The Runesmith

Chapter 520: Need More Money.

Elodia blinked, caught off guard by her husband's unexpected question.

"Teaching? Me?"

She repeated, her voice laced with confusion.Roland nodded, his expression serious yet encouraging.

"Yes. You’ve already been running the orphanage so efficiently, guiding and nurturing those children. I’ve seen how they respect and look up to you. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine you teaching them - and others in a more structured way."

Before becoming Roland’s wife, Elodia had already worked for him as a store clerk. She had been perfect for the role, her years of experience as a guild receptionist making her exceptionally qualified. However, that was before Roland had risen to prominence as the Knight Commander. His new position brought heightened dangers to their lives. As his wife, Elodia was inevitably at risk as well.

The store itself posed challenges. As it attracted customers who were trained adventurers and potentially tier 3 class holders. Many individuals in this world didn’t require weapons to inflict harm or cause wanton destruction. In the past Arthur's brother’s knights had attacked her and Agni, something that still bothered him to this day.

If Roland could transition Elodia into a more controlled environment, such as a teaching institution, ensuring her safety would become significantly easier. He could station sentries throughout the building and conduct background checks on any new children allowed to participate. It was a plan that would protect her while allowing her to use her talents meaningfully.

"I don’t know... Teaching is quite different from running an orphanage. What exactly are you suggesting?"

Elodia’s tone was hesitant, but the fact that she hadn’t dismissed the idea outright gave Roland hope. Now he just needed to convince her.

"A school, of course. One where children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, can learn practical skills - like literacy, mathematics, and maybe even some basic combat training.“

In this world, free schools didn’t exist. Education was a privilege of the wealthy, with nobles hiring private tutors to ensure their children excelled. It wasn’t a coincidence that more nobles acquired combat-related classes compared to commoners.

Leveling battle skills through training, as Roland himself had been forced to do, dramatically increased one’s chances. So did learning essential skills like reading and arithmetic. Even if these children didn’t obtain combat-oriented classes, the knowledge could still help them achieve a better station in life than becoming mere villagers or farmers.

"A school? Like one of those academies, the nobles use? That sounds... ambitious. Where would we even begin? And why are you bringing this up now? Is it because of that one customer?"

"Well... partially but I have been thinking about this for a while now."

Roland admitted with a nod. That one customer had played a role in sparking the idea, but it wasn’t the only reason. In truth, Roland believed his wife’s talents were being underutilized. She was far more capable than her current roles as a shop clerk and housewife allowed her to show. He thought she would be happier surrounded by children, using her skills in a way that made a lasting impact. A school that taught children to read, write, and defend themselves was just one concept, though. If she didn’t like it, there were other paths they could explore.

"If you don’t like that idea, we could think of other things..."

"Now hold on there,"

Elodia interrupted.

"I didn’t say no. The idea is... intriguing."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Elodia paused, clearly pondering the proposal. Roland could tell she was weighing the idea seriously. She folded her arms, her brow furrowing in concentration.

“It sounds noble, but also like a monumental undertaking. Who would fund it? Build it? Staff it?”

“Well, we would.”

Roland replied.

“We? It seems my dear husband hasn’t been keeping an eye on the ledger...”

Elodia raised an eyebrow.

“Unless you get Lord Arthur to finance this venture, we’d be hard-pressed to cover the costs on our own.”

“Were we really that in the red?”

“I suppose, I should get to it?”

There was much to do, but with the help of others, he could focus on restoring some of his equipment. With Sebastian’s assistance, he contacted a few people within the city to arrange the creation of a report that could be delivered directly to his doorstep. Although the project was not yet complete, he was working on developing something akin to a fax machine - an invention capable of scanning flat papers and transmitting them to distant locations. For now, however, he decided to give his mind a brief respite by indulging in some basic runecrafting.

From a large box in the corner of the room, he retrieved a round metal sphere. It was a clean base for one of his most frequently used devices: a runic bomb. With a single strike of his hammer, the pale metal began to shimmer with a vivid blue glow. The light spread across the entire surface, instantly forming a functional spell structure that could be activated on command.

"I’ve come a long way, haven’t I?"

It took just one swing of his hammer to craft this high-tier 2 bomb, and only a bit more effort would be required to make it even more powerful. As he recently explained in his lectures, runes could be enhanced beyond their intended limits. For items like runic bombs, this process was particularly advantageous as overloading the structures wasn’t an issue since they were designed for single use.

Crafting these devices was straightforward, and they delivered an impressive amount of power. To make them even more versatile, he could imbue the explosion with any elemental attribute of his choice. This ability to adapt to various situations made the runic grenade one of the most effective weapons in his arsenal.

“Cheap and effective, the best kind of weapon.”

The night wore on as Roland delved deeper into his work, the rhythmic clang of his hammer ringing through the workshop. The faint blue glow of enchanted runes danced across his tools and materials, bathing the room in a serene light. Roland focused on replenishing his depleted stock of runic devices and gear. He also adjusted his armor and reinforced the enchantments on his gauntlets. His gear had gone through some use during Robert’s rescue but it was still in working order.

As the first rays of dawn crept through the windows, Roland found himself enjoying a hearty breakfast with his wife. They had already discussed his upcoming departure. She was accustomed to his frequent expeditions, but he couldn’t help wondering if her patience might eventually wear thin. To avoid any potential resentment, he resolved to complete his mission swiftly and perhaps return with a few gifts to soften any lingering annoyance.

“You worked through the night again, didn’t you?”

She asked, pouring him a cup of coffee.

“Had to catch up.”

Roland admitted sheepishly, his eyes flicking toward the window as though searching for a distraction.

“But more importantly, why does Agni look so down?”

Outside, his wolf lounged listlessly, his massive head flopped over the edge of the stable-sized doghouse.

“Oh, he’s always like that before the priests come to take him away. Can’t blame him; it must be boring to sit through hours of their rituals.”

“I see. Hey, Agni, come here for a minute.”

He had been working late into the night, sharing his plans only with Elodia. By now, he had received the report, packed all his gear, and was nearly ready to depart. In his haste, though, he’d forgotten to inform his loyal companion about their upcoming journey into the dungeon. Agni lifted his head slightly at Roland’s call, his ears perking up as if trying to decide whether it was worth moving. Roland sighed, realizing that he had perhaps been ignoring his partner for too long but his attitude also made him want to tease him more.

“Well that’s a shame, I suppose I’ll have to go to the dungeon alone, I was hoping you’d come with me, but if you’d rather stay here and listen to the priests drone on...”

Before he could finish the sentence Agni’s ears shot upright at the mention of the dungeon. The massive wolf bolted upright, shaking off his lethargy as his glowing eyes locked onto Roland. With a deep, resonant bark, he bounded toward the house, his tail wagging furiously.

“There we go.”

Roland chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the fur behind Agni’s ears as the wolf leaned into his touch, almost knocking out the window.

“I knew that’d get your attention.”

Elodia smirked, sipping her own coffee as she watched the interaction and the ensuing shaking of the house Agni was leaning up against.

“Well, have fun you two, and come back safely.”

“We will.”

“Worf!”