The Runic Alchemist

Nothing.

Nothing happened at all.

Damian knew it couldn't be this simple. Not a single purple line on Kazak's body receded, not even a little. He tried everything he could think of, targeting his mind, specific purple lines, even using a lot of continuous healing, Yet there was no visible improvement. Kazak didn't even open his eyes, lying as if in a hibernating state. Damian couldn't push further; any more strain, and Kazak's body would perish from malnutrition.

With a heavy sigh, Damian used his World Shaper's hands to destroy the massive runic spell, watching as mana particles dispersed back into the environment. Gazing at Kazak's hunched form, Damian felt a pang of sorrow. Though he'd managed his expectations, it still hurt to see one of the few people he'd genuinely come to like end up like this. It wasn't just Kazak's suffering that stung—it was the knowledge that his execution, if it proceeded with the reason revealed, would tarnish his name and legacy forever.

Another blow to the already beleaguered reputation of the Beastmen.

Two hands came to rest on his shoulders, grounding him in the present. Damian opened his eyes to see Faelar and Velyss beside him, their expressions full of sympathy. Even the old scholar, Erdan, had stepped forward, his gaze a quiet reflection of grief.

"You did your best, young man… Unfortunately, success is not always guaranteed," Erdan said gently.

Damian just nodded, accepting their words of comfort as the two others also tried to console him. They clearly wanted to ask him more about what he had just attempted, but Damian was grateful they understood the importance of timing. With instructions to feed Kazak when he awoke, Damian sent the Beastman chief away.

Damian remained outside the research facility after the butler, soldiers, and research heads departed. Reclining on the roof of the main building, he gazed up at the golden leaves swaying gently in the wind, birds chirping in the background. The guards nearby had seen him and didn't object. Toph, curled on his chest, watched the scenery above, eyes wide with wonder. Damian sensed multiple hidden presences nearby, either watching him or monitoring the facility, but he paid them no mind.

Damian's mind turned to other possible solutions. The real issue was that he knew next to nothing about forbidden magic and rituals. He'd requested access to the Eldoris Royal Library, reputed to be the most extensive in the Five Kingdoms, but the butler informed him he'd only gain access once his title was announced and he signed the contract—a process that would take a few days. Asking around in town or in random shops about forbidden spells was out of the question; it would be a one-way ticket to the gallows.

Maybe if he could find a humanoid monster close to Kazak and copy the whole body with a mimicry spell, technically he could dispel all the cursed purple lines on his body.. But that was a humongous spell, he could slave away and gather the light mana dust but the dark mana required for the mimicry spell would not be impossible to get in a large enough quantity to really change the whole body.

"Wheee!" Toph suddenly squeaked, his face mere inches from Damian's.

"Yeah, yeah… Let's go," Damian replied with a small chuckle.

Clearing his mind, Damian finally got up. During the earlier tour, he'd been shown his new quarters on the top floor of the research facility, where the research heads also resided with their private labs. This would replace his guest room in the main castle, but he planned to take his time moving, hoping to cross paths with Einar and Sam to update them on his situation.

He suspected the tea party was linked to their potential roles as promising fighters. And even if it wasn't, the royals would be foolish not to hire Sam and Einar. Sam's talent was undeniable, and Einar, with her formidable combination of technique and power, was the youngest Spellsword aura master he'd ever seen.

After achieving a bit of control over their aura, even if unable to use it offensively yet, pugilists were offered their class. Pugilists benefited from early jobs that improved their attunement to their aura, slightly easing control. It wasn't groundbreaking, but quite helpful if you were a beginner. Only after they could expel the aura on their own first as mundane would they get the pugilist class offered. But for spellswords there were no such training wheels and it was even harder since they also had mana sense and their mind was molded to control and manipulate mana. Still being a spellsword and unlocking aura control was a feat of a master. And achieving it as a kid was something that put Einar in a class of her own.

Back in his guest room with Toph, Damian let the little creature munch on some fruit before Toph promptly fell asleep on his bed. He himself took a wooden padded chair near the window and started reading the newly purchased books that he had acquired with a considerable amount of money.

An hour later, he sensed Einar approaching with some knights he'd noticed earlier. Standing up, Damian opened his door just as the two arrived. They exchanged no words as he joined Sam in his room, Einar following and throwing Damian a disgruntled look. He could only smile nervously and sweat under her glare.

The knights left, and Damian took a seat on the bed, book still in hand, while Sam and Einar chose to stand—Sam gazing out the window, Einar leaning against the wall.

"So…" Damian began, "What happened?"

"Same as those damn nobles… You were right; showing myself just made a mess. Now they all want me to serve their prestigious houses," Sam replied, visibly annoyed.

"Serving royalty is a great honor, Sam," Einar pointed out.

"They don't want guards. They want us to babysit her… to be her friends," Sam shot back.

"The offer still beats all the others," Einar said, meeting Sam's gaze.

"What offer?" Damian interjected, they were ignoring him like he was empty air.

"The princess said we will both be made official squires of prominent knights in the queen's guard—if we pledge our loyalty to their house," Einar explained. "But if we only agree to guard the princess as a job, they'll provide us with tutors alongside her, though it wouldn't be as good as direct training under renowned queen's guard knights and learning their techniques."