The Runesmith

“It went better than expected, but the damage to this place… They aren’t going to complain about it, right?”

As Roland approached the fallen Magic Swordmaster, he noticed that the once thick forest now bore the scars of their intense battle. Broken branches and scattered debris were everywhere around, and the artificial moonlight seemed to cast an eerie glow over the aftermath. He took a moment to catch his breath and survey the area before turning his attention to the matter at hand.

He assessed the battle that he had gone through. It had ended with minimal damage to his side, all thanks to his tactics and his opponent's overconfidence. The man didn’t know that he was up against someone who could utilize various hiding spells and the environment to his advantage. Also, disabling magical equipment was not a common occurrence, which allowed Roland to deliver the final blow quite easily. His opponent was now out cold and in a crater with some broken bones but still alive. It was not that easy to kill a tier 3 class holder, even when they suffered seemingly critical wounds.

“Three defender units were damaged but can still be restored, not bad…”

His golemic creations had suffered some damage as the magic swordsman was still quite powerful. However, their task was mostly to distract and not act as the main force. While most knights and nobles would frown at the way he utilized the dark forest area, it allowed him to be victorious. In his mind, there was no shame in using underhanded tactics if the stakes were high. The area was mostly destroyed now, and the monsters occupying it had all fled, which presented an issue.

“... The scared monsters are heading for those brats… I need to hurry.”

After glancing at Elythaes one last time, he decided to move out. This man wouldn’t be going anywhere anytime soon, but a monster stampede was inbound in the direction where his sister was. While this place was supposed to mimic a dungeon, it didn’t have a dungeon core to control these beings.

In a regular dungeon, sounds of battle would actually attract these beings and not repel them. Monsters in the dungeons didn’t really have survival instincts; they would attack anyone or anything that didn’t belong to their dungeon. Here, on the other hand, the monsters behaved more like animals. They had their own territories and would only attack if someone encroached on their borders or if they were hungry enough.

The power Roland and the half-elf displayed was not something these tier 1 and 2 monsters could contend with, so their instincts were activated. They were fleeing but would probably attack any weaker beings like his sister and the other students if they encountered them on the way. There was no time to lose, so he decided to contact Arion to report this matter. This commotion had probably been noticed by others, so it was better to have someone aid him during the explanation. Even though he was in the right to defend himself and had proof, there was some unknown backer that could make things difficult.

“Arion, can you hear me?”

“Wayland? Yes, I can hear you. How are you enjoying your position? Probably boring to patrol that place at this time; you should…”

“There is no time to chat; I need you to do something for me.”

“Oh, is there a problem?”

“Yeah, probably a big one…”

“Oh my, do tell.”

As the two mages were talking, the group of students that had decided to trespass on this training area was having a bad time. During the battle between Elythaes and Roland, a lot of sound had been produced. It then all culminated in a large explosion that even sent a small shockwave in all directions. At first, the group didn’t make anything of it as they knew that their protector was out there, but soon things turned sour and they found themselves in some trouble.

“Lady Castellane, it’s dangerous; we need to head back!”

“No, we are not heading back, not again. I’m getting those damn Blood-Vulture feathers!”

“My Lady, please reconsider…”

“Just take care of it, that’s what you are here for!”

Two young men stood with their weapons drawn, facing an ever-increasing horde of monsters. Several lifeless wolven creatures lay strewn about, but more approached. The two knights successfully dispatched some, and the young mage ladies provided limited support. However, the situation was dire. The mages, though talented, lacked refinement in their casting. Faced with the possibility of injury, fear overwhelmed them.

“No… stay back!”

One of the young mages shouted as a peculiar creature, resembling a giant cockroach, advanced towards them. It was not as massive as a wolf but displayed remarkable agility. Despite the girl managing to release a bolt of mana at the creature, it swiftly sidestepped, persistently closing in. To complicate matters, it wasn't the sole threat; several similar insect monsters were rapidly following in its wake.

“Firebolt!”

Fortunately, just as one of the roaches was about to get too close, a surge of fire magic intersected with the creature. Startled by the sudden burst of flames, the others that caught sight of the inferno hastily dispersed to the side and hastily chose an alternate route.

“L-lady Castellane, t-thank you.”

It was Viola Castellane who cast the magical spell, with the other two ladies cheering her on. However, unlike the jubilant expressions of her companions, she neither smiled nor joined in the celebration. Instead, she wore a frown, without displaying any happiness, she took out a peculiar-looking charm and directed her gaze intently toward one of the girls in the group.

“Lucienne, take this and run in that direction!”

“This is... A luring charm?”

“Tsk."

