Eirik's rejection of Pixie, the young student, was not without reason—he had confidence. Though their investigation had reached an impasse, he could sense a breakthrough was close at hand.

He remembered clearly that in the first cycle, there had been a renowned genius at the academy, a druid named Mask. According to the timeline, Mask would disappear the following day.

If he kept close to Mask, there was no doubt he’d uncover something—or perhaps even witness the mastermind in action. Even if he died in the process, it didn’t matter—he could always restart the game.

[On this day, you silently followed Mask. He seemed to sense your presence, but perhaps because of your weak aura, he dismissed you and continued his path toward the desolate outskirts beyond the city.]

[In the wilderness, a figure cloaked in black appeared, their face hidden beneath a misty veil. After exchanging a few words with Mask, the figure struck him down.]

[Frozen in terror, you watched from the shadows as the cloaked man performed a strange and twisted ritual, draining every drop of blood from Mask’s body, leaving nothing but a withered husk. The blood coalesced into a grotesque orb, and the figure vanished into the night.]

How did I manage to stay undetected?

Eirik reasoned it must have been because he lacked any elemental power. Staying completely still, he had likely gone unnoticed.

[After the black-clad figure departed, you cautiously approached the corpse of Mask. But just as you drew near, something horrifying occurred.]

[The corpse of Mask suddenly stirred, sitting upright and grabbing your throat with cold, lifeless fingers. Struggling in vain, you felt the icy grip tightening, but just as death loomed, Mask's eyes slowly opened, regaining some clarity.]

“Hahaha! Who would have thought... that I, the great druid, would meet such a fate!”

[Mask's voice echoed, filled with bitterness and despair, as he laughed maniacally.]

It turned out that though Mask had been drained of blood, a powerful artifact hidden within him allowed him to cling to life, albeit barely. Knowing his end was near, he pulled a small, unassuming gray orb from his robes and handed it to you, urging you to grow stronger and avenge him.

[The one who killed me... his name is Reginald Ashford...]

Reginald Ashford?! The figure in black was Reginald Ashford?

Eirik’s heart raced. He recognized the name. This was the Duke of Dawnstar, the infamous Crimson Frost Duke.

So, the cursed demon tree was the work of Duke Ashford's estate? No wonder the academy had remained silent about the disappearances. Were they too afraid to act—or simply too unwilling to do so?

[Congratulations, you have obtained the Ancient Arcane Fruit...]

Eirik almost dismissed the notification, but then something caught his attention—the item name was highlighted in gold. In this game, anything marked in gold was bound to be exceptional!

He eagerly checked the details of the item.

[Arcane Fruit: Grown from the mysterious trees of the demon realm, it blooms and bears fruit once every thirty thousand years. Consuming it grants unique effects depending on the individual.]

“Damn! Just reading the description, this could be a game-changer!”

Mask, it seemed, had been a professional treasure-distributor NPC!

Eirik’s mood lifted. In a game like this, the thrill lay not only in magic but in discovering hidden treasures. This sudden acquisition felt like striking gold! Without hesitation, he consumed the Arcane Fruit.

Why didn’t he save it for Elvynna? Well, he wasn’t merely a servant. If he could fight his own battles, surely that would still count as support.

Besides, if it didn’t work out, he could always find another and give it to her later.

[You have consumed the Arcane Fruit.]

[You feel light, your movements quicker, your body strengthened.]

Hmm, the effect isn’t quite as dramatic as expected…

[Additionally, you have gained a new talent.]

What? A new talent... and it’s golden?!

Eirik quickly checked his character panel and found a new golden entry.

[Arcane Aura: When your mind is at peace, you emit an aura of arcane energy. Anyone within your aura will experience a significant boost in magic comprehension, increasing the chances of learning purple and golden spells by fivefold!]

The description was accompanied by a stunning illustration: a group of elves, succubi, and other mythical beings gathered beneath a massive tree, its branches reaching so far they seemed to touch the edge of the world.

Could this be the legendary Arcane Tree... or perhaps even the World Tree?

“Ah, another support skill! Seems I’m meant to be the tree... But with this, Elvynna’s magical studies could soar to unimaginable heights.”

Eirik was pleased with his decision to consume the fruit.

Meanwhile, Elvynna, engrossed in her magic studies, suddenly noticed a new entry on Eirik's status.

“What? How did he suddenly gain a golden talent out of nowhere?!”

Elvynna was shocked. Over time, she had come to realize how rare golden talents were. Most geniuses only achieved purple-tier talents—her own incomplete Elven Heritage was a testament to this. Had she not lost the Regal Bone of the Ancients, she might have had a golden talent herself.

Few in the entire academy possessed golden talents, and yet Eirik now had two!

She clicked on the description of his new golden talent, her eyes widening as her hands trembled slightly.

“Studying magic near him increases the chance of understanding golden and purple spells by fivefold?!”

She quickly sent a message through her communication magic, urgently calling Eirik back. She could hardly wait to begin studying magic under the influence of his newfound aura.

When Eirik returned to her courtyard at the academy, Elvynna’s face turned red.

She had realized something: in order to benefit from his new talent, she would have to stay very close to him—just a few centimeters apart.

“Does this mean... I’ll have to be... hugging him?”

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Forget it! For the sake of magic, it's a sacrifice I’ll have to make. In just a few years, that cursed demon tree will rise, and I can’t afford to hesitate.”

With a determined sigh, Elvynna steeled herself and prepared to begin her magical studies.

[Congratulations, you have unlocked a new skin: Lovers in Arcane Bond!]

A beautiful illustration appeared before Elvynna: a poetic scene of fluttering cherry blossoms, with her and Eirik entwined beneath a massive tree, surrounded by swirling elemental forces. Eirik’s appearance was so striking in the image that Elvynna found herself unable to look away.

“Is this really necessary? We’re just studying magic. Why call it ‘Lovers in Arcane Bond’?”

Though she grumbled, she couldn’t help but admire the artwork for a few extra moments before moving on.

Eirik, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised. For so long, their relationship had progressed slowly—Elvynna, focused solely on magic, had only held his hand up until now. Given the long lifespan of mages, he had assumed it would take centuries for anything more to unfold.

But now, thanks to this golden talent, things were accelerating.

Ah, the power of a golden talent indeed!

Still, he couldn’t let himself get distracted. He quickly relayed the information he had gathered to Elvynna.

“Duke Ashford is collecting the blood of geniuses...”

The demon tree—it was all the work of Duke Ashford?

Elvynna’s thoughts swirled as she processed the news, shocked that Eirik, a seemingly ordinary person, had uncovered such valuable information. She herself had tried and failed to uncover any leads.

Her resolve was set. She had eight years to prepare, to raise her strength to Savant Level 2, before the demon tree appeared. Then, she would destroy it.

In the real world, Elvynna’s determination grew even stronger.

“I have to find him—the real Eirik!”

After all, if everyone in the academy had a counterpart in the real world, there was no way someone like Eirik wouldn’t exist as well!

---

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