How to Survive at the Academy
chapter-114

On the day when the Archmage Gluckt died (2)

Although Archmage Gluckt is a figure from the past, he is frequently mentioned in the scenario of “Sylvanian Academy’s Failed Swordsman”. He has left behind many traces of his existence. Recognized for his varied achievements in almost every field at numerous academies, he explored elemental studies, magical creature ecology, herbology, mana manipulation, sensitivity principles, and elementalism. He served directly under the royal family as a mage, exterminated magical creatures, spent years as a mercenary, saved border city-states from crises, and even simultaneously subdued both the highest-ranking fire elemental Theorphys and the highest-ranking water elemental Pride… He truly lived the life of a hero.

After his retirement, he devoted himself to nurturing the next generation, following the will of his mentor Archsage Sylvanius, and invested all his lifelong assets into educational and academic research funding. It was said that he hardly spent any money on himself.

The remnants of his presence are clearly left here at Sylvanius Academy. There is the Gluckt Hall among the three buildings of the student union, the Gluckt Scholarship Foundation which I once relied on, and Gluckt’s magical theories that remain part of the standard curriculum.

If Archsage Sylvanius was the founder of Sylvanius Academy, then Archmage Gluckt could be considered the main contributor who took on its maintenance and developed it into the world’s leading educational institution.

I’ve read materials from the setting books, and since coming into this world, I’ve memorized the biographies to the point where I could recite them by heart. After all, he’s one of the major figures discussed in the subject of magical history.

However, his end remains undisclosed. At least, historically speaking.

But… I had a rough idea, as “Sylvanius’s Failed Swordsman” somewhat covered the past of Lucy.

After liquidating all his assets and feeling that he had done all he could, he retires to a vast mountain range in the northwestern region of Ramellden.

There, in a monastery, he discovers an abandoned Lucy and takes her in, immediately recognizing the girl’s magical talent and bestowing upon her the Star’s Blessing, which swiftly unlocked her potential.

Unexpectedly, Lucy’s magical talent turned out to be even more tremendous than Gluckt had anticipated.

Even left to her own devices, the girl would have awakened to her magical power and made a name for herself as a sorceress. And to think, she even met a great archmage who would go down in history as her mentor… Thus, their combined potentials triggered a chemical reaction, turning her into a gemstone of vast talent.

Nevertheless, Archmage Gluckt thus spent his twilight years in the Ramellden mountain range.

Casually engaging in writing activities, surviving, and refining the human gem named Lucy Mayrill… Eventually, he reaches the end of his life.

On a rainy day. In a humble shack.

The past glory of a supreme figure who swayed the world and led human history was nowhere to be seen, as Archmage Gluckt laid completely withered.

His back was bent, his face covered in deep wrinkles. Half of his face was hidden by a bushy beard, and his hair had turned white, devoid of any luster.

There was no family by his side. His wife, whom he met in his youth, had lost her life while subduing Theorphys, and those he could call friends had all passed from this world.

After becoming a notable figure, the people he met either revered him or sought to take advantage of his fame. Such is the lonely nature of those at the pinnacle.

He had a long journey.

If turned into a book, his life would be enough to create a grand adventure epic.

Yet, in the end, there was someone to carry on his will. That alone made him feel he had lived a successful life.

The tapping of the rain against the shack’s roof marked the end of one magician’s journey.

“And so my journey began. Though now, it’s over.”

“Over…?”

Dusk.

After a lively day in Arkensum, this time was the bridge between the busy daylight and the tranquil night.

The sky was painted red, ready to welcome the long night ahead.

As we stepped into the darkening eastern sky, Lucy and I walked together for a while.

Lucy clung to my arm, leading the way with determination, and I simply matched my pace to hers.

Lucy, able to lighten her weight to fly or even teleport long distances using spatial magic with a bold use of her mana, had once zoomed from the Ophelius Hall to the northern forest in a blink.

Yet, Lucy chose to walk slowly. There seemed to be a desire to match our steps, and she probably had things she wanted to say before reaching our destination.

