Return of the Legendary Runesmith - Chapter 464

Chapter 464: Chapter 463- It’s inevitable
“Annabelle, stop panicking,” Ariana said firmly, though her eyes never left Adrian’s unmoving body.

He lay on the bed as if carved from stone, his chest rising faintly with shallow breaths. His face was pale, lips dry, and his brows were faintly knitted even in unconsciousness, as though pain refused to leave him even in sleep.

Annabelle stood frozen near the foot of the bed, tears pooling in her eyes, hands trembling as she tried to steady herself. “But—but… darling…” Her voice cracked before the word even fully left her mouth.

“As I said,” Ariana continued, her tone sharp but controlled, “he won’t get better if you panic. Pacing around won’t help him.” She finally looked away from Adrian and fixed her gaze on Annabelle. “Go get me warm water, compressing pads, and cleaning cotton. Quickly.”

Annabelle nodded at once, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before rushing out of the room. She moved so fast that the air behind her seemed to ripple, students and staff barely registering her presence as she passed through the corridors like a sudden gust of wind.

Once the door closed, the room fell quiet again.

Ariana exhaled slowly and carefully moved closer to the bed. She knelt beside Adrian and gently removed his pants, taking extreme care not to disturb his legs. Even the slightest movement made him groan faintly, his body reacting on instinct despite his lack of awareness.

The sound made her chest tighten.

Someone who groaned and winced even while unconscious… that alone spoke volumes about how far he had pushed himself.

Valor’s text echoed in her mind.

He had warned Annabelle before sending Adrian back, explaining that Adrian had gone far beyond his limits. Far beyond what his body should have endured. Those few minutes of warning were the only reason Ariana had been able to steady herself before seeing him like this.

And yet, standing here now, she realized nothing could truly prepare her.

He was in terrible condition.

There were no deep wounds, no visible signs of internal bleeding, which was the only small relief she could cling to. But his muscles were another story entirely. They spasmed beneath his skin, tightening and loosening in painful waves, as if his body no longer knew how to rest.

His calves were rigid, cords of muscle drawn so tight it looked as though they might snap at any moment.

Whatever training he had gone through… it was beyond brutal.

It was madness.

“Why did you have to push yourself this much?” Ariana whispered, her voice trembling as she cupped his cheek. His skin was warm, feverish even, and her thumb brushed faint sweat from his temple.

There was no response.

Only his shallow breathing and the faint tension in his jaw.

The door burst open a moment later, and Annabelle rushed back in, arms full of supplies. Warm water sloshed dangerously close to the edge of the bowl she carried, compressing pads stacked unevenly in her arms, cotton peeking out from beneath them.

“I brought everything you asked for,” she said breathlessly.

Ariana straightened. “Good. Clean his wounds and apply healing ointment.”

Annabelle froze.

“Wait—I didn’t bring the ointment!” Panic surged back into her voice, and she spun around, already halfway through turning to run out again.

Ariana caught her by the shirt and pulled her back. “It’s inside the wardrobe,” she said sharply.

Annabelle blinked, then nodded quickly. The look in Ariana’s eyes made it clear—this was not the moment to lose control again.

She retrieved the ointment and returned to the bedside, carefully placing the supplies down.

Ariana didn’t waste a second. She picked up the compressing pads and wrapped them around Adrian’s calves, securing them gently but firmly. The pads warmed almost instantly, tightening before relaxing in a steady rhythm.

Squeeze.

Release.

Squeeze.

Release.

A low groan escaped Adrian’s lips, but this time it was different. Softer. Almost relieved.

“Haa…” he breathed out, as if his body was finally accepting help.

Ariana moved quickly, placing the remaining pads around his arms. His muscles responded the same way, tension slowly easing as blood flow improved. His clenched fingers loosened slightly, and the deep lines in his brow softened.

Only then did Ariana allow herself to breathe.

She guided Annabelle’s hands as they cleaned his wounds, applying antiseptic gel with care. Small cuts and abrasions littered his hands, especially around his fingers and palms.

“These injuries are self-inflicted,” Ariana murmured. “Valor didn’t do this.”

Annabelle nodded slowly. “I get cuts like these when I don’t handle my blades properly,” she said quietly, pointing to the space between Adrian’s index finger and thumb. “This… this happens when you slash with force not precision.”

