Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

Novia said it calmly.

This time, the magician behind Novia didn't answer her. Instead, he slowly inserted the etheric thread into Novia's brain, seemingly about to learn everything about her—

"No! How could you not have a brain?! You're a phantom—"

By the time the magician realized what was happening, it was too late. In the next instant, not only that, but a sharp pain shot through his entire body from his face, and he immediately lost consciousness.

"You're quite a self-aware guest, eating at the lighthouse, huh?"

Novia, who appeared from behind him, withdrew the fist that had struck the magician's face and collected the etheric threads on the ground. According to the magician, these were valuable items, allowing him to control them almost directly.

The reason why Novia discovered she was being followed was quite simple: Novia was alone in the lighthouse, and the only food she had stored was apples. Although the quantity hadn't changed, the stems of the stored apples had long since withered from evaporation, and the stems of some apples were inexplicably still green, which meant they had just been picked... It seems this magician doesn't understand common sense.

"The Library of Alexandria underwater has four floors and is quite dangerous. I'd appreciate it if you could help me scout out the way."

Novia looked at the micron-sized ether thread in her hand, pondered for a moment, and then directly inserted it into the brain of the unconscious Atlas Academy magician, thus greatly increasing safety.

Then, Novia removed the magician's mask and looked at the magician's face with a puzzled expression.

Hmm, a hat without a brim, three long braids hanging down her back to her waist, her hair and eyes are both purple, it's alright.

But the more I look at it, the more familiar it seems... I feel like I've seen it somewhere before... The Etherline seems to belong to the Altnam family, this family...

Suddenly, Novia had a sudden realization—

Holy crap, this not-so-famous Type-Moon Spiritual Hacker always appears as Shion, the next Dean... with her face!

009: A corrupt, ignorant, pedantic person who grovels before ordinary people.

“Cialie, open this door yourself.”

In the underwater plaza, which resembled a starry sky, a faint light filled the space, as if some unseen force was supporting it, yet not a single drop of the overflowing seawater flowed out from the opposite side.

The upper level of the Library of Alexandria underwater was concealed by a fake seabed created by the alchemists of the former Atlas Institute. In other words, one must continue downwards without hesitation after passing through what was thought to be the seabed to find it.

After realizing this, Novia immediately sent the alchemist from the Atlas Institute, who could be called Shion of the Age of Gods, to scout ahead. Shion, who was being manipulated by the etheric threads, had no choice but to obey Novia's orders.

Novia didn't use the etheric threads to usurp knowledge or interfere with the laws of soul reading and thought. She just got a general understanding of this person's information. As expected, he was indeed a candidate for the next dean of the Atlas Academy. At only six years old, he had already obtained the position of instructor of the Atlas Academy and the power of a special envoy.

According to Novia's speculation, the Spirit Hacker two thousand years later is either his descendant or a reincarnation of the same person at different stages.

Because he vaguely remembered that in Type-Moon, the information of the soul of each person after death would be recorded by the Astral Realm, and then become a new node to record a new life, the whole structure was like a constellation.

Stepping into the Library of Alexandria, forgotten for centuries, is quite peculiar. Despite being made of marble, it has absolutely no echo. It's as if all echoes have been absorbed into the rock.

"...May I ask where this place is?"

After walking straight down the corridor for a while, Cialis suddenly asked Novia a question.

"Do I need to answer you? Go scout ahead, or just choose a way you like to commit suicide."

Novia, with a menacing look on her face, answered mercilessly.

Xia Li clenched her fists, a strong sense of humiliation burning through her body; she couldn't get used to this feeling at all.

The roles of controlling others and being controlled are instantly reversed. Although magicians often defy common sense and ethics, what is this if not humiliation? But ultimately, one can only accept it.

This Library of Alexandria has four floors, each with its own guardian. The monsters on the first floor are scorpion-bodied, human-faced creatures, as well as leopard-bodied, snake-headed, crocodile-bodied, dog-headed, eagle-bodied, and lion-headed creatures.

Novia barely made a move in the first three layers; the problems were entirely solved by Cialis, who was controlled by the Ether Threads.

While Novia was partly lazy about this, she was mostly being cautious.

After all, the establishment of this library was mainly the work of the Atlas Institute's branch, three magicians, and Pharaoh Ptolemy. However, in terms of their nature, the Atlas Institute's branch was probably not good at intrigue and trickery, and they didn't even know what these four were doing.

Before Christ, when the Age of Gods still existed, there was Kurdris of the Atlas Court, Kiz of the Wandering Sea, and Wuzhiqi of the Mountain Court.

