Return of the Legendary Runesmith

"Hmm…" Albec hummed as he read through the list Adrian had sent—the things he wanted in return for preparing the artifacts.

A few things startled him, and a few things was within his expectations. He was shocked, though, that he didn't ask for the ancient notes which were in Tia's possession.

It took Albec two days to convince that woman, but thankfully, she wouldn't be losing her precious notes.

"Isn't it a bit too much?" Dallen asked cautiously. "I thought he might do it willingly, for the sake of people's safety."

Albec let out a sigh. "The fact that he agreed at all shows his compassion for innocent lives. After what the Tower has done recently, I half-expected he wouldn't even meet you."

Dallen fell silent. He knew too well the blunders Celestial Hall had committed, and how easily they could shake anyone's faith.

Leaning back in his seat, Albec continued, "What matters here is people's safety."

"Sir…" Dallen hesitated before pressing on. "Shouldn't we be part of this whole incident as well? If we leave it to Midnight Ascent and the others to build the barriers, they'll gain all the credit—not us."

He wasn't suggesting sacrifices—never that—but if they were going as far as fulfilling Adrian's outrageous demands to protect the people, shouldn't their Tower at least gain something in return?

Albec hummed again. "You're not wrong. The offer sounds tempting. But in the end, I feel, this will fail, and people will again point their fingers at the Towers. Better we stay in the background and quietly do our duty."

Dallen lowered his gaze. He didn't dare argue. Albec was a Tower Master for a reason. He must have considered all possibilities beforehand.

Albec glanced back at the list and said, "I'll give you an address. Retrieve the materials and deliver them to Professor Adrian as soon as possible."

Dallen raised his brows. "So…we're agreeing to all his requests?"

Albec's lips curved into a faint smile. "I never once thought of rejecting them."

….

New day, same work.

Adrian woke up early at five, as usual, and changed into warmer but flexible clothes.

Since Ariana was on her period, he had asked her not to wake early for training.

Annabelle was a natural late riser, so it was just him preparing for the run.

Lately, Annabelle had been staying in Ariana's room. Thankfully, Ariana agreed. Otherwise, there was a good chance she would have been caught by now.

Adrian couldn't help but feel guilty for not giving Ariana and Annabelle more of his time these days. But once he reached his goal in the Fifth Thread, he would finally have the freedom to spend a few hours with them again.

Stepping out of the room, he made his way downstairs.

"Good morning, sir."

"Morning, Professor."

A few students greeted him, and Adrian answered with a smile.

As he hopped on his feet to warm up, the rings around his neck slipped out from under his shirt.

His eyes landed on the second ring—the one he had added recently. The memory of his engagement came rushing back.

And with that, another thought struck him. Today is my birthday. He had almost forgotten.

Birthdays had never been special to him.

In his past life, he rarely celebrated. With no close friends, he never even revealed the date.

Yes, there were two years when he celebrated—and those two years remained unforgettable.

It was when he had been in a relationship.

Before her, his birthdays were simple: a small donation to an orphanage or church, followed by bringing home his favorite snacks and soda to mark the day.

After his breakup, Adrian stopped caring about birthdays. Even if he told someone, there was no one who would have cared.

Haah… well, won't you wish me, system? he asked as he slowed to a stop after his tenth lap around the academy.

Sweat glistened on his forehead, his breathing slightly uneven.

[You are one step closer to your death. Congratulations, host.]

"..." That was certainly one way to remind him he was getting older.

He didn't mind.

But… what about my present?

[The host is already fulfilled in every possible way. What more could this system grant you?]

Adrian hummed. Maybe another clue about the past?

[Time remaining: 2d 16h.]

"..." Wow. Just wow. Instead of giving him what he asked for, the system had chosen to remind him of the looming task.

Quite sassy.

Regardless, Adrian wrapped up his morning routine and headed back to his room.

After a quick bath, he changed into his formal clothes.

Today's schedule was tight—four hours of regular classes, followed by two extra sessions for the third-years.

Naturally, he planned to spend his evening inside the Time Chamber, while also setting aside time outside to continue his study of the Fifth Thread.

This wasn't the first time he had pushed his body and mind to the limit.

In his past life, he juggled his own studies, a part-time job, and home tuitions. He had to cover his expenses while slowly chipping away at the debt his parents had left behind.

So no—he wasn't annoyed, nor was he tired. And unlike back then, this time he was doing something he loved: learning and teaching.

Before heading to class, though, he stopped by Ariana's room to check on her.

Knock.

"Come in," her voice called from the other side.

Adrian turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

Ariana sat surrounded by files, her brows furrowed as she read intently.

Adrian walked over and asked softly, "Everything alright?" He set down the chocolates he had picked up from the cafeteria.

Without looking up, Ariana replied, "Just some urgent work. It's about the outer perimeter. I need to meet the contractor today."

Adrian frowned. "But wasn't the deal already finalized?"

Ariana let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you know how these people are? Always looking to squeeze out a few extra coins." Finally, she lifted her gaze to him. "I'll be out for most of the day…probably back by dinner."

Adrian sighed. "Not the best time of month for you to be pushing yourself hard. Take care."

Ariana's expression softened into a warm smile as she stood, picking up the chocolates. "Thanks for this."

Adrian smiled back, gave a small nod, and turned to leave. His class was waiting.

But as he stepped out of the office, his expression shifted slightly.

Did she forget about today?

He wasn't a child who would throw a fuss if someone close forgot his birthday. Still, it surprised him.

Then again, she had plenty to handle. Adrian shook the thought aside and headed toward his first class.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading and don't forget to drop a comment.