Entering the Academy

"You went out to run an experiment. How did you end up hurting your arm?" Helena treated Zhao Si's arm with Healing Incantation.

Zhao Si smiled. "I just banged it against something. It's nothing serious."

"Just because incantations are convenient doesn't mean you can stop taking care of yourself." Helena was worried about Zhao Si. She thought he was far too reckless. Ever since his fight with the Lion Misbegotten, he seemed to be getting hurt all the time.

Zhao Si scratched his head. "Getting through everything without a scratch is a bit much to ask."

Helena planted her hands on her hips, a little angry. "You should still dodge what you can!"

"All right, all right. I'll be careful next time." Zhao Si looked a little sheepish, but warmth filled his heart. He could truly feel Helena's concern for him. There was nothing insincere about it.

Thops looked embarrassed. "It's all my fault. He got hurt because I was careless."

"This has nothing to do with you." Zhao Si shook his head. "It's not like you can control how powerful the spell is."

"But the research has still hit a wall." Thops sighed. "I don't know what to do."

"Using a shield really isn't convenient enough." Zhao Si took out paper and a pen and began sketching. "My idea is to turn it into something wearable. Condense it into a small glintstone accessory, then wear it to create a protective barrier. When it detects an incoming attack spell, it activates automatically and deflects the magic. That should do it."

The reason Zhao Si hadn't pursued established defensive spells like Retaliation or Eternal Darkness was that Thops was the easiest person to approach right now. Carian Retaliation was a closely guarded core technique of the Carian knights, while Eternal Darkness would probably require a trip to Sellia, the town of sorcery.

Besides, a force field that deflected other spells suited a brute like Zhao Si much better.

"That's a fascinating idea." Thops's eyes lit up, only to dim again a moment later.

"Don't overcomplicate things," Zhao Si said. "Come on. Let's take your research into the academy." He moved his arm around and found that it had fully healed.

"Will that really work?" Thops had far too little confidence in himself.

Zhao Si sighed. "If you can't find the courage yourself, you'll never finish the research you want to do. I can't keep helping you forever. You have to help yourself. But if you really don't want to go, I'll just go alone."

He slipped the finished sketch into the little pouch at his waist. That was only for show; in reality, he had put it in his Inventory.

"But you only just beat up those sorcerers a few days ago..." Thops reached out hesitantly.

"So what? Worst case, I'll beat them up again!" Zhao Si didn't care. "Even the academy follows the rule that whoever has the bigger fist is right, doesn't it? If the Full Moon Queen could beat them into submission, so can I."

"But you don't even know any magic!" Thops cried.

"Doesn't matter." Zhao Si raised his fist. "I'll use my fists. Being beaten by a brute using sheer strength will probably make those sorcerers want to kill themselves out of shame."

As long as the magic doesn't hit me, there's nothing to fear.

Zhao Si hadn't yet realized that his mindset had changed. He was no longer afraid of pain or of stirring up trouble. If anything really happened, he would let the Two Fingers take the heat. That was what leaders were for. Unless he made some trouble for the Fingers, they wouldn't know what to do with themselves. In fact, his leaders were thinking much the same thing: the Fingers were planning to let their "temp worker" take the heat.

Thops hadn't expected Zhao Si to be so bold. "All right, then. Wait for me. We'll go together."

The two left side by side, leaving Helena to watch the house. Zhao Si mainly felt that bringing Helena along might make things even more troublesome. As a Finger Maiden, she might get on those sorcerers' nerves even more than a Tarnished would.

This time, though, Zhao Si wasn't quite so overconfident. He put on a helmet and covered his face with its visor, hiding his eyes. That might make things a little easier.

After all, whether someone had grace was judged by whether their eyes glowed. He had never heard of any other way to check.

The academy's gates stood open, and Thops led Zhao Si inside. The academy was fairly welcoming and didn't forbid outsiders from entering, though the Cuckoo soldiers guarding the gate gave Zhao Si a few extra looks.

As they passed through the corridor and by Cuckoo Church, they could see Four-Armed Marionettes standing against the walls. An ordinary visitor would surely have taken them for decorations, but Zhao Si knew they were magical constructs that served as the academy's security system. With knives clutched in all four hands, they were vicious when they started swinging.

"What is it?" Thops noticed Zhao Si looking at the marionettes.

"Nothing. I just thought their design was pretty distinctive," Zhao Si said.

Thops smiled. "You'll be even more surprised if you see a Crystalian."

"Where can I find a Crystalian?" Zhao Si asked.

"Follow me."

Thops led Zhao Si through the corridor and up to the second floor, then pointed into a classroom. "Look. A Crystalian."

Zhao Si leaned against the doorframe and peered inside. A Crystalian stood on the teaching platform.

The Crystalian had a deep-purple body, tall and thin, carved into a human shape, complete with a mushroom-shaped haircut. Quite a few students wearing head coverings bowed respectfully to the Crystalian.

"I hear they've been studying the Crystalians' faint thoughts. They've even developed crystal sorceries from them," Thops whispered behind him.

Zhao Si found that strange. "Aren't they afraid the Crystalian will suddenly attack someone?"

"Attack someone? Why would a Crystalian do that?" Thops didn't understand.

"Because they're humanoid weapons," Zhao Si whispered. "Look, isn't that one holding a weapon?"

"But nothing like that has ever happened." Thops frowned. "The Crystalians are all very quiet."

Zhao Si nodded and stopped dwelling on it. Perhaps Crystalians were like magical robots and wouldn't do anything dangerous unless they received an attack order or faced a threat.

"Come on, let's go." Thops pulled Zhao Si away before the students noticed them. They spent ages wandering around the academy and looking through classroom after classroom. Zhao Si couldn't help remarking, "This academy is huge."

The academy occupied an enormous area. Inside, it was like a university town, complete with dining halls and dormitories, and the gardens were beautifully landscaped.

"We can't go that way."

When Zhao Si tried to venture deeper into the garden, Thops stopped him. "That area is off-limits. Carian knights stand guard there."

"Oh, is there a Red Wolf there too?" Zhao Si asked.

Thops nodded. "Yes. That path leads to the Grand Library. Queen Rennala stays there year-round to rest, protected by the Carian knights and the Red Wolf the king left behind."

The giant wolf with Radagon's distinctive red fur was, apart from the Great Rune in the amber, the only memento he had left Rennala. Their marriage

had ended in divorce, and the abandoned Rennala had truly been dealt a terrible hand.

Who knew who was actually running the academy now that Rennala had lost her mind?

Just as all the running around was beginning to irritate Zhao Si, Thops finally led him to Sellen and the two master sorcerers. They were exploring the origins of magic in a small, secluded classroom.

The two masters were unmistakable. One was Azur, with towering blue-green pillars of glintstone atop his head. The other was Lusat, with a huge blue sphere of glintstone atop his. Between them, a sorceress wearing a glintstone crown carved into a woman's face quietly watched the two uninvited visitors, Zhao Si and Thops.

Panting, Zhao Si wiped away his sweat and swallowed. "I have a new way to explore the origins of magic. Would the three of you like to hear about it?"