Chapter 450: Adulting.

Chapter 450: Adulting.

I would like to officially inform all my readers that I have started writing a new story called Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ] You can probably figure out what it's about from the title and hope you give it a try. If you like Runesmith, then I think that you will enjoy it as well. There aren't that many chapters out yet but I hope you all follow it for later and if you are inclined to, give a nice rating :D

“What do you think? The calculations should be correct but if you see that something is off, then tell me.”

“You want to know what I think?”

“Yes.”

“Then... wouldn’t it be better if you just take an airship back if you need to return? I don’t feel comfortable with the other method, something could always go wrong. What if you end up inside a flock of wyverns or in the middle of the ocean?”

“That’s why I’m asking you to go over my calculations, I’m sure we both won’t make the same mistake.”

“...Fine...”

A floating cat grumbled while moving large pages of papers to look through the numbers presented on them. Behind him stood a man wearing a newly gained crimson robe that now presented his new position of Deputy Professor, someone that had a special position within the institute.

“It seems correct to me, you should come out at those coordinates... but why do you wish to place yourself in danger? Doesn’t this seem a bit too extreme?”

“Perhaps, but I don’t have the leisure of time...”

“Time?”

The floating cat raised an eyebrow, its tail twitching with curiosity.

“You are always in such a rush, are you in some sort of hurry? or trouble?”

Roland hesitated, reluctant to divulge the complexities of his chaotic life to his friend. While Arion was aware of certain aspects, he remained unaware of critical details such as Lucienne being Roland's sister or his role in the demise of three higher-tier Knights during the recent dungeon incident. The Institute had decided to craft a narrative, portraying the events as if a formidable monster had emerged within the dungeon. They would blame the disappearance of Professor Ulfine on it and not even mention the Baskerville knights.

“Well, let’s just say that I have some urgent personal matters that need attending to. You probably don’t want me to bore you with the details...”

The cat’s eyes narrowed again as he tried to decipher the hidden meaning behind those words. The two had known themselves for a while and he could sense that there was something that Roland wasn’t telling him. Nevertheless, he was not one to push for answers when others were trying to change the subject of a conversation.

“Personal matters you say? Very well, I won’t pry into your business. Just be careful, Wayland. Whatever you’re up to, and make sure you don’t get yourself into more trouble than you can handle. If there is anything that I can help you with, don’t be a stranger.”

“I appreciate your concern, Arion. But I assure you, I’ve got everything under control.”

Arion simply nodded, though a hint of skepticism lingered in his eyes. Roland could sense that his feline friend wasn't fully convinced by his explanations. In truth, he remained uncertain about his next course of action. While his instincts urged him to return to Albrook immediately, leaving behind the complications of his current situation, he couldn't shake off the lingering concern for his sister's safety.

He hadn't anticipated encountering this problem upon arrival, and now he was feeling conflicted. It would have been ideal if he could delegate this responsibility to someone else, but for some reason, his older brother wasn’t answering his calls. On the other hand, Lucienne probably hadn't divulged any information about the incident at the institute. He was sure in his belief as he had kept his spider golem around her to keep watch. Fịndd new updates at novelhall.com

She never attempted to contact her family members, and the likely reason for this was her character. She appeared to be the type of person who didn't want to burden others with her problems and instead kept everything bottled up inside. Even when the bullying began, she didn't reach out to anyone outside or confide in any of the teachers. She clearly hoped to resolve the matter by herself without bothering anyone else.

“But there is one thing you can aid me with...”

“Oh? What is it?”

“There is one thing that you can help me with, you already know the student by the name, Lucienne Arden, right?”

“Sure, she was part of that hearing you were in, what about here?”

“Yes, her. Could you watch over her while I’m not here and inform me if something out of the ordinary happens?”

“Hm... I don’t think there should be a problem with such a task...”

Roland couldn't simply depart and leave his sister without any form of support. While his spider drone was with her, it had very limited defensive capabilities. Arion would probably be a better option to ensure her safety within the institute. He didn’t believe that she would be put in harm's way, at least not until Viola Castellane arrived back from her suspension. It had been nearly five weeks since Roland's arrival, and the girl remained barred from returning for almost a month. This provided him with some time to craft a thorough plan and repair his armor, which had begun to fail him.

‘If I add my previous years, I would be over forty now... What am I still afraid of?’

