As it turned out, the Queen of the Full Moon was true to her word.
She said she'd kill them at least ten times, and she didn't miss a single one.
After the slaughter, as she looked at the ground littered with Sorcerer corpses, her frown finally eased a little. With a sigh, she lowered her staff.
"That's enough."
Though she still felt like killing them a few more times, troubling Lloyd again wasn't ideal. Besides, the academy needed rebuilding. Letting them rot here would be letting them off easy—getting them up and working overtime was the real business.
So, once her temper cooled, Lloyd rekindled the flame and revived the Sorcerers.
When the Sorcerers opened their eyes again and learned that the Queen wouldn't torment them further, they were about to cheer—only to see her summon several Glintstone shovels and toss them before them.
What…?
They blinked.
The Queen of the Full Moon pointed at the shovels without expression, then gestured toward the ruins.
After a moment of silence, the Sorcerers grimaced, picked up the shovels, and trudged into the ruins to start digging. One who hadn't gotten a shovel started sweeping dust at the side. Their movements and coordination were far too practiced—clearly, they'd done this plenty of times before.
Noticing this, Lloyd turned toward the Queen of the Full Moon. She stayed silent for a while before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Now you understand why I don't want to be this queen, don't you?"
That much was clear.
...
After spending some time arranging the academy's reconstruction, the Queen of the Full Moon finally brought up the real reason she had summoned Lloyd.
The Sorcerers were irritating, but she wouldn't have called him over just for that. She had something important to discuss with him face-to-face—punishing the Sorcerers was only a side matter.
And that matter was…
"The academy is preparing to establish a 'Dueling Classroom,' and they want you to serve as its 'foundation.'"
Lloyd froze.
Wait, what?
It wasn't that he didn't understand—quite the opposite. Because he'd dealt with the academy often, and thanks to Sellen explaining much about its workings before, he understood exactly what she meant. That was precisely why he was so shocked.
To put it simply:
At Raya Lucaria Academy, "classroom" carried two meanings. One referred to an ordinary teaching room. The other wasn't really a classroom at all, but a "school of thought."
Take the oldest, the Karolos Conspectus. They revered Sorcerer Azur as their cornerstone and explored comet-type sorceries. Most of the academy's long-range spells—whether small-scale sorceries or great comet-like ones—either originated from them or were connected to their research.
Then there was the Olivinus Conspectus, who saw Sorcerer Lusat as their foundation. They explored meteor-type sorceries and were the earliest to establish "sorcery classification."
Though their sorceries lacked the raw power of Karolos's comet sorceries, they laid the theoretical groundwork for classification itself.
To use a simple analogy: The Karolos pioneered drawing Glintstone's power into chunks and hurling them at enemies, ushering sorcerers into the "Stone-Slinging" era. From then on, research focused on making bigger stones that hit harder.
The Olivines, on the other hand, asked, "Why only big stones? Why not lots of smaller ones?" They developed methods to break larger stones into smaller fragments and throw them in succession.
Though the added step reduced their power, it allowed rapid fire like a machine gun, or mass volleys to expand the attack's range.
But their true breakthrough wasn't in attack—it was the very method of fragmenting stones, the birth of "sorcery classification."
Later, the Haima Conspectus went further, studying not only the Theory of Magical Warfare but also shaping stones into hammers or firing them as cannonballs.
The Lazuli Conspectus inherited sorceries said to descend from an unnamed Queen of the Full Moon—sorceries that could counter and dispel others. These later evolved into the Caria Manor spells, capable of absorbing and turning magic back on its caster…
And now, with Thops recently developing force-field sorcery, it was clear: establishing a "Conspectus" at Raya Lucaria carried immense prestige.
Only those who pushed magical study or application to a revolutionary level—those who could lay down entirely new theoretical foundations—had the right to create one.
But now…
The Queen of the Full Moon led him to his "classroom"—which, at present, was just an empty lot.
Looking at the group of Sorcerers playing cards nearby, Lloyd's expression turned complicated.
Seriously? They were founding a classroom for him—and making him its foundation?
"This isn't some kind of April Fool's joke, is it?"
And what could his classroom possibly teach Sorcerers? Card games?
"It really is card games."
Lloyd's confusion didn't surprise the Queen of the Full Moon in the slightest as she continued her explanation.
"But not ordinary card games—it's card games where you stake your soul. Or rather, research into the soul itself."
The whole matter began with that conversation Lloyd once had with Moongrum, who knows how long ago.
After that talk, Moongrum, quick to sniff out a business opportunity, moved with astonishing speed. In just a single day, he drafted a rough proposal. Once it was outlined, he handed it to the Queen of the Full Moon for review.
At that time, they were still exploring possible applications for the Magic Engine and needed experimental directions to test. On top of that, the thing looked like something Sorcerers would love—something to drain their energy and keep them from stirring up trouble every day.
After some thought, the Queen of the Full Moon not only approved the idea on the spot but also called in the remaining Magic Engine designers. After a round of discussion, they finalized the project right there, and before long, a prototype was made.
Since it was just a toy, not something serious, after a bit of internal testing confirmed no major issues, the Queen of the Full Moon simply released it.
