Sellen adjusted her glasses and circled around him, extending her fair hand to trace the engraved magic runes; she ignored the wounds, focused entirely on the task. Feeling the sensation of her delicate fingertips tracing over his skin, Throne felt a bit ticklish, followed by a wave of daze; he had imagined the scene of their reunion countless times.
Even if he didn't dare hope for his silly teacher to hold him and weep, they should at least have sat down to talk about the past ten years; he never expected that their first time alone after so many years would be for a physical examination.
"Fortunately, the Ranni avatar has exhausted its energy, otherwise they would be fighting tooth and nail right now; but the two of them will meet sooner or later, what should I do then?"
Throne felt a headache coming on, even forgetting that he had been charging through blood and battle just a few hours ago; that was just how it was being with Sellen, as no normal person could keep up with her leaping train of thought. No, he absolutely could not let those two meet alone; Ranni was already full of vigilance, and Sellen was full of interest in her.
A demigod, a puppet body, his fiancée—she could derive research topics from every angle. As for Ranni's counterattack? Forget it; even a piece of wood could make her lose her composure, so how could she have the ability to deal with a mad scientist?
"Hmm, this engraving technique is too rough; are you carving your own body like wood? It truly lacks any sense of art!"
Sellen pinched her chin, shaking her head as she observed, causing Throne, who had been lost in thought, to feel his blood pressure spike. Under that kind of pain, what sense of art could he possibly pursue? It was a miracle he hadn't passed out from the agony.
"There was no other way; given the limited conditions, it's already decent that I managed to get it to look like this."
Throne was unconvinced.
"That won't do; one cannot be complacent on the path of pursuing truth. However, I will forgive you, as it is indeed difficult to find suitable materials while traveling."
Sellen took off her glasses and remembered something else: "Aren't you some kind of Carian Knight? Why didn't you wait until you returned to Caria? That Lunar Princess should have quite high attainments in magic research."
"Circumstances forced my hand; I needed this power to face my enemies."
"That is why you must improve your knowledge and prioritize research, rather than rushing to risk your life."
Sellen began to lecture, and then took off her robe while Throne was putting his clothes on.
With her fair body and simple undergarments, Throne stared at her in shock, feeling unable to keep up with her train of thought, but soon he saw the dense magic runes. Exquisite and delicate, every incision was perfectly executed, and the number was thirty percent higher than his; thinking back to the pain he had suffered—
"Teacher, you..."
"Hmph, I haven't been idle these years; I have long optimized my research. Do you remember that Legendary Sorcery?" Sellen laughed triumphantly, without mentioning the process at all.
"That nebula?"
Throne recalled the immensely powerful Legendary Sorcery that could provide both area-of-effect suppression and be hurled down as a whole.
"That's right, this is the result of my research. Wait here."
Sellen turned back to rummage in the cabinet, while Throne stood where he was, not knowing what to say. Her smooth, fair back, and the perfect curves when she leaned over—before he could think much, Sellen walked back holding a stack of thick notebooks. Seeing Throne's strange expression, she tugged at her undergarment strap.
"The core of the primeval glintstone is on my left breast.
"Would you like to take another look?"
"Ah, that... that won't be necessary."
Throne wasn't exactly a saint, but he didn't want to take advantage of this silly teacher.
"What a foolish apprentice; not eager to learn at all."
Sellen wrinkled her nose and let go, the strap snapping lightly against her fair skin. She cleared the bottles and jars off the table and set the notebooks down.
"Read them when you have time, and then write five papers on this subject."
"Yes."
"That's more like it. By the way, did you see clearly?"
"I saw clearly. No wonder your magic's destructive power is stronger than mine."
"That is one reason, but more importantly, this primeval glintstone was condensed by myself, and it is my greatest harvest over these ten years."
Sellen put her robe back on, but noticing Throne's regretful gaze, she prepared to take it off again. Throne hurriedly stepped forward to press down on her hand, insisting repeatedly that it wasn't necessary. Dealing with serious magic on one side while suppressing his urges on the other was simply torture. His behavior was somewhat contradictory, leaving Sellen baffled. She slapped her palm, suddenly realizing something.
"I understand now!"
"Understand what?"
Only half a day into their reunion, Throne was already starting to recall the pain of being dominated by his silly teacher.
"It triggered your physiological impulses, didn't it? Just wait a moment."
Sellen was unusually active today; if the people of the Haligtree saw her, they wouldn't recognize this typically cold and eccentric sorceress. She opened the cabinet for the third time, bent over to rummage inside, and then carried out a puppet that looked exactly like her.
