Kale headed towards the Academy to rest for a while.
After parting ways with him, Lucian mounted Torrent and left Academy Gate Town.
Passing near the Church District, all he needed to do was cross the territory of the Glintstone Dragon, Smarag, and he would reach the location of the crystal cave.
However, when he passed by the enormous dragon's nest, he circled around twice but never caught sight of the massive Glintstone Dragon.
Lucian scratched his head.
"Strange… where did it go?"
"Out for a stroll?"
He had even considered capturing it someday, either as hired muscle or perhaps as a pet for Ranni.
Ranni already had a Glintstone Dragon. One more wouldn't hurt, and it would make management easier.
"Ah well. If it's gone, it's gone. Let's go meet the Crystalians."
Lucian crossed the dragon's former territory and, within the forest beneath the academy, found the entrance to the Academy Crystal Cave.
The opening was narrow. Unlike the game's design, where an imp statue sealed the entrance, this one was concealed by an illusory wall.
"This place is pretty well hidden."
He had spent quite some time searching for it.
With a casual wave of his hand, he dispelled the illusion and stepped inside.
The cave was filled with pale violet glintstone crystals. Around them stood numerous sorcerers, gathered closely by the mineral clusters.
The moment they saw Lucian, they were startled and immediately raised their staffs, unleashing spells toward him.
Lucian strolled forward leisurely, weaving past their not-so-formidable magic as if taking a walk in a garden.
This cave lay entirely outside the academy's surveillance. These must have been exiled sorcerers, unaware that the academy had already been reclaimed and unsealed by Lucian.
He had no intention of fighting and called out:
"The academy has been retaken. Stand down."
The sorcerers hesitated, unconvinced.
"And you expect us to believe that just because you say so?!"
Lucian sighed. Explaining further seemed pointless.
He rushed forward and knocked them down one by one—one punch each.
Looking at the sorcerers twitching on the ground, he suddenly remembered that he could have used Ranni's moon sigil as proof of identity.
Even if it didn't prove he ruled the academy, it would at least prove his connection to Ranni. That alone would have convinced them.
Well.
Too late now.
"Believe me now?"
The sorcerers nodded frantically from the floor.
"Yes, yes, we believe you…"
Lucian gave a small nod.
"Good. Take me to whoever makes decisions here."
One of the sorcerers glanced around, realized none of his companions were willing to stand, and reluctantly got up. If he delayed any longer, this man might knock them all unconscious.
He led Lucian through winding tunnels.
Soon they arrived at a spacious cavern chamber where over a dozen sorcerers were gathered.
These sorcerers wore glintstone crowns of various designs, members of different former classrooms and factions.
But now, they belonged to one faction alone: the Crystal School.
They were seekers of the "wisdom within stone," scholars dedicated to studying the subtle thoughts of the Crystalian collective.
Among them stood a tall, broad-shouldered battle mage who seemed to be their leader.
Seeing a stranger brought into their inner chamber, the gathered sorcerers rose and gripped their staffs warily.
The battle mage called out from a distance:
"Who are you?"
Lucian cleared his throat.
"I am the new master of the academy. It has reopened."
"I came here to restart the Terra Magica."
As he spoke, he activated the moonlight sigil Ranni had left upon him.
The phantom of a dark moon shimmered into existence.
At the sight of it, most of the sorcerers were already half convinced.
Still, having sealed themselves away for so long, ignorant of outside affairs, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves at such drastic news.
One of the sorcerers Lucian had punched earlier looked at the glowing sigil with speechless frustration.
Why hadn't he shown that sooner?
He could have avoided getting knocked out.
Lucian turned to the battle mage.
"You know the Terra Magica is damaged, don't you?"
The mage nodded calmly.
"Of course. We're the ones who sabotaged it."
"This cave became our dwelling after we, the Crystal School, were expelled from the academy."
"To ensure those disloyal and unjust fools wouldn't live too comfortably, we climbed up from here and damaged the Terra Magica."
"Very few people knew the Terra Magica was actually located outside the academy, and tied to the Crystalians. So even after we broke it, they couldn't trace it back to us."
Realizing Lucian had come to repair it, he quickly added:
"Don't worry. We didn't destroy the formation entirely."
"We left it repairable. Restoration should be quick."
Hearing that, Lucian felt relieved.
"Then take me there."
"And while we're at it… I'd like to meet these mysterious Crystalians."
The Crystalians possessed remarkable strength and craftsmanship.
The true crystal sorceries demanded extremely high intelligence. The academy's Crystal Burst and Shattering Crystal were nothing but crude imitations.
And the "wisdom within stone" held by the Crystalians was something ordinary sorcerers of the Lands Between could scarcely comprehend.
Lucian had yet to truly come into contact with the Wisdom within the Stone. Because of this, he still could not wield the Lusat's Glintstone Staff in his possession.
Earlier, Sellen had used Azur's Glintstone Staff with effortless ease. That alone proved she had already grasped the Wisdom within the Stone.
Under the guidance of the crystal-aligned sorcerers, Lucian was led deep into the cavern beneath the academy, where he finally beheld the Crystalians.
There were two Crystalians dwelling within this academy cave. Both sat cross-legged upon the ground.
At their sides rested their respective armaments: one with a long spear, the other with a staff.
Their bodies were entirely formed of pale blue glintstone crystal, flawless and without impurity. The only thing that could even vaguely be called clothing was the cape draped behind them.
Yet their forms revealed no distinction of gender. Perhaps, being creatures of crystal, they had no need for such things at all.
