The Runesmith

‘This was quite a day… Now what? Where do I even begin?"

Roland asked himself after leaving Thorne’s office. The hearing was over, and he had given his sister the small spider golem to keep her safe. Everything seemed to have finally calmed down, but he was not making any significant progress in his research. Then there was the Headmistress who gave him some strange research papers, implying that what he was searching for was within a person's soul and not just mana, something that he had no idea about. It also implied that she had more information about what he was doing here than he liked, perhaps she even knew that he came from Albrook.

‘I didn’t feel anything strange, she probably didn’t read my status at least.’

For the time being, it seemed that she kept to the Institute rules and didn’t forcefully try to pry his status window out of him. Considering that she was a tier 4 mage, her identification skill was probably way above his, and she would have no problem in disabling his enchantments that were hiding his class.

‘It seemed like she was trying to be impartial but I’m not sure…’

After finishing up with his enforcing duties, he had a few days of freedom. What he did was return to the school library with his new research papers to deliberate on his future plans. He still wanted to create that prosthetic limb for Bernir, and there was no reason not to look into what an experienced mage had given him. Perhaps there was some type of deeper connection between mana and the soul that would allow him to connect a few dots.

On his way to the library, he noticed that everyone was still looking at him in a reserved fashion. It was as if everyone was treating him as some type of rare animal. Eventually, he managed to arrive at the location and soon enough he was studying the large book he received from Yavenna Arvandus, the Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry current Headmistress.

“Mana and soul connection… what does the soul have to do with mana phantoms? and do souls even exist…”

Roland whispered to himself while prying open the thick book apart. The pages were filled with complex diagrams, ancient symbols, and writings in a language that was both familiar and unfamiliar. The arcane knowledge within the tome hinted at the intricate relationship between mana and the soul, delving into the metaphysical aspects of magic that Roland had only scratched the surface of.

“This might take a while…”

As he immersed himself in the study, a lot of time started to pass. The cryptic writing forced him to search for books related to ancient languages and it took him a while to fill in the gaps in his knowledge to even start reading the book he was given. He spent countless hours in the library, deciphering the intricate symbols and the meanings hidden within the pages. The book opened up new perspectives on the connection between mana and the soul, revealing a complex tapestry of magical energies that intertwined in ways he had never considered.

He discovered that the soul was indeed a fundamental aspect of magical existence. According to the text, every living being possessed a soul, a reservoir of spiritual energy that acted as a conduit for mana. The mana, in turn, flowed through the soul, shaping and molding within its essence.

In theory, the mana phantoms that he had seen moving around might have actually been the spiritual energy of the soul that, within the world of mana, created the illusion of a mana phantom. If this were the case, then he was looking in the wrong place and would need to focus on this other type of energy if he ever wanted his prosthetic to move correctly.

‘Could I just need to find the correct wavelength as I did with the divine spells? Is there something that could help me to get attuned to spiritual energy?’

There were creatures in this world that resembled ghosts and phantoms. The simplest one to encounter would be the Will-o'-Wisp. It was a type of monster that could be found in haunted forests and sometimes crips. The Albrook dungeon also had exploding skulls but those were quite volatile.

What he needed to do was create a device that could react to the mana phantom. If he could identify the energy, then he just needed to create a system that reacted to the changes in the phantom. At the moment, he could only read visual cues with the help of his own skill, but his senses were identifying it as regular mana. If this book was true, then perhaps the mana was just blocking the spiritual energy underneath that he couldn’t quite perceive. Focusing on spiritual energy patterns could be the answer that he was looking for, and perhaps there were some ways inside this Institute that he could research them.

‘I wonder if this place has someone with a Spiritualist class, but could a Necromancer also work?’

When thinking about soul energy, there were a few sources that he could think of. First were the decrepit souls of the dead that the necrotic magic of Necromancers could control. These energies were perceived as chaotic and unnatural, probably not something he could get his hands on without breaking the law. Necromancy was looked down on mostly due to the Solarian church despising them and any cultists. Even though he had encountered a Lich and a necromancer, there was no time to do any research, nor was his home in a state to do so.

When it came to spiritualists, they were a different sort. They didn’t manipulate the bodies of the dead nor did they force their souls to linger. They acted as a bridge between the material plane and the one supposedly populated by spirits. They could use souls to possess objects or even themselves for a boost in their skills. They could buff people through these possessions or by calling spirits for a sort of blessing. Luckily, this magical profession wasn’t looked down upon by the church, and there was a possibility that one of these people was within the Institute walls.