Viola clicked her tongue in response. Her scheme was obvious but instead of changing it, she decided to double down to get her point across.

“Just take it and run, be useful for once!”

“But…”

“Just shut up and do as you're told! Who do you think you're talking to?”

“I…’

As Lucienne examined the charm she had been given, the others began to gather. The plan seemed rather rudimentary; she would utilize the charm to entice the monsters away, allowing the rest to make their escape. It became apparent that the well-being of this girl was of little concern to these individuals, and Viola Castellane's orders were not open to refusal.

“I’ll do it…”

She replied in a weak voice while clutching onto the charm that would activate immediately when given some mana.

“Good, start running!”

Lucienne nodded in agreement with Viola, and together with the two knights and two other girls, they began moving in the opposite direction. Not a single complaint was voiced, as if this action were the most natural thing on the planet. Despite feeling disheartened that her well-being was not even considered for a second, Lucienne couldn't bring herself to refuse the order. She understood that a lot was at stake.

However, even though she took off running, the sprint was short-lived as a large stampede of carnivorous stag creatures was heading her way. This wasn't like last time when she was lucky; far more monsters were now loose. The charm proved quite useless, as luring these panicked monsters seemed impossible.

The group of five that had left Lucienne behind found themselves in a precarious situation as various other monsters identified them as prey. Before they could make their escape, they were surrounded from all sides. Caught between a rock and a hard place, there was nowhere to run, and it seemed that no one was coming to their aid. Viola shouted out in rage while also tapping a brooch she was wearing, as if trying to elicit some kind of response.

“Where is that fool? My father will have his head!”

Lucienne didn't know what Viola was talking about or who this fool was, but it didn't really matter. Multiple sharp-toothed stags were running towards her, and even if she started running, escaping seemed impossible.

As the monsters drew near, Viola and the others tried to fend them off. The two knights swung their weapons with precision, while the mages unleashed spells in a desperate attempt to create a barrier. However, the sheer number of oncoming creatures made the situation increasingly dire.

Lucienne's heart pounded in her chest as the stampede closed in. Panic set in, and she desperately looked around for any possible escape route. With one of the monsters closing in, raising a shield of mana was the only thing she could think of. But as she prepared for the impact something strange happened. A strange creature jumped in front of her, it looked like a chubby spider made from metal, not something that should have been here.

Its body started glowing, and she could see a veil of mana expanding to form a large circular shield. It encompassed her whole body and absorbed the brunt of the attack from the monster's headbutt. The carnivorous deer was unable to penetrate it and instead rebounded to the side. Even the others who attempted the same could not pass through the sturdy shield, which seemed to get thicker with every collision.

Eventually, the monsters realized that they would not get through and started to divert their attention elsewhere, in this case, it was the five other students that had begun running in the opposite direction. Lucienne looked at the strange metal spider with amazement. It had saved her from certain danger, and now it stood between her and the stampede, acting as a barrier.

“Wh-what is this?”

The metallic spider-like creature turned its attention toward her, and she could swear it almost looked like it was nodding. Her contemplations were interrupted by a sudden scream behind her. The people she arrived with were now being chased down by the monsters that she was supposed to lure away. She had activated the charm but for some reason, it seemed to not be working correctly or unable to send out the spell through this barrier.

“W-what are you doing, keep them away!”

“R-run!”

“No, stay back!”

Lucienne wasn't sure what to make of this. The regal Lady Viola, who always seemed composed, was now screaming like a madwoman while pushing the other students away. The knights that the group had taken along for this stroll appeared to have started running as well, with one of them sprinting to the side just to save himself. It was evident that everyone from that group was slowly prioritizing their own safety as the situation looked grim.

It was truly a chaotic display that she witnessed while being protected by the sturdy shield. To make matters even stranger, she spotted two other metallic spiders standing on the branches. She believed that these creatures probably belonged to an institute mage, but for some reason, they weren't protecting the seemingly more important high-noble; instead, they focused on her.

To make matters even more interesting, a strange buzzing noise sounded out from above her. When glancing up, she could see a figure descending, and when this person touched down, a large thud resonated throughout the area. It kicked up quite a bit of sand and made the ground crack. The person was wearing a robe that belonged to the Enforcement Department, but the more intriguing elements were the glowing runes and armor that he wore underneath.

She noticed that after the descent, the person took their time to glance in her direction. A strange glow emanated from their even stranger-looking magical helmet. Only after the glow passed did he turn in the direction of the five other students who, at this time, were being assaulted by various tier 1 and 2 monsters. With a wave of his hand, a spell was produced that shot out in a wide cone.

“Gravity control?”