When they noticed visitors entering, and sensed that they were not enemies, the two Crystalians rose to their feet. They began to walk forward stiffly, step by rigid step.
Then, as if finding their pace too slow, they simply pressed their feet together and began hopping toward him in short, buoyant leaps.
The Crystalian holding the staff stopped before Lucian. Its body began to emit a soft glow, and from it arose a peculiar current of thought.
Lucian could sense the surging tide of its mind, yet he could not comprehend it.
The Crystalian seemed to realize his inability to understand their speech and changed its method.
Pale blue light flickered rapidly across its crystalline form. Lucian's eyes slowly widened.
Though he did not understand what the Crystalian had done, two sorceries had already taken shape within his mind:
Shattering Crystal and Crystal Release.
The methods of casting these two Crystalian sorceries were transmitted directly into his consciousness, as if through instantaneous communion.
Lucian wished to thank the Crystalian, but he still lacked the means to properly communicate.
As for the crystal group's human sorcerers, none among them were particularly powerful. Their understanding of the Crystalians' intentions was incomplete—half interpretation, half guesswork.
Even so, according to their halting translations, the Crystalians were quite fond of Lucian. They even intended to present him with a treasure.
At the Crystalians' indication, the sorcerers retrieved a radiant crystalline staff from a concealed place and placed it into Lucian's hands.
It was a staff no human hands could craft, a pure Crystal Staff, forged entirely of deep-blue crystal.
This staff enhanced Crystalian sorceries. However, only those who had touched the Wisdom within the Stone, and possessed sufficient Intelligence could wield it in human form.
Lucian grasped the Crystal Staff.
Just like Lusat's staff, however, it refused to respond.
It seemed his Intelligence attribute was still insufficient. For now, he remained unable to reach the so-called Wisdom within the Stone.
At present, Lucian's Intelligence stood at only 41.
If he remembered correctly, the Crystal Staff required 48 Intelligence to wield.
Perhaps, once the Academy's Terra Magica was reactivated, he might be able to use it?
If 48 Intelligence was enough to wield the Crystal Staff… did that mean such a level was also sufficient to touch the Wisdom within the Stone?
If he could use it, then with some reinforcement, this would become the most powerful staff available to him.
He could not wield Lusat's staff at all. And while the Sword of Night and Flame could serve as a casting medium, its essence remained that of a sword.
Its sorcery scaling simply could not compare to a true staff.
After accepting the Crystal Staff, Lucian joined several sorcerers responsible for repairing the magical array. Together, they stepped onto the lift leading to the tower's summit.
The elevator rose into the air, suspended without visible support, swiftly ascending to the top floor of the bell tower.
When he stepped off, Lucian stood at the highest point of the Academy.
From this height, he could clearly overlook the entirety of the Academy beneath him.
He quickly spotted Sellen standing atop a building across from him.
He waved in her direction. She noticed him as well and responded with a gentle nod and smile.
Lucian followed the outer staircase of the bell tower upward, arriving at the location where the Terra Magica's grand array had been inscribed.
The magic circle etched into the ground had been deliberately severed, preventing it from functioning as it once had.
With the combined efforts of the sorcerers, the damaged portions were swiftly restored.
They turned toward Lucian.
"Lord Lucian, please pour your magic into the array and reactivate the Academy's Terra Magica."
"Be cautious. Initiating the Terra Magica requires an immense quantity of magic."
Lucian stepped forward and stood at the center of the circle.
Extending his hand, he released the magic within his body. It surged outward in torrents, converging into the array at his feet.
As the vast flow of magic continued pouring in, azure light illuminated along the engraved patterns of the circle.
When the array beneath his feet was fully lit, an enormous phantom sigil spread outward into the sky.
Lucian began to feel strained. His magic was nearing exhaustion.
The cost of activating this thing was overwhelming.
The Full Moon Queen's reserves of magic must have been truly astonishing.
He drank four flasks of cerulean tears in succession before finally bringing the Terra Magica fully online. It expanded across the sky, covering the entire Academy.
From the moment the Terra Magica fully formed, countless stars began to shimmer within the Academy's darkened night sky.
No matter the hour, no matter the place, stars now accompanied every sorcerer.
Lucian exhaled in relief.
At last, it was activated.
Once initiated, the Terra Magica would circulate magic on its own. There was no need for further input.
In that instant, Lucian's mind felt incomparably clear. His comprehension and insight into sorcery deepened profoundly.
He drew out the Crystal Staff once more.
The awkward resistance from before had vanished. Now, he could wield it normally.
At this stage, he could likely communicate, at least partially with the Crystalians.
Lucian raised the Crystal Staff and gave it a light flourish.
Immediately, a miniature Terra Magica formed beneath his feet.
When he had activated the grand array earlier, he had unknowingly mastered this sorcery as well.
Over the next few days, all that remained was to quietly await Melina's rebirth.
However, the time required for Melina's reconstitution might be longer than Lucian and Ranni had anticipated.
—
Within the Grand Library of Raya Lucaria, Ranni had temporarily departed. Only Rennala remained.
Rennala cradled the amber egg in her arms.
Suddenly, she noticed something unusual about Melina within.
She opened her eyes and gazed tenderly at the curled figure inside the egg.
"Oh my… why, there lieth some manner of seal upon thee…"
"Come now, let Mother aid thee in unbinding it~"
She reached out to touch it—
But another force repelled her hand, drawing blood from her fingertip.
Rennala showed no reaction at all.
Once more, she pressed her finger forward, steadily unraveling that ancient seal.
"Fret not, sweet child… Mother shall cradle thee, and grant thee rebirth anew."