The three magicians came to Ptolemy's side and, using the human world and mythology itself, performed a grand ritual magic that transformed Alexander IV, whom Ptolemy was protecting, into a god-devourer.

According to Novia's memory, there was a coffin on the last floor of the library containing the remains and fragments of power of Osiris, the god of the underworld who had once received the kingship of the sun god Ra and held the position of chief god in Egyptian mythology for a long time.

But Novia also knew that doing so would undoubtedly disrupt the plans of the Wandering Sea and the Mountain Court. These two were ancient monsters who could live for two thousand years. Novia's foundation was still shallow, the Christian faith had not yet swept across Europe, and she could not summon the Burial Agency. She would not be able to deal with these two.

However, it's different for Shia, who is the candidate for the next president of the Atlas Academy. Both in terms of reason and emotion, this belongs to the Atlas Academy, and the Wandering Sea and the Mountain Court have no reason to refute it.

Novia's current dilemma is how to deal with Cialis. Although she seems to be safe because she has controlled her with the etheric threads, the alchemists of the Atlas Institute are extremely skilled at dividing their thoughts into multiple parts for discussion.

If nothing unexpected happens, Cialis has long been thinking about how to get rid of her own etheric threads. After all, these belong to her family, and she understands them much better than Novia.

To order him to commit suicide? That would be the best way, but the problem is that Hermes, the Trident of Atlas, might find out. Suicide is a demand, and while other families in the Atlas might not care, the Altnham family might.

The ether threads used by these people are quite tricky. Although it's unlikely they could pierce the brain nerves during a battle where they are moving around, a surprise attack during a moment of relaxation would be fatal.

“Cialie”.

White dots of light illuminated the interior of the library, like stars in the night sky. Novia took a step closer.

Based on their heights, the purple-haired girl's head only reached Novia's chest.

The girl looked up from there, expressionless.

"Before we get to the last floor, how about we work together? I need you right now."

Segmented Thinking No. 4, report normal.

Listen, Cialis confirmed the results of the split thinking diagnostic scan; there were no problems.

His attitude was free of any lies, and that was enough.

"You loosened the etheric threads?" Cialis's lips parted slightly. "If you want to cooperate, let me recalculate your magic."

"nature."

Novia took out the hanging longsword, and Cialis's hands were adorned with new silk threads.

The alchemist instructed Parallel Thinking to evade the guidance, its etheric lines flowing towards both the ceiling and the ground, launching an attack simultaneously from above and below. Novia, in response, leaped up as if slipping, spinning her body once.

Novia used the blessing of the wind to quickly approach, because this ethereal thread could be transformed into an unparalleled blade to shred the body with just a thought.

Segmented Thinking No. 3, unable to dodge, No. 2, handed over the constituent information to the thread puppet.

A weapon at such close range would be difficult to heal if it pierced the skin, taking at least three to five years.

However, what Xia Li didn't expect was that what hit her in the end was not the longsword, but the fist that her other hand had turned into, which struck her chest.

"Oh?"

He punched her until she exploded, and as she exploded, she turned into countless threads and disappeared.

"You can do that? I was really lucky just now."

"This is child's play. The wisdom of the Atlas Academy, the secret technique my family is so proud of, do not think you can understand it so easily."

"In the beginning, God said, 'Let there be light.'"

As Novia's improved church magic descends, it will eventually become an unstoppable force on the seabed, a powerful nascent form that no land can resist. The more people who believe in the doctrines spread by Novia, the more terrifying the magical foundation it will create will become over time.

The invisible light quickly filled the entire space and bound Xia Li, rendering her unable to move.

"Now."

Novia's tone was extremely calm, yet undeniably authoritative.

“I didn’t manipulate you. In the magic world, what’s wrong with demanding obedience from those less capable than yourself and even offering them benefits?”

Faced with this slow-paced question, Xia Li nodded somewhat awkwardly.

"In short, I'd like to collaborate with Miss Cialis. What do you think?"

Looking at Novia, Xia Li suddenly muttered to herself.

"It's different from the data."

"data?"

"Although we only obtained some scattered information, confirming the other party's intelligence beforehand is the most basic thing."

She looked up and continued speaking.

"Selfish, willful, corrupt, ignorant, pedantic, and subservient to ordinary people... That's what I've observed and the intelligence I've gathered from Alexandria says."

"Is that really me? Then I guess you must be an easily fooled person."

"Evaluating a person requires long-term observation. As a magician, don't you even have this basic common sense?"

Cialis replied angrily.

Novia simply smiled and shook her head, as always, without saying anything more.

