The Runesmith

"Kya~ It's a kitty!"

A woman's voice was heard and was accompanied by words of protest.

"Young lady, unhand me this instant! I am not a common house cat! I am a Reputable professor and Rune Mage!"

The person in question was Arion, and he was in the process of having his head petted. Despite his loud protests, this didn't deter his tormentor, Lobelia the half-elf. She had noticed a floating cat approaching and was instantly smitten by the small, cute creature. It didn't matter that this person was a powerful mage from the Institute; she ran up to him and began scratching behind his feline ears.

"Hah, that cat is quite chatty. Are you sure it's not some sort of monster? How did it get into the city?"

"I am not an 'it' you brute! Where is Professor Wayland?"

Not far from Lobelia was a large man, Armand. He was there leaning against a door leading to the temporary workshop. Roland turned from his workbench just as Arion's indignant voice filled the room. The sight of the usually composed Rune Mage being manhandled by Lobelia was both amusing and concerning. He knew Arion well enough to know that he wouldn't do anything drastic but he wasn't sure how long it would take before a spell was cast in retaliation.

"Lobelia, let him go, that's not a cat, it's a person."

Lobelia reluctantly released Arion, her hands falling to her sides as she sheepishly stepped back. Arion quickly floated up, regaining his composure and shaking out his fur in a huff.

"Finally! I don't have time for this nonsense. I did not travel all the way to be mistreated!"

Arion muttered under his breath, shooting Lobelia a glare before hovering toward the door where Armand stood nearby. The temporary workshop had windows, but they were all sealed with layers of metal and runic spells. Roland didn't want anyone to peek inside, so the door was the only way in. The runes on the door blinked for a moment before it swung open, allowing Arion to pass through. Once inside, he saw his friend Roland tinkering with some strange items, which immediately piqued his interest.

Arion floated closer, his curiosity overcoming his irritation. His sharp eyes scanned the various components strewn across the workshop. The intricate machinery, arcane tools, and partially assembled devices were a sight to behold. Roland was deep in concentration, adjusting a complex mechanism with a steady hand, seemingly unfazed by the earlier commotion.

"I received your message. This is quite the operation you've set up, Professor Wayland. I assume this is related to the trial? And that you're planning something beyond the conventional?"

Roland set down the mechanical limb he had been working on. Its fingers wiggled and contorted unnaturally, as he had not yet installed the limiters. Without limits on the joints, the digits bent back at angles exceeding ninety degrees - something that would certainly injure anyone using this as a power glove.

"Yes, Professor Arion. I'm glad you could make it, I apologize about Lobelia there, she isn't too versed around magic."

Roland replied, his smile remaining unnoticed under the runic helmet that he was wearing. The possibility of people discovering his identity was quite high, so his armor needed to stay on.

"Your expertise will be invaluable for what I have planned."

Arion's eyes gleamed with intrigue as he settled onto a cleared spot on the workbench, curling his tail neatly around his paws.

"I must admit, your message was cryptic but enticing. A prototype runic apparatus capable of bridging the gap between tiers? Ambitious, even for you."

Roland rose from his seat, his gaze moving to the large board stuck to the wall. There a schematic of what they would be building was already hanging and waiting for Arion's input.

"You assume correctly, Arion. We're building something that has never been seen before - a suit of armor that in theory should be enough to boost its wearer's power exponentially, even allowing them to bridge the gap between tiers. But before we start, have others arrived with you?"

"Yes, they will be here after working out our accommodations at the inn."

Arion wasn't the only one Roland had called from the Institute. The dwarven craftsmen from the runic department were also highly competent helpers. Both Arion and the craftsmen were part of the runic department, making them ideal for completing this project. Since the craftsmen didn't have much work at the moment, taking them away for a little over a week wasn't an issue. With their help and nine days remaining, Roland hoped to have the suit combat-ready before the deadline.

While they prepared, Arion studied the schematic intently, his eyes narrowing as he took in the intricate details. The concept was audacious - building a suit that could amplify the capabilities of its wearer to the point where they could stand against an opponent tens of levels higher, even going past a tiers, it was nothing short of revolutionary. If successful, it could not only save Robert but change the way battles were fought.

