Chapter 46: Inheritors of the Ancient Madmen

“Good evening, Mr. Hamilton. There is no need to trouble yourself with black tea. First, congratulations on joining the History Department of St. Byrons Academy, but tonight is about two other matters.”

Professor Garcia, the Vice Dean of the History Department, spoke after a light clap of congratulation. He then held up two fingers, giving Shade no chance to speak; the professor was quite decisive

“First, regarding your own affairs: please manifest your core spiritual rune.”

As the heavy hammer fell, a life ring emerged from the scorching steam, and a brass-colored [Space-Time] appeared before the three translucent figures.

Every time Shade summoned his life ring, he felt that this power system was exceptionally fashionable.

Professor Garcia nodded with satisfaction and spoke in somewhat unpracticed Delarian

“Very good, Mr. Hamilton. This is indeed [Space-Time]. You have now been placed on the priority cultivation list of the History Department. In addition to the relic already handed over to you, your *Time Travel Practical Training* will be personally supervised by me. According to the Academy's statutes, this course will only begin after you have engraved your first spiritual rune. However, since you are a priority student, the timing for your time travel can be moved forward...”

“Forward?”

Shade blinked.

“Yes, tonight. To be more precise, after we have finished discussing everything for this evening.”

Professor Garcia spoke without much emotional color, giving Shade the impression of a serious and rigid individual, but Shade appreciated professors with such personalities.

“Most correspondence ring-wielders actually know very little about priority cultivation subjects.

You are different from ordinary correspondence students. Although we cannot violate the rules to let you enter the Academy directly, St. Byrons will provide you with many educational conveniences and more cultivation resources, but it will also demand more from you. Mr. Hamilton, the History Department looks forward to the day you officially step into the Academy. I rarely offer spontaneous praise to students, but please do not waste your talent. Generally speaking, the *Time Travel Practical Training* in the History Department is handled by ordinary lecturers.”

After speaking, Professor Garcia squeezed out a somewhat awkward smile; the professor likely did not smile often. Shade nodded with a straight face; he was, of course, happy about this, but he was merely anxious about the upcoming time travel.

“Before the course begins, there is a second matter. This matter has nothing to do with our History Department, but with your group.”

Professor Garcia pointed toward Professor Sanchez, who was sitting opposite Shade. Although both were professors at St. Byrons, the latter clearly held a higher status

“Mr. Shade Hamilton, I hope you can guarantee that the topic we are about to discuss will not be told to anyone else.”

Professor Sanchez, whose chest bore a pocket watch chain, said.

*In other words, I can talk about the privileges of being a priority student?*

Shade thought to himself. He didn't say anything like "the following words must not violate morality," but instead simply nodded. His ears seemed to catch the sound of a cat scratching at a door, and he felt deeply worried that Miya was destroying the household property

“I swear to keep it secret.”

“Good. What we need to discuss is your five-person group. Your group has a major problem.”

Miss Jones lowered her head to take notes, Professor Garcia sat upright listening to the conversation, and Professor Sanchez, who appeared to be over fifty years old, had a look of seriousness in his eyes.

He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but suddenly froze, looking toward the living room window almost simultaneously with Professor Garcia.

Shade had closed the curtains as requested; the thick fabric was capable of completely blocking out the warm yellow glow of the gas streetlights from Ring Square. But now, from beneath the curtains, a faint silvery steam mist had appeared at some unknown time and was slowly spreading throughout the room.

“Mercury mist?”

Even though their true bodies were not in this detective agency's living room, the two professors holding lifetime tenures still recognized what it was.

“Mr. Hamilton, someone is attempting to intrude here,”

Professor Sanchez said, but he remained seated without moving. He frowned and looked at Shade

“Have you done anything unusual in the last two days?”

The detective, covering his nose and mouth in fear of mercury poisoning, immediately nodded. He understood the moment he heard the word "mercury." Knowing that now was not the time for concealment, he laid out the matter regarding the Old God statue in its entirety. However, he did not mention the time or place of his meeting with "that lady," only stating that he had found a reliable buyer.

The professors did not care that he had sold the Old God statue instead of handing it over to the Academy. The two professors exchanged a glance, and Professor Garcia of the History Department said in his somewhat non-standard Delarian

“Then things are more or less clear. The buyer you found helped you resolve the tracking of the [Mercury Blood] against the discoverer of the statue, but subtle traces still remain. They originally only intended to test the waters, but they did not expect you to happen to initiate the ritual, thereby allowing the other party to confirm that you are a ring-wielder.”

Shade did not know the professors' method of reasoning, nor did he know how to describe such terrible luck.

“But there is no need to worry. I am the one who chose tonight as the meeting time, Mr. Hamilton. I will handle this matter,”

Professor Sanchez said, looking toward the secretary, who replied clearly

“It complies with Academy regulations, but I must remind you, Professor, during a ritual projection, even a high-ring wielder's own power will be diminished.”

“It doesn't matter. Although the [Mercury Blood] organization is ancient, their strongest contemporary is merely a Ninth-Ring wielder, the 'Silver-Eyed One',”

Professor Sanchez said, taking the opportunity to educate Shade on common knowledge

“A ring-wielder reaches the Thirteenth Ring, but Thirteenth-Ring wielders of this era are extremely rare and all possess their own titles. St. Byrons' Thirteenth-Ring wielders are our Academy Head, Professor Pigman, the 'Silver Guardian', and the St. Byrons Great Library Librarian, Miss Danist, the 'Red Moon Witch'. Below them, ring-wielders of the Tenth Ring and above are qualified to serve as Wardens of the Great Archdioceses of the Orthodox Churches, or as professors holding lifetime tenures at an Academy. Outside of the Churches and Academies, ring-wielders above the Tenth Ring are rare.

The [Mercury Blood] has an ancient heritage, said to have originated in the late Fourth Era, but it has since declined, with its main body attached to the [Blood Spirit School], which is being hunted by the Five-God Church. The successors of Mercury Blood are too obsessed with the Angel-level relic—the Mercury Blood itself.”

The professor did not stand up. As he spoke, the mercury mist had almost reached the feet of everyone in the room. Shade wondered if he should remind the professors that while they were projections and needn't worry about poisoning, he was a physical entity.

“By the way, what is the [Blood Spirit School]?”

He believed the professors of St. Byrons would not stand by and watch someone die.

“A group of madmen with an even older and more powerful heritage. Will you do it, or shall I?”

The Vice Dean of St. Byrons asked the Vice Dean of the History Department. The latter thought for a moment and said in calm but unpracticed Delarian

“Let me go first. At least I need to know who the opponent is and how much intelligence they have gathered on Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton, watch closely; this is the power of space.”