"Who is it?"
"It's me, Gwen."
Standing before Sellen's door, Mohg received a prompt response after knocking.
A moment later, the door creaked open. Sellen stood there, already wearing a Glintstone Crown upon her head. This was an honor bestowed upon her after she had completed yet another significant piece of research into glintstone sorcery—though, in her own words, such recognition was only to be expected.
"What do you want? If you don't have a good reason, I'm going to use you to test my latest concoction."
Mohg shuddered involuntarily. Her words triggered a deeply unpleasant memory. For some inexplicable reason a while back, Sellen had suddenly developed a fervent interest in brewing magical potions.
The things she cooked up... whether in effect or flavor, were utterly indescribable.
During that period, he had become her primary test subject. Fortunately, after a week of experiments yielded no significant results, Sellen abandoned that particular pursuit, finally releasing Mohg from his misery.
Otherwise, he feared he might have blown his cover over something as ridiculous as a bad potion.
"I am here on behalf of the Carian Royal Family to extend an invitation to you."
"...Fine. Remember to come by tomorrow for the potion trial."
"Wait!"
Panicking, Mohg quickly jammed his hand into the doorframe to keep it from closing. He forced a smile onto his face as he looked at Sellen. "Could you at least give me a reason first?"
"The Royal Family has no sorceries I wish to learn. I gain nothing by joining them," Sellen explained, crossing her arms as her tone turned flat. "Moreover, given the current political climate, joining the Royals would likely make it very difficult for me to remain in the Academy to study further."
She let go of the doorknob, her posture defensive. Mohg understood exactly what she meant. Simply put, joining the Royal Family would cost her the Academy's trust, barring her from the sorceries and journals held by the various professors.
Many secrets of the Primeval Current were kept either in the Raya Lucaria Grand Library or within the private collections of the senior professors. Access to those required the Academy's absolute confidence.
Specifically, the core tenets of the Primeval Current were physically held by certain sorcery professors. To obtain them, she had to stay within the Academy's good graces—unless Rellana or Rennala personally intervened to demand them. But how likely was that?
Thus, Sellen had no intention of joining the Carians.
"If that's your concern, Princess Rellana asked me to give you a message," Mohg said. "She says the Royal Family possesses exactly what you are looking for."
Sellen's body stiffened. A long silence followed.
Just as Mohg began to wonder if she had frozen up, she spoke.
"I need time to consider."
"You had better be quick, then. Princess Rellana told me we will be leaving the Academy for Caria the day after tomorrow at the latest."
"I understand. I will give you my answer tomorrow evening."
Mohg nodded and pulled his hand back from the door, intending to return and report his progress.
Left at her doorway, Sellen fell into deep thought. She was dissecting the meaning behind Rellana's message. Did it refer to ordinary glintstone sorcery... or was it a nod to her identity as a Primevalist, implying the existence of Primeval journals and high-level spells?
She leaned toward the latter—or rather, she hoped it was the latter.
If true, it meant the Royal Family's stance toward the Primeval Current had shifted, or perhaps they simply needed a Primeval sorcerer to assist in their own research. Regardless, it suggested the Royals needed someone of her background and wouldn't harbor immediate hostility.
That prospect was enough to make Sellen's heart stir.
It would mean access to the Royal Family's private Primeval archives while providing a safe environment to pursue her forbidden studies. But there was still the issue of the sorceries remaining here at the Academy.
Sellen found herself caught in a frustrating dilemma.
Meanwhile, Mohg had already relayed Sellen's response to Rellana.
Upon hearing the news, Rellana's face lit up with a satisfied smile. She knew Sellen would eventually accept. After all, the Royals held a spell that the sorceress could never refuse: the signature sorcery of Master Azur himself!
Of course, that wasn't actually for her to learn.
As Mohg had suspected, the relationship between the Carians and the Primevalists remained ambiguous. A Primeval Current that was half-dead and under control was the only kind of Primeval Current the Royals would tolerate.
"Very well, you may go. You don't need to study with Renna today. Rest for these next two days; we will discuss further matters once we reach Caria."
"Understood."
Mohg nodded and took his leave.
To be honest, under Ranni's—or "Renna's"—watchful eye for the past six months, he hadn't dared to make a single move. His original plan to establish a Blood Basin within the Academy's secret tunnels had been scrapped entirely.
But thankfully, he had finally endured it. Once they left the Academy and he was free from Ranni's surveillance, he could begin executing his series of plans.
While he was at it, he could finally settle the matter of the Academy's secret passages that he'd been thinking about for so long.
If he couldn't do it inside the tunnels, what was stopping him from doing it just outside the entrance? He had already mapped out the general location of the secret path. Once they were out, he would just send his people to investigate the area.
"Liana."
"Lord Mohg!"
A voice filled with pleasant surprise rang out in Mohg's mind.
"You are finally willing to contact me! What are your orders?"
Hearing the slight trace of resentment in Liana's first sentence, Mohg felt a pang of guilt. Although he had been keeping an eye on her progress, he hadn't had any specific plans for the Liurnia region lately, so he hadn't reached out.
"Ahem... Liana, I will soon be 'emerging' from the Academy to head for Caria. Once I am out, have a team move to these coordinates to establish a Blood Basin. After that, lead the main force to a cave within the stone forests near Caria and remain hidden."
"I understand. I will arrange it immediately."
Liana answered quickly, ready to fulfill his command, but Mohg called out to her again.
"Lord Mohg?"
"I intend to grant you another blessing. After this, you will be able to serve as my vessel. Are you willing?"
"I am!!!"
The moment she heard the word "vessel," Liana's face flushed with fervor. She gave her answer without a second's hesitation.
Her sheer enthusiasm caught Mohg off guard, though he quickly regained his composure.
This "Vessel" capability was a new power that had manifested from the accumulation of faith and spiritual energy over the last six months. It allowed a follower with a deep connection to him to serve as a physical host for his manifestation.
The cost was that the host would be left in an extremely weakened state for seven days following the descent.
The benefit, however, was that Mohg could utilize roughly 70% of his full power through their body, bolstered by the strength of his followers' faith.
By Mohg's estimation, in this state, his combat prowess would reach the top tier of the "Hero" rank.
The only downside was the massive consumption of faith energy—the drainage rate was incredibly fast. Compared to this method, he still preferred using faith to empower his own true body. Only then could he unleash his maximum potential.
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Elden Ring: As the Consort, I Reject Miquella (444 Chapters – Full)
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