Return of the Legendary Runesmith - Chapter 424

Chapter 424: Chapter 423- Return
Adrian was currently being crushed in a massive bear hug by two women—one clinging to his waist, the other to his shoulder, both refusing to let go as if letting go meant losing him again.

Ever since he had told Annabelle that the plantations were under attack, and that he couldn’t return immediately because the system was malfunctioning… both she and Ariana had nearly lost their minds.

And then he stopped responding.

Completely.

Not a single message.

Not from him, not from Raven.

It was only natural they panicked.

“I’m okay now. Look—no scratches, no bruises.” Adrian assured them, spreading his arms to show he was perfectly fine.

Annabelle sniffled softly, “Darling… do you even understand what we went through when you stopped texting after telling me the plantations were under attack?”

Ariana added, her tone exasperated rather than teary, “That was extremely irresponsible, Adrian. You should’ve sent at least one message to let us know you were alive.”

Adrian sighed heavily. “Seeing you two this worried… I almost feel guilty for informing you in the first place.”

“No!” Annabelle immediately shot back, shaking her head. “Never hide things like that from us. What if you’re in danger and we don’t even know? Don’t blame yourself for telling us—just make sure to send a follow-up next time.”

She was right. He had been irrational.

His shoulders dropped as he muttered, “I lost consciousness after the battle.”

“You were hurt?” Ariana asked sharply, already looking him up and down, clearly ready to strip him and check for wounds herself if needed.

But Adrian raised a hand. “No, I wasn’t injured. It was mana overuse—and something else I still can’t quite figure out. But it definitely wasn’t the enemy that made me faint.”

Ariana let out a slow breath. “How do you feel now? Any lingering effects from the mana overdose?”

Adrian shook his head. “I rested enough. I’m fine now.”

Annabelle gently grabbed his hand, her thumb brushing over his knuckles. “What about the plantations?”

She knew how crucial they were, how many lives depended on them.

And she knew how dangerous it was if someone strong enough to challenge Raven had appeared.

Thankfully—

Adrian exhaled. “I managed to defeat the Apostle and protect the plantations.”

Ariana’s brows shot up. “Apostle? You mean… Acolyte, right?”

Adrian slowly shook his head. “As absurd as it sounds… the one who attacked the plantations was working for the Gods.”

Both Annabelle and Ariana froze, their expressions tightening at the same time.

They had only recently begun to learn things—uncomfortable things—about the so-called Gods, truths that cracked the foundations of every belief they grew up with.

First, it was Nytharos who told Annabelle pieces of the forgotten past.

How the culture they revered wasn’t as pure as people claimed.

How the world they imagined had been nothing more than a polished lie rewritten over generations.

Then came Elana… and Annabelle’s instinctive aversion to anything resembling divinity. Even Ariana had noticed how Annabelle’s voice hardened whenever the topic surfaced.

And now, Adrian’s returned memories—

memories of a different world, a cruel world,

where humans were nothing but tools of worship, mere vessels to feed the vanity of higher beings.

A world that treated devotion as currency and people as disposable offerings.

Layer by layer, their understanding of “gods” was rotting away.

And now… this.

A divine subordinate attacking innocent land—

attacking the only source of food for those people—

and doing so without hesitation, without mercy, without even a pretense of reason?

Annabelle’s voice trembled with contained anger. “Are they still regarding those people as traitors?”

Her knowing that term didn’t surprise Adrian.

Of course she knew.

A thousand years ago, Annabelle, Raven, and the others had shared a connection—deep enough that Annabelle would understand exactly what kind of torment Raven’s world had suffered.

She knew how those innocent people had been hunted, punished, and branded with a sin that was never theirs to bear.

Ariana, however, frowned in confusion.

So Adrian filled her in—explaining that the world the Apostle emerged from was Raven’s world, the one that had contributed the most to Darkness subjects, and later to Nytharos’s followers.

A world that had been trampled beneath divine judgment for centuries.

“That world has a very dark past,” Adrian finished quietly, “and a grim present.”

Ariana’s jaw tightened. The frustration in her voice was sharp enough to cut.

