Chapter 73: Runology
September 11th, Year 1420.
Dawn barely kissed the horizon when Raven rose, the chill of the morning air brushing against his skin. Spear in hand, he practiced for an hour, each thrust and parry slicing the silence of the empty hall. His movements were precise, deliberate, each repetition engraving perfection deeper into muscle memory.
An hour later, he left the master bedroom and almost collided with Emanuel, who walked along the corridor, a file clutched under one arm.
"What is it?" Raven asked, curiosity lacing his tone.
"This file contains all the information you requested about shops selling Magical Beast corpses, My Lord," Emanuel said, pausing as he studied Raven's expression. "Due to the Wizard Alliance's restrictions on selling magical items to mortals, ordinary shops offer only Mutated corpses—and even those cost around 5,000 gold coins. For Rank-2 or Rank-3 corpses, we must rely on black-market auctions."
He handed Raven a document from the file.
"Seven Calls in Bloodstone City is a well-known black-market organization. They auction peak Rank-2 Magical Beasts every weekend. To participate, one needs a recommendation badge from a Seven Calls member."
Emanuel produced a badge-like emblem, placing it carefully in Raven's hand.
"This badge," Emanuel explained, "came from your friend when I inquired through the Mercenary Guild. You may use it freely."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "A friend of mine has connections in Bloodstone City? Isn't that near Great Hillcrow Woodlands, one of the empire's seven most dangerous places?"
[There is a trace of shadow elemental power etched into it. Probably a tracking spell.] Zera's voice whispered inside his mind.
"Oh? And who is this generous friend?" Raven asked, puzzled.
"Martin Amell, My Lord," Emanuel answered.
Raven's thoughts flickered. A member of the Amell family… can they still track me if the badge is in my inventory?
[No. Your inventory resides in your soul. Not even a Divine could locate it.]
Raven's lips curved. "Good." He stored the badge and glanced over the documents.
"Next is information about the Iron Peak City black auction house. Hosted by the Duke of Arcturus, it only allows nobles and wizards. Auctions occur once every three months. The next is scheduled for November 3rd."
"And the train tickets?" Raven asked.
"Departure from Giaris today. Arrival in Bloodstone City on the 14th, staying until the 16th morning. The black-market auction is on the 15th, giving ample preparation time." Emanuel handed the final document.
"This contains information about the official Wizard auction house in the Royal Capital. Participation requires registration with the Wizards Guild, the 'Crows Misery' Academic-affiliated organization for all Wizards in the Empire. More details can be gathered after registration."
Raven stored the documents in his inventory, eyes narrowing. Even if I attend, I lack the funds to purchase anything yet.
Shaking his head, he descended the staircase with Emanuel, breakfasted quickly, and prepared to leave. Outside, three attendants waited: a thirty-year-old maid, a tall middle-aged man, and a young woman, each holding luggage neatly arranged beside the carriage.
"Everything is ready, My Lord. Departure at 10:45 A.M.," Emanuel handed him four tickets.
Raven stored them in his inventory. "Take care of the mansion until our return."
He nodded at the others. "Let's go."
Jacob, Selene, and Stephanie followed. The carriage lurched forward, leaving Bristol Street, passing Salford Borough, and veering southward.
An hour later, the carriage stopped before Azmar Railway Station. Raven lifted the curtain, eyes drinking in the scene.
The station rose grandly, iron-and-glass canopies stretching over platforms, shielding passengers from fog and dust. Red-brick walls were adorned with intricate carvings; sunlight streamed through arched windows, illuminating the polished interior. Porters hustled with heavy trunks. Steam hissed, coal smoke lingered, and the chatter of passengers mingled with the metallic clatter of wheels.
"What does Azmar mean?" Raven asked.
"Named after the Azmar Woods to the east, My Lord," Jacob replied. "The previous count sourced wood and minerals from there. Your town shares the name due to its proximity."
Raven nodded, taking in every detail—the high vaulted ceilings, chandeliers casting warm light, marble floors reflecting bustling travelers.
"How long will we stay in the capital?" Stephanie asked, eyes tracing the ornate station walls.
"The distance from Giaris to Red Ember City is roughly 4,000 kilometers," Raven explained, leading the way toward ticket verification. "Six days by train, but we'll stop in Bloodstone City for two days. I plan to visit Hillcrow Woodlands during that stay. We should reach the capital by the 19th. Duration there depends on circumstances."
Tickets in hand, Raven ushered them toward the platform. Steam locomotives gleamed under the morning sun, wheels poised for the journey ahead. They boarded the reserved compartment, plush seats welcoming them.
The whistle blew, and the train slowly gained speed, carrying them through rolling fields. Raven leaned back, closing his eyes. "I'll meditate most of the time. Do not disturb unless an emergency arises, Mr. Jacob."
Jacob's hand rested on the compartment door. "No one will approach, My Lord. Rest assured."
Raven sank into his seat, entering the memory library.
For three days, he immersed himself in the Basic Rune Language, sharpening spearmanship in the illusion world between sessions. By the night of the 13th, he had memorized the basic runes.
Is it time to create the Elemental Circlet Technique?
[Not yet. Wait until Bloodstone City. Engraving the Elemental Circlet Array in your Mind Space must be done quietly.]
"Mind Space?" Raven frowned.
[It's a space connecting your soul, body, and consciousness. Yours is unique—merged in a way that opened a path to your sea of consciousness.]
"I don't understand."
[You'll comprehend once you create your Elemental Circlet Array. For now, experience my owner's memories—his past life.]
"Runeth's memories? Will I learn a new skill?"
[No. He was an Ancient Wizard, later a Dual-Class Mystic. Main class: Historian. Subclass: Artisan. His knowledge of Ancient Wizardry, Rune Study, and Artisan craft is stored in the memory library.]
Raven blinked. "Two classes?"
[Yes. You must master Runology, too. With it, you can disguise yourself as a Wizard while keeping your Warlock-Alchemist identity intact.]
Raven's mind reeled. 'Preparations for my aunt… proving her innocence…'
[Exactly. Royalty will resist acknowledging your claim. Using Thomas Holmes as a Runology Wizard creates separation between identities, avoiding suspicion.]
Raven nodded, comprehension dawning. He approached a shelf labeled Runology, pausing before a book titled Basics of Runes. An invisible force barred him from opening it.
[Let me help.] Zera pushed the book against his chest. It dissolved into an illusion and entered him.
Suddenly, his vision blurred. Memories flooded in: a child struggling with rune inscriptions, painstakingly creating array circles, speaking in a strange tongue. Raven felt each moment as if it were his own. Time slowed.
Thirty minutes passed in silence, Raven absorbing the full weight of Runeth's childhood trials.
Without the Basic Rune Language, I'd have understood nothing.
[Exactly why you learned it first. You could have mastered Easica Language too, but there's never enough time.]
Raven shook his head and moved to the next book: Creation of Magic Arrays. Two more tomes later, he turned to the spellbook shelves.
"Which spellbooks are suitable for Selene?" he asked.
[Dream Walk, Dream Harvest, and Alter Dream. She must internalize these before reaching the Royal Capital.]
Raven's eyes narrowed. Nodding, he began memorizing and transcribing the spell models meticulously, preparing Selene for the trials ahead.