What's all that commotion upstairs?
Down in the cellar, Sellen's true body couldn't help but struggle futilely. The seals binding her hands kept her immobilized as chunks of stone and dust rained down from the ceiling.
If this continued, this body might be destroyed before she could properly back it up.
She racked her brain, utterly perplexed about what could be happening in this remote place.
The Academy of Magic had placed numerous seals here, but they offered little protection against sheer physical destruction. An uninvited guest must have forcefully broken into the magical defenses, striking out in anger, devastating everything.
The terrifying magical pressure was undeniable.
The intruder was incredibly strong, their fighting style a direct, overwhelming assault that had essentially punched straight through the Academy's magical lines.
The Academy was renowned for its defensive formations, which had once held back even the Golden Order at its zenith. That expertise continued to this day.
Yet today, those defenses crumbled before this unwelcome visitor. The earth groaned, and a howling, bone-chillingly cold wind seeped through the cracks in the stonework. Right, there must be another powerful ally involved.
Amidst the explosions, the furious shouts of mages could be heard:
"Damn bastard!"
"Quick, notify the main Academy!"
"This thing is just some demi-human mongrel—"
Their curses were met with methodical slaughter. Whether the intruder was angered or not, they advanced at a steady pace, systematically dismantling the magic wards. No one could stand against them for even a single exchange.
Already, trembling mages were retreating into the cellar, their pathetic state drawing a wry smile from Sellen.
Despite her amusement, her heart tightened. The intruding sorceress – for the pressure felt like powerful magic – was approaching rapidly, a whirlwind of destruction. If Sellen were whole, perhaps she could have offered resistance, but she was currently constrained by the Academy's seals.
One mage stumbled back and stood before her, hissing grimly, "If they're here to rescue you, I'll kill you first—"
Crack!
The instant the cellar door burst open, a longsword shimmering with frost sliced the hidden marionette soldier guarding the entrance to pieces, causing it to collapse instantly.
The renowned Ancient Hero of Zamor? Why is she here? Did the Evergaol fail?
Then, Zamor respectfully stepped aside.
A familiar figure entered, crouching slightly, cautiously observing her surroundings with that habitual wariness of enclosed spaces, looking as if she wanted to find spiders in the cracks just to squash them for reassurance.
"Master Sellen, I didn't expect we'd meet again after just a few days."
The girl with the distinctively long, pointed ears was none other than Frieren. The student she'd met only briefly had appeared once more.
"Stay back!"
The panicked mage aimed his magic at the Graven Witch, looking utterly hysterical. But the next moment, he became a statue of ice, which then shattered – slain in a single blow by the powerful warrior.
He never understood, right up to his death, how the Graven Witch could be fortunate enough to take on such a student. The Academy would likely be unable to deploy any more forces here now.
"Frieren, how many more surprises do you hold? Taking you as my student might have been the best decision of my life."
"Never mind that, what about these seals?"
"Normally, I could give you a Primal Glintstone to switch bodies, but the timing isn't right. Just help me break these seals first, I'll make do with this old body for now..."
Before she could finish, a wave of Sunlight Heal washed over her, rapidly restoring not just her body but even reaching her soul.
Sellen clearly felt her body, which had been on the verge of hollowing, return to perfect condition.
"What?!"
"It's thanks to the inspiration you gave me, Master. My healing magic can now affect the soul, even if just slightly. While I can't reverse severe hollowing yet, patching things up like this is no problem."
As she spoke, Frieren easily broke the seals binding Sellen.
Freed, Sellen flexed her wrists, feeling refreshed in body and mind. That healing magic had restored her completely.
She saw the fate that had seemed almost certainly sealed – imprisonment until death – violently overturned by her student. It was something she hadn't dared to imagine before. She was even witnessing the dawn of a new school of magic.
"Soul magic could supplement the current flaws in the Erdtree cycle, you know?"
"I know."
"Then you must continue researching it. I'll help too. Perhaps we can find a way to compensate now that the Grace of the Erdtree is weakening."
"Mm. I believe even if the Elden Ring is repaired, some hollows still won't revert. The world would suffer immense losses either way. Soul healing should be popularized alongside the Ring's restoration – a two-pronged approach to achieve true renewal."
As a Tarnished, she certainly couldn't let things continue to deteriorate. She didn't want to be the ruler of a wasteland.
"My student, you are a genius, capable of founding a new school. Even if you chose not to seek audience with the Elden Ring, simply refining your current discoveries would be enough to save many. Someone with such precious knowledge shouldn't take such risks."
"Knowledge is perfected through exchange. I won't hoard it. Once it's more refined, I'll spread it."
"Such principles are rare indeed in today's Academy. They will also make you a thorn in their side."
"Master, would you like to join us?"
"One's energy is limited. Researching soul magic would mean, to some extent, abandoning my Primeval Current studies, which is significant... Besides, I need time to recuperate."
Sellen was genuinely tempted by the burgeoning field of soul magic, but she couldn't forsake the school she had devoted years to, the legacy of her own master. So, she opted for a delay, deciding to wait and see.
There were practical considerations too. This body had been sealed for too long and needed rehabilitation; otherwise, she'd only slow Frieren down.
So be it.
If she could never find Master Azur of the Primeval Current, perhaps the soul school would be a fitting path...
"I'll be waiting whenever you're ready, Master. If things go well here, I'll see you again in Stormveil Castle. I'll definitely prepare the best magic laboratory for you."
"How fares your endeavor?"
Frieren recounted her progress over the past days, from the Waypoint Ruins to the Weeping Peninsula. Hearing the tale, Sellen couldn't help but marvel. It was incredibly swift, decisive action, yet somehow, she had succeeded.
Recruiting the nobles of the Weeping Peninsula was truly remarkable.
Not only that, but with her formidable combat strength sweeping away the monsters plaguing the land, the region could only prosper, unleashing significant potential for future campaigns.
And now, this Tarnished had recruited a powerhouse like the Ancient Hero of Zamor to her cause. Her overall strength might already rival that of Stormveil Castle.
Sellen hadn't realized she herself had played a part in making this possible.
It was momentous for her, and surely shocking for the entire Lands Between. After how many years? Someone was finally poised to lead a grand army against a Shardbearer.
Seeing her student about to head towards a brutal battlefield to challenge a demigod, Sellen couldn't help but feel nervous. Despite being rescued twice, she couldn't directly participate in the fight to help. A sense of unease lingered; at least she could repay her with teaching...
As she pondered, Frieren expertly produced the Royal House Scroll and handed it to her.
"A scroll the nobles presented to me. It contains some coded text related to the Academy that I don't understand. Perhaps you know what it records, Master."
"It contains sorceries quite fitting for your title."
"What are they?"
"Carian Slicer and Glintblade Phalanx."
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