Runes and Bullies

The spars continued one after another, with Nathan and Merlin watching in silence.

'Terrible.'

Merlin didn't even have to try to evaluate them. The last match had just begun between Dorian and some girl.

'Poor thing.'

Merlin sighed as he watched Dorian end the fight in five seconds. One-sided wasn't even the right word for it.

"Alright, that's everyone. Merlin, Nathan—you both earned academy points for your performance. And Merlin, stay after class."

Nathan lit up like a puppy getting a treat, grinning ear to ear.

"Thank you, sir!"

Merlin just nodded. Reinhardt returned the gesture.

'Why does he want me to stay?'

Merlin considered the possibilities, though he had a pretty good idea.

'Nevermind, I think I know why.'

The lesson continued—basic footwork, thrusts, and slashes.

Merlin copied every movement Reinhardt demonstrated with eerie precision. The instructor grew more and more intrigued.

'Unbelievable, this kid.'

The same couldn't be said for the rest of the class. Besides Nathan, who managed to keep up somewhat, the others struggled.

Many students watched Merlin with envy. He, however… couldn't care less.

'I'm just him.'

Class ended quickly, leaving the students exhausted and gasping for air. Nathan flashed a smile at Merlin before running off.

'Like a little kid.'

Merlin exhaled and stood at attention in front of Reinhardt.

"Let's get to the point—I don't like wasting time."

Reinhardt's voice echoed through the now-empty hall.

"Be my disciple."

Merlin's body tensed for a brief moment.

'I had a feeling he'd say that… He approached Nathan much later in the novel. But me? Already?'

Reinhardt was leagues stronger than Vivienne—but in a different way. Vivienne had near-perfect mana control. Reinhardt? A terrifyingly skilled swordsman.

"I'd accept, sir."

Reinhardt's eyes gleamed, but Merlin wasn't finished.

"But I already have a master."

The glimmer vanished in an instant. Reinhardt leaned on his hand.

"Who? Whoever it is, they can't be as good as me, kid! I could wipe the floor with—"

"Vivienne Dorne."

Merlin cut him off. Reinhardt coughed.

"Uh… Well, I meant that I'm sure we can… work something out with her."

"…That's not what you just said—"

Before Merlin could press further, Reinhardt stood up.

"It'd be a mistake not to hone your swordsmanship. And I'm the best one to teach you!"

He puffed his chest out proudly.

'Egotistical, but he's not wrong.'

"Go to your next class—I'll handle things with Vivienne, brat."

'This should be interesting.'

Reinhardt clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder and sent him on his way.

"See you later kid."

They both nodded, and Merlin headed to his next class, slightly behind schedule.

'Rune and Arcane Theory… Back to Lecture Hall One.'

Navigating the hallways was much easier now, and he stepped into the classroom.

'Kill me.'

Of course, the perfect student Nathan was already there, waving him over.

Merlin scanned the room, spotting a few familiar faces—Elara and Liliana among them. He had two choices: sit with Nathan or Elara.

'So either I get murdered or die from some natural causes…'

He reluctantly took the seat next to Nathan, who beamed.

'Someone save me.'

"What did Professor Reinhardt want, Merlin? Oh, and isn't it great we got extra points—"

Thankfully, the instructor walked in before Merlin had to respond. He almost wanted to dance in relief.

'Sophia Ashford… interesting.'

According to Merlin's memories she wasn't mentioned much in the novel, but she was strong. And the fans claimed that she was hot. They hated the author for not giving her more scenes..

Her long brown hair cascaded down her back like an artisan's finest work. Her eyes, deep and intelligent, gleamed beneath her glasses. She wore a serene, otherworldly smile.

'Maybe the fans were right.'

"Welcome, students. Today, we'll cover the fundamental theories of runes and arcanology."

Sophia scanned the room before continuing with a slight smile.

'…That smile is dangerous.'

"Let's start with the basics."

Despite her delicate appearance, her voice carried power, resonating through the hall.

"Runes are not just symbols. They are ancient links to the fundamental laws of the universe. Each rune represents a concept, a force, or a natural principle. Take the 'Lire' rune, for example—it embodies light, knowledge, and inspiration. If used correctly, it reveals truth—whether in a hidden message or your opponent's intent, it can also be used as a source of light."

She pulled out a parchment and sketched a rune, a delicate shape resembling a blooming flower. As the ink settled, it faintly glowed, as if catching fire.

'Incredible.'

Merlin was entranced, eyes locked onto Sophia's every movement. He analyzed each detail with obsessive precision.

"See this?" Sophia gestured to the glowing rune. 

"Energy flows because the symbol is correctly drawn and imbued with the proper intent. A single misplaced stroke, a careless motion—and the structure collapses. That's why you must understand runes, not just copy them. You must feel their meaning."

Nathan barely used runes in the novel… because they weren't that useful.

