Seluvis conducted a thorough search of the classroom, his eyes constantly flicking about as if trying to pick up the slightest hint of evidence.
The Preceptor knew full well that the woman was researching Primeval Sorcery, but without concrete proof, there was nothing he could do. The academy would never punish a renowned genius based on mere suspicion or a few words.
Meanwhile, the associate professor questioned Nolan in detail about everything he had done the night before. From dinner to when he went to sleep, every detail was scrutinized. Nothing was too small to be mentioned.
Sellen and Nolan were both sharp-minded. They had already anticipated this sort of interrogation. For questions that didn't matter, they simply claimed they couldn't quite remember. As for everything else, they explained it clearly and without hesitation.
When the associate professor learned that the prodigy had been studying late into the night, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret over Nolan's impending departure.
Such outstanding talent. Why wasn't he my student?
At that moment, Seluvis suddenly stepped out of the lounge, a bundle of luggage in his hand, and demanded loudly,
"What's all this supposed to be? Where are you going?"
Nolan turned his head, irritation creeping into his voice.
"To Caria Manor, obviously."
"We're leaving tomorrow. Preceptor Miriam and Her Highness the Princess have already approved it."
"What, Preceptor Seluvis has a problem with that? Then you can take it up with Her Highness yourself."
Seeing this, the associate professor and the apprentices chose to stay silent.
Disliking Seluvis was simply the normal reaction. If it weren't for orders from above, none of them would want anything to do with that man.
Besides, anyone with eyes could tell that Sellen and Seluvis didn't get along. If word spread, it would only look like students standing up for their teacher in righteous anger. It might even earn them a good reputation.
There was no helping it. Seluvis was just that unpleasant.
Sellen stood at the doorway, clearly seeing him off. Seluvis left unwillingly, and inside the wide sleeves of his robe, his hand slowly clenched into a fist.
Nolan Bethel. One day, I'll turn you into a puppet too. When that happens, I'll put you and Sellen together and enjoy watching the two of you suffer.
With just a few words, Nolan had earned the lasting resentment of this small-minded man.
It didn't matter. Nolan had disliked Seluvis for a long time already.
The academy's investigation continued at full speed. Multiple classrooms were searched simultaneously, and the operation lasted an entire day.
The true mastermind behind everything suffered no consequences at all. Instead, the Cuckoo Knights who had been responsible for outer patrols that night were the ones who paid the price, all of them having their wages docked.
Of course, the academy didn't go too far. The situation was special, and they would still need the Cuckoo Knights in the future.
The higher-ups weren't fools. They knew this incident had little to do with the Knights. But to calm the dissatisfaction brewing among the lecturers and apprentices, someone had to bear the blame.
At last, the large-scale inspection came to an end, and the academy seemed to return to its usual calm.
As for whether there was an internal traitor, even the professors couldn't say for sure. Assassin organizations were notoriously secretive. Who knew what methods they might have at their disposal?
It was precisely because of that uncertainty that the investigation had been unavoidable. At the very least, it offered a bit of reassurance, even if it was nothing more than self-comfort.
Of course, whether the professors felt reassured meant nothing to Nolan.
He and Sellen spent the day at the academy as if nothing had happened. When the time came, they went to Gatefront Town to eat and drink tea, leisurely strolling around together.
Sellen didn't touch her beloved sorcery research for the entire day, something that was rare for her. Even so, she seemed unusually relaxed.
The next morning, golden light spilled across the land. The two rode Torrent out through the academy's north gate and made their way to the shore, where they found Miriam waiting.
They were among the last group of students heading for Caria Manor. The Lazuli Conspectus at the academy had been almost completely emptied.
Standing on the small boat, Nolan finally let out a breath of relief once he confirmed that no Preceptors were chasing after them.
For now, traveling across the water still required boats. But beneath the Liurnia of the Lakes region, the ground was hollow. The water level and surrounding structures had been sinking year after year. Sooner or later, the place would turn into a marsh shallow enough to cross on horseback.
The academy itself, however, showed no signs of sinking. Rumor had it that some form of gravity-based technique was keeping it stable.
"After killing two associate preceptors, I'm now roughly on par with a third-rate hero. Once I fully grasp the fundamental theories, even using Glintstone Sorcery, I'll gradually be able to move beyond relying on textbooks."
Nolan sat quietly in the boat, flipping through a book. His palm opened, then slowly clenched. His progress wasn't limited to magic alone. The growth brought by absorbing soul power was comprehensive.
His body had finally crossed that once-insurmountable threshold. Whether it was Strength, speed, Endurance, or any other aspect, he was no longer inferior to an ordinary Golden Needle Knight.
Take that Church Confessor who had ambushed him before. Now, with a greatsword in hand, Nolan was confident he could bring him down.
Combat truly was the fastest path to growth. It was through killing that the future was forged.
"Next, all I can do is wait. There's nothing wrong with the war coming a little later. For now, I'll head to the fortress, find Thops, and finish the force field as soon as possible."
Only a few short months had passed, yet to Nolan it felt like he had lived through a long stretch of time.
He had never intended to stay in the academy forever, living a comfortable and sheltered life. The world had a way of pushing people forward, often without giving them a choice.
Saintess, please don't be in such a hurry.
Thinking of that face, Nolan slowly raised his head. His gaze landed on a bald, muscular man on the shore, looking around anxiously and waving with enthusiasm.
Nolan smiled faintly, closed the book in his hands, and raised his arm in response.
Over the past few months, Thops had seemed reborn. With two "genius" sorcerers helping him conduct experiments, research into the force field had progressed at a remarkable pace.
"Senior, I'm currently digging into the issue of magical power consumption. I want to improve casting efficiency and make it so even apprentice mages can sustain it for longer periods!"
"You've already gotten that far? Not bad at all," Nolan said with a smile.
When dealing with Incantations and Sorceries, constantly meeting Wrath of the Gods head-on wasn't a real solution. At best, it was only slightly better than blocking with a weapon. By comparison, Thops's magic was far more practical.
Thops scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed, and smiled shyly as he spoke in a low voice.
"This is all thanks to your help and Lecturer Sellen's guidance. Without the two of you, I wouldn't be where I am today, Senior…"
What was originally expected to take decades had been achieved in just a few short months. That kind of progress was clearly impossible through his own efforts alone.
"Stop right there. Save the flattery. You're bad at it," Nolan quickly raised a hand to cut him off.
He still remembered the time Thops got drunk and compared himself to the stars and moon in the sky. The looks the surrounding apprentices gave them back then were downright dangerous.
"And remember this. Until you can ensure your own safety, don't tell anyone the fundamental theory behind this magic."
Nolan didn't say that Thops couldn't use the magic itself.
Thops was unlikely to ever encounter beings like the Elden Beast, and Carian Retaliation was more than enough to deal with ordinary Incantations.
The true strength of this magic lay in the fact that what Carian Retaliation could block, it could deflect, and even what it couldn't block, it could still deflect.
First deflect Destined Death, then send Elden Stars flying back. In the eyes of ordinary people, that was already the domain of the gods.