“Those heavenly beings are supposed to guide us—protect us. If a few people turned out to be traitors, how can they justify punishing an entire race? That’s not justice. It’s cruelty. It’s unforgivable.”

Her anger wasn’t wild—it was cold, righteous, the kind born when a good person finally sees how twisted the system truly is.

Adrian reached out and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, grounding her emotions.

“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ve already installed a defense mechanism around the plantations. And I contacted Evilyn—she’s sending some of her strongest golems to assist Raven. Hopefully that will give them at least some protection if those shitty Gods decide to target her people again.”

His voice held warmth, but beneath it simmered something darker—a promise that he wouldn’t let divine cruelty go unchallenged again.

Ariana let out a long breath, the tension slowly draining from her shoulders. “Anyway… are you hungry? Or do you want to rest now?” she asked, her voice softer than before.

Annabelle immediately added, already half rising, “I can go bring you some lunch, darling—”

“No,” Adrian interrupted gently but firmly, placing a hand on her arm before she could stand. “We’re all resting for the day.”

Both women blinked at him, confused.

Adrian looked at them—really looked—and the answer was obvious.

“I can see that neither of you slept last night,” he said quietly. “You were too worried about me. So, for now, we rest. All of us. We can eat dinner together later, okay?”

Ariana fidgeted, her fingers curling slightly. “But tomorrow… the final exams…”

“I know,” he said, not even letting her finish. “And all the preparations are already done. So let’s trust your subordinates, Miss Headmistress, and rest for now.”

Ariana opened her mouth to argue—only to close it again.

Annabelle didn’t protest at all; she simply smiled faintly, exhaustion finally catching up to her.

Adrian exhaled softly, then tugged them both toward the bed with a gentle insistence that left no room for further objections.

They followed without resistance.

As he lay down, Ariana slipped onto his left side, curling close as if her body had been waiting for this reassurance.

Annabelle settled on his right, resting her head on his shoulder, her hand lightly gripping his shirt as if afraid that letting go would break whatever fragile peace they had finally reclaimed.

For the first time since they heard news of the attack, the room felt calm.

Warm.

Safe.

And the three of them drifted into a much-needed rest.

….

“Woah!” Sylvie yelped as she jerked back, narrowly avoiding the wooden blade that whistled past her ribs.

The princess exhaled sharply, genuine surprise flashing across her features. “You’ve gotten stronger. Much stronger than the last time we fought.”

Allen scratched his cheek, giving her a sheepish grin. “Have I? Well, I am doin—huh?!”

His sentence died as his eyes widened—because something huge was suddenly descending toward his skull.

He had barely a heartbeat to react.

Instead of dodging, he snapped his elbow upward, catching the wooden hammer in a sharp parry just before it completed its brutal downward arc.

The force ricocheted through his arm.

Sylvie stumbled back a few steps, impressed despite herself. “A real hammer would’ve shattered your arm, you know.”

Allen laughed. “A real sword would’ve turned this mat into a crime scene by now.”

Sylvie’s smile twitched, then faded into a narrow-eyed glare. “You’re getting cocky.”

Allen rested his wooden sword on his shoulder with dramatic flair. “A little cockiness suits strong people.”

Sylvie smirked, crossing her arms. “Oh? Then why don’t you say that while facing Senior Aries in the ring? You’ve been sparring with her a lot lately, haven’t you?”

Allen’s bravado cracked instantly. He sighed, shoulders drooping in surrender. “Yeah, but that’s a mountain still far from my reach.”

His grip tightened around the wooden hilt, determination hardening his expression.

“But one day… I’ll win against her too.”

Sylvie hummed thoughtfully before tilting her head. “How did you even convince her to spar against you?”

Allen flashed a cheeky grin, the kind that always meant trouble. “I just waited for the right moment.” He dragged his tongue lightly across his lip, savoring the memory. “I knew—despite all that nervous anxiety she kept showing—that she’d pass the Aegis Trials. So I waited until the results were announced… then asked her right there, when her guard was at its lowest.”

He leaned back, smug. “And guess what answer I got?”

Sylvie exhaled in disbelief, rubbing her temple. “You are quite a bastard, aren’t you?”

Allen’s laugh burst out sharp and proud. “I accept the honor, Your Highness.”