Chapter 556 – Shifting Runes.

“Ah, this brings me back… life was so much easier back then.”

Lucille picked up the teacup from the table and took a sip. Even though she knew this place was not truly real, she could taste the brew. Around her, a garden stretched out with vibrant green grass, neatly trimmed hedges, and towering trees. It was a perfect replica of the magical garden at the institute.

“My heart still seems to waver back to this place…”

She let out a sigh while looking around. It had not always been like this. When she first attempted her change, this place resembled the library at her home estate. Yet, as time passed and responsibilities piled on, her ascension space shifted. It was an uncommon phenomenon, as this space usually retained the form of its first activation. To many, a changing ascension space indicated a troubled mind, a person unsure of their own self.

Lucille set her teacup down with a soft clink, gazing at the picturesque garden before her. The sound of rustling leaves and the distant chirping of birds filled the space, but she knew none of it was real. This was merely the manifestation of her ascension trial, an illusion conjured by her subconscious.

“This is the second time I’ve ended up at the institute for an ascension.”

She murmured, brushing a stray lock of azure hair behind her ear.

“The first time was when I gained my Ice Mage class… back at my old home. But now, here I am again.”

Beside her tea sat a slice of delicate cheesecake, one she had always adored in her youth. She took a bite, the sweetness melting on her tongue, reminding her that this place felt real. The tranquility of the area eased her worries, but she knew lingering too long would accomplish nothing.

After finishing her tea and pastry, she stood up, her form draped in the old institute uniform she had once worn during a time she held dear. With a soft sigh, she strode toward the grand library where the ascension trial had last taken place. Back then, she was confused and struggled to find her way. The entire institute was a replica, and every familiar place was intact. She remembered being lost for hours, uncertain of where to go, before finally arriving at the library where she had encountered an irregularity.

Her gaze lingered on a few things. One was the old Rune department auditorium that later was taken away due to its wavering popularity. At one point she even dreamed of becoming an assistant professor at the institute but then her family got in the way. Another was the fountain in the main courtyard where she and her classmates used to gather after exams. Not far away was an open field outside where she first encountered Robert on a joint exercise between them and the knight academy. Those days were rather pleasant but now she was an adult and had to move on with her life.

Shaking off the nostalgic feeling, she continued walking until she reached the library doors. She pushed them open and stepped inside, her eyes scanning the towering bookshelves filled with tomes of varying sizes and colors. It was just as she remembered: rows upon rows of knowledge, neatly arranged and waiting to be explored. Yet appearances could be deceiving.

“Just like before.”

She moved to one of the shelves and picked out a book. As she flicked through the pages, she found nothing but blank white paper. Every book in the library was the same, even the ones she had read before. However, not far from here, in a corner where she had once researched runes were a few special tomes, ones that would begin her journey to the next level.

She made her way to the familiar study nook near the eastern wing of the library, where she had once spent hours deciphering rune patterns under Professor Arion’s guidance. There was a specific table there where the light spilled through the grand arched windows, illuminating the pages of her books in a soft glow. It was there that she had always found clarity in her studies.

As she approached, she saw them: several books stacked neatly on the table, standing out amidst the countless empty ones. They were much larger and uniquely crafted. Moving closer, she noticed something familiar. Just like in her previous trial, the same key she had used before rested nearby, designed to fit the locks on the books placed on the table. Each one was sealed, and unlocking any of them would initiate the ascension trial. Now, she had to decide which book to open.

Just like with any other trial, there were hints indicating which class the book corresponded to. She grasped one of the books, one that radiated frost energy and had a cold bluish cover. Icicles were forming on its surface, clearly indicating that opening it would grant her some kind of superior mage class, something she no longer strived for.

In the past, her father had dictated her future. She was expected to take the elemental mage class that aligned with her affinity for frost. It was her primary elemental affinity, with water as her secondary. Additionally, she had two minor affinities for plants and earth, allowing her to cast lower-level spells of those elements. However, doing so required significantly more mana as her abilities were primarily focused on ice.

The path that her noble house had laid out for her would force her to become either a Cryomancer, focusing purely on ice, or a Glacialmage, who incorporated water into their attacks to some extent. These were the only two options given to her, but she went behind her father’s back and chose a class that allowed her to work with runes. Even now, she could remember the book covered in magnificent runes. It had called out to her, and in the end, that was what she chose, much to her father’s dismay.

“That was when Father started to behave that way…”

That choice had been the last straw for him. It was then that he decided to use her as a bargaining chip for the other nobles. He must have believed that she would be unable to achieve anything with such an unusual class composition and that marrying her off would still bring the most benefit to their noble estate.

“Is Father worried?”

Somewhere in her heart, she longed to return. Despite how she had been treated, he was still her father. She still planned to meet him again one day, but only after accomplishing something he could not deny. Only after achieving something great would she show herself again. But before that could happen, she needed to decide what her future path would entail.

“Now then… there are a lot of tomes this time. This won’t be easy…”

Lucille stood before the collection of locked tomes, each radiating a different magical energy. The sheer variety this time surpassed her previous ascensions, making it even harder to choose. She ran her fingers along the ornate bindings, feeling the chill of the ice tome, the earthy sturdiness of another, and the flowing water-like sensation of yet another.

“There are so many, but…”

After a quick glance, she realized that most of the books here were of low quality. With her mana sense, she could determine which ones held the most potent energy, and the elemental tomes before her were relatively weak. It all made sense. She had only taken one elemental mage class and never reinforced it with another element or the same one again. To become a Cryomancer, she would have needed to take a higher-tier ice mage class, and to become a Glacialmage, she would have required a water mage class. However, she had chosen to become a Rune Mage, a class that did not align with high elemental power at all.

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