The Runic Alchemist

"Is that offer available for all of us?" Lucian interjected.

Damian nodded slightly, acknowledging all three of them. Adrian and Fiona were in the exam too, though Damian barely remembered them. Explore hidden tales at empire

"Sure. You'll do all the work, and I'll just sit and judge—my favorite thing to do," he replied.

Lucian shot him a look, which Damian wholeheartedly ignored, acting as if he didn't notice. His gaze wandered back to the hall as he sensed Reize approaching through the entrance. Grace found her, and the two started chatting as they walked toward the group.

"Why all the theatrics?" Damian asked. "Couldn't they just reveal it on the badge and be done with it?"

"Come on, they're giving us permission to enter their precious dungeon. They wouldn't miss the chance to make speeches," Sam said.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in dungeon diving?" Einar asked.

"It's time to ascend. I need the levels," Damian replied simply.

It wasn't anything special—everyone shared that goal when facing dungeons, especially students.

"Your skills are fully leveled?" Lucian asked.

"The necessary ones, thanks to you. The dungeon will help with the rest," Damian said, glancing at her.

"Man, you're awfully confident about ranking highest," Adrian commented.

"Yeah, didn't you drop out of Beast Studies?" Fiona added.

Before Damian could answer, he sensed Bloodedge, Worldscribe, and Runefather outside the hallway, finally heading toward them after being holed up in another room nearby. Damian gulped down the rest of his juice and stepped forward before replying,

"Yes, that's why I had to go the extra length to make you all look bad."

They all gave him looks. Damian just smiled apologetically and walked back into the hall, the others following behind. He met up with Reize and Grace, waiting for the professors. A few minutes later, the professors arrived, and the students gathered together.

As Sam had predicted, the speeches went on and on. Some professors praised them; others encouraged or pointed out their mistakes.

Bloodedge, however, had no patience for niceties. He criticized groups left and right, pointing out what they could have done better. While he didn't praise anyone or name individuals, his comments were constructive. Yet Damian noticed how none of the professors mentioned him or his deeds directly.

"Now, onto the reason we're gathered here," Worldscribe said at last, after sharing her thoughts on the exam. "With 493 points, third in the overall fifth-year class this semester is—Einar Larven."

The room erupted in applause. Damian joined in, glancing at Einar. She appeared indifferent, though her cheeks flushed under the attention. She received an ornate gold ring, enchanted, from what Damian could sense.

"With 498 points, the second place is claimed by—" Worldscribe paused dramatically before continuing, "Lucian Goldilocks."

Once again, applause filled the hall. Lucian walked forward, her indifference trying hard to mask her disappointment - even he barely noticed. Damian smirked. That was the Lucian he knew—always striving to be the best, even in trivial matters.

She was handed a leather-bound spellbook. Damian didn't know they gave out rewards to the top three students each semester other than the dungeon privilege.

"And the top-ranking student, whose answers in the exam proposed entirely new magical theories—many confirmed for the first time—and whose combat and spell-casting skills were unmatched, is Maximus of Eldoris, also known as 'The Morph Vialist,'" Worldscribe announced.

Damian simply nodded as the hall erupted in applause. Sam and the others patted him on the back, congratulating him.

Worldscribe extended her hand for a handshake. Damian hesitated, quickly drawing a small, crude runic circle with his left hand for a gravity-reversal spell with minimal movement. He held it steady with a mana thread along with his regular three. Fortunately, she didn't seem to mind when he held her hand longer than usual.

Damian smiled when her eyes questioned him. Both maintained decorum under the applause, but he had it—the crude spell was stable enough for him to see her ID. Not that he planned to launch her into the sky any day, but just in case.

He was rewarded with a runic sword forged from Highsword alloy—a fine weapon, though Damian hardly needed another sword. But that wasn't all. He also received a golden Highsword badge, similar to the normal one but with special privileges.

Most importantly, the badge granted him unrestricted access to the Highsword dungeon with a team of his choosing—up to 50 people. The other 50 spots would be reserved for other Highsword members.

After handing him the badge, Runefather added, "Maximus's runesmith talents displayed during the survival exam also did not go unnoticed by the academy. As a result, the staff has decided to record his unique sword as the best runic tool created by a student till today. It was a shame that it broke mid fight.."

The badge lit up, displaying the many points rewarded for the achievement. Damian hadn't expected this, but of course, he wouldn't refuse.

Runefather shook his hand, smiling warmly, as the hall continued to applaud.

With that, the highlight of the event concluded. A few more speeches from other professors followed, but no one seemed to care. Damian returned to Sam and Reize, only to endure another round of pats and thrashing. He was certain Sam and Einar were hitting him harder on purpose.

Once the professors left, encouraging the students to enjoy the rest of the day, Damian found himself surrounded by fifth years, like a lone rabbit amidst a pack of wolves. He had 49 open slots for the dungeon party, and each one represented a significant profit if he chose to capitalize on it. It took a rough display of his aura to finally disperse the crowd and regain his peace.

He hadn't planned too far ahead regarding who would join his party, aside from his friends. Still, he considered asking Evrin and Grace for advice on bringing in noble connections. These alliances might provide access to rare materials from their territories or even allow him a glimpse at unique dungeon artifacts.

"Maximus," Lucian called out once he returned to his friends. Damian turned to her.

"Maelor asked me to invite you to something our community is hosting. He wanted to have a conversation with you if you're free."

Damian nodded, glancing at Einar and Evrin, who reassured him with their expressions that it wasn't anything problematic.

"He also invited you," Grace added, addressing Sam.

Damian and Sam exchanged looks before Sam responded, "I'll be there."

Later, Damian formally informed his friends about the dungeon expedition, extending invitations to Sam, Einar, Evrin, and Grace. He also asked Lucian, Fiona, and Adrian to join. Including his two squires and Reize, that made 11 people, leaving 39 spots unfilled.

While he could technically enter the dungeon with fewer people, advancing through higher levels and facing more formidable monsters required both numbers and skill. The party's composition would directly determine their success, making skilled and trustworthy teammates essential.

Damian also considered inviting Karl, Kamisen, Maelor, and even Alex if he was interested. Some other classmates he had noticed could make valuable additions, too. The Highsword Dungeon was the oldest unconquered dungeon on record with publicly available information. Though royal palaces were built atop powerful dungeons, details about them were closely guarded. The fierce competition among princelings of other kingdoms for access to this Highsword dungeon was evidence of its value, likely surpassing the royal Dungeons.

No one would refuse the chance to enter it and that was without knowing the information about the dungeon that Damian and the Highswords had.

The relics obtained from such expeditions often revealed glimpses of a dungeon's secrets. Many, like the spell he had acquired from Vidalia, could analyze and interpret these relics. So high nobles most likely knew its value.

That was all for later though. For now, though, Damian had plenty to prepare before diving into the Highsword Dungeon.

He and Reize enjoyed the fancy food prepared for the event with everyone, exchanging playful banter about their exams. Maelor, Karl and Kamisen stopped by to congratulate him, adding to the lighthearted mood.

After the event, Damian returned to his room to change and rest. Socializing was far more draining for him than he let on. He could forge hundreds of swords without complaint, but small talk left him exhausted.

Reize had already gone back to her work. As expected, she had failed another year, though she didn't seem to mind. The badge showed their points and remarks after the announcement. Damian's perfect 100s in all five subjects and his "excellent" remarks became a running joke among every. No one else had managed even a single perfect score.

After a short nap with Toph, Damian woke up to Sam opening his room's door. It was time for the community meeting with Maelor and the others. Dressing casually quickly, he grabbed Toph and left with Sam.

Grace, Evrin, and Einar were already waiting in the Noble Society's community room. While Sam had been there till the entrance before as Evrin's escort, it was Damian's first visit.

"Think they want a deal for a spot in the dungeon?" Sam asked as they turned down another hallway.

"They can't be that foolish, that could wait.." Damian replied.

Sam hesitated before asking, "You think that was… okay?"

"What was okay?"

"You stepping into the spotlight like that. You usually stay hidden."

"It was necessary," Damian said firmly. "I meant it earlier—I really need to ascend. Things aren't exactly stable here."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"The Highsword invitation?"

Damian nodded.

"Should I be worried?"

"Just be prepared. I need you to get as far as possible in the dungeon."

Sam simply nodded, his grip tightening on his sword hilt.

As they entered the High Noble Society's community room, Damian's senses were assaulted by opulence. Ornate chandeliers dripped with crystals, casting a soft, golden light over polished black floors accented by luxurious carpets. Velvet-upholstered chairs surrounded a massive mahogany table, carved with intricate designs.

The air was thick with an artificial fragrance, mingling with the hum of low conversation. Noble students, clad in fine attire, sipped from gilded goblets, their laughter echoing softly through the space.

It was the embodiment of wealth, power, and refinement—a place Damian would have avoided a hundred times over if he could.