THE RUNESMITH

“Confirmed identity, codename Durendal. Please present your identity card.”

“I’ll never get used to this… What did he call it? Two-factor authentication?”

Robert leaned back after pressing his hand against the flat glass surface. As always, it lit up, and a second later, a soft beep confirmed the scan. The process wasn’t over yet – he still had to slide a special card halfway into the side slot. Without it, he wouldn’t be able to open the chamber or even enter the workshop unless his brother was present.

‘He claimed this thing could also detect if someone was under a spell’s influence.’

The chamber door slid aside, revealing a smooth tunnel. Thick metallic conduits lined the walls, pulsating with runes and flowing magical energy. The sight still felt surreal to him as he was still adjusting to his new life in Albrook. His new identity placed him under his younger brother’s direct command.

Years ago, that would have been unthinkable – an unbearable humiliation. To serve beneath the very brother he once despised? But now, after everything, it no longer mattered. He owed his life to him. And the truth was undeniable – Roland was the most talented of the four siblings. Not even the two older ones could compare. 

‘It is a shame really, if he cared enough he could surely become the next Baron Arden, father would probably forgive him if he explained everything…’

Robert walked forward slowly, lost in thought. He couldn’t help but feel that Roland’s talents could be put to better use elsewhere. His strength and ingenuity were undeniable, and gaining support from the crown wouldn’t be difficult. With his runic creations, the Arden estate would grow stronger, and with their father – a Marshal in the army backing them, their family might even rise to the rank of viscount or higher.

‘But I suppose… it’s not too bad here…’

His gaze shifted forward as he stepped into another chamber, this one packed with even more runic contraptions he didn’t understand. At one of the workbenches sat someone dear to his heart – Lucille, or Curtana, as she was called now. Both of them had cast aside their last names to become part of Roland’s operation, a choice Robert still believed was far better than what would have happened if Roland hadn’t saved him.

“Oh? Are you finished with your training?”

Lucille’s azure locks bounced as she turned toward him, her voice light with curiosity. Even now, Robert was struck by her beauty but even that paled in comparison to her intellect. Since arriving here, she had thrown herself into her work, determined to catch up to Roland – an almost impossible feat, in his opinion. 

He noticed the faint shadows under her eyes and, as always, felt a hint of concern. She was pushing herself too hard again. And, as always, he would try to convince her to rest. Robert approached Lucille with a small frown, crossing his arms as he leaned against the workbench. 

“You’ve been at this all night, haven’t you?”

Lucille sighed but didn’t look up from the glowing runes she was studying on a small metallic plate. She was now a Rune Mage, specializing in rune magic control. While she couldn’t inscribe runes onto metal herself, her ability to manipulate them far surpassed that of an ordinary runesmith.

Robert’s understanding of runes was minimal at best. Even though he had acquired the Rune Vassal title and the Rune Mastery skill along with it, his knowledge remained rudimentary. The passive skill merely allowed him to channel mana through runic structures more efficiently. While it slightly improved his natural affinity with runes, it did nothing to help him alter or customize spells in any meaningful way.

“Don’t start with that, Robert. I’m nearly done fine-tuning this golem rune, it’s so fascinating! Did you know that if I change this little component here, I’ll be able to increase the mana flow by 0,13%!”

“Ah… sure…”

Robert exhaled, shaking his head as Lucille became absorbed in her work again. She was brilliant, no doubt, but he wondered if she even realized how much she neglected herself in the process. He supposed it was a trait that she and Roland shared – a relentless pursuit of their goals, no matter the cost. Perhaps this was something that came with being a rune maniac. 

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” 

Robert said, standing straight again. 

“I just wanted to let you know – I’ve finished my training.”

That got Lucille’s attention. She finally looked up, her piercing eyes widening slightly in recognition of his words. 

“You mean…?”

Robert nodded. 

“Yeah. I’m ready for my advancement.”

Lucille’s face lit up with a mix of excitement and she finally put the runic plate away.

“That’s wonderful! You’ve really put in the work, Robert. Have you decided what class you’re going for?”

He didn’t deny it as the past few weeks had been hellish, to say the least. First, he was sent into the dungeon to grind levels, forced to hurl strange bombs at monsters that could kill him with a single swipe of their bony fingers. That was the easy part. What came next was far worse – Roland’s grueling regimen to level his most important skills.

