The Runesmith

Inside the dimly lit dungeon, the heavy stone walls echoed the footsteps of the small group. Two soldiers led the way, guiding the somewhat overweight Count Laurence forward. Behind him, the two young ladies, Robert's mother and sister, darted their eyes around, taking in the sight of the various prisoners groaning in their cells. At the rear of the group walked the robed magician, guarded closely by several armored knights, their expressions tense.

‘I managed to get here, but now what?’

Roland, who used his position as deputy professor from Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry, felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He had managed to get this far with a bold bluff, but now, as they approached the cell where Robert was being held, he realized the difficulty of the next steps. Count Graham De Vere was not a man who would easily let things slide, and the matter might even escalate to the noble court.

‘I need to play this carefully. Any wrong move could jeopardize everything. I wonder, can I use this man?’

In the front was Count Laurence, someone that he focused on during his initial ploy. It was thanks to him that he got this far. He had managed to notice his house crest on one of the accompanied knights who was standing outside the main mansion. Only then did he create his unconventional plan of filming Robert’s torture with his runic drone and presenting it to this man, who he was sure was a judge. The Laurence family had a long history of judicial figures, and his assumption seemed correct.

Roland used his persona of an overprotective and just professor. Count Graham had probably already tasked someone with conducting a background check. They would likely inform him about the events at the institute and perhaps even the one in the dungeon. The Viola incident would confirm Roland's character and show that he was not afraid of going against the nobility. This would probably lead the Count to speculate about his true identity. Typically, no sane person went against those in higher positions unless they had some type of backing, and this was something Roland had based his scheme on.

Robert’s fate seemed to hang in the balance as the group neared the cell where he was being held. The heavy iron door groaned as it swung open, revealing Robert still hanging limply in his restraints, his body battered and bruised. The sight drew gasps from his mother and sister, who rushed forward despite the knights' attempts to hold them back.

“Robert!”

His mother cried, tears streaming down her face. His sister clung to her, eyes wide with horror. Count Laurence attempted to maintain his composure and turned to Count Graham with a stern expression.

"Explain this, De Vere. Why is this man in such a condition? Is he not a noble, why do you treat him as a common criminal?"

Count Graham's face twisted with irritation. He had been following behind the group along with his knights. Right in front stood the Grand Knight Commander, his main bodyguard with two other tier 3 Knight Commanders at each side. All of them were focusing on the magician who had shown that he was a dangerous foe.

“This man is a criminal, accused of kidnapping my daughter. He deserved this punishment!”

Laurence raised an eyebrow and also started shaking his head.

“Punishment without trial? This does not look like justice, Count Graham. It looks like revenge. Why I understand that you wish to protect your family, but this approach undermines the laws we have sworn to uphold. If this man is guilty, he should be punished through the proper channels. We are not barbarians, as nobles we must not lower ourselves to such actions!”

Count Graham’s face contorted with a mix of anger and frustration. What the man said made sense but it sounded quite hypocritical. Other nobility didn’t shy away from performing worse atrocities and only upheld justice when it was convenient. However, with Count Laurence's reputation as a fair and just noble, his words carried weight. He had to tread carefully if he wanted to maintain his own standing among the higher echelons of society. As it stood, his position was still shaky and he couldn’t afford to make more enemies.

“You speak the truth, Count Laurence. Perhaps my emotions got the better of me. But you must understand, this man has wronged my family grievously. However, I am willing to submit to a proper trial to resolve this matter.”

The man had to relent but this didn’t mean that everything was well. These trials could take forever and always favored the person with better connections. Even though Laurence was talking about justice, Robert’s words didn’t carry much weight when pitted against a count. Even if Wentworth Arden appeared, his status was many times lower. Usually, things like this were resolved with money but Count Graham seemed unwilling.

“I believe it would be wise to have an outside party oversee this trial, don’t you also agree, Count Laurence?”

Roland, observing the interaction, sensed an opportunity. He spoke out while standing between the two nobles. Their guards were wary of his movements but with a wave of a hand, all of them retreated to the sides.

“Given the situation… That would be a prudent course of action. We could summon a magistrate from the capital to ensure impartiality but that would take quite some time, weeks or even months…”

“Count Laurance, do you expect me to wait for so long? This must be some kind of ploy!”

“A ploy? Are you mad? Release my son at once!”