It was a high-level spell that could only be materialized by advanced mages. There was no chanting involved, and it materialized almost instantly. Lucienne could see the massive amount of mana that this person was utilizing, and it was clear that this individual was an elite-level magician. To make things worse, the spell didn't only affect the monsters but also the five students who were trying to save themselves. All of them were forced down to the ground along with the creatures. It was as if this person didn't care about the five people they were saving at all and wanted to punish them along with the monsters.

The expression that her tormentor now presented was quite unique. Lucienne wasn't sure if she should be happy about it or not. The things that had been done to her throughout this year had been numerous, and they all originated from this person. Observing the once formidable Lady Viola now, she appeared like a scared child on the verge of soiling themselves, and by the looks of things, she actually did.

Who was this Enforcer who was not afraid of the potential backlash coming their way? Was this a new teacher who didn't know better? Would they be punished for it? Lucienne wasn't sure and wanted to warn them of the consequences. The Castellane household could not be trifled with, and this was something that she knew. However, before she could utter another word, another spell was used. This time, the five found themselves floating up into the air; even the person who had run away had been affected.

“Enough of this nonsense. This training area is off-limits to unauthorized personnel. You have endangered yourselves and others with your reckless actions. As per the Institute rules, you all are going to be detained, do not resist.”

The mysterious Enforcer spoke, their voice amplified by magic, resonating through the chaotic scene. The floating students were not gently lowered, but instead dropped down when they were close to two meters above the ground. The monsters were still being affected by the gravitational spell, rendering them immobile - a feat that must have consumed a tremendous amount of mana.

“What is the meaning of this? If you are a teacher you should know who I…”

“Silence. I didn’t say that you could talk.”

Before Viola Castellane could utter another word her voice had been taken from her by a simple sound-canceling spell. To Lucienne, this was a surreal image to see this girl angrily shouting but no words or sound coming from her mouth. She looked angry but soon had tired herself out from trying to scream while under the spell. Only after she had calmed herself did the Enforcer cancel the spell to ask a question.

“You seem to be the source of this mess. Explain yourself. Why did you trespass on the training grounds at this hour.”

“I… am Viola Castellane … you… do … not have the right … to question me…”

She replied, still looking angry and panting from exhaustion. The students started to slowly get up from the ground, and the knights even attempted to help Viola up, but she just batted their hands away. It was clear that she was angry, but it didn't seem like this Enforcer was willing to relent even after she mentioned her full name.

“Titles and names don't grant you immunity from the rules, Lady Castellane. All students are equal under the Institute rules and you will be punished severely for this transgression.”

Viola hesitated for a moment, realizing that her usual tactics were failing her in this situation. She took a deep breath and decided to provide an explanation and even her tone shifted. Instead of being authoritative she was now presenting herself as a scared child, someone that didn’t know better and as many times before, she shifted the blame on someone else.

"We were merely here to collect rare Blood-Vulture feathers for a class assignment. Our dear Lucienne was behind with her merit points so we all decided to help her out, isn’t that right… Lucienne?”

“Ah…”

Lucienne was at a loss for words but she knew that Viola would keep deflecting any an all responsibilities. It was clear that the other four students would confirm her claims and she would be used as the scapegoat, just like many times before. Her head dropped down and her shoulders slumped. Lucienne was ready to play along as there was no use fighting.

“You are really going to lie to me, an Institute Enforcer?”

Before Lucienne could play along with the farce, the other two chubby spiders jumped down from the branches, and along with the third, stood in a triangular position. From within their golemic eyes, a blue beam shot out to present a strange illusory image. It depicted a recording of the students before the monster stampede, clearly showing Viola as the ringleader and Lucienne as nothing more than bait for the vulture feathers.

“Care to explain?”

“I… this doesn’t prove anything… Who are you to question me… where is that oaf?”

Viola's face contorted into a strange expression as she was clearly unprepared for this situation. She kept trying to poke her brooch, which the Enforcer took note of.

“If you are trying to call for your aid, he won’t help you…”

The person looked to the side where a peculiar mechanical noise started coming from. Soon, from behind some trees, two metallic spiders, larger than the ones present, emerged. They were dragging a net behind them with seemingly a person inside. It was the teacher who had rescued Lucienne in the previous incident. He was quite bruised and barely breathing.

“As you can see, I dealt with your friend here. Do I need to remind you that attacking and attempting to bribe an Institute Enforcer is a heinous crime?”

“Elythaes, you... but how?”

Suddenly, Viola started looking very small, her face went quite pale, and after babbling some gibberish, she promptly fainted on the spot. Lucienne, on the other hand, looked at the Enforcer, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. Who was this person, and why did she have a strange feeling that she had met them before?