"Come quickly and take a look, a gift from your teacher! Hmph, I have thoroughly mastered all of that old trash Seluvis's research over these years; you definitely won't be able to find any faults!"
Throne stood silently, looking at the two teachers. Indeed, he couldn't find any faults—no, wait, this gift itself was the biggest fault! He didn't know whether he should be touched or go up and rub Sellen's granite-like head. After a long while, he managed to choke out, "Congratulations, Teacher."
"Then please, let us continue our research from Summonwater Village. If you care about me, here is a Memory Stone; I can deduce the process based on it later..."
Before she could finish, Throne had already hugged her from behind, causing her to freeze slightly.
"You don't like this gift?"
"I like it, but what makes me even happier is reuniting with you. Don't bother with all that; let us, teacher and student, just chat quietly."
Throne's tone was serious, with no hint of evasion. He had finally realized that Sellen was actually very happy, having simulated the scene of their reunion countless times just like him. She was like an extremely excited child who couldn't wait to bring out all her collections, though this kind of joy was hard for a normal person to perceive. Throne felt the sorceress in his arms tense up for a moment, then slowly relax, like a soft doll. Sure enough, Sellen didn't bring up any experiments again, and she gently stroked the hands on her chest. The excitement caused by the passage of time rapidly faded, and tranquility returned to her body.
"Apprentice, go brew me a pot of tea. Use the recipe from when we first met; do you still remember it?"
"Yes, it is etched into my bones."
Throne released his hands, walked to the table nearby, and, as if by muscle memory, added the tea leaves and brewed it. A strange smell began to permeate the air. Looking at the tea that was bubbling with black foam, he nodded with satisfaction. Mm, an authentic dark culinary creation. To this day, he still didn't know how Sellen managed to drink this stuff, but that didn't matter. When he turned around, his teacher was no longer in the room. Golden light spilled from the east-facing side of the house. He followed it to a small balcony suspended by thick vines. The view stretched west across the Northern Sea's expanse. A wooden table stood between two high-backed chairs, their surfaces gray with dust until Sellen swept her sleeve across them. The dust told two truths—these seats had never been used, and Sellen had prepared this moment long in advance. The porcelain cup clinked as Throne set it down. He sank into the chair, the memory rising unbidden: that afternoon in Summonwater Village, fugitives bracing for Caelid's killing fields.
"Exactly as I remember."
Sellen sipped her tea, eyes crinkling shut with pleasure.
"I don't know how I endured these years without it. When you have time, I'll re-engrave your magic runes."
"You're still the same teacher."
Throne watched the horizon.
"The Lands Between have changed. We haven't."
The wounded of the Haligtree Army moaned in the distance. The sound should have unsettled him. It didn't.
"No. We've both changed."
Sellen's cup paused mid-air.
"You've grown stronger than words can capture. And this time—I've decided."
"Decided what?"
She traced the rim of her cup, studying him in the sunset—the man who could stand between her and any storm. The sea wind pulled at her black hair, etching her sharp features against the fading light. Her smile softened them.
"Nothing parts us again. Not gods. Not truth."
The Haligtree's branches tamed the sea breeze by the time it reached them. No longer biting. Just cool. Teacher and student, years apart, sat at the round table trading words. Sometimes laughter. For now, the wind carried away Sellen's strangeness and the blood-scent clinging to Throne. No blades. No duty. Just talk. Sellen's life had been barren; Throne filled the silence with his years. His return. His road. The foes his sword had felled. Even Melina. Even Ranni. With Sellen, there were no secrets. He didn't consider holding back. At Godrick's death, Sellen clapped—gleeful.
"If you hadn't killed that wretch, I would have."
Radahn's promise made her press fingers to her brow.
"Still reckless. Still mad."
Rykard and Morgott lit a fire in her eyes.
"You've slain multiple demigods?"
"Three, if we ignore Great Runes and count only combat. Rykard. The Draconic Tree Sentinel. Greyoll. Then the Crucible Knight and other top-tier warriors. First-class? Too many to name."
His tone didn't shift. Only now did he see the trail of corpses behind him. He raised his hand. A spear of golden light formed, length shifting at his will. Sellen showed no surprise at the signature move. Her gaze turned inward. A slow breath escaped her.
"I see."
"This is the true meaning of your power; it reminds me of the Ancient Great Serpent in the texts."
She'd watched the apprentice become the legend. Even the Lands Between's power classifications stemmed from their debates—she'd been there for every step.
"The resemblance is... undeniable."
"By the way, I also ate that serpent." Throne continued to smile in response. Sellen was slightly startled this time, half-jokingly saying, "You truly make me infinitely curious; I want to dissect you right now."
