Chapter 24: Rune Language
By the time Raven woke up, dusk had already settled outside the window.
The faint orange glow of the setting sun spilled across the small inn room, painting long shadows on the wooden floor.
He rubbed his eyes, sat up, and freshened himself before turning his gaze to the newspapers stacked neatly on the table.
"Huh? Today's issue?" He muttered, picking it up.
Although he had often seen his sister and aunt reading the Legacy News, he had never cared much for the Empire's affairs.
But this time—he had reasons.
'I want to see if there's any mention of my sister or aunt.'
He unfolded the newspaper and began scanning through the headlines.
…
Legacy News
Breaking!
Scientific Breakthrough: Researchers discover a new element named 'God's Eye,' claiming it could unveil the secrets of the world itself!
Alchemist Johnathan's legendary "Elixir of Insight" to be auctioned in the Royal Capital on December 23rd! Nobles across and beyond the Empire are attending. Sources claim this potion can grant enlightenment to even Legendary Walkers!
Cyclops spotted near the Southern Wild Fortress! The Meadows Family raises alarm as mercenaries rush southward.
Empire's Western Serpent Army recaptures the Western Fortress! 2,450 soldiers dead, 9,000 injured. Families mourn and demand compensation from the Empire.
Shocking Revelation: Poison traces found in the Crown Prince's assassination! Could there be a traitor within the palace?
Chief Judge urges the Emperor to reform the Imperial Law Book! After analyzing 770 articles, the Supreme Judges propose sweeping legal changes. Will this empower the nobles—or weaken the throne?
Missing Noble Heir! The last descendant of the Holmes Family has been missing for six months. Kidnapping or foul play? The Council of Spade Nobles to decide the fate of his estate in the next meeting!
…
[Oh? A coincidence—or fate? Lad, look into this matter.]
Zera's calm tone echoed in Raven's mind, causing his brows to furrow.
'Do you know this family?'
[The Holmes Family has ties to my creator. Long ago, I told you how arrogance led my owner to become a crown, didn't I? The one who caused that downfall was a powerful clan—the Holmes. After that, my creator was renamed Holem's Crown. Even if this family is only connected by name, I feel there's something here that may help you.]
'Hmm… alright.' Raven didn't press further and continued reading.
Sword Princess Reappears! Rumored Engagement with the Vega Empire's Duke Household—A New Political Alliance Between Vega and Zenith?
Raven's eyes widened. Sword Princess could only mean one person—his sister.
'A marriage…?' he frowned. 'Didn't she tell me she liked someone else? Looks like that "father" of mine is using her as a pawn again.'
He let out a soft sigh and turned the page.
Crows Misery Wizard Academy Announces Entrance Exam! On January 3rd, Year 1421, one hundred prodigies will be chosen to walk the Path of Wizardry. The Dean promises rewards for the top three students!
Rumors stir within Parliament about selecting the next generation of "Seven Serpents" and "Five Sages." Is this the dawn of a new age of Walkers?
Raven's expression darkened as he skimmed the lines.
"There's news of my sister's return, but nothing about my aunt… Are they suppressing the news?"
For the imperial family, covering such incidents wasn't difficult.
But Raven's thoughts wandered back to Gavin's warning.
'What if they blamed her? What if Aunt Shirley were imprisoned in the Black Iron Prison Cells…?'
The thought chilled him. Even if he aimed to become Emperor, at his current pace, that dream was far beyond reach—decades, maybe centuries away.
'By then, it'll be too late.'
He clenched his fists. His mind spiraled.
'I need to act… but how? What can I do now?'
His gaze flicked to his remaining unused spell slots.
An idea—dangerous but tempting—slipped into his mind.
'Zera… can "Erase Existence" kill Prime Minister Gavin?'
[Ha! Two days ago, you swore not to kill selfishly. Now you're plotting the death of one of the most powerful men in the Empire. What changed, lad?]
'I'm not against killing,' Raven said coldly. 'I just won't kill needlessly. But if ending him lets me reunite with my family—I don't care.'
Zera's tone softened slightly.
