"Don't take my words as a joke. I genuinely believe the magic you're researching has enormous potential."
Seeing Thops lost in thought, Nolan decided to give him an extra push, adding another heavy incentive.
"I'll talk to my teacher when I get back. If she's interested, she might even be willing to help us finish this spell together."
Thops stood there blankly, Nolan's words echoing over and over in his mind.
Nolan's affirmation alone had already filled him with encouragement.
But he had never dared to imagine that someone like a genius Witch would take an interest in the small things he was researching.
After all, he was just an ordinary apprentice, someone who usually only brushed against the most superficial bits of magic.
To complete something this complex, who knew how much time it would take?
Even so, if Sellen wasn't interested, as long as Nolan was willing to help, Thops was certain that the process would be far shorter than he had ever imagined.
The thought made his heart race, and his voice couldn't help but tremble.
"Senior, I'll never forget what you've done for me!"
"If we really succeed, I hope that when this magic is named, your name can be included too, as proof that it was our shared achievement."
"No need," Nolan refused at once.
Add his name? How would that even work?
"Thops and Nolan's Barrier"?
It sounded strange no matter how he thought about it. Better to forget it.
"This is your research to begin with. I'm just helping on the side. I won't steal your credit."
"Senior!"
The bald, muscular man looked at Nolan, his voice shaking as his eyes instantly reddened.
He grabbed Nolan's hand tightly, as if trying to pour all the gratitude in his heart into that single gesture.
Senior Nolan… could he really be an angel sent by the Greater Will?
Thops was deeply moved.
After settling things with the apprentice, Nolan put on his Glintstone headpiece. A satisfied smile appeared on his face, and his mood noticeably lifted.
He walked toward the classroom with light steps, carrying shrimp meat, fruit wine, and a pile of assorted items in his hands.
No one understood Thops's value better than Nolan.
His research alone was enough to give rise to a sixth magic classroom, bringing about a transformation unlike anything before.
That was the whole point of knowing the future. If he didn't take advantage of it, he might as well smash his head into a block of tofu and be done with it.
"Thops's Barrier can repel all magic and Incantations, but it can't be revealed too early."
"Once it leaks out, neither the Golden Order Dynasty nor the Academy will let Thops off easily."
In the face of Thops's research, even the most profound sorceries lost their meaning. Even legendary miracles were stripped of their sanctity, reduced to forces no different from mundane power.
This was an age where gods and kings ruled together, and Faith was the very foundation on which the Golden Order Dynasty stood.
If one day it were proven that the power of so-called gods was no different from that of mortals, the resulting turmoil would be impossible to imagine.
"If I can convince my teacher to join this research, our progress will speed up dramatically."
Lost in thought, Nolan suddenly stopped walking.
He lifted his head and looked ahead, only to find that the door in front of him was already open.
The Witch stood leaning against the doorframe, one hand pinching the chin of her Glintstone headpiece, as though she had been waiting there for quite some time.
"Disciple," she said slowly, her tone carrying a dangerous edge, "I only gave you one hour off. Now tell me… how much time do you think has passed?"
"Oh come on, teacher. I just ran into a bit of trouble, that's all."
Nolan shrugged helplessly, pointed at the dirt-stained robes on his body, then handed the things he was carrying to Sellen.
"I only planned to grab some crayfish to satisfy a craving. Who knew I'd run into two big monsters instead?"
"That's hardly an excuse, my dear apprentice. I know your capabilities very well. Dealing with a couple of small creatures shouldn't have taken you much time."
Sellen shook her head, clearly unconvinced. She opened the bag and glanced inside.
"Why do you keep bringing these things back?"
"That's all Gatefront Town has. You know that."
In Liurnia of the Lakes, what was most famous? The Queen of the Full Moon, the Academy of Magic, and the shrimp and crabs in the lake.
Nolan felt a headache coming on. This teacher of his was getting harder and harder to please.
There was nothing he could do about it. He rubbed his forehead helplessly, sighed, and said,
"Alright. I'll go buy some proper ingredients tomorrow."
Sellen tilted her head and gave him a look, then turned and walked into the room. She sat down, removed her hood, and began eating.
As she ate, she nodded in satisfaction and praised him.
"Mmm. Apprentice, you really are clever. And your cooking is quite good."
"Once you finish learning magic, you can continue working in my classroom. I'll pay you a salary."
Hearing this, Nolan was left speechless.
After mastering magic, he was supposed to go back and become the Promised Consort. How did that turn into becoming a witch's personal chef?
Why not come back with me as a private magic teacher instead? I'll pay you too, and you won't have to research magic in secret!
Nolan didn't think his cooking was anything special. His skills were perfectly average.
Sellen had probably gone far too long without eating normal food, which was why she seemed to enjoy it so much.
The classroom now looked completely different. Bright Glintstone lamps lit up the entire space, making the formerly dim room fully visible.
It wasn't large, but it was packed with all kinds of books and experimental equipment, all neatly arranged.
It turned out Sellen hadn't had strange tastes before. Who knew how many years it had taken for the classroom to end up in its previous state?
The Witch took small bites of shrimp meat, eating while continuing her magical research.
The research manuals of ancient sorcerers lay beside her. With every bite, she flipped a page, as if her hunger for knowledge could never be satisfied.
A genius Witch whose learning speed was already terrifying, and she was this diligent as well. It was hard to imagine how anyone else was supposed to keep up.
After finishing a paper on magical theory, Nolan finally completed his studies for the day.
He lifted his head, his gaze landing on Sellen, who was still fully focused.
Nolan hadn't forgotten the real matter at hand. He waited quietly until Sellen finished eating and returned the book to the shelf, then began telling her about Thops and his research.
He had no idea where this teacher got her confidence from. She hadn't seen a spell demonstration, nor had she even glanced at the research materials, yet she had already agreed to the student's request.
Of course, whether the research would actually continue depended on reviewing the materials and judging its prospects.
If it was a doomed, pointless effort, she would simply advise the student to be decisive and give up early.
Nolan was excited, but he didn't go making a ruckus at the apprentice dormitories in the middle of the night.
He washed up in the bathroom behind the classroom, changed into clean, tidy clothes, then collapsed face-down on the desk. Before long, he fell fast asleep.
The study tasks Sellen assigned him were extremely demanding. Even adding up all his breaks, he barely had a few hours of rest each day.
Without his strong physical constitution and the strange foods that helped restore his condition, an ordinary person would have dropped dead long ago.
With his teacher's permission, Nolan usually stayed directly in the classroom and hadn't returned to the dormitory in a long time.
Sellen glanced at him, then went back to her work, casually extinguishing the Glintstone lamp and lighting a candlestick she'd dug up from who knew where.