The Runic Alchemist

Damian and Toph munched on a plate full of delicacies when two second-ranker knights in full Highsword armor approached them.

"Morph Vialist, you need to come with us," said one of them as the other slowly rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Can I finish first? We're hungry," Damian replied nonchalantly, though ten spells hovered invisibly around him, ready to launch at a moment's notice.

"The Headmaster has demanded your presence immediately," the second knight said, his grip on the sword tightening.

"Let me finish, and I'll go wherever the hell you want," Damian replied, releasing a small fraction of his aura. The chilling oppressive pressure made both knights flinch and rethink their approach to the issue.

"Guess, A few minutes won't matter much," the first knight muttered, sweat rolling down his temple.

"Oh, thanks!" Damian beamed, his tone cheerful.

The knights stood awkwardly nearby, watching as Damian and Toph leisurely finished their meal.

"Wheee!" Toph exclaimed with satisfaction after swallowing the last bite. Damian, too, drained his glass of juice before getting up.

Picking up Toph and wiping his face, Damian followed the knights to the Headmaster's office. They knocked, and as the door opened, the knights quickly walked away, eager to distance themselves from him.

Worldscribe, just took a long look at him from Toph perched on his head to his comfortable leather shoes. Then looking away, far outside the glass window she gestured for him to take a seat.

Damian nodded in thanks and sat down.

Worldscribe was an ideal professor looking out of all the professors at the academy. She even had those customary glasses with a gold frame. Expensive. Her half grey hair and proud, mature, business woman appearance tried best to hide the dangerous amount of mana she was holding. A mage for sure, and not just any mage - one with plenty of mana. Must be from one of those ancient lineage families - same as him.

"Do you enjoy the cold winds of our island?" she asked, her eyes still fixed on the window. "They say it's cold, I never experienced it before.."

"It sure is a bit chilly here," Damian replied, nodding sagely. "Not ideal for flying."

At last, she turned to him, her sharp brown eyes seeming to pierce through his defenses.

"You hurt a professor," she stated, her tone measured. "A second-ranker knocked out in seconds. They praised your potions but never mentioned your talent as a runesmith."

Mages, high leveled mages to be exact liked to play with words, flexing their high INT.

Good thing about laden with runic bracers, and other runic tools all over his body - no one was ever sure if he really used them or not for a spell.

Damian did not reply, just smiling at her as if she had praised him, which she kind of did.

"There will be a penalty for that," she continued.

"For him?" Damian asked, full of confidence.

Her expression answered him before her words did.

"Penalty for getting knocked out? For losing enough blood that a Highsword healer had to be called?" she retorted.

"He wanted my friend," Damian said, motioning to Toph. "I refused. It bruised his fragile ego, and he foolishly attacked me—in front of the whole class. Is self-defense also against the mighty Highsword rules?"

"You could have clearly shown restraint," she said, her tone softening ever so slightly.

"I was scared," Damian replied, smiling innocently again.

He caught the briefest twitch of her eyebrow—annoyance, perhaps, or disbelief. Hard to tell with people like her. Now that he thought about him, he was surrounded by a lot of people like her.

Why can't people be honest with their feelings like him..?

"Regardless, such behavior cannot be tolerated. You are banned from Beast Studies. Since you only chose six classes, you won't be able to complete the year without it. Prepare to repeat the year."

Damian just nodded along. More than punishment, it felt like she was inviting him to stay here another year. Well, he never cared much about finishing the academy - it was more like a hobby. And time to relax after his research and crafting runic items. And she could undo the "Punishment" anytime she wanted. It might be devastating for some heir of a noble family. For him, it was just another inconvenience.

"I may reconsider," she added as he stood to leave, "if you achieve something of importance for the academy." Ah, she wanted him to do something for her.

"And what might that be?" he asked, playing along.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"The Hall of Glory might offer some ideas. Or you could contribute your unique knowledge or items to the academy. For the good of the students, of course."

"Of course," Damian replied with a grin as false as hers.

With lunch break still 20 minutes away and an hour of lunch break combined, Damian decided to use the time productively and headed to his lab. Passing the closed doors of other labs, he noticed one was open—the one right beside his. He didn't need mana sense to know who was inside.

Peeking in, Damian saw two fluffy ears twitching as their owner worked diligently, sketching and writing on multiple pages.

"Hey!" Damian called out to Reize.

"Wheee!" Toph helped cheerfully.

Startled, the girl flinched, but immediately recognized the boy and elephant looking at her from the open entrance door.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, turning back to her work.

"Class ended early. You?"

"I don't go to classes. Only exams.."

"Ahh.." Damian saw a role model in her.

"Come here," she said, gesturing. "Take a look at this."

Damian didn't hesitate. He was hoping to see what she was working on. Stepping inside, his eyes were immediately drawn to a set of mechanical wings mounted on the wall.

The wings, made of interlocking metallic feathers, shimmered faintly as they caught the light, each segment connected with tiny, precise gears and hinges. At the center was a backpack-like apparatus filled with runes, its compact, angular design hinting at both functionality and durability.

The overall aesthetic was a blend of industrial ingenuity and artistic finesse, as if it had been designed by someone with equal parts engineering skill and a flair for the dramatic. The wings seemed both heavy and impossibly delicate, an artifact showing both the incredible machinery and a crazy dreamer's imagination.