The Runesmith

Chapter 695: Stuck Teaching.

“That about covers the fundamentals of our strategy.”

Roland finished his presentation and turned to face the five people before him. Their reactions varied. The muscular youth at the back had a glazed look in his eyes, as if he had understood almost nothing that had been said.

Selphie, on the other hand, had somehow managed to produce a mountain of notes. A stack of papers sat in front of her, all of which she had pulled directly from her oversized hat, which also functioned as a spatial bag.

His sister seemed a little lost as well, and Elian wore a concerned expression. The only one Roland could not quite read was Leron, who continued to look at him with the same passive expression. Even though all of them were mages, that did not mean they shared the same understanding of every subject. The Intelligence stat helped with memorization, but it did little for practical application, especially in the chaos of a real battlefield.

Roland tapped the podium one last time, causing the runic screen to fade back into the academy emblem. He glanced at Oxian, whose blank stare suggested he was still unsure of what he had just witnessed.

In short, Roland had laid out their objectives and explained which branches of magic each of them needed to focus on. Most children their age wanted nothing more than to jump into the fray and unleash the most eye-catching spells they could muster. He, however, had asked for restraint. The tank needed to be an immovable wall focused on defense rather than offense, which seemed to run contrary to Oxianʼs instincts.

‘The tactic should be sound, but getting these kids to follow orders might be difficult...’

Oxian was one concern, but Elian was another, and much of their strategy depended on him. He possessed a special class known as the Spark Mage. Normally, elemental mage classes only became available at tier two, but there were exceptions. This class was similar to Rolandʼs own Runic Blacksmith class, which allowed him to enchant equipment with runes, something that should not have been possible at tier one.

The same principle applied here. Elian could cast tier one fire spells with far greater potency than any ordinary tier one mage, making him the ideal choice for the groupʼs primary damage dealer. However, despite his talent, he still needed time to cast those spells and required protection from the others while doing so.

Leron had not voiced any complaints, and Roland could not glean much from his expression, but he was fairly certain the youth understood his role: to distract enemies and eliminate anyone who managed to break through their defensive line.

“You will all begin practical training after familiarizing yourselves with the strategy guides.”

He snapped his fingers, activating one of his spatial runes. Five booklets emerged from within, accompanied by several rectangular metal plates engraved with runes.

“Your strategy guide is marked with your name and assigned position. These runic memory cards can be used at one of the newest facilities within our Runic Department. Go there and ask one of the assistant professors to help you access the training modules stored inside.”

Roland flicked his wrist, and the five metallic cards, along with the notebooks, floated down onto a table to be collected. For this first gathering, this was all he had to offer. He knew the students had many questions, but his time was extremely limited. As a result, he drew on lessons from his own college days and designed the program so the students would study most of the material on their own.

The strategy guide included everything they needed to know. It outlined the various spells and combinations they should focus on, detailed which spells should be practiced together, specified the timing of their casting windows, and described the formations they were expected to maintain during engagements. Roland had essentially condensed complex squad tactics into a compact manual.

The runic memory sticks he had brought could be connected to runic monitors to display battle formations for practice. They also contained visual representations of possible combat scenarios, making the material easier to understand.

The assistant professors and other instructors had been given similar guides, which they would later use to evaluate the students. Roland would not be their primary instructor, as this group of five was only one among many that required guidance. His role was to formulate strategies and contingency plans for each group while addressing the most common challenges they were likely to encounter.

The overall plan was ambitious in scope but simple in execution. For the first few months, every student would train exclusively within their assigned group. Once their teamwork had improved, they would be given access to support spellcasting devices. It was important that they first learned to operate without them so they would not become overly dependent on the increased mana reserves those devices provided.

“Now then, pick up your guide. For any further guidance, please consult Professor Arion or any other assistant professor from the Runic Department.”

Roland still had many more groups like this to meet. Thanks to the scanner and the sorting system, they could identify the most effective student combinations for every event. This allowed him to map out optimal team compositions in a fraction of the time traditional observation would require. However, it also meant that he was almost singlehandedly drafting the strategic blueprint for the institute’s entire Convocation roster. The pressure on his shoulders was immense, and as always, his nights had grown short.

The five students sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing the abrupt dismissal. Elian moved first, carefully reaching for the booklet and the metallic card resting on top of it. The moment his fingers brushed the card, its runes emitted a faint crimson glow, as though responding to his strong affinity for fire magic.

“We just go to the Runic Department?”

