Lucian stood before the door to Master Thops' residence and knocked.
This building had once served as lodging for the sorcerers of Stormveil.
However, now that the Academy had been fully reclaimed, every sorcerer had returned to Raya Lucaria.
Only Master Thops remained, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of his theory.
Not long after the knock, movement came from inside.
The door swung open, revealing a gleaming bald head.
Looking up and seeing who had arrived, Master Thops' face lit up with surprise.
"Ah, Lucian!"
"You've finally come! My research succeeded!"
Seeing Lucian again after so long filled Thops with delight.
Especially now, when his life's work had finally been proven.
Although Lucian was nominally one of his students, Thops knew very well that, aside from the very beginning, there had been little he could truly teach him.
The one who had actually fulfilled the role of teacher had been the Academy's prodigy, Sorceress Sellen.
Instead, it had been Lucian supporting his research all this time.
A stable place to live.
The priceless tomes within the Converted Tower.
The blessing Lucian had bestowed upon him...
Because of all that, Thops had immersed himself in his studies with unwavering diligence.
If he failed to produce meaningful results, he would have been deeply ashamed.
Fortunately, not long ago, his work had finally reached a monumental breakthrough.
His theory had been completed.
He had uncovered the unified field underlying sorcery and incantations.
At the same time, he had also derived a practical application, a force field requiring remarkably little magical aptitude to employ.
Only now did Thops finally feel free of the embarrassment of living off another's generosity.
After all, he himself had never known whether his research would succeed.
From his perspective, Lucian's support had been no different from charity.
Watching the visibly excited Thops eagerly share his accomplishments, Lucian couldn't help smiling as well.
He was genuinely happy for his teacher.
The "bluntstone" no one had believed in had finally completed research worthy of being recorded in the history of sorcery.
And unlike in the game...
This time, Master Thops' theory still had room to grow.
The blessing of Grace that Lucian had personally bestowed would prevent physical exhaustion from ever overwhelming him.
The reclaimed Academy offered an ideal environment where countless sorcerers could participate in further research.
If Thops wished, Lucian could establish an entirely new school within Raya Lucaria.
A school that belonged solely to Master Thops.
The future of this theory was virtually limitless.
Smiling warmly, Lucian applauded.
"Congratulations."
"I've watched your hard work every step of the way."
"If even you couldn't have succeeded..."
"I truly can't imagine anyone else in the Lands Between accomplishing this."
Thops rubbed his shiny scalp and gently shook his head.
"Succeeded..."
"I know my own talent."
"If I didn't work harder than everyone else, I'd never have gotten anywhere."
"All I could do... was give it everything I had."
"Haha... fortunately, my talent happened to be just enough to derive this theory."
"The very talent that once filled me with despair..."
"...is now the thing I'm most grateful for."
Lucian shook his head at his teacher's self-deprecating words.
From the bottom of his heart, he said,
"There are indeed many sorcerers whose raw talent far surpasses yours."
"They've all achieved remarkable things in their respective fields."
"But this theory..."
"...this one-of-a-kind theory..."
"...could only have been derived by you."
"This is something only you could have accomplished, Master."
That was simply the truth.
Master Thops' Intelligence was unremarkable.
In fact, it was barely enough to qualify him as a high-ranking sorcerer.
Compared to the legendary masters capable of founding entire Sorcerer's Rises, the difference between them was like heaven and earth.
And yet...
Only he had succeeded in deriving this theory.
It was a miracle that only the "Bluntstone" could have achieved.
Of course, if one insisted, there was probably one other person in the Lands Between who might have accomplished something similar.
Radagon.
As Rennala's husband, he had studied sorcery.
As Queen Marika's consort, he had mastered incantations.
In the end, he had reached the point where he could effortlessly deflect both sorceries and incantations alike.
Still...
Comparing Master Thops to Radagon was hardly fair.
Embarrassed by Lucian's praise, Thops scratched his head awkwardly.
Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he slapped his thigh.
"Oh dear!"
"I got so excited..."
"I've been keeping you standing outside all this time."
"Come in, quickly."
"You should sit down."
"I'd like to properly share my work with you."
Stepping aside, Thops invited Lucian into the room.
Lucian nodded and took a seat at the table.
The desktop remained buried beneath towering piles of books and research notes.
