Return of the Legendary Runesmith - Chapter 415

Chapter 415: Chapter 414- Guilty
It had been seventeen hours.

Adrian sat on a stool, shoulders stiff, eyes fixed on the final plantation being rebuilt. The night sky had shifted colors already, yet the work still continued without pause. Sweat, dust, and the constant clang of tools filled the air.

The process had taken much longer than the chief engineer predicted. At first, everyone believed the rebuilding should only take around ten hours. That estimate had been based on ideal conditions, perfect efficiency, and workers who didn’t tire.

But Adrian had expected delays.

The number of workers available for the reconstruction was only fifty. And each plantation wasn’t something small that could be fixed in a day. Each one was nearly the size of a school building—tall, wide, and made with multiple layers of delicate structure. Working on six such massive plantations was no joke, especially when one of them had been on the verge of collapsing into ruins.

They needed to add a new defensive layer—one strong enough to endure his runes without cracking. They needed to repair the frame without damaging the roots and internal channels. They needed to take each step slowly to avoid irreversible mistakes. Precision mattered more than speed, and everyone knew it.

So yes, naturally, it took time.

Adrian noticed early on how guilty the laborers and engineers looked. Many had apologized repeatedly for the delay, their faces drawn with worry. He had to keep reminding them that this wasn’t about finishing fast—it was about finishing right.

Cutting corners here would only harm them later. And Adrian would never allow that.

Now, by his calculations, he had only one hour left before the system pulled him back. He stared at the half-completed formation, the scattered tools, the tired but determined workers.

Would one hour be enough?

No. Not even close.

That was why Adrian was currently in the middle of negotiation.

‘Just five more hours,’ he pleaded inside. ‘I swear, I will finish the fifth thread within a month.’

Anyone hearing that promise would call him insane. They would say it was impossible. After all, it had taken him more than a month just to master the first step of the fifth thread. And the remaining steps were far more complex.

Yet Adrian believed he could do it.

Once the final stretch of the third year ended, he would finally have some free time. Not infinite time, but enough to focus fully. He would still spend time with Ariana, Annabelle, and Ruby—obviously he wouldn’t neglect them—but he could still fit a few hours of study every day, excluding the time he would be spending in the Time Chamber.

So yes. He was confident he could conquer the fifth thread.

That was when the system’s voice echoed.

[Host, creating space wormholes is becoming difficult ever since the host crossed the realms. There is a chance the host will not be able to leave for the next few hours. Negotiation is unnecessary.]

Adrian froze.

‘What do you mean by that?’

A system failure? A bug?

Or something worse?

[When a person is sent to a different realm, a gateway is generated between the two plains. However, an external force is stopping the formation of that gateway. There is no gap for the bridge to form.]

Adrian felt a chill.

‘Am I… going to stay here forever?’

That thought scraped at his nerves. He wasn’t scared of staying in a new realm, but the lack of control worried him. He could not teleport here, not between realms. If the system couldn’t take him back…

He would be trapped.

But fortunately—

[No, host. The system will attempt to form a bridge in four hours. If unsuccessful, another attempt will be made in ten hours. The host is requested to complete his work within four hours.]

Adrian let out a breath. So he wasn’t trapped. Not permanently. Just delayed.

It was strange, though. The system almost never explained how it worked. For it to talk about gateways and bridges must mean the situation was severe.

But the question that bothered him most was—

Who was interfering?

Who had enough power to block the system?

And more importantly… would four hours be enough?

“Tired?” a soft voice asked from his side.

Adrian turned.

Raven stood there holding two cups. Her hair was messy, her clothes slightly dusty—she had been helping the workers earlier. Beside her, Isabelle quickly rushed forward with a chair, placing it beside Adrian’s stool.

“Here,” Raven said, offering him one of the cups.

Adrian accepted it and felt warm steam brush his face. Herbal tea with a touch of honey. A gentle scent drifted up, clearing the faint headache he’d been ignoring.

He usually preferred coffee, but right now the soothing tea tasted perfect.

“Ah… this is good. Thank you,” he said.

Raven smiled—small, and bright.

Her gaze moved toward the workers hammering away at the frame. “It’s taking way longer than they expected.”

Adrian nodded. “They were emotional back then. They didn’t know how careful this task needed to be. I can’t blame them. Honestly, I’m impressed by how focused they still are.”

Raven let out a soft sigh. “Of course they would be. You’re not doing this for yourself. You’re doing it for them.”

A merchant could work twenty hours a day if there was profit for himself. A warrior could fight for days if it meant glory or reward. But these people weren’t doing any of that.

They were working because their families depended on them.

They were rebuilding the source of their food and livelihood.

They were trying to protect their future.

Naturally, they were motivated enough to forget fatigue and the minor cuts they had received along the way.

Raven finally turned back to him and asked, “Aren’t you going to be late for your academy duties? As a professor, you must have exams to attend, right?”

Adrian waved it off. “I still have a day left. I’ll be tired, sure, but I can manage.”

Ever since his re-awakening, his stamina and endurance had grown beyond normal. He could go without sleep for four days and still function on the fifth.

Sleep was a luxury, not a necessity.

“What about Ariana? Won’t she worry?” Raven asked, raising a brow.

“Oh, she will,” Adrian admitted with a soft laugh. “But I asked Annabelle to inform her I’d be late.”

Ariana already knew he was doing important work here. She wouldn’t complain unless he pushed himself too far.

Raven stayed quiet for a few seconds before she spoke again, her voice lower.

“You’re… doing so much for us. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Adrian blinked. She seemed genuinely troubled.

She wasn’t exaggerating either.

Not only had he built artifacts that boosted the growth of their crops, he was now creating a defensive mechanism for all six plantations. Something no one else could do. Something that would protect their food supply for years. Something that could save their entire kind from starvation.

Raven swallowed softly.

He wasn’t just helping them.

He was saving them from perishing.

Their entire race could have slowly faded away without food. Without support. Without hope.

But Adrian had stepped in and changed everything.

She looked at him—eyes soft, grateful, almost emotional.

“You saved us,” she whispered. “Really… you saved us.”

Adrian did not know what to say.

He simply stared at the plantation as torches flickered, workers shouted instructions, and the night moved closer to dawn.

He remained silent for a few moments before he voiced, “I…just don’t know why I feel this way…seeing you in pain…it stirred something inside me and I couldn’t stop myself from putting everything on the line to help you.”

He confessed truthfully.

Seeing her tears, those lost eyes, those tense shoulders of hers…something made his heart ache.

He didn’t know why that happened?

He has just met her the second time.

He barely knows her.

And yet, her worries felt like his responsibility to erase.

He wanted to do anything and everything to make her smile.

He knew he shouldn’t be feeling like this, but that’s how it was.

His heart wasn’t listening to him. And yet it didn’t feel wrong.

Maybe …it was related to the memories she mentioned the last time.

Evilyn also said that Avirin and Raven had spent quite a long period together before Avirin disappeared.

So…this might be their past connection which was making him feel all kinds of emotions for this woman.

Raven stared at him, searching his eyes…memories? Recognition?

He couldn’t tell. But he knew Raven was quite emotional at the moment.

She then asked, “Do you feel troubled because of these emotions?”

Adrian rubbed the back of his head, “I am unsure about that…”

Raven smiled as she told him, “Then let’s keep this interaction formal…I don’t want you to feel guilty of anything that happens between us.”

Saying so, she got up and walked away.

Adrian stared at her distancing back with a complicated gaze.

‘What exactly are you hiding, Raven?’

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.