Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Ruby was practically buzzing with excitement.

Not just because Aegis Academy was set to perform tomorrow—but because she was finally going to meet Adrian again.

It had been a while since their last meeting, at least outside of work. And today, she had something important to share.

Adrian's theory about the second Thread had worked wonders.

The colleagues she worked with had been thrilled—almost euphoric. The mystery that had haunted their department for the past two years was finally cracked open, and the key had been right there in Adrian's insight.

Her team had showered her with praise, begging to know who had helped her uncover the method. Some even half-jokingly offered to get on their knees to thank the unknown genius. But Ruby had kept her promise. Adrian's name hadn't come up—not even once.

Still, her colleagues urged her to write a thesis on the breakthrough and publish it under the Vermillion name before someone else caught wind and stole the credit. And honestly, they weren't wrong.

Ruby also saw the wisdom in stamping their claim before others caught up. Which is why she was planning to ask Adrian something bold today—to let his name be included in the authorship. If not his full name, then at least his initials.

And then there was another thought… one she'd been pushing aside for days.

'It's been a while since we went out... would he say yes if I asked again?'

She still remembered the first time they met—at that small market near the academy. He was hunched over a rack of Runesmithing tools, scrutinizing them like they were puzzle pieces. She'd noticed him because of his intense expression, that signature frown of concentration etched on his face.

That was the first time she found herself drawn to a man—purely for his looks. But when they struck up a conversation, it was his mind that captivated her. The way he talked about Runesmithing with such precision and depth left a lasting impression.

But now… things were different.

He's engaged.

To Ariana—his long-time friend and, apparently, lover. That fact should've been enough for Ruby to let go.

And maybe she would have… if not for Annabelle.

Annabelle, with her constant persistence, her conviction that she would one day stand beside Adrian as his true partner. Her tenacity kept Ruby's hope alive.

A fragile hope… that maybe, just maybe, Adrian wouldn't reject her feelings.

Yes, she knew what she was doing wasn't right. Pursuing a man who was already engaged was selfish. Shameful, even.

But this was her first love. And she wasn't ready to back down without a fight.

Not unless Adrian himself asked her to.

"We are here, my lady," the carriage driver announced, pulling her from her thoughts.

As she stepped out of the carriage, a breathtaking view unfolded before her eyes.

"Now this," she whispered to herself, "is the kind of place I'd love to call home."

Nestled between towering mountains, the valley stretched out before her like a scene from a dream—serene, surreal, and undeniably beautiful. The air was crisp, but not cruel, carrying with it a fragrant, earthy scent that filled her lungs and made her heart feel strangely at peace.

She wrapped her arms around herself, taking a deep breath as the wind gently played with the loose strands of her hair.

And then—

"Ruby?"

A voice. Familiar.

She turned at once, and the moment their eyes met, hers lit up. "Sarah?"

The violet-haired woman smiled warmly as she approached. "I was expecting you. How have you been?"

"I'm good!" Ruby replied, her tone genuine. "What about you? Is Sir Clark here too?"

Clark Boridicus.

Sarah's father. Ruby's mentor. One of the finest runesmiths the world had seen.

Ruby had completed her internship under his tutelage right after graduating from the academy. She considered herself incredibly fortunate—after all, she had trained under not one, but two of the best runesmiths alive.

Yet despite that, her admiration for Adrian remained unmatched.

He had no mentors. No prestigious lineage. Only school textbooks.

And yet... his knowledge, his vision, his understanding of runes—it all surpassed anything she or her teachers had ever grasped. The way he approached Runesmithing, how he deciphered patterns others overlooked, how his techniques felt like something from another realm...

To Ruby, he wasn't just a prodigy.

He was someone who defied rankings altogether.

When Ruby was working under Clark's guidance, she often ran into Sarah. Since Sarah was still an academy student at the time, she frequently sought Ruby's help. Over time, the two had grown into quite good friends.

"…Your hair's gotten longer. You look prettier now," Sarah complimented as they walked toward the venue.

Ruby chuckled. "Well, I forgot to trim it… and then I started getting compliments, so I just let it grow."

She still remembered how Adrian had once praised her while she was tying her hair.

He'd said it looked better when she let it down—and ever since that day, Ruby began taking proper care of her hair.

They chatted about this and that—mostly reminiscing about the old days when Ruby used to stop by and Clark would assign her the most trivial tasks.

Sarah had caught her running errands for her father more times than she could count.

"Well, in the name of an intern, he basically got himself an errand girl," Ruby said with a smile.

Hearing the word "errand girl," Sarah's expression dimmed slightly. "Hey… do you remember I used to tell you about a guy I had as my errand boy?"

Ruby hummed, her eyes narrowing as she dug into her memories. "Ah, yes. The one who used to challenge you. The poor soul you bullied half to death."

She faintly remembered it—stories Sarah used to tell with a smirk on her face, about some guy who tried to impress her and ended up black and blue for his efforts.

Back then, Ruby had warned her not to drag the name of Boridicus into those games of domination. But youth had its own arrogance, and Sarah hadn't listened.

Now, Sarah wore a bitter smile. "Well… I met that guy recently."

Ruby halted mid-step. Her brow arched. "Really? Is he here?"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. I saw him yesterday. He's a professor now… at the Runebound Academy. And not just that—he's also the manager of his team."

Ruby's expression froze.

Runebound.

Manager.

That… sounded familiar.

No way. It couldn't be. Could it?

"Sarah~" Ruby's voice softened, her tone lilting. "Mind telling me the name of this person?"

Something in the air shifted—subtle, yet distinct. Sarah felt it. Ruby's smile was still there… but it wasn't smiling.

Still, Sarah thought she was overthinking it and replied casually, "His name? Lockwood Adrian. I saw him yesterday, and I was stunned. Like... the same wimp who used to shiver at my sight is now all grown up—huh?"

She tilted her head in confusion as Ruby, without a word, reached behind and pulled out her armament.

"Ruby?" she asked, eyes blinking in confusion.

The redhead tilted her head too—mirroring her—still smiling.

"This world," Ruby said sweetly, "is so damn small, isn't it?"

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you are enjoying the story, drop a review.