The Runesmith

“Hurry up everyone! You’ve heard the Headmistress, we will be returning now!”

A group of bewildered students and faculty members from the magical institute found themselves being hurried through the streets, escorted by knights who sternly pushed back any onlookers. Despite the curious stares of passersby, they swiftly pushed to the ship docks, where they wasted no time in boarding the waiting flying vessel.

“Are all of the students here?”

“Yes, everyone is accounted for, Professor Ernas.”

Roland confirmed the headcount that was made simple thanks to his mana pattern-saving capabilities. Before they departed the institute, he made sure to put every student into his database. It made the counting rather efficient, perfect for situations like this when rushing was required.

As the ship took off, Roland couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. They were finally heading back to the safety of the Institute, away from the chaos of the dungeon here. He glanced at Lucienne and her friends who were confused just like the others but at least they were safe. Thanks to the Headmistress they could perform the advancement classes within the training facility, which was a much safer option.

‘They don’t even know what happened, it would be better to keep it this way…’

Disclosing that one of their teachers had gone rogue and tried to kill another one would only cause unnecessary panic. This crisis had been dealt with but more trouble could lie ahead. He had no way of knowing what the Baskerville knights and their handlers, the Castellane house, would do. They had failed miserably but he could not see them leaving it at this.

‘I was lucky that they underestimated me but next time I might be so lucky…’

Roland didn’t fool himself into believing that he was some kind of undefeatable being. This was made painfully clear by the tier 4 Spiritualist who had managed to disable him. While he didn’t fully exert his options back then, the only thing he could probably do was escape. His strength was tested but he came out of it unscathed only thanks to someone else, without the Headmistress’ involvement, things could have ended badly.

Eventually, the flying vessel soared through the skies towards the safety of the Institute. Despite the immediate crisis being averted, there were still lingering questions and potential threats. He wasn’t sure how to handle this situation anymore but at the moment, focusing on his research was one of the priorities. All the materials that he needed were in his inventory and he could proceed with a prototype.

‘I’ll need to see the Headmistress first and then I can start, Lucienne should be safe for now but what about Robert and the rest…’

There was one big question hanging in the air that he wanted to have answered. His family had not shown themselves and this incident would probably be swept under the rug. No one would know that an attempt at his sister was conducted as the siege spell incident was something only he saw through. The Headmistress was still a big unknown but perhaps she could become his ally.

As the ship journeyed on, Roland found himself lost in thought, contemplating his next course of action. The journey proved mostly uneventful, with Ernas appearing less than well throughout the voyage. They eventually arrived back at the Institute and disembarked from the vessel. The other students along with his sister made their way back to their respective dormitories, while Roland and Ernas headed towards the main administrative building.

“Professor Ernas, could I have a word with you?”

While Roland was on his way toward the Headmistress's office as he was ordered, Professor Delauder was there to meet his protege. The two elemental mages gave him the side-eye before departing on their way. Roland was sure that Ernas would inform Delauder about what had transpired.

‘Ernas doesn’t know the whole truth but it wouldn’t be strange if Delauder knew something about this…’

Roland wasn’t a fan of Ernas but he didn’t seem to have been involved in this incident. Ulfine was guilty of that and perhaps he now needed to watch out for the Summoning Department leader, Professor Imari. He might have gained a set of new enemies by his actions but it couldn’t be helped.

“I heard that you’ve returned, what happened?”

He was not alone though, just as Delauder arrived to see Ernas, Arion was here to greet him. His feline friend proved himself as a loyal companion, always by his side in times of need. Roland greeted the cat with a nod before informing him about the situation.

“There was an incident in the dungeon but I need to go to the Headmistress's office now, I’ll tell you everything once I’m back.”

“Dear me, the Headmistress wants to see you? and an incident in the dungeon? Are you going to be okay?”

“I’ll survive… I think…”

“Well… I wish that I could come with you but I don’t think our Headmistress would appreciate that.”

“I know…”

Yavenna Arvandus was the bogeyman of the Institute and all the mages here feared her wrath. Unless someone was directly called into her office for an audience, it was impossible to get in. In the past, someone had attempted this feat and was met with some thorns and a rash that lasted for years afterward.

“Before I go, can I ask for a favor?”

“Sure, if it’s within my power.”

“I wish to use the forge for my research.”

“The forge? I don’t think there will be a problem with that, the other runesmiths seem to favor you as well.”

