Arthur shook his head.
"You've misunderstood. Our purpose this time is to reclaim the Academy of Raya Lucaria. And after that, I also intend to make certain changes to its doctrines."
Rennala clearly hadn't expected this answer.
"So she is the leader you've chosen for the Academy?" Rennala asked, her gaze shifting to Sellen.
"Yes," Arthur replied without hesitation.
Rennala fell silent for a long while before finally speaking again.
"Very well. You are now Ranni's consort—by rights, the King of Caria as well. Since my child herself has no objections, I will leave this matter in your hands."
In the Lands Between, there was never such a thing as absolute right or wrong—only differences in stance.
The wars between Caria and the Academy had always stemmed from conflicting beliefs in power. The First Magic War ended in Caria's victory, and afterward, Rennala had not neglected attempts to reconcile sorcery of the stars with sorcery of the moon. The Lazuli Conspectus—those mages who viewed stars and moon as equals—was proof of her efforts.
Unfortunately, before any real results could be seen, the Second Magic War erupted.
Radagon's sudden departure seemed to take with it Rennala's heroic spirit. From then on, she clutched the amber egg Radagon had left her, sinking into self-pity, until she eventually fell into deep slumber.
Sensing this weakness, the Academy swiftly rebelled. They confined Rennala within the Grand Library, forcing the Carian Royal Family into a bind. This stalemate defined the Second Magic War—until Arthur's arrival finally shattered it.
Now that Rennala had awakened, her former resolve was long gone. She had already entrusted all Carian affairs to Ranni's preceptor, Iji. Through his reports, she understood how chaotic the Lands Between had become.
Since the king chosen by Ranni possessed the will to restore Liurnia, Rennala naturally supported him.
What surprised her, however, was that Arthur had no intention of ruling personally. Instead, he had chosen a sorceress once branded a heretic to lead the Academy—something that inevitably stirred her concern.
"Child," Rennala cautioned gently, "there is a reason I once declared Primeval Sorcery forbidden. It irreversibly turns its practitioners into emotionless stone."
Arthur nodded. He knew this all too well—he had seen the states Azur and Lusat were in.
"Please rest assured. I will find a way to solve this issue. Moreover, I won't force mages to choose any particular school. All I want is to unify their mindset—to have them treat every school of magic equally," Arthur replied calmly.
In truth, Primeval Sorcery's prohibition had not been caused solely by its dangers. Other sorcerers had fanned the flames, branding the Primeval current—where mages were fused into crystallized masses—as a nightmare.
And for those who stumbled into that path unknowingly, it truly was.
To be reduced to part of a stone sphere, stripped of emotion, left with nothing but the urge to pursue the primeval truth—few could accept such a fate.
Arthur was confident that even if the Primeval current were reopened, it would remain the smallest faction until a complete solution was found.
Fortunately, he already had a direction.
Inspired by Sellen's primal glintstone, Arthur realized that by placing safeguards upon the soul—anchors that allowed one to return—mages could explore the primeval without losing themselves entirely.
"Since you already have a plan," Rennala said softly, "then proceed without hesitation. My dear daughter—come, speak with your mother for a while."
With that, she led Ranni toward a quiet corner, deliberately leaving space for Arthur and Sellen.
From beginning to end, Rennala never spoke a single word to Sellen.
It wasn't hostility—she simply didn't know what to say.
After all, it had been Rennala herself who ordered Sellen's exile. Though the matter was now tacitly laid to rest, facing one another still felt awkward. And as a queen, Rennala's pride would never allow her to apologize.
Sellen understood this perfectly. She remained behind Arthur in silence, making her stance clear: she served Arthur—not Caria.
Once Rennala had left, Sellen finally let out a quiet breath of relief.
"Thank you, my apprentice," she said. "For standing by me. I will begin reclaiming the Academy at once. Perhaps it is hasty—but this shall be my proof of loyalty. Please accept this."
She produced a short sword with a golden hilt and a bright silver, wavy blade, handing it to Arthur.
Arthur examined it briefly. The blade resembled a kris from his old world, its weapon art allowing the wielder to fire Glintstone Pebbles before lunging along their trajectory.
Symbolism outweighed practicality—but he accepted it nonetheless.
Seeing this, Sellen continued, "I wish you could stay at the Academy, but I know that cannot be. You have your own path to walk. Still, remember this—no matter what storms you face beyond these walls, your teacher will always be your strongest support."
Arthur nodded heavily, then stepped forward and embraced her.
That was why he treated Sellen so well—she had given him her guidance, her patience, and her trust without reservation.
"Enough," Sellen said with a chuckle. "You're destined to become Elden Lord. You can't afford such sentimentality."
"And if I do become Elden Lord," Arthur shot back, "won't you still be my teacher?"
Sellen laughed softly. "Yes. You will always be my beloved apprentice. There will always be a place for you here."
After discussing the Academy's reclamation, Ranni finished speaking with Rennala as well.
Arthur and Ranni departed together. Before leaving, Arthur informed Sellen of Azur and Lusat's locations—knowing her ambition, their crystallized bodies would draw her ever closer to the primeval current. Thanks to the safeguards he'd prepared, there was no need to fear her losing herself.
For now, however, Sellen had no time for that. She still owed Arthur the task of reclaiming the Academy.
Afterward, Arthur made a long-overdue visit to the Roundtable Hold.
He was searching for a particular girl—Fia, known as the Deathbed Companion.
Deathbed Companions were not unique to Fia; it was a vocation. They lay with champions, absorbing their life force and storing it to one day resurrect great heroes.
Fia, however, had gained Grace before completing such a resurrection. Cast out from her homeland, she came to the Roundtable Hold—and lost part of her original power.
Ordinarily, a Deathbed Companion could store the vitality she absorbed. But Arthur had tested this himself.
After embracing Fia, he did feel his life force diminish—but once he crushed the Baldachin's Blessing, that vitality returned to him.
Meaning that Fia could only siphon life temporarily now—unable to preserve it.
Even so, she still wished to fulfill the role of a Deathbed Companion.
And Arthur had come to grant her that wish.
Fia knew her powers had changed—but what she didn't know was that her ability could repair runes, specifically those tied to Death.
And Arthur just happened to possess half of such a rune.
The other half lay deep beneath the Erdtree, within the roots of the world—upon the body of Godwyn the Golden, the Prince of Death.
When the first demigods died, the Cursemark of Death was split in two—one half on Ranni's discarded flesh, the other upon Godwyn's soulless corpse.
There were ten Great Runes in the Lands Between.
Arthur had already gathered six.
And his seventh target… was the Great Rune bound to Death.
Everyone in the Lands Between bore a destiny.
And perhaps Fia's purpose was to mend that rune.
Arthur entered the side chamber of the Roundtable Hold. Fia sat quietly upon a bed.
"It's you," she said softly. "A long time, my champion. Might I embrace you once more?"
Arthur shook his head.
"I'm here to help you complete your duty as a Deathbed Companion."
"Oh?" Fia mused. "It seems you know more than you let on."
Her calm reaction surprised Arthur. She seemed already aware of her role.
How?
A single name came to mind—
The unlucky sorcerer, Rogier.
Rogier had sought the truth behind the Night of the Black Knives and Godwyn's death—scouring the world for answers…
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