Finally, Francine interrupted the two men. Roland was somewhat surprised as she was not in a position to say anything. It seemed that Graham wanted to resolve this quickly. If an official arrived from outside, it could jeopardize his plan of getting rid of Robert. He wanted to push for a quick resolution to avoid potential future problems.

“Now now, let us calm down, perhaps there is a better solution here? Deputy Professor Wayland, correct?”

“Yes, Count Laurence.”

Roland responded, his identity was still clouded in mystery and to everyone here, he was something of a neutral party as well. Count Laurence was a shrewd man and quickly caught on to what he had been previously implying.

“Perhaps, you could oversee this trial then as a reputable member of Xandar’s Institute of Wizardry?”

This was not his initial plan, as postponing it further was probably a better resolution. With more time, they would be able to formulate a proper plan and rally more people to their side. Graham had the upper hand, but if they could publicize this case and present it as unjust, he might feel pressured to relent. Often, such cases were resolved due to public perception. If they could get other nobles on their side, they could pressure Graham into a monetary settlement, which was Roland's goal.

“You want this unknown mage to take part in the trial?...”

Graham started pondering the situation and quickly concluded that this was probably a calculated risk worth taking. After all, the longer this dragged on, the worse it could be for his reputation. A swift trial overseen by a supposedly neutral party might just be the quickest way to resolve the situation.

"Very well."

Graham said through gritted teeth.

"I will agree to this proposal. But let it be known, I do not trust this... mage. But Count Laurence, are you also planning to participate?"

“I see you caught on count, yes, if both parties agree, I am willing to postpone my other plans!”

The overweight noble chuckled and smiled. It seemed that this case intrigued him and he wanted to be part of it as a judge. From Roland’s perspective, this wasn’t such a bad option as the family was famous for being somewhat just to the point of going against other nobles. He was a better choice than any other judge Graham would propose but it wasn’t truly his choice to make.

“Gentlemen, before we continue this conversation, why don’t we relocate this young man to another location? I don’t think this conduct is proper.”

He pointed to Lucienne and her mother, who weren’t taking the sight of the bloodied Robert too well.

“The man brings up a good point, this young lad needs proper treatment and care, he has not yet been convicted of any wrongdoings.”

Count Laurance agreed with Roland’s proposition. After relocating Robert to a more suitable location, they could discuss the matters of the trial. Roland expected them to have a few days to come up with a counter strategy and perhaps, there was a way to save his brother through the proper channels.

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“Fine, carry him to another holding cell and provide him with a healing potion.”

Count Graham begrudgingly agreed to Roland's suggestion. However, Francine didn’t like the tone or sound of those words.

“Another holding cell? My son isn’t a criminal, he deserves better treatment, how dare you treat us like this!”

She was angry and the count was taken aback by the backtalk and his expression hardened as he was faced with her next outburst. It was clear that he was starting to get fed up with this woman’s tone. The tension in the room continued to grow but luckily Laurance was there to diffuse it.

“Lady Arden, I’m sure Count Graham has a holding room fitting for a child of a noble and he intended to have your son rest there, isn’t that right, Count Graham?”

After a short pause, Count Graham forced a thin smile, though his eyes remained cold.

“... Yes, of course. We will ensure that Robert is treated with the respect his status demands while this matter is being resolved. Leopold, have the men see to it.”

“Of course, my lord.”

Grand Commander Leopold moved forward to order his men to release the prisoner. However, Francine Arden was quite protective of her son. Her mind had been slowly breaking during the whole conversation and she saw anyone connected to the De Vere estate as an enemy.

“Don’t you dare touch my son!”

“Madam, please calm yourself. Everything is going to be fine, the gentlemen here are just going to help your son down and give him proper aid.”

Count Laurence tried to mediate but she stood right at the dungeon cell entrance, demanding the key to the shackles. She seemed to want to carry her son out by herself, which would be quite impossible for a woman of her stature who lacked any combat classes. This prompted Roland to step forward and use his position as deputy professor.

“Lady Arden, why don’t you allow me to take care of your son, I’m sure your daughter will attest to my intentions. I can ensure he receives the necessary immediate care.”

Lucienne nodded with approval and quickly moved towards her mother.

“Yes, let’s do what the professor proposes, we can trust him, mother.”

After a few glances, the woman finally relented. She knew very well that without him they would not even know that this was happening to Robert. The unknown man before her was the only thing holding this whole case together.

“P-please do sir.”