It had been many years since his last interaction with his father and his other siblings. The home that he left behind was not something that he missed. There was also the failed assassination attempt that prompted his initial escape but as things stood now, he had grown in strength. Confronting his old fears wasn’t easy but he needed to get past this old trauma and face reality. The longer he hesitated, the worse the situation could become.

‘Am I really going to do it...’

He stood before the platform that would transport him to a higher level of the mage tower but decided to turn away. After retracing his steps outside, he made his way toward the park area where students often gathered to rest. There, a small spider drone awaited him, its temporary owner arriving out of breath as she had chased after it. With her were a few other female students who shared the same dorm room and all of them stopped the moment they noticed his conspicuous form.

“Why did you suddenly run off?... Oh, Assistant Professor Wayland, Good Day!”

“Good day.”

He replied to them but had only intended for his sister to arrive here. Nevertheless, he had already made a decision about this issue so he wasn’t about to let a few random people ruin this moment.

“Lady Lucienne, please come with me, I need to discuss something with you... in private.”

“Something private?

Lucienne's brow furrowed slightly, puzzled by Roland’s sudden request. She exchanged a glance with her friends, who shrugged in confusion, before turning her attention back to Roland.

"Um, sure, Assistant Professor Wayland.”

Following the Viola incident, Roland had managed to earn her trust to some extent, especially after saving her during the dungeon explosion. She and her friends held a favorable opinion of him and were unaware that he was actually her brother in disguise.

“Return to your classes and inform your teachers that Lucienne might miss some of her classes, if they ask for a reason, just say that the Deputy Professor needs to discuss some urgent matters with her.”

“Alright, will do!”

Her friends nodded in understanding and quickly dispersed, leaving Lucienne alone with Roland. She followed him without question, curiosity was evident in her gaze but he decided to head to a certain place in silence. There was a reason that he lured her into this garden where the entrance to the Headmistress’ tower was as it also happened to be the palace where his own ‘office’ was.

There was another perk of becoming the Deputy Professor and that was that he received a place of his own. With his badge that had the depiction of a large tree on it, he could open a path to a hidden location. It wasn’t far from the gazebo he used to enter Yavenna’s tower and didn’t look any different from a trees. However, once he approached and injected some of his mana into the emblem the entrance started to shift.

The once ordinary-looking tree shimmered and transformed, revealing a hidden doorway leading into a spacious chamber. Roland gestured for Lucienne to follow him inside, where they were greeted by mostly old books and cobwebs.

“You’ll have to excuse me for the way this place looks, I haven’t had the time to tidy it up. Please, have a seat.”

Lucienne hesitated for a moment, glancing around the dusty chamber with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. Despite its neglected appearance, there was an air of mystery and importance to the place that intrigued her. It was a large office area, with an even bigger desk at the end. To the sides were various tomes about magical incantations but the most eye-catching of all was a large portrait hanging on the wall behind the desk. It depicted a stern-looking man in mage robes, his gaze piercing and commanding respect.

“Is that Arch-Wizard Xandar?”

“Yes, that’s an old portrait of him.”

He responded to the question, but the atmosphere quickly grew stale. Roland seated himself behind the large desk, feeling uncertain about how to begin. This wasn’t part of his original plan. Revealing his true identity, which he had concealed for over ten years, wasn't going to be easy.

“Lucienne, I... I need to talk to you about something important, how do I put this...”

His voice wavered slightly, betraying his inner turmoil.

“What is it, Assistant Professor Wayland? Is this about the golem?”

She replied with a smile on her face, something that she was devoid of when he arrived at this Institute. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. There was no turning back now and instead of using his words he decided to break the ice in a different fashion.

His head was covered by the robes hood which could be magically concealed. He wished it to be so and it retracted itself into the magical fabric. His hands then moved towards his mithril helmet that always concealed his face. Lucienne seemed confused but she remained quiet. Roland’s grip on the piece of metal was unsteady but he already made a decision. Slowly he removed the magical effects that kept his helmet steady and finally, his face was revealed.

“Assistant Professor Wayland?”

She didn't catch on immediately, but as she continued to stare at his face, he could see her emotions shifting. It began with a look of confusion, which then turned into contemplation, and finally, denial. However, eventually, two words escaped her lips which he confirmed with a resounding nod.

“Brother... Roland?”