Hearing Bai Shi's words, Sellen let out a light laugh.
"Heh heh, my apprentice, you'd best remember this. The lineage of our school has quite the history."
"Oh? How so?"
Bai Shi was a bit curious.
Sellen looked up slightly, as if reminiscing.
"In the Academy of Raya Lucaria, there were once two sorcerers who were absolutely worthy of the title 'master.'"
"They were the highest-ranking preceptors in the academy. One was named Lusat, the other Azur."
"All the current preceptors and classrooms in the academy have merely learned a few scraps of sorcery by following in their footsteps."
"Master Azur was the founder of glintstone sorcery, and also... my first teacher."
"I hope that, as you've said, you won't bring shame to my teachings, nor to our school."Beneath her glintstone crown, Sellen revealed a complex, indescribable expression unseen by others.
Those were Sellen's happy days studying at the academy, a rare time in her long life when she could completely relax, with each day passing in ease and joy.
Upon first entering the academy, Sellen displayed astonishing magical talent and quickly stood out among the apprentices.
After completing the most basic magical studies, she was accepted as a student under Master Azur far earlier than most.
Although Azur's teaching was extremely strict, even famously so throughout the academy, Sellen's talent was truly exceptional, so she was always able to pass his assessments.
Outside of his studies, Master Azur was actually quite a kind person... as long as you didn't disturb his research.
Even before Sellen had made a name for herself, Azur allowed her to accompany him to symposiums, which drew the dissatisfaction of many other preceptors at the time.
However, under Azur's authority, no one could say a word. Thus, Sellen soon surpassed her peers, delving into the loftier realms of sorcery.
Therefore, she progressed with incredible speed, soon transforming from an apprentice into the academy's most gifted woman in its history. She was a celebrity at the academy, free to study and discuss in any classroom—an experience straight out of a power fantasy.
In short, during her time at the academy, Master Azur frequently backed her up.
Perhaps Sellen's current personality was influenced by Master Azur back then.
Thanks to her relationship with Master Azur, Sellen also had the opportunity to study under Master Lusat for a time.
But the good times didn't last.
As Lusat and Azur each glimpsed their own unique primeval current, everything changed.
No one knew what they saw in that distant cosmos.
People only knew that from then on, the two of them became stronger—so strong it was terrifying. Anything that stood in their way was annihilated by their sorceries.
If the two masters had previously commanded the respect of all, after they glimpsed the primeval currents of their respective sorceries, they commanded only the fear of all sorcerers.
But this power came at a price. After glimpsing the primeval current, their minds and bodies became abnormal.
Glintstones began to emerge from their flesh, their spirits grew silent, and their thoughts became as cold as inorganic matter.
The academy seized this opportunity to banish them both, imprisoning them in separate locations. They declared the school of the Primeval Current a taboo, to be dealt with and purged over time.
The two masters accepted this decision with such calm that Sellen only learned of it on the morning of Master Azur's departure.
At the time, Sellen had questioned Master Azur, asking why they would choose to obey the academy's decision when they possessed such immense power.
Master Azur simply reached out, patting Sellen's head one last time, before placing the witch's glintstone crown he had long prepared for her on her head—a symbol of her recognized mastery in the pursuit of sorcery.
"Sellen, it's pointless to argue with common folk... No matter where you are, you must never forget what we Primeval Sorcerers seek."
"From now on, you must forge your own path, my most beloved child of the stars."
"And finally, congratulations on graduating from the academy's strictest preceptor."
With that, Master Azur turned and left, without a hint of hesitation even before his most beloved student.
Watched over by his escorts, Master Azur's back, eroded by glintstone, receded into the distance.
It was a sight Sellen would never forget.
At that moment, Sellen thought:
If she could become a Primeval Sorcerer and glimpse her own unique primeval current, she would reclaim everything that belonged to their school.
Master Azur's contributions to the current glory of glintstone sorcery were undeniable, yet the academy, manipulated by the Carian Royal Family, had deemed the Primeval Current, the school dedicated to exploring the cosmos, a taboo.
The restoration of the Primeval Current's glory is our undeniable duty.
So, she donned the witch's glintstone crown and, without hesitation or regard for the means, embarked on the path to the primeval current.
She would protect everything of the Primeval Current.
Sellen came back to her senses, realizing she had been lost in her memories.
'Ah, it seems that no matter how many times I change bodies, the profound influence of the soul and its memories is unavoidable.'
"My apologies. I was suddenly reminded of my master and lost myself in thought."