"This... is beyond ambitious, Wayland, the synchronization between the wearer and the suit alone is a monumental challenge. And that's before we consider the power source, the mana conduits, the runic stabilization required to prevent catastrophic feedback... It's as if you're trying to build a walking fortress for a single man, or something like a reactionary golem…"

Roland nodded, unfazed by the daunting task ahead.

"I know. But we don't have any other choice. Robert doesn't stand a chance on his own, and the count will make sure that he faces one of the more competent tier 3 class holders. I hope that he underestimates our chances to give us an edge but we can't rely on that."

Arion floated closer to the schematic, his tail flicking thoughtfully. The paper depicted detailed sketches of a bulky suit of armor, quite different from Roland's usual designs. This one featured internal mechanical components designed to move independently. The suit's internals resembled an exoskeleton, which would need to be built first as a framework. Then, layers of armor would be added over it for extra protection.

"Your design is solid, but it's going to need refinement. The mana flow through the exoskeleton will need to be flawless, and we'll have to account for the user's natural latency. The runes here are similar to that marvelous runic prosthetic, are you sure it will work on such a large apparatus like this one?"

"It should and I'll need your help with adjusting the soul to mana converters, we need to get the reaction times down or Robert will get himself killed. The armor will certainly boost his strength, speed, and defenses but it can't do much for his natural reaction times but… I do have a solution for that, take a look at this…"

Arion's interest in all of this was immense, and he glanced to the side where another schematic was pinned. It depicted a strange circular device inscribed with various runes, some of which he wasn't too familiar with. Above it, the codename "MPU - Mana Phantom Unit" was written, and he instantly realized what it was for.

"Oh! This is indeed ambitious!"

Roland had thoroughly briefed his friend on all his recent achievements. Arion had reviewed Roland's research on rune prosthetics and was someone with whom he could discuss ideas. Although Arion couldn't assist with the actual construction of the armor, he could provide valuable advice on rune assembly. With his impeccable expertise in rune magic, Arion's help was crucial in minimizing lag between the user's soul and the suit. Roland aimed to ensure that the suit felt like a second skin rather than a cumbersome piece of armor.

"If I'm not mistaken, this MPU will help the armor react to incoming attacks detected by the mana phantom you discovered?"

"Well, not exactly, but you're close. While the suit is similar to a golem, making it react to external stimuli like mana phantoms in a precise way will be challenging…"

"Ah, it could disrupt the user's balance if it started moving on its own, right?"

"Precisely. Instead, I've decided to send feedback to the suit's main display panel, giving the user extra time to react accordingly. This method will make it much easier to complete within the nine days, and it'll prevent complaints about the suit being just a battle golem that does all the fighting for him."

Roland shrugged, fully aware that this method skirted the rules. The armor he was developing had to adhere to specific parameters. It needed to qualify as a magical tool, and golems or summoned creatures were prohibited. If he could simply supply Robert with his golem spiders and floating orbs, there'd be no need for all this work.

"Your approach to integrating the Mana Phantom Unit into the suit's design is quite clever, Wayland. However, the success of this mechanism will depend heavily on the precision of the mana conduits and the stability of the runes."

Roland nodded in acknowledgment.

"That's why I'm counting on your expertise, I don't know anyone better at customizing runic components than you."

"Hah, praise will get you nowhere my friend!"

Arion had a good laugh and eventually, they heard a knock on the door.

"That's more people than I expected… What are those girls doing here? I'll be right back."

His feline friend barely reacted, being too engrossed in inspecting the rune guide Roland had prepared. He opened the door to find a group of dwarves waiting, accompanied by another group that included Margaret and his sister. Francine Arden stood with them, her gaze reminiscent of the look she gave him when he was younger.

"You…"

"Mother, please calm down. The professor knows what he's doing."

"Lucienne, not another word from you!"

"... Yes, Mother."

His sister retreated like a scared kitten while the woman charged forward. Even though she was facing a powerful tier 3 mage many would normally fear, she didn't seem to care. Her love for Robert was undeniable, and her anger toward Roland was palpable. He had to defuse the situation quickly before things got out of hand.

"Lady Francine, I understand your concerns, but I assure you that my intentions are solely to aid your son Robert."

Roland spoke with a steady, respectful tone, trying to calm the angered woman. Francine's fierce eyes softened slightly at his words. She approached him, her guards standing to the side and looking tense. There was no shouting or berating; instead, she lowered her head for a moment before finally speaking.

