The Runesmith

"The High Commander is approaching!"

"GREETING THE HIGH KNIGHT COMMANDER!"

"..."

A large group of armored men performed the customary military salute of the kingdom, directed at a single individual wearing an intricate suit of runic armor. Though the armor was different from what they remembered, they recognized the knight commander, Commander Wayland. Forming a line on either side of him, they ensured he had an unobstructed path to the Valerian villa, where their lord, Arthur Valerian, resided.

"So much for a quiet morning..."

He was not alone, however, and the other soldiers quickly noticed that his entourage wore similarly styled clothing. First, they saw a man dressed in a full set of armor, similar to their leader's, though somewhat plainer. Beside him was a figure in a robe, their face hidden behind a mask. While the armored man was around the same size as the Knight Commander, the robed figure was smaller and thinner, leading many to assume they were likely female. The trio soon disappeared through the main door, and only then did the knights begin to murmur among themselves.

"Those two looked important, who do you think that was?"

"Maybe some new hires? One of them looked like a proper knight, maybe they are here to swear their loyalty to the Lord?"

"Hah, this place is really growing."

The men all began nodding, eager to cheer. Among them were failed adventurers, soldiers who hadn't quite made the cut in other cities, and others simply drawn by the high pay. Initially, they didn't know what to think of the late Valerian's son. They assumed he would be incompetent, yet the city continued to prosper, along with their wages and equipment. They were now proud soldiers of the Valerian household, and some even aspired to one day join the Duke's personal knights—a dream they now felt was within reach.

Back in the estate, Roland sighed inwardly, walking through the estate clad in his Rune Mark II armor, a cape flowing behind him. His older, bulkier armor had been melted down, making this his only remaining set. Fortunately, he had hidden it well under his robe during his adventures across the kingdom and was fairly certain that no one would connect this armored figure to Wayland, the Deputy Professor - at least not yet. Even if they did, as long as his identity as the man in the green goblin mask remained a mystery, he would be safe.

To his right was Robert, wearing one of the armor suits from his store. His whole body was covered and the helmet was equipped with a voice changer. To his left was Lucille, soon to be Robert's wife. She was wearing a magical robe with runic capabilities, specially woven from super light metallic threads, a technology he had started using after his visit to the institute. She also had a mask with eye cutouts and a small mouth opening covered by a darkened mesh. It would not allow any of her facial features to shine through in an attempt to keep her identity hidden from everyone.

"Let them in."

Roland arrived at the entrance to Arthur's office. In the past, the ones to welcome him would be both Gareth and Morien. Neither of them was here to greet him that day as the two had advanced to tier 3 classes and were busy training. Mary was constantly with Arthur along with a hidden entourage of assassins all wearing maid uniforms. Perhaps if he was an enemy, the two new Knight Commanders would have shown themselves but Roland had already proven that he was a trustworthy ally.

Arthur Valerian's office was richly furnished yet restrained, with polished wood and fine tapestries lining the walls, lending the room a warm elegance. Once filled solely with bookshelves, the office had been steadily upgraded, and there were even plans to add a new wing to the estate. Money was flowing in steadily, and their progress showed no signs of slowing. It was finally time to invest their well-earned funds.

"Commander Wayland, your reports are usually less… eventful, is what I want to say but I'd be telling lies."

Arthur remarked, his mouth twitching with amusement, though his gaze remained sharp.

"Tell me, did it not occur to you to perhaps ask them before bringing them here under cover of night?"

Roland sighed, removing his helmet and holding it at his hip.

"To be fair, Arthur, I did ask them, and they agreed… at least one."

He replied, shrugging slightly and glancing back at the two figures behind him. When the pair had awoken that morning, he'd briefed them on the situation in Albrook, assuring them that Arthur could be trusted to keep their secret. Now, he removed his helmet as a signal that it was safe for them to do the same, and they soon followed suit.

"Oh… you two really do look alike, though there are a few differences, wouldn't you say, Mary?"

"Yes, my lord, the resemblance is quite uncanny."

Roland glanced at Robert, understanding immediately what they meant. Though they shared similar features, his older brother was more stout, with a pronounced square jaw, while Roland's own features were more balanced, with a scholarly quality. Strength was the first word that came to mind when looking at Robert, while Roland had a more even, balanced appearance with fewer flaws.

