Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 509 - 508- Connections

Whatever he was drinking was quite strong. Adrian had a natural tolerance for alcohol, yet this ale was making him feel a little high. He could not quite tell.

He felt light, unable to stop smiling, even though the Emperor was not saying anything particularly funny.

He couldn’t remember when was the last time he felt this unaligned with his facial expression and emotions.

He might be overthinking but he felt he might be hallucinating as well from time to time.

"This is quite an old ale. You might want to take it slowly," Dorren warned, though the grin on his face suggested otherwise.

Adrian stopped sipping and kept a firm hold on the cup so the butler would not pour any more.

That guy is too swift to resist.

Only the three of them were present in the room.

At last, Dorren turned to Adrian and asked, "Why are you so attached to that nation when your king clearly does not recognize your talent?"

Adrian hummed. "It is not patriotism. I simply love teaching," he answered honestly.

Dorren tilted his head. "There are other major academies in other parts of the world as well."

Then the butler suddenly said, "Your Majesty, Mister Lockwood’s fiancée is the headmistress of Runebound Academy."

Dorren let out a brief sound of realization before grinning again. "So it is a matter of love, eh? Not bad. I have seen many who are so focused on ambition that they forget to actually live their lives."

Adrian shook his head. "I pursue my ambition so I can live my life peacefully with those I adore."

Dorren raised his cup. "Cheers. To your dedication and your goal."

Adrian raised his cup in response.

The two men fell into a brief silence before Adrian finally asked, "Your Majesty, may I ask the reason you came here to meet me?"

He thought it better to address the matter directly, as neither of them could spend the entire evening drinking ale and getting wasted.

Dorren finished his drink first and set the cup aside.

The butler did not refill it this time.

The Emperor looked more sober once the cup was put away.

He met Adrian’s gaze and said, "I heard you are wary of expanding your armaments because you fear disrupting the balance of the world, is that right?"

Adrian nodded. "Call it paranoia, but I cannot imagine hundreds of people swinging tools of mass destruction."

Dorren nodded in return. "Understandable."

Crossing his arms, the Emperor continued, "Originally, I planned on inviting you to the North."

Adrian’s brows rose slightly as he looked at the man in silence.

Dorren went on, his head tilting back a little. "I could provide everything you need. A secure home, every raw material and piece of equipment you require, a teaching position at the finest academy in my empire. I would also ensure that your creations remained in trusted hands."

Adrian smiled faintly. "That does sound tempting, but I apologize, Your Majesty. I am happy where I am."

Runebound Academy was Ariana’s life. She had inherited its responsibility from her late mentor and had even sacrificed her position as a Warden for its sake.

It was her dream to raise the academy to the very top, and Adrian intended to support her until the end.

And it would be a lie to say that he himself was not attached to the academy and his students.

So yes, while the offer was extremely generous, he had to decline it.

In the corner of the room, the butler heaved a silent sigh.

How many people in this world could reject a request from Noredeim’s ruler? Even Clark would not have hesitated before seizing such an offer.

A residence in the North and the protection of the crown meant a life where one hardly had to worry about anything at all.

And yet, this man had rejected it without taking even a moment to contemplate.

As I thought, he really is a hard nut to crack.

The Emperor hummed and remained silent for a few moments before speaking again. "How about this? Whenever you decide to sell another of your creations, let me know. I will offer ten times what your regular buyer pays."

Raising his cup, he added, "And do think it through this time."

Adrian actually paused to consider it.

It was not just about coins. It was about a long-term connection with the strongest ruler on the planet.

Adrian knew this world had far greater threats to worry about than waging war against itself.

And selling his armaments to the Tower did not guarantee that his creations would never be misused.

As such, "I understand," he said, raising his cup in return.

The Emperor grinned. "Great to hear that."

.....

Later that night, Adrian arrived in Ruby’s room through teleportation, his body swaying slightly from the alcohol.

However, once inside, he realized he was not as drunk as he had thought. Perhaps it was simply the atmosphere.

As he stepped in, he sensed an unusual stillness.

Turning his gaze, he understood why.

The three ladies were asleep on the same bed.

Annabelle lay in the middle, exactly as he had expected, likely a demand from the girl herself.

She was hugging Ariana in her sleep.

Ruby lay on the other side, her back turned toward him.

Seeing their serene faces and the quiet tranquility of the room, Adrian felt the urge to simply stand by the door and savor the moment.

He had come to take Ariana back to Runebound, but he was not heartless enough to wake her while she slept so peacefully.

"System? Am I good to go?"

[Yes, Host. The teleportation portal has been generated and will be maintained for seven hours. It is advisable that the host returns within five hours for safety.]

Adrian hummed in understanding. He still had not fully grasped the situation on her planet, but from the way Scarlette sounded, it was clear that things had turned grim on her side.

Taking out a few tools from his inventory, he planted them around the room before stepping into his time chamber.

Once inside, he looked himself over and straightened his clothes. He combed his hair and washed his face, making himself a little more presentable.

As for his breath, he chewed on a few tea leaves. They did not exactly freshen it, but they were enough to suppress any strong odor.

Once done, Adrian told the system, ’Alright then, let’s go.’

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A/N:- People are disappearing...is there still someone who read this story? Please comment to keep me motivated.