‘I heard if a spiritualist lets a master swordsman possess their body, they can gain their strength temporarily but it can backfire on them, I think it’s called reverse possession… I guess I have my work cut out for me, how should I do this?’

After spending the rest of the day deciphering the book, he assessed his options. There were three things that he could do. First was capturing a monster that was closely related to spirits. The second was finding a Spiritualist and either examining their spells to copy them into runic or having them cooperate in his research. The last and third option was spending more time in the library and going through more research papers.

‘I guess, I’ll go with option three for now and try asking Arion about the other two later…’

A large sigh left his mouth as there was much work to do. Over the next few days, Roland delved deeper into the extensive library resources, immersing himself in ancient texts and research papers related to spiritual energy, mana, and the connection between the soul and magic. His determination led him to uncover obscure knowledge that hinted at rituals, experiments, and historical accounts involving spiritualists and the manipulation of soul energy.

Things were progressing, but he had a sinking feeling that he was being watched. Every time he ventured outside, he could tell that certain people were looking his way. It was quite obvious that he didn’t make any friends with the Viola incident and that he needed to prepare himself for the fallout. It wouldn’t have been strange if he would be followed whenever leaving the school, and once alone, his new enemies could even strike. Luckily, things back home were silent and his Knightly responsibilities could wait.

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“Hm… a Spiritualist? There is one person like that but…”

“But? Is there a problem?”

“Well, the person in question doesn’t come to the Institute often, they are kind of an oddball…”

Roland finished up with the research for the day and returned to the Runic Department to ask Arion a few questions. While there seemed to be a Spiritualist Professor around, they didn’t come to school often and lived off campus. With how he was being monitored throughout the Institute, it didn’t seem like such a great idea to pack up for a visit just yet.

“She should be there for the next Department meeting though.”

“The next meeting? Isn’t that in a month?”

“I’m afraid so… oh that reminds me!”

Arion glanced to the side, activating his tail bracelet to summon forth a sizable stack of papers, accompanied by the orb that Roland had entrusted to him.

“You’ve finished examining it?”

“Indeed, it was quite fascinating, I haven’t seen such a strange monster core in a while.”

It was the broken Lich core that he had lent to Arion. Considering the stack of papers that he was given, he had done extensive research on it. Recreating the structure on another item of this sort would probably become easy with all of this insight.

“You write quite fast…”

“Oh that? It’s just a spell, want me to teach you?”

Roland was surprised by the amount of written words, not something a regular person could do by hand even with the help of skills. There also wasn’t that much time for Arion to do this, so he was quite intrigued. After the question, he received a quick answer as he was presented with a peculiar spell that reminded him of some technology from the modern world.

“It’s similar to a laser printer…”

“A laser what?”

“Ah, nothing…”

The presentation unfolded swiftly, featuring unique materials such as specialized paper and ink. These components fused together on the paper's surface, akin to a toner, shaping into coherent words. While magical quills capable of transcribing words through voice commands existed, this particular method directly extracted information from the caster's mind. Remarkably, it even hinted at the possibility of generating images if the mental visualization was sufficiently vivid, a feature Roland considered potentially valuable for his purposes. Throughout the presentation, he observed the ink seamlessly adhering to the paper, illustrating a rapid and efficient means of filling out pages.

“Speaking about this monster core, are you trying to make a mage tower?”

“A mage tower?”

“Yes, I think it could be used as a basis for an artificial tower spirit and it’s already attuned to your mana.”

Roland acknowledged the statement with a nod as he retrieved both the research paper and the core, stowing them away in his spatial storage. Bringing it over to the Institute to get an idea of what to do with it was the correct choice. Although constructing a mage tower wasn't in his immediate plans, the potential applications of tower spirits in performing calculations for mages intrigued him. While he needed to be careful with it as it was still the core of a monster, he believed with some adjustments, it could be repurposed without future issues arising.

“Thank you.”

“No problem, It was quite enjoyable.”

Arion appeared content engaging in mundane research, a concept that Roland found somewhat perplexing. For Roland, research was merely a tool to achieve a goal, and if he never had to delve into it again, he wouldn't mind. His true satisfaction lay in the process of crafting prototypes and ensuring they didn't unexpectedly detonate in his vicinity.

“Now then, tomorrow is the day, have you prepared the presentation?”

“Sure…”

“How splendid, now don’t tell me! I love a good surprise!”

