"Tsk. Glintstone magic is still too basic. I've even got that Carian Royal Scroll lying around. Time to visit Teacher Sellen and pick up some proper spells."
Arthur hummed a silly tune as he teleported toward the Waypoint Ruins.
"For Ranni, I'll be a werewolf man~"
From her unseen perch at a Site of Grace, Melina quietly downvoted his singing with a scowl.
At the ruins, Arthur eyed the Miranda Flower guarding the cellar entrance. A wild thought struck him—what if it suddenly sprouted five black wings, kidnapped my daughter Rose, and turned her into a fungal host in some grotesque ritual…
Ahem. Wrong franchise. This isn't Resident Evil.
Two Rock Slings flattened the plant. Arthur descended the stairs, crushed the Pumpkin-Head soldier, and unlocked the inner chamber—where Sellen awaited.
She wore the robes of the Academy of Raya Lucaria, her face hidden beneath a glintstone mask. Arthur already knew there was a beautiful woman beneath.
Before he could speak, her voice—a calm, feminine lilt—echoed from under the helm.
"…Ah, a Tarnished. Rare to see such a curious guest. I am Sellen, a sorceress, as you can see. Tell me, what brings you here?"
"Greetings, Lady Sellen. I'm Arthur. I came to learn magic."
"Oh? You wish to study glintstone sorcery? Let me see… Oh! Such extraordinary aptitude."
Her tone warmed, though tinged with hesitation.
"I would gladly take you as a pupil, but I must warn you. I was expelled from Raya Lucaria for delving into primeval sorceries. I am shunned as a heretic witch. Even so—do you still insist?"
"Yes. I insist."
There was no hiding the joy in her reply.
"Ha. You truly are an odd one. Very well—I accept you as my apprentice. But know this: I do not teach gently. My lessons are strict and uncompromising. You may regret this."
Arthur grinned. "Yes, Teacher Sellen."
"Hm? Still calling me 'lady'? Insolent child. Call me Teacher."
"Yes, Teacher!"
Satisfied, she began her lecture.
"First, you must understand: in magic, you are still an infant. Your talent is vast, yes—but it must be honed through discipline, or else you will stray from the path. Recognize your immaturity, and you may yet become a true sorcerer. Let us begin."
Arthur raised a hand. "One moment. I also found this."
He produced the Carian Royal Scroll.
"…Ah, a scroll. How nostalgic—reminds me of the academy days. These spells are not unfamiliar. Very well. I will add them to your curriculum."
Sellen's knowledge was as deep as expected. She unraveled each spell meticulously, teaching Arthur from the roots upward—runes, circuits, and the very essence of magic.
"Remember, glintstone is the amber of the stars. Just as golden amber holds the remnants of ancient life, glintstone carries fragments of stellar life. Sorcery is the pursuit of the stars and their lifeforce. Some magi forget this truth. You must not."
Arthur nodded fervently. "I won't forget, Teacher."
In half an hour, he had mastered four new sorceries: Glintstone Stars, Crystal Barrage, Magic Weapon, and Magic Shield. The rest of the session was devoted to the study of Runes.
And indeed—his hunch was right. Elden Ring's runic language bore striking resemblance to the Ancient Runes of his own world. The only difference was their weight: the runes here pulsed with primordial mystery, and spells cast with them struck with unmatched force.
Arthur even picked up the Carian royal spells—Glintblade Phalanx and Carian Slicer—after Sellen lifted the scroll's seals. One look, and he had them memorized.
Sellen could hardly contain her pride.
"My disciple, truly remarkable. Already taking your first steps so quickly! Of course, it is also thanks to my superb teaching."
Arthur coughed. So Teacher's a bit vain too, huh?
Logging off, a system message chimed:
[Roundtable Hold: Story Achievement – Unlocked]
[+1 Materialization Attempt]
Arthur blinked. Wait, so the original achievements are still in play? Neat.
The days settled into a rhythm. By day, Arthur studied with Hermione, guiding her through spells. By night, he prowled Stormveil Castle. A week of blood and backtracking later, he had slain half the castle's inhabitants, crushed Margit like a bug, and finally put down Godrick the Grafted.
Crystal Barrage proved absurdly broken in the Lands Between. A perpetual magic gatling gun—the spell circle hovered at his wand's tip, spewing bolts until his mana ran dry.
Margit fell to a wolf pack and Arthur's bullet-hell barrage. Godrick tried to spice things up by grafting a dragon head onto his arm—Arthur took it as an opportunity to max out his dragonbreath resistance. Two hours later, Godrick could only cough smoke, and Arthur mercy-killed him with a five-minute-long Crystal Barrage.
Both bosses dropped achievements. Two more materializations unlocked. Stats up. Smooth grind.
And no, I totally didn't summon Rogier for help. Not risking Ranni getting the wrong idea. Wife's a proud tsundere—you have to read her words backwards sometimes.
Two days later, Arthur reached the northeast of Caelid, where Night's Cavalry patrolled a bridge after dusk.
Their prize? The Ash of War: Bloodhound Step.
The description claimed it was a swift step to evade danger. To Arthur, it was basically Flash with zero cooldown.
Naturally, he jammed it straight into his wand.
Hewg, the blacksmith, gave him the weirdest look. But he did it anyway.
[Yew Wand +5]
Dragon-heartstring core. Hardened beyond steel. Channels mana faster. Spell power +25%.
Skill: Bloodhound Step.
Arthur tested the point and frowned. Huh… why does the tip feel sharper now?
What he didn't know: Hewg assumed Arthur was switching to an assassin build. So he reinforced not only the wand's durability but also its piercing power. The result? A giant, oversized senbon needle.
Perfect for stabbing. One poke, one corpse.
Arthur, of course, only wanted a flashy dodge button.