If Arthur hasn't been told this was a workshop, he would have believed this was a family gathering. Too bad he was the outsider that the Runes Masters, discarding their images, rooted for Roy to win. Roy kept thanking them by a slight bow every time they did and the whole scene was too funny for Arthur to hold back his laughter.
"You won't get to be that relaxed in a bit," Adjusting his golden glassed, Roy pointed at him. His actions were so serious that they didn't look serious at all.
They gathered around and Roy got to start first. He took a seat on his table and the crowd quieted down. It was the first sign of professionalism that Arthur saw until now, as everyone seemed to realize how focusing was essential for their work.
As expected from one of the best apprentices in the workshop, Roy had a laser-like focus. He treated the brush and liquid so sacredly that Arthur believed he was going to kowtow to them the next moment. Dipping the brush into the liquid, Roy proceeded to inscribe the rune on the card. The liquid started glowing faintly as the inscribing process began.
To be honest, Arthur felt slight inferiority as he witnessed the level of control Roy had over his mana. He was able to give the right amount of mana that the liquid blended perfectly to the runic card. After only half an hour, he was done and ready to use the rune.
'The association's exam was too easy compared to this,' Arthur furrowed his brows and looked toward Emma. He could see a slight blush as she avoided his gaze.
"Behold!" Roy got all worked up in presenting his work. "I've made a basic-tier stealth rune. It could be used to hide one's presence to a certain level unless a highly preceptive awakener was involved."
Arthur could see the Runes Master nodding with approval at Roy's finished work. They looked like uncles and aunts that encouraged the antics of a young child, supporting him in whatever he did. Arthur liked the amiable atmosphere but he had no plans to lose here.
"Master Alice, please." Roy presented the runic card to Master Alice with both hands.
She nodded with a smile and took the card before examining it. She was joined by several other Runes Master as they studied the rune that has been inscribed while nodding in approval. When she activated the card, Master Alice's figure was distorted as it started to blend into the background.
Arthur could still perceive her presence with his perception stat, but it was still amazing how light bent to avoid her body and allowed her to blend into the surroundings. However, it was still a basic-tier rune that could be seen through by powerful awakeners, but it was enough against weak monsters.
The crowd started clapping and nodding in approval. Arthur joined as well since he had to admit the time and control Roy showed was admirable. Roy turned in his direction and nodded seriously, making Arthur have the impression he was acknowledging him.
Being stared at by the crowd, Arthur had no choice but to head toward the table and sit down. His back was sweating in slight nervousness at the thought of being seen through. However, he breathed in and out as he tried thinking of what rune to use.
He picked up his brush and dipped it into the mana liquid. Since the rune was in his legacy, Arthur had full knowledge of how it looked like and was drawn. He proceeded to inscribe the rune while trying to maintain the amount of mana that he used.
It was a total disaster, in everybody's opinion. The light glowing from the brush itself was unstable, inconsistent, and would be too bright at certain times. However, the inscription was still going even despite their doubts about the final result.
After twenty minutes, Arthur placed down the brush and sighed. It was always tiring to act like he was inscribing artificial runes. However, he believed he managed with his current mana control. Arthur stood up from his seat and presented the card to Master Alice.
"Are you serious?" Master Alice asked with disbelief. The process couldn't be said to be flawless like she has expected. Roy treated every step with such caution that he would take a few moments before drawing a single line. However, Arthur simply drew it like he was painting, unrestrained. "Do I even need to appraise this, it's obviously…" She swallowed her words back.
The rune in her hand was different from what she had anticipated. She had her doubts about it working, to begin with, but she had to admit it was beautiful. The details in every line made her wonder if the rune wasn't already inscribed on the card by the force of mother nature. Despite how fine Roy's lines were, he still had a few mistakes. This, however, was…
"Marvelous." A fellow Runes Master commented as he stole a peek. Yes, that was the word she wanted to use. However, her pride didn't allow her. She tried to pick a fault with it, but there was none.
