Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 111: Gaining Ground - Soldiers, Sweat, and Surveillance

CH111 Gaining Ground - Soldiers, Sweat, and Surveillance

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As luck would have it, in the second week since Alex’s return home, Earl Drake had him appear at the training ground to be seen by the soldiers.

Alex took the opportunity to plant his cameras around the training grounds while casually observing the men go through their drills.

He didn’t know much about warrior training beyond the weightlifting routines they were performing— Surprisingly similar to modern regimens he was familiar with.

But the mage training? Now that was different.

And Alex immediately saw his opening.

Initially, the mage soldiers only offered Alex surface-level respect—the kind owed to a mage young master from a noble warrior house.

But as they conversed, something shifted.

They shared their combat experiences and some practical tricks they’d picked up from their time in the army. In return, Alex offered clever casting techniques, insights from senior Enclave mages, and a few modern tricks from his old world.

By the end of it, both sides walked away smiling.

For the first time, Alex earned genuine respect from the soldiers—not because of his title, but for who he was and what he brought to the table.

As for the warriors, Alex didn’t try to force a connection.

He just watched.

Observed their form. Their discipline. The cohesion of their formation drills.

All the while confirming that his Video Cameras were working as intended.

Every frame recorded.

Every sound detected.

Every tactic stored away.

By the third day of the second week, Jared’s brutal fitness training began in full.

The Dark Knight claimed Alex needed to build and activate specific muscle groups if he wanted to wield weapons properly.

Just swinging swords and spears wasn’t going to cut it much longer.

And so, Alex found himself joining the Fury warrior troops in their physical exercise routines.

At first, there was an uproar.

The mage heir of the Fury family joining the warrior regiment’s drills?

Many dismissed it as a publicity stunt.

But after seeing how far Jared pushed him, they quickly changed their tune.

This wasn’t some noble brat pretending to care.

No one suffered like that for show.

And Jared? He wasn’t the kind of man who’d fake discipline just to make someone look good.

Some soldiers even began to feel sorry for Alex.

They all knew Jared was a nightmare drill sergeant.

Few of them wanted him for a trainer, and they were warriors. Yet Alex, a mage, bore through three days of hell without complaint.

He earned their respect.

Because if a non-warrior could endure Jared’s drills better than some of their own... maybe this young master wasn’t just some pampered noble after all.

What they didn’t know was that Alex had already accepted defeat.

He had fallen into a form of learned helplessness. There was no point complaining—Jared wouldn’t listen. So Alex just suffered in silence and got on with it.

He never imagined that enduring it would win over the warrior contingent.

With the mage soldiers already warming to him, it was fair to say that Alex now had a decent—if modest—reputation among the troops under Earl Drake Fury’s banner.

It was still a far cry from being admired, but it was leagues better than the rock-bottom regard he’d arrived with.

Looking back, it all seemed suspiciously calculated.

Alex had the nagging feeling that this outcome was exactly what the Earl and Jared had intended when they insisted he train publicly with the troops.

After all, there was no reason he couldn’t have done the exact same exercises in Earl Drake’s private hall, or even his own training field at the back mountain lodging.

But no.

They’d made sure he trained in front of the men.

For what?

Reputation? Camaraderie? Loyalty?

All of the above?

Still, he had to admit... it had worked.

Speaking of his training field...

That back mountain lodging still remained unnamed and unstaffed, mostly because Alex was too lazy and too busy to do anything about them respectively.

Aside from the soldiers, another unexpected convert appeared that week—

Wilbert.

Contrary to his sisters’ warnings to stay away from Alex and not antagonise Kurt, Wilbert had sought him out.

He caught Alex while the latter was recovering from Jared’s training, slumped against Fen before the wolf cub carried him home.

It was far too easy for the old soul in Alex’s body to turn a starstruck preteen into a loyal follower.

He didn’t even need to try hard.

Honestly, most of the heavy lifting was done by Fen.

The wolf cub had baited the boy over with his fluffy fur, slow-wagging tail, and adorably innocent eyes.

Once hooked, Alex reeled him in with simple sleight-of-hand tricks from his old world and a few flashy but harmless Grade 0 spells.

For a boy who had grown up surrounded by warriors, mages were a fascinating mystery—

An existence he always dreamed of understanding.

It didn’t take long before he felt comfortable enough around his ”Big Brother Alex” to reveal his dream.

”I want to be a Magic Armour Designer,” the boy said, his voice filled with quiet resolve.

”Magic Armour Designer?” Alex raised an eyebrow, smiling. ”I thought you’d want to be a cool warrior like father... or maybe a mage.”

Magic Armour.

The term made Alex’s mind drift immediately to the power suits of fiction—

Iron Man, exosuits, sci-fi armaments that had once been fantasy to him, now halfway within reach.

Thanks to advanced magical crafting techniques and powerful materials, this world had developed Magic Armour:

Armoured exosuits that enhanced physical—and sometimes magical—capabilities of their wearer.

These suits were elite gear, reserved for the most powerful nobles and their most loyal champion units.

Alex would be lying if he said he wasn’t interested.

After all, Magic Armour was like a natural rival to his own pet project: the Rune Soldier initiative.

Both aimed for the same goal—augmenting human performance—

But one was external, the other internal.

Magic Armour was a detachable, transferable tool.

Rune Tattoos, however, were permanent and deeply personal, etched directly into the user’s body. Bound to them.

Each had advantages and drawbacks. They were two opposite ends of the same dream.

”There are already many warriors and mages in our family,” Wilbert said. ”But we don’t have any Magic Armour Designers. When I told Mother I wanted to become one, she said the family always buys our Magic Armour from outsiders.

”When I grow up, I want to be the first Magic Armour Designer in the family. I want to design our own suits. For us.”

Alex blinked.

He hadn’t expected that.

The kid had just... identified a niche market. A crucial one.

And he was right.

If Wilbert really managed to become a Magic Armour Designer—a profession possibly even more difficult than becoming an Array Master—he’d be invaluable to the Fury household.

Gears turned in Alex’s mind.

”Are you absolutely sure?” Alex asked, his tone more serious now. ”It takes a lot of money and time to train a proper Magic Armour Designer. You need to be certain.”

Wilbert hesitated, just for a breath.

Then, he nodded.

”I’m sure.”

Alex smiled and leaned in conspiratorially.

”In that case, let me tell you a secret,” he whispered.

The boy leaned in too, eyes wide.

”Your Big Brother Alex... is very rich.”

”Really?!” Wilbert gasped, innocent eyes round with awe.

”Really,” Alex nodded with mock solemnity. ”But it’s a secret. Don’t tell anyone, alright?”

Wilbert nodded furiously, like a chick pecking corn.

”Good.” Alex placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. ”If you keep my secret safe, I’ll sponsor you. I’ll help you become a real Magic Armour Designer—and a smith too.”

”Is that true, Big Brother Alex?!” Wilbert’s voice cracked with excitement as he nearly jumped on Alex in pure joy.

”It’s true,” Alex grinned, ”as long as you keep the secret and work hard.”

”I promise! I won’t tell anyone! And I’ll study every day! I won’t disappoint you!”

The young boy threw his arms around Alex in a tight hug.

Hiss—

Alex barely suppressed a groan, letting it out as a quiet hiss.

His whole body was still sore from Jared’s merciless training session.

He wanted to appreciate the hug.

He really did.

But all he could feel was pain.

Still, he endured it.

Because some things were worth the discomfort. And this moment?

This bond?

Was worth cementing.

He bore the pain...

For the sake of being a good big brother.

**