"Hehe, would you be willing to?"
"So I am only thinking about it. Since I cannot dissect you, I can find other research directions."
Sellen pinched her chin, revealing an inscrutable smile, "Let's talk about that Lunar Princess and the kindling maiden..."
At this point, she paused, following her memory, and began to count on her fingers, "Oh, there is also that Valkyrie avatar—no, wait—there is also that Ancient Dragon, the snake woman, and even that Spirit Steed. You foolish apprentice, where did you meet so many strange females?"
Sellen rattled them off like she was counting her family treasures, leaving Throne to offer an awkward smile. He couldn't answer this question; who knew how so many people had gathered around him? each one of them had an extraordinary background, belonged to different races, and some couldn't even be called humans or living beings.
"Uh, perhaps it is fate."
"Hmph, you just shift the responsibility to fate when it comes to things like this."
Sellen gave an unsatisfied hum, her smile becoming increasingly strange. Throne's heart skipped a beat. He had been willing to talk about these things entirely because Sellen didn't understand jealousy, but he seemed to have forgotten that among all the women around him, Sellen was the most eccentric.
"Good apprentice, you really are concerned about your teacher all the time."
"Th-this, how does that count as concern?"
"You've brought me observation materials after being separated for so long! Your teacher has suddenly thought of a very interesting research direction: can this ability of yours be inherited? Can it change depending on the mother?"
You ask me, but who am I supposed to ask? And isn't this just the perk of transmigrating?
"Probably not."
Upon hearing this, Sellen immediately frowned and said solemnly, "In science, one must never use vague words like 'probably.' If you don't know the reason, perform an experiment. If it doesn't work once, do it a few more times, and then compare the results!"
"How is one supposed to conduct an experiment on this?"
"Nonsense, aren't that Lunar Princess and the kindling maiden interested in you? Start with those two, then gradually expand the test group. Don't be shy; exploring truth requires a spirit of sacrifice. If it really doesn't work, your teacher will help you speak with them..."
Throne opened his mouth slightly, watching Sellen, who was spouting off in front of him. Although he had expected it, the problem he had been worried about had finally appeared. If Lansseax was an unstable bomb, then Sellen was a powder keg in the true sense of the word. The former looked like a fake driver, while the latter was simply unscrupulous. Princess Ranni, would you be willing to have a child with my apprentice? She could really say such things calmly. Throne could figure out the consequences even with his toes.
"Stop, stop, stop. That won't be necessary."
"Are you shy?"
"That's not it, but I have to consider Ranni and Melina's feelings."
"But didn't you just say they were interested in you? The scientific name for that is 'love.' I have studied it deeply these years. 'Love' is the basis of biological reproduction. Since the foundation is there, isn't it just a matter of following the flow?"
Throne blinked, feeling Sellen's logic was unassailable, but he soon realized he had been led into her trap. As if he would listen to the emotional education of this silly teacher!
"It's not that simple. Feelings are not something that can be described by text. Ranni, Melina, and I are far from that step, let alone the others. Stop worrying blindly. I'm far better at handling emotional matters than you are."
Throne's words hung in the air. Sellen's gaze sharpened, her suspicion palpable. His blood pressure spiked. Being dismissed by Godfrey was one thing, but this—this doubt from Sellen—was unbearable. What right did a sorceress obsessed with rationality have to question him?
Throne clenched his teeth. He could already sense the chaos ahead.
"Don't worry. I'll handle it."
"How long will it take?"
"How should I know? I've told you before—you lack emotional sensibility. These things are harder than studying magic. No formulas, no tangible values."
"That sounds inefficient. Fine, I can wait."
Sellen stretched, a yawn escaping her.
"You really don't want your teacher's help?"
"Absolutely not."
Throne's voice was steel. If Sellen got involved, even a duck in his hand would fly away.
Her eyebrows lifted, but she said nothing. Arguments between teacher and student were inevitable. She spread her hands.
"Bring me Azur's primeval glintstone."
Throne hesitated for a moment, then handed it over without question.
"Are you going to use it?"
"My constitution couldn't handle two primeval glintstones. Only a monster like you has even a chance."
Sellen opened it, her fingers tracing its surface. She pinched her chin, thoughtful.
"As expected, it still has consciousness. The one on you does too, right?"
"Yes. That's why I don't dare touch it."
Throne nodded. Lusat was essentially residing on his body—a hidden danger.
"Then I'll help you eliminate it. A master of Primeval Sorcery who should've died long ago—why should he linger on you?"