The Runesmith

‘They seem a bit confused, I should probably bring out the visual aids.’

Roland was aware that his approach might face resistance from the scholarly mindset prevalent in this world, where learning predominantly involved books, and practical lessons were often limited to monster hunting and dungeon exploration. However, he favored a more hands-on approach to education, and opted to challenge the students with a puzzle. It would give their minds something new to tackle and perhaps allow some to see things from a different perspective.

To familiarize the students with the functionality of the square plates of metal, Roland introduced a runic device designed to project images. This technology mirrored the one he had employed in the hearing for playback of recordings. Externally, it resembled an elongated rectangle, akin to a steel beam used in constructing frameworks. Due to the limited time between his ongoing research efforts, this was the most of what Roland could prepare for the present moment.

“I’ll now demonstrate the basic runic principles. Please watch closely as you will have to combine the runic blocks afterward.”

Surprisingly, even the students who typically paid little attention in class found themselves captivated by the runic symbols displayed on the projected screen. The direct correlation between these symbols and the smaller steel plates laid out on the tables made it easy for them to grasp the connection between the visual representation and the runic blocks before them. The alignment of the symbols seemed to spark a newfound interest but he didn’t have their full attention quite yet.

“For the spell effect to take place, you must always end the runic structure with an emitter-type rune, otherwise the runic circuit will not be able to activate…”

Certain terms related to circuitry seemed to cause confusion among the students. Roland's approach, rooted in practical testing and drawing parallels between the runic language and circuit boards, diverged significantly from the conventional understanding of this world. The concept of an operating system was foreign to them, but Roland remained unfazed. His primary goal was to deliver a lecture satisfactory enough to avoid expulsion from the Institute, and their understanding of the subject was of secondary concern.

Who he was more interested in today was Professor Delauder. He had come to the class to keep his eye on him for the lecture. Delauder appeared determined to find any pretext that would warrant Roland's expulsion. One such reason would be his failure to conduct a class today. Roland had to remain vigilant as he needed to safeguard this position until his research was done.

“Now, please put away the runic pieces and pay attention, I will showcase their use.”

Upon concluding his explanation, Roland noticed the students still appeared bewildered. They continued shifting the square tiles around, magnetizing them to each other without fully comprehending the purpose. It wasn't until Roland employed his mage hand spell, manipulating a few runic structures and connecting them together, that the students finally grasped the essence of the lesson.

“As you can see, if you complete the structure in the correct order and infuse it with a bit of your mana, you will garner a spell effect.”

The practical demonstration brought clarity as a simple ball of light emanated from the connected runic elements. Roland's approach mirrored the grueling process he underwent during his time as a Runic Blacksmith. Secluding himself in an Inn room, he engaged in a rigorous process of elimination, gradually comprehending the meaning of each runic component and how their assembly could yield different results. This lecture essentially recreated the same experiment, providing the students with the knowledge to produce various spell effects through the manipulation of runic structures.

“Now then, you will all attempt to mimic this process, assemble the runic pieces together correctly and it will produce an effect.”

“Oh, how interesting!”

Observing from the sidelines, Arion commented on the students' increasing interest in the lesson. While some remained hesitant to participate, others began experimenting with the metallic squares. After a few minutes, diverse light effects started to manifest, captivating the students as they noticed variations in colors and shapes. The hands-on experience had successfully captured their attention and ignited a sense of curiosity among them.

“Look, I made an orange triangle!”

“Why is this square blue… I wanted it to be purple…”

“Silly, you need to mix blue with red to get a purple color.”

“Oh!”

Roland continued to guide the students through the process to the point of actively offering assistance where needed. The atmosphere began to shift from initial skepticism to a more lively engagement. The students, once hesitant, were now actively collaborating, sharing ideas, and experimenting with different combinations of runic symbols. Even the ones that weren’t paying attention didn’t want to get excluded and finally decided to take part.

Delauder, however, continued to wear a disapproving expression, discontent with the unexpected success of Roland's unconventional teaching methods. As the session progressed, Roland noticed that some students were struggling to understand the nuances of runic assembly. He decided to circulate among the groups, providing guidance and answering questions.

“That’s it for today, please place everything back to their original location.”

“Eh? Is it already over?”

“No fair, I wanted to make a rainbow…”

As the lesson came to an end, Roland was surprised to find that some students expressed a desire to continue experimenting with the runic structures. Their enthusiasm and pleading looks caught him off guard. While Roland couldn't fault them for finding the practical lesson interesting and enjoyable, he couldn't shake the feeling that he might have made a mistake with his current approach, perhaps underestimating the appeal of hands-on, interactive learning.