"Let's begin your sorcery lesson."
Sellen changed the subject a bit stiffly.
A sudden feeling had led her to reminisce about her master.
As for Bai Shi's promise not to bring shame to her teachings, she felt that the sentiment alone was enough.
Learning sorcery like the masses at the academy was simple.
But to achieve true mastery—that was a realm only geniuses like Sellen could reach. With Bai Shi's current intelligence, it was still beyond him.
From Bai Shi's perspective, after Sellen had spoken of Master Azur, she became lost in memory, looking up without a word.
The bond between master and student must have been incredibly deep.
Despite such a deep bond, Sellen still chose to merge with her two masters, becoming the Graven-Mass, to explore the primeval current.
He couldn't imagine the resolve Teacher Sellen must have had at that time.
To explore the primeval current of glintstone sorcery, to explore the cosmos.
This long-forgotten aspiration and ancient vow, forgotten by most sorcerers, clung to the practitioners of the Primeval Current like a profound curse.
If possible, I shouldn't let Teacher Sellen know the locations of Master Lusat and Master Azur in the future.
I'll have to find another way to help my teacher explore the primeval current.
Bai Shi knew a thing or two about basic astronomy; he wondered if that knowledge would be useful someday.
Soon, master and apprentice entered a state of teaching and learning.
"Glintstone sorcery is the art of finding the power within glintstones and wielding it. The so-called glintstones are amber formed from the stars."
"Just as golden amber contains the power of ancient life's residual fragments, so too does glintstone contain the power of the stars' residual life."
"You must remember this: glintstone sorcery is about the study of the stars and their life."
Teacher Sellen explained the essence and origin of glintstone sorcery to Bai Shi in detail.
As expected of a student of Master Azur, the founder of glintstone sorcery, her understanding of it was incredibly profound.
Teacher Sellen held nothing back, and nearly all the academy's sorceries could be learned from her. Moreover, with Bai Shi's current intelligence attribute, he was capable of learning the vast majority of them.
Coupled with the fact that he had already learned the fundamentals of sorcery from Teacher Thops, Bai Shi's progress was incredibly fast. Whenever he struggled with the written theory, Teacher Sellen would take him to the spacious cellar outside, where he would brandish his staff and cast spells, experiencing the flow of magic firsthand.
At times, Teacher Sellen would even personally adjust Bai Shi's posture for casting sorceries.
"Apprentice, the motions for casting sorcery are also crucial. The slightest difference can lead to vastly different outcomes."
"Many sorcerers don't know this, and even if they did, they wouldn't care. But I want you to remember it well."
"As for how to cast sorceries in combat, I will teach you that later."
Bai Shi was like a puppet, his posture corrected by Sellen, who didn't let even the most minute, fractional movement go unscrutinized.
It could only be said that Teacher Sellen's standards for these details were truly exacting.
Bai Shi had already realized that Teacher Sellen's talk of being strict was no empty threat; she had rigorous standards for sorcery.
Under Teacher Sellen's guidance, Bai Shi's sorcery skills improved by leaps and bounds.
Although Teacher Thops had a firm grasp of the fundamentals, he was limited by his own talent.
He could teach the basics, but anything more advanced relied on Teacher Sellen.
Even with the fundamentals, Teacher Sellen could pinpoint the areas where Bai Shi was still imperfect, details that Thops had overlooked.
If Bai Shi were to describe Teacher Sellen's sorcery, it would be with the words "precise" and "meticulous." Every single detail had to be executed to perfection.
The lesson continued for a long time.
With his Flask of Cerulean Tears, Bai Shi was naturally fine. Besides, there was a Site of Grace right nearby where he could restore his FP at any time.
As a powerful sorceress, Teacher Sellen's reserves of FP were as deep and boundless as the ocean.
Finally, Bai Shi's mental fortitude began to waver. The pressure from the high-intensity learning was becoming too much for him to bear.
His entire mind felt stuffed with knowledge, as if it were about to burst. It was the first time he had ever studied to such an extent.
Sorcery was completely different from incantations and skills; it required a great deal of theoretical study.
Bai Shi wanted to push through and continue learning, but Teacher Sellen noticed his condition and stopped him.
"You've been studying for a long time, my apprentice. Why don't we take a short break and chat for a bit?"
"Your master is also a little curious about you."
"As my apprentice, you should at least let me know a little about your background, shouldn't you?"
Sellen took the initiative to give Bai Shi a graceful way out, allowing him to rest for a while.
