The Runesmith

Chapter 709 – Magic Food Stalls.

“Oh gosh, this is so exciting. Just look at all these people...”

A girl with a big hat pointed into the distance as they emerged from the light of the teleportation gate. Lucienne adjusted the strap of her satchel and looked up, her breath catching in her throat. The sight before them was nothing short of breathtaking.

They stood in an elevated plaza with four teleportation gates. From there, they could clearly see the open sky above them and the enormous waterfall that seemed to encircle the entire island suspended in the air.

“The amount of flotation stone needed to keep this stable must be tremendous. Or could it be a spell powered by some enormous magical core?”

While Lucienne took in the surroundings, her friend was already practically bouncing on her toes, her oversized hat bobbing with every excited movement. Lucienne managed a small laugh, though the tight knot in her chest had only loosened a fraction.

“Grrr.”

“Huh? What was that sound?”

As the two girls walked into the main section of the sanctum, they heard a strange rumbling noise beside them. It was loud, peculiar, and unmistakably close.

“Oh...”

They turned to find Elian clutching his stomach as it growled like a wild beast. The young redheaded man blushed when he realized they had noticed but said nothing.

“Elian, did you skip breakfast again?”

Lucienne asked, the faintest trace of a smile breaking through her anxiety.

“I wasn't that hungry this morning...”

Elian replied, still blushing.

Lucienne and Selphie chuckled at his answer. From their perspective, it was entirely possible that he had been too excited about the coming event to eat properly.

“You've done this before.”

“He has. I think the Deputy Professor even told you not to forget to eat whenever you get too focused.”

During their training for the competition, they had spent hours inside the treasure hunt illusion chamber. Because the exercises could last so long, they were given rations so they could rest and eat. They had also been instructed to eat while moving instead of stopping unless it was absolutely necessary. Elian usually forgot, leaving himself with an empty stomach by the end of the day.

“We should be able to get something to eat after we check into the hotel.”

Selphie looked toward the stream of students heading through the city, her fingers fidgeting with the wide brim of her hat.

“Look, everyone is heading toward that massive stone archway. That must lead to the residential district. I'm sure we can find something to eat there, and then we can explore!”

“Oh, right. They did say we'd have some free time before the competition. But the professors also told us not to wander off. Why not just stay at the hotel instead?”

Lucienne replied, pointing out the danger of roaming around a city filled with magic. There was no telling what could happen if someone made a mistake.

“What if we accidentally walk into a spatial realm and end up trapped?”

“A spatial realm by accident? That's just a story teachers tell so we'll listen to them!”

Selphie was far too excited to be convinced. She kept looking around, her oversized hat nearly slipping off her head. The other two simply smiled and let the matter drop as they continued through the city, which looked as though it had been lifted straight from ancient times. Most of the buildings were fashioned from smooth white stone that seemed to have been shaped by magic, with no sign of the usual brickwork.

“Whoever created this place must have been quite the artist. These structures are all so beautiful, and I think that’s going to be our hotel. It looks like an ancient temple!”

Lucienne commented as they arrived at what appeared to be their temporary accommodation. From what she knew, they would be staying there for at least a week. Everything had already been organised. She would be sharing a room with Selphie, while the boys had been assigned to a separate wing.

“Let’s go, everyone. Don’t lose your keycards, and memorise your assigned rooms. We have a brief window to settle in before the official opening ceremony begins.”

A floating cat, Professor Arion, the head of the Runic Department, drifted forward to address them. He and several other professors had been assigned to help the students settle in.

“Professor, when will the ceremony begin?”

Asked one of the upperclassmen as they stood before the grand entrance of the temple hotel.

“It’s scheduled to begin in two hours.”

“Oh, does that mean we can look around the city until then?”

The upperclassman's eyes lit up, a reaction that was immediately echoed by excited whispers among the other students. Selphie nudged Lucienne with her elbow, while Elian’s stomach chose that exact moment to let out another loud growl.

“You may.” 

Professor Arion replied, his small black feline form floating gracefully higher so everyone could hear him over the chatter. 

“However, keep to the designated commercial districts. The Grand Sanctum of Arch Magus Eldoria is a place of ancient wonders, but it is also filled with active warding circles and unstable spatial phenomena. If you wander into restricted areas, you will be punished accordingly.”

He flicked a paw toward the towering archway leading into the temple.

“Now, collect your keycards from the front desk. And do try not to embarrass Xandar Institute before the actual event even begins.”

The students shuffled into the massive hall, where polished marble reflected countless shimmering mana particles. The interior was even more breathtaking than the exterior. High above them, glowing crystal orbs drifted through the air, illuminating the hall with a gentle radiance. Whenever a group of mages entered, several of the orbs detached themselves from the ceiling and floated alongside them, lighting their path.