‘... They won’t make me do this again, right?’

Despite the appearance of a nuanced and carefully planned approach, the truth was that Roland had hastily put together a few elements to avoid having to speak extensively during the lecture. His expectation was that only a handful of students would be interested, with the rest possibly dozing off against the trees. Contrary to his assumptions, however, the students enthusiastically embraced the rudimentary runic components, treating them like new toys to be explored and assembled. Roland found himself taken aback by the unexpected level of engagement and even more by Arion’s words.

“Just magnificent, I just can’t wait for the next lecture, wait, don’t tell me! Will it be another puzzle or maybe something more theoretical?”

“Next lecture…”

To make things worse he actually had a few ideas to make the lectures more interesting. As a runesmith at heart, he envisioned incorporating runic devices that even regular mages could interact with - such as the multipurpose staff he had used in the past. This staff, depending on the area of mana infusion, could produce various magical spells. He decided to keep this fact to himself as preparing for this lecture did take some time away from his research.

“Hmph…”

Professor Delauder, still watching closely, approached Roland with a stern expression.

“Interesting approach, assistant professor. However, I would advise you to stick to the traditional methods of teaching. This... experimentation might not bode well for the academic reputation of the Institute.”

Roland just nodded without replying while the man walked away.

“Hah, what is that buffoon talking about? I bet that he is just afraid that my department is garnering more interest from the students! Just look, there are twice as many people here than before… and maybe…”

As Arion spun around in midair, visibly excited at the prospect of increased funding and student interest, Roland couldn't help but attribute the enthusiasm to his growing reputation. His notoriety as the man who defeated a high-level magical swordmaster seemed to be a key factor. The students, being primarily interested in strength, likely perceived Roland's runic lessons as a pathway to uncovering the secrets behind his formidable power. The allure of strength and the intrigue surrounding Roland's abilities had successfully captured the students' attention. That the lessons were interesting and fun, was just the icing on the cake.

“This was such an eye-opening lecture, I might have to reconsider how I should perform the lectures, you have my thanks, my friend!”

“You’re welcome?”

“How will I ever be able to thank you!”

“You can start by helping me to clean this place up?”

As the lecture concluded, Roland noticed that not all students had taken the initiative to tidy up after themselves. Some tables remained in disarray, and Roland had the task of clearing them.

“Ah, look at the time, I have to get back to my research!”

Arion, leveraging his Department Head privileges, opted to avoid the cleanup and promptly left. Roland found himself left behind to address the mess and consider potential new presentations for the following week.

‘Should I just let them play with the golems or something?’

*****

“Lowly miscreant, this won’t end the way you want it, I will see to it…”

A somewhat annoyed scholarly man strode through the halls of the Institute, receiving respectful nods from those he passed. His name was Delauder, a reputable Department Head. However, after the peculiar lecture conducted by the new assistant professor, he found himself irked. Delauder viewed him as little more than a hoodlum, seemingly desecrating the sacred halls of the Institute with his unorthodox methods.

Delauder perceived himself as a role model, expecting students to aspire to his level of scholarly achievement rather than emulate what he viewed as the lesser pursuits of adventurers. Despite his disdain for the new assistant professor, he was not foolish enough to confront the man directly. Witnessing the events during the hearing made him cautious, understanding that any disruption or overt animosity might be recorded, leading to potential consequences.

“Professor, please keep up the good work!”

“Of course,”
As Delauder navigated through the corridors, he encountered one of the servants from a noble house. A charming lady in a serving uniform, her duties revolved around tending to the wishes of her masters. Such servants were a rare sight on campus, often residing in dorms designated for higher nobles and only emerging when summoned or accompanying their noble employers.

The lady servant curtsied politely before presenting Delauder with a small container, which he swiftly concealed within one of the spatial pockets in his robe. Offering her a nod, she continued on her way. Delauder paused for a moment, casting cautious glances around. Concerned about the potential discovery of this act, he had become uneasy ever since witnessing the recording technology and learning of the Enforcement Department's plans to implement it throughout the entire Institute. The fear of being constantly monitored had taken a toll on his peace of mind.

“I’m being too paranoid, they haven’t gotten the approval from the Headmistress yet and perhaps they never will…”

He disappeared down the corridor until reaching a seemingly dead end. Extracting a golden key from his pocket, Delauder inserted it into a hole in the wall that materialized out of nowhere. After turning the key, a door opened, allowing him to step through. On the other side, he entered a spacious study where a person with a long white beard sat behind a desk, clad in wizardry robes.