“You can let go of my hand. I’m not going anywhere.”

After leaving the northern forest and passing through the residential area to near the western coast, we had walked quite a distance.

We received many curious glances from people along the way, which made my face uncomfortably itchy.

The sight of Lucy pulling me along seemed curious indeed to onlookers.

Lucy’s name as Sylvanius Academy’s valedictorian and a prodigious magician was well-known. Though not everyone recognized her face, those who did sure took note. Especially current Sylvanius students.

Already feeling awkward from the looks we got passing through the residential area, and my arm was starting to tingle from being outstretched for so long.

“It looks like I’m being dragged around. You don’t have to hold on.”

With that, Lucy glanced at her own arm and then back at my face.

Her gaze still seemed vacant, but perhaps there was a hint more emotion than before. They say that even a heart will open up over time, and this girl, who once seemed like a talking doll, was beginning to look more human-like, which was quite fascinating to see.

Lucy let go of my arm and absentmindedly twirled the tips of her white hair. She then pulled down her large witch hat and nodded.

“So, where are we going…? You could’ve just told me ahead of time, it wouldn’t have hurt anyone.”

“We’re heading to the west coast of Arkensum. We’re almost there.”

“Just the coast? You suddenly felt like seeing the sea? It can’t be just that.”

“……”

Lucy tried to speak but seemed to struggle with the explanation and simply shook her head.

She flapped her spare sleeve and pointed toward the direction we were heading. I was about to ask but simply acknowledged and continued following Lucy.

“Do you know where that old man’s hometown is…?”

“Archmage Gluckt? According to history class, he was from the lawless region of Cohelton.”

Lucy shook her head.

“That was just where he spent some of his childhood.”

“What…?”

“The history books are wrong.”

That was a curious assertion. It’s not often someone can confidently say the books themselves are flawed, especially someone in front of me.

Since the information came from Lucy, who heard it from Gluckt himself, it’s likely her words are accurate.

“Then…?”

“It’s here, this Arkensum.”

“……”

Adjusting her hat and looking up at the sky, Lucy’s eyes reflected the wide expanse of the early evening sky.

A few birds took flight into the sunset, disappearing into the distant forest.

From this point on, we delved into the realm beyond the scenario or even history.

There’s no mention of it in the “Sylvanius’s Failed Swordsman” setting books or in any historical records of this world. These were the kinds of stories that lay submerged beneath the surface.

“Back when that old man was eagerly seeking knowledge, this Arkensum had no big schools, just a few local tribes and magical creatures all around.”

“That makes sense. After all, the major subjugation of the magical creatures on Arkensum didn’t occur until after Sylvanius Academy was established.”

“Back then, even though Sylvanius Academy existed, it was incredibly minor… It could barely be called a school. It was almost like a private tutoring building, he’d said.”

The school was something built by Archsage Sylvanius on this very Arkensum. A school that, at that time, lacked prestige and had no ability to gather students properly.

How Gluckt spent his childhood on Arkensum after meeting Sylvanius… neither I nor Lucy could know.

― ‘Sylvanius Academy is a treasure painstakingly crafted by Master Sylvanius Robester for the advancement of scholarship throughout his life.’

― ‘Many prescient trials are already foreseen to assail this precious treasure. Of course, probably only visible properly through the eyes of Master Sylvanius, the stellar scholar.’

― ‘Trials will strengthen the earth after the rain, and most will be overcome by Sylvanius Academy on its own… But there is one trial that won’t be surmounted without your power.’

― ‘When that time comes, for the sake of this old man… would you lend your strength? Lucy.’

“What was so enjoyable about constantly reminiscing about his days seeking knowledge on Arkensum, and even when dying, he worried only about this school. He was really a foolish old man.”

“……”

“His true home at heart was always Arkensum. …There’s no helping it then.”

No helping it? What does she mean by that? I’m about to ask when suddenly I am at a loss for words.

A conjecture forms in my mind, and I realize what she might be implying.

As mentioned, this is a story from beneath the surface.

Not written in any scenario or history book… but nevertheless something that can’t be ignored.

