Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Elana walked alongside Aries as the two girls returned from the common hall after finishing their lunch.

Unlike usual, Aries was quiet. No chatter, no light teasing. Just silence, stretched thin with unease. It was not Elana’s presence that bothered her. Aries had long grown used to her friend’s odd, almost detached demeanor. No, this tension came from somewhere deeper.

"Have you not heard it?" Elana said, glancing at her. "Love your ambition, or it will remain just that. An ambition for life. You will never reach it otherwise."

Aries let out a wry smile. "How rude of you to say that." She exhaled softly before continuing, "Do you even understand how difficult it is to enter the Northern Regime? I am an outsider. A girl, at that. I have no achievements to my name. Do you realise how impossible that sounds?"

Her goal was simple in words, yet daunting in reality. She wanted to be trained by the best. And in this world, the finest hunters and soldiers were forged only in the North.

It was never about belonging to that region. It was about surviving it.

The North offered relentless conditions and brutal trials. It broke the weak and refined the stubborn. Those who endured walked out as something greater, something terrifyingly strong.

And Aries wanted that.

Even becoming a part of that regime would mean she had already crossed half the distance of her dream.

Elana sighed. "Thankfully, the dream I have does not demand such extremes."

Aries grinned. "That’s true. I mean, your dream is probably to become a trainee under Professor Adrian’s guardian, and then... who knows? What if he makes you his assistant?"

"...!!" Elana froze.

Right.

Why had she not considered that?

There was a possibility. A real one.

Aries shook her head in helpless amusement. When it came to the Professor, her friend completely forgot what restraint meant. Her feelings showed without effort.

Just then, a voice called out, "Elana... are you free right now?"

Both of them turned at once and found Adrian standing there.

Elana could not stop the smile that spread across her face. "Yes, Professor."

Aries spoke up, "Good evening, Professor. Well, I suppose I should get going..."

Elana was about to nod, but Adrian interrupted, "No, you can come along too. In fact, there is something I have been meaning to discuss with you."

At those words, the reluctance Aries had felt vanished instantly. Even if she wanted to leave Elana alone with her crush, she could not ignore the Professor’s invitation.

In the end, the three of them made their way toward Adrian’s workshop, which had been recently rebuilt.

"It might be a little messy, so watch your steps," Adrian warned as he pushed the door open.

After that incident with Elana, the entire structure had been shaken and required extensive rewiring.

Fortunately, most of the workers had stayed back after completing the perimeter, allowing the workshop to be restored quickly.

"Damn... this might be my first time visiting this place," Aries said, her eyes wandering across the workshop where one of the brightest minds spent his time.

"Watch where you step, Aries," Elana said, nudging her slightly as she noticed the parchment lying right under her foot.

Aries quickly picked it up and gave an awkward smile. "Just full of scribbles."

Elana sighed, taking the parchment from her and placing it carefully on the table.

She could not deny it. A part of her still felt guilty for the damage she had caused here, especially knowing how much her professor cherished this place.

And yet... she could not entirely blame herself either.

At that time, she had no idea what had been happening to her.

Adrian arranged two stools and gestured toward them. "Sit."

Aries and Elana took their seats without a word. Adrian placed his hands on his waist and glanced around before asking, "Would you like something? Water... well, I can only offer water."

Aries raised her hand. "I would like some,"

"She does not need anything, Professor." Elana cut in instantly, pulling her hand down. "We just had a meal and drank enough water," she added, shooting her a sharp look.

Aries winked at her before turning back. "By the way, Professor... this is the second time someone has damaged your beloved workshop. The first time, you punished Elizabeth quite thoroughly. What about this time?"

Adrian sighed, his gaze drifting toward Elana. "It is not their fault. It was an accident, and I was a large part of it."

Aries hummed, stealing a glance at her friend, who had gone unusually quiet.

Adrian then shifted the topic. He took out a small object, a thick metal disc with a hollow center.

"What is that?" Aries asked, tilting her head with curiosity.

"An artifact. It activates when the temperature of whatever it is attached to rises beyond a certain point."

Aries groaned. "Sounds like something I could use while working out. Especially for my underarms." As she spoke, she lifted her arms. With her sleeveless vest, her smooth, slightly damp skin came into view.

"Aries, behave." Elana glared, pulling her arms down again.

Aries chuckled. "I am sure Professor Adrian is not into that sort of thing, so you can relax."

Adrian rubbed the bridge of his nose.

How could a young woman be this bold with her words?

Then again... this was Aries.

Shaking his head, Adrian said, "Shall we begin, Elana?"

The silver-haired girl nodded slowly, still a little embarrassed by the scene they had just created. "Is it going to be the first thread?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes, that will be enough."

Elana straightened her posture, focusing.

As Adrian sorted through the artifacts and searched for his runic pencil, he asked, "So, Aries? I heard you have been planning to move to the North."

Aries shot Elana a quick glance, knowing exactly who must have told him, before replying, "Yes, Professor."

Adrian hummed. "I assume you have considered all the risks and difficulties you will face."

Aries blinked in surprise. "Risks... of what, sir? My family?"

Adrian shook his head. "I am not certain about your family situation. I am referring to diplomacy." He turned and began sketching the elemental wheel in the air.

"Sir... I am not important enough for the royals to even notice me," Aries said with a faint, self-deprecating smile.

Adrian let out a soft hum. "Then you are underestimating both yourself and the kingdom." He adjusted the first artifact before continuing, "You are one of the finest students here, someone with the potential to become a great warrior. Your performance in the final exams and that contest earlier has already drawn attention. Once you graduate, you will receive all kinds of invitations. The same applies to Elana."

Turning to look at her, he asked, "And once you make it clear that you are leaving, you will be seen as an unofficial traitor by the kingdom. Returning here would become nearly impossible. And if you fail there... you would end up as a wanderer."

Aries drew in a sharp breath.

She had been worrying about things within her control, small hurdles, manageable fears. But hearing it from him made her realize the true weight of what she was about to do.

This was not just a dream.

It was a point of no return.

Fuck, this was turning more and more complicated.