“Master, we need to do something about that swindler, he does not belong in this institute.”

“Oh, he doesn’t? Has he broken any of the rules?”

“Not yet…but Vice Headmaster, we need to do something!”

The master wizard, a figure of great influence within the Institute, peered at Delauder over the rim of his glasses. His office was filled with shelves of ancient tomes and magical artifacts, creating an atmosphere of profound wisdom.

“Delauder, my old student, the Institute has always embraced diversity in its faculty. If this assistant professor has not violated any rules, there's little we can do to remove him. It wouldn’t do for us to become tyrants, suppressing new ideas and methodologies.”

‘He always like this… saying one thing but thinking something else…’

The person seated at the desk was Master Rathos, someone Delauder had studied under in the past. Rathos held a position just below that of the Headmistress, Yavenna Arvandus, though in certain situations, his influence surpassed hers. Unlike Arvandus, who kept to herself, Rathos recognized the importance of networking for true power. However, he was careful not to engage in anything that might tarnish his reputation. Unless there was a clear advantage to be gained, he preferred to adhere to established protocols, especially when it came to official business.

“But, master, he is undermining the traditional teachings of the Institute! The students are getting distracted, and they are starting to question the superiority of our way of learning and that recent incident… if this continues, our associates will start to complain…”

“Ah yes, our dear associates… we can’t have that… Hm…”

The man smiled and began to stroke his long white beard. Delauder remained quiet as he knew that his master was quite the shrewd man and would probably come up with a solution to his current dilemma.

“Oh, how about this then!”

“Yes, master?”

“The young students should be at the correct age for further development, correct?”

“Do you perhaps mean, the advancement classes?”

“Yes, precisely those. The girl involved in the recent incident, her level is relatively low, and she would likely be included in the advancement class, wouldn't she?”

“I see... but what about…”

“About our friend from the Runic Department? I was getting to that, so impatient.”

“My apologies, Master.”

Delauder bowed his head, apologizing to Rathos, who continued speaking.

“Considering his performance, I don't see why he can't tag along as one of the main guardians for the advancement class. I'll just need to put in a few good words. I'm sure that, considering the recent incident, no one will find fault in such a decision.”

Delauder nodded as Rathos revealed the main plan, an ingenious approach that could address multiple issues with a single move. The plan appeared faultless, leaving little room for blame to be placed on them even if something went awry. Delauder understood that making this plan a reality required contacting individuals operating outside the Institute. Even if only the girl participated, it would already be sufficient to appease the interests he served.

“If I remember correctly, the advancement classes were scheduled to take place within a few weeks, but we could probably advance the date. Think you'll be able to take care of the rest?”

“Yes, Master, leave it to me!”

“Great, well then I still have some work to do. Was this all?”

“Yes, Master Rathos.”

Delauder turned to leave the study, the wheels of his mind already turning as he contemplated the best way to implement Rathos's plan. As he stepped out of the hidden door, he found himself in the same corridor where he had encountered the lady servant.
The small container she had given him concealed a substantial quantity of golden coins. To ensure this lucrative business continued, Delauder was prepared to go to war with the new assistant professor. Through this new plan, such a confrontation now seemed not only possible but also strategically advantageous.

“Now, who should I contact first?”

As the Delauder departed from Rathos' study, the old wizard emitted a sigh of annoyance. The magical quill he had been using to write words onto his parchment halted as he stood up from his seat. With a wave of his hand, he caused the drapes to close, plunging the room into darkness. The only source of light emanated from a mirror placed next to a large dresser.

“That I need to contend with such greedy idiots…”

Approaching the mirror, Rathos observed a peculiar aura of light emanating from it. For a brief moment, his reflection transformed into a grotesque figure covered in blisters and malignant-looking warts. With another wave of his hand, the unsettling image vanished, replaced by what seemed to be an empty room bearing no resemblance to the study. Soon after, flames emerged one after another around a large table, with his mirror represented by one of those same flames.

“Ah, Seat of Azure, early as always.”

“There is no such thing as being too early, seat of Crimson…”

The mirror reproduced Rathos's voice in a different manner than usual and facilitated him in listening to the conversation among the other flames. Once the room was filled with all of them, attention shifted toward a particular flame, the one with a hue of purple.

“Seat of Violet, we need an explanation…”

A pitch-black flame expanded in size as it posed the question. The mirror used by Rathos started to quiver and displayed a few cracks. It appeared that the violet flame was facing some trouble, and the wizardly man couldn't help but smile at their predicament.