The Runesmith

Elodia blinked, caught off guard by her husband's unexpected question.

"Teaching? Me?"

She repeated, her voice laced with confusion.Roland nodded, his expression serious yet encouraging.

"Yes. You’ve already been running the orphanage so efficiently, guiding and nurturing those children. I’ve seen how they respect and look up to you. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine you teaching them - and others in a more structured way."

Before becoming Roland’s wife, Elodia had already worked for him as a store clerk. She had been perfect for the role, her years of experience as a guild receptionist making her exceptionally qualified. However, that was before Roland had risen to prominence as the Knight Commander. His new position brought heightened dangers to their lives. As his wife, Elodia was inevitably at risk as well.

The store itself posed challenges. As it attracted customers who were trained adventurers and potentially tier 3 class holders. Many individuals in this world didn’t require weapons to inflict harm or cause wanton destruction. In the past Arthur's brother’s knights had attacked her and Agni, something that still bothered him to this day.

If Roland could transition Elodia into a more controlled environment, such as a teaching institution, ensuring her safety would become significantly easier. He could station sentries throughout the building and conduct background checks on any new children allowed to participate. It was a plan that would protect her while allowing her to use her talents meaningfully.

"I don’t know... Teaching is quite different from running an orphanage. What exactly are you suggesting?"

Elodia’s tone was hesitant, but the fact that she hadn’t dismissed the idea outright gave Roland hope. Now he just needed to convince her.

"A school, of course. One where children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can learn practical skills - like literacy, mathematics, and maybe even some basic combat training.“

In this world, free schools didn’t exist. Education was a privilege of the wealthy, with nobles hiring private tutors to ensure their children excelled. It wasn’t a coincidence that more nobles acquired combat-related classes compared to commoners.

Leveling battle skills through training, as Roland himself had been forced to do, dramatically increased one’s chances. So did learning essential skills like reading and arithmetic. Even if these children didn’t obtain combat-oriented classes, the knowledge could still help them achieve a better station in life than becoming mere villagers or farmers.

"A school? Like one of those academies, the nobles use? That sounds... ambitious. Where would we even begin? And why are you bringing this up now? Is it because of that one customer?"

"Well... partially but I have been thinking about this for a while now."

Roland admitted with a nod. That one customer had played a role in sparking the idea, but it wasn’t the only reason. In truth, Roland believed his wife’s talents were being underutilized. She was far more capable than her current roles as a shop clerk and housewife allowed her to show. He thought she would be happier surrounded by children, using her skills in a way that made a lasting impact. A school that taught children to read, write, and defend themselves was just one concept, though. If she didn’t like it, there were other paths they could explore.

"If you don’t like that idea, we could think of other things..."

"Now hold on there,"

Elodia interrupted.

"I didn’t say no. The idea is... intriguing."

Elodia paused, clearly pondering the proposal. Roland could tell she was weighing the idea seriously. She folded her arms, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“It sounds noble, but also like a monumental undertaking. Who would fund it? Build it? Staff it?”

“Well, we would.”

Roland replied.

“We? It seems my dear husband hasn’t been keeping an eye on the ledger…”

Elodia raised an eyebrow.

“Unless you get Lord Arthur to finance this venture, we’d be hard-pressed to cover the costs on our own.”

“Were we really that in the red?”

“Well, a certain someone tends to buy all sorts of exotic materials every day and doesn’t restock his own shop too often… they also vanish for weeks or months and don’t really bring back anything to show for it, it’s a miracle that this shop even functions…”

“I… uh…”

Roland turned his head, feeling awkward as he was called out for his overspending. It was true. Despite earning a lot from selling equipment, he hadn’t been producing much lately. He’d also wasted a great deal of his gear during Robert’s rescue, blowing up all the golems in the process. After that, he had started tinkering with prototypes that couldn’t be sold. It seemed that in order to move forward, he’d need to return to his work or perhaps explore other ways to earn money.

“I thought so, well, once you take care of that problem, then I’ll give it a serious consideration.”

The idea of starting a school lingered in Roland's mind as he watched Elodia return to the shop. Her reaction was promising, though it came with many concerns that he was aware of. Funding was a valid point - one he couldn't ignore. His habit of hoarding rare materials for crafting and neglecting to restock the shop had undoubtedly stretched their resources thin. If this school were to become a reality, he’d need to fix his finances quickly.

