The Runesmith

“The Headmistress wants to see me?”

“Apparently so, I’m just as surprised as you but this just shows how impactful this incident really was. I’ll give you some advice, don’t let the Headmistress wait, she is a very busy person…”

“Alright, I'll go see her then…but first…”

“Yes?”

“Where can I find her?”

“Ah, I almost forgot, you’re still new here. The Headmistress's office is located in the Central Mage Tower.”

“Central Mage Tower? Was there such a tower?”

“There is but it’s not accessible through normal means. However, now that the Headmistress has called for you, the path should open.”

Thorne replied in a somewhat cryptic manner before directing Roland to some kind of hidden entrance.

“The entrance is there?”

“Indeed, just wait there and the path should open.”

He didn’t quite know what to make of it, but it seemed that this Headmistress didn’t like people snooping around her office. This central mage tower seemed like a place hidden away by some type of magic that even he couldn’t perceive. When he arrived at the Institute, there were no other mage towers than the elemental ones; this new hidden one was quite intriguing.

Soon he was out of the Enforcement Department without really having time to discuss the issue he caused. While leaving, he noticed that the other mages outside were constantly glancing in his direction. It was clear to him that a large part of these people had been bought out by the noble factions and would perhaps seek to make life harder for him.

‘Is this the right spot?’

Eventually, he found himself in a large garden. It was quite calm here, akin to a park where people came to relax. To the sides, he could see students sitting against some trees or even sleeping on the grass, not a place that he expected this super-secret central tower to be at. What he was standing before was a gazebo made of vines and wood. It looked like it was fully created by magic, and Thorne instructed him to take a seat in it while he waited.

‘Will someone come for me?’

After taking a seat on the somewhat uncomfortable bench, he began his wait. While initially, the students were curious about him intruding on this peaceful spot, soon they turned away, as at this point they were numb to seeing people like him. It felt quite relaxing here and he found himself thinking back to his home. However, this tranquility was interrupted by a shift in the magical energies around him.

‘Dimensional magic?’

Roland had become accustomed to the strange environment within the academy, and one magic type prevailed. The whole main Institute building was filled with smaller and larger dimensional pockets. While entering through a door, he could somewhat identify how large the space inside would be, and by these readings, he knew that he was going somewhere big. Soon, a path of vines appeared before him that turned into a flight of stairs. A large door was at the end, and he instantly knew that he was being called there.

‘I guess this is where the entrance is? It seems like there are several layers of illusion magic along with concealment spells being used and something more… something that keeps a person from sensing mana…’

He could tell that something was used to keep this place hidden, which also disguised the spike in mana. Normally, such a grand spell would be easily noticeable from far away, but he couldn’t tell even after sitting down at this gazebo. The students that were here didn’t seem to be able to perceive the stair-creating phenomena either. It was clear that no mana was seeping outside, and only he could see it.

‘Is it an effect that’s minimized to whoever is sitting in this gazebo? Interesting, maybe I can use this…’

While pondering the potential uses of the concealment effects around the gazebo, he decided to stand up and follow the path of vines leading to the grand door at the top of the stairs. He used his runic eyes to try and identify the magic being used here, but to his surprise, he felt something that he almost forgot, a migraine. The structures here were ancient and also powerful. Judging by the small headache, they had to be a bit above his current tier 3 capabilities, perhaps in the realm of tier 4 grand rune territory.

The magical energies shifted as he ascended, and he could feel a change in the atmosphere, as if entering a different dimension. Upon reaching the top, he found himself standing before an impressive wooden door adorned with intricate carvings and strange non-runic symbols. The door seemed to radiate a strange power and for the first time he encountered something peculiar. This wooden door had been placed under some kind of enchantment just like the rest but it was close to the level of runic symbols.

‘It doesn’t seem that I’d be able to use Rune Authority on these symbols… at least not at my current skill level…’

This trip was getting slightly more intimidating than before. The door was wide open, and he could step through, but he was hesitating. Before him was an unknown area that he would not be able to handle with his current level or abilities. An Archmage who was potentially a tier 4 class holder also lurked inside, and if he wasn’t careful, his life could be in danger. However, he also felt that after ascending these stairs, there was no way of going back. It was even possible that he would not be able to escape, as he found himself inside a dimensional pocket already.