Then they planned to go to the last floor of the Library of Alexandria.

"Wait a minute."

Before pushing open the door, Xia Li turned around and stared straight at the silver-haired boy with her bright eyes.

"I determine that the aura of the Age of Gods is rapidly gathering inside."

010: Divine Body: Osiris

All magic since the end of the Age of Gods has essentially been a deception of the planet.

The principle of the God-era magic is to borrow the power of the gods, and the essence of the gods is the "touch of the stars". In other words, the essence of the God-era magic is actually "borrowing the power of the stars". "Making a pact with the gods" is naturally "a shortcut to communicating (deceiving) with the planets".

By the first century AD, with the return of the gods to the inner sea of ​​the planet, magicians lost their shortcut to communicating with the planet, making the performance of magic more difficult. In addition, the development of science led to a further devaluation of the mystical, making life increasingly difficult.

Mysteries will eventually fade away, but they should be preserved as knowledge of the past; this is a matter of course.

However, in 20 AD, due to the proof of the fifth fictional element, the ether, magic and mystery were able to continue in a different form.

Although only a few decades have passed in terms of time, from the perspective of the Age of Gods and the first century AD, everything living in the transition between the two eras has already become vastly different.

Novia was well aware of the divine aura emanating from Cialis's mouth; it was the remnant of Osiris's functions preparing to activate and deal with those not part of the plan.

This was definitely a contingency plan left by Kurdris of the Atlas Academy to prevent others from disrupting his plans.

Pharaoh Ptolemy established this place in conjunction with the Atlas Academy not only to resurrect the deceased Alexander IV, but also to provide Alexander IV with a library that he could never finish reading.

A simple, yet foolish reason.

The other three magicians, however, had ulterior motives. Courdris hoped that Alexander IV would become the final calculation machine to "calculate how to avert the destruction of the world" by devouring the divine body.

This plan had been in the works for two thousand years before finally leading to the events of the Second Emperor's Great Adventure.

The Atlas Institute is an organization that, in order to prevent the "end" of the world, endlessly repeats the tragic cycle of turning tools meant for salvation into tools for destroying the earth.

“Miss Cialis, I think you should understand by now where this place is.”

Novia said this calmly.

“The research results that were originally only registered in Hermes Trident have appeared here. It must be a forgotten place created by the Atlas Institute in the past.” After a moment of contemplation, Cialis continued, “We are extremely grateful to Lord Novia for finding this place for our institute. Our institute will be very grateful.”

"A contract."

Novia wagged a finger and said this with her eyes narrowed.

"this......"

The purple-haired girl whispered, looking at the smiling Novia in front of her.

I wonder if she still remembers that not long ago, she was carefully observing his behavior and mannerisms. She couldn't see any elements of a magician at all. He was different from the magicians living in Alexandria, or rather, he was different from most of the magicians in the academy. His attitude towards ordinary people was so kind that it was almost obsequious. That's why a magician used magic to embarrass him in the morning.

However, since Cialis had almost no contact with outsiders, she couldn't even determine whether Novia's behavior was normal.

Even within the Atlas Academy, she remained solitary. Although she possessed the inherited traits of the Altnham family, her ability to mold the uncontrollable ethereal threads into such extraordinary power was due to her rare talent.

At the young age of six, he obtained the position of instructor at Atlas Academy and the power of a special envoy. This was because he possessed an enormous intelligence-gathering ability. All knowledge could be seized by him, allowing him to intervene in the soul and read the laws of thought.

As a result, the Ether Threads made her lonely. Even in the Atlas Institute, where everyone was pursuing their own lonely goal of protecting the world, she was still feared, dreaded, and avoided.

Of course, no one wants their soul to be interfered with, and no one wants the wisdom they have spent time studying and refining to be plagiarized.

Nevertheless, Xia Li still believed that her abilities were justified and beyond doubt.

Her future is absolutely not in question; there's no way there could be, and there's no reason to believe it.

The alchemist closed his eyes and thought for a moment before answering, "The probability is close to zero."

Although he didn't receive the promises in the contract, Novia wasn't too discouraged. Ultimately, his primary goal was to use the Atlas Institute's abilities to transmute the remains of the Albion Dragon. However, he had learned through the Aether Thread that Cialis was also incredibly skilled in necromancy, and he had already planned to seek Cialis's help if this plan failed, since this alchemist was incredibly innocent in every way.

Therefore, Novia said earnestly, "If you join me in conquering this place, all you need to do for me is one favor within your capabilities, how about it?"

After listening for a few seconds in silence, Xia Li took out a contract, signed her name, and then handed it to Novia.