"The suspect joined Caria?"
Ward's brow furrowed at the news. He hadn't initially considered the fellow a high-priority suspect, but now his suspicions were piqued once more.
"Forget it... I'm likely overthinking. If they truly wanted him, we couldn't stop them anyway..." Ward muttered to himself, rubbing his temples.
The Academy had been plagued by an absurd number of headaches lately. The last time he'd felt this much of a migraine was during the Carian Royal Family's siege.
The current situation was no less dire. They were squeezed between the pressure from Caria and the demands of the Cuckoos, and soon they would likely face the "carrot and stick" tactics of the Golden Lineage as they moved into Liurnia.
The mere thought made Ward feel like he was going bald. To make matters worse, there were signs that the Primeval Current was beginning to resurface at this exact moment.
Others might not know the Carians' current state, but Ward did. If the sorcerers of the Primeval Current were willing to help Caria oppose the Erdtree, he was certain the Carians wouldn't refuse such a massive boost in power—they'd likely even grant them territory to settle and develop.
The reason was simple: the sorceries wielded by the Primeval Current were absolute weapons of mass destruction on the battlefield.
Truth be told, had the two Great Masters not been exiled and imprisoned, the Primeval Current might have used the Golden Lineage's influence to force their way back into the Academy.
Fortunately, history has no "ifs." Lusat was firmly locked away. Unless someone found that place and intentionally broke the seal, he wouldn't be getting out.
As for Azur...
Ward's expression soured at the thought of the Primeval Master. Not only had he evaded capture, but the Academy had lost all track of him.
The only concrete intelligence they had was that his body had begun to undergo crystallization. He had last been sighted in eastern Liurnia before vanishing entirely. Ward suspected he was likely consolidating new power and would eventually make a return.
Recalling the memory of that terrifying torrent composed of infinite magical energy, Ward couldn't help but shudder.
"He must not be allowed to return! Professor Jackder!"
With a wave of Ward's hand, a glintstone signal was transmitted through a nearby apparatus. Shortly after, a towering mage wearing the stone mask of the Haima Classroom appeared before him.
"Ward, why have you summoned me?"
"I need your help."
"You know my duty is to guard the secret passage." Jackder frowned. Though not an outright refusal, his intent was clear.
"I know. That's why I'm having Ambus replace you. You're being rotated out."
Jackder's brow relaxed slightly. As a mage of the Haima Classroom, being stationed in a secret passage for years was a testament to his strength, but it was mind-numbingly dull. He had no chance to participate in combat or spread their philosophy. Now that an opportunity to leave was right in front of him, he wasn't about to say no.
"What do you need me to do?"
"Take your students and track down the Primeval Current—specifically any news regarding Master Azur."
Jackder's pupils constricted. He craved battle, but he wasn't a suicide seeker. Going up against a legendary Master alone? When Azur attained mastery, Jackder had been nothing but an apprentice just stepping onto the path of sorcery!
"I don't have a habit of seeking out my own death."
"I'm aware. I'll arrange for others to assist your search and provide you with life-saving artifacts. You can rest easy."
"Hmm... then I accept. But I'll need you to increase my funding allotment." After a moment of deliberation, Jackder nodded, presenting his terms.
"Agreed." Seeing Ward's prompt acceptance, Jackder had no further objections.
"When do we start?"
"Now."
"I must admit, Gwyn, your talent for sorcery is beyond my imagination... If you were willing to dedicate yourself to research, believe me, you could reach the rank of Professor in less than ten years."
Reruss looked at Gwyn with a complex gaze, letting out a heavy sigh. It had taken him more than half his life to achieve what this man could seemingly accomplish in a fraction of that time. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
The praised Mohg, meanwhile, stared blankly at the staff in his hand. A doubt crept into his mind: Is my talent really that good? Why don't I feel it?
"Uh, Professor, you're joking, right? I feel like my progress is actually quite slow."
Cough, cough, cough!
Reruss nearly choked on his own breath. He shot Mohg an exasperated glare.
"Do you think learning a spell is supposed to be quick? Do you have any idea how long it takes an average person just to master Glintstone Pebble?!"
"Uh, no clue."
Reruss took a deep breath, telling himself not to get angry at a magical novice. "An apprentice with average talent needs at least one to two years of hard work just to grasp Glintstone Pebble. To master further variations and the merging of forms? That takes four to six years."
"For those without talent, it could take over a decade, or even a lifetime of futility. And you... you've managed it in just a few months."
Reruss's eyes began to glow with a fervent intensity as he spoke.
The look made Mohg feel a bit skin-crawl; he was glad this wasn't a D&D world, or he'd suspect these old mages were "lusting" after his physical vessel.
"In short, your talent is exceptional. Lady Rellana truly has an eye for talent..."
Hearing Reruss use that phrase for Rellana, Mohg's mouth twitched. An eye for talent? Wasn't it more like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat?
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (369 Chapters – Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────