Author Note: I applied for a contract but it got rejected. I love this novel and I really want to continue it but I'll see if it is worth it depending on how you react to it… Sorry for not updating but I was just wondering what else to do after getting rejected.
--------------------------------------------------
Shane Step onto the orb to transport himself back to the hallways of Nolan Estate. After leaving the vast library space, He focused on the Quill of Everlasting and a slight grin could be seen on his face. He couldn't wait to test the capabilities of this incredible artifact limit.
Walking back to his room Shane thoughts were still on the quill. This artifact was unlike anything he had ever seen, it made him eager to test its potential. The moment he turned the corner of the hallway Jade appeared out of nowhere from another corridor.
His father's trusted butler was always composed. The reflection of his years of service and discipline could be seen in his posture on top of that his attire was immaculate. Today he had a quite distinct seriousness in expression.
He approached with a slight bow and said, "Young Master Shane." "Lord Victor will be returning to the estate next week. As soon as he returns we will be traveling to the capital after a few days together. The Duke suggested we attend the mourning rites for the Third Prince."
Shane stopped and processed the information he just received. A flicker of thought covered his face, his expression barely changed. "The third Prince, huh?" he said in calm and disinterested. "That really said, I guess it's another victim of another court of games."
For a moment Jade hesitated before replying. "I cannot speculate on the situation at hand but the death of the thor prince has caused unrest among the nobles Master Shane. The Lord believes that it is crucial for the family to be present at the mourning rites.
If jade knew that the one responsible for all this unrest was standing in front of him he would have chills rundown his spine.
Shane shrugged slightly. "I will be ready to leave as soon as he is ready to go. If he believes that it's important then I guess it's important, Tell the maids to prepare my things for the journey there."
Jade scrutinizes Shane's nonchalant attitude "I will ensure everything is ready for the journey, Young Master. However, it must remind you that the moment you arrive at the capital you will be noticed." Jade's expression remains neutral as his gaze is still on him. "Every noble family of importance will gather at the mourning rites."
Shane sighed. "Noted. Just make sure Father doesn't get carried away in all the mess, you know he has a slip tongue." He smirked faintly and added, "And take care of yourself too, Jade. I'll rely on you to keep things in order."
Jade inclined his head. "As you wish, Master Shane. But I would advise you to consider the importance of these events. They may not interest you now, but their consequences will affect us all."
Shane gave a dismissive wave as he resumed walking. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the reminder, Jade."
As he walked away. Jade muttered to himself "I was hoping the young master had grown more responsible. But he looks as detached as ever, I guess he's taken after his mother, still it's the first time he's shown concern about the duke and even me, I guess he's matured."
As Shane walked to the room a slight mutter came out from his lips "imperial capital, i suppose it would be a nice experience, still it's the first time father is taking me somewhere."
--------------------------------------------------
When Shane reached his room, he stepped inside and locked the door behind him. He ordered all the guards to not let anyone inside, ensuring complete privacy. He wanted no interruptions.
Shane placed the Quill of Everlasting and the foundational rune smithing book on his desk. The quill black and golden engraving could be seen as it continued to light up the room with its golden glow. The book shane held in his hands were basic grade 1 runes. These were the types of runes that would be used in daily life.
While he was reading through the description and diagrams something unusual happened. Every rune he looked at felt familiar to him, as if he had already learned them at some point. Every detail seemed to appear suddenly in his mind, the flow of mana, the designs and even the exact strokes required to inscribe them had appeared.
Shane frowned slightly but quickly dismissed the thought. He knew as soon as it happened that it was the effect of his talent RUNIC MIND(SSS).
He looked around for something to use as a medium for inscription. He didn't want to wait until he could purchase proper materials. Spotting an old bed sheet in his wardrobe, he grabbed it and tore it into small pieces. It wasn't perfect, but it would work for practice.
Basically there were two methods of etching the runes, either you draw them directly on the base surface or you could use another surface with nanometers of thickness to draw the rune on that and then etch it on the surface.
The method of drawing directly on the surface was tough but lasted longer and had more profound effects. whereas the second method was more about convenience and the runes would fade after a few activations.
