Nolan suddenly remembered something. In the game, after Radahn was killed and the stars were unsealed, Sellen still ended up turning herself into a sphere.
That sphere was probably meant to have other effects, but it seemed Sellen didn't know about them yet.
"No. Actually, there's another way. A way everyone knows, isn't there?" Nolan said, his tone loaded with implication.
A way everyone knows?
Sellen froze for a moment, as if something clicked. Then she shook her head and laughed.
"I knew it. My apprentice really is someone who fears neither heaven nor earth, bold enough to set his sights on the Starscourge General."
"Do you have any idea what kind of power it takes to seal the stars? Even Masters Lusat and Azur couldn't resist it and were forced to seek other paths. And you still want to provoke him?"
She was smiling, but inwardly she couldn't help feeling a bit tender toward him. For the sake of a teacher he'd only known for a short time, he really would dare to do anything.
But the Starscourge General was no joke. Compared to Geralt and Roman, the opponents her good apprentice had faced tonight, Radahn could take on a hundred of them without exaggeration.
"Trying doesn't guarantee success, but not trying guarantees failure. Isn't that right?"
Nolan leaned forward with both hands braced against the dining table, meeting his teacher's gaze head-on. A feverish light flickered in his eyes, bordering on madness.
If he shrank back in fear whenever he encountered a powerful enemy, if he didn't even dare to entertain the thought of fighting, how could he ever become the Lord of Cinder?
"But if you already know it's impossible, then you should give up early," Sellen said calmly.
"Not waste time clinging to fantasies."
A magic apprentice of utterly average ability, daring to plot Radahn's death? Even drowning himself in the sacred lotuses of the Saintess's Chapel wouldn't be enough to sustain that kind of dream.
Sellen snapped her fingers, about to tell her foolish apprentice to stop indulging in daytime fantasies, when she noticed the man in front of her had gone quiet, deep in thought, as if seriously weighing the feasibility of it all.
Her mouth fell open.
"Do you even understand what I'm saying? You're not actually thinking of killing Radahn, are you?"
"Depends," Nolan replied.
"You really dare to think that far?!"
Thump, thump, thump—
A series of urgent, heavy knocks suddenly rang out against the tightly shut classroom door.
Outside stood several sorcerers, led by Karolos, all gathered before this very room. Their expressions were grim, their stances tense, eyes fixed on the door as though facing a formidable enemy.
Behind them were a few more sorcerers wearing different hoods, each swallowing nervously.
They had all been dispatched by the academy to investigate. No one had seen the master and apprentice inside this classroom last night, and they needed answers.
If anything was amiss, a fight could break out at any moment. This infamous Witch was no easy opponent. A handful of junior apprentices wouldn't be able to deal with her.
Some of them had only come because they'd heard there were credits to be earned, never realizing they'd been led here by a Preceptor and dragged into an investigation like this.
"Lecturer Sellen, open the door already!" the leader called out again. "You know how much I hate waiting!"
He knocked once more, impatience creeping into his voice.
Just as he was about to strike the door again, it finally opened, slowly.
Sellen pulled the door open and immediately saw who was standing outside.
Her brows knit slightly. She clearly wasn't pleased to see him.
The man stood at the threshold, dressed in a solemn Preceptor's long gown, his presence carrying an unmistakable air of authority.
The mages beside him stood stiff and uneasy, each of them afraid that the slightest misstep would earn them a sharp rebuke.
Sellen, her hood pulled low, leaned against the doorframe and shot back with clear irritation,
"Seluvis, what are you doing here? You made a mess in the middle of the night, and now you still won't give it a rest?"
Her hostility toward Seluvis was unmistakable. His presence was clearly unwelcome.
The sharp tone made Seluvis pause for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. Narrowing his eyes, he scrutinized Sellen.
"Lecturer Sellen, where were you last night?"
There was a faint note of accusation in his voice.
Sellen's impatience was obvious. Just standing there, Seluvis was already getting on her nerves. The Witch had no intention of entertaining this professor and answered bluntly,
"You still need to ask me that? Don't you already know?"
Seluvis wasn't intimidated by her attitude and continued pressing.
"I was in charge of assessing the losses last night. I discovered that the notebooks belonging to Lusat and Azur are missing. Don't you think that's a little too convenient?"
He reached out and placed a hand on the doorframe, leaning forward as if he intended to step inside.
Sellen immediately blocked the doorway, not yielding an inch. Seluvis froze in place, his movement cut short.
He spoke again, his tone carrying a subtle threat.
"You should know that I value you highly. Our previous cooperation was quite pleasant."
"I wouldn't want a minor incident to cost us the chance for future collaboration."
The implication was clear. If Sellen refused to cooperate, the consequences would not be trivial.
The sorcerers passing by deliberately kept their distance. They weren't just wary of the Preceptor's authority. They genuinely despised Seluvis for the vile man he was. Everyone preferred to stay as far away from him as possible to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Sellen let out a cold laugh. In the past, they had indeed worked together for the sake of Primeval Sorcery. But now, she had already obtained what she wanted. She and her well-behaved apprentice were about to leave this place, and there was no reason for her to endure him any longer.
Seluvis's interest in the Witch had never come from crude human lust. It was something darker and far more twisted. He wanted to seize her completely, to keep her under his control like one of his other puppets.
Sellen understood Seluvis's intentions all too well, and the sheer revulsion she felt toward his disgusting designs was impossible to hide.
"I heard there was a fire last night," she said coolly. "Those notes you're talking about have probably already turned to ash. It's not surprising you can't find them."
She lifted her head slightly, her voice carrying a clear warning.
"And Seluvis, remember this. I am neither your puppet nor your property."
"Take those filthy eyes off me, or I'll tear them out myself."
The tension between the Witch and the Preceptor reached its breaking point, their exchange thick with hostility. The apprentices nearby had gone pale, too frightened to make a sound, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
"Lecturer Sellen, please don't be angry. We're only carrying out orders. Once the search is complete, we'll leave immediately."
"Also, may I ask if Apprentice Nolan is here? We have a few questions we need to ask him."
An associate professor from Olivinus hurried forward to smooth things over. If these two actually came to blows, the entire floor would likely be soaked in blood.
"He's inside. Go find him yourselves," Sellen said plainly, stepping aside without the slightest hint of guilt.
"You can search if you want. Just don't touch my things."
"Of course. Rest assured."
With the threat of a violent confrontation finally avoided, the associate professor let out an unconscious sigh of relief and stepped into the room.
When he noticed Nolan looking in his direction, and saw the advanced theoretical paper spread out on the desk, he nodded in approval.
A good student. Diligent, hardworking, and talented. With proper guidance, there was no reason he couldn't grow into a master one day.
Still, no matter how much the professors might want to keep him, they wouldn't dare force the issue. It wasn't cowardice. The risk simply outweighed the reward.
Offending the Haligtree over a single apprentice was never worth the price.