Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

CH61 The Wait and Return

***

"Father, it’s been three days past the agreed time. Are we just going to keep waiting? Let me go in and find him!"

Zora stood before Merlin, clearly disgruntled and anxious.

The twenty days agreed upon for Alex’s return had already passed, yet the old man didn’t seem the least bit concerned about his True Disciple.

"My instructions were for him to spend at least twenty days," Merlin replied calmly. "Not to return on the twentieth day. He only needs to be back before the thirtieth."

He opened his eyes—previously closed in meditation to maintain the portal—and glanced at Zora from the corner of his gaze.

"He’s not a child. There’s no need to be so worried. Besides, he’s merely inside a Subspace with a strength cap at early Class 3. What will you do when he enters a real Plane in the future? Panic more than this?"

"He’s not even fifteen yet. Of course he’s still a child! How can I not worry? And how can you not?"

Merlin shook his head. "He’s a child because of his age?"

He turned fully now, his gaze sharpening.

"You and I both know that aside from his years, there’s nothing childlike about that boy."

He gave her a knowing, pointed look.

"I understand that you wish to adhere to human norms... but your actions betray the truth in your heart. If you’re going to make an excuse, at least come up with something more believable than ’I’m worried because Alex Fury is a child’."

His stare—and his words—made Zora blush, though only for a moment. She quickly composed herself.

"Whether I believe he’s childlike or not is irrelevant. The fact remains: in the eyes of the world, he’s still a child. And he’s stayed in there longer than you expected."

She folded her arms.

"I’m going into that portal unless you can assure me that he’s safe."

"You think I can’t stop you if you try—"

"Then I’ll kill myself."

"...What?"

"If he’s stayed this long, it’s likely because he’s searching for one of those rare creatures with a single Ancestral Marking. You and I both know he’ll linger in that damned place until the very last moment unless he finds it.

"If he pushes too far and something happens on the way back, he’ll be trapped. And if anything happens to him, I swear I’ll—"

She stared her adoptive father’s human avatar square in the eyes.

"Give me your assurance. You must be able to find him instantly if something goes wrong. Or I’m going in to get him myself."

"Damn lass..." Merlin sighed, rubbing his temples. A wry smile crept onto his lips. "Fine, fine. You win."

He gave her a look—caught somewhere between annoyance and amusement.

"The guide spell I placed on his hand doesn’t just help him find the portal. I can use it to locate him within the Subspace and forcibly summon him back if necessary. And the fact that the spell still exists means he’s alive and well."

He gestured toward the shimmering portal with a slight smirk.

"Does that ease your mind, daughter of mine?"

"You should’ve said that from the start," Zora huffed, folding her arms tighter. "We could’ve avoided all this."

Merlin just smiled knowingly.

After a brief silence, Zora asked, "Can you tell where he is right now inside the Subspace?"

"No," Merlin replied, shaking his head. "To determine that, I’d have to enter the Subspace myself. All I can tell is that the connection is growing stronger... which likely means he’s getting closer to the portal."

"That means he’s coming back... right?"

"Most likely," Merlin nodded.

"Okay." Zora nodded as well. "Then I’ll wait."

"There’s no need. I’ll call you when he returns."

"No, I’m staying. I’ve already finished work for the next few days. Besides, it wasn’t my responsibility to begin with." She shot Merlin an accusatory look.

The old man faked a cough and wisely said nothing.

Zora turned her gaze back to the portal.

Every moment, she imagined what she’d do when he finally stepped through... how she’d react. Would she be able to keep her cool, as always?

She genuinely didn’t know.

The little brother of yesterday had grown into a man she could yearn for today.

An enigma—that was what Alex had become. Clearly a child by years, yet at times he felt like a peer... or someone even older and far more mature.

Their relationship had become... complicated. He was still technically a child, but she couldn’t treat him like one anymore.

Fortunately, only a few months remained until she wouldn’t have to worry about the propriety of how she felt.

What would their relationship be by then? Would it remain as it was now? Would he change? Would she?

Human relationships were fickle, ever-shifting—changing faster than Alex’s development of his inventions and innovations.

Speaking of which...

She couldn’t help wondering what the young mage had built inside the Subspace.

She had no doubt—none at all—that he’d created something outrageous again.

A smile crept onto her lips.

To Zora—who had long since learned to look past appearances and wasn’t affected by Alex’s devilishly good looks—his most charming trait wasn’t his face or body.

It was his passion.

The pure light in his eyes when he was thinking... when he was working... when he was explaining his creations with that spark of excitement.

That look was more attractive than anything else.

She almost couldn’t wait to see it again.

No... she yearned for it.

Like a drug.

’Come back soon, Alex,’ she whispered in her mind.

Again... and again...

Until—

The portal shimmered.

A youth with a low, full beard stepped out slowly. His clothes were ragged, his body fatigued, and he smelled faintly of metal and sweat.

But all Zora saw... was that gaze.

That pure, focused gleam in his eyes.

Only now... it carried a deeper, more grounded determination.

She didn’t even realise she’d moved.

Before she knew it, her body had lunged forward, her arms already wrapped tightly around him.

Her face flushed hot.

She buried her head in his chest, trying to hide the embarrassment—but even then, she didn’t let go.

Merlin, who had been watching silently for a while, raised a brow. A flicker of surprise flashed across his face.

Then he slowly turned... a satisfied glint in his eyes.

’All according to plan.’ The old schemer chuckled inwardly.

Alex blinked, stunned by the sudden embrace. His brain stalled, struggling to catch up.

Eventually, all he could say was—

"I’m back."

Zora slowly looked up at him, her usual calm returning to her face like a mask sliding into place.

"What took you so long?"

***