Professor Tink paused for a moment, his brows subtly knitting together. When he had asked Raze whether there was something he desired, a favor of sorts, he had expected a request related to the academyās politics or structure.
Maybe a letter of recommendation to get into the Central Academy, or even a hint about the upcoming events so he could give his own academy a competitive edge. But instead... this question. This specific, obscure inquiry.
Tink leaned forward, his tone shifting.
"Where did you hear about that?" he asked. "Thatās not something you should even know exists."
His response confirmed it. The item
did
exist. But now, Raze found himself in yet another delicate position, this time, completely unintended. He hadnāt known the information was a tightly kept secret.
He had only heard about it through Alen, someone with high-level access.
"There are rumors," Raze replied calmly, masking the tension under his voice. "You should know by now that Iām someone who pays attention to the tiniest details. I asked you because I wasnāt sure if the rumors were true.
"And if an artifact like that really does exist... Iād love the chance to study it."
Tink went silent for a few moments, clearly lost in thought. Yes, such an item existed, but the real question was: could he reveal something so confidential just because of a shared curiosity between them? Perhaps not. But maybe... maybe he could offer something in return, something less direct but still useful.
"Well," Tink finally said, "my answer might disappoint you." His lips tightened into a faint line. "Because officially, no such item exists."
The answer hit Raze like a weight to the chest.
The fact that Tink even needed to clarify it that way meant the item was real, but buried deep behind red tape and secrecy. And if it truly was inaccessible, then completing Alenās request would be nearly impossible.
Without it, Raze would have to confront Ibarin directly or find another convoluted method to dig into the manās mind, and that was dangerous.
If he had the item, it wouldnāt just make revealing Ibarinās dark secrets easier; it could unlock the truth about what happened to the other Grand Magus members too.
"Iām going to assist you," Tink said, breaking the silence, "but perhaps not in the exact way you were hoping."
He leaned back and folded his hands behind his head. "Actually, what Iām going to tell you is quite related to the topic weāve been discussing for a while now. There is a method, an advanced spell formation, that allows us to glimpse into someoneās mind. Itās not an item... but a magic circle."
Razeās interest was instantly rekindled.
"The method is complicated," Tink explained. "We use spell circles layered upon other circles to extract specific memories or thoughts. But itās not as simple as reading a personās mind like a book.
"You need a Key, a very specific set of instructions. You have to define what kind of memory youāre looking for. What kind of thought. Otherwise, the spell becomes too vague and unstable. Dangerous, even."
Raze nodded slowly. He understood what Tink meant, especially after what he had experienced on Pagna.
Back then, when memories were extracted from individuals, it had required strict guidelines, precise instructions that narrowed the spellās focus. If the intent was too broad, the spell would collapse under its own complexity.
On that island, the Key had been defined: extract only oneās darkest thoughts and most painful memories. That kind of focus required less mana and produced clearer results.
He remembered now that the spell had also needed to be carved onto the ground, a formation similar to what Tink was describing now.
It made Raze wonder... Could the technique used in Pagna have originated from the same source? Perhaps it had been passed down after the Dark Factionās founder returned to Alterian. Or maybe someone else had stumbled upon it later and refined it.
Tink continued. "Once extracted, that information still needs a place to be stored, usually in a crystal or similar magical container. And then comes the final issue: how do you
display
the memory?"
"A second circle?" Raze suggested. "One that links the stored information to others who want to view it?"
Tink smiled. "That could work, but itās far from practical. It requires all individuals to be in the same room at the same time. What if you wanted to share the information widely? Across academies? Across cities?
"In that case, youād need to enchant the crystal to project its contents, and then cast a large-scale viewing spell to share whatās inside. All of this, storing, displaying, itās doable. But the hard part? Extracting the memories in the first place.
"And Iām afraid thatās the part I canāt help you with."
He let out a small sigh. "Still, I hope Iāve shown you that what youāre looking for... is indeed possible."
Raze stood, bowing deeply. "Youāve already given me far more than I couldāve hoped for," he said respectfully.
He now knew exactly what he was after. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together.
He could ask Kelly to begin investigating, to search for any magic circle records similar to the one used on Pagna. If such a spell had ever been used before, especially one powerful enough to extract memories, there
had
to be documentation of it.
And if the spell was so rare that even the Grand Magus didnāt fully understand it, then someone would have written it down, somewhere, to ensure it wasnāt lost forever.
A thought did cross his mind, to ask Tink about Time Magic while he had the chance. But that would be pushing it. He had already asked too much, and digging deeper might raise suspicion.
Time Magic was something Raze could pursue alone. Quietly.
"Iāll take my leave now, Professor," Raze said, his voice calm and measured. "I remember the way we came in, so thereās no need to escort me. I hope you enjoy the rest of todayās event... and whatever the future holds."
Tink offered a gentle nod and leaned back in his chair. A nap, he thought, didnāt sound like such a bad idea.
He wasnāt too concerned about Raze. The student had proven himself to be polite, independent, and respectful.
But once Raze left the room... he didnāt head toward the buildingās exit.
He turned the opposite way, moving with silent steps and full awareness.
He was headed to the principalās office.
Because he knew this building like the back of his hand.
****
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