Just as the Haligtree Army vanguard moved toward the center of the lake, the sorcerers finally recovered from the chaos. Sellen's Comet Azur had wiped out dozens, leaving even several professors covered in dust and debris. Medics darted through the crowd, placing the screaming sorcerers onto stretchers. Oritis watched this scene, his face ashen, his head buzzing from his rapidly rising blood pressure.
"Have you figured out who his accomplices are?"
The voice was cold as ice. They all valued their lives dearly and were terrified of getting hit by another high-level spell.
"It is the apprentice lecturer, Sellen."
"Sellen!?"
The professors exchanged glances, all of them in disbelief. Given her talent and potential, the Academy would have shielded her even for a grave crime; why would she turn traitor?
"Perhaps you have all forgotten one thing."
Just as the professors were confused, Seluvis's sinister voice rang out, "Inside that archives room, there is a notebook."
Like a bolt from the blue, Oritis and the others shuddered. Yes, Lusat's notebook—Sellen was pursuing Primeval Sorcery!
Their investigation had been completely misguided; this was not the work of Caria at all. The mastermind was none other than that genius sorceress. This was a crime greater than the heavens themselves, and it wasn't over yet.
Seluvis added, "That Roland Heinberg's origins are unknown; perhaps he is a spy for Caria."
"That is impossible. Primeval Sorcerers are enemies to the royal family as well; how could he have gone to steal Lusat's notebook?" Aila scoffed, and the other professors disagreed.
If it weren't for Sellen, they might have suspected Caria, but through a twist of fate, the Primeval Sorcerers were taking the blame.
"Enough. Regardless of who this person is, the biggest trouble is Sellen and that notebook."
Oritis spoke without hesitation: "The Primeval Sorcerers must never be allowed to rise from the ashes. Destroy their bodies, extinguish their souls!"
"Have the Cuckoo Knights blockade the bridge, have Smarag patrol the lake, and select one hundred of the most elite sorcerers to come with us!"
At this moment, no professor cared about their experiments.
This was the most egregious incident in the history of the Raya Lucaria Academy, enough to shame the stars and knowledge itself. If they didn't blast Thorne and Sellen into mincemeat, their hatred would not be sated. A group of aggressive sorcerers had just walked out of the Academy when their momentum stalled. The bridge was packed with commoners; they weren't chanting slogans, just standing there quietly, staring at the sorcerers with varied gazes.
"Damn it, do these automatons really think they can threaten anyone?"
Leon raised his staff. The gathered magic could turn a hundred people into mincemeat if unleashed. But Chelona's hand pressed down on his, and he calmed instantly.
That was right; a fierce tiger watched from the sidelines, and he couldn't give them an excuse. But there were ways to deal with this without a massacre.
"Go and drive all these automatons away. If anyone refuses to listen, throw them directly into the river."
"Understood."
A squad of burly Battlemages of Haima immediately stepped forward, but they stopped halfway, turning back with a hint of terror.
The professors were equally stunned. A murderous fleet was approaching. Standing on the leading ship was a knight, holding a crescent scythe, coldly watching them. There were no horns, no war drums, but the tempered killing intent was enough to terrify not just the sorcerers, but even the Cuckoo Knights. This was a victorious army that had traversed The Lands Between. Their commander, Malenia, had never known defeat, hence earning the name Valkyrie. The pond of Liurnia was too small to contain such a great deity, and since entering the border, she had kept the local forces trembling.
"What do they want to do!?"
For a moment, Oritis wanted to turn back into the Academy and lock the doors. Fortunately, the fleet had no intention of landing; they just stopped a few hundred meters away, patrolling. The meaning was clear: the Haligtree Army would not allow anyone to engage in a massacre. Greater violence was dictating the rules. All the suspicious points linked together; compared to their combat power, this ability to orchestrate conspiracies was even more terrifying.
A mouthful of blood surged to his throat, and Oritis's entire body trembled slightly, but he only growled in the coldest of voices:
"Leon, send men to disperse these plebeians. As for those two—"
"They must not leave here alive!"