[That spell can indeed kill a Demigod, but to use it on a living being, you need to touch them directly. And even if you succeed, his guards won't stand idle. One wrong move, and you'll die for good. I can't bring you back this time.]
Raven's mind flashed back to the man who had once severed his head.
'He's always around Gavin… a shadow guarding another shadow. Killing him won't be easy. And if I fail—I'll be branded a criminal.'
He exhaled deeply. "No… I'll focus on growing stronger first."
Setting the newspaper aside, he closed his eyes—and his consciousness sank into the Memory Library.
…
The vast, silent space of shelves and floating books welcomed him back. Zera appeared beside him in her usual faint light.
"I want to start developing the Elemental Circlet Technique," Raven said. "It's time I became a proper Warlock."
[Good. But before that, you must learn the Basic Rune Language.]
With a flick of her hand, a black-covered book appeared, floating before him.
"Rune Language?" Raven asked, curious. "Is it a type of ancient script?"
[Close. It's a language forged by the High Humans—used to interpret the essence of elements. After they vanished, humans refined and expanded it, using runes to shape what we now call the Wizard Pathway. Every Wizard must learn it.]
"But I'm a Warlock," Raven tilted his head.
[Even Warlocks rely on the Wizards' techniques. In the beginning, Warlocks were weaker—because unlike Magical Beasts, they couldn't form Magic Elemental Crystals in their hearts. Beasts could cast bloodline spells instantly, but Warlocks needed weeks, even months, to gather energy for just one Rank-1 spell. That's why they adapted the Wizards' Elemental Circlet Technique.]
Raven nodded thoughtfully.
'So… runes are the foundation of both paths.'
[Exactly. To command elements, you must first speak their language.]
Raven took the hovering book and opened it. Strange symbols filled the pages—some resembling living flames, others cold and geometric like ice shards.
He began to read.
…
Basics of Rune Language
The Rune Language consists of 2,163,050 characters, divided into four categories: Soul, Body, Spell, and Weapon.
Soul Runes:Represent pure vowel sounds.1,200 characters total.Each corresponds to a distinct tonal vibration of the soul. Body Runes:Represent consonant sounds.1,800 characters total.Can stand alone or combine with Soul Runes to form syllables. Spell Runes:Formed by combining one Soul Rune and one Body Rune.Total of 2,160,000 combinations.Each symbolizes a unique syllabic resonance between spirit and matter. Weapon Runes:Special runes representing concepts of combat and armament.50 in total, each tied to a martial principle—swords, shields, bows, etc.Used in spellcraft, enchantments, and weapon forging.
…
As he read, Raven began practicing with a notebook, tracing the intricate symbols by hand.
Every curve and stroke seemed to hum faintly in his mind, echoing like whispers from another age.
'Hmm, it'll take me at least ten days just to memorize these characters. After that, I'll have to study their meanings and start using them in practice.'
Raven closed the black-covered book after two more hours of study and exited the Memory Library.
Outside the window, dusk had already deepened into night.
'I should head out and dig up some information about the Holmes Family first,' he thought. But before leaving, he decided to inspect something.
He pulled out the monocle from his inventory and wore it, then took out the pair of boots Elizabeth had given him as a reward.
…
[Name: Shadow Boots]
[Rank: Uncommon]
Item Statistics:
Movement Speed: Doubles normal speed when activated. (Effective up to Rank-2)Special Effect: Engraved with the Rank-1 spell [Shadow Stealth] — upon activation, the user can erase their presence for five minutes.Bonus: Spell is 200% more effective at night, making the user nearly invisible.Cooldown: 1 hour.
…
"Amazing… No wonder these cost more than ten thousand gold coins." Raven let out a low whistle. "If I were her, I'd never give this away."
Still, he smiled faintly. "I'll repay her one day."
Then he frowned. "But… how do I even activate it?"
[Find the array circle on each shoe. Inject a bit of spirit power into it, make a soul imprint, and form a connection.]
Zera's calm voice echoed in his mind.
Following her words, Raven examined the soles of the boots with his spiritual scan and soon spotted circular patterns carved with intricate rune lines. In the center of one, a small black hexagonal shape pulsed faintly — a replica of a spell model.
