Aoko successfully made contact with Preceptor Miriam, the guardian of the Carian Study Hall. Since both she and her sister were students of Ymir and held a royal decree from Queen Rennala, Miriam naturally granted Aoko the highest level of access to the study hall... However, the Inverted Carian Study Hall was still off-limits because Aoko had yet to obtain the Inverted Statue.
Preceptor Miriam had a strong connection with a certain Carian knight in the past, which made her particularly skilled in Loretta's signature spell. While sharing knowledge of Finger Glintstone Magic, Aoko also learned this long-range sniping sorcery.
Aoko, although tempted to continue teasing Ranni, sensed that the Dark Moon Princess was on the verge of becoming flustered with anger. Thus, she reined in her playful tendencies and seriously engaged in magical discussions with Ranni, earnestly studying the Dark Moon Magic derived from Ranni's Dark Moon Law and the Cold Magic inherited from the Snow Witch.
This Cold Magic was quite peculiar. Unlike the evocation spells Aoko had mastered, which achieved freezing effects through elemental manipulation, this magic operated by manipulating phenomena through pure magical energy, manifesting physically as freezing attacks. In other words, the damage caused by this magic could bypass certain protective spells that resist elemental damage.
Such nuances were crucial in battles between pure sorcerers—just like how the stone projectiles from Gravity Magic inflicted physical damage, often misleading opponents in combat.
Ranni was particularly intrigued by the Scarlet Staff in Aoko's possession. Upon learning that it could catalyze both incantations and sorceries, she fell into deep contemplation, seemingly gaining a deeper understanding of some fundamental truths about the Lands Between.
However, while Ranni was curious about the small cosmos contained within the staff, she found the entwined fingers forming its shaft deeply unsettling. Upon learning that Aoko had summoned these spiraling fingers herself through magic, Ranni stared at her for a long time with an expression of utter shock.
This led Aoko to spend considerable effort explaining the magical principles behind summoning fingers. She reassured Ranni that the summoned fingers could be considered dead matter, serving only to stabilize the small cosmos without being monitored by the Two Fingers. Only after hearing this did Ranni finally relax.
Regarding the spells the Aozaki sisters had gathered in the Lands Between, they generally shared most of them with each other. However, for some reason—whether intentional or not—certain spells were overlooked.
For instance, Touko had learned a strange spell called Thorn of Rejection from a hidden corner of the Species Preservation Laboratory. However, she had barely used it, let alone taught it to Aoko.
Perhaps, this was just the nature of sisterly bonds.
Among the numerous Finger Glintstone spells Aoko shared, Phantasmal Small Cosmos intrigued Ranni the most. This spell, in essence, used one's magical energy combined with a Glintstone catalyst to mimic the small cosmos atop the Scarlet Staff. In practical application, it was immensely powerful and, in a sense, dealt true damage, making it difficult to defend against.
This secret study session between the interdimensional magus and the Carian princess lasted about three days. Aoko also shared her experiences in the Shadow Realm, including intelligence on the enigmatic eldest son, Messmer.
"Hmm… I know of him," Ranni recalled. "But my impression of him is extremely vague. Or rather, all I remember from back then is red hair, possibly a relative. After he led the expedition and disappeared, I quickly forgot about him. I never expected him to return to the Lands Between."
"Messmer's loyalty likely lies solely with Queen Marika," Aoko explained. "What I mean is, if he had to choose between the Two Fingers, the Erdtree, and Marika, he would abandon the first two without hesitation, keeping only his devotion to Queen Marika."
"A good son, then?" Ranni quirked an eyebrow with her phantasmal face. "Though he and I are not on the same path, I find it surprisingly difficult to dislike him."
Their conversation subtly avoided the topic of Melina. Whenever Aoko hinted at Messmer having a younger sister, Ranni would deftly change the subject. Sensing this, Aoko refrained from pressing further for family secrets.
The time for parting arrived once again. Before leaving, Aoko issued a warning to Ranni—specifically about the magic scholar, Seluvis.
"You're telling me to be wary of Seluvis?" Ranni smiled. "I know he's a despicable man, but he does have some skill."
"That's not what I mean," Aoko shook her head. "I'm saying that Seluvis is merely a puppet. The one truly pulling the strings is a servant of your Carian royal family named Pidia. He wants to turn you into another one of his living puppets. If you need proof, it's in the basement ruins near your magic tower."
"…I need to see this for myself." With these words, Ranni vanished from the top floor of the tower.
About ten minutes later, she reappeared. Judging from her spectral expression, she seemed utterly disgusted.
It was as if she had just discovered that a seemingly dignified acquaintance had secretly been hoarding her photos, figurines, and body pillows in a warehouse's worth of quantity. Worse still, this acquaintance's basement contained drugs likely intended specifically for her—his intentions were glaringly obvious.
Yet, Ranni refrained from immediately taking action against Seluvis or destroying the basement's setup, choosing instead to avoid alerting Pidia prematurely. She carefully questioned Aoko about this servant's background and coldly vowed that he would pay dearly for his actions.
Aoko had complete faith in Ranni's ruthlessness and determination. After all, this was someone who had killed her own body and brother to break free from her chains—disposing of a mere servant posed no moral dilemma.
Before Aoko left, Ranni sent a recall message to her shadow beast, the half-wolf Blaidd. Taking Aoko's advice, she also commissioned a customized mirror-helm for him, utilizing Nox technology. This ensured that until their plan was complete, Blaidd would not fall under the control of the Two Fingers lurking beneath the Grand Cathedral. Both Blaidd and Ranni were well aware that the Two Fingers had planted a backdoor within Blaidd's mind.
And so, Aoko and the travel-worn Blaidd, who had just returned to Caria Manor, formed a temporary team. Together, they set off toward the site in Limgrave where the meteor had fallen.