Elian asked, his voice cracking slightly before he straightened his posture.

“And these cards will just show us what to do?”

“They will provide visual simulations of your designated positions and provide aid in spell priority.”

Roland replied, adjusting the gauntlet on his left wrist.

“The assistants will configure the runic monitors to project the formations, and a training facility will be modified for your use. Once you have become accustomed to working with your group, we will proceed to true live training exercises.”

“True live training?”

Elian gulped at Rolandʼs words.

“Just training in a dungeon against specialised golems that recreate the tactics commonly seen during previous Convocations.”

The other students eventually moved on without asking any further questions, as Elian had already raised the points most of them were curious about. It was clear they had little experience with this sort of rigid training, but none of them voiced any objections.

Oxian Goodwill scooped up his thick booklet and card with a single massive hand. His expression remained somewhat blank, but the confusion had been replaced by raw determination. Like before, he simply nodded and headed for the exit.

Leron suddenly appeared from behind the large youthʼs shadow as though he had been waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Roland could tell he was using a combination of illusion and concealment spells to make himself difficult to notice. It seemed he was diligent enough to train his mana capacity even inside a classroom. Or perhaps he simply disliked being noticed. Like the previous student, he took the booklet and quickly disappeared through the exit.

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Elian was the third to collect his materials, and he nearly stumbled over his own feet as he hurried away.

Selphie, meanwhile, was practically vibrating with excitement. She grabbed her booklet and card before immediately flipping through the strategy guide, unable to contain her curiosity. Her eyes raced across the strategies and diagrams even as she walked toward the door. Predictably, she walked straight into the wall beside the exit, knocking her hat off in the process.

“Aww... aha...”

She let out an awkward chuckle, picked up the hat, and placed it back on her head before turning toward Lucienne.

“I... Iʼll see you around, Lucienne!”

“Yes...”

Lucienne nodded, though she was probably wondering whether her new friend was all right after hitting her forehead. Even so, she seemed far more interested in the strategy guide. As the last member of the group, she stepped forward and accepted it.

She looked at Roland. It was obvious she wanted to say something, but under the circumstances, she needed to act like a student rather than his younger sister. She hesitated for a moment. Her fingers tightened around the guide, and she pressed it against her chest while looking at her brother.

“Thank you, Deputy Professor. We will not let the institute down.”

Roland gave a slight nod, and soon she departed from the lecture room. He barely had time to appreciate the silence. Only five minutes later, another group of students arrived. This group was larger, as its members would be participating in multiple competitions.

Not every event was the same. The treasure hunt was one of the longest competitions and required a separate team for each age bracket. Later, he would meet the students competing in the eighteen year old category, all of whom were tier two class holders. First, however, he needed to distribute more strategy guides to this group and explain how information would be provided through the runic department.

‘This is going to take most of my day...’

He frowned behind his helmet, but it was a task that needed to be done. The hours passed as he continued explaining everything to the students. His experience was very different from when he had first arrived at the institute. Back then, few people listened to him, and many did not even know he existed. Now, however, it was clear he had earned a great deal of respect from the students. Or perhaps they were simply afraid he would knock some sense into them if they stepped out of line.

“Ahh… that’s all of them.”

Roland stretched his arms, the plates of his gauntlets sliding over one another with a crisp metallic click. The heavy silence of the empty lecture hall was a welcome relief after hours of magically projecting his voice and explaining unfamiliar terminology. He walked back to the instructorʼs platform to shut down the monitor he had been using.

As the screen flickered out, he could not help but notice how his presence in this world was affecting everything around him. It had started with the monitoring system, and once it was introduced, the screens it used quickly became popular among the teachers.

They consumed far less mana than the large illusion matrices that produced three-dimensional images, which were often blurry and lacked detail. The monitors resembled modern television screens that were approaching high definition quality, though they still had some way to go. Color reproduction also needed further refinement, but despite their shortcomings, they had become the preferred teaching tool at the institute.

Roland stepped outside, contemplating the future and the changes he was bringing to this world. The people here were different, and so was their culture, but in many ways they were not so unlike the people from his old world. Everyone wanted a better future for themselves or sought to protect what they already had. It was a universal truth, regardless of whether someone carried a smartphone or wielded a staff to channel mana.

‘Is this truly the right path… and what will happen if this technology spreads throughout the kingdom?’

