Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 534 - 533- Achieve you dreams

Ariana hummed when her lover appeared before her in a faint flicker. She had seen this enough times to know he must have just returned from the Time Chamber.

She raised a brow and asked, "So? How is it going? Did you reach the third stage yet? You can use the night to study further and prepare the notes."

Adrian had told her how crucial it was for him to learn the fifth thread.

Scarlette’s situation was dire, and the system had suggested that mastering the fifth thread was the only solution. That was why she never refused when others offered to replace Adrian as the combat assessor.

She knew achieving something like the fifth thread in just a few days was nearly impossible, even for Adrian. Still, she would do everything in her power to support him, even if it meant leaving his room to give him space to study. A grave sacrifice, but a necessary one.

However, the moment she noticed his tired expression and slumped shoulders, her heart tightened with worry.

She rose from the bed at once, still in her underwear, and walked toward him.

Sitting him down gently, she said, "Hey, it’s okay. I understand you’re going through a lot, so it’s fine if you haven’t made much progress—"

"I achieved it, Aria," Adrian cut in, leaving her speechless.

He turned to her and nodded. "You heard me right. I can tune a fifth-grade armament now."

Ariana’s eyes widened. "A-Adrian... are you serious?"

Adrian chuckled softly. "Why would I lie about something like this? I found my own path and reached the fifth stage."

"Aaahhh!" Ariana squealed in delight, something he had never seen her do before, and then she leapt at him in excitement.

He fell back onto the bed with Ariana on top of him, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

He laughed aloud. "What got you so happy?"

She looked at him, lips curved in disbelief. "Are you insane? This is tremendous news. You’ve finally reached the pinnacle of runesmithing. And you’re not reacting the way you should, Adrian. Not at all."

Adrian sighed, though his smile refused to fade. "Well, it was expected. I knew I could do it. I just did it a little earlier than planned."

Ariana giggled. "Look at this smug bastard, pretending it isn’t a huge achievement."

She suddenly sprang to her feet and hurried toward the wardrobe.

"What are you doing?" Adrian asked as he pushed himself up from the bed.

"I need to get dressed and call Ruby. We’re celebrating tonight."

Adrian chuckled. "We definitely can celebrate, but is it okay to call her? She must be busy, no?"

Ariana turned and shot him a glare, though there was no real heat behind it. "Listen, this is between us. You just need to show up when we raise our glasses. And invite Raven too. She has to be there."

Adrian nodded. "I’ll ask the system. What about the venue? Our house?"

Ariana nodded without hesitation. "Of course. You don’t want the others hearing Bella crying in joy once she finds out, do you?"

Adrian raised a brow. "But Aria... you have work tomorrow, don’t you?"

Ariana grinned. "This day won’t come back, my dear. So let me celebrate my husband’s achievement to my heart’s content."

Once changed into her regular clothes, she hopped out of the window and headed toward her office.

Adrian let out a slow breath, his face still lit with a smile. Truth be told, he felt more fulfilled watching her reaction than he had while reaching the fifth thread itself.

Shaking his head, he muttered, "I better be there on time tonight."

...

It was late at night. Most students had either skipped dinner or returned to their rooms early, buried in anxiety over the upcoming exams.

But for the third year students who had already completed their assessments, this was one of the last chances to wander freely through the academy grounds they would soon leave behind.

Aries exhaled softly as she walked beside her best friend. The moon was bright tonight, its light spilling over the gravel path and guiding their steps.

With her arms locked behind her back, Aries muttered, "Good for you. You won’t be missing this place for long."

Elana shrugged. "You could rejoin the academy as an instructor if you wanted."

Aries’ combat skills were exceptional. She had even pushed their combat instructor, Rylie, into serious territory during spars.

If she truly tried, becoming a staff member of the Runebound was well within her reach.

Aries chuckled. "Nah, I’m not meant to teach a bunch of brats. Trust me, within six months the headmistress would receive so many complaints about me that she’d personally kick my butt and throw me out."

Elana glanced at her. "Is that fear talking, or do you actually have something else in mind?"

Aries lowered her gaze and fell silent for a moment. Then, in a quieter voice, she said, "I don’t think you’ll judge me for this... but I want to become a knight. Just not for this country."

Elana hummed softly. "That’s new. Tell me more."

She had always known Aries wanted to pursue a career in this field, but she had never heard her mention a destination.

She could have become a Warden, a militant, even an adventurer. But tonight, there was something different in her tone. Conviction.

Aries drew in a breath. "This might make me sound like a traitor, but I want to be recruited into Noredeim’s elite regime."

Elana stopped mid-step. "The Hounds of the North? What in the world..."

She knew of Noredeim and its military reputation. Their forces were said to be the most ferocious in the world.

Tall, broad-shouldered warriors with overwhelming physical strength.

They never participated in combat tournaments or inter-nation contests, not because they feared defeat, but because they knew they would dominate.

Aries continued, her voice steady now. "They train their soldiers in a way that’s allowed Noredeim to stand strong for decades without forming any official alliance. I want to be part of that. I want to be trained by the best... so I can uncover the best version of myself."

Elana was surprised, but only for a moment. From the very first day they spoke, it had been obvious that Aries was a little unhinged in the best way possible. She never feared failure and never hesitated to choose the harder road.

If something would make her stronger, she would pursue it without regret. Joining a military force rumored to be survivors of hell itself? Yes, that was exactly the kind of path Elana would expect from her.

Turning fully toward her friend, the silver-haired girl asked, "And after that, Aries? I’m sure you’ve thought beyond simply serving in the military, haven’t you?"

Aries looked back at her, a faint smile playing on her lips. She raised a finger and pressed it lightly against her lips, closing one eye in a playful wink.

"That’s a secret," she said softly. "Just know I’m fulfilling a promise I made to someone not too long ago."

Elana didn’t ask who she promised to and with a smile she nodded, "I wish you best of luck, Aries."

"You too, Elana. May you achieve your every dream."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.