Psicrystal and Mind-Brain

Back in the underground laboratory, Borne eagerly unrolled the scroll and began reading it carefully.

Although the earl had said it contained only some insights and techniques, it was actually more like a handbook.

After skimming through it, Borne had gained a thorough understanding of Ioun Stones.

"So that's really how it works!"

Borne opened the box beside him and took out the two objects inside.

One was a blue gemstone covered in cracks; the other was a grayish-white crystal resembling amber.

He had bought them outside the Military Department's warehouse earlier. There had been a few similar items, but these two were the most intact.

He'd only bought them on a whim, figuring he'd give them a try. He hadn't expected Identify to work—and the results had turned out to be a Psicrystal and a Mind-Brain.

Borne hadn't expected to find Mind Flayer artifacts while browsing the market, either.

That was right—the Astral Brain Demon, the Mind Flayer!

After acquiring the Psicrystal and the Mind-Brain, Borne had spent some time studying them.

A Psicrystal could be considered an extension of a Mind Flayer. If the Mind Flayer was killed, the Psicrystal would die as well.

An active Mind-Brain was the equivalent of a Mind Flayer's spellbook, containing records of its psionic spells.

However, both the Psicrystal and the Mind-Brain were badly damaged. Otherwise, Borne wouldn't have gotten them for a bargain.

Nether's scavengers were Faerûn's finest appraisers. Even if they didn't recognize something, they could make a remarkably accurate guess.

The supernatural power used by Mind Flayers was called psionics!

Based on the information Borne had from his previous life, psionics was a supernatural system in no way inferior to magic.

He'd been hoping to make something out of what he had, even if it seemed like a lost cause. He hadn't really expected to get anywhere, but Borne had actually managed to figure a few things out.

He hadn't dared to be certain before. But after reading his grandfather's guide to Ioun Stones today, he could finally confirm it!

The Ioun Stone, hailed as Netheril's greatest achievement, was actually a copy of the Mind Flayer's Psicrystal.

Still, even making a copy was impressive. Concinnio was a remarkable man, considering that Mind Flayer technology was among the best in the Outer Planes.

And there weren't many things capable of bringing one down in the Prime Material Plane. The only one Borne could think of was a red dragon.

Borne set down the scroll, let out a soft breath, and fell into thought.

"A Psicrystal is given a fragment of its owner's personality, turning it into a semi-intelligent being. An active Mind-Brain is separated from an Elder Brain and given to a newly born Mind Flayer as a learning device."

Isn't this just biotechnology?!

Borne was at a loss. He understood mechanical engineering and physical programming, but biotechnology wasn't his specialty...

A vague idea began to take shape in his mind, but he had too little information. His research had hit a dead end again, so he had no choice but to wait until he got his hands on the actual manufacturing techniques.

For now, he needed to reinforce his new home. If the Arcane Society could ambush him right outside the Wizard Tower, it was only a matter of time before they found this place.

Making Ioun Stones required engraving magic circles, so he could use the work to get some practice in.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for word of Borne's work along the coastal cliffs to spread far and wide.

After all, as the previous year's top freshman and Nether's youngest Arcanist, it was hard for him not to attract attention.

The Lehman Trading Company, which Borne had founded last winter, had become a model for Nether's trading companies, large and small, thanks to its brilliant business practices.

Add to that his status as the sole heir of Ioulaum House, and Borne was like a juicy piece of meat.

Anyone with a little clout wanted to curry favor with him.

"Boss, someone's stirring up trouble behind the scenes!"

With the resources of the trading company at his disposal, Lehman had made a name for himself at the academy. Even so, he still couldn't find out who was behind it.

"Mm. It's fine. I'll take care of it later."

Borne spoke calmly, then narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "How did you get hurt again? Another mage duel?"

"Uh, yes. Bad luck, I ran into someone from one of the Great Houses."

Lehman gave a helpless smile. All he could do was lament his bad luck.

The Great Houses referred to the Seven Great Houses.

Usually, both sides held back during practice duels. Even with instructors or mentors watching, students still got injured in spell duels every year.

But a closer look would show that ninety percent of those injured were commoners.

It wasn't that commoners were, as a whole, less skilled than nobles. That was one factor, of course, but the main reason was that commoners held back when dueling nobles, keeping their spells under control.

The nobles had no such qualms. Not only did they not hold back, they went all out. They had to win, because losing would not only disgrace their family, but also invite ridicule from other nobles.

Because of this, instructors tried to keep commoners and nobles apart during practice. Keeping them completely separate was out of the question, of course. The academy knew that competition was what drove commoner students to work hard and catch up.

Naturally, to ensure the students' safety, they wore protective gear like bulletproof vests during practice. No matter how carefully they controlled their spells, they were still dangerous. As long as the vital areas were protected and the student didn't die on the spot, temple priests could bring them back from the brink. It just cost a bit more.

Borne nodded thoughtfully. "Both times, the injuries were in places the protective gear didn't cover. They weren't too serious, but they weren't minor, either—and both times, the spellcasters were from a Great House. Even a ghost wouldn't believe that was a coincidence!"

Borne took out a scroll containing a summary of spells and casting techniques tailored specifically to Lehman.

Lehman was so moved that he nearly swore his oath of allegiance to Borne all over again.

Borne hurriedly sent Lehman back to recover. He told him to heal up quickly and work on improving his strength.

After Lehman left, Borne sat at the Alchemy Table, tapping the desktop with his index finger.

You had to look at the owner before kicking the dog. With this latest incident, Audi had made up his mind as well!

Over the next few days, Borne continued going between the Wizard Tower and the underground laboratory as usual. But unlike before, he didn't use [Fly] to deliberately avoid the crowds, nor did he use [Hypnotism] to conceal himself from the people around him.

Instead, he walked along the academy's paths like any other student. He got to experience what it was like to have all eyes on him; wherever he went, he drew people's attention.

All sorts of people came out of the woodwork to strike up conversations. Some simply wanted to get to know him, while others had ulterior motives.

Quite a few even sent him love letters or confessed their feelings. Borne turned them all down with the utmost righteousness!

Hmph!

Women would only slow down his spellcasting!

His excuse, of course, was that he was still underage.

That's right. Borne might have been tall and broad-shouldered, nearly six feet tall, but he was still underage.

He'd practiced the Breathing Technique for so long that it had become second nature. Thanks to it, his physical abilities were already on par with those of a martial class, and he had reached level 3 as a Monk.

He'd even mastered three Monk feats.

Evasion, Fast Movement, and Still Mind.

Even so, Borne could tell he still had room to grow—not only in height, but in magical power as well.

Six foot one was within reach. Those wicked women actually wanted to ruin his Pure Yang Dao Body. How despicable!

Once he came of age, he'd make them pay!

Heh heh...

Although he'd made it clear that he wouldn't consider dating until his coming-of-age ceremony, that didn't stop the young ladies from pursuing him enthusiastically.

The love letters and confessions had stopped, but now he was getting plenty of cakes and pastries. Borne accepted them all without hesitation, keeping [Still Mind] active so that he felt nothing at all. Those young ladies might as well have been batting their eyelashes at a fool.