On the main road of the small town, fragmented corpses were everywhere. A Cuckoo Knight stared with wide eyes; his abdomen had been blown open by magic, and a long blade was plunged into his chest.
"Twenty-seven seconds in total."
Thorne slowly pulled out the blade, feeling a trace of power merge into his body. Even Cuckoo Knights had differences in strength. By the time he had killed this many, the strength gained from ordinary Cuckoo Knights was quite limited. This body was craving more formidable prey.
"Besides, someone else is stealing my kills."
He turned around and saw Sellen standing quietly not far away, surrounded by corpses. She was much more relaxed than Thorne; before the soldiers could even reach her, they were blasted into mincemeat by a storm of crystals. As expected of a noble sorceress.
"Resolved."
Thorne slowly pulled out the blade, feeling a trace of power...
"Though, you have a rather unique fighting style, foolish apprentice." Sellen yawned.
It was the first time she had seen Thorne fight up close, combining magic and combat arts—simple and efficient. "Interesting, but too risky, and it lacks a certain composure."
Thorne's head immediately ached. She was going to lecture him again, wasn't she?
He quickly stopped her. "We can discuss the critique later. The Academy's pursuers are coming."
A group of Battlemages of Haima were pushing through the crowd. They weren't walking fast, but few dared to truly block them.
The crowd was running around like headless flies, and the scene was incredibly chaotic. Meanwhile, some winged automatons flew over the bridge, heading toward the town. That wasn't all; massive wings blocked the sunlight, and a Glintstone Dragon was patrolling the sky.
"A turtle in a jar—how do you plan to escape?" Sellen wasn't dejected; on the contrary, she was full of curiosity.
Thorne grabbed her hand and dragged her into a nearby house, just in time to avoid the automatons in the air. It was a small shop, the one he frequented. Naturally, there were no diners today.
A familiar brown-haired girl was pacing back and forth in the main hall, her hands clenched so tightly they had turned white with anxiety. Hearing the doorbell ring, she whipped her head around and was overjoyed to see Thorne. "Mr. Roland, you're finally here."
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Are the things ready?" Thorne spoke at a rapid pace; outside, there was a whole horde of sorcerers who wanted to tear him to pieces.
"Please follow me."
Sellen was confused as she was dragged into the back kitchen. On the table were some clothes—poor quality, just everyday attire for commoners.
There was no need for modesty at this moment. Thorne went up and took off his sorcerer's robe, put on a striped shirt, and then hopped as he pulled on his pants.
Seeing Sellen still standing there, just watching, he immediately urged her: "Change your clothes; what are you standing there for?"
"Oh." Sellen snapped out of it, realizing Thorne wanted to disguise themselves. After all, that sorcerer's robe was too conspicuous; it was hardly appropriate for escaping.
Tina stole a glance at the man's well-proportioned muscles, her cheeks flushing slightly, and hurriedly said, "Please follow me inside..."
Before she could finish, she saw Sellen take off her hood, lift her collar, and strip off her robe, revealing her fair skin and black lace-trimmed undergarments. Never mind Tina, even Thorne was stunned. He thought to himself that Sellen was really too uninhibited.
She put on a light blue dress and shoved her feet into low-heeled leather shoes. Feeling like something was wrong, she frowned.
"These clothes are just inconvenient. Apprentice, help me button this."
She turned around, exposing her smooth, fair back. Thorne didn't think much of it, stepped up, and fastened the buttons.
He tightened the straps on his hunter's boots and stuffed the discarded clothes and hoods back into his ring before turning back around.
"Are the other things ready?" Thorne asked. Seeing the young girl blushing and not speaking, he raised his voice: "Tina!"
"Ah? Follow me."
The young girl hurriedly led the two out the back door.
Just then, an automaton entered through the front door, scanned the room, and finding no target, retreated to continue searching the next room. AI Model: gemini-3.0-flash
The townspeople relied on the lake for their livelihood, so every household had a boat. There was also a small boat behind the restaurant. Sellen didn't look happy when she saw it; instead, she pinched her chin in thought.