At first, he pondered whether it would be fine to restructure the dorms into part of the school, but the thought of having more children near his workshop bothered him. The dorms operated as an orphanage, sustained by his work and Elodia’s. While the kids would eventually grow up and leave, it didn’t mean he could simply repurpose the space into something else. It could remain as a dormitory or an orphanage for other children. Perhaps even some of its old residents could manage it.

A better idea began to take shape - a proper institution within Albrook. There were still suitable locations where such a place could be built, and with Arthur’s help, securing the rights likely wouldn’t be a problem. However, this would be a massive undertaking. He would need to design a large building and ensure it was fully secured for Elodia’s use. She would probably be the only teacher at first, but in time, he envisioned her becoming the Headmistress, deciding how the institution would operate. Roland planned to be the main sponsor, but for that, he needed to earn a significant amount of money.

‘It always comes down to resources, but what’s the best way to go about this?’

Roland was a busy man with many demands and little aptitude for commerce. He could, in theory, lock himself in his workshop for a few months to earn enough money for the project, but he couldn’t afford to waste all that time. His level wasn’t advancing quickly enough, and he was keen to address that problem too.

‘I need a more permanent solution. I’ll always need more money, now and in the future - that’s a truth that never changes,’

Not much time had passed since he started working with mithril, but he knew there were far superior materials awaiting him in the future. Creating golems, developing new runic devices, and expanding his workshop all demanded more time and resources. If he relied solely on selling personally crafted items, he would be unable to focus on other projects or improve his combat skills.

‘I wish that Time Chamber idea was feasible, but that’s probably going to take years of research, and even then… It could be impossible. I should focus on building a factory instead. Let the golems handle assembly for me, even if I can’t create a rune assembly process, I should be able to minimize my involvement.’

Roland already had a solid plan for creating his first runic factory. He still had a large amount of unused old farmland where it could be constructed. That would likely become his next major building project, but it wasn’t his only priority. He also wanted to delve back into the dungeon to explore the layout of the B-rank portion or confirm if its rank wasn’t higher. From what he had gathered, adventurers were struggling to progress beyond a few floors, and no one had discovered a boss chamber yet.

“If I remember correctly, the guild offers rewards for bringing in new information about the dungeon, And if I manage to be the first to tackle the new boss, I might score some bonus treasure - perhaps something as valuable as Agni’s egg?”

The dungeon still held many secrets waiting to be uncovered. The basic portion of it had already been fully mapped by his golems, giving him a comprehensive view of the area. While he no longer had control over the mining section, he was still earning income through his golem rescue services. The reduction in adventurer deaths had made the dungeon a more popular destination, which, in turn, put more coins in Arthur’s pocket.

Even so, Roland couldn’t take everything from the dungeon for himself. The city also needed resources, and so did its soldiers. Balancing these demands was crucial; his survival was closely tied to the strength of Arthur’s troops.

‘It’s hard being a knight commander … but I’ll still keep the best stuff for me!’

Roland nodded to himself and returned to his workshop. Perhaps it was time for the Crimson Adventurer to make a comeback. However, before venturing forth, he needed to take care of a few preparations.

First on his list was his tamed wolf, Agni, who he intended to bring along. With so many undead creatures lurking in the dungeon, Agni’s divine constitution would be a tremendous advantage. Roland was aware that the Solarian Church might complain about his absence so he planned to take Agni through the back entrance to avoid any unnecessary encounters. While he had an agreement with the church, if Agni missed a few sermons, they would simply have to accept it.

‘I bet Agni will love going out and playing in the dungeon again. We haven’t had much time for exploring lately’

He also needed to review the guild’s list of monster parts in demand. His current objective wasn’t just to gain levels but also to earn money. Gathering sought-after monster parts was a reliable way to accomplish that. Since market demand for these parts often fluctuated, it was a good idea to update the mental list he had. It was also important to stay informed about areas other adventurers had already explored. While he had sensors placed throughout the dungeon, they didn’t cover every corner.

‘That shouldn’t be much of a problem. I’ll just have one of the soldiers fetch the list and give me a thorough report’

In the past, he would have prepared everything himself, but now he was a High Knight Commander - a position that placed him above most others and, in many people’s eyes, even above Arthur in terms of influence. With scribes among their ranks, having one of them gather this information would be a simple task.

‘Now then, I should probably take some spatial containers with me. Maybe some mining golems too?’