Roland nodded and finally stepped through the threshold of the holding cell. The place was damp and filled with both fresh and dried-up blood, which also belonged to the torturer who had been removed from here before they arrived. The drone he used to monitor Robert’s well-being had concealed itself in one of the corners and still remained undetected.

His condition was quite severe and the signs of torture were apparent. He had several broken ribs and fingers. There were signs that his fingernails were pulled out, burn marks, and his face was swollen from the beatings he took. It wasn’t strange that his mother and sister had a hard time looking at him. Luckily, Roland was here and he had just the thing to heal him up.

“First, let's remove those shackles.”

One of the guards attempted to take out the key but Roland just shook his head. Instead of using a key, he utilized his magical power. The people outside saw a blue haze surrounding the cuffs that quickly started cracking under pressure. They were made from materials to contain tier 2 class holders, not something that could resist Roland’s runic spells.

The metal shackles disintegrated under Roland’s spell, and Robert's limp body began to slump forward. Francine almost cried out in shock but held back as she saw her passed-out son floating in mid-air, held up by some type of magic. From thin air, a golden potion appeared in Roland’s hand which the sight took everyone by surprise.

“A divine elixir?”

Some were quite surprised as they knew the cost of such magical concoctions. Roland ignored the murmurs and focused on administering the potion to Robert. As the golden liquid trickled down his throat, a warm glow enveloped his battered body. Slowly, the bruises began to fade, and his breathing steadied.

‘The emulated divine potion is working but it only has around sixty-percent potency of the original…’

This potion was something he had Rastix produce with the help of divine energy emulation. It was still experimental, unfit for use, and could potentially get him in trouble with the church. He kept it primarily as a backup. Together with his healing runes, it could easily heal his brother. Count Laurence observed the scene intently and his interest was certainly piqued.

"A rare and powerful potion, Professor. Your resources are impressive."

"It’s a simple matter.”

Roland nodded slightly, maintaining his composure. To outsiders, it looked suspicious. Most people wouldn’t offer such pricy elixirs to just anyone. They either had to assume that he was quite wealthy or that the daughter Lucienne that he arrived with, was someone very important to him. The nobles exchanged knowing glances, each interpreting the situation in their own way. Count Graham’s eyes narrowed, suspicious of Roland's motives but had to concede for now.

With Robert now stabilized and his condition improved, the group moved out of the dungeon. Francine and Lucienne stayed close to Roland, their trust in him apparent. The knights and guards kept a close watch, ensuring no unexpected moves were made.

Count Laurence and Count Graham split away from the group to discuss this predicament. The Grand Commander stayed to watch over Roland’s every move. They transported him to a secluded room within a watch tower, many floors away from the underground dungeon. It was a special space for political prisoners and high-profile detainees.

Though not luxurious, it was clean, secure, and far better than the dungeon. Roland ensured Robert was settled comfortably on a bed, still under the watchful eyes of the knights. Francine and Lucienne sat by Robert’s side, holding his hands and murmuring reassurances as he rested. Roland stepped back to observe the scene before finally deciding to take his leave.

“Professor, where are you going?”

“Don’t worry, I just need to see what Count Laurence and Count Graham decide on. I also need to see how the other students are doing. Do not worry, I won’t take long and you are safe here.”

The young girl nodded and her mother didn’t even hear the conversation, her eyes focused on her abused child. Roland stepped out of the room and watched his sister return to Robert’s side. His brother was safe for now but he wasn’t sure how far they could go. Time was against them and the charge of adultery wasn’t that easy to combat. Even if Lucille spoke in their favor, her words might not be taken seriously.

As he walked down the corridor, he saw the Grand Knight Commander, Leopold, standing watch with a stern expression. The air was tense and Roland knew that every move he made was being analyzed. He nodded to Leopold as he attempted to pass while silently acknowledging his strength.

Thoughts about this case consumed him and he also needed to worry about the other students. One of his flying golems was with them and through it, he communicated the situation. Margaret was quite rowdy but after a quick back and forth, she along with the other girls retreated. Hadley was more than capable of protecting them and his golem would inform him if there was any trouble.

‘I won’t be able to make a plan until I know the time, better go see what those two old men decided on.’

Roland took a deep breath, steeling himself for the upcoming conversation with the two counts. The entire situation hinged on maintaining the delicate balance of trust and leverage he had managed to establish. He made his way down the prison tower or at least tried, however the Grand Commander blocked his path with his sword. It seemed that there was a change of plans…