As the heavy bunker doors ground shut behind them, a collective sigh of relief swept through the crowd. This sanctuary had been specifically constructed by the Academy to shield its students during major catastrophes; even if another falling star were to strike the heart of Raya Lucaria's main district, those within the bunker would remain unscathed.
The thunderous roars of the battle above were now completely muffled. Within the bunker, only the restless chattering of the apprentices remained. Even the first-year initiates mostly knew how to cast basic illumination spells, and the entire space was now bathed in a brilliance that could be described as nothing short of resplendent.
A few of the noble-born students had already unrolled their sleeping bags, staking out spots to rest, though no one truly had the heart for sleep. Small groups huddled together, excitedly speculating on the status of the battle in the city. Some pulled out glintstone communication devices, attempting to reach the outside world, only to find that the bunker's depths completely blocked all signals. They were left with nothing but their own imaginations.
Many had brought emergency supplies, and quite a few were still being attended to by servants. By regulation, servants were not permitted within the Academy, but certain lords would sponsor commoners with magical potential to study alongside their own children—in reality, these commoners functioned as attendants for the noble scions. Furthermore, some commoner students, whether driven by poverty or a desire for academic resources, were willing to act as lackeys for the wealthy and the academic elite.
Several direct descendants of the high nobility began to take charge, organizing their groups and distributing food to those who had come unprepared. Having been groomed in social etiquette and possessing their parents' networks, these young nobles appeared more adept at managing the situation than the Student Council or the prefects—though, in truth, most of the Student Council members were of noble birth themselves.
The Enforcer Professor led a few other teachers on a patrol of the bunker. Finding no security risks, they eventually made their way back to the center.
One lecturer watched the noble students as they began organizing a choir to pray for the army and the citizens, then glanced over at the commoner students, who remained a disorganized mess, sitting or lying haphazardly on the floor. He couldn't help but shake his head.
"Your Highness, please find a place to rest with Knight Loretta," the Enforcer Professor said.
"Professor, how soon do you think this battle will end?" Raven asked.
"We shall have victory before sunrise," the professor replied flatly. "The strength of that monster is indeed unlike anything I have ever witnessed, but its power is being depleted with every passing moment, while the warriors of Caria are inexhaustible. From the moment it failed to land directly within the city, its defeat was sealed. I assume that strike was the work of Lady Loretta? Truly remarkable."
Raven nodded. Just then, the glintstone on the bunker door flared to life, signaling that someone was outside.
"What's happening? Who is out there?"
"I have urgent news! Another star is falling toward Raya Lucaria! Only Knight Loretta can stop it!"
"What!"
The crowd gasped in shock. They hurried to open the bunker doors, and an Academy lecturer stumbled inside, limping. He had evidently taken a fall on the way; he was covered in dust and mud, looking as if he had just crawled out of the earth.
"Lecturer Ronald," the Enforcer Professor recognized him. "Are you certain? Another star is falling?"
"Absolutely! The Stargazing Grounds have issued a warning. It will strike the city in less than fifteen minutes! The Academy has learned that Knight Loretta was the one who deflected the first star's trajectory. I have been sent to request her aid once more!" Ronald shouted.
The room erupted into an uproar. The first star had landed outside the walls, yet the earth-shattering impact had already left everyone trembling. If such a star were to actually strike the city proper, half of Raya Lucaria would likely be leveled in an instant.
"Silence! Silence! Even if a star hits the city, this bunker will hold!" the Enforcer Professor bellowed, and the agitated crowd finally calmed down slightly.
"Knight Loretta—" The Enforcer Professor turned toward her.
"It is my duty." Loretta patted her horse, which was resting on the floor. "Your Highness, please grant me leave to depart temporarily."
"Can you still manage another four-arrow volley?" Raven asked. "You blacked out last time. If you—"
"I can do it, Your Highness," Loretta said firmly. "I have fully recovered. If I could do it once, I can do it twice."
Raven opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he only said: "Make sure you come back alive, Loretta."
Loretta offered a faint smile, lowered her visor, and galloped out of the bunker. Lecturer Ronald followed close behind.
"The students have been moved to the bunker; they are safe now," the Alchemy professor—whom Raven didn't know well—spoke up. "There's no point in keeping so many of us here. I shall go up and assist as well."
The Enforcer Professor seemed surprised. "Professor Seluvis, are you sure?"
"I have many friends up there; I'm concerned for them," Seluvis said.
"Very well, then go," the Enforcer Professor said, not pushing further. "The other instructors and I will look after the apprentices."