After stepping through it, he appeared in a grand chamber beyond. The room was filled with various magical artifacts, floating crystals, and ancient books. This place was entirely made out of wood and other plant matter. The furniture, along with many other things, looked like it was connected to the ground and walls as if it was grown out of the surroundings.

The door that he walked through closed behind him and shifted itself into the wooden ground until there was nothing there anymore. At first, he didn’t see any way forward, but soon new stairs started to appear to the side. It was quite fascinating to see planks being formed out of the wooden matter.

‘Thorne said to just follow the path and not stop for too long.’

Without staring for too long, he decided to listen to the instructions that he was given. This whole place was filled with copious amounts of mana, and it was better to not trigger some hidden defensive response after touching something. The wooden stairs took him up through this tower, and on the way there, he entered various other large chambers. One of them was a vast library filled with shelves upon shelves of ancient tomes and scrolls. Another chamber housed a collection of magical artifacts, each emitting a unique aura of power. Then there was something that looked like a fruit and vegetable garden and also an alchemical chamber.

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The trip was quite long as this new mage tower seemed to stretch out quite high. Thanks to the addition of various windows on the sides, he could see the whole institute from the outside. It seemed that this place was right in the middle of the Institute and hidden behind some type of invisibility spell that no one could see. He wasn’t quite sure how it looked on the outside, but the structure reminded him of a large tree.

Finally, after ascending what felt like countless stairs, he reached the top of the tower. The chamber at the summit was smaller than the others and was quite peculiar. Several arches and wooden columns were making a small ceiling, but the sides lacked any walls. At the center of the room was a wooden desk, behind which sat a woman with mossy green hair that cascaded down her back.

She wore elegant robes adorned with intricate patterns, and her eyes, a deep shade of violet, were focused on the documents in front of her. Her ears jutted out to the sides and were quite lengthy, and her skin was light green. For a moment, Roland confused her for a Dryad, which was a type of plant monster that resembled humans. However, she lacked some of their features, like leaves coming out of their hair or bark on her skin.

“Assistant Professor Wayland, I presume?”

Her voice was calm and measured, echoing through the room with a sense of authority. Roland could feel the weight of her presence, and he inclined his head in acknowledgment.

“Yes, Headmistress. You summoned me?”

The Headmistress looked up from her work, her violet eyes meeting Roland's. She gestured for him to take a seat in front of her desk. The moment she did, one raised itself out of the wooden floor. As he sat down, the wooden chair seemed to mold itself to his form, providing a surprising level of comfort.

“I've been made aware of the recent events involving a particular noble lady and a subsequent hearing. It seems you played a pivotal role in the resolution of the matter.”

Roland nodded while getting slight goosebumps. He could feel her gaze falling on his armored body as if she was scrutinizing his poor craftsmanship, which to someone like her was probably child's play.

"Yes, Headmistress. I encountered the students in the training facility and acted with the Institute rules in mind.”

“With the rules in mind? Do the rules state that you should break a man’s sternum?”

“He was unwilling to surrender and even tried to bribe a member of the Enforcement Department.”

Roland replied quickly without stuttering as he at least knew that the rules were on his side. This quick rebuttal seemed to cause one of the woman’s brows to rise up.

“Bold words, Assistant Professor Wayland. It seems you carry the weight of your own sense of justice. I can at least appreciate that, to a certain extent but…”

The Headmistress leaned back in her chair, her gaze never leaving Roland. He couldn’t quite read her expression, and he wondered how much she knew about his background and his real motives for being at the Institute.

“This is still a place for learning and I would appreciate if you learn to handle such situations, with less violent means.”

He was being lectured by this woman for his rash behavior. If this was all to this meeting then it was fine. It seemed that she was giving him a warning about his methods that caused some people to be injured and also damage to the training facility. However, soon she started asking more questions, some that he wasn’t sure that he wanted to answer.

“I have been informed that you are not a member of any noble house yet you don’t seem to care about the repercussions of your actions. Why is that, Assistant Professor Wayland?”

Roland hesitated for a moment, carefully choosing his words. He could feel the weight of the situation, and the woman was prodding for some information. It seemed strange that someone would not be scared of angering high nobles. She probably wanted to hear the true reason behind it, but he did not want to reveal his ties to the Arden estate. It was better to tie his behavior to his strong sense of justice and perhaps make it seem like he just disliked the wanton abuse of power that the noble students were guilty of.

