The Runesmith

"Thank you for the update, Professor Arion. I'll have to speak with Headmistress Arvandus myself, won't I?"

"That would be for the best, Professor Wayland. But tread carefully my friend, this situation is highly unusual."

Roland sighed, glancing at the monitor where Arion's concerned face hovered. He had just received word that the Xandar Institute leader wanted to chat with him. She hadn't given a deadline, but it was implied that if he didn't show up at her office, Bernir wouldn't be returning to Albrook. He hadn't anticipated this development when he formulated his plan, as the woman had always remained passive regarding his decisions. It seemed he had pushed his luck too far with his last adventure. But it also raised the question: why hadn't she contacted him directly earlier?

'Could there be a limit to her abilities?'

He recalled the one time she had intervened in his affairs. Yavenna had protected him from the other tier 4 class holder in the nearby dungeon. Considering that, the De Vere estate might have been simply too far away for her plant-based magic to reach. Perhaps she could only influence a limited area around where she resided - likely connected to her mage tower, which resembled a giant tree. He had examined it before and concluded that the roots extended in all directions, spreading far beyond the institute's premises. Perhaps this was her territory, and it had boundaries.

It was similar to his situation in Albrook, where he had been spreading runic cabling. In theory, just like modern technology, there would be no limit to how far these cables could extend, and as long as they existed, they would be under his direct control. However, this could not happen in the near future, as it would require a colossal investment of both time and resources - neither of which he currently possessed. If his theory was correct, then he was safe here in Albrook from the woman's influence. Even a tier 4 class holder had their limits.

"I see… I need to take care of a few things here first, could you keep an eye on Bernir for me, until then?"

"Of course, my friend. Don't worry, I'll arrange a temporary badge for him and some lodgings, he'll be safe here."

"Thank you."

"No problem! You've already opened my eyes to the possibilities of runes, my friend. This is nothing compared to what you've done for me!"

Arion chuckled as he replied. He had been nothing but cheerful since Roland arrived at his doorstep. Thanks to Roland's influence, Arion had been exposed to innovations like the Runic Power Armor and new ways to make his lectures more engaging for the young mages.

Roland exhaled deeply as he ended the conversation with Arion. Despite the reassurances, the weight of the unknown still pressed heavily on him. His assistant, Bernir, being detained at the Institute by Headmistress Arvandus was not something he could dismiss lightly. He had expected some consequences after the incident at the De Vere estate, but this was an unforeseen complication.

After everything that had transpired, Roland had hoped for some time to regroup, focus on his projects, and help his brother and Lucille adjust to their new lives. But now, the headmistress had other plans. If she wanted an explanation, she would get one, but Roland knew he had to tread carefully. She was connected to his father, and returning to the Institute might result in him being captured or even held hostage. Despite his recent advancements in his inventions, there was no way he could take on a tier 4 class holder in combat.

'There's no way I'll be able to escape that tower once I'm inside... Should I just take Bernir and flee?'

He started weighing his options. One plan involved going to the Institute, retrieving Bernir, and making a quick escape. While Roland considered himself a competent fighter, the Institute housed far more mages than the small tower he had previously broken into. Taking control of the teleportation gate this time would be far more difficult. Fleeing with his glider was another possibility, but even if he managed to slip past the barrier, Yavenna's influence likely stretched far, perhaps reaching towns days away. The other mages were capable of flight as well; it was only a matter of time before he'd be chased down and caught.

The whole situation seemed impossible. But then again, the headmistress had been lenient with him before - perhaps he was simply overthinking it. Roland's mind raced through possibilities, each more dangerous than the last. He couldn't afford to wait too long; Bernir's life could be in jeopardy. He had undoubtedly offended some mages within the Institute, and once they discovered who Bernir was, they might seek revenge through him. And, of course, the Headmistress wouldn't wait forever for a response. However, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the warm nudge of a nose at the back of his head.

"Worf?"

"Ah... I'm fine, don't worry about me."

It was Agni, his wolf companion, whom he hadn't seen in a while. Agni rested his muzzle on Roland's shoulder, whimpering softly. Roland couldn't help but reach up to pet him on the head, realizing his loyal wolf was simply trying to cheer him up. Despite the bind he was in, there was no use worrying about it now. All he could do was plan carefully and hope for the best, as he always did.

"Thanks, Agni. Let's head up - I do need some rest to clear my mind."

Before turning to leave, Roland called out to Sebastian, his AI. His creation had been steadily evolving, becoming something more sophisticated. Its speech patterns had been upgraded to accept more complex commands, but Roland still needed time to fully analyze this latest iteration. The artificial spirit had developed a degree of autonomy, and Roland needed to ensure he could properly control it before releasing it into the runic network. Coming from a world that feared rogue AIs running amok, he wanted to proceed cautiously.

