Nolan grumbled inwardly, but still gave a light nod.
With the room in this state, it really could make day-to-day studying inconvenient.
Sellen tilted her head and studied Nolan for quite a while, seeming to grow even more satisfied with this new student.
She pulled a chair out from behind the desk and set it in front of Nolan, then casually dropped into it herself, crossing her legs. Beneath the hem of her robe, a pair of delicate ankles was revealed.
"Alright. Let's begin the lesson," she said. "First, tell me what you've already studied so I can plan your instruction more effectively."
"So fast? Shouldn't we get to know each other a bit first?" Nolan asked, somewhat surprised.
"I've already read your records. And what kind of memory is that? Did you forget what I just said that quickly?"
Sellen folded her arms, her tone turning stern. Nolan felt as though he were being pinned in place by a sharp, penetrating gaze.
"A sorcerer's time is extremely precious. There are endless mysteries waiting to be explored, so efficiency matters."
"I happen to have this year's apprentice entrance exam questions here. Do these first. They're not difficult, just basic material."
As she spoke, she extended a slender finger toward a set of magic devices inlaid with Glintstones in the distance.
"Once you're done, we'll test your magical power. See those devices over there? They can measure your magic strength."
Nolan hadn't picked up a pen very often in the Dark Souls world, but under the Saintess's insistence on well-rounded education, he'd attended plenty of academic lessons. At the very least, he wasn't illiterate.
Thinking about it now, Trina seemed to have been guiding him toward becoming a Lord from a very young age.
Was this some kind of long-term nurturing plan?
As old memories surfaced, Nolan suddenly caught on to the Saintess's not-so-obvious scheme.
But now clearly wasn't the time to dwell on that. He was already firmly aboard the Saintess's ship.
Pulling his thoughts back to the present, he dragged his chair over to the square table, picked up a quill, and began working through the exam in earnest.
The young Lord of Cinder had lived through no shortage of experiences, yet faced with this sudden test, he still felt a hint of pressure.
That pressure didn't come from a lack of knowledge. Exams were simply never relaxing.
After his quill flew across the page for quite some time, he finally filled in all the blanks. His handwriting was decent. As for whether he passed, that was out of his hands.
Good grades or keeping the teacher in a good mood, you usually had to pick one. Ending up with neither was the real problem.
The test covered a large amount of magical theory.
As a hands-on practitioner, Nolan didn't care much about that sort of thing. When he studied magic, his rule was simple: as long as it worked, it was good enough.
There were also questions related to the history of magic, which happened to be Nolan's strong suit. History had always interested him, and he especially enjoyed ancient stories.
The magic of the Lands Between originated from the mysterious star-filled sky. Long ago, ancient stargazers had dwelled among giants in the snow-covered mountains, seeking the secrets of the stars and the truth of life itself.
They discovered and made use of celestial amber that fell from the heavens, Glintstone, and in doing so displayed the immense power of the stars.
This was the origin of magic. Through years of exploration and research, the ancient stargazers gradually formed a rigorous and complete magical system.
But now, the stars had been bound, and the ancient ritual of stargazing had long been abandoned by sorcerers.
The descendants of those stargazers could only turn their eyes to fragments of the stars, seeking to uncover the power of Glintstone.
"Teacher, I'm done. Please take a look."
Nolan set down his quill. Seeing that the Witch still hadn't reacted after quite some time, he couldn't help lightly tapping the table.
Sellen, whose hood had been tilted to one side, suddenly lifted her head.
"You're already finished!?"
"Were you just contemplating the mysteries of Sorceries?"
"No. I was asleep." Sellen shook her head, not the slightest bit ashamed.
"Studying Sorceries is draining, so I took a short rest to keep my energy up. Yes. That's what it was. Hand it over."
She stood and stretched, and her graceful figure was impossible to miss. Picking up her pen to start grading, she gave him instructions as casually as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"That door leads to where I usually rest. Bring me a cup of Herba tea. Oh, and I remember there's some jerky left. Bring that too. Your teacher is hungry."
So he was a servant now?
Nolan, seething, shoved the door open and walked into the adjacent room.
It was much larger than he'd expected, and it was furnished with surprising care, everything in its proper place. There was a comfortable bed, a compact bath, and even a small kitchen.
He had to admit, the academy's design was genuinely considerate.
They must have known scholars would get so absorbed in their work they'd forget everything else, so even the classrooms were built with the teachers' daily needs in mind.
He searched around until, at last, he found what she wanted on a table buried beneath a heap of clothes.
Not long after, the apprentice returned with hot tea and dried meat on a tray.
The Witch had already set her parchment aside, as if she'd just finished what she'd been working on. She looked up and happened to catch Nolan standing there, tray in hand, staring at her.
"Put it there."
She pointed to the table in front of her. At the same time, she removed the crown set with green Glintstones and placed it aside.
In the dim candlelight, Nolan finally saw her face clearly, beautiful and arresting.
Her jet-black hair was braided and draped down her back, with two shoulder-length locks framing her cheeks. And her eyes, a deep blue like starlight, held a captivating glow.
Sellen noticed his gaze, but she showed neither shyness nor irritation.
She lifted the teacup with practiced elegance, slipped a piece of jerky into her mouth, and then spoke in a calm, gentle voice.
"Apprentice, flesh and skin are nothing but externals. If you lose yourself in such shallow things, you'll never be a proper sorcerer."
"The body is only a tool that carries the mind. Thought is what matters. A pretty shell won't help you grasp the mysteries of Sorceries."
Nolan said nothing. He learned Sorceries for combat, not to satisfy curiosity.
Besides, if you really wanted to be pedantic about it, the star-filled sky came from some ancient, distant cataclysm, and all things were children of the Greater Will.
If someone truly unraveled the secrets of the stars, what came next? Dragging the Greater Will in and studying it too? What kind of "filial piety" story was that supposed to be?
In any case, Nolan had been taught by more than one sorcerer. He hadn't studied in a systematic way, but he was a solid half-trained sort.
To him, his performance on the test had been close to perfect. At the very least, he'd pass.
Sellen pointed out a few mistakes in his answers and added some notes, then took him to test his magical power.
"You're really not even thirty?" Sellen asked.
"Yes," Nolan replied.
"Then your aptitude is indeed excellent."
Sellen nodded in approval, looking more and more satisfied with her newly accepted apprentice.
Under the hood, Nolan's expression turned complicated.
Since coming to this world, this was the first time anyone had ever praised his talent.
He couldn't help wondering how she would feel if, one day, she discovered that he was nothing more than a worthless Bluntstone, good for nothing except that initial spark.
Would she be completely disappointed in him?
No. Absolutely not.
Because she was Teacher Sellen.