The Runesmith

Chapter 692: Lucienne Wants To Participate.

Lucienne lowered her gaze to the paper in her hands. For a few seconds, she seemed to debate whether to answer honestly or give the safe response everyone expected from her. Finally, she took a breath and responded.

”The treasure hunt...”

Roland nodded.

”I thought so.”

He replied nonchalantly without raising his voice. His sister waited for a moment, as if expecting him to object, but he said nothing.

”You are not against it?”

Her eyes widened slightly.

”No.”

The answer came so quickly that it caught her off guard.

”I expected you to say it was too dangerous.”

”Iʼm not your mother. Besides, the event will be well protected by mages, and you cannot really be harmed during the competition.”

Roland had done his research. The Quinquennial Arcane Institute Convocation would take place in a special location created by ancient arch mages, with safety being one of their primary concerns. While injuries could occur, fatalities were practically unheard of. The entire competition grounds would be monitored by powerful overseers capable of intervening the moment something went wrong.

”You canʼt?”

”Lucienne... Maybe you should research the things you sign up for before making a decision.”

”Ehe...”

His sister glanced away after being caught uninformed. He could not blame her too much. She was still young and was probably just excited to have been accepted into something so prestigious and rare.

”The competitions take place within a massive protective array. If someoneʼs life is at risk, they are teleported outside and healed.”

”Oh... Something so grand exists there?”

”Indeed. It is one of the great wonders of the kingdom. Some say it is even tier five magic.”

”Wow!”

Lucienneʼs eyes sparkled at the mention of tier five magic, which was considered the pinnacle in this world, or at least that was what most people believed. Roland could not be certain whether it was truly the limit, but all available evidence seemed to point in that direction.

However, he was not sure whether a hard limit actually existed or whether there simply were not enough tier five creatures for anyone to progress beyond that stage. Eventually, tier four monsters would no longer provide enough experience to level up. Even a super dungeon like the one on Dragniʼs island contained only a single creature of that power, and it had never been defeated.

Those who reached the final tier of power rarely continued seeking battle. Most assumed positions of authority, ruling kingdoms, dedicating themselves to research, or simply enjoying the rewards of reaching the summit. Risking oneʼs life became far less appealing when an entire nation depended on oneʼs continued existence. Yet wars still erupted between nations from time to time, and when tier five leaders clashed, entire cities and battlefields could be devastated. These people were the atomic bombs of this world, and perhaps one day he would become one of them as well.

”It sounds amazing!”

Lucienne clutched the paper a little tighter.

”It is. Though the protective array is only one reason the Convocation has endured for so long. The participating academies invest far too many resources in their students to allow needless deaths.”

Roland leaned back in his chair as he continued.

”The students represent the future of their nations. Losing talented young mages would be a waste.”

His sister nodded slowly before looking down at the list again.

”Then... I think I want to participate... but Iʼm not sure what Mother will say. Maybe, if we donʼt tell her...”

His sister was clearly afraid that her mother would not allow her to participate. Since Robertʼs disappearance, she had become especially protective of her youngest child.

”No, that wonʼt do. Ask your mother, and if she refuses, then that will be the end of it.”

Roland wasnʼt about to let his sister lie her way through it. He had become quite skilled at lying over the course of his life, and he did not want Lucienne to pick up his habit of twisting the truth. This was still only a competition between schools. Even if she could help them win the treasure hunt event, she was not irreplaceable.

‘Now that I think about it…’

Lucienne was a young mage with a bright future, but that did not mean there were no other options. He was not sure whether he was overthinking things, but after this conversation, he had a few matters he wanted to investigate.

”But Brother Roland... what if she says no?”

”Then you can ask Father instead.”

”Father... uh...”

Lucienneʼs shoulders slumped at his reply. No one in the family could speak to Wentworth with any real ease. Reaching him was difficult as well. He spent most of his time near the borders, overseeing military operations and protecting the kingdom from monsters and foreign threats.

”I know, but keeping it secret from them would only make things worse once they found out. Ask for permission first, and after that we can discuss the competition.”

”...I suppose so.”

Roland would have preferred that Francine not get involved, but she had a right to know and a right to attend. He was old enough to understand that any parent would be disappointed if their child participated in such a major event and they were unable to witness it.

‘Maybe Robert could say hello to her as well... but it could become dangerous.’