Lost in thought, he eventually arrived at the runic department, which was bustling with activity. Many of the students he had instructed earlier were gathered there, seeking guidance. Even the stuttering assistant teacher was being swarmed with questions and seemed to have more work than anyone else.

‘Well, it does not really matter what path the people of this world choose. That is not my problem.’

Everything he created was meant to make life easier for himself and the people he cared about. Whether his inventions would ultimately improve the world or make it worse was not a concern he could afford to dwell on. As long as he could carve out a peaceful life and gain the strength to protect it with his own two hands, that was enough.

“Ah, Deputy Professor Wayland! Could you help me with a small conundrum?”

“...Sure, but I was planning to leave soon. I still have a few other things to take care of.”

Arion came flying over with a worried expression on his feline face. Although he was delighted by the success of the runic department, it was clear they had taken on a tremendous responsibility. The workload had increased exponentially, and they were struggling to manage the sudden influx of students.

“Please, it will only take a moment!”

Arion pleaded, his tail twitching anxiously.

“The third year groups are trying to initialize their memory cards at the same time, and the central runic matrix is experiencing severe mana backlash. The monitors are flickering, and I am terrified the entire system might collapse. At this rate, the runic cables could melt!”

Roland sighed under his breath, but he knew it was better to deal with this problem now than to come back later when it was too late. Many of the assistants lacked the fundamental understanding required to use the runic equipment he had created, and the dwarven craftsmen responsible for producing it were still new to the process.

He was also the one who crammed everything into a single day, likely overloading the entire system when all the students attempted to activate their memory cards at once. Although he knew about the limitations, he failed to anticipate the studentsʼ curiosity.

“Let’s go then. I’ll head to the primary distribution junction first.”

Rolandʼs words nearly brought Arion to tears with relief. What followed was a lengthy tour of the institute, fixing minor strains throughout the system and spending far more time on the task than he had originally intended.

As he worked, he could not help but wonder if the Headmistress had somehow tricked him. Now that he was stuck reinforcing runic cabling throughout the academy, giving a one-hour lecture each week no longer seemed like such a terrible arrangement. Instead, he was spending the next half year doing all the heavy lifting to win the competition, and if he failed to place well, he would still end up lecturing the brats afterward.

‘Will I be stuck here until I reach tier four myself?’

The thought crossed his mind as he glanced at the moons shining brightly through the windows while making his way through the halls. More than anything, he wanted to return home, take a hot bath, and get some sleep before diving back into his demanding schedule.

However, as he continued down the corridor, he sensed someone approaching from ahead. The presence belonged to a figure of considerable importance within the academy.

“Deputy Professor Wayland. Good day, or should I say good evening instead?”

Standing before him was Rathos, the vice headmaster of the institute. His appearance had not changed, still resembling the iconic wizard from the old tales of Rolandʼs home world.

The old man stood tall, his long silver beard catching the faint glow of the luminescent crystals lining the hallway. His deep blue robes were immaculate, completely free of dust or wrinkles despite the late hour. Rathos carried himself with an air of not only authority but also as the prime example of what a mage should be. In many ways, he was the law within the institute, as the Headmistress rarely involved herself in its day-to-day affairs.

“Good evening, Vice Headmaster Rathos.”

Roland replied while quietly assessing the situation.

“I was just finishing some emergency maintenance in the Runic Department.”

Rathos smiled, his expression polite yet impossible to read. He slowly stroked his beard, his gaze lingering on the intricate runic engravings covering Roland’s gauntlets and armor.

“Ah, yes. I heard the Headmistress tasked you with selecting the Convocation roster and managing the students. I hope you are feeling confident.”

Roland remained still, wondering if there was some hidden meaning behind the words. Normally, the other departments would have been involved and offered assistance, but the Headmistress had closed off that possibility. It would not be surprising if the vice headmaster felt his position was being challenged, considering he had long been the de facto authority around the institute.

“Yes, sir. The Runic Department will do its best to achieve good results in the coming Convocation.”

“I see. Then I won’t keep you any longer from your well-deserved rest.”

Rathos stepped aside, opening the path down the corridor. His smile never wavered, and he looked every bit the image of a kindly old wizard. He had helped Roland during the Viola incident, so Roland chose not to dwell on the questions and simply continued on his way.

‘The old man is probably just worried about whether I’m doing a good job, or perhaps unhappy that the Headmistress made this decision without consulting him...’

Roland did not think much of it and continued toward the teleportation gate. While his work at the institute was finished for the time being, other responsibilities awaited him back home.