“Thank you.”

Roland wanted to move towards making that prosthetic arm for Bernir as soon as possible. The longer he stayed at this Institute, the more things started going out of hand. It was better to pack up and leave after he was done but he wasn’t sure if it would be that easy.

With a nod of gratitude, Roland bid farewell to Arion and headed towards the Headmistress's office. Just like last time the path near the gazebo opened up for him and he spent the rest of his time walking. Now that he was somewhat aware of this woman’s capabilities he started paying more attention. He noticed that there was something in the air here probably partially responsible for her appearance in the dungeon.

The woman appeared to be a superior plant mage of the highest caliber. It occurred to Roland that his armor might have been covered by small spores or other plant matter during his time in this mage tower. Thinking back, he realized there were small gaps in his suit that he would need to address when crafting a new model. His current suit lacked waterproofing and wasn't fully sealed from the outside world. It was only when he activated his mana veil that he was truly safeguarded from external threats.

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“Assistant Professor Wayland, please, have a seat”

To his surprise, the Headmistress was not on the top floor like last time. Instead, he found her reading a book in the library position of her mage tower. She was being illuminated by the setting sun while sitting in a somewhat cushy-looking armchair. There was a small booklet in her hand that didn’t look like research material but instead something akin to a romance .

It was a strange sight to behold. Despite her status as a powerful tier 4 being, the woman appeared rather like a couch potato in this setting. Curled up into a ball on the large armchair, her feet were not even touching the ground. Adding to the oddity, she wore an oversized sweater, into which she had somehow managed to tuck her legs while engrossed in her book.

“Thank you, Headmistress but I’ll just stand.”

“Suit yourself.”

Roland was a bit too nervous to take the woman up on the offer. The encounter with Fortuna also showed him that unsuspecting chairs could hold him down in place. This greenish elven woman was probably more powerful and he would certainly not be able to resist her but perhaps if he was quick, he could make it out the window.

“Now then, about the incident in the dungeon. I've already received a brief report from Professor Ernas, but I'd like to hear your perspective on what happened. Leave nothing out.”

The Headmistress's tone was calm and composed, but there was an underlying seriousness to her demeanor. Roland took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before he began recounting the events that had transpired in the dungeon.

“Well, Headmistress, it all started when one of the students, Lucienne Arden…”

He decided to leave a few facts out, the main one being his identity which he wasn’t sure the Headmistress was aware of or cared for. It didn’t change the fact that a student was attacked and some of the faculty members were involved in the attack. However, Roland couldn't gauge how much concern the Headmistress harbored. It seemed that she had ways of spying on people and probably knew many of the schemes that went around in the institute. Yet, she didn’t act out on that knowledge and perhaps wanted to bury such knowledge.

Throughout his explanation, Roland couldn't help but feel the weight of the Headmistress's gaze upon him. He knew that she was analyzing his words, perhaps even probing his intentions. Despite his efforts to remain composed, he couldn't shake the feeling of being read like a book. If not for his armor, multiple beads of sweat would have become noticeable.

Once he finished his account, there was a moment of silence as the Headmistress absorbed the information. Roland waited anxiously for her response, unsure of what judgment awaited him. Finally, she put her booklet to the side and responded in a composed fashion.

“Thank you for your report, Assistant Professor Wayland. It seems you handled the situation with some competence and proper discretion.”

Roland wanted to breathe out in a sigh of relief but he wasn’t safe just yet.

“That being said, there are still lingering questions that need to be addressed. Hm… this is quite a worrying matter…”

“It is Headmistress…”

“Nobles colluding with faculty members and trying to carry out their agendas, attempted murder and bribery…”

The woman appeared lost in thought and was reflecting on the current incident. It seemed as though she was reluctant to involve herself in the situation. Given that similar incidents had occurred before Roland's arrival, it was plausible that she preferred to maintain a neutral stance. The Vice-Headmaster often made decisions that left her seemingly uninvolved. However, her decision to assist Roland during his encounter with Fortuna came as a surprise and hinted at a willingness to deviate from her usual stance.

‘Maybe this event is too big to ignore?’

Roland could only assume that she was fine with a little bribery and mistreatment of the lesser mage caste. However, someone had retaliated against a faculty member with deadly force and even involved the uninvolved young students in their ploy for revenge. If she allowed such a thing to go through, then in the future people could become more brazen.