There was also the matter of his elder brother, who would be participating not only as the golemʼs pilot but also as someone who wanted to see his sister. Under normal circumstances, Lucienne would have remained one of many students watching from the sidelines while the other young mages competed. Now she would be an active participant, which made it easier for his brother to meet her. It also gave Roland a legitimate reason to interact with her and the others.

‘I might be able to bring Robert over sooner than I expected…’

Lucienne let out a small sigh.

”So I really have to ask her...”

”Indeed. Now then, how about you tell me how youʼve been doing these past few months?”

Roland did not have much time to spare, and he had been free from lecturing duties for a while, so he had not been paying much attention to his sister lately. Arion had given him a few reports, and he also had access to the monitoring system, but nothing unusual had happened. Even so, he had not realized that she had performed well enough to be promoted to event participant.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

”Oh... Itʼs been quite fun! It was so boring back home. All my friends were left at the institute, and the magic instructor Mother hired was rather... boring.”

The topic shifted, and Lucienne quickly began talking at length. Her cheerful personality had returned, and it seemed that the bullying incident involving Viola was no longer bothering her very much.

”Is that so...”

As Lucienne spoke, her words came faster, as though a dam had finally broken. She talked about her classes, how she had struggled at first with her new spells, and how confusing it had been to grasp clairvoyance.

”It was really hard. Itʼs like having a completely new sense. It feels as though I have a third eye that can see through walls!”

Roland nodded. He understood how difficult such abilities could be to master. Even his Multiple Mind trait had been awkward at first and had taken considerable time to control. As a Clairvoyant, Lucienne could see at a distance and sense far more of her surroundings. Even though her range was still short at tier one, she needed time to adapt to it. Once she became an Oracle, her vision might one day reach the far side of the kingdom.

“It’ll take time for you to grasp it. It would be best if you continue training while under distress, as you might not be able to concentrate during the...”

As he spoke, he noticed his sister starting to chuckle and immediately realized why.

“Ah, sorry...”

“It’s okay, Brother Roland. I’ll be sure to practice hard!”

He had just managed to change the subject, but he could not help thinking about improving his sister’s abilities and helping her become stronger. He had almost brought up the competition again. The two siblings smiled at each other and continued talking for a while longer, but eventually it was time to part ways.

“Mmm, if we talk any longer, the other teacher might grow suspicious. Go back to your friends and think it over again. You still have three days to turn in the paper.”

“I will.”

Lucienne nodded several times before jumping forward to hug him. It was a nice change from their first meeting, when she had almost broken her hand trying to punch him. This time, he returned the embrace without the usual awkward pause between them.

“Stay clear of trouble.”

“I always stay clear of trouble!”

She replied with a grin before hopping back. A bright smile remained on her face as she spun on her heel and headed for the exit. The entrance door parted to let her through, and he watched her emerge on the other side. Just as before, the lady knight was waiting for her outside.

Ivetta had been concealing her presence and following her lady from the beginning. Only within this office could he speak to Lucienne freely. Everywhere else, the knight was always watching.

“She is quite competent, but...”

Although Ivetta was a capable knight, professors with similarly secluded offices could probably separate his sister from her guard. It was a blind spot that could be exploited. He still could not fully trust everyone at the institute, but there was no one he genuinely suspected of seeking revenge on Viola’s behalf.

“Now then, I should finish up here as well.”

With his sister returning to the dorms and the scanning session coming to an end, there were only a few things left to do before he could head home to more work. Thus, he made his way back to the runic department, where a number of people were moving about.

‘This place has certainly become a lot livelier...’

The department had been almost deserted when he first arrived at the institute. Only Arion had been present, along with a few dwarves assembling equipment. The lecture halls had been nearly empty, with students attending mainly because the class required little effort and awarded a few merit points.

‘So even though most of the department is still in the hall, there are still some people left here. Arion still hasn’t come back, though...’

He arrived a little sooner than expected and stepped through the door. Inside, there was only one other person. It was someone he had seen before but never really spoken to.

“D-Deputy P-Professor W-Wayland... w-what b-brings you here?”

It was an assistant teacher, not even an assistant professor. He looked quite young and stuttered through nearly every word. He was of average height, with a bowl cut and large glasses that dominated his face. In his previous world, people like him would have been considered nerdy. Here, however, he looked like a fairly typical mage with a few quirks.

