After freeing Hettis, Lucian had him demonstrate his forging skills on the spot.
Even what Hettis could currently show was already impressive. The weapons he forged were, without exception, of excellent quality—well above the level of ordinary smiths.
According to Hettis himself, he was capable of forging all kinds of weapons. He had learned a great deal from Old Man Iji, and his foundation was extremely solid.
Among these, staffs were where his craftsmanship truly shone.
Using the same materials, the glintstone staves he produced were at least twenty percent stronger than the standard-issue glintstone staves used by the Academy of Raya Lucaria.
And if higher-quality glintstone were provided, the results could be improved even further.
As for armor and protective gear, however, he didn't have much to show—his skill there was no more than that of an ordinary blacksmith.
Lucian could understand that easily.
After all, this was the Academy of Raya Lucaria.
It was hard to imagine much demand for forging armor in a place where almost everyone wore nothing but sorcerers' robes—and many didn't even bother with shoes.
Beyond weapon forging, Hettis was also capable of producing various magical tools.
Those, more than anything else, were what Lucian truly valued.
No matter how good Hettis's forging technique was, he still couldn't surpass masters like Smithing Master Hewg or Iji.
But these magical tools were different, they were specialized techniques unique to him.
The glintstone block used for long-distance communication earlier had caught Lucian's eye a long time ago.
On top of that, Hettis claimed he could set up large-scale teleportation arrays.
The kind of summoning circles the Academy used to call forth those iron maiden-like constructs could, with modifications, also be used to transport living beings.
There were many restrictions—it couldn't be deployed on a battlefield, for instance—but installing a few across different regions would still be incredibly convenient.
This, too, was technology Lucian urgently needed.
Speaking of teleportation, Lucian couldn't help but think of Patches.
Looking at it that way, that guy was actually pretty incredible.
Collecting materials in a mine, then handcrafting a teleportation trap to send himself elsewhere—by some definitions, he was a genuine genius.
Truly worthy of being called Miyazaki Hidetaka's avatar.
After that, Lucian captured an elite sorcerer and had him guide the way to the location where the Academy's leaders had previously gathered for meetings.
This was a place ordinary sorcerers were forbidden to enter, but its general location was still known.
Since it had been established only later, even Sellen didn't know where it was—let alone Hettis, who had been imprisoned for so long.
Once Lucian was brought there, the trembling sorcerer hurriedly retreated, not daring to linger for even a moment.
Inside the room stood an enormous long table, with several chairs arranged along both sides.
Atop the table lay a massive piece of glintstone, its structure extraordinarily complex.
Looking closer, one would realize that this giant glintstone was actually composed of countless smaller pieces, all working together in concert.
Through this glintstone array, one could observe surveillance feeds from all corners of the Academy.
In theory, it could also be used for reverse communication—broadcasting messages outward, much like a public announcement.
Lucian looked at the glintstone on the table, unsure how to even begin.
Fortunately, he had brought Hettis along this time and simply handed the task over to him.
Although Hettis hadn't invented this surveillance sorcery, the glintstone used in its operation had been crafted by his own hands. Naturally, he understood how it functioned.
After Lucian explained his requirements, Hettis nodded and began operating the array.
After a short while, Hettis turned to Lucian and gestured for him to step forward and speak.
Lucian paused for a moment, suddenly realizing he didn't actually know what one was supposed to say after conquering territory.
…Whatever. As long as the message got through.
Soon, Lucian's voice echoed throughout classrooms across the Academy.
"To all those currently within the Academy, this is an announcement."
"The Academy of Raya Lucaria has now been conquered by Storm King Lucian."
"All former leaders of the various halls and classrooms have been eliminated. Please select suitable candidates as soon as possible to facilitate subsequent administration."
"From this point onward, my mentor, Sorceress Sellen, will govern the Academy on my behalf."
"And additionally—"
"From today forward, the Academy of Raya Lucaria will be renamed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Most of the sorcerers had already witnessed Lucian defeat those who once held power.
As for the small number who were completely unaware, they quickly learned the truth through reminders from their peers.
Afterward, under Sellen's guidance, Lucian proceeded to another forbidden area and directly lifted the Academy's seals.
As the seals collapsed, the barrier that had enveloped the entire Academy, severing it from the outside world and forbidding entry or exit was completely dispelled.
Using the moonlight mark upon his body, Lucian contacted Ranni and informed her that the Academy's seal had been lifted.
Ranni responded swiftly, saying she understood and would arrive soon.
After receiving her reply, Lucian set off along the Academy's main thoroughfare toward the Grand Library where the Queen was imprisoned.
He did not take the route through the courtyard, leaping onto the broken bridge to advance.
There was a road within the Academy that led directly to the Grand Library, still intact to this day and perfectly passable.
Originally, Lucian had intended to bring Sellen along with him.
However, knowing that Ranni would soon be arriving, Sellen declined.
There was nothing she needed to do there anyway, and having to face members of the detested Carian royal family was hardly appealing.
She would much rather stay behind and get the Academy's administration in order.
As Lucian drew near the Grand Library, he encountered several sorcerers along the way.
These sorcerers belonged to the faction that had previously resisted attacks from other sorcerers, standing firm to protect the Queen of the Full Moon.
However, the number of sorcerers guarding this place was pitifully small—only a scattered handful remained, clustered tightly around the forecourt before the Grand Library.