"Escaping by boat is just seeking death. Even if the Academy's hands are tied, they will intercept anyone who tries to leave."
"I didn't underestimate the professors' intelligence."
Thorne used a potion to wash out the dye from his hair, then placed a fisherman's hat on Sellen's head with a light smile. "Let the bullets fly for a while."
Before long, the town became even more chaotic. The residents were driven back, and the first thing they did was pack their valuables and flee. They weren't stupid; they knew the Academy would settle scores later. With the Haligtree Army watching nearby, if they didn't run now, when would they?
One could say Thorne provided them with an opportunity to escape the Cuckoo's clutches, and the Academy's attack had shattered the last bit of trust. Liurnia was no longer livable. Humans are not brainless puppets; they naturally know how to vote with their feet. A hundred boats competed for the current; for a moment, the lake was filled with small boats as if a hornet's nest had been stirred.
The professors standing on the bridge were dumbfounded on the spot.
"What's going on?"
"The Cuckoo must have gone too far; these people have wanted to escape for a long time." Oritis's eyes twitched.
He hadn't even thought of this layer. The Valkyrie passing through, the civilians resisting, the enemy fleeing, and the residents leaving—these factors complemented each other. Even if they killed Sellen and Thorne, the Academy would suffer a huge loss. Everywhere were people with their families in tow. The Cuckoo had to guard against landings and had no way to stop them, while the sorcerers were slacking off, fearing a sudden attack.
"We can't let them leave. Bombard the lake's surface, drive everyone back..."
"Professor Oritis, Knight Finlay of the Haligtree Army wishes to see you."
Before he could finish, a sorcerer from the Karolos Conspectus rushed over and spoke hesitantly:
"She has received accusations that the Cuckoo Knights plundered the Church of Marika!" The professor's breath hitched.
Looking at the noisy town, he finally understood Thorne's ultimate goal. He wanted to escape, sever the Raya Lucaria Academy's economic lifeline, and involve the Haligtree Army.
Unlike Liurnia, the Valkyrie was a true lord with pure Golden Lineage blood, and she naturally had the duty to protect the church.
"Tina did a few things: she incited the townspeople and had the survivors of the church massacre complain to Malenia. Regardless of whether I can escape, the Raya Lucaria Academy is bound to take a fall!" Thorne spoke eloquently on the shore, making Sellen blink repeatedly. "How did you know the Haligtree Army would intervene?" She had a high sensitivity to knowledge, but she simply didn't understand these schemes. "Doing things is always a gamble; a sixty percent chance of success is already good. Besides, the Haligtree is known for its inclusivity."
Thorne didn't take the risk seriously and turned to nod at the young girl.
"Tina, you did very well this time."
"I... I was just acting according to Mr. Roland's arrangements." The girl twisted the hem of her skirt, not daring to look up. "Be more confident. Doing these things is very difficult, so you have great potential." Thorne jumped onto the small boat, reached out to help Sellen, and said loudly, "Leave this place. Go fulfill your dream of becoming a maiden. Perhaps we'll meet again one day!"
Tina stood on the shore, watching the small boat drift away, and couldn't help but shout, "Mr. Roland, will we really see each other again?"
"We definitely will." The man nodded solemnly, as if trying to memorize her appearance. As they drifted further away, he shouted: "Also, my name is Thorne Wright!"
The small boat drifted with the waves, surrounded by scattered civilians. A Glintstone Dragon roared and flew across the sky but had nowhere to attack. The bursts of dragon roars only made the scene more chaotic. Nearby was the Raya Lucaria Academy, with blue smoke still rising from within.
Furious sorcerers were searching every inch of the ground, while further away was the Haligtree Army and hundreds of Cuckoo Knights standing ready. Three behemoths were right beside them; any one of them could crush the two into powder. Thorne rowed the oars, and his pounding heart gradually calmed down. He took one last look at that massive building, a sense of satisfaction after a life-and-death race filling his heart. As the saying goes, passing through ten thousand troops without a single leaf brushing against him.