Bai Shi wasn't so unperceptive as to miss the cue. He nodded and asked:
"Then, Teacher, what would you like to know?"
Sellen sat on her chair, one hand supporting her glintstone crown.
"After I arrived in the lands of Stormveil, I heard the name 'Bai Shi, Lord of Stormveil' everywhere on the road. I assume that's you?"
Bai Shi admitted it freely.
"Yes, that's me."
"Not long ago, I defeated Godrick, took his Great Rune, and reclaimed Stormveil Castle."
Sellen nodded. It was just as she had heard on her journey.
She had suspected as much when Bai Shi first introduced himself, though she hadn't been certain. But such an unusual name was unlikely to be shared by anyone else in the Lands Between.
"I see. Heh heh. I never thought I'd one day become the teacher of a king."
Bai Shi then said:
"Teacher, if you're willing, you could come live with me in Stormveil. I'll arrange the finest rooms for you, so you won't have to stay in this gloomy cellar."
But Sellen refused.
As the Graven Witch, wanted and hunted by the academy, her hands were stained with the blood of sorcerers. She was an undeniable enemy of the academy.
If Sellen's presence were discovered in Stormveil, those from the academy would surely come looking for her soon enough.
Even if Bai Shi was very powerful, being targeted by those old coots from the academy was never a good thing.
The academy's ability to harass was first-rate: puppet soldiers, hot air balloons, long-range surveillance...
Even if Bai Shi wasn't afraid of such petty tricks, it would still cause trouble for the forces under his command.
"There's no need for me to go to Stormveil. I prefer quiet places like this; being alone also makes it easier for me to research sorcery."
"By the way, you'd studied sorcery with someone else before coming to me, haven't you? I remember the first time I saw you, you didn't have the faintest trace of glintstone's aura about you."
He hadn't expected Teacher Sellen to be so perceptive.
"Yes. I previously met a preceptor named Thops. I studied with him for a while, mainly learning the fundamentals of sorcery."
Teacher Sellen nodded. It was good that someone had taught him the basics for her; it would save a lot of time.
Sellen then offered her comments.
"Although I don't know him, I can see that his research and understanding of the fundamentals are very thorough. He's quite impressive among sorcerers."
"That's something many sorcerers lack. They're too ambitious, always dreaming of reaching the heavens in a single bound on talent alone. Those people at the academy... they've truly only learned *how* to use sorcery, and nothing more."
Seeing that Teacher Sellen seemed to hold Teacher Thops in relatively high regard, Bai Shi decided to ask about what Thops was currently researching.
As Sellen listened to Bai Shi describe Thops's concept, she continuously ran calculations in her mind.
"Mm, he certainly has a unique understanding of sorcery. At least, I can't find any clear flaw that proves his path is impossible."
"However, his field of research and mine are worlds apart. I can't say for certain if he will succeed. It all depends on his own abilities."
"If he truly manages to prove this theory according to his design, then he will have earned a place for his name in the annals of sorcery."
"Even if he fails, he is still worthy of respect. At the very least, he retains the vision of a sorcerer who never stops exploring."
Even though they were not on the same path, Sellen still gave Thops a high evaluation.
In the world of the mediocre, if your level of sorcery isn't high, you will forever be the object of their ridicule.
But for geniuses like Sellen, what did strength matter? Could anyone be stronger than them?
As long as there was something even they could acknowledge, that was enough to earn their recognition.
Bai Shi felt a slight tinge of regret. He had originally thought that if Teacher Sellen were interested, he could introduce his two teachers to each other to exchange ideas.
If he could get Teacher Sellen's help to complete the research on the force field ahead of schedule, it would be very convenient for his own use.
After all, what Teacher Thops was researching was something very fundamental, and the culmination of these fundamentals was a force field that even warriors could use.
If he could implement it on a large scale within his army, his forces would possess a powerful trump card.
In the future, sorcerers and incantation-wielders would be as good as defenseless against his army.
But for now, it seemed he would have to wait for Teacher Thops to complete the research himself.
Still, it wasn't a total loss. The imperfect aspects that Teacher Sellen had pointed out when guiding him on the fundamentals were things Bai Shi could relay back to Teacher Thops, which should help him perfect his theory.
Perhaps he could seek out Corhyn, or even Goldmask.
Their research into the principles of the Golden Order might be of some help, and the fields might even be mutually beneficial.
Bai Shi and Teacher Sellen continued to converse for a while longer, getting to know each other a little better, before resuming the sorcery lesson.