Return of the Legendary Runesmith

"Where is Olivia?" Sylvie asked as she sat down across from Allen in the common hall.

It was close to dinner time and Sylvie preferred to have her meal early so she could walk around a bit and study without getting lazy.

Around this time, Allen and Olivia usually spend time here in the common hall while sipping tea or something.

However, today, the man was not with his woman.

"She..is upset," Allen spoke without lifting his gaze from the cup he was fiddling with.

Sylvie frowned, "An argument?" Olivia doesn’t give the impression of arguing with Allen unless he has said something insensitive.

Soft-spoken and submissive are two words that define the girl.

"I don’t know...ever since she came back from the library, she has been acting weird. As if someone has said something hurtful."

Sylvie froze for a moment...she actually knew whom she met there.

"You know something?" Allen caught the reaction so he instantly asked.

Sylvie heaved a sigh as she began to slice the steak and told him, "I can be wrong but I heard Senior Elana and Olivia were engaged in a pretty heated conversation earlier." She heard it from a few dorm mates earlier.

Allen got up instantly from his seat, his intentions could be guessed by even a child.

"Are you going to confront the senior?" Sylvie asked, resting her chin in her hand.

"Not confront but at least ask her the cause of this matter."

Sylvie was baffled, "You still don’t understand? Who is the one person closely connected to Olivia’s past and Elana’s present?"

It didn’t take long for Allen to draw the conclusion, "Professor Adrian." It was not a hidden fact that the third-year student named Elana liked one of the professors.

So, Sylvie got a point. They might have talked about Adrian. And maybe Elana had said something that Olivia didn’t like...or it touched the spot that was most sensitive for her.

The engagement.

"Now where are you going?" The Princess asked, seeing him moving away from the table.

She didn’t want him to bother Elana or Sylvie would be blamed that she leaked the information. She didn’t want to get targeted by that dangerous woman again.

Allen, however, intended to approach someone else, "I am going to comfort Olivia...since now I know what could have forced her to lock herself up."

"And why do you think she needs your help?" The Princess asked, a bit annoyed at his behavior.

"She doesn’t?" Allen seemed baffled.

"She is a grown-up girl who should face her problems alone sometimes. I remember you didn’t have anyone comforting you after your parents’ death when you were just a kid."

Allen exhaled a sigh, "I...was able to overcome it since I didn’t have any choice."

"And that made you strong, didn’t it?" Sylvie asked, her gaze meaningful.

Allen understood her point. He cannot save Olivia all the time and won’t be there to comfort her every single time she faces some problems.

He sat back down and picked up the cup again.

Taking a light sip, he said, "You are a strange girl, you know that right?"

"Where did that come from?" The Princess asked.

Allen shrugged, "I feel you see things more practically than most of the girls ...you are a lot less emotional."

Sylvie chuckled, "I am not. If I hadn’t been emotional I wouldn’t have caused a ruckus that day."

There was no doubt which day she was referring to.

The day when she blamed her favorite Professor and the whole school gathered to witness him fall.

Allen’s brows elevated, "You know you can forgive yourself for that now, right? Even Professor Adrian seemed to have moved on from that."

A tired smile lifted the edges of her lips, "Neither he nor I have forgotten what has happened. The Professor is a great person so he doesn’t hold grudges and forgives people...but what I can’t forgive myself. Not today and...not maybe ever."

Allen parted his lips but no word came out.

The look in her eyes clearly told him how she no longer held the ember of hope.

After a brief pause, he said, "You were right...I should stop trying to comfort everyone."

Sylvie gave a soft nod and didn’t speak further.

....

"What?" Ruby’s eyes widened upon hearing that there was an actual method to know what she had been trying to achieve for the past two years.

"You mean to say, using the method of the third thread you could know which mana points release what amount of magic?" She asked as if to confirm.

Adrian nodded, "Yes." However, before starting with the explanation he said, "How do you connect the third thread?"

Ruby first calmed herself down; she was getting a little too excited before she relayed, "Trigger memories or emotions by exposing the subject to different situations."

"So the conventional method," Adrian responded.

"What do you mean by conventional? Isn’t it the only way?" Near the end, the bafflement switched to hopefulness. Was he going to show her something bold and new?

Instead of answering her, he quietly stood up and walked over.

"Give me your hand," he said gently, his voice full of respect.

Without hesitation, she reached out to him.

She was sitting on a tall stool, which let her see his face clearly—closer than ever before.

Long lashes... and such warm eyes, she thought, noticing these details for the first time.

He had some very striking features, but what truly drew her in was his talent in Runesmithing. That was what she admired the most.

Adrian took a deep breath, then slowly closed his eyes.

He was about to begin the third thread—the process that started with matching her mana wavelength to enter her body.

It was his first time using this method on a living person.

Naturally, he felt a little nervous.

However, he was able to resonate with her mana easily. The training he has done with the training doll has allowed him to read mana wavelengths of such a simple creature as Ruby, easily.

"Are you wearing something under your shirt?" He asked, feeling a little hesitant.

Ruby nodded before she slowly unbuttoned her shirt to reveal a bra ...which didn’t appear to be such. It wasn’t skimpy and covered most of her chest. He looked at her stomach, his eyes glowing faintly, and then her moonwhite arms, and then neck before finally settling over her face.

He soon backed away and told her, "I saw six mana points, and the most mana releases from your throat."

"....that’s right...how do you know?"

Adrian shrugged, "I can tell you if only you fulfill the promise you made earlier."

Ruby frowned, "I don’t understand why you want me to suddenly get involved with your nation...but since that’s your demand, I will do it."

Adrian faintly smiled, "You will get your answer then. I will teach you how to weave the real second thread."

With her help, maybe he would completely change the course of the next arc.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- They can be regarded as friends now, and they are benefitting each other...so can they be called friends with benefits?

Thanks for reading.