Chapter 43: Ranni's Approval
The clouds hung low, obscuring tonight's moonlight. Liurnia of the Lakes had lost its daytime clamor. A small boat drifted quietly with the waves. The fleet that had left the town was scattered everywhere like stray sparks, impossible to round up. Thorne had boated on the lake several times, but never had it been so thrilling. He had practically slipped through the enemy's fingers. However, he didn't head toward Caria Manor, as if guessing that the Raya Lucaria Academy would focus its defenses there.
After all, every time a traitor appeared in the Academy, they would flee toward Caria. 'The news should have reached the manor by now. With Ranni's intelligence, she should provide support quickly.' He touched his smooth chin. They were only temporarily out of danger; until the two were dead, the Raya Lucaria Academy would never let the matter rest. Fortunately, Sellen took the blame. With the Primeval Sorcerers taking the fall, the Academy likely wouldn't suspect me of being a Caria mole. He looked at the other side of the boat. Sellen was nibbling on dried meat in small bites.
Seeing Thorne's gaze turn toward her, she simply asked:
"Do you want to ask me why I took you with me to escape?"
"Not really. We have at least this much trust between master and disciple." Thorne shook his head. Sellen's appearance outside the Raya Lucaria Academy already explained many things. Given Sellen's personality, their feelings weren't so intense that she would risk her life just to save him. With her status, the Academy would have done everything possible to protect her. "Just as you didn't tell me about the threat from Seluvis."
"Heh, you noticed."
Sellen wasn't ashamed at all, yawning as she spoke. "As long as you didn't tell the truth, the Academy wouldn't move against me. But with that bastard Seluvis causing trouble nearby, it's different. He only needs to give a slight hint, and those professors would immediately link it to me."
"So you refused to cooperate?"
"I hate being threatened. Besides, staying at the Academy was just a waste of time." Sellen showed a pained expression. Her path to pursuing Primeval Sorcery was broken, and she was now utterly lost.
"Leaving the Academy might allow you to find a new path.
It's better to take this chance to leave." Thorne smiled without speaking. He was lucky; the part he burned happened to be the most critical part of the notes. It was as if Sellen had been reading an amazing book, and halfway through, the author suddenly went on permanent hiatus. It was already good that she hadn't exploded on the spot. "So why don't you follow the path of Caria with me?"
"Forget it. That path of yours is purely seeking death."
"Even if it's covered in thorns, it's at least a path." Thorne was swaying her at every moment; he didn't even know how many times he had said it.
Sellen was stunned for a moment, then fell silent. By her side, Thorne had done two major things, each more incredible than the last. In the long history of the Raya Lucaria Academy, Thorne could be ranked among the top three villains, yet his power was only mediocre. Perhaps he really could do it?
This thought was extinguished as soon as it arose. Sellen simply bypassed the topic and pointed at the lake's surface. "Aren't you one of Caria's people? Why are you heading south?"
"It happened so suddenly that I didn't have time to notify Lady Ranni. The north is surely heavily blockaded. Charging straight in would be suicide, so it's better to take a detour."
It was logical, so Sellen nodded and asked again, "Can we consider ourselves to have escaped to safety?"
"Far from it. The Academy won't give up. Even with the Haligtree Army 'helping,' they will send at least two professors along with Cuckoo Knights to hunt us down."
"Then should we go seek refuge with the Valkyrie? Malenia and Ranni are half-sisters, after all."
"I know too little about the Haligtree Army, so they can only be a secondary target.
Besides, given what Ranni has done, the identity of a Caria spy is much more dangerous than that of a Primeval Sorcerer." Thorne kept shaking his head. Before the Erdtree, the Academy was just a small fry. "If his identity were exposed, Malenia might be fine—she probably wouldn't know or care—but the Black Knife Assassins would be enough to make him suffer."