“I’m just waiting for Professor Arion to come back. Don’t mind me and get back to whatever you were doing.”

He decided to look through the student list using his helmet. It was connected to the database of the entire Runic Department, and he was here to speak with Arion about the students. While he could view their statistics through the scanner, it was best to ask for advice when it came to the youths themselves. He knew nothing about their personalities or circumstances. If he was going to form a party suited for Lucienneʼs class, the more information he had, the better. There was, however, one small problem.

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“Can I help you with something?”

“N-no, sir!”

The assistant teacher continued to stare at him with strange intensity, making the whole situation rather awkward. The man swallowed again as if he wanted to say something but lacked the courage to do so.

Roland used the opportunity to browse the department personnel database, which was surprisingly extensive. Arion had streamlined everything and even included photographs of every staff member, making identification easy.

“Youʼre... Stephen, right? Specialty: data gathering and record management.”

“O-oh, s-sir Deputy knows a-about me?”

The young man was clearly surprised and unable to hide his excitement.

‘Data gathering, huh...’

“Stephen, can you do something for me?”

“M-me? D-do something f-for you? It w-would be an h-honor!”

Something had been bothering Roland for a while, and it required a bit of investigation. He neither had the time to search through the institute himself nor knew where to begin. Fortunately, this person could do it for him. Stephen was a former student who had become a teacher, which meant he probably knew the institute inside and out.

“Yes. I want you to look into something for me.”

“A-anything for you, D-deputy P-professor!”

Stephen stood at attention like a soldier receiving orders. He looked awkward and somewhat unreliable, but according to the description Roland was reading, the man excelled at gathering information and organizing it into spreadsheets. He was probably the perfect person for the task. If the results proved disappointing, Roland could always investigate everything himself later.

“Good. Then I want you to look into a few students who will be participating in the upcoming Convocation.”

“L-leave it to me!”

Roland nodded before glancing at a magical quill resting nearby. By interfacing with its operating system, he could make it write words automatically, much like a modern printer. The quill sprang to life and began listing names, his sisterʼs included.

Although she was his primary concern, he did not want to draw attention to her or appear biased. Her name was mixed among many others, making it indistinguishable from the rest of the selected participants.

Stephen leaned forward slightly, his eyes darting over the floating script as the quill moved on its own. Each name appeared in neat, precise strokes until a roster of twenty students hung in the air before them. Roland considered these youths likely candidates for the core of their future force, so any additional information about their lives, interests, or circumstances would help him choose the right people for the job.

“I want background information. Not just academic records. Anything you can find. Include their test results from the past year and a list of the classes theyʼve attended.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

Stephen replied immediately.

“I c-can g-gather all of t-that. It m-might t-take s-some time, b-but I c-can do i-it.”

“It would be great if you could gather it within three days, but donʼt push yourself too hard...”

Before he could finish the sentence, the young man stepped forward and shouted.

“T-three days is fine! L-leave it to me!”

“Uh... are you sure?”

“Y-yes, leave it to me!”

He still stuttered as before, but not nearly as much. It was as if he wanted to prove himself for some reason. Roland had not intended to pressure him. He knew it would be a troublesome task to run between departments gathering all the necessary data. However, if Stephen felt confident about it, he was not going to stop him.

“Fine then. Iʼll check in with you again in three days.”

The man smiled, bowed, and then ran out of the department in an instant.

‘He really is dedicated.’

Roland finished the thought to himself as he watched Stephen disappear down the corridor at a pace that nearly caused him to trip over his own feet. Either way, this worked out well for him. If the man did a good job, he would have all the important background information he needed.

He then waited for Arion to return and discussed the students with him. The data had been processed, and all the classes were laid out before them. As expected, there were no surprises. No hidden cultists or evil warlocks lurked among the students. The students were scrutinized far too closely by their teachers for cultists to use them as spies. The people he needed to watch out for were the teachers and mages with ulterior motives.

After finishing up, he returned through the gate to continue working on the golem and to visit the dungeon for training with Agni. Three days later, he returned to the Institute to finalize the battle plan. Only after the students had chosen their disciplines could he properly devise a strategy. Creating the right devices was only half the battle. The synergy between classes and individuals was likely even more important, and it was something he was not looking forward to dealing with.