“I just did what I thought was right and followed the rules of the institute, by those rules, every student is equal, aren’t they?”

The Headmistress nodded slightly but he wasn’t sure if his answer convinced her. After a moment of silence, she leaned forward, her fingers steepled together.

“You are an intriguing individual, Assistant Professor Wayland. Unusual, but intriguing nonetheless. Your actions have stirred quite a commotion within the noble circles, and some influential figures are not pleased with you. I have not called you here to lecture you but more to give you a warning.”

“A warning?”

“Yes, a warning,”

The Headmistress replied, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“Your actions could have consequences, ones that might not only affect you but also some of our students. As long as you stay within the Institute I will guarantee your safety but after you step outside these walls, you’ll be on your own. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Headmistress. I'll be cautious and mindful of my future actions.”

Roland was a bit surprised by her words as it looked like this Arch Magus was on his side. However, the message was clear: once he was outside of the Institute, she would do nothing to protect him from any retaliations from the nobles. He had expected some immediate consequences for his actions, but the Headmistress's warning hinted at a broader and more complex web of political intrigue.

“Good, I’m glad that you understand. Now, while you did stir up the hornet’s nest slightly, you managed to help one of our troubled students. Please keep up the good work. You are dismissed.”

“Ah, yes?”

After getting praised at the end, he found himself stunned by the change of subject. The Headmistress quickly went back to her mountain of papers and other magical artifacts as if he was not there anymore. Thus, he awkwardly raised himself from his seat and then slowly started to walk away. The path down was still there, so he assumed that he needed to travel down the set of stairs one more time.

‘Did that go well or now?’

He wasn’t sure if this meeting went well or not. It seemed that she was more interested in seeing the man who caused the incident than in reprimanding him. There was no punishment given, nor was he kicked out of the Institute either. Then, as he reached the large tower library area during his walk, he was given another surprise.

“Ah, I almost forgot.”

“Headmistress?”

“You’ve been doing some interesting research, you might find this book helpful.”

Her voice resounded in the library, and soon a vein appeared with a large hardcover book. It was presented to him, and he could not refuse something given to him by the Archmage. It was written in an older language, but he could understand the meaning.

“Mana and soul connection?”

“It should help you in your research but be sure to return it when you are done with it, you won’t find this Tome within the main library, it should help you with your ‘mana phantom’ dilemma.”

“Uh… Thank you?”

“You’re welcome.”

Soon her voice vanished, and he was left with a large research book in his hands. One thing was clear: he wasn’t given this book for no reason. The Headmistress must have known that he was researching mana phantoms, something that he didn’t tell anyone besides Arion. It was possible that she asked him about it or that she had some way of monitoring the school herself.

As Roland descended the tower, the weight of the encounter with the Headmistress lingered in his mind. The warning about potential consequences outside the Institute and the Headmistress's knowledge of his research was perplexing. There was a possibility that she knew everything already, but he did not know her motives or her inclinations. Soon enough he found himself on the lower level and the exit door presented itself to him. He found himself in the same gazebo with the students and quickly made his way back to the Enforcement Department, where Thorne was waiting for him.

“How did it go?”

Thorne asked instantly after Roland entered his office. After a brief explanation of the encounter Thorne scratched his head, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“I’m not sure, I just got a warning… I think?”

Roland responded, unsure of what to take away from that meeting. The Headmistress didn’t really explain much and it felt more like she just wanted to see the new troublemaker face to face. Then he also received some research materials in the form of a book, something that informed him that she knew about his library visits. It didn’t seem that she was an enemy but perhaps also not an ally, he needed to be careful.

“Is that so? It seems you've made quite an impression, Assistant Professor. The fact that you were not punished is a good sign, in itself. This bodes well for that, what was the name again? Surveillance system?”

After the hearing and the showcase of his recording devices, Thorne was intrigued by the possibilities.

“Yes, that…”

“Are there any limitations? What about the costs?”

“The costs wouldn’t be anything outlandish…”

It seemed that this day wouldn’t end so quickly as he was now stuck explaining the golemic eye monitoring system to Thorne. It could be made from tier 2 materials which would lower the costs dramatically. The more he explained, the happier Thorne seemed, and for some reason, Roland started thinking that he would be getting a lot more work than he initially signed up for.

‘What did I get myself into…’