“Headmistress, if I may?”

“Go ahead.”

For some reason, the Headmistress seemed wishy-washy. However, perhaps he could convince her to act in his favor. Even if it was the Castellane house, they could not ignore a tier 4 class holder like her.

“Thank you, I understand that this is a delicate matter, but I fear that if we do not address it appropriately, similar incidents may occur in the future. Our students' safety and the integrity of the Institute are at stake.”

He knew that he had to advocate for justice, as his current persona was geared toward.

“You raise a valid point, Assistant Professor Wayland… However, this issue can’t be taken lightly and we must not forget that all of this happened, right when you arrived at my Institute… quite interesting, isn’t it?”

“I…”

“Could there be something that you aren’t telling me? Everything seems to revolve around you and that one student… Lucienne Arden was it?”

The Headmistress's mention of his family sent a chill down Roland's spine, stirring up old traumas he had tried to bury. Despite his efforts to move past them, something within him still held him back. Identifying himself as Lucienne’s older brother might offer a resolution to the issue at hand, but it also carried the risk of bringing trouble to his family's doorstep.

“Headmistress, I assure you, I have no ulterior motives in this matter. My only concern is the safety of the students and the integrity of the Institute.”

Roland replied and decided to stick to his act of just being a concerned teacher. It still seemed that Yavenna had not gone through his status as otherwise she wouldn’t have been asking these questions.

“Rest assured, I wasn’t accusing you of having ulterior motives… Very well, Assistant Professor Wayland. I will consider your words. For now, return to your duties.”

Roland acknowledged the order with a nod and turned to leave the Headmistress's office. He recognized that this decision might not have been an easy one for her, but he hoped she would continue to support him. Nonetheless, he understood that ultimately, it fell upon him and the Arden estate to resolve this matter. Despite the protection afforded by the institute's walls, both he and Lucienne would eventually need to leave this place.

…..

“...”

“I think I’m getting too old for this… Can’t those brats just let an old woman rest…”

Once Roland had left the office, only Yavenna Arvandus remained. She glanced to the side as a bunch of branches appeared. They were holding a large mirror in which Roland’s form appeared. She could see him slowly moving down the stairs of her mage tower and eventually disappearing through the connected portal.

Soon after, another set of branches materialized and coiled around the elven mage's form. With gentle yet firm movements, she was lifted up into the air and then gently deposited back onto the ground. It appeared as though the woman couldn't be bothered to stand up from her seat using her own two feet. As she settled back onto the ground, the oversized sweater she wore rolled down, reaching all the way down to her knees.

“Now what should I do about this…”

Her words were not answered as there was no one else inside this large library. With a sigh, Yavenna Arvandus closed her book and set it aside. The events of the day had left her weary and even if she didn’t want to, something had to be done about this situation. She knew that nobles were an unreasonable bunch and they would keep coming.

“Maybe they will resolve this issue by themselves? or will it only get worse? For times like this, an assistant is needed but… I don’t have one…”

She advanced forward and eventually arrived at her main office where some parchment and a quill could be found. With practiced movements, she began to write her thoughts focused on the peculiar young man who had recently arrived at her Institute. Things seemed to go awry when around him, which made her think of someone from her past life.

“The boy was quite resolute in keeping up that farce but I suppose he had a good reason… and then we have Lucienne Arden…”

She recalled the name of the girl who was involved in the recent wave of unfortunate events. It reminded her of something from her past and made her summon the help of her vines. The magical plants rummaged through some hidden compartments to reveal a large tome and brought it over to their master.

“Where was it… I think it should be here somewhere…”

Yavenna began flipping the pages that were not filled with much writing but something similar to photographs. While such technology did not exist in this world, there were ways of producing magical paintings or drawings that had similar clarity to modern world photography.

“There you are… I don’t really see the resemblance.”

To the side, another mirror appeared this time with Lucienne Arden’s face on it. The young girl was chatting with some of her friends and quite unaware of the plants that were allowing the Headmistress to see things inside the whole academy.

“I wonder…”

Her gaze moved back to the person that just left, the man called Wayland. He was presumably an adventurer who had arrived at the Institute through strange means.

“I could probably use this… I haven’t had an assistant in years and this boy looks fun~”

Yavenna chuckled for a moment before grabbing the magical quill. Her hand moved in a rhythmical motion as she showcased a devious smile…