"Now then, If I understand correctly, this is Robert Arden, your older brother and this is, Lady Lucille De Vere, quite the entourage…"

Arthur seemed slightly troubled and Roland didn't expect him not to be. These weren't simple refugees that he brought along and they were both children of nobles. They weren't really inferior to Arthur in status as even though he was the son of a Duke, he was still a bastard. Robert on the other hand was from a proper wife and Lucille's father was a count.

Arthur chuckled softly, shaking his head as he took in the unusual scene before him. Roland's brother, Robert, stood tall, his bearing marked by the disciplined rigidity of a seasoned knight. Lucille, on the other hand, moved gracefully but her nervous glances around the office hinted at her discomfort in such unfamiliar surroundings. However, there was a lot of curiosity as well and she kept looking at the many runic devices inside of his office.

"My apologies for imposing on you Lord Valerian."

Robert eventually responded while also bowing forward, his armor producing a slight clinking sound.

"Hah, I'm no Lord Valerian, at least no yet. There is no reason for titles if we are just among us, as you might have noticed, your younger brother just calls me by my name, I would appreciate it if you did the same, my friend."

Surprise covered Robert's face as he glanced at Roland for confirmation. Roland just responded with a nod, as he had already contacted Arthur previously and had a chat with him about the issue even before his sibling woke up from sleeping more than a full day.

"I told you it would be fine. You just have to play the knight when we are out in public."

Robert relaxed, his rigid posture softening, though a glimmer of relief remained carefully masked in his expression. He nodded to Arthur, acknowledging the lord's openness. Lucille, catching Roland's reassuring glance, also visibly relaxed.

"Thank you, Sir Arthur. We appreciate your discretion in this matter and your hospitality. We know it's... unconventional, given the circumstances."

Lucille said, her voice steady with gratitude. Arthur waved a hand dismissively while leaning back in his chair. Finding the encounter a bit jarring as he was not really used to being thanked by other nobles.

"Think nothing of it. I'm honored to offer what support I can, and you are both welcome here. From what I've heard, you'll fit right in with my merry band of miscreants. That being said…"

He glanced towards Mary who had been standing patiently by his side.

"Mary, would you give our guests a tour of the estate? Show them the grounds, perhaps the gardens. Gareth or Morien might be able to show Sir Robert around the barracks and training grounds, and perhaps Lady Lucille would enjoy visiting our rune smithy? She might also want to familiarize herself with Master Brylvia, our resident Master Runesmith."

"A Master Runesmith? I would love to!"

His future sister-in-law was still the rune enthusiast she had always been. Although she had attended the Institute and participated in extensive Runic research, she hadn't worked in the field with practical rune smithing. It was clear that she longed to visit real-world locations where true runic craftsmanship took place, rather than the sterile environments of the Institute.

"Excellent"

Arthur said, nodding as Mary inclined her head with a soft smile, gesturing for Robert and Lucille to follow her.

"This way, Sir Robert, Lady Lucille. I'll show you around."

"Remember, while you're outside in public, don't use your real names."

Before they left, Roland stopped them to issue a reminder. Their old names had to be discarded and never spoken in public. The only reason they could use them here was thanks to his runic monitoring system, which kept anyone from overhearing.

"May I know how I should refer to them?"

Mary asked before entering the room as she had been left out in the dark. Roland nodded and soon after responded.

"We have decided to go with Durendal for Robert and Curtana for Lucille. I have already arranged new statuses for both of them, we just need to finalize their new identities at the guild."

After Robert and Lucille left with Mary, Roland and Arthur remained in the office, the faint sounds of their footsteps fading down the hallway. Arthur's posture shifted subtly, signaling his readiness to discuss matters of strategy and future plans with Roland. With a soft sigh, he steepled his fingers and regarded Roland with a thoughtful expression.

"Well then. I suppose we should discuss the future of Albrook and our mutual interests. My brothers have been...quiet, unusually so. Yet they still send spies into Albrook - nothing overt, but enough to be a nuisance. I wouldn't need much to justify taking action if I wanted but I'm not sure we are ready yet."

Roland nodded. He had access to Albrook's monitoring system and knew the spy problem was ongoing. After many spies had been captured, they switched tactics, contacting the thieves' guild instead. The guild leader, who was secretly working with Roland's side, was feeding the spies false information. How long they would be fooled was uncertain, but for now, they were too afraid to cause trouble in the city. Their only options were questioning residents or attempting bribes.

"It's too soon for a direct confrontation but with time, we might be able to stand on equal ground with your brothers."

"You've mentioned that but I'm not sure if I fully believe you. While Albrook has been growing, my dear brothers have had quite a head start over me."