Archmage Gluckt, who met his end in the mountain cabin of Ramellden’s northern range. And Lucy, who was by his side.

Despite losing the old man who was both father and mentor, immersed in her grief…

Yet reality flows on. All that remains for Lucy now is a dilapidated cabin without an owner and one cold, lifeless body.

A time comes when one must choose their own path in life. The period of protection within the cradle is over.

What did Lucy most likely want to do first? She had to tend to her master’s corpse.

It was a horrific and sad task, but not a difficult one. Lucy, at that time, would have had sufficient magical ability to bury her master with a simple spell.

However, Lucy did not do so.

From this point on, Lucy’s own explanation was needed.

“……”

Walking along the western coast, Lucy continued her narrative. My intermittent responses punctuated her storytelling, doing nothing more than listening.

The body was covered in a blanket, tightly bound with leather straps, and constantly maintained with a freezing spell to prevent decay. With a proper application of buoyancy magic, despite being inefficient, it could be carried without much trouble.

Yet, sustaining this for even an hour would exhaust any average mage. It was something Lucy could handle because of her prowess.

She haphazardly packed all the food and miscellaneous items from the cabin into a leather backpack and set off towards the Ramel Mountain region.

The destination was… Acken Island, at the southernmost tip of the continent.

A chill ran down my spine.

Even if a straight line was drawn across a world map with a quill, it would take a great distance to reach that point.

From the Ramel Mountains, going south and further south.

Through the Ureuk Forest, across the Aika Great Lakes, to the alchemists’ land of Kret, across Meylan Plains, bypassing the holy city of Karfea, crossing the Denkin Marshlands, and finally reaching the border of the Cloel Empire. Following the Telden River downstream, past the commercial city of Oldeuk, through the territories of Earl Aoln, Baron Islan, Count Seil, Duke Rostailer, Marquis Feder, and again past Count Tiss.

After crossing the Zenith Mountain Range and crossing the Dress River, moving southwest through the territory of Margrave Jazhul, passing through the Cranpel Great Forest and traveling over the plains, only then do they glimpse the Mekses Grand Bridge leading to Acken Island in the distance.

All this journey, preserving her master’s body with magic, using levitation spells for transport, and maintaining her own magical strength to move and survive.

“…How long did it take?”

“Three months. I lost my way a bit.”

When she arrived, it was hard to recognize it as a person anymore.

The place Lucy led me to was a coastal cave, further into the outskirts of the western coast.

The cave, near the cliffs that emerged when following the coastal path, had a smaller entrance than expected, making it difficult to notice.

As Lucy and I entered side by side, the interior was quite spacious, but it was unclear whether it was a natural cave or it had been expanded by Lucy.

It was a cave in name, but scattered light from breaks in the destroyed rock permeated inside, making it rather bright.

Continuing further inside, the scenery opened again. The outer wall was completely gone, revealing an expansive view of the ocean at a glance.

The place was sunny with cool sea breezes, and flowers growing among the rocks added to the warmth of the place.

A crudely made tombstone stood alone amidst the flowers.

In front of the tombstone, various sundries were placed. Probably what the owner of the stone had possessed in life.

“This is…”

“It was hard to find just based on fragmented old testimonies… but after scouring the island for a week, I found it.”

Lucy walked past the tombstone and took a seat facing the sea.

“This is where the grand sorcerer and the sage used to share and hone their teachings.”

This cave with an ocean view was a place full of memories for the deceased grand sorcerer, perhaps the scenes from the distant past he had called to mind at the end of his life.

Instead of his exploits over the continent, perhaps it was the days of bickering with his pupil and honing magic that he ultimately conjured in his life’s final moments.

For Lucy, that seemed to be the case, as only the solitary tombstone now occupied the open cave.

The wind blew. It was a moist sea breeze.

Lucy’s hair, normally tied in two pretty braids, danced in the wind, catching the light of the late evening sky and casting a strange, reddish hue.

I calmly approached the tombstone to look at the items placed there—miscellaneous items such as a frayed staff or a worn robe.

