The images recorded the filthy methods of the Academy's conservative faction. It documented the grave mistakes they committed to expel Sellen, the talented prodigy of the Primeval Current, and how Sellen—in her despair and "broken jar" attitude toward these ignorant fools—refused to deny the truth of the Graven-Mass incident.
"This... where did this come from?" Jerren's hands were trembling. Was this truly the truth he had been searching for so bitterly, only for it to be maliciously hidden by others?
"Can't you tell by the perspective? These are the memories of the apprentices." The Tarnished raised a finger, and the flames constructed the forms of four sorcerers. Beside him, Millicent had a moment of sudden realization; it turned out the Tarnished now possessed the ability to use the god-slaying Black Flame to burn souls and extract their living memories.
Sellen couldn't help but be somewhat moved. Her apprentice was truly remarkable... to even be able to overturn the verdict on a matter like this for her.
"This is the truth... the truth buried by others..." Jerren knelt upon the images, his tone incredibly complex. There was excitement, but also a sense of helplessness and self-mockery. "Haha... I really am not suited for the role of an investigator, am I...?"
He choked back a sob and let out a long sigh toward the heavens. Then, he turned to Sellen and offered a deep apology. Afterward, his gaze lingered on the Tarnished for a few seconds before he left the place without looking back. The farce had ended as quickly as it had begun.
Jerren's retreating figure did not look lonely; on the contrary, there was a sense of liberation within it. Where he would go now and what he planned to do, no one knew. However, as the former close friend of Radahn, he would never allow himself to sink into depravity.
He would surely reappear in everyone's sight someday in the future. May he... still be able to ignite the fire of the lion then.
"Apprentice, you have done your master another great favor. You make it so that I have no way to repay you," Sellen said with a faint smile.
"Then how about marrying me?"
"..." Sellen's expression changed slightly, but then she joked back, "Oh my, oh my. Does my dear apprentice intend to be a 'master-crushing' rebel? Once I finish my business, I shall certainly give you a thorough training."
The Tarnished did not reply. Beneath his helm was a meaningful smile. Perhaps even Sellen herself hadn't noticed the imperceptible... crimson flush that had flashed across her face just now.
The master-student banter ended there. Sellen truly bid farewell to everyone this time, preparing to complete the "minor business" she had mentioned. The Tarnished and his group also said goodbye to Moongrum and the others, intending to plan their next steps.
Checking the items at the Site of Grace, the Tarnished took out the two halves of the Dectus Medallion. They had already joined into one; they only needed to reach the Grand Lift to arrive at the plateau where the Royal Capital, Leyndell, was located—the Altus Plateau.
"The next step should be the Altus Plateau..." Millicent looked into the distance. They were currently at the East Gate of the Academy, on the great road leading to the Grand Lift, also known as the Bellum Highway.
The Tarnished looked at the medallion and fell into thought. He recalled the words of the girl named Rya in the center of Liurnia Lake—that there was a ruin-strewn tunnel that led directly to the Altus Plateau without needing the Grand Lift.
He was quite interested in this place. The Lift was a path he had walked in the past; this time, the Tarnished wanted to take an alternative route.
"I heard there's a ruin that leads to the Altus Plateau. Should we go that way?" The Tarnished mainly asked Latenna. Latenna indicated that either method was fine; she wasn't in a hurry, and with the Tarnished's protection, she didn't worry about reaching the Haligtree.
Millicent had no objections either. Besides fulfilling her mission, the most important thing for her was to finish this journey with the Tarnished.
"I have no objections either," Melina said calmly, stroking the greatly changed Torrent.
Seeing that his companions had no objections, the Tarnished finalized the route.
"Please wait!!" Just as they were about to move, a familiar voice came from behind. The newcomer was Thops, who ran up to them, gasping for breath as if there were an emergency.
"Tarnished... I—I have a request..." Thops breathed heavily, holding a book in his hand with the words Thops's Theory written on it. "Please... please help me put these theories into practice." Thops's face was full of sincerity.
His theories were not yet mature, so he needed someone with an active mind and a broad heart, someone who could look at all things from a different perspective, to help him complete the concepts in the book. He himself was too fragile; even if he had ideas in his head, his physical body lacked the capability to practice them.
And only through practice can truth be found; talking on paper is mere empty words.
"A theory..." The Tarnished flipped through the heavy book. This man had put in an immense amount of effort. The contents of the book were all-encompassing, from the stars above to the plants below. It seemed chaotic, but in reality, it was very logical and sensible.
Thops was nervous, fearing the Tarnished would refuse. But what he feared did not happen. The Tarnished readily accepted the request; he held an approving attitude toward Thops's theories.
By putting the theories in the book into practice, he could use the magic of the Lands Between more flexibly, and perhaps even discover new or dual magic systems. This was knowledge that the Erdtree could not provide—a unique perspective from a "delusional" person.
And as it happened, the Tarnished was also such a "delusional" person...
"Thank you so much, thank you so much!" Thops was incredibly moved. "Ah, right! I just heard you were heading to those ancient ruins? To repay you, let me tell you everything I know about them."