The other Runes Masters also gathered and started throwing heaps of praises at Arthur's work. The person in question simply stood in his place fidgeting, not used to being praised so openly. Some might say he was cheating his way through, but this was his ability.
"It's a telekinesis rune," Arthur said, making the group turn to face him in amazement. "You can use it on light objects and move them in a 5 meters radius."
"Quick, use it!" One of the Runes Masters hasted Alice and the latter did as she was told. Choosing the brush as the target of the rune, she was able to make it move using mana. The brush danced around the room as Alice felt like she was playing with a toy in her younger years.
After a few minutes, the card started cracking as it lost its function. Despite it being a permanent rune, it was still a one-time usage because the material involved couldn't handle more than one activation. This also made it easier than engraving artifacts since the mana required were a lot less.
Runic cards were created for this sole-purpose, for people who wanted versatility over long-term usage. That's why the materials were only capable of withstanding one activation of mana.
The silence that descended the next moment made Arthur feel slight unease. He had closed the gate using mana and inscribed the artificial rune at the last minute. The whole time he wasn't just sitting there acting, but he was also sending mana into the gate to close it. It required a certain level of control to be able to use less mana to close the gate, and Arthur took his time.
Clap. Clap clap clap.
The first one to start clapping was Master Alice, holding a bitter expression of defeat. The rest soon followed and a thunderous clapping soon overtook the hall. It was the first time Arthur was clapped for by such a large crowd.
***
The rest of the day was bizarre, to say the least. Roy, being defeated, glared at Arthur as if the latter has wounded his pride. However, he seemed to realize that it was for the better to befriend him than to antagonize him, so he started bombarding Arthur with questions about his 'technique.'
Spending the rest of the day looking around the workshop as Arthur tried to avoid Roy's intense gaze was quite fun and novel. There were so many things about runes that Arthur didn't know about. Certain lines, shapes, depths, intersections gave certain functions. If the runes were words, then these characteristics were the alphabet. The combination of these was endless, and Arthur realized that not every rune was truly useful in combat.
Emma jumped around as she introduced him to everything and everyone, pride almost spilling of her face. It seems she was overjoyed that Arthur had the skill level she believed him to have, and shocked that he had even more. Arthur smiled as he watched since she was among the first to trust him to this degree.
Wearing their green robes and leather boots, the two treated the workshop like an unexplored dungeon. However, the curtains of the night soon descended and it was time to go back.
"Do you want to come back here tomorrow?" Emma asked after settling into the car's seat. Arthur pondered her question for a second before shaking his head.
"Sorry, there are things I need to do." Like figuring out what Tyrin was up to with that creature. Emma's face instantly lost its glimmer as she nodded with a forced smile. "Uh, how about only the morning?" Arthur scratched his cheeks.
"Hehe, deal!" Emma laughed in a way that made Arthur feel like he was tricked, but it wasn't such a bad feeling. After they returned to the hotel, they shared dinner as they talked about the workshop and runes.
It was past eight when Arthur returned to his room. He undressed and wore his comfy pajamas as he took out his phone. There was a missed call from Si. However, it was only an hour ago. Arthur called back and Si's face filled the screen.
"Hey Arthur, I guess you're having fun at the capital?" A grin was etched on Si's face and Arthur laughed awkwardly.
"Sorry, I had somethings to do. Did you find anything?"
"Always down to business," Si sighed in a sad but comical tone. "I did, not a lot though."
"Oh, so nothing is going on?" Arthur furrowed his brows.
"It's the opposite. If nothing was going on, then I would have found a lot. Something is interfering with my ability. I could only see bits and pieces."
"Anything suspicious?"
"Everything I saw was," Si's expression suddenly changed. "I suspect there's another nation work here. He met with a few questionable people. Their topic was about…" Si hesitated. Arthur slightly shifted in his seat as he waited for him.
"… a weapon of mass destruction of some sort."
The words made Arthur's very being get shaken. He tried to process what Si said, but he was distracted by a message from his legacy.
[Enough information has been gained; a Legacy Quest has been initiated.]