Countless discarded drafts from the research process had been crumpled into balls and tossed into the wastebasket.
Many more littered the floor.
After all, the theory had only been completed within the past day or two.
There simply hadn't been time to clean.
Fortunately, despite the clutter, everything was still tidy rather than dirty.
Looking around, Thops smiled sheepishly, regretting that he hadn't cleaned up beforehand.
Still, that hardly mattered now.
Picking up a thick stack of handwritten pages bound together, he handed it to Lucian.
"It's still just the manuscript."
"A cleaner, more concise version will probably take some more time..."
"But..."
"Everything is already here."
Lucian no longer cared about such minor details.
He immediately began reading the manuscript carefully.
His own education in magical theory had never been especially extensive.
Although both Master Thops and Master Sellen had taught him enough that he could independently study advanced magical texts...
His learning had ultimately been intensive tutoring meant to prepare him for practical combat.
Besides...
Lucian simply preferred learning applications.
Like how to blast enemies apart with Glintstone Sorcery.
Fortunately, understanding the theory itself wasn't a problem.
Especially with its author sitting right beside him.
Before long, however, Lucian realized he hardly needed any explanations.
Every page contained notes Thops had scribbled down during flashes of inspiration.
Carefully worded annotations filled the margins.
Those little comments guided Lucian through the entire journey of the theory's development.
Step by step...
They allowed him to grasp the brilliance behind it.
After carefully reading the complete manuscript once, Lucian didn't stop.
Instead, he turned back to the beginning and started over.
This time...
Without relying on the annotations to guide him...
He was able to understand the theory entirely on his own, appreciating every elegant detail.
Closing the manuscript, Lucian let out a long breath.
The Unified Field Theory of Sorcery and Incantations touched directly upon the fundamental nature of both disciplines.
There was no denying it.
Master Thops truly was a 'genius'.
Lucian rose to his feet and began attempting to reproduce the force field according to the manuscript.
While the underlying theory was astonishingly intricate...
Its practical application was surprisingly simple.
Because his Intelligence attribute was already quite high, Lucian quickly mastered the use of Thops's Barrier.
A unique pale emerald forcefield materialized before him.
Lucian reached out and touched the shimmering barrier, carefully feeling its properties.
Unlike the version in the game, which had to be cast repeatedly, this forcefield could now be maintained continuously under the caster's control.
Once deployed, it consumed FP to sustain itself, and while active, any sorcery or incantation that struck the barrier would be deflected off course.
With enough practice, Lucian would eventually be able to conjure the forcefield with a mere gesture, just as Radagon casually brushed aside both sorceries and incantations.
Seeing Lucian master the spell so quickly, Master Thops smiled with satisfaction.
Lucian's magical ability had long since surpassed his own.
As a teacher, nothing could make him happier.
Looking at his student, Thops asked,
"Well?"
"What do you think?"
Lucian maintained the forcefield as he continued examining it before answering.
"It's incredible."
"The underlying theory is astonishingly intricate, yet the practical application is remarkably simple. Almost anyone can learn it."
"As expected... I still prefer using magic over studying theory."
Thops chuckled.
"In that case..."
"You should be the one to name it."
Lucian blinked.
"Name it?"
"What do you mean?"
Thops scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"If it weren't for you, I don't think I'd have achieved any of this."
"Even if I had eventually reached this point... it certainly wouldn't have been under such fortunate circumstances."
"No... to be honest, I probably would have died somewhere before ever completing the research."
"You've taken care of me all this time."
"So I think... you should have the honor of naming this spell."
Lucian shook his head with a smile.
"Master, there's no need."
"Outside circumstances may have helped, but this achievement belongs entirely to you."
"It's your accomplishment."
Thops stubbornly waved his hands.
"No, no."
"You should name it."
"For once..."
"Let me exercise a teacher's privilege."
Lucian considered it for a moment before nodding.
"If you're that insistent..."
"Then I'll name it."
"I'll call it..."
"Thops's Barrier"
He had briefly considered simply calling it Barrier, but in the end, the spell deserved to bear its creator's name.
Topps looked rather embarrassed.
"Isn't... isn't that basically the same as me naming it myself?"
Lucian laughed.
"Haha."
"You're the one who insisted I name it."
"So now that I have, you'll just have to accept it."