With so few people, to still persist under the Academy's encirclement and continue protecting the Queen of the Full Moon… it truly hadn't been easy for them.
They could genuinely be called loyal to the end.
Ranni had already made preparations in advance.
Arcane power flowed through the moonlight mark, responding to Lucian's presence.
Thus, when these sorcerers saw Lucian, they also saw the cold, dark moon of magic hovering behind him.
Though it was merely a faint projection formed of magic—a shadow rather than a true manifestation, it was more than enough for them to distinguish friend from foe.
Realizing that Lucian was connected to Princess Ranni, the sorcerers immediately stepped aside, allowing him to pass unimpeded into the forecourt of the Grand Library.
It was here that Lucian encountered the Carian knight whom players often jokingly called the "richest man of Caria"—
Moongrum, Carian Knight.
Moongrum was one of the extremely few remaining Carian Knights, and his strength was exceptional—he could be considered the foremost among them.
Without question, Moongrum's combat prowess had reached the level of a top-tier hero.
With that kind of strength, even if he were to face several of the Academy's elite sorcerers head-on, he wouldn't necessarily be at a disadvantage.
More than that, his mastery of Carian Retaliation made him an extraordinarily troublesome opponent for spellcasters.
To the sorcerers, he was a bone so hard it could crack teeth.
And those sorcerers, wary of one another and prone to concealment, were unwilling to fight with full force.
After several inconclusive clashes, they simply stopped bothering with this area altogether.
From their perspective, there was no real need to purge the remaining sorcerers and Carian Knights here.
Even if they fought their way into the Grand Library, there was no guarantee they could actually kill the Queen of the Full Moon.
And if Queen Rennala were pushed to the brink of death and attempted a desperate counterattack, it was they who would suffer the consequences.
As long as Rennala remained imprisoned, they could reap all the benefits without investing further effort, or risking unnecessary danger.
Seeing the dark moon behind Lucian, Moongrum immediately performed a respectful salute.
Then, without a word, he turned and led the way, guiding Lucian into the Grand Library itself.
Lucian stood before the massive doors and slowly pushed them open.
And there, he finally saw her—
Queen of the Full Moon, Rennala.
Rennala sat in the center of the library, cradling the amber egg in her arms.
Around her lay numerous books and candle stands, scattered in quiet disarray.
At this very moment, she was gazing lovingly at the sorcerous apprentices gathered around her.
"My sweetings," she murmured softly,
"I've prepared so many books… and so much candlelight…"
"My sweetings, come and play…Or is it that you wish to be reborn once more?"
These female apprentices all bore nearly identical faces, with only the faintest differences between them.
Their intellects did not match their physical age or appearance at all—They were like infants.
They were all apprentices who had become obsessed with the secret art of rebirth.
Because the Rite of Rebirth was incomplete, they were trapped in an endless cycle, repeating it again and again.
In the end, it became an addiction.
Through countless rebirths, they lost themselves, gradually forgetting everything they once were.
Rennala lifted her gaze toward Moongrum and Lucian as they entered and spoke again:
"Oh my… have you come because you wish to be born once more?"
Only now did Lucian truly grasp the Queen of the Full Moon's condition.
He couldn't help but frown.
After being abandoned by Radagon, Rennala had lost her heart—driven mad by obsession.
All that remained in her mind was the final gift Radagon had left her—
The amber egg containing the Great Rune of the Unborn.
Everything else had completely faded from her world.
At that moment, a voice sounded beside Lucian.
"Ah… Mother."
"Thou bearest naught of the queen that once was..."
Lucian turned his head.
At some point unknown to him, Ranni had already appeared at his side, sitting casually atop a pile of books.
Upon seeing Ranni, Moongrum grew visibly emotional.
He dropped to one knee and performed a knight's salute.
Ranni was just about to continue speaking when one of the sorcerous apprentices at her feet reached out and pushed the stack of books over.
Left with no place to sit, Ranni used magic to lift herself into the air, then slowly descended to stand on the floor.
The corner of Ranni's eye twitched slightly as she glanced at the culprit.
But seeing that the apprentice's mind was no more developed than a child's, she abandoned the thought of scolding her.
Ranni then looked toward the two men.
Moongrum kept his head lowered, seeing nothing.
Lucian, noticing Ranni's gaze, also deliberately turned his eyes away.
"Uh… I didn't see anything either."
Ranni let out a quiet sigh and walked toward her mother.
"Mother… many a year hath passed."
"Thy daughter hath grown beyond thy knowing."
"She hath taken her first steps into her own night."
"…Ah, if only thou couldst see it."
Yet the Queen of the Full Moon merely continued murmuring her words, unclear whether she even recognized Ranni at all.
"My sweetings…"
—
[T/N: Facts about Rennala]
Rennala was the heiress of the Carian Royal Family and master of the Academy of Raya Lucaria. She married Radagon, who later left her to become Marika's consort, shattering her emotionally.
Heartbroken, she became obsessed with rebirth, using the amber egg Radagon left behind to resurrect scholars as "sweetings" which are frail, dependent beings.
Her daughter, Ranni, created the phantom version of Rennala you fight, to protect her mother's broken psyche from being disturbed. This explains why the boss is a projection of her prime, not her current state.
Defeating Rennala allows her to grant Rebirth, letting you respec your stats using Larval Tears. This reflects her lore-driven obsession with renewal and motherhood.