The Runesmith

Chapter 519: One More Lecture.

“Now then, please look at the table - Professor Wayland will demonstrate!”

A black cat - Professor Arion floated to the side while a large man wearing sparkling armor and a robe walked forward. His steps were slow and deliberate.

“Look, it’s the Deputy!”

“Do you think if we become rune mages, we’ll get to wear such impressive magic armor?”

“I don’t know. It looks heavy... wouldn’t it be too uncomfortable?”

“Maybe, but I’ve heard it’s possible to inscribe runes on robes too, using special cloth!”

“Get me one of those, then!”

“Hah! You think I can afford a fancy robe like that?”

“Quiet down, please! The presentation is about to start!”

A group of young mages whispered among themselves, their eyes fixed on one of the newest members of the Runic Department: Deputy Professor Wayland. A rune mage of unprecedented skill, Wayland had quickly made waves, causing many to reevaluate their views on this often-overlooked magical discipline. Today, he was giving a presentation featuring five metallic spheres, all seemingly identical.

“Can anyone tell me the known ranks and sub-ranks of runic artifacts?”

He asked, his voice calm yet somewhat commanding, causing the group of mages to pay close attention. His reputation as a formidable fighter preceded him, and no one dared step out of line against someone who had allegedly stood up to high nobles and emerged unscathed. Rumors swirled that he had been fending off hidden assassins with ease. The mysterious disappearance of Viola Castellane, who had yet to return to the institute, only added fuel to the already wild speculation.

“Oh!”

“I know!”

The question was relatively rudimentary, prompting many students to raise their hands. He selected a bespectacled student, who stood up hastily, her rushed tone betraying her nervousness.

“We divide artifacts into five groups: Lesser, Common, Greater, Grand, and Legendary. The sub-groups are categorized as Lowest, Low, Intermediate, High, and Highest?”

“Yes, that is correct. You may sit down.”

He replied with a slight nod, acknowledging her answer. Wayland surveyed the strangely attentive faces of the young mages, his gaze briefly resting on the five metallic spheres displayed on the table before him. Each sphere gleamed faintly under the ambient magical lighting of the lecture hall, their surfaces etched with runes that seemed identical at first glance.

“Today, we will explore not only the fundamental properties of runic artifacts but also how their potency evolves when used in tandem. These spheres - lesser-tier artifacts - are inscribed with identical runes. They generate the exact same flame orb spell. Observe.”

The first orb floated into the air, responding to his mana as he activated it. A small flame, roughly the size of a marble, flickered into existence above it. It burned steadily, its red hue radiating a soft warmth, but with power insufficient to cause significant harm.

“This one is inscribed with the lowest possible rune. Now, notice how the flame orb changes when we activate artifacts inscribed with runes of higher quality.”

Wayland gestured to the next orb, which hovered beside the first. The runes on this second sphere, though nearly identical to the untrained eye, were slightly more refined - indicative of the “Low” sub-group of lesser-tier artifacts. He activated it, and a larger flame orb formed, radiating stronger energy.

“You will usually observe a twenty percent increase in a spell’s potency as we ascend from ‘Lowest’ to ‘Low,’ and this trend holds true as we progress through the sub-ranks of artifacts.”

The demonstration continued as he activated the intermediate, high, and highest-tier orbs in succession. Each flame orb grew larger, with the final one twice the size of the first. The progression was methodical, and the students eagerly calculated the changes in size using their mathematical skills.

“Oh, it really is twice the size of the first one!”

One student whispered excitedly.

“Who would even bother with the lowest runes anyway?”

Another muttered.

“Well, do you think you’ll have the money to afford the highest-ranked artifacts?”

A third retorted, rolling their eyes.

“Deputy Professor, the teleporter is ready.”

“Thank you.”

The gate opened for him, and in seconds, he was back in his workshop - a journey that would take an ordinary person a month. Roland stepped inside, greeted by the familiar scent of metal and alchemical reagents. This was his sanctum, originally created for his personal use but gradually evolving beyond that over time.

Finally, he allowed himself a sigh of relief. First, he removed the institute robe along with his armor. Using his mana and a few carefully crafted spells, he unclasped the heavy plating. The armor floated toward a wall rack, where it attached itself to magnetic clamps designed to hold it securely. Roland rubbed his neck, feeling the weight of the day lift slightly as he transitioned into the solitude of his workspace.

"Finally, some peace.”

He muttered, but before he could relax a glowing orb floated towards him.

“Any problems?”

He asked while glancing towards one of the monitors there.

“An incident occurred at the shop.”

“An incident? Why was I not informed?”

Roland responded to his AI assistant who was quick to reply.

“It did not fit the specified criteria.”

“It didn’t? Replay the incident on the main monitor.”

He didn’t like the sound of it and waited for Sebastian to bring up the recording of what had happened. The monitor flickered into action and in a few seconds he had the whole incident there. The shop’s counter was visible, with his wife standing behind it, her expression calm but somewhat annoyed. A burly customer stood on the other side, his face red with anger. His gestures were erratic, his voice raised.

Roland watched the interaction unfold. The customer slammed his fist on the counter, shouting unintelligibly, presumably mad at the quality of one of their wares. Elodia responded calmly, her expression was unwavering despite the man's aggression. The bodyguard reacted rather quickly and then a short scuffle unfolded, where the man was unceremoniously thrown outside. There he was apprehended by some soldiers given to him by Arthur.

“These incidents have been happening more lately...”

Nothing happened to her and she was standing behind reinforced glass that even a tier 3 class holder would have trouble with. However, he couldn’t just let this slide and he quickly ordered.

“Sebastian, use your face recognition protocols, access the monitoring system in the city, and find who this man is. Find anyone suspicious that he had interacted with, don’t leave anyone out.”

“As you wish, master.”

He would not let this go. The man would be swiftly dealt with for offending the Knight Commander’s wife, but this incident also raised larger concerns. Could he have been hired by Arthur’s opponents? Perhaps this was an attempt to probe the defenses of the store, a precursor to an abduction attempt on Elodia - something he could never allow.

With these troubling thoughts swirling in his mind, he headed upstairs to check on her. More than half the day had passed, yet the store remained open. He stepped into the elevator, riding it up to the entrance of his home. Then he made his way toward the entrance to the store, where he found his wife yawning and looking at someone looking through the display cases.

“Oh, you’re back already? I’ll still be stuck here for another hour.”

She smiled at him as if everything was fine. For her, someone who had worked at the local adventurer’s guild, dealing with one rowdy adventurer was nothing out of the ordinary. However, to Roland, things needed to change. Perhaps it was time for a shift - not just for him, but for those around him as well.

“Could I have a word with you? It won’t take long”

“Um, sure? Is something wrong?”

“You could say that.”

The two stepped outside, Elodia following with a slightly puzzled expression. As they walked, Roland mulled over the best course of action. Hiring a new shop clerk was easy enough, and truthfully, his wife didn’t need to work at all. But he knew how much she valued staying active and involved. Then it hit him. His mind wandered to the lectures he’d been giving at the institute, and an idea began to take shape.

“Elodia, would you be interested in teaching children?”

“Teaching? Me?”