For the next few days, Raven practically lived in the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria, scouring books for information regarding the Albinaurics and the Wolf-Riders.
He hadn't expected to find an immediate cure for the Albinaurics' defects, but the sheer lack of relevant records still came as a surprise. It was as if scholars were collectively blind to the race; the few books he did find were filled with hearsay and flippant conjecture—the kind of "filler" papers written just to meet a quota. No one had even touched upon the secrets Loretta had shared.
"Is there really nothing else? 'Albinauric'? 'Genetic defects'?" Raven tried several different keywords, but the girl on the floor simply shook her head. Eventually, seemingly annoyed by his persistent questioning, she turned her face away with a huff. Propping herself up with one hand while holding a candlestick in the other, she dragged her legs across the floor tiles and crawled away.
These crawling young women were, in a sense, related to him. Because he had failed to be born from the Amber Egg for so long, Rennala—during her long seclusion in the Grand Library—had channeled the power of Raven's Great Rune to create these "sweetings," having them undergo a cycle of rebirth in an attempt to discover why Raven could not manifest.
These girls lacked complete souls and possessed frail bodies, leaving them unable to walk or speak. However, they had a profound love for reading and a memory far exceeding that of ordinary people. After Raven's birth and the reopening of the Grand Library, they had become the de facto librarians, assisting visiting sorcerers in locating books.
Perhaps because they were created by the Queen using Raven's Great Rune, they felt a natural affinity for him. Any other sorcerer would have to bribe them with snacks, drinks, or shiny trinkets just to get them to lift a finger.
"Fine, the Carian Study Hall is next." Raven stretched his limbs. The Study Hall was second in scale only to the Grand Library, making it the second-largest library in the Lands Between—though the Leyndell Royal Library claimed that title as well. It housed numerous royal collections; perhaps he would find something there.
"If I were you, I would look in the Restricted Section where the ancient texts of the Eternal City are kept," a haughty voice remarked from nearby.
"Miss Sellen! You're here too," Raven said in surprise, giving her a nod.
"I've been here for a while. Do the eyes of a demigod only look upward?" Sellen was leaning against the base of a massive bookshelf. An early manuscript by Master Azur rested on her knees, nearly obscuring her petite upper body.
"If I had noticed you long ago but intentionally ignored you, wouldn't that be even worse?" Raven countered.
"Hmph," Sellen grunted in response.
"You know what kind of books I'm looking for? You aren't intentionally misleading me to waste my time so you can gain an advantage in the graduation exams, are you?" Raven asked suspiciously.
"Don't be stupid! I want to defeat you fairly and indisputably. That's why I'm trying to save you some time." Sellen flipped a page of the manuscript. "The exams are almost here, and you're still wasting time on 'extracurricular' interests."
"Sellen, your grades have always kept me pinned to the floor," Raven said with a sigh. "Why are you so fixated on me? Can't we just be friends?"
"Unlike you, who has to study royal subjects like horsemanship, swordsmanship, etiquette, military strategy, diplomacy, and governance, I have dedicated my entire life to sorcery. If I don't beat you by ten—no, twenty points—on the final exam, I doubt you'd truly accept your defeat."
"I accept it. I accept it completely. I have private tutoring from the Full Moon Queen every day, my experimental materials are more abundant than those of the Academy Masters, my social practice scores are all perfect, and even my fluffiest papers have crowds of people scrambling to cite them. Most ridiculously, even that paper where I mixed bird droppings into shattering crystals to study the impact on magic catalysis rates was actually accepted by the main journal of Crystallography! My academic bonus points alone are astronomical."
Raven threw his hands up. "And even under these circumstances, I'm still the 'Eternal Second.' Sellen, there is already a tragic, thick barrier between us. No matter how much you humiliate me, it won't add any more glory to your genius halo."
"Raven , do you know that sometimes you are really punchable?" Sellen's face remained hidden behind the manuscript. "Save that talk for your noble-born 'friends'!"
Raven gave a bitter smile. The Academy was not a simple sanctuary of academia. Politically, the Royalist faction and the Academy faction were at odds; academically, the Glintstone Consolate and the Moon Consolate both considered themselves the "orthodox" path, with the Crystal Consolate wavering between them. Meanwhile, the Primeval school—which had split from the Glintstone faction—was suppressed by everyone. That wasn't even mentioning the dozens of smaller sects and societies; it was a tangled mess.