Thops laughed as well and finally stopped objecting.
To him, meeting a student like Lucian was the greatest stroke of luck in his entire life.
After a brief pause, Lucian asked,
"Master Thops."
"What are your plans now?"
"Are you thinking of returning to the Academy?"
Ever since the Academy had been reclaimed, its doors had once again been opened to all who wished to study.
Naturally, the sorcerers who had once been staying in Stormveil had already returned.
Thops was well aware of that.
The only reason he had remained behind was because he'd been completely absorbed in his research.
"Return..."
"I have thought about it."
"But I'd like to wait a little longer."
"This new theory still has plenty of room to develop."
Now that he had finally completed his life's work, Thops realized he was no longer nearly as obsessed with returning to the Academy.
The thing he had sought...
The thing he had longed for...
He had already found it.
At this moment, all he wanted was to continue refining his theory and delve even deeper into its mysteries.
The Academy that had once seemed so unattainable had become, in his eyes, simply another place suitable for research.
Lucian smiled.
"If you decide you'd like to return..."
"Just let me know."
"I can arrange for you to establish a new classroom there."
Thops looked utterly flustered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Me?"
"Open my own classroom?"
"N-No, that's far too much!"
Lucian shook his head.
"Not at all."
"You're a genuine genius."
"I'm already considered a high-ranking sorcerer myself."
"I know exactly what this theory represents."
"I want you to spread it."
"I want you to advance both sorcery and incantations."
Future generations would undoubtedly recognize what everyone had once mocked, that the theory once ridiculed as the ramblings of a "bluntstone" was worthy of founding an entirely new school of magical study.
After thinking for a while, Thops still declined.
"Let's talk about opening a classroom another time."
"If I had to choose..."
"I'd rather find somewhere quiet."
"Somewhere with an enormous collection of books."
Lucian nodded.
He understood perfectly.
Stormveil's library simply wasn't large enough.
Perhaps returning to the Academy really would be the better choice.
Then, another idea occurred to him.
Wouldn't Caria Manor's Royal Moongazing Grounds, or more specifically Caria's Study Hall, be an even better location?
Not only did it contain an enormous collection of books, but many were unique royal manuscripts unavailable even within the Academy.
And with Preceptor Miriam available to provide one-on-one guidance...
It would be an even better research environment than Raya Lucaria itself.
"In that case..."
"Give it a little time."
"I'll take you somewhere else."
"I'm certain it'll be exactly what you're looking for."
—
After leaving Master Thops' residence, Lucian found himself thinking of his other magic teacher.
Once the matter of the Hornsent had been resolved, he intended to return to the Academy to visit Sellen.
The Astel that had been lurking near Nokstella had been slain by the Dragonkin Soldier, leaving behind an unusually intact corpse.
Within the stellar structure that formed Astel's body, Lucian had discovered numerous priceless materials.
Among them...
Perfectly preserved Golden Amber, something the sorcerers of the Lands Between had never before possessed.
Golden Amber contained the power of ancient life itself.
Long ago, Lucian had already wanted to bring such a specimen to Sellen.
Unfortunately, the first Astel he encountered had been blown almost completely to pieces, leaving nothing worth studying.
This time, however, the abundance of intact materials could finally be put to proper use.
Rather than relying on Graven Schools or Graven Masses to approach the stars and the Primeval Current...
Why not study the body of an actual cosmic lifeform?
Moreover, those specimens were pure life fragments, unlikely to pose any major danger.
Still, that could wait.
For now...
There was someone else Lucian needed to meet.
Returning to his throne, he waited quietly.
Soon, the space before him rippled.
Dressed in a black gown, Selyra slowly emerged from invisibility before dropping to one knee.
Beside her, four fully equipped Black Knife Assassins stepped out of concealment as well, kneeling in unison.
Selyra had gathered them from across the Lands Between.
From this day forward, they would answer to Lucian.
Yet even as they knelt, the assassins secretly sized up their new master.
They had heard countless stories about him...
But this was their first time meeting him in person.
Just what kind of man...
Could share such a deep and intimate connection with Lady Ranni?
Regardless...
Since Ranni herself had given her approval, the Black Knife Assassins would henceforth obey Lucian without reservation.
Looking at them, Lucian nodded with satisfaction.