Runic Sorcery

Life in the shabby home had settled into a dreary routine, with little to mark the days apart from the changing seasons. The candlelit nights and creaking wooden floors had become a part of his existence, but the bitterness in his heart remained ever-present.

Curiosity about his circumstances gnawed at him, and one cold evening, as the rain drummed steadily against the roof, Elyn finally decided to ask Albert, the butler, about his father and the circumstances of his exile.

Albert, ever dutiful and emotionless, stood silently for a moment after the question was posed, as if calculating the most efficient way to respond. His lifeless eyes met Elyn's. "Your father, Lord Sylas Vane, gave explicit instructions regarding all of his illegitimate children," Albert began, his voice flat and devoid of judgment.

"He allocated 1,000,000 gold Kaeros to each child at birth," Albert continued. "That sum was to be used by the appointed butler to ensure the child's survival and basic needs. We were instructed to move to remote locations, far from the core territories of the Vane family, and raise the child in relative obscurity. The gold is meant to last a lifetime, if managed properly."

Elyn's lips pressed into a thin line as he listened. "So, he essentially pays to get rid of us," he muttered bitterly.

Albert inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the truth of the statement. "It is as you say, Young Master. The arrangement ensures you are neither a burden to the main family nor a direct threat to its inheritance. Lord Sylas does not concern himself with the well-being of his offspring beyond this arrangement."

Elyn stared at the man, a mixture of pity and revulsion twisting in his gut. He wanted to lash out, to scream at the absurdity of it all, but what would be the point? Albert was as much a victim of this twisted system as he was.

"1 million gold," Felix muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A fortune for some, a pittance for others. And all to ensure we stay out of sight, out of mind. Typical Sylas Vane."

Elyn Vane realized he was deep within the remote Morhill Ranges, a sprawling wilderness of dense forests and rugged hills stretching across thousands of kilometers. The nearest settlement was Velinora, a secluded city on the edge of the ranges. Though home to nearly a million people, Velinora was considered modest by global standards—a stark reminder of just how far removed Elyn and his butler were from the bustling centers of civilization.

Elyn carefully mapped out his course of action. His ultimate goal was to gain admission to the prestigious Royal Kaeron Academy by the age of 18. With 13 years ahead of him, he knew every step needed to align perfectly to ensure success.

The first and most pressing requirement was power. However, the world's energy—mana—was corrupted, making it perilous to use as a source of strength. Magic in this world was divided into two categories: high magic and low magic. High magic was accessible only to the elite, requiring specialized alchemical concoctions crafted from rare and expensive minerals. These were applied to the body to absorb energy safely, avoiding corruption. Other methods included consuming costly pills or, for the truly privileged, harnessing pure viscous mana found deep underground—an exceedingly rare and difficult resource to obtain.

For now, Elyn concluded that increasing his magical power or mana was out of reach. Instead, he resolved to focus on building his physical strength.

Fortunately, Elyn had a valuable ally: his butler, a formidable figure by any standard. As a servant of one of the most elite families in the empire, the butler's capabilities placed him in the mid-tiers of the Warlord Stage. According to the information Elyn gleaned from his family's records and the novels he'd read, butlers of this caliber were often retired special operatives from the Shadow Veil, a covert organization serving the Vane family. His butler, aged 277, had a wealth of experience, having participated in countless missions across the empire.

However, there was a significant obstacle: the Curse of Chains. This insidious spell bound the butler's will entirely to Sylas Vane, stripping him of humanity and reducing him to little more than a relentless killing machine and caretaker. If Elyn was to truly earn his loyalty, the curse had to be removed.

Removing the Curse of Chains was no small feat. It not only affected the mind but also severed any trace of humanity, leaving the cursed individual as a hollow shell of obedience. Elyn's first task, therefore, was to find a way to break the curse and win the butler's loyalty willingly. This was no mere challenge—it was a battle against the deeply entrenched forces of magic, loyalty, and control.

And there, he realized he needed runic sorcery—the lost art of this world, the very building blocks of mana, and the key to harnessing its true potential. According to the novel, runic sorcery had been long forgotten, making Elyn the sole possessor of this invaluable knowledge. He had first encountered the concept early in the story, where it was described as resembling the logical structure of programming languages. This resemblance had once inspired him to learn to code, but as the novel progressed and runic sorcery faded from its pages, Elyn had set it aside. Now, the memory returned to him with renewed clarity and purpose.

At first, he couldn't discern the meaning of his dreams, but now he understood—they weren't just random visions; they were deeply connected to the essence of runic sorcery, a knowledge he had long forgotten but was now beginning to reclaim. There , he often saw the Mystic Nights, a legendary place said to house the complete knowledge of runic sorcery and the means to master it. This location also harbored a vast lake of pure mana, a resource of unparalleled value. To claim it, however, would require caution and secrecy.

The challenges were immense. Reaching the Mystic Nights and claiming its treasures demanded more than strategy; it required manpower. Elyn calculated that he would need at least 100 individuals—fodder to aid him in his quest. His plan was to gather criminals to fill this role, but before any of this could begin, he needed to build his physique. Strength was essential, not just for survival but to lay the foundation for the grander steps of his plan.

[STATUS]

Name: Elyn Vane

[low-tier adept]

Age: 5

Title: Bastard of Sylas Vane

Strength: 12

Agility: 12

Endurance: 11

Willpower: 45

Intelligence: 45

Mana: 50

Innate Ability: Mind's Eye (Stage 2)

Abilities:

Appraisal (Enhanced):

 can now analyze not only the basic attributes of objects and people but also gain insight into hidden properties, weaknesses, and potential.

For living beings, he can sense their emotional state and determine their current level of strength and potential for growth.

The appraisal is now faster, requiring only a moment of focus.

Mental Mapping:

Elyn can create a mental "map" of his surroundings, extending up to a 50-meter radius.

This map includes the positions of living and non-living entities, even through walls or obstacles.

The clarity and detail depend on his mana focus and concentration.

Projection Insight:

Elyn can now project possibilities, such as predicting an opponent's next move in combat or foreseeing the outcome of an interaction.

This ability consumes mana proportionate to the complexity of the scenario.

Available Points: 0