"I don't know why you are doing this and I frankly don't care, my daughter thinks that you can save my Robert and I am willing to believe it… so please, save my son…"

Roland was taken aback by the sudden shift in tone. He had expected her to remain hostile and continue berating him, but instead, he sensed a change in her demeanor from anger to desperation. It seemed she had come to the realization that there was nothing more she could do. Her son had already agreed to the battle trial, and now only Roland had the ability to deliver a solution. Lucienne had likely informed her of his capabilities, prompting her to appeal to him for help.

"Don't worry Madam, that has always been my intention."

Francine couldn't see Roland's eyes but she searched for any signs of deception in his movements. She had a lot of experience with noble circles were almost everyone had a hidden agenda and for some reason, she felt like the man was trustworthy and sincere.

"Thank you, I'll leave you to your work then."

With that, Francine turned and left, her guards following closely behind. Lucienne lingered for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but before she could, the dwarves approached Roland. There were five of them, all familiar faces. Without saying much, they simply stepped into the workshop where Arion was already busy at work. He was about to do the same but instead of his sister, Margaret was the one to make a move.

"Professor Wayland! Is there anything that we can do?"

She took a step closer and approached the entrance but before she could peek inside, he blocked it with his body. The girl seemed sencare with her words but he didn't want to involve her or any of the other students in his work. The last thing that he needed, was someone using these young girls to get to him. The less they knew of the situation, the safer it was.

"No, if you wish to help, just provide support to your classmate."

"But, I'm sure that we can do something?"

"No that's fine, you have your secrets and I have mine, this will be enough."

She persisted, but Roland made a deliberate move to block her from entering the workshop and seeing inside. He wasn't sure who this young woman was, but it was safer to keep things hidden for now. Once his invention was unveiled to the public, he anticipated trouble. An equipment piece that could enable a tier 2 class holder to triumph over a tier 3 class holder would likely cause a stir and make him quite infamous throughout the kingdom.

"You heard the boss, now run along girlies."

Out of nowhere, Armand appeared flexing his muscles. He had a smug expression on his face as if enjoying the job as a bodyguard. Margaret wasn't used to being turned away so abruptly, especially when she felt she could contribute. But Roland's firm stance made it clear that he wasn't going to budge. After a moment, she sighed and stepped back, giving him a resigned nod.

"Alright, Professor Wayland. But if you need anything - anything at all - please don't hesitate to ask."

"I will, for now, just relax and brush up on your studies, this will take another ten days, I will come to check up on you later."

Margaret nodded, and so did her two friends. Lucienne said nothing, turning to walk with them. Roland remained standing, his gaze fixed on the girl with the suspicious background. He wasn't sure who or what she was, but something about her made him feel it might be wise to keep an eye on her. There was something about her that he couldn't put his finger on, a gut feeling that made him wary.

'Maybe I'm overthinking things. She hasn't done anything too suspicious - probably just can't help herself from helping her friends.'

He turned away, considering whether someone from the royal family might visit soon due to Margaret's presence. It was wise to be cordial if she was connected to anyone powerful, but that didn't mean he would allow her to invade his workshop.

Once he was inside, the door was closed. Various runes shivered over the wood that he had imbued it with as protection from the outside. No mage would be able to peek inside through the use of spells and neither was he expecting any uninvited guests. Inside, the dwarven craftsmen had already set to work, Bernir was instructing them about what they were going to start with. Arion on the other hand was going through all the runic components, making sure that Roland had not made any mistakes.

'I got them all together, now we need to make a base prototype in a few days and get Robert to test it. Without input from his side, this will be difficult.'

Roland had taken on the role of a squire, which allowed him to visit Robert and assist with his training if he wished. The combatant had some time to prepare and familiarize himself with new weapons, and the count needed to provide a secluded location for their training. This arrangement made things somewhat fairer, though their opponents would likely try to spy on their preparations.

They began by unloading all the tools and materials that Arion and the dwarves had brought. While the suit would not be made from mithril, it would be constructed from a similarly strong metal - bulkier and with additional features. The key to the suit's effectiveness lay in the MPU and how well the power armor would synchronize with Robert's movements. Time was of the essence and he could not see himself sleeping too much for the next few days…