Ariana said nothing, but her thoughts were loud.

Adrian was not reckless by nature. He was disciplined. Calculated. He listened to his body more than most.

Which meant this wasn’t carelessness.

This was obsession.

*You’re still thinking about what happened, aren’t you?* Ariana thought, heat rising behind her eyes.

No matter how calm he appeared on the surface, no matter how steady his voice had been these past days, he hadn’t moved on at all.

He had just buried it deeper.

“Ariana…” Annabelle spoke softly as she began massaging Adrian’s soles, her movements slow and gentle. “Do you think we should talk to him about this?”

Adrian’s expression eased further under her touch, his breathing evening out at last.

Ariana looked up. “About what?”

Annabelle hesitated, then said, “Darling is a creator. His creations can change the world. He doesn’t need to go to the battlefield himself.”

Ariana sighed.

She understood why Annabelle felt this way. The fear. The helplessness. The constant dread of losing him.

“I know you’re emotional right now,” Ariana said gently, “but that thought is futile. You can’t convince him to lock himself in his workshop while others face danger.”

Annabelle’s eyes hardened. “But it worked like that in the past. Avirin never left his workshop. If he had, the Hero would never have received the Sword of Infinity. Darkness would never have been defeated.”

Ariana hummed softly. “You’re right.” Then she met Annabelle’s gaze. “But can you be that Hero? Can you defeat Nytharos alone?”

Annabelle faltered.

Once, she would have answered without hesitation.

But she had lost to Nytharos twice.

And defeat had a way of leaving scars far deeper than wounds.

“Avirin lived during the golden era of the Wardens,” Ariana continued. “Even an average warrior from that time could challenge people like us today. Not because they were stronger by nature, but because of the world they grew up in.”

A thousand years ago, survival was everything.

People lived on the run, never trusting shadows, killing for scraps of bread. That kind of life forced growth. It pushed people to the edge of their potential without them even realizing it.

“So…” Annabelle whispered, eyes lowered. “It’s inevitable?”

Ariana looked down at Adrian, brushing his hair back gently. “As much as I want him to stay here, safe and far away from this world’s cruelty… I know it’s impossible.” Her voice softened. “He doesn’t fight for the world. He fights for us. To protect us. To give us a life where we don’t have to be afraid.”

Silence settled between them.

Annabelle wiped her nose and straightened. “Then I’ll become strong enough,” she said quietly. “Strong enough to stand at least one step ahead of him.”

Ariana smiled and placed a hand on her head. “I believe you’re the only one who can do that.”

…

Ruby had been traveling nonstop for days.

As much as she wanted to stay at the academy, the Tower demanded her attention. Its recent inauguration had left her buried under responsibilities, and as the only Tower Master, she had no one else to shoulder the burden.

She sat in the meeting room now, back straight, expression composed as she wrapped up the day’s discussions. The moment this meeting ended, she would head straight for the teleportation center.

Today, Adrian was supposed to leave for another world.

To train under someone who had once forced an Evil God to retreat.

Gilbert had described the man as gullible, even easygoing. But Ruby knew better than to trust appearances. Eyes could lie far too easily.

Still, if Adrian trusted him… that meant something.

Yet her unease refused to fade.

“Is there any other matter?” Ruby asked, already preparing to conclude the meeting.

“Yes, Madame Vermillion,” a voice spoke up.

Ruby looked toward the older council member, a man who had once served under her father. His presence was meant to guide her as she grew into her role.

“Yes, Mister Calvin?”

“The creation of Edward Clark will be presented to the public soon.”

Ruby frowned. “I’ve heard rumors, but I don’t know what it does.”

Calvin hesitated. “You… didn’t attend his celebration?”

Ruby smiled wryly. “I was dealing with something more urgent.”

Calvin’s voice lowered. “His words were… unsettling. Mana for all. Strength to all.”

Ruby leaned back slowly.

That wasn’t just revolutionary.

It was dangerous.

“When is the exhibition?” she asked.

“In ten days.”

Ruby nodded once. “Then we’ll attend.”

And with that, the meeting ended—though the weight of what was coming had only just begun to settle.