Robert spent countless hours and days chugging mana potions until he was on the verge of puking, all to accelerate his Rune Mastery skill. Fortunately, striking restrained skeletal monsters with runic weapons helped him level it quickly. His mana pool had also expanded thanks to a few skill books his brother had given him, but even with that advantage, he still relied heavily on potions provided by Rastix. They worked, but the side effects were brutal – the toxicity buildup left him vomiting some nights and unable to sleep properly.

“It depends on what I’m able to choose.”

Robert wasn’t expecting anything too exceptional. His current class, Noble Blade, specialized in swordsmanship, but he wasn’t sure if he could advance beyond Sword Champion. Truth be told, he had no idea what Tier 3 classes were even available. That knowledge was usually kept secret, and with his father absent, there was no one he could ask for guidance.

“I’m sure you’ll get a lovely skill, you should look through the notes Sir Roland provided.”

“I already did.”

Before Robert left for the dungeon expedition, Roland had given him a stack of papers detailing possible class choices. His brother had gathered an impressive collection of books on class progression – some acquired during his travels, others sourced from the magical institute. The documents outlined the best options for someone like Robert, but they also came with a clear warning: don’t aim too high. He was well aware of the Tier-3 stopgap – if he set his sights on an advanced class beyond his reach, he could end up stuck without a class for a long time, unable to progress. It was a risk he couldn’t afford to take.

“But I won’t know until I get there…”

He glanced to the side, where a misplaced dresser with shelves stood. Inside were numerous ascension ritual crystals. Roland had told him to use them and not to be afraid of abandoning the ascension ritual if he thought the class he chose was a poor fit. It was a decision that would shape his entire life. It was better to take the time restriction penalty than to be stuck with a weak Tier-3 class.

“My brother sure likes to overprepare, doesn’t he?”

“I think that’s a fine trait. You can never be too prepared!” 

Lucille responded as Robert took a crystal from one of the shelves. For nobles like them, seeing this many wasn’t too surprising, but they still cost a fortune.

“Does he think I’ll need this many just to progress…?”

“Don’t be silly. You’re not the only one who needs to undergo ascension rituals. He probably prepared them for the children as well. I think some of them are coming of age soon.” 

She replied with a smile but her mouth twitched the moment she heard his reply.

“I think there’s someone else who should take her training more seriously instead of spending all day in the workshop… or with drunken dwarves.”

“I’m just focusing on my skills for now…” 

Lucille avoided Robert’s gaze. He knew she hadn’t been making use of all the available facilities. She could train her magical abilities against skeletal monsters, just as he honed his physical ones. Using runic equipment on them would also speed up her runic skill progression, yet she preferred studying books and visiting dwarven craftsmen instead.

She was falling behind in levels, but Robert had promised himself that once he reached Tier 3, he would personally take her into the dungeon and help her reach level 150 so she could advance as well. Despite her exhaustion, Lucille looked content with her current situation. It seemed that escaping here had been the right decision as she was finally able to focus on what she loved most: her runes.

In a way, Robert felt a hint of jealousy. Unlike him, Lucille was truly enjoying her time here. He knew how much she loved runes and magic. Working under a master like his brother was probably a dream come true for her. Even in the past, she would constantly talk about how fascinating the magical language of runes was, claiming it far surpassed conventional magic. Now, she finally had the opportunity to prove it by assisting Roland, someone who seemed capable of elevating the craft to an entirely new level.

But what about him? Did he have any such dreams? In the past, he just wished to become a knight just like his father. He wanted to prove himself worthy of the Arden name, to live up to the expectations placed upon him as a noble. But now, things had changed. His father was no longer his goal, and the weight of nobility no longer shackled him. He was free to carve his own path. 

Yet, a lingering question remained: what was his path? He exhaled, gripping the ascension crystal tightly. Whatever it was, he would find it after he achieved Tier 3. This was the last step before he truly became his own person.

“Alright, no more hesitating.” 

He turned to Lucille. 

“I’ll start the ritual now.”

She gave him an encouraging nod, her earlier teasing gone. However, before he could continue with the activation, another being entered the room.  Robert turned toward the source of the disturbance. Sebastian, no longer a mere ball of floating light, he now possessed a physical form – a rather sleek, white humanoid frame that moved with eerie grace. His body was smooth, almost porcelain-like, with subtle lines tracing his joints and torso, indicating the intricate mechanisms beneath. His limbs were long and rather lanky. He was no crude iron golem but something far more refined, a construct shaped by careful craftsmanship and cutting-edge rune engineering.

But it was his face that stood out the most.

