After about three days of sailing, Benjamin returned to land and disembarked from the territory of Caritus.

Some of the villagers chose to say goodbye and start a new life in the country, while others followed Benjamin back to Akademi. Benjamin couldn't have put much effort into settling them, and some dry food and general knowledge books were the biggest help he could.

After that, he returned to the academy with his two siblings and the spoils of the trip.

"How's your research going? I've brought you something interesting with me this time. ”

After entering the door, Benjamin didn't even have time to rest and drink water, so he hurried to the Rune Research Institute, which was established after the rune research team was expanded, and walked into the main laboratory.

In the laboratory, when the mages heard this, they stopped what they were doing and surrounded Benjamin.

"Eh...... Dean, what kind of work have you found for us?"

A hunchbacked grandmother took off her gloves, walked over, and asked helplessly. She was the newly appointed director of the Rune Research Institute after its inception, and one of the first few members of the research group, Master Abby.

Benjamin smiled and didn't speak, but took the slate out of his bag and lined it up on the table.

Suddenly, the eyes of all the mages present lit up.

"It's ......"

"The latest rune research materials. Benjamin said slowly, "We haven't discovered each of the runes on it yet, and more importantly, there may be some rules in their arrangement, and the research value is immeasurable. ”

Hearing this, the mages who gathered around showed even more surprise.

Master Abby picked up one of the stone tablets, and the old palm gently stroked the rune on it, and said, "This thing...... At least 3,000 years old. The material itself is also very special, and if I am not mistaken, I am afraid that it is refined from some kind of elemental ore that has long been extinct. ”

"Do you recognize this material?"

Benjamin was a little surprised. He didn't expect that as soon as the things were taken out, it seemed that someone had touched some doorways.

The material from which the slate is made...... Because it looked dusty, no different from ordinary stones, he and the system hadn't paid much attention to it before, but focused on those runes.

"If you live for a long time, you can naturally see some strange things. Master Abby carefully played with the stone tablet and pondered for a moment before saying, "The runes on it are also very special, and they don't seem to belong to the same system as the ones we knew before. In my opinion, the runes and tablets should be a whole, and may have some special effects of their own. ”

Benjamin asked rhetorically, "Just like a complete magic prop?"

"yes, could it be a very primitive form of a magic item, or a totem? "However, as far as I know a little about this material, it should have something to do with the psychic power of humans or beasts. ”

When Benjamin heard this, he also had to nod: "That's right...... It must be very closely related to spiritual power. ”

The affairs of the Nian Shu and the overseas sects are confidential to the Academy, and not many people know about it, so it is difficult for him to explain the origin of the stone tablet to all the mages again.

Speaking of mental power, though......

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he reached into his bag again, and pulled out a shiny stone.

"Look at this thing, is it made of the same material as a slate?"

As soon as the soul heart was taken out, everyone present vaguely felt the huge spiritual power contained in it, and immediately showed a shocked face. Master Abby also hurriedly put down the stone slab, took it with great care, and held it in his hand.

"Oh my God...... Is this a soul crystal? or is it the legendary soul heart?"

"Legends, what legends?" asked Benjamin quickly.

Master Abby came back to his senses, shook his head, and said, "That's just a very remote detail in the legend, and probably only I and a very small number of people have heard of it, so it's not very credible. ”

"It's okay, you say. Benjamin asked with interest.

Master Abby nodded, put down his soul heart, and slowly spoke: "That...... It's about the Age of Chaos. At that time, humans had not yet acquired the power of magic, and demonic beasts were rampant. The two brothers, Cain and Abel, prayed to the gods of magic and light to put an end to this situation. Eventually, the two gods responded. The two brothers sacrificed six hundred and sixty-six newly dead magical beasts, and finally exchanged great power for humans. ”

"And the soul of the six hundred and sixty-six demonic beasts turned into a stone that condensed a large amount of spiritual power, called the soul crystal. With the help of that stone, the two brothers made great progress in magic and magic by leaps and bounds, and finally succeeded in driving away the demonic beasts and establishing a home that belongs to us humans. ”

Hearing this, Benjamin looked at the heart of the soul and felt a little surprised in his heart.

"It can dramatically increase a person's magic level?"

“...... Not necessarily. Master Abby pursed her lips with a cautious look on her lips and said, "From the rumors I've heard, the soul crystals contain not only great power, but also terrible resentment. It was this resentment that eventually led to the estrangement between the two brothers and their cannibalism. ”

Benjamin frowned.

So mysterious?

"You guys study these things first, and then tell me when you have a conclusion. Eventually, he shook his head and said so. It was originally provided with research materials for them, and even if the source of these materials became a bit big, Benjamin couldn't think of a better way to deal with them.

Master Abby nodded, and took the slate and the heart of the soul.

With that, Benjamin turned around and left the Rune Academy. But to his surprise, in the middle of the courtyard's deserted path, Master Abby unexpectedly appeared again and whispered to stop him.

“...... Dean, please take a step to speak. ”

Benjamin was a little surprised, but looking at the other party's serious expression, he didn't ask more, but followed Master Abby to a more remote tree-lined path.

Master Abby took out the Heart of the Soul and handed it back to Benjamin.

"Dean, it's better for you to keep this thing. She explained solemnly, "Regardless of the legendary resentment, the spiritual power in this can indeed be absorbed by ordinary mages, and it has a very terrifying effect. The temptation of this thing is too great, even if it is placed in the research institute, I am afraid it will ......"

She didn't say the rest of the words, but Benjamin understood what she meant.

Really...... It's a bit inappropriate.

It's not that the mages in the Rune Research Institute are not trustworthy, it's just that there is such a thing as human nature, and it's better not to take risks. For any mage, the allure of increasing the level is enormous.

So, Benjamin nodded and put the Soul Heart in his pocket.

"But...... Put it in my hand, this thing doesn't play a role, isn't it a bit of a waste?" After putting it away, he thought about it, and couldn't help but ask.

"It's better to waste than to cause disaster. "Sometimes, too much power isn't necessarily a good thing. When I was younger, I had a good friend who was the most terrifying mage I've ever seen. But...... Her talent also brought all kinds of suffering to her, and even almost burst her soul. At that time, she had to cut off a part of her power, otherwise, according to her words, her meaning might be overwhelmed by the power of another world and disappear from this world completely. ”

Benjamin scratched the back of his head.

The story described by the other party...... Why does it sound familiar?

He didn't think much of it, though. The world is so big that there are no surprises, and Master Abby, like everyone who is older, prefers to nag up. Therefore, Benjamin did not care.

As for the use of the Soul Heart, he could slowly study it himself.

With that, Benjamin said goodbye to Master Abby, ended this short secret conversation, and turned to leave.