Return of the Legendary Runesmith

Allen stood alone in the gym, the late evening air thick with the smell of sweat and varnished wood.

His shirt clung to him, drenched through, each breath dragging in sharp and uneven. The wooden sword in his hand trembled slightly, no longer from frustration but from fatigue.

He had been at it for over two hours. Swing, step, recover. Swing, step, recover. Over and over, chasing after that fleeting moment—the moment during the ambush when his body had moved on its own.

Those steps without weight. That coiling, serpent-like shift. Precision so sharp it felt inhuman.

But now? Every attempt was clumsy. His foot dragged instead of gliding. His shoulders felt stiff instead of fluid. Each time he tried, it ended with him stumbling forward, blade wobbling, balance broken.

Why can't I do it again…?

The memory of that perfect motion burned in his muscles, yet the harder he reached for it, the further it slipped. It was like chasing a shadow with bare hands.

He grit his teeth, forcing his body into another attempt. His feet struck the floor too heavily, the sound of his step echoing through the empty gym—wrong, completely wrong. He tried again. And again. Until his thighs screamed, his calves cramped, and his lungs felt like fire.

Still, nothing.

Allen leaned against the wall, sweat dripping down his jaw and onto the floor. His vision blurred for a moment, his body begging him to stop.

"Haa… this is difficult." His hand dragged through his wet hair, pushing it back as he stared at the ceiling in frustration. His chest rose and fell in hard, uneven bursts.

He lowered himself to the ground, ready to end today's torture, when—

[Giving up so soon? Why don't you try a little longer?]

The voice. Again.

Allen squeezed his eyes shut. That inner voice had been forcing him more and more, never letting him rest.

'Do you want me to collapse right here? He grumbled inwardly. I trained in the morning, sparred with a classmate in the afternoon, and even lied to Olivia just to sneak in here after dinner. I've pushed my body enough for one day.'

[You do understand that what happened a few days ago could happen again, right? And not every time will someone appear to save you.]

"I know, okay." He groaned, falling back onto the wooden floor with a dull thud, his chest still heaving. "And I can just try to mimic the technique you showed me."

Silence for a moment. The gym's stillness pressed down on him like a blanket—until the voice returned, calm and steady.

[Your body carries great potential. That's why I revealed this technique to you. With enough training, you can make it your own. But you must understand—the world is shifting. Events are moving faster than they should. If this continues, war will come again.]

Allen blinked in disbelief. His lips moved before he thought. "Another war… You mean like the Great War from years ago?" He didn't really mean it. The words just slipped out.

[Yes. Possibly. And if you are not prepared to wear the mantle of protector… You will lose everything.]

The words struck him deeper than he expected.

Allen felt it then—a heaviness pressing down on his shoulders. Not real, yet unbearable all the same. The weight of responsibility.

His fingers tightened around the wooden sword.

He couldn't dismiss this voice. Not anymore. It had been too right, too many times.

And no matter how much he wanted to rest… a part of him already knew.

He had no choice but to keep moving forward.

.....

Not too far from the gymnasium, a certain couple strolled quietly through the garden.

After dinner, Ariana had suggested that Adrian take a walk. For recovery, she insisted, his body needed movement each day, no matter how small.

Annabelle had been the first to volunteer to accompany him, but the silver-haired woman swiftly pulled her aside, tucked her into bed, and made sure she stayed there.

Then, with a gentle excuse about finishing some work, Ariana had urged Ruby to join Adrian instead.

No one was foolish enough to miss the intention behind her words, but neither did anyone voice it aloud.

And so, for the past few minutes, Adrian and Ruby had walked in silence, side by side, beneath the soft glow of the night.

The moonlight spilled silver across the garden, painting everything in a quiet, dreamlike hue. A faint breeze brushed against their skin, cool yet soothing.

Adrian's steps were steady—he didn't need support to walk—but still, Ruby kept a hand on his arm, as though unwilling to let him move unguarded.

Finally, he broke the silence, his lips curving faintly. "You didn't know your father was about to propose?" His tone carried a teasing edge.

Ruby's cheeks warmed, but she shook her head. "I had no idea. I could never have imagined Father would actually… allow me to get engaged for this reason."

Her voice didn't carry even a hint of resentment. In truth, her real feelings about the engagement were far more complicated—feelings she feared might startle Adrian if he ever saw them clearly.

Still, she couldn't deny her surprise. Of all people, she never thought her father would take such a step.

"Well, let me know your thoughts on this. As you already guessed, I am just using you here. This engagement is something akin to political marriage." He was utterly honest with his words, allowing her to think this through before making the decision.

Ruby's gaze lowered, with a smile she said, "You already know how I feel about you, Adrian. Yet you are asking me if I am okay with this?"

Adrian turned silent...somehow, it felt like he was taking advantage of her feelings.

Silence didn't linger between them for long before Adrian said, "You are doing a big favor for me...is there anything I can do in return?"

Having the Vermillion family on his side would surely keep the Towers like Celestial Hall and Twilight Vault away for the time being.

And until they could find a way through the armour, Adrian would be ready with a plan to tackle this situation.

So yes, Ruby was his savior.

Ruby hesitantly held his hand, her slightly cold fingers wrapping around his index finger like a hesitant child as she asked, "Just...give me some of your attention and I will be happy."

Adrian smiled at her silently. And that smile was enough to assure her.

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you are enjoying the story so far, please leave a review.