Unlike the featureless visages of ordinary golems, Sebastian’s face bore an unsettlingly human-like quality. His eyes – if they could be called that – were two faintly glowing slits, radiating a soft azure light that pulsed gently as he moved. The contours of his face were smooth, almost sculpted, yet devoid of unnecessary detail. There was a simple mouth, a nose, and eyebrows, all elements that contributed to a human expression. Yet at this moment, none of them seemed to be functioning. 

“Ah, Sebastian, how do you like your new body? I haven’t finished working on this expression module yet, so you’ll have to wait a bit more.”

Lucille clapped her hands together, her earlier exhaustion momentarily forgotten. She quickly moved closer, eyes gleaming with excitement as she circled around the golem, inspecting every detail of his newly constructed body.

“I do not understand your quarry, Lady Curtana.”

Replied Sebastian, his voice a lot less robotic than before but his lips not moving as he spoke. To an artificial spirit, who was something similar to an artificial intelligence machine, the notion of liking something was difficult to grasp. Yet, despite his monotone response, there was something undeniably impressive about how fluidly he moved. He turned his head toward Robert, tilting it slightly, almost mimicking human curiosity.

“So this is what you have been working on all this time?”

“Indeed.” 

Lucille responded, unable to contain her enthusiasm. 

“Roland helped me design the outer shell and construct the runes but it was me and the dwarves at the main forge that constructed his new body.”

Robert didn’t know what to think of this. Golems usually lacked facial features and were used either for construction or warfare. This one here looked strange and somewhat uncanny. However, this was one of Lucille’s projects that she was proud of, so he wouldn’t mention it.

“If this succeeds, we are planning to put more models into the city to help the residents with work!”

“I see…”

“Hm? You don’t look too impressed.”

Robert crossed his arms, glancing at the humanoid construct with mild skepticism. 

“I suppose I just don’t see the point of making them so… humanlike. Can those small hands even hold a sword or a mace?”

Lucille huffed, hands on her hips.

“Not all golems have to be used for combat! There are many other ways they can help us!”

“…”

This was the moment Robert realised that he should have probably not opened his mouth as Lucille started going on quite the monologue.

“Rune engineering is advancing beyond just war and manual labor. Imagine a city where constructs like Sebastian assist with daily life, guiding visitors, assisting merchants, and even aiding in healing wards. With the right modifications, golems could become more than just servants – they could be companions, protectors, symbols of progress!”

“I uh…”

Robert struggled to find the right words as Lucille’s enthusiasm burned brightly in her eyes. He had no doubt that she believed in what she was saying, but the idea of constructs taking on such a role felt… strange. The world he grew up in had always been centered around noble duties, honor, and strength in battle.

But then again, hadn’t his whole world already been turned upside down? Perhaps this was just another part of the changes he had to accept. Sebastian, for his part, remained eerily still, only the soft sound of his internal runes betraying the life within his frame. 

“Well, I should probably start my ascension trial now…”

“Ahh…”

Lucille chuckles while covering her mouth, she realized that Robert had found himself unable to respond to her runic babble. 

“Hehe, I got carried away a bit. How about you take a seat here and I’ll watch over you until you return?”

Robert nodded and settled into a chair next to Lucille. The crystal was in his hand; he just needed to activate it, but he was still hesitating. He stared at it for a moment before feeling a small hand rest on his shoulder. Turning to her, he found she said nothing, merely offering a smile. He nodded in return and finally activated the crystal, which would transport him to the ascension ritual area – one he had already visited four times before.

The world stood still as he felt being pulled somewhere, when he opened his eyes he was back at the place that had started it all. Robert stood still for a moment, blinking as the familiar surroundings of the Arden estate’s training area materialized before his eyes. It was the same old place – the stone floor, the high ceiling, and the faint scent of sweat and iron that clung to the air. The echoes of his past reverberated here where he faced goblins while desperately trying to prove his worth as an Arden.

It was a place where he had spent countless hours pushing his limits, fighting against monsters, and refining his swordsmanship – all in the hopes of gaining strength and respect. He had fought here as a young man, eager to prove himself. Somehow, this place had become his ritual for ascension, where he would be brought whenever he sought to attain his next class.

As before, the process remained unchanged. There were several doors leading out of the chamber, each one offering a potential new class. The only clue as to which class he might receive was a symbol above each door, accompanied by a weapon and some armor placed beside it. This time was no different—except for one thing. To his surprise, one of the doors seemed a bit more unique than the others…

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