Thops spoke incessantly about the ruins. Most of it was the same as what Rya had said—that a path had eventually been cleared through both sides for mining. However, Thops's information was more detailed.
He also mentioned a village beneath the ruins, and a legend of a Magma Wyrm in the deepest part. Many who sought a shortcut had died on the path or were lost to the Magma Wyrm's great sword and maw. He reminded the Tarnished to be extremely careful.
Finally, he explained the location of the ruins: the eastern part of the great plain behind Caria Manor. The ruins and the Ravine-Veiled Village were right there.
Thops thanked the Tarnished once more and then hurried back to the Academy, prepared to write his next book. He was now full of energy, and his inspiration was flowing continuously...
The plain behind Caria Manor... the area east of Ranni's stronghold. The Tarnished and Millicent returned to this place they had visited many times. However, it had become somewhat quiet. Aside from Darriwil and Iji in front of the manor, others like Ranni and Blaidd were nowhere to be found.
Likely, they had proceeded along their own paths... The Tarnished's group did not linger. Following Thops's tip, they headed east, where they discovered a familiar purple light.
It was the mark of an Evergaol set by the mysterious stone-worms. The fact that the purple light had not been extinguished meant the being within the jail still existed. The Tarnished asked Millicent to wait outside as he entered the Evergaol.
A tall, thin humanoid creature with grey-white skin sat quietly in the jail with his back to the Tarnished.
"Child of man... art thou the being known as Tarnished? Thou hast the aura of my disciple..." This person was the Alabaster Lord... the very master who had tutored Radahn, and who had vanished after Radahn crushed the stars.
"Alabaster Lord... who do you say your disciple is?"
"Hehe... Starscourge... Radahn." The Alabaster Lord stood up and looked directly at the Tarnished. His tone held helplessness, but pride was more prevalent. "Ah... it seems my disciple has been defeated... Thou art the new star." The Lord's gaze was profound.
"Child of man... hast thou an interest in learning gravity sorcery?" A faint smile played at the corner of the Alabaster Lord's mouth.
The Tarnished simply looked at him without speaking, instead asking: "Are you here of your own will, or..."
"Voluntarily... I am one of the witnesses for the newborn stars... I have waited for thee for a long time." The Alabaster Lord chuckled. He lacked the sternness he had shown when teaching Radahn. He knew full well that these products of an old era were about to step off the stage of history.
The most important thing now was to pass down the gravity lineage... At the time, he hadn't stopped his disciple's feat of sealing the stars, but he hadn't expected that stasis would draw such loathsome things...
"How about it? Wilt thou learn gravity?" The Alabaster Lord's tone remained unhurried. Seeing this, the Tarnished no longer declined. He was very interested in gravity sorcery; if he could master this power, his strength wouldn't stop at the Lands Between... but could reach into the deeper starry sky...
"Hehe, good! Very good!" The Alabaster Lord was overjoyed upon hearing this. He pointed a finger, and a purple glow transformed into a book. This book was divided into two parts: the top for attraction and the bottom for repulsion. This was a book the Alabaster Lord had integrated during his countless years in this jail.
It was more complete than what he had taught Radahn... It wasn't that he had withheld anything, but in that era, there were still Onyx Lords who mastered repulsion. Even if Radahn wanted to learn, he still had the chance to seek help from them.
Pity that times had changed... How many Onyx Lords remained was unknown, and he didn't believe those surviving outside retained much sanity. The shattering of the Elden Ring had inevitably affected them as well. He, however, had luckily avoided the madness brought by the collapse of Grace because he was within this jail...
He felt the crisis of the gravity lineage, so he had authored these two books in this jail, covering the entirety of gravity theory. Surely even a mote of dust could understand the meaning within.
"Very well... be sure to pass this power on... Thou mayest go." After delivering the books, the Alabaster Lord dismissed him. He had no interest in walking out of this jail. Now that he had found a destined successor and his duty was fulfilled, he would remain in this jail to continue witnessing the brilliance of the stars...
"Tarnished, you're back. How was it? Who was in there?" Millicent was very curious. The Tarnished had been inside for quite a while, and she was even more curious when she saw the books in his hand.
"An Alabaster Lord looking for a successor. He taught me gravity sorcery." Holding the two books, the Tarnished bowed toward the Evergaol.
Continuing forward, the Tarnished and Millicent saw their destination—the Ruin-Strewn Precipice that could lead to the Altus Plateau.
"So this is it. The Lands Between truly is vast... to have a place like this." Millicent was amazed. This place looked ancient and the visibility was very dim; the rocks here blocked out the light. The path leading into the ruins was likely in the small village below.
This was probably built by miners for the convenience of extraction...
"Oh... dammit, this place is really dark. Isn't your Erdtree supposed to be so great? Why is it still so dark here?" a man complained from below. This person was none other than the Big Boggart—the "Blackguard"—with whom the Tarnished had chatted quite well previously.
And the reason he had come here... was to expand his business... There were plump, delicious crabs up on the Altus Plateau. How could a man like the Blackguard refuse? He simply couldn't.