"Sebastian, notify me if Arion tries to contact me, and keep watch over the city. Follow the procedures I've outlined for you and notify me immediately if you detect any anomalies."

"Yes, Master."

Sebastian replied using a cold text-to-speech-like voice that he intended to fix later. The glowing orb of light hovered close for a moment before drifting off to another part of the workshop. Despite the appearance, Sebastian's true form was the deeper within the workshop and this was nothing more than a form that was easier to converse with. He fashioned him in such a way so that people like Bernir and Elodia would be able to converse with the runic computer whenever they wished.

Agni padded beside Roland but it proved a problem to get him into the elevator again. His size had already become a problem and perhaps he could use some of his spatial runes to alleviate the problem. Within the institute, there were many rooms affected by dimensional magic. Even the main institute was under such a spell, creating a vast larger interior than the exterior of the building. He could probably do the same with the elevator here, which would save up a lot of money as he wouldn't need to renovate.

"First, I'll have to get Bernir back... Now get in there, Agni, we need to go up."

"Woof!"

Roland pushed his overgrown wolf into the elevator and opted to take the emergency stairs instead. It was a hassle, especially since he was already tired, but he was larger than his wife and would have trouble fitting in the elevator with Agni. While going up his mind raced with probabilities for the future. When he reached the top floor, he exited through the secondary workshop, which belonged to his assistant.

"Dyana must be home…"

He muttered, noticing the absence of Bernir's wife. He had intended to mention why Bernir wasn't around, but neither she nor their child was there. The couple often brought their son to the workshop, and Roland recalled Bernir asking him to craft a special sound-blocking device. It was designed to block out the noise from the outside but allow sounds from inside to escape. They used it for the crib that Roland now looked at. The child could sleep peacefully, undisturbed by the clanging and hammering of the workshop. However, if the baby started crying, the device would ensure the parents were instantly alerted.

Roland had even designed a small bracelet to fit around the child's wrist, crafted from a special elastic metallic polymer-alloy. It utilized a faint amount of mana to monitor the child's vital signs. If anything were to happen, the parents would be alerted, even if the sounds of the child's cries didn't reach them. The bracelet could also notify them if the child woke up, even if he didn't start calling out or crying. This technology was designed by him to monitor prisoners but it worked fine with children as well.

After looking around, he decided to leave and fetch Agni, who had gotten stuck again. After a few tugs, he managed to wrestle him free from the confines of the elevator. It had been bent in a few places but was still in working order.

The sight of his windmills and home brought him some joy. He had been away for so long, and now, seeing the familiar windmills turning gently in the breeze above his house, the tension eased slightly. It reminded him of the good old days when it was just him, his wolf pup, and his starry-eyed assistant. Those were simpler times, which he occasionally longed for, though he wouldn't trade them for everything he had since accomplished.

One of the biggest reasons he no longer dwelled on his past was the woman who opened the door to his home. There she was, his wife, waving him over in an awkward manner. She seemed troubled and in need of his help. He often found himself thinking about her while out on his adventures - something he wished to limit in the future, though he knew it would be difficult to follow through.

One realization from his latest escapade was that he was still lacking. Tier 3 wasn't as powerful as he had once believed, and there was still another mountain to climb. Even then, he could never allow himself to relax, always striving for more. After safely bringing Bernir back from the institute, he needed to shift his focus. Though Arthur's power base was growing quickly, it still wasn't enough.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes, I think you'll have to carry them to their room. They're a lot more tired than I expected,"

Elodia replied, motioning toward Robert and Lucille, who were slumped on the couch, fast asleep. Lucille rested her head on Robert's shoulder, while Robert had his arm draped protectively around her. Their exhaustion was evident, and Roland couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight.

"I guess they really couldn't hold out any longer."

He said quietly as he gently picked Lucille up. She shook slightly but didn't wake as he tried to move her. Robert remained sound asleep, but his body resisted when Roland tried to take his lover away. After some gentle effort to loosen his brother's grip, Roland managed to carry Lucille into the guest room. He laid her on the large bed, leaving it to Elodia to decide whether she needed to be changed into something more comfortable for sleep.

Agni peeked through one of the windows to watch, but stayed quiet, sensing that the two needed rest. Fortunately, Robert had already removed most of the armor he'd been wearing, so only the chainmail needed to come off.

"Should I just leave him on the couch?"

"What for? If these two have done half as much for each other as you've told me, they're practically husband and wife. They should get used to it, and when one of them wakes up, it'll probably be better to see a familiar face next to them, don't you think?"

Elodia replied while adjusting things in the guest room. After a brief pause, she told Roland it was fine to enter. He returned with Robert slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The way he carried his brother was a lot rougher but he kept him steady while placing him down next to the already covered-up Lucille.