The room keycards looked rather unusual. They were rectangular slabs carved from a stone-like material, their surfaces etched with strange symbols. They resembled runes, yet appeared far more ancient than any script the students were familiar with.

Lucienne and Selphie quickly dropped off their bags in their room. The space was surprisingly spacious, furnished with two comfortable beds and framed by a large arched window that overlooked the floating city.

“Finally! Food time!”

“Oh, were you hungry too?”

“Perhaps…”

Selphie grinned mischievously before practically dragging Lucienne back down to the lobby, where Elian was already waiting, looking slightly paler than before.

“Let’s find somewhere close.” 

Lucienne said, eyeing him with some concern. 

“I don’t think Elian’s stomach can handle a long search.”

“Don’t worry about it. Compared to the Deputy Professor’s training, this is nothing.” 

Elian muttered weakly, one hand pressed firmly against his stomach.

“Let’s just go.”

Lucienne giggled as the group of three made their way forward. At first, they searched through the large stone hotel, but there didn't seem to be a restaurant inside, so they were forced to head back outside and try their luck elsewhere. Other students were out and about, many of them from different mage schools.

"Look at those colorful robes... Some of them are covered from head to toe!"

Selphie turned toward the other groups. The school uniforms varied dramatically between the academies. Some were a single shade of crimson with a metallic badge pinned to the front, while others looked as though they had borrowed every color of the rainbow.

Then there were uniforms that covered the wearer's entire face, leaving only a narrow slit for their eyes. They looked incredibly uncomfortable to walk around in. In contrast, some students wore outfits that looked like ordinary street clothes, with no obvious uniformity at all.

"Over there!"

Selphie suddenly pointed toward a busy street lined with open-air stalls and tall stone buildings. The scent of roasted meat and aromatic spices drifted through the air.

"Elian... are you alright?"

Lucienne looked at their friend, noticing a bit of drool forming at the corner of his mouth as he swayed on the verge of collapsing. He quickly wiped his mouth and tried to play it off.

"I'm fine! Let's just go to that one. The line isn't that long."

The girls walked ahead while Elian stumbled after them. The stall displayed all kinds of exotic food, much of which they had never seen before. One item in particular caught their attention. It was a skewer loaded with meat, vegetables, and a strange gelatinous purple mass that none of them could identify.

"Welcome!"

The man at the stall greeted them as soon as it was their turn. The girls glanced at the previous customer, a student from another school who was happily eating one of the skewers. That was enough to convince them the food was safe to eat.

"Three of those skewers, please."

Lucienne reached into her satchel and pulled out a few coins. The vendor smiled warmly, his hands moving with practiced speed as he lifted three fresh skewers from the fire and handed them over. The meat sizzled softly, while the strange purple mass shimmered with a faint magical glow.

Before Lucienne could even pay, Elian grabbed his skewer with both hands and took a huge bite. His eyes widened, and within seconds he had devoured the entire thing.

"Slow down!"

Selphie giggled before taking a much more cautious bite of her own skewer. Her eyes lit up almost immediately.

"Oh, this is actually amazing! It even seems to restore mana!"

As mages with mana sense, they could all feel the magic radiating from the food stalls. Every dish seemed to be magically enhanced in one way or another. Whether the magic affected the flavor or not, they could not tell, but everything was undeniably delicious. Elian certainly thought so. He held up three fingers and ordered another three skewers for himself.

"Here you go, young man!"

The vendor grinned as he quickly handed over three more steaming skewers. Elian dropped three coins into the man's hand before snatching them up and digging in. It was obvious he had been starving, and bits of food quickly ended up smeared around his mouth. The girls chuckled at the sight, but their amusement was cut short when a voice called out from behind them.

“I knew this was a bad idea. Why do we have to share this space with country bumpkins like them?”

"Truly, just look at them. Not a shred of decency. Alas, this is part of our training, so bear with it. In the future, we'll have to know how to command these commoners."

Lucienne heard the voices and turned around.

“Huh?”

She spotted a group standing across the vendor street. They were lined up at another stall that seemed to be selling pastries. They were clearly students from a magical academy. Their uniforms looked regal, clearly woven from the finest magical silk, with an armband bearing the emblem of a blooming star.

‘Starbloom Elemental Academy?’

Lucienne recognized them immediately. It was one of the highest-ranked academies in the kingdom and closely tied to the royal family. Its headmaster, an archmagus, served as the court mage, and the academy had dominated the Convocation for the past hundred years.

“You don't need to stare, you know.”

Selphie replied in an annoyed tone as she looked at the two students. One was a girl around the same age. Her hair was golden like straw and styled elaborately to show off its long, silky strands. Beside her stood a young man with a proud posture and a polished silver wand tucked neatly into his belt. He bore a striking resemblance to the girl, and his next words confirmed Lucienne's suspicion.