Sophia stepped back and drew another rune on the board. Merlin's gaze tracked every stroke.

"Take the 'Gebo' rune. It represents exchange, contracts, and balance. When working with runes, always consider their meaning. A poor combination—like Gebo and Isa, the rune of ice—can have disastrous consequences. Imagine forming a magical contract, only for Isa to freeze its energy. No progress, no change. The result? A deadlock."

Her eyes were sharp but not unkind. Her voice carried intent and strength. Yet she watched carefully to ensure everyone understood.

"Now, try it yourselves. Draw the rune while focusing on the energy's flow. Feel how it aligns with your intent."

Out of nowhere, a parchment and quill materialized in front of every student.

Merlin glanced at the parchment, recalling Sophia's previous demonstration.

'Alright, let's try the Lire one,'.

Most students—including Nathan—had no clue how to even start. The sheer complexity of the technique had deterred them from attempting it before.

But Merlin? He simply picked up the quill and started sketching a delicate flower, guiding his energy into the parchment.

'Something like this?'

As he completed the drawing, mana coursed through the ink, illuminating the parchment. Then—

A blinding flash.

The entire room lit up as if someone had detonated a flashbang in a game. The brightness surged for a moment before slowly dimming.

'That turned out better than I expected.'

A round of applause broke the silence.

Sophia checked the student roster, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Merlin Everhart, right? Well done! You've earned extra academy points!"

A few light claps followed—Nathan, wearing a subtle grin. But as soon as Merlin glanced at him, he awkwardly stopped and turned back to his own parchment.

The rest of the class, however, could only watch in silent envy.

Not a single one had succeeded. Some had drawn the shape incorrectly, while others had botched their mana control—burning their parchment to ashes. Elara had been one of them. Now she wore an embarrassed smile.

'Wasn't that hard.'

But it was hard. Just not for Merlin for some reason.

The attempts continued until the end of class, but Merlin found himself more entertained by Nathan's struggles—especially when his parchment caught fire in his hands.

'…'

Merlin barely suppressed his laughter. Nathan, on the other hand, just grinned like everything was fine.

By the time class ended, most students stumbled out—either drained or utterly frustrated from wasting so much mana.

'Lunchtime.'

Merlin left the classroom with Nathan trailing behind him like a loyal puppy. They made their way across the courtyard toward the cafeteria.

Then, loud shouting echoed from their right.

A spike of mana tingled in the air.

'Hm? What now?'

Merlin turned to see two older students cornering a younger one.

'Unfortunate.'

He kept walking—until Nathan spoke.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Merlin flinched. His body froze. His lips twitched.

'No… please, someone kill me.'

Nathan's sudden outburst caught the bullies' attention.

"The hell are you looking at? Mind your business!"

The two teenagers turned toward them, aggression clear in their stance.

Merlin sighed and raised his hands in surrender. 

"Look, I don't know this guy." He jabbed a thumb at Nathan, who still had that infuriatingly unbreakable smile.

'Why are you so goddamn kindhearted? I'm starving.'

The two students stalked toward them.

Merlin sighed. "You do realize fighting outside of duels is against the academy's rules—"

"Like I give a damn about those stupid rules!"

One of them swung at him.

'Idiot.'

[Trickster's Reflex]

Merlin stepped aside, grabbed the attacker's arm, and effortlessly tripped him, twisting his arm in the process.

POP

The sound echoed. The boy's shoulder was dislocated.

Merlin clicked his tongue. Nathan turned away, grimacing. The crack wasn't pleasant.

'…Not even worth calling an extra. His shoulder snapped like a twig.'

"AAAAH! HELP!"

The downed boy howled like a dying animal, while the other one bolted in sheer panic.

Nathan stared, jaw slightly open, then turned to Merlin with sparkling admiration.

"Listen, I told you not to—"

"What the hell is going on here?!"

A sharp voice cut through the scene.

Both Merlin and Nathan turned to see a red-haired girl striding toward them, her piercing eyes glowing like molten lava.

'…A student council member. We're so cooked.'

Merlin instantly recognized her uniform. Nathan, as expected, just smiled like a harmless lamb.

"I demand an explanation. Now."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. The girl's looks and attitude triggered a memory.

'Amelia Vaughn…?'

"You three—follow me immediately!"

Her voice carried authority. But Merlin knew the truth.

She wasn't strong.

In fact, according to the novel, the only reason she was even on the student council was her intelligence. In terms of combat ability? She was weak.

"IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO MUCH!"

The injured boy continued wailing like a damn monkey.

Merlin wanted to argue, but there was no point. The student council always upheld the rules, no exceptions.

'Fantastic.'

Merlin glanced at Nathan, a vein twitching on his forehead. Nathan, ever the optimist, just chuckled awkwardly.

Meanwhile, the injured kid was still screaming his lungs out.

"Fine. We'll go with you."

Merlin sighed. Amelia nodded, satisfied.