"Professor, let me go with you." To Raven's surprise, Sellen stepped forward.
"Sellen, do not add to the chaos," the Enforcer Professor scolded. "There is no need for an apprentice to join the fray."
"Oh—" Seluvis didn't immediately object. Instead, he looked Sellen up and down.
Though she had not yet reached adulthood, the seeds of Sellen's future beauty were already evident; even the plain, standard apprentice robes could not hide her graceful silhouette.
His gaze lingered on Sellen's chest for a fleeting second before he spoke in agreement. "No matter. Sellen's skill is sufficient for her to look after herself. She may even be of use to me."
"Seluvis, why are you... fine. Sellen is indeed exceptionally capable; she is no less skilled than a formal sorcerer. So be it." Seeing their determination, the Enforcer Professor found it difficult to say more.
Leaving the bunker, Seluvis and Sellen stepped onto the paddles of the waterwheel together, ascending amidst the rhythmic grinding of the machinery.
"Sellen, you're worried about your teacher, aren't you? There was really no need, but perhaps your kindness has truly brought you good fortune," Seluvis chuckled. "Stay close to me later. I shall ensure your safety."
"Perhaps I am not quite as naive or kind as you think, Professor." A smirk played across Sellen's lips. "Professor, are you certain that Prince Raven used this very waterwheel to move the students' corpses to the bottom?"
"Oh, yes. Did you not see it with your own eyes? I suspect that after he cruelly slaughtered those students for his wicked magical experiments, he threw the bodies into the underground river. That is why you could never find where he hid them."
Seluvis twirled his goatee. "I was reckless to tell you of this before—to think that I could use the laws established by the Royal Family to convict one of their own. Sellen, there's no need for you to concern yourself with this anymore. Once you graduate, come be my assistant. I shall treat you very well."
"Professor... you were the one who killed those missing students, weren't you? And then you framed Raven," Sellen said softly.
Seluvis spun around abruptly, the smile still fixed on his face. "Sellen, it isn't good to joke with your teacher like that."
"I have been following you for months, searching for evidence. Please, stop your lying."
The smile vanished from Seluvis's face.
The waterwheel groaned as it turned.
"You are the most brilliant apprentice in the history of the Academy. Perhaps too brilliant," Seluvis said. "Have you told anyone else? The Enforcer Professor of the Haima Consolate?"
"No. I am the only one who knows."
"There are only the two of us here. Did you choose this moment to show your hand in the hope that I would confess and turn myself in?"
"Do you intend to confess, Professor?" Sellen asked, her head bowed. "There is still time for penance."
"Confess! Haha! Who possesses the authority to judge me? There is no such thing as 'sin' in this world." Seluvis laughed loudly. "Is murder a sin? What constitutes a crime? What do you think decides such things? Morality? Justice? Or perhaps love? Wrong! All of those are nothing but illusory, erroneous concepts—manifestations of inferior human intellect, desperate attempts to mask the fact that human existence is utterly meaningless.
"Sin is decided by Queen Marika. It is decided by the Two Fingers, by those who stand above. They decide the Law!
"Godfrey slaughtered the Giants until the blood flowed like waterfalls, like wine. For that, they crowned him at the Mountaintops of the Giants and later called him the Lord of Salvation! Even the currency we use is condensed from the corpses of the dead. A thousand years from now, perhaps the savior will be labeled a pariah, and the cannibal will be revered as a saint! This is a world that devours its own!"
Seluvis ceased his wild laughter and drew his staff. "Regret your naivety and your kindness. If I kill you here, I will still be an Academy Professor when I wake up tomorrow!"
Sellen let out a sigh.
"Professor, the truth is... I failed to find any evidence of your crimes."
"What?" Seluvis froze.
"You covered your tracks too well. I am showing my hand now only so that I may kill you here."
Sellen drew her apprentice staff, twirled it twice, and offered an elegant bow of challenge.
Her facade as a model student vanished instantly. Her eyes were filled with a wild light, and a flush of excitement touched her cheeks. In an instant, she had transformed into a dangerous, bewitching sorceress. "For a long time now, I have harbored a small curiosity regarding the true extent of the gap between a professor and an apprentice."
Seluvis's eyes widened. His shock turned to mockery, and his mockery twisted into a predatory grin.
"My pupil... let me give you one final lesson. Stupidity is not the original sin of a sorcerer. Arrogance is."
The waterwheel groaned as it turned, carrying the two combatants upward toward their confrontation.
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Elden Ring: The Unborn One's Journey Through Elden Ring(21 Chapter - Ongoing)
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