“Don't bother with these backwater mages, my dear sister. Let's just ignore them.”

“You're right, my dear brother. It's not like they're worth our time.”

The girl covered her mouth as she laughed in an especially irritating manner that clearly annoyed not only Selphie but the other two as well.

“Hey! Who are you calling backwater, you pompous fools?”

Selphie refused to let the insult slide. She pointed at the pair, but they only laughed even harder.

“Ha! Look at that ridiculous hat. She has absolutely no fashion sense.”

Selphie snapped. Her hand instinctively flew to the brim of her hat as her cheeks flushed bright red.

“My hat is functional and stylish!”

She stepped forward.

“At least I don't look like a bale of straw exploded on my head!”

The blond girl stared at her in stunned silence. Lucienne could not help letting out a quiet chuckle. That was enough to make the young man step forward.

“How dare you insult my sister!”

He shifted just enough to put his wand on full display. The gesture was clearly meant as a threat, making both girls flinch. Before anything else could be said, Elian stepped between them.

“You insulted us first!”

Faint purple stains still lingered on his face, but he quickly wiped them away. Like the other boy, he had a wand strapped to his side, making it look as though the two were about to settle things in a duel.

“Are they going to fight?”

“Is this allowed?”

Whispers immediately spread through the crowd as people watched the confrontation unfold.

“That redhead doesn't stand a chance. He's up against a Starbloom Elemental Academy elite!”

“He really picked the wrong moment to try to impress those girls.”

Most people immediately assumed the student from the prestigious academy would win. Even so, Elian's side had the advantage in numbers, and more people were already gathering behind them.

“You talk too much. If you want to fight, then fight.”

Before the fight could start, Oxian stepped in front of them, his broad build towering over the average mage, a physique that often got him mistaken for a warrior. His imposing frame made for an intimidating sight as he took his place beside Elian, silently making it clear that he would not allow anyone to insult his teammates. Unfortunately, his intervention only made things worse.

“Of course these uncultured brutes would resort to underhanded methods.”

The young man snapped his fingers. The moment he did, two more people appeared, both wearing uniforms similar to those of the siblings.

“Young Lord Augustus, what seems to be the problem?”

Although they appeared to be around the same age, it was obvious that the newcomers were retainers, likely mages serving the pair of noble-born siblings. Their arrival evened the numbers, making it four against four, and the two groups glared at one another.

Lucienne let out a quiet sigh and stepped beside Selphie, hoping to stop her surprisingly hot-headed friends from casting a spell before the competition had even begun. The tension in the air was suffocating, but she knew better than to start a fight here.

“We shouldn't be doing this. What if they suspend us from the competition?”

She tried to appeal to reason, but the other three remained unconvinced. None of them appreciated being called backwards mages by a pair of arrogant nobles who wore smug grins filled with unwarranted confidence. More insults flew back and forth, and just as it seemed someone was about to draw a wand, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

“Huh?”

All four of them instantly found themselves unable to move. Their bodies refused to respond, and they could not even open their mouths to protest.

“Young Lord Augustus, Lady Bianca, is everything in order?”

A hooded man appeared seemingly out of nowhere, effortlessly putting an end to the confrontation. His presence was overwhelming. He was clearly a tier three class holder who had restrained all four of them without uttering a single spell. Perhaps his presence was the reason the two noble-born mages had been acting with such confidence. The stranger turned toward the group, his voice calm and filled with quiet authority.

“It is nothing, Professor Remington. Just a few flies buzzing around, pretending they are anything more than flies.”

The young man laughed while the four remained frozen in place. Unable to move or respond, they could only watch as the noble siblings appeared ready to make a spectacle of them. With Professor Remington keeping them restrained, the two casually helped themselves to food from the magical stall.

‘How do people like this even exist…’

Lucienne was reminded of her former tormentor, Viola. These supposed siblings were exactly the same: cruel, arrogant, and completely indifferent to everyone around them. She glared at the silver-haired professor in frustration, her jaw beginning to clench, but before she could grind her teeth, the pressure vanished without warning. Instead, the group of four nobles suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“W-what is this... Identify yourself!”

The hooded mage who had been suppressing them shouted as he looked up at the sky. Lucienne and her companions immediately followed his gaze and saw a lone man floating high above them.

'Brother Roland?'

Lucienne almost blurted out his name. Roland hovered in the air with the bright sky behind him. The robe draped over his crimson armor fluttered in the wind, and the visor of his helmet glowed a deep red, as though it could unleash a beam of fire at the professor who had been trying to bully them only moments earlier but was now sweating in panic.