Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Within two days, it was impossible for him to visit every single location and personally plant all the artifacts. That was exactly why Adrian had once again taken on the role of a teacher, guiding the workers and showing them how to properly install the artifacts themselves.

His students were not young children, but fully grown men. Many of them, if not all, were older than him.

Some were independent magic users, while others were manual laborers and farmers who would eventually use these artifacts in various greenhouses spread across the nation.

If Adrian had already visited those places before, he could have easily transported the equipment himself and taught the locals directly on-site. But for now, he was restricted to this location.

"I hope you all understand how it works and what to do if it fails," Adrian said, standing before a crowd of nearly fifty people.

Raven and Isabelle stood silently to the side, listening carefully to every instruction. In Adrian's absence, they would be the ones stepping in to help the workers if any problems arose.

Thankfully, there was a server chat that Raven could use to contact Adrian in case they found themselves stuck or unsure about something.

When no one raised a hand to ask any questions, Adrian took it as a sign that he had explained everything clearly.

He had also demonstrated the entire process twice, making sure to cover even the smallest details that could turn into problems later on.

Not long after, the session was dismissed, and Querella began directing her ministers to handle the transportation of the artifacts to their respective locations.

Since there were no teleportation portals in this world, everything had to be transported the traditional way, using carriages and carts.

Still, when they considered what they would gain in return for their efforts, the work felt worth it.

Adrian stretched his arms as he stepped out of the greenhouse, Isabella and Raven following close behind him. "Hopefully, I didn't rush anything," he said.

The redhead replied instantly, "Not at all, Sir Adrian. If anything, you were extremely patient, even with the smallest details. At one point, I felt frustrated by those silly questions, but you never wavered."

Adrian chuckled softly. "I have taught little children before, the kind who would rather be anywhere else than sitting in front of me. Compared to them, these people were far better."

Raven shook her head with a faint smile. "You are far too deep into this profession. At this rate, after retirement, I feel like you will open your own school just to fight boredom."

Adrian placed a hand over his chest. "I am only twenty-three... don't start talking about retirement already."

The two women giggled at his dramatic reaction before Isabelle excused herself. "I need to make sure everything is loaded safely. It was a pleasure meeting you, Sir Adrian." She gave him a polite bow before turning and leaving.

Adrian smiled at the cheerful girl who, despite being so young, didn't seem bothered or weighed down by the responsibilities she now carried on her shoulders.

Suddenly, Raven stepped into his view, blocking his line of sight as she complained, "Don't look at her only. I am also a responsible person."

The fatigue that lingered in his body seemed to melt away the moment he was met with such an adorable sight.

He pulled his dearest into his arms and hugged her tightly, squeezing her with warmth.

"Of course, my Querella is the most responsible person."

She let out a soft groan, feeling as if she had forced that compliment out of him. Still, she didn't complain further, because what she received as a reward was something Isabelle never could.

"How long do you have?" Raven asked, still resting in his arms.

"Hmm, the system didn't give me a limit this time, but I would need to return by tomorrow."

It was already late evening, so there were still more than twelve hours left.

Adrian loosened his hold slightly and looked at her. "What's the plan?"

Raven smiled faintly before saying, "I want to cook a meal for you."

Adrian hummed in mild surprise. "Really? Hmm... but how about we go camping today? Somewhere in the forest?"

In the palace, there were simply too many people for them to be themselves openly. The forest, however, would have been a completely different story...

"Adrian... you forgot we don't have forests here?" Raven asked with a wry smile.

"...Right." He had completely forgotten.

Raven chuckled, already understanding what he had in mind.

So, she leaned closer and whispered softly, "I will have every maid leave early today and make sure no one disturbs us until tomorrow morning."

Adrian looked at her without blinking, and then a faint smile slowly formed on his lips.

Soon, the two vanished from sight.

A sweet night awaited them.

....

"You could have handled things better there," Albec said as he, Jean, and Ruby arrived at the Tower.

They had left the venue where the other leaders had gathered not long after Ruby delivered her harsh judgment on their behavior.

"What better?" Ruby growled under her breath. "Did you not hear how they reacted to the threat? I always thought meeting the Tower Masters from across the world would be something worth remembering. But now, I regret even going there."

Jean let out a quiet sigh. She understood where Ruby was coming from. Perhaps she wasn't having the best day, or maybe past experiences with people like them had influenced her reaction, making it a little more impulsive than intended.

However, what was done was done. And now, the world government would most likely stand against them.

"There's no point in sitting here and dwelling on what already happened."

The short, green-haired woman, the second Master of the Tower, Tia, spoke as she entered the room.

Everyone turned toward the runesmith as she continued, "If you want to avoid being scrutinized by the world, then you need to act fast and deal serious damage to whatever those magicians are planning."

Jean voiced her thoughts, her tone steady yet urgent. "She's right. Even though we know where the largest gathering has taken place in recent days, we still can't be certain when the ritual will begin or how long it will last."

Her people had been keeping a constant watch. A few had even managed to blend in among the Acolytes preparing for the ritual. However, the deeper details about the demon summoning were known only to those at the very top.

That left them with only one viable option.

To strike while they still had the chance, and catch them completely off guard.

Ruby remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking, her voice calm but decisive. "Before we begin this operation, we need to discuss it with one more person."

"Adrian, I suppose?" Albec asked almost instantly.

"Yes," Ruby nodded. "Not only could his perspective help us see what we've missed, but his support in this operation would make things significantly easier."

Albec leaned slightly forward. "And if he were to provide his tools to our soldiers—" He stopped mid-sentence when he caught Ruby's sharp glare.

...Even in a war meant to protect humanity, she remained guarded when it came to Adrian's resources.

Tia stepped in, breaking the moment. "Alright then. Meet here again in two days. We'll finalize everything and proceed with the plan."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading..