Library Room

Luke sat on the shuttle bound for Aolu Academy.

When she boarded, she saw the Imperial Secret Agents chasing after her. The timing was perfect.

Clear Sky's appearance this time was enough to throw all of Raging Wave City into chaos. Whatever covert moves the Administration Hall had planned in Cape District, they would have to pull back and support Aolu Academy first.

Outside the window, the city's buildings warped and sped away behind them as space shifted.

When they passed a certain threshold, the darkness of night was instantly replaced by daylight, and the academy shuttle traveled along a country road lined with birdsong and flowers.

At the end of the road stood an ancient castle straight out of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

That was Aolu Academy.

Aolu Academy had a history of over a thousand years. In its early days, it was located inside Raging Wave City and called Aolu Magic Academy. Later, when the Aolu Mages discovered a stable subspace in Raging Wave City, they moved the academy there.

Raging Wave City was an open port city, and its character had influenced the way Aolu Magic Academy was run.

Aolu Magic Academy was the first magic academy in the Golden Shield Empire to establish fields of study beyond magic. It had even changed its name to "Aolu Academy."

In fields ranging from magic, alchemy, steam, and machinery to supernatural research, Aolu Academy was at the forefront of the world. Its excellence and openness drew renowned scholars from all over the world, as well as the Empire's finest students.

As the academy shuttle traveled along the country road, other shuttles bringing students back appeared one after another.

Day and night in the subspace were the exact opposite of those in the main space. Since today was also the first day of a new week, Luke encountered students returning to school after spending the weekend at home.

The academy shuttles all stopped in the plaza outside the academy. Before long, it was crowded with students in matching uniforms.

After getting off, Haidixike called out to the girl who had been sitting with Luke. "Lydia, wasn't Professor Clear Sky sitting with you? Where is she?"

Lydia looked around, puzzled. "Professor Clear Sky? She definitely got off with me just now. How did she disappear so quickly?"

The students who had come with her jumped and peered over the crowd, but they couldn't find the Elf professor who had arrived with them.

"Don't bother looking. Since Professor Clear Sky came to complete her hiring paperwork, we'll definitely see her again inside the academy."

"Okay..." Haidixike sounded a little disappointed.

By then, Luke was already walking along one of the avenues inside Aolu Academy.

Actually, if not for the need to draw the Imperial Secret Agents' attention, Luke had plenty of ways to enter the subspace where Aolu Academy was located. After all, this was where Players collected recipes and learned skills, and there were also plenty of entertaining academy-themed storylines.

As an ancient academy, it also contained many mysterious items.

Along the way, Luke greeted students and staff with easy familiarity, acting like an approachable visiting Elf professor, then walked into the academy library.

The Aolu Academy library was a four-story building in the fortress style of several centuries ago. It was one of the oldest teaching buildings still standing at the academy. Many secrets were hidden inside, and it was also the setting for more supernatural storylines than anywhere else.

Since it was Monday morning, there were very few people in the library.

Luke followed the spiral staircase in the lobby down to the basement and found Library Room 36.

A dim lightbulb illuminated the room, which was just over ten square meters. Books filled the shelves on all four walls. They were covered in dust, though, clearly neglected by the librarians.

Luke pulled a book from the shelf and dusted it off.

The Relationship Between Curses and Secret Arts

By Lowell Felix.

He opened the title page:

Were the Curse Arts a branch of the Secret Arts?

Were the Secret Arts a branch of the Curse Arts?

These were two fascinating questions!

After Aolu Academy first tasted the benefits of opening up its fields of study, there was a period when it welcomed every scholarly pursuit without exception. Ideas of all kinds exploded like a herd of runaway horses.

The Secret Arts, the oldest field of study of them all, received a great deal of attention at Aolu Academy during that period. Arrogant mages tried to discover the most fundamental principles of the Secret Arts and establish a system of knowledge that could be understood and applied, putting an end to its reliance on experience.

If they could succeed, the Secret Arts would surely become a great field of study to rival magic and alchemy.

Yet the Aolu Mages, who had surged ahead in every other field of study, met with disaster when it came to the Secret Arts.

Several calamities caused by the Secret Arts, along with a group of Aolu Mages who had lost their minds from becoming obsessed with them, nearly brought Aolu Academy to ruin.

After that disaster, Aolu Academy removed the Secret Arts from its curriculum and imposed strict restrictions on research into them.

A vast number of books and documents related to the Secret Arts were destroyed. What remained consisted of histories and analyses of the Secret Arts; not one book dealt with practicing them.

All those books had been gathered in this cramped Library Room 36, leaving behind a faint glimmer of the Secret Arts' former glory.

Holding The Relationship Between Curses and Secret Arts, Luke read on, completely losing track of time.

Outside Aolu Academy, a large number of cars arrived, carrying Imperial Secret Agents and security officers.

But the Aolu Mages stopped them all at the academy gates.

"I am Councilor Kipling Virgil." Surrounded by the agents and security officers, Councilor Virgil stepped forward and addressed the Aolu Mage blocking the way. "We have reliable intelligence that an extremely dangerous person has entered Aolu Academy.

"For the children's safety, please let us in to search."

"Greetings, Councilor!" The Aolu Mage guarding the entrance bowed to Councilor Virgil, then replied with great confidence, "Aolu Academy has a comprehensive defense force. If a dangerous person has entered the academy, we will deal with them ourselves.

"This might even be a good opportunity for the students to get some practical experience."

Councilor Virgil said sternly, "You have no idea how dangerous this person is. She killed over a hundred people in Cape District, and she may well be carrying the 'Heart of Red Dragon Nilcolon.' Last night, she also acquired all the materials needed for a summoning.

"Now she's entered your academy!

"If you don't want your students' practical exercise to be fighting a raging Red Dragon, then let us in!"

Hearing that a Red Dragon might be summoned inside the academy, the Aolu Mage blocking the way finally lost some of his confidence in the academy's defenses.

But he still didn't let them in right away.

"Please wait, Councilor Virgil. I'll report this to our dean immediately."

"Go, now!"

Councilor Virgil urged the Aolu Mage, then called Bonar over. "Aolu Academy holds a very special position. I'll ask you once more: are you sure that female Elf named Clear Sky entered Aolu Academy?"

Bonar replied, "Yes. My people and I saw her board an Aolu Academy shuttle with our own eyes. The license plate was... Aolu 24. You can verify it by finding the mage who rode with them."