“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.
The murmurs spread through the room as the students processed the implications. They assumed that the presentation was highlighting the clear advantages of high-quality artifacts as the same mana usage produced a spell with much greater potency. But Wayland wasn’t finished. He raised a hand, quieting the whispers.
“You might assume that this means higher-ranked artifacts will always be superior to lower-ranked ones. However, please observe again.”
With a wave of his hand, Professor Wayland brought the orb with the smallest flame beside the one producing the largest. To everyone’s shock, the flame on the smaller orb began to grow, swelling steadily until it eclipsed the size of the largest flame by a small margin. The room fell silent. The young mages’ eyes widened in astonishment as they watched the seemingly impossible.
“How… how is that even possible?”
One of them finally stammered, unable to contain their surprise and Wayland eventually revealed the secret.
“The true limiting factor in a runic spell’s potency is not the rank of the artifact, but the mage’s understanding of the runic elements within. A skilled rune mage can manipulate the internal rune structure that governs the spell system. While a Runesmith works on altering the outer components, it is the rune mage who can reshape the internal arrangement. With some practice, adjustments like this become relatively straightforward. However, there are drawbacks…”
Wayland proclaimed as the show continued. The flame continued to grow in size and suddenly a sizzling sound filled the room. The small orb that had been amplified beyond its capacity began to crack, fine lines forming on its metallic surface as the strain of the enhanced spell overwhelmed its structure. Within moments, a loud pop echoed through the hall, and the flame extinguished, leaving the orb, or what was left of it, to clatter lifelessly onto the table.
“As you can see, overloading a lower-tier artifact can lead to instability. It’s crucial to respect the limitations of the materials used in its construction, as well as the rank of the runes inscribed. Here, the runes were pushed beyond their designed capacity, causing the internal runic structures to collapse.”
It was an important lesson to teach the kids to think outside the box and challenge preconceived limitations. Even the simplest artifact could become a deadly weapon when wielded by a master. And now, there was one final lesson he decided to demonstrate.
The four remaining orbs floated closer together, their glow intensifying as the spell was activated. However, instead of producing one flame orb each, they combined their energies to form a single orb at their center. This new orb was much larger and burned with a blue flame, radiating an even higher temperature.
“If you gather multiple artifacts with an identical rune, and synchronize their energy output correctly, you can amplify their collective potency exponentially. This is called ‘Runic Synergy’. It’s one of the core principles that you must learn if you ever hope to become a rune mage.”
Suddenly, the large flaming orb began to shift, morphing first into a rectangular shape, then into a triangle, and finally into a star. The children watched in awe, their fascination growing as they realized how easily most people underestimated the potential of rune magic, believing it to be limited by the artifact or the runesmith who created it.
“With enough knowledge, you can adapt a spell to suit your needs. There will always be some limitations, but they are not as rigid as many would have you believe. While runes provide the structure, it is the mage’s understanding of that structure that allows for true mastery.”
With this, the presentation was over and the flaming start dimmed. The orbs returned to their original positions on the table, their faint glow fading as they powered down. Roland, who was masquerading as Wayland the rune mage surveyed the silent, awestruck faces of his students and wondered if he perhaps overdid it with the lecture. From the back of the hall, Professor Arion floated forward. His paw flicked lazily as he spoke, his tone filled with admiration and glee.
“Another masterpiece, Deputy Wayland. If you keep this up, we’ll have to construct a larger hall just to fit all the curious minds you’re inspiring.”
Roland wanted to sigh but managed to maintain his composure. Thanks to the Headmistress, he was stuck doing this side job once a week. To make matters worse, he was becoming far too popular for his own liking. It seemed the institute didn’t prioritize practical lessons, which made his classes stand out. Instead of lecturing for a full hour, he often filled the time with live demonstrations, and the students loved it.
If this trend continued, the department might have to stop accepting new students or implement stricter grading criteria to filter some out. Either way, it was a growing problem Roland didn’t want to deal with.
“Sure, well, I’m done here so I’ll be on my way.”
“Ah, of course! and don’t worry, our friends are already working on that device that you proposed.”
“Good.”
The Headmistress had tasked him with keeping watch over the institute, and Roland had already devised a plan to make it happen. He had commissioned the dwarves to assemble a runic panel, a device through which she could control and monitor all the cameras across the institute. While she relied on her spores for surveillance, their range had its limits, making his system a more reliable option for the time being.
They had already designated a secure location to store all recordings, turning it into an evidence-gathering database. If necessary, he could extract the data and have Sebastian analyze it, combing through for any signs of suspicious behavior. The system was still in its infancy, with limited material to work with, so it would likely take months before they uncovered anything out of the ordinary.
‘I wonder if she will let me go after I clear this up or not…’
He was quick to take his belongings and leave the lecture hall even before the students could. The people respected him here, always standing to the sides when he walked through. His Deputy position made him feared by both the teachers and the students and he had become quite infamous. This helped him avoid pointless chatter but did not help in his investigation as everyone was wary of him.
This was his first real day on the job since rescuing his brother. Earlier that morning, he had visited the hidden library, and in the afternoon, he had assisted Arion with a lecture. Now, all that remained was a patrol around the area before he could call it a day. He hoped for a quick resolution to the current situation, though deep down, he doubted it would be resolved so easily. At least now it was done, and he had a whole week ahead to focus on other tasks back in Albrook.
‘I need to get stronger…’
The thought lingered, insistent, creeping into his mind despite his attempts to ignore it since reaching Tier 3. His body had undergone significant changes during his ascent, but it still wasn’t enough. He needed to push forward - not just in honing his crafting skills, but also in sharpening his combat abilities.
For that purpose, he was constructing the monster facility. There, he planned to imprison infernal skeletons, hoping their presence would allow him to surpass his previous limits and achieve greater strength than ever before. However, first, he needed to capture some specimens and for that he would need to go back into the dungeon that he hasn’t visited in a while.
After completing his duties at the Institute, he made his way back home. His sister, Lucienne, wasn’t there, but he was confident she had received his message. To cover his tracks, he had enlisted Robert and Lucille to speak with their parents, hoping to send them on a wild goose chase.
He had meticulously altered the mana patterns and trajectory of the letter, creating numerous decoy pathways leading in every direction. There was no chance of it being traced back to him. And even if someone managed to track it, the trail would end at the Institute, where the Headmistress would likely protect his identity.
“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?”
245