Topos

Even with Sir Gideon's years of good breeding, Lin Luo still managed to shatter his composure.

After calming down for a moment, Sir Gideon finally tore down the paper from the door.

There was no helping it. The two still had to work together...

Some time later, the two bid Little Red Riding Hood farewell and used the Site of Grace to return to Godrick's royal court.

Beyond this path lay Liurnia of the Lakes.

"Lin Luo seems to think highly of Sir Gideon... It feels like this is the first time Lin Luo has cared so much about someone..."

Melina spoke up then. The Erdtree was filled with the Greater Will's presence... She could only stay by Lin Luo's side, and she did not want to cause him trouble.

"Isn't the person I care about most you...?"

Lin Luo looked at Melina in confusion, though it was impossible to tell whether he was doing it on purpose.

"Y-You... What are you saying? I'm being serious..."

Melina blushed and lightly smacked Lin Luo's hand.

"Haha..."

"I'm done teasing you..."

Lin Luo smiled before continuing, "As for Sir Gideon..."

"How should I put this... He may not be a good person, but I admire him..."

Lin Luo paused.

"Melina, if you only learned of the Greater Will's conspiracy because of me... then Sir Gideon is the only person besides Queen Marika who has touched upon the truth..."

"He truly deserves that title..."

"Oh..."

Melina nodded. She had not expected Sir Gideon to be so formidable.

Pushing open the great doors of Godrick's royal court, the two arrived at the cliffs overlooking Liurnia.

"The scenery here is pretty nice..."

Lin Luo stretched, greedily drawing in the fresh fragrance carried on the wind. He felt thoroughly refreshed.

"By the way, Melina, do you remember the sorcerer I told you about last time?"

"Sellen? No... was it the sorcerer named Topos?"

Melina froze for a moment before answering.

"Mm... He's here..."

"At the Church of Irith ahead."

Lin Luo pointed forward.

"Let's go meet him..."

Following the road onward, they soon reached the Church of Irith. The church was dilapidated, its surrounding walls covered in moss. Some areas looked ready to collapse, and several large holes had opened in the roof.

The only structure that still looked relatively intact was the Marika Statue in the middle.

A small bench stood beside the wall, where Topos sat with his head lowered, seemingly lost in thought...

Lin Luo and Melina's arrival broke the silence, and Topos noticed the two visitors.

"Oh?... You... are you Tarnished?"

Topos looked at Lin Luo. His pale face appeared somewhat weak.

"If you are, could you spare me some runes?"

If you can't find it by searching the book title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!

"As the saying goes, one should not judge a person by appearances... I once spent some time at Raya Lucaria Academy, where I studied Glintstone Magic..."

With a hint of pleading in his voice, Topos continued, "If you can give me some runes... I can teach you magic."

"Of course..."

Lin Luo smiled, took out a Hero's Rune from his inventory pouch, and handed it directly to Topos.

"Huh?"

Topos froze. The amount of runes Lin Luo had offered truly startled him.

"Oh, I only need ten runes... I... I'm merely a worthless stone expelled from Raya Lucaria Academy... You... don't need to give me this many runes."

"No, this is what you deserve..."

Lin Luo said with a solemn expression.

"You are my martial uncle... Sellen is my teacher..."

"Senior Sellen? You're her student..."

Topos became somewhat excited, but he quickly deflated again...

"Although she was expelled from the academy as a Heretical Witch... I don't believe that such a kind and beautiful prodigy could be that sort of person..."

"...I cannot be your martial uncle... Sellen is a renowned prodigy in the academy's history... A worthless stone like me would never have any connection with her..."

"No!"

Lin Luo said earnestly, "Teacher Sellen heard of your Force Field Magic theory. She said that although magic like yours repels sorceries and incantations, and differs greatly from Glintstone Magic, isn't the meaning of magic found in innovation?"

"Teacher Sellen recognizes you. Those sorcerers who mocked your theory simply do not understand what your magic represents!"

"R-Really?!"

Topos froze, then his eyes began to redden as tears the size of beans fell one after another...

"I... I... sob..."

Topos immediately broke down in tears. At last, he understood what it felt like to be recognized. Even a prodigy like Sellen acknowledged his magic—was he finally going to shed the title of worthless stone?

Topos did not doubt Lin Luo's words. After all, he and Lin Luo were strangers, and he had nothing worth deceiving him for... So he clearly took Lin Luo's words as truth.

Lin Luo had indeed deceived him, but he knew that if Sellen had seen Topos's force field, she would certainly have been astonished by the person who created such magic.

"Thank you! Tarnished, you're truly a good person. You helped me regain my confidence. If one day I can return to that hall of learning, I will definitely perfect this magic!"

"This is what I should do..."

Lin Luo bent at the waist in respect, then handed over the Hero's Rune.

"Then, Martial Uncle, please accept this rune. These runes should be enough for now. If you need more, you can contact me. Teacher Sellen told me that if you ever needed help, I should do everything I could to help you!"

"Ah... This is enough..."

This time, Topos did not refuse. Seeing Lin Luo bow, Topos hurriedly stood and helped him up.

"Thank you... Thank you, Senior Sellen, and thank you too, Tarnished."

"Just call me Lin Luo..."

Seeing Topos accept the rune, Lin Luo smiled happily as well.

"Then... Lin Luo... I have one more request. I hope you can agree to it... if possible."

"Of course..."

"I imagine this is your first time here as well... I will tell you everything I know about this land."

"Look north from here. Do you see the structure standing upon the water? That is Raya Lucaria Academy, the hall of learning for Glintstone sorcerers. But the academy has been sealed for a long time. To uphold its creed of refusing to intervene in the Shattering War, the academy placed magical seals at both the eastern gate facing the Royal Capital and the southern gate leading to this land."

"...Those seals remain unbroken even now.

Without a Glintstone Key, one cannot enter the academy."

Topos patiently recounted everything he knew about the academy, seemingly wanting to do whatever he could for Lin Luo.

"If you can find a Glintstone Key... I hope you can give it to me... I want to return to that hall of learning once more and complete the... magic... I have yet to finish..."