Generally a cloth bed sheet wouldn't be used to write runes on due to the inability of beast blood or inks to retain their shape on cloth and also due to high magical resistance but for Shane he was no normal human.
He had the infinity quill which made the rune permanent with it's RUNE
STABILIZATION function which, also his talent RUNIC MIND gave him the ability to engrave runes onto everything in the physical plane.
The activation was simply easy as the creator of the runes just needed to will it in his mind. Shane picks up the quill and places one of the cloth pieces on the table. The quill tip began to glow faintly as he focused on the design that was a self-cleaning rune. Following the rune in his mind, he inscribed with fascinatin precision on the fabric.
The strokes were smooth and exact, as if he had been doing this for years. When the rune was complete, it emitted a soft glow before fading into the cloth. Shane smiled and picked up the inscribed piece. He placed it over his leather shoes and willed for it to activate.
A faint glow activated around his shoes as he activated it. Suddenly all the dirt and scuffs disappeared leaving them spotless.
"It works," Shane said quietly, his voice filled with satisfaction. The simplicity and efficiency of the process amazed him. This was only the beginning.
Happy with his success, Shane grabbed another cloth to work on the next rune which was Dash Rune. This rune would allow one to increase movement speed by 10%, which became popular among adventures and scouts. Shane steady his hands as he adjusts the quill tip to carefully inscribe the finer details on the design.
As soon as the rune was completed Shane began to attach it to the sole of his shoes and activated it. He took one step forward then another. Suddenly there was a burst of speed under his feet. Testing, he dashed in the room from one end to another moving faster than he ever had. His grin could be seen as he stepped abruptly.
"This is incredible," he muttered to himself, looking down at his shoes. The possibilities were endless, and his excitement grew with each passing moment.
Shane decided to try another rune, this time aiming for the Color Change Rune. He placed another piece of cloth on the desk and began inscribing. However, as he was about to finish the final stroke, the quill froze mid-air. A notification appeared in his mind:
[Warning: Insufficient mana detected. Auto-block feature activated to prevent user harm.]
Shane lowered the quill and sighed. A wave of fatigue hit him, a clear sign that his mana reserves were depleted. He leaned back in his chair, realizing he had pushed himself too far. He had just started to have fun and wanted to experiment more.
"Looks like I need to work on my mana reserves," he said, shaking his head. Despite the setback, he was thrilled with what he had accomplished so far. The combination of his talent and Quill of Everlasting had proven to be a game-changer, and Shane's confidence in his potential as a rune smith was stronger than ever.
He observed that it was only because of the Mana efficiency feature that he had been able to draw two runes of F rank; otherwise with normal materials he estimated that his mana reserves would be exhausted with just one rune.
After resting for a few minutes, Shane's curiosity got the better of him. He flipped through the book to find other runes he could attempt once his mana recovered. A few caught his eye: the Heat Resistance Rune, which could regulate temperature; the sound proofing rune, used for sound proofing a limited radius; and the Strength Boost Rune, which temporarily enhanced physical power but not much since it was only grade one.
Each rune seemed more complex than the last, but Shane felt no intimidation. The strange familiarity with the designs was still there, and he trusted his amazing talent.
Shane set the book aside and glanced at the quill. Its golden engravings seemed to shimmer faintly, as if responding to his thoughts. "You really are something" he said softly, running a finger along its sleek body. The quill felt warm to the touch, a comforting presence that seemed to encourage him to keep going.
As he prepared to rest, Shane couldn't help but think about the future. For the time period until his awakening he couldn't grow his mana capacity, so he needed an artifact to increase it artificially.
He remembered Jade mentioning that the duke will be here in a week. "seems like I'll need to meet him."
----------------------------------------- AUTHORS NOTE -
TRIVIA TIME
In the Middle World, runes are ranked from F to SSS based on their power, complexity, and value. Factors like the intensity of effects, type of effects, materials used, mana requirements, and difficulty of inscription determine a rune's grade.
Common runes, like Strength Enhancement, range from F Grade (5% strength boost) to higher grades with greater effects and complexity, such as C Grade (20% boost with added benefits).
Rare runes, like Time Alteration, start at SSS Grade, with even minimal effects (e.g., 1% time shift) requiring legendary materials and immense mana, making them immensely valuable.