This was mostly the infighting among established sorcerers. At the student level, it manifested as a conflict between the Commoners and the Nobles. The Noble faction didn't just consist of the children of sorcerer-lords; old academic families and their hangers-on were also categorized as such by the commoner students. The struggle between them was fierce.
Raven tried his best not to take sides, acting as a mediator. However, his very identity automatically made him the leader of the Noble faction. Meanwhile, Sellen—the "Prodigy of a Thousand Years"—was the icon of the Commoners.
Six months ago, a violent clash had erupted between the "Brotherhood of Crystal Miners"—the most extreme commoner group—and the "Proud Boys," the most obnoxious of the noble groups. People had died. Raven and Sellen, as the President and Vice-President of the Student Union, had been overwhelmed, providing evidence and witnesses to assist the law-enforcing professors of the Haima Consolate.
Unsurprisingly, the outcome favored the nobles. Both factions remained convinced they had been treated unfairly and that the Student Union was operating in a black box. The conflict went underground, becoming even more intense. Several students had mysteriously vanished since then, and even the professors of the Haima Consolate—specialists in tracking and hunting heretical sorcerers—couldn't find a single clue.
No one dared to point a finger at Raven because of his royal status; thus, all the vitriol and insults were directed at Sellen. The rumors and slurs were vile.
To settle the unrest, both Raven and Sellen had offered their resignations, but the Academy's top brass had rejected them. Of course, Raven knew that if he had truly insisted, he could have stepped down, but he refused to leave Sellen to bear the pressure alone.
Though they remained in the Student Union together, their relationship had grown increasingly strained. To avoid further gossip, they rarely spoke outside of official business, and they hadn't said a single word to each other in public.
"I'm sorry you've had to bear so much," Raven said. Seeing that Sellen didn't respond, he sighed and turned to walk into the Restricted Section.
Any other student would be foaming at the mouth on the floor by now. The Restricted Section was protected by powerful enchantments; students weren't allowed entry without a professor's written permission, and those who tried were usually carried off to the school infirmary. But Raven possessed privileges that transcended all Academy rules.
Sellen slowly lowered the manuscript, watching Raven's silhouette disappear into the depths of the library. She sat in thought for a moment, then suddenly stood up, shoved the manuscript back onto the shelf, and left the Grand Library. She headed straight for the Faculty Quarter and stopped before a wooden door, giving it a firm knock.
"Come in."
"Professor Seluvis," Sellen said as she closed the door and bowed.
"Sellen? Are you here to—" Seluvis set down his pipe, appearing somewhat distracted. "Ah, yes. Well? Do you believe my words now?"
"I've observed Prince Raven for a while, but I haven't found any new evidence. I still find it difficult to believe that His Highness could be the source of this evil."
As she spoke, Sellen noticed that the professor's desk was empty save for an ashtray overflowing with ash. It seemed the professor had been sitting there, smoking in silence, for a long time.
"Did you not see it with your own eyes? Raven, carrying the corpse of a missing student, sneaking suspiciously beneath the waterwheel?" Seluvis looked impatient.
"Yes, that face was undoubtedly Raven's, and he certainly has the ability to break into the Restricted Section to study forbidden Primeval arts. However, I did lose track of him and failed to find where the bodies were hidden. He hasn't returned to the waterwheel since." Sellen took a step forward. "Professor, can you provide another lead? When will Raven act next? What route might he take?"
"Do you take me for the All-Knowing? Omniscient?" Seluvis snorted. "I thought the leader of the commoner students would have the courage to stand against tyranny. Fine, I suppose I was wrong about you. Leave."
"If there is new evidence, I will stand by your side regardless of the pressure," Sellen said. "You are the most sympathetic to the commoners among the professors, always insisting on speaking up for us. As a representative of the commoner students, how could I shrink back?"
"Evidence! You are so naive. The entire Academy belongs to Raven and his mother. What good would evidence do? Those sycophants would wag their tails and cover up his crimes, or even turn around and frame you as the killer." Seluvis stood up. "I'm tired. We will discuss this later."
"But Professor..." Sellen wanted to say more, but Seluvis had already strode out of the room.
Sellen scanned the empty office, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. After a moment, she left. In the hallway, she cast a casual glance out the window and froze in surprise.
"A purple meteor?"
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Spring Sale Special – 20% OFF!
Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(21 Chapter - Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────