Roland gently placed Robert next to Lucille on the bed, trying to ensure they would both be comfortable. Once they were settled, he stepped back and placed his hand over the two. He was still wearing his armor, which started gently glowing around the palm area. Soon an aura of gentle light surrounded the two sleeping people as a spell was cast.

"That spell is truly handy, that's much better."

Elodia nodded in response as she could tell that the smell that was coming from Robert had been removed. He had been forced to hold on for a while and had worked up a considerable amount of grime during their journey. The spell had not only cleaned him up but also seemed to soothe both Robert and Lucille into deeper sleep, making them look much more peaceful.

"That should keep them comfortable for a while. They probably won't wake up until tomorrow morning, let's just leave them be."

Elodia smiled softly and nodded. This was his home, so setting up a small barrier around the bed to block out outside noise was simple for him. Once everything was in place, he left the guest room and moved over to the same couch his brother had previously occupied. Now, he had some quiet time alone with his wife and Agni's antics in the background.

Before they started talking, Roland tried to organize his thoughts. Armand and Lobelia were still out roaming the kingdom. He had instructed them to leave the De Vere lands as quickly as possible, so they should be safe. There was a chance the count might identify him as a suspect soon and target those connected to him. However, both Armand and Lobelia were powerful Tier 3 class holders, and there wasn't much known about them.

If things became complicated, he could use the teleportation gate to assist them - something that didn't require the institute's direct involvement, as he could simply port them to his own workshop. He had already acquired a list of towers throughout the kingdom from the institute. Establishing a connection and contacting them through crystal balls was possible; it just came with a hefty fee.

Albrook was becoming noticeably more peaceful. The increased presence of the church had begun attracting more people from outside the city. Some had even started venturing into the dungeon to join expeditions. Healers and Paladins were rare in this world, and having them nearby significantly raised the survival chances of adventurers in the area. Even if someone got injured, as long as they retreated in time, there would likely be a priest somewhere in the dungeon to heal and save them.

Arthur was steadily building his influence, with Roland leading the way. With Mary, Morien, and Gareth around, he was no longer needed as a bodyguard, freeing him to focus on expanding the runic cabling throughout the city. He was even extending it to the outskirts, installing rune lanterns beyond the city limits. The money was flowing in steadily, but he still needed more. His ultimate goal now was to introduce power armor technology to the city, a potential trump card for the future.

Roland was also aware that his personal growth had stagnated. His level hadn't increased much recently, as he had been preoccupied with crafting Bernir's prosthesis and worrying about his brother and sister. What he really needed was to return to the dungeon and explore how deep it truly went. The underground remained largely uncharted, with seemingly endless crypts filled with undead. There was so much left to accomplish, but first, he needed to get his assistant back.

"A golden coin for your thoughts?"

"Hm? Ahh, sorry, I've done it again…"

His thoughts were interrupted by Elodia calling out to him. She had two cups of tea in her hands, one of which she handed to Roland. He took it gratefully, letting the warm cup rest in his hands for a moment before taking a sip. The familiar, calming taste of chamomile mixed with a hint of honey helped ease the tension from his shoulders.

"You've been overthinking again."

Elodia said with a knowing smile, sitting down beside him.

"You always get this distant look when your mind is racing ahead of itself."

Roland sighed and nodded.

"I suppose I have been but the situation with Bernir requires my attention."

Elodia placed her hand gently on his arm, her gaze soft but carrying a hint of annoyance.

"I know, but you can't handle everything alone. You've done more than enough already. Bernir will be fine for a little while longer…"

Roland smirked, amused by her calm certainty.

"Resting doesn't seem to come easy these days, I'm not sure if I should… hm?"

While talking he suddenly felt a bout of drowsiness wash over him, something that he didn't expect to happen. He looked at the empty cup of tea in his hand and then back to Elodia.

"That's why I took matters into my own hands,"

Elodia replied with a slight grin. Roland raised an eyebrow at her response, but before he could ask what she meant, he felt a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him like a tidal force.

"Elodia... what did you…"

"Just a little sleeping potion I got from Rastix, it was able to knock out Agni for a while day, so it should at least make you rest for a few hours, now don't resist it and just lie down on the couch!"

Roland's protest was short-lived as his body surrendered to the potion's effects. While there was a small window of opportunity to attempt to use a detoxifying spell with the help of his armor, he allowed himself to rest. He felt his muscles relax, his mind quieting, as he slipped into a deep, much-needed sleep.

"You always try to carry the world on your shoulders, Roland. But even you need to take a break now and then."

She whispered, brushing a few strands of hair away from his forehead and letting him gently drift into well-deserved slumber.