Partly to keep the idle Sorcerers busy, partly to see how people would react.
And then...
"I did expect it to be popular once released, but I truly didn't expect it to be this popular."
Maybe it was because academy life was too dull. Maybe it was the allure of new technology. Or maybe Sorcerers were just born with a taste for card games.
Whatever the reason, the moment the Queen of the Full Moon tossed out that test version—barely even finished—of the duel board plugin, it immediately caught the attention of passing Sorcerers. In no time at all, it swept across the entire academy like a tidal wave.
"Hey, did you hear? Someone in the dorms is using the Magic Engine to play cards."
"With the Magic Engine? No way."
"It's real. And it's a brand-new type of card game, one we've never seen before."
"A new game?"
"More exciting than a game—the kind that can actually explode."
Word spread quickly. Large groups of Sorcerers gathered around the Magic Engine to watch the matches. The duels were crude, but novel and fun, and the more they saw, the more their interest grew.
"What are you even playing? Do you even know the rules?"
"You just summoned that monster and killed it right away, just to show off your Sorcery..."
"Move aside, let me show you how it's done."
Then he lost even worse than the first guy.
"That round didn't count—it was my first match, I wasn't familiar yet..."
"Like you're the only beginner? Get down already."
Soon, to deal with the issue of seat hogging, the Sorcerers organized themselves and came up with a simulation plugin—the same kind Lloyd had seen before. When someone lost a duel, Glintstone Sorcery would blast them straight in the face.
This greatly boosted immersion while also solving the problem of players refusing to leave. After all, if you're knocked out cold, you can't keep holding the seat. It even gave the victor a stronger sense of accomplishment.
Still, though the Duel Game's popularity surprised even the Queen of the Full Moon, and though she, as one of the creators, made a hefty profit from it, it remained within the bounds of a "normal" pastime. People loved it, but it was still just a game.
If things continued, it would likely follow the pattern of past card games that had swept through the academy. After a wave of hype, interest would fade. Most Sorcerers would move on to newer games, leaving only a small group of enthusiasts to form a niche community.
That was perfectly normal.
After all, a game is just a game.
And the Duel Game's popularity wasn't solely thanks to its fun—it relied heavily on the performance of the Magic Engine.
It was inevitable that as the Magic Engine advanced, more games like this would appear. Judging from the current hype, it wouldn't be long before newer, better alternatives replaced it and carried on the craze.
That was fine. The Queen of the Full Moon didn't mind others making better games.
After all, no matter how fun a game is, the Magic Engine needed to run it is in her hands. Whoever makes the game, if they want to run it through the Magic Engine, has to give her a share.
And with her staff already stretched thin, just managing the Magic Engine keeps her busy enough. She doesn't have the energy to bother with another game.
If she can hand it off, save herself the trouble, and still make money, why wouldn't she?
It was a perfectly reasonable outlook, and Moongrum saw nothing wrong with it.
The problem was, as the one who had initiated the project, kept it running, and—after trying it himself—had grown to like it, Moongrum had developed a genuine attachment. He didn't want to see it fade away.
The Queen of the Full Moon didn't discourage his feelings and even offered some support. But even with that, Moongrum couldn't come up with a way to keep the game alive.
Then, while he was wrestling with the problem, a certain Ashen One happened to return to the academy on business. After hearing him out, he thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not some veteran card gamer, so I don't have a perfect solution. But I've heard a saying: a card game only really gets exciting when you put your soul into it..."
To be honest, Lloyd wasn't entirely sure what "soul" meant in this context. But even without knowing, couldn't he make a guess?
"If it's called soul, then it must involve souls. Cards and souls, huh..."
The Ashen One paused in thought.
"How about trying to put a little soul into the cards?"
Moongrum: "......?"
Having dealt with Lloyd many times, Moongrum was used to his occasional outbursts, so at first he didn't take it seriously.
But soon, after snapping out of it, he realized something was wrong.
Wait... souls...
The Lands Between did have summoning techniques.
And those techniques happened to exist within the Carian Faction.
For example, Lloyd's very first Spirit Calling Bell was given to him by Ranni. Caria Manor itself housed countless soldier spirits.
And while spirit summoning wasn't entirely unique to the Carians—after all, the Golden Order had hordes of headless spirit soldiers, and the Ancestral Woods teemed with the souls of Ancestral Followers—
The real point was this: within the academy, among the factions capable of handling the Magic Engine, only the Carian Faction had deep knowledge of spirit summoning.
The rest faced a split: those who understood the Magic Engine didn't understand summoning, and those who knew summoning couldn't grasp the Magic Engine.
That was his unique advantage.
When Moongrum shared this idea with the Queen of the Full Moon, she fell silent.
To be honest, it wasn't a good idea.
After all, the Lands Between weren't Dark Souls. Soul research was already taboo, and no one had ever confirmed the real reason the Eternal City had been destroyed.
One theory was that they had delved too deep into the study of souls, trespassed into the domain of the Greater Will, and brought destruction upon themselves.
So even now, though the Queen of the Full Moon was of Nox descent and possessed extensive knowledge of souls, she had never dared spread it openly. Even research had once been carried out in secret by the Snow Witch Renna.