The day for his lecture at the Runic Department had finally arrived. Throughout the week, he dedicated his time to research, and somewhat haphazardly, he put together an activity for the students. Uncertain about how his unconventional approach would be received, he aimed to deviate from the standard lecture format. The idea of standing in front of a group of young students for two hours sent shivers down his spine, prompting him to devise a plan that would enable him to spend most of the time seated.

“You’re not afraid that I’ll do something to embarrass the Department?”

“Not really, you have quite the head on your shoulders my friend, I’m sure your lecture will be very insightful!”

“...”

He nodded in acknowledgment as he returned to his temporary quarters within the Runic Department. Taking advantage of the department's sparse membership, Roland found accommodation in the spacious vice-head's quarters. It was quite the spacious room that he could even continue his research in. Before retiring for the night, he mentally reminded himself to rise early, recognizing the need to procure the essential items from the Institute's rune forge.

As morning unfolded, Roland made his way to the forge, where the craftsmen awaited him. They handed him a sizable wooden crate that seemed to have a lot of parts within itself.

“Just like you ordered it, but what are you going to use these parts for?”

“A lecture.”

The absence of the Master Runesmith this time didn't pose an issue, given that the ordered crafts were merely tier 1 runes, within the capability of even lower-tier 2 Runesmiths. Everything was efficiently prepared within a few days, and while Roland might have personally fashioned them with more precision, he found little room for complaint.

With the help of a floating platform and his mage hand spell, he transported the crate and left the forge. He steered towards an outdoor location within the same park where he had previously encountered the Headmistress. There was a section here for outside lessons, perfect for this lecture he thought up.

‘I think I need my own assistant for things like this…’

Given the scarcity of personnel within the department, Roland took it upon himself to single-handedly organize everything. Utilizing his spellcasting abilities, he effortlessly brought over chairs and tables, upon which he began arranging the contents from within the box. Roland's meticulous nature ensured a well-organized setup, and he completed the task a good ten minutes before anyone else arrived at the location.

‘This should do it, would be nice if none of the students arrived though…’

Roland harbored a hope that the rumors circulating about his unconventional behavior and actions against the nobles might dissuade students from attending his lecture. However, his expectation was contradicted when he observed Arion floating towards him, accompanied by Professor Delauder. To his surprise, the number of students had not decreased; rather, it had increased, and they appeared genuinely intrigued by what he had prepared. This unexpected turn left Roland raising an involuntary brow.

“So that’s that famous ferocious enforcer? He does look that part!”

“Hey be quiet, what if he hears you and turns you into a frog?”

“In his case, that would be an improvement.”

“Did you just call me ugly?”

The banter of the students reached Roland's ears, but he chose to ignore it, focusing on the task at hand. As the time for his lecture approached, more students gathered, some that probably were just here to look at the person who beat up a noble knight. Delauder who pushed for this lecture had a look of disdain plastered over his face and was probably hoping that he made a fool out of himself during this lecture. Arion on the other hand floated towards him with a mischievous grin planted over his feline face.

“Enjoying the attention, Assistant Professor Wayland?”

“Not really… let us just get it over with…”

“Haha, well let me just help you a but.”

Arion turned himself towards the chatting students and started to conjure a light show with his magic, creating colorful illusions in the air. The unexpected display caught the attention of the students, diverting their focus from their conversations to the mesmerizing lights dancing above them.

“Good afternoon, everyone! I hope you’re ready for a different kind of lecture today! Instead of the usual theorem, Assistant Professor Wayland has prepared something new for all of you! Assistant Professor Wayland, if you would?”

“Yes, thank you, Professor Arion.”

With all eyes fixed on him, Roland noticed a mix of interest and scrutiny among the students. Some appeared genuinely intrigued, while others seemed ready to mock him if he faltered. However, Roland remained unfazed; he had meticulously prepared for this moment, and it was time to commence the lecture and put any apprehensions to rest.

“Please divide yourself into groups at the tables, you will find a set of tools prepared there, please get acquainted with them…”

The lecture had started and the students moved towards the tables to find a strange assortment of various plates with runes on them. All of them had the same squared shape but their usage was unknown to them.

“Alright, let's delve into the assembly of runes into more complex structures”

Roland began with his explanation.

“I'll first explain the meanings of these symbols, and then it'll be your task to combine them into a proper form capable of producing a spell.”

Murmurs rippled through the students as they glanced at the runic symbols, unsure of how to craft a spell from them. Despite their initial confusion, an air of intrigue permeated the atmosphere, indicating a willingness to explore and understand the complexities of runic magic.