Lyle managed a strained smile, stiffly playing along with the dean’s rambling behavior.

"Mr. Scholar and Mr. Dragon have already explained to me, so let’s cut to the chase, Mr. Plague Doctor," said the dean, straightening his body, his bony hands crossed on the desktop, "Tell me, Mr. Plague Doctor, the specific details of the research project you wish to apply for."

Lyle reported his experiment project, disguised as a hunger study, to the dean.

In his eye sockets, the faint blue soul fire did not fluctuate much. This put the previously confident Lyle under some pressure, and after nervously introducing his project, Lyle waited for the dean’s decision.

He let out a breath.

"Your research, Mr. Plague Doctor, is of exceptional significance," said the dean, affirming Lyle, before shifting his gaze from him and beginning to reminisce like an elder.

"I still remember, back in my day... when I was alive, I was an enchanter deeply devoted to academia. To elevate objects was truly an act filled with artistic expression. I bestowed upon them new value, changing the very status and rules of the material itself. That feeling, it was truly fascinating, as if I was fooling the gods right under their noses."

The dean’s laughter stopped, the icy blue flame carrying the innate melancholy of the liches. "Perhaps I was a scofflaw, or maybe just a clown amusing himself. My attitude heralded my end. With my Enchantment Studies, I became a husk of motion, a lich. Aside from my beloved Enchantment Studies, I had nothing."

"The emptiness of death quickly invaded my entire being, stripping away emotion, and the brilliance of enchantment never again brought me any satisfaction. It was indeed a torturous time."

"My family, the Andrey, were nobles with a legacy of mastering Spirit Summoning Academia for generations. Although during my time at the helm I had little regard for that knowledge which scraped a living from the scraps of life. In life, I abandoned them, and in death, they found me wandering in the wilderness."

"I loved the miracles of Enchantment Studies, but it was my family, the Andrey, that truly loved me, even though they had fallen from grace due to my once reckless actions."

"Thus, I did the second right thing in my life. In this world, there surely must be many souls once as lost as I was; the Andrey would become their home."

The dean’s gaze moved from the Andrey crest on the banner to Lyle.

"My obsession, my desires, are all the Andrey liches. Mr. Plague Doctor, I hope they can find what they seek within the academy and enjoy a second life beyond death."

"For us, emotion and desire are truly significant things."

"That’s also why the Cup of Luxury exists."

In Lyle’s astonishment, the dean looked at him seriously.

"I founded the Cup of Luxury, and I have always kept an eye on it."

"Therefore, I am quite willing to approve your experiment application, Mr. Plague Doctor," the dean tapped his own head, "Eternal life does indeed lend itself to wasting time, look how far off topic I’ve gone. Now, I will immediately begin drafting your project paperwork."

"Please give me some time, though the terms of the contract may be full of old decrees, these old things also hold their value."

"While I’m writing, Mr. Plague Doctor, feel free to look around at my exhibits."

"But please, don’t touch them, some are quite dangerous. Damn, I forgot to put up warning signs again."

After saying this, the dean began to scribble fiercely, completely ignoring Lyle’s existence. With nothing else to do, Lyle naturally took his suggestion and excitedly toured the dean’s exhibits with Nia.

Most of the display consisted of the dean’s own Enchantment Studies creations, opulent items dazzled with gold, the dean having journeyed abroad, thus his works bore a melange of multiple racial styles.

A sword with a blade embodying a howling whirlwind, the lightning entwined around it sparking in the air. But it didn’t reign for long, next to the Wind Sword, several armors glittering with streamers of light, devoured the stray thunder completely.

Some artifacts that would be upheld as masterpieces elsewhere were as common as cabbages here. Lyle could not judge their quality, merely letting the brilliance captivate his eyes.

He was naturally drawn to the dazzling light.

That was at the edge of the exhibit area, in an obscure display case, but the artifact’s own radiance made it stand out regardless of location, and even by chance, Lyle could guess its name.

"Seven Colors... the Divine Light Staff."

Lyle still remembered that story, about the gentleman’s friend who was banished to outer space; this must be the protagonist of the story. Because it was so radiant, even veiled in a layer of black cloth, it still shone brilliantly.

"That’s a failed product, or at least I consider it one," the dean’s voice came through, and it seemed he was still distracted by this side, "Whatever is struck by this stick will be randomly teleported to an unknown corner of the world."

"Sounds like it could be somewhat useful, in resolving disputes," of course, if your adversary disappeared from your sight and might never be able to return for the rest of their life.

"But that was not my intent in its creation. This original... Raymond Slayer..."

"Raymond Slayer?"

"Yes, the sole purpose of this staff’s creation was to disrupt Raymond’s defense of that layer of light. So I could bonk that boy squarely on the head; that kid has long deserved a teaching."

"Couldn’t this weapon manage it?" It had, after all, turned an Andrey member into a satellite.

"I sought Raymond as soon as I made this weapon, and when the seven colors of light made contact with the Holy Light, they simply vanished, because of the Holy Light. Holy Light is a special energy, possessing a certain repulsiveness or rather, a dominion. Strong Holy Light can dispel other nearby forces, this secret I discovered and have not yet told that boy Raymond. Holy Light renders weaker forces ineffective, the stronger the Holy Light, the more pronounced this power."

"However, Mr. Raymond is among the Ten Locks... which means... he can suppress all powers lesser than his... He, he could suppress the entirety of the Andrey."

The dean let out a cold snort, "He always could. If I tell him about this ability, he’d likely become even more unrestrained within the Andrey!"

Mr. Raymond had been concerned about the other forces within the Andrey and worked hard to elevate himself, and these other unfathomable powers, to him, might actually... be no match?