Roland nodded as he listened. Though he and Arthur had discussed various matters before, they had never seriously considered going on the offensive - it had always seemed unrealistic. But after Roland achieved Tier 3 status and helped Arthur's most trusted guards level up, things began to shift. They even managed to scare off Theodore Valerian's forces as he fled from his failed teleportation attempt.

Aldbourne was nearby and, with time, could become their new territory - if Arthur even had such ambitions. Their partnership had begun as a simple exchange of mutual assistance, and neither had initially imagined expanding beyond this one city. But now, their strength was growing at an impressive pace. They needed to decide on a direction, and for that, Roland had to understand Arthur's ultimate goal.

"We can probably catch up in time, but first, tell me - do you even want that? Is there a reason for us to fight? We could consider joining one of your brothers. If not Theodore, then perhaps Julius?"

Roland posed the question thoughtfully; after all, he had already achieved most of what he wanted. Arthur becoming the next Valerian Duke would be a great outcome, but it wasn't essential to Roland's plans. As an established runic craftsman, Roland could likely join any faction he chose. Arthur, however, still had a choice: he could continue building his forces and pursue his legacy as the rightful heir. But was that truly his goal? Was there a reason to push further?

"That's a good question…"

Arthur pondered for a while and rose from his seat to move over towards the window. There he could see some soldiers training, sweat falling down their foreheads as they desperately attempted to get stronger.

"You know, before I came here, I had almost given up all hope…"

Arthur paused, gazing out the window and looking further out into the city before continuing.

"Even after I took control of Albrook, there was a part of me that didn't truly believe any of this would work. I wanted to convince myself otherwise, telling myself that all of this effort, all the planning and alliances, would lead somewhere. But deep down, I was… persuading myself, I suppose, into believing there was a chance."

Roland listened intently, arms crossed, his expression softened. While he was a man of a few words it didn't mean that he had no emotions. Arthur was opening up himself to him so he could at least listen.

"I never thought I'd see even a glimpse of success. The world doesn't favor people like me, Roland. Bastards, pretenders. My brothers… they were the rightful heirs. Even if they had treated me as a family member, there would have been no place for me."

Arthur's voice hardened, his fingers drumming against the window ledge.

"And yet here we are. The city's growing, the people are with us, and for the first time, I feel like I might actually have something worth fighting for."

He turned to Roland, a glint of steely resolve in his gaze.

"When you showed up, I don't know… somehow things started going right. You helped everyone grow, strengthened the defenses, and taught us things we never would have learned on our own. I think I've become greedier because of it. I want this, Roland. I want to push forward, to see if I can win it all. To prove to them once and for all, that I was not just a bastard…"

Arthur paused for a moment before looking into Roland's eyes. The two had discussed their pasts before but never really their future goals.

"But what about you? I might be a greedy bastard, but if you wish to retreat, I'll understand."

Roland wondered for a moment as to how to answer this question and for some reason, he felt chatty today.

"To be honest, I never wanted it to come this far, I thought that if I found a deep enough hole, no one would bother me. So I came here, to Albrook - a little town in the middle of nowhere, with nothing interesting in it. It seemed like the perfect place to fade away into obscurity…"

He gave out a sigh while shrugging as he recalled the various events that led up to this moment.

"Something always seemed to go wrong, as if the more I tried to retreat, the more the world found ways to pull me back in…"

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, eyes darting around to find something to look at as he summarized his thoughts.

"But then, things changed. It was when I started working with people, with you and the others here in Albrook. I realized that, as much as I wanted to keep the world at arm's length, there's worth in being part of something. I tried to stay detached, but now… I can't imagine a world without them. However, I also understand that power is paramount in this world and without it, all that I created could be taken away in an instant. "

Arthur nodded, understanding where Roland was coming from.

"I suppose that's why I decided to keep going, to keep growing and I still need to continue. With you Arthur, I probably have the best shot at it. That's probably the gist of it?"

Arthur chuckled at Roland's final words which implied that he was being used for his position. He didn't mind though as both of them had a mutual understanding of their positions and now goals.

"Then how about we move forward together as we did before?"

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea to me."

"Then, let our bastard union continue, until we achieve our goals together!"

The two nodded at each other and soon after shook hands, sealing their pact with a silent understanding. Their journey, though fraught with challenges and unexpected twists, had forged a bond between them that was more than mere convenience - it was a shared ambition, one that had grown from mere survival into something far greater.