He wasn’t expecting anything extraordinary from this venture, but it was always better to be over-prepared. If he unearthed another mine filled with mithril or other valuable metals, it would be best to extract as much as possible before informing the Union. While he had a good relationship with the dwarves, they would undoubtedly try to monopolize any new mine for their own crafts.

‘Should I take a glance at the missing people list too?’

While preparing he wondered about his last visit where he encountered Rastix. The gnome proved to be an asset for his undertaking and even if his experiments sometimes blew up his lab, it was all deducted from his earnings. The runic prosthetic was only created thanks to him and with the help of the union, he was eventually planning to establish something similar to a clinic. There were many people with missing limbs and fingers which for a price could be helped without the need for tier 4 magic.

“I suppose, I should get to it?”

There was much to do, but with the help of others, he could focus on restoring some of his equipment. With Sebastian’s assistance, he contacted a few people within the city to arrange the creation of a report that could be delivered directly to his doorstep. Although the project was not yet complete, he was working on developing something akin to a fax machine - an invention capable of scanning flat papers and transmitting them to distant locations. For now, however, he decided to give his mind a brief respite by indulging in some basic runecrafting.

From a large box in the corner of the room, he retrieved a round metal sphere. It was a clean base for one of his most frequently used devices: a runic bomb. With a single strike of his hammer, the pale metal began to shimmer with a vivid blue glow. The light spread across the entire surface, instantly forming a functional spell structure that could be activated on command.

"I’ve come a long way, haven’t I?"

It took just one swing of his hammer to craft this high-tier 2 bomb, and only a bit more effort would be required to make it even more powerful. As he recently explained in his lectures, runes could be enhanced beyond their intended limits. For items like runic bombs, this process was particularly advantageous as overloading the structures wasn’t an issue since they were designed for single use.

Crafting these devices was straightforward, and they delivered an impressive amount of power. To make them even more versatile, he could imbue the explosion with any elemental attribute of his choice. This ability to adapt to various situations made the runic grenade one of the most effective weapons in his arsenal.

“Cheap and effective, the best kind of weapon.”

The night wore on as Roland delved deeper into his work, the rhythmic clang of his hammer ringing through the workshop. The faint blue glow of enchanted runes danced across his tools and materials, bathing the room in a serene light. Roland focused on replenishing his depleted stock of runic devices and gear. He also adjusted his armor and reinforced the enchantments on his gauntlets. His gear had gone through some use during Robert’s rescue but it was still in working order.

As the first rays of dawn crept through the windows, Roland found himself enjoying a hearty breakfast with his wife. They had already discussed his upcoming departure. She was accustomed to his frequent expeditions, but he couldn’t help wondering if her patience might eventually wear thin. To avoid any potential resentment, he resolved to complete his mission swiftly and perhaps return with a few gifts to soften any lingering annoyance.

“You worked through the night again, didn’t you?”

She asked, pouring him a cup of coffee.

“Had to catch up.”

Roland admitted sheepishly, his eyes flicking toward the window as though searching for a distraction.

“But more importantly, why does Agni look so down?”

Outside, his wolf lounged listlessly, his massive head flopped over the edge of the stable-sized doghouse.

“Oh, he’s always like that before the priests come to take him away. Can’t blame him; it must be boring to sit through hours of their rituals.”

“I see. Hey, Agni, come here for a minute.”

He had been working late into the night, sharing his plans only with Elodia. By now, he had received the report, packed all his gear, and was nearly ready to depart. In his haste, though, he’d forgotten to inform his loyal companion about their upcoming journey into the dungeon. Agni lifted his head slightly at Roland’s call, his ears perking up as if trying to decide whether it was worth moving. Roland sighed, realizing that he had perhaps been ignoring his partner for too long but his attitude also made him want to tease him more.

“Well that’s a shame, I suppose I’ll have to go to the dungeon alone, I was hoping you’d come with me, but if you’d rather stay here and listen to the priests drone on…”

Before he could finish the sentence Agni’s ears shot upright at the mention of the dungeon. The massive wolf bolted upright, shaking off his lethargy as his glowing eyes locked onto Roland. With a deep, resonant bark, he bounded toward the house, his tail wagging furiously.

“There we go.”

Roland chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the fur behind Agni’s ears as the wolf leaned into his touch, almost knocking out the window.

“I knew that’d get your attention.”

Elodia smirked, sipping her own coffee as she watched the interaction and the ensuing shaking of the house Agni was leaning up against.

“Well, have fun you two, and come back safely.”

“We will.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Worf!”