“……”

But among them, a book caught my eye.

An ordinary person would not have been able to suppress a gasp.

[ Introduction to Sanctity Magic — Author Glokt Elderbane ]

“……”

I didn’t make my emotions obvious. But anyone with even a bit of magic education would understand.

Within the realm of sanctity magic, there can be no such thing as an ‘introduction.’

It’s a field that even the greatest mages have struggled to refine over a long period without establishing a clear framework—a domain of magic like an unconquered mountain.

Until his dying moment, the grand sorcerer Glokt had been drafting a book to solidify sanctity magic. While he never published it, his existence in book form indicated that a draft had been somewhat completed.

Its magical value is immeasurable, and even converting it to monetary value would yield the same.

Glokt’s “Southern Travels,” a record of the magic of the southern lands, was auctioned for about 7,000 Plen gold coins.

He’d said it would be his final work, but could he have been gathering his last strength for this ultimate posthumous work?

The value of this tome, containing his interpretation of sanctity magic, was immeasurable at least to me.

“Take it if you want. I don’t need it; I already know everything inside.”

Lucy, who had been sitting with her knees hugged, gazing at the sea, spoke unhurriedly.

This book was a remnant of Glokt. Understanding its significance to Lucy, I could not respond thoughtlessly.

Yet, Lucy spoke while looking calmly at the sky.

“This is where my journey ends.”

From the Ramel Mountains to Acken Island.

It was a hellish journey even to imagine, but she was able to finish it, probably because of the unresolved feelings her master left behind.

“Still, I haven’t even lived half the life allotted to me. I might embark on another journey or just live out the rest without much aim. But…I’m determined to fulfill the promise I made to that old man.”

“The promise to protect Silvenia if it ever faces a crisis?”

“That’s the last duty I have left.”

No question followed about how I knew this. I had already heard of the will Glokt left for Lucy.

That last vow was likely why Lucy remained in Silvenia, the final anchor in her life.

Only after fulfilling that promise could she fully release herself from the shadows and constraints of her master.

“I’m afraid of the ’emptiness’ that will come after I’ve put all this behind me.”

It was unusual for Lucy to be so talkative.

But her voice, heavy and slightly absent, was the same.

Meanwhile, the sky above remained beautifully peaceful.

Lucy, having witnessed Glokt’s twilight years closely, realized how terrifying it was to be cast alone in this vast world without reason or purpose.

She knew herself. Lucy was absurdly born with immense power.

If she decided to, she could become the continent’s greatest mage and may even threaten the legacies of the legendary Silvenia and Glokt.

But if what remained at the end was only emptiness, what meaning would life have?

Thus, the girl seeks reasons to live. Just as her master had run from the void all his life, she did the same.

For her master, memories of this coastal cave and Silvenia were enough to cherish at the end of his days.

Where would Lucy be allowed to go? That question oscillated between anticipation and fear, perpetually coiling and resting in her heart.

Therefore, she could only become indifferent.

Losing interest in the world, she could only live life going with the flow.

By coming to Acken Island and burying her master, she concluded the first journey of her life to some extent.

At that point, her world slowly began to fade to monochrome.

Was it the grave that made her feel so invariably melancholic?

The girl halted a sniffle as she hugged her knees. It wasn’t a moment for tears, just a touch of sadness. It was all in the past.

With a soft tone, Lucy spoke.

“It’s not a very pleasant story, nor is it enjoyable to hear. And coming to such a place is just troublesome…”

Behind her, I sat quietly in front of the tombstone, silently listening.

“I just really wanted to show you this place.”

Only one trial remained in the girl’s life.

Once it was over, she could break free from the shadows and anchors of her master and lead her own life fully.

However, a life without direction is like a ship lost in the currents.

Knowing that feeling all too well… I just sat with Lucy for a while.

The sun set in the western sky.

The sound of the waves occasionally echoed off the cave walls.

Thanks to the cool breeze of late spring, it wasn’t too cold or hot even after sitting for a long time.

It was a fortunate thing.