice. Why are you so good to your teacher? My debts to you only continue to grow. It leaves me feeling… uneasy."
Arthur waved it off.
"Haven't you been the same toward me from the very beginning? You taught me everything without holding anything back. I've never failed to notice your kindness—so of course I'll do the same for you."
Sellen might not have been a good person by any conventional measure, but the way she treated Arthur had always been sincere. Especially her teachings in alchemy, which continued to benefit him to this day.
Because of that, Arthur was deeply grateful to the teacher who had led him into the halls of magic.
"…I see," Sellen said softly.
"In that case, as your teacher, I must repay you somehow. Let me do something—however small—for you."
As she spoke, she walked toward the exit.
"Come, my apprentice. Accompany me back to Raya Lucaria—and watch how your teacher brings those sorcerers to heel."
Her voice was laced with unmistakable resentment. Clearly, she bore no goodwill toward the mages who had exiled her.
Arthur silently offered a prayer for the remaining sorcerers of the Academy.
When he had explored the Academy earlier, he had already swept through it once. What remained were little more than scattered remnants.
After facing Sellen's fury… Arthur hoped they would at least survive.
As for stopping her from killing people?
Sorry—Arthur had no such intention.
As long as Sellen was happy, that was enough.
At worst, after order was restored, they could simply recruit anew. The Academy had long since degenerated into a nest of scholars who only flaunted shallow knowledge—still relying on the most basic glintstone sorceries after all these years.
Blaming Queen Rennala's restrictions no longer held water. The rebellion had lasted for years. Rennala herself had been confined to the Grand Library.
And yet, there had been no innovation at all.
They had long since lost the spirit of magical exploration.
If Sellen wanted them dead, then so be it. As long as the legacy remained.
Fresh blood could always be brought in later.
Raya Lucaria Grand Library
Now the residence of Queen Rennala of the Full Moon.
Arthur arrived on a magic carpet with Sellen.
The reason he didn't use a flying broom was simple—
Ranni herself was accompanying them.
Yes. Ranni in person, not her doll body.
She had grown increasingly comfortable walking the Lands Between in her youthful body. And since this visit was to see her mother, using a puppet body would have felt… distant.
After disembarking, Sellen spoke with clear interest:
"What a remarkably convenient mode of transportation. May I study it?"
Arthur heard the unmistakable spark of curiosity in her tone. He knew she wasn't asking for ownership—only to explore its principles.
After rolling up the carpet, he handed it to her. At her level, it would take no more than a couple of days to fully understand how it worked.
The three entered the Grand Library.
Standing guard at the entrance was Iji.
He had been brought here by Ranni—both to protect Rennala from unwanted intrusions, and to keep Iji himself safe from the Black Knife Assassins.
Seeing Arthur, Iji spoke up.
"Oh! Lord Arthur, it's been quite some time. Lady Ranni—has she been well?"
"She's right here," Arthur said, pointing beside him.
"…My lady?" Iji froze. "Lady Ranni? Why do you appear so young?"
As Ranni's war counselor, Iji had served her since childhood. After a moment, recognition dawned.
Ranni spoke calmly:
"There is no need for alarm. With my King's help, I have regained a physical body—though it remains in a youthful state."
"That is wonderful news," Iji said with genuine joy.
"Truly something to celebrate. You are here to see the Queen, I presume? In that case, I shall not intrude."
He stepped aside, returning to his anvil.
Yes—he had brought his anvil with him.
War counselor by duty. Blacksmith by passion.
The three ventured deeper into the Grand Library, where Queen Rennala awaited.
Sensing their presence, Rennala turned—and her gaze immediately fell upon the young Ranni.
Though her hair was now blue, Rennala recognized her at once.
"My daughter… it has been so long. You appear young again—have you been reborn? Still, to have a body once more… as your mother, I am glad."
Ranni nodded. In the strictest sense, she truly had been reborn.
"That is wonderful. Come—let your mother hold you. It has been far too long since I embraced my child."
Ranni hesitated slightly, overwhelmed by Rennala's warmth—but she did not refuse.
She stepped forward and allowed herself to be held, quietly savoring the comfort of her mother's embrace.
After a short while, Rennala released her and turned her gaze toward Arthur.
"Then… what brings you here today? Have you come to settle accounts with me?"
Her eyes shifted to Sellen.
She still remembered the Graven Witch—the one she had exiled for touching forbidden knowledge.
Seeing Sellen again, Rennala instinctively assumed she had come looking for trouble.
Arthur shook his head gently.
"You misunderstand. We came today primarily to—"
To read 90+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554