After Renna's death, all her studies—whether on souls or Albinaurics—were branded forbidden.
Those without the power couldn't understand it. Those with the power didn't dare pursue it. That was how things had spiraled the way they had.
But now...
"Let's give it a try."
After a long silence, the Queen of the Full Moon agreed to Moongrum's request.
Why?
The answer could be summed up in just four words: Homing Crystal Soulmass.
Though the warped spacetime had been corrected, and a certain white dragon was busy working overtime in the Dungeon with no chance to wander, it was inevitable that remnants would slip into the present through the aftershocks of battle. Among them were fragments of Homing Crystal Soulmass.
They were only fragments, stripped of their owners, their power completely dissipated. All that remained were empty shells, incapable of affecting the world.
The problem was that these fragments had fallen within the Academy of Sorceries—
A gathering place of sorcerers with insatiable curiosity and a love of courting death.
If they were to stumble upon these fragments and merely observe them...
Well, it already happened. Not once or twice, but many sorcerers had seen them.
Thankfully, while sorcerers enjoy courting danger, they're not outright suicidal. Once they realized how dangerous the fragments were, they sealed them away and kept watch on one another, making sure no one studied them.
But how long could that last?
If not for the Queen of the Full Moon bursting onto the scene with the Magic Engine, outshining the old sorcerers and diverting their attention...
...the academy would already be in a state too grim for anyone to imagine.
Even now, with the Magic Engine drawing focus, how long could the distraction hold?
The dueling craze itself was, in large part, because sorcerers feared they couldn't resist the temptation and desperately sought something to keep their minds busy.
Because those crystals were too beautiful, too enticing.
Any sorcerer who had laid eyes on them couldn't possibly resist their call.
Even the Queen of the Full Moon, when alone, would unconsciously recall the experience of being possessed—
The memory of those exquisite crystals.
The desire to gaze at them. To touch them. To study them.
But that was absolutely out of the question.
That level of power, that forbidden knowledge, that bloody research...
Once touched, even once, there would be no turning back.
Yet outright prohibition wasn't wise either. The Queen of the Full Moon understood well that loosening control was sometimes better than trying to block everything outright. For some time, she had struggled with this dilemma, wondering how to handle research on souls.
Now, after hearing Moongrum speak, an idea began to form in her mind. It sounded like a joke, but at this moment, it seemed the most fitting solution.
Serious soul research was far too taboo. But what about something less serious?
Through a game, they could explore the applications of the Magic Engine while slipping in a touch of soul research, filling the academy's gap in that field.
If Lloyd oversaw it, he could be granted the title of Honorary Master, which would also help him spread his influence more easily throughout the academy...
After all, even though the academy's upper ranks were largely loyal to Lloyd now, sorcerers by nature were rebellious. Nominal subordinates they might be, but obedient? Not a chance. Otherwise, they wouldn't be causing trouble day after day.
If Lloyd were to personally step in and show them a thing or two, the effect might even surpass any order they could issue...
And when it came to soul research alone, Lloyd didn't just deserve a classroom—he could start an academy of his own. Calling him merely a Master was practically an understatement.
But since Master was the highest title the academy had short of the Queen herself, that was all she could give him for now.
After listening to the Queen of the Full Moon's explanation, Lloyd understood the situation.
He thought for a moment, then decided to accept.
After all, setting aside his connection with the Queen of the Full Moon, he was the one who had brought the Homing Crystal Soulmass here. In a way, he bore some responsibility...
"When do I start teaching?"
"If you want, you can start right now."
The Queen of the Full Moon gestured toward an open space nearby.
"A classroom doesn't have to be indoors. As long as there are students and a teacher, even a pile of rubble can become a classroom."
Lloyd considered this, then nodded.
"True."
After a brief pause, he stepped into the center of the gathered sorcerers, who all turned their eyes on him.
"Who are you...?"
"I'm here to teach."
Lloyd stood firmly in place, glanced around, and nodded to himself.
Yes. This spot would do.
On the other side, the sorcerers began whispering among themselves when they saw him take his place.
Though Lloyd had killed many of them before, because his Law had been incomplete back then, they had merely died like foot soldiers—without memory of it, let alone recognizing who had slain them.
As for this so-called "Master," even though the academy had agreed after discussion, many remained doubtful. They had never seen him in person, and only agreed because others vouched for him.
And now...
"How's this guy supposed to teach?"
"He's not carrying Glintstone, and I don't see a book."
"He doesn't even have a staff... Wait, why is he drawing a sword?"
Under their watchful eyes, Lloyd drew the White Dragon Sword and spoke.
"Do you know what the best way is to study souls?"
"...What is it?"
Lloyd turned to the one who asked, smiling kindly.
"The answer is simple."
"Death."
With that, the White Dragon Sword stabbed into the ground.
The next instant, the Wrath of the White Ancient Dragon erupted. Before the sorcerers' stunned, horrified eyes, a crystalline storm swallowed everything.
Moments later, the ground was littered with corpses.
Lloyd looked over them, nodded, and gave the White Dragon Sword a sharp flick.
"This is my teaching method."
"I hope you enjoy it."