He focused, sending his spirit power into it. The pattern flickered with a dim light, and he instantly felt a connection form between his mind and the artifact. He repeated the process for the second boot, then put them on.
After changing into a neat formal outfit, Raven left his room and went downstairs.
He ordered dinner at the inn counter, then took a quiet seat near the corner. As he ate, he listened to nearby conversations, occasionally asking questions of travelers and merchants.
Within half an hour, he had gathered fragments of information about the Holmes Family.
…
Twenty years ago, the Holmes Family managed Azmar Town. Once a proud noble house, they fell to the lowest Knight rank but still held influence locally. During the Goblin Invasion, almost the entire family was wiped out, leaving only one survivor — Walter Holmes.
Walter joined the Spade Knights Academy, later left, married an orphan girl, and had a son named Thomas. The small family lived quietly in Giaris City, running a wine factory and small businesses. But tragedy struck again two years ago — Walter and his wife died in a train fire near the Capital. Thomas, devastated, fell into addiction and isolation. Six months ago, he vanished… and no one seemed to care.
…
[But no one seems to care about his disappearance.]
'Yeah,' Raven thought grimly. 'We'll need to visit his house. Maybe we'll find some clues there.'
He stood and glanced toward the counter.
'How much should I pay for information? Two silvers should be fine, right?'
[Naïve. Two silvers will buy you gossip, not truth. Offer a gold coin. That'll make him talk.]
'A gold coin?! That's enough to feed a family for a month!'
[Information is power, boy. And power never comes cheap.]
With a sigh, Raven approached the counter. The same middle-aged man from earlier stood behind it — short, with gray hair, olive skin, and an owl tattoo on his neck.
The man noticed Raven and bowed slightly. "How may I help you, sir?"
"I'm looking for information about Thomas Holmes." Raven flipped the gold coin between his fingers, watching the man's eyes follow it.
The innkeeper instantly closed his ledger. "Ah, I'm Finn, sir. You mean the fallen noble who's been missing, yes?"
Raven nodded.
Finn leaned forward, voice dropping to a whisper. "Rumor says the Palmer Family might be behind it. They've been after the Holmes Wine Factory for years. Even when Walter Holmes was alive, the Palmers tried to take it by force. Walter filed a case in court, but after his death, everything was conveniently dismissed."
Finn paused, tore a page from his ledger, and scribbled an address.
"A year ago, the Palmers used their influence to seal the factory entirely. Here—" he handed over the note. "This is the Holmes residence in Giaris City. You might find more if you talk to the neighbors."
His eyes darted toward the gold coin in Raven's hand.
Raven smirked and tossed it to him.
[Now what? Back to studying runes?]
'No. Let's check the Holmes house first. And the City Museum Hall too.'
[At this hour?]
'You never know what waits in the dark,' Raven replied, already stepping outside.
…
As soon as the door shut, Finn's friendly expression vanished.
He turned to the black-haired waiter behind him. "Do a background check on that man. Tell Inspector Bennett that someone's digging into Thomas Holmes — says he's from a rich family. Also, send word to the Falconcrest. Let's see if they're willing to pay for this one."
His lips twisted into a cold smile.
Meanwhile, Raven walked through the gas-lit streets, unfolding the note in his hand.
"Holmes Mansion, 21A Bristol Street, Salford Borough…" he murmured.
Then he blinked. "Wait. Didn't Daisy say her home's on Bristol Street too?"
He recalled her words: Giaris City has four main boroughs—Southward, Eastmine, North, and Salford.
Southward was the transport hub. Eastmine was the merchant district where his inn stood. North Borough housed factories and industries. And Salford—home to nobles, the High Court, the City Museum, and Count Spade's residence—was the most guarded of all.
'Good thing I've got Instant Memory,' he thought, smiling faintly.
The streets were alive with noise — carriages rattling, laughter from theaters, and the chatter of people heading to evening gatherings.
Blending into the crowd, Raven walked through the lamplit streets toward Salford Borough. Half an hour later, he finally reached Bristol Street, where secrets—and answers—awaited.