Grimvale lay in the west, close to the border of the wasteland.
As ntioned before, only four major nations remained after more than half the world was reduced to ruins.
The lands where the great war had taken place—the regions once swallowed by Darkness—were now barren, unable to sustain life.
The four remaining nations were scattered far apart, making travel by carriage not just difficult but downright foolish.
"If you like the sumr, you'll enjoy yourself here," Ruby said with a knowing smile, her eyes glinting with warmth.
She walked ahead confidently, leading Adrian through the teleportation center in Grimvale. As he looked around, sothing struck him as odd.
No one's asking for papers… no checks, no questions? he thought.
It was a sharp contrast to the previous portal hub, where they were stopped multiple tis and bombarded with questions. But here, it felt like he was being treated as a VIP.
Is this the power of being escorted by soone from the Vermillion family? Adrian wondered.
He'd heard rumors—stories, really—about the Vermillions. They were a rchant family but with power and status nearly equal to that of a Duke. Their na was well known across the world. In Grimvale, people even said the family was the city's insurance.
They didn't just have influence—they had strength. A few hundred elite soldiers served them, handpicked and trained by the patriarch himself.
And if that wasn't impressive enough, the young heiress of the family, Ruby, had awakened a rare and precious gift—the talent for Runesmithing.
Adrian stole a glance at her, walking just a step ahead of him.
So this is what it feels like… to walk beside soone who carries the weight of a legacy.
It wasn't just her title or her talents. There was sothing deeper—sothing in the way she smiled when runes were ntioned, the way her eyes lit up like a child seeing magic for the first ti.
That was how it began. A quiet spark between Ruby and Allen—fueled by his natural affinity for magic and her growing obsession with runes. Two paths crossed under the heat of Grimvale's sun, slowly beginning to align.
"Ah."
Adrian ca to a halt, surprised to find Ruby—who had been walking just a mont ago—turned around, watching him.
"You seem a little dazed," she said with a playful glint in her eye. "Impressed by how influential I am here?"
Adrian let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, I am. But… so things should be done properly, regardless of soone's status or influence."
Ruby humd, resting her chin in her hand. "So, you're saying it was wrong to let pass without having any of my docunts checked?"
He hesitated, unsure if he should respond. The last thing he wanted was to make things awkward. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. But it was too late now.
The silence between them stretched for a few seconds. Just as Adrian opened his mouth to say sothing, Ruby suddenly called out:
"Jason."
A man in a sharp formal suit appeared almost instantly.
Ruby's voice turned firm, commanding. "From now on, check the docunts of everyone from the Vermillion family, traveling through the portal. No exceptions. Collect the official orders from the mansion by this evening. And send a request to the royal family—we'll push to make this mandatory for everyone."
Jason gave a crisp nod. "Understood, young lady."
Adrian stood frozen, completely speechless.
He didn't utter a word until they had left the portal grounds and stepped into the city.
A line of carriages was waiting. As they climbed into one, Adrian finally spoke, his voice quieter than before.
"Why… Why did you do that? That was a pretty drastic change, all of a sudden."
He couldn't believe it. What he thought was a casual remark—barely more than a passing comnt—had just led her to change an entire custom.
Ruby grinned, "It was so natural for ...being treated like this that I never realized how it must have appeared to others. But today, you made realize my mistake. Thank you, Adrian." She respectfully stated.
Adrian was caught off guard by her earlier response. The usually playful, teasing Ruby turned suddenly serious—it wasn't sothing he expected, and it lingered in his thoughts longer than he liked to admit.
The two of them barely exchanged a word during the fifteen-minute ride to the Vermillion estate, nestled within the capital.
When they finally stepped out of the carriage, Adrian took a slow breath and looked around.
"It's... quite peaceful," he said, almost to himself.
The mansion stood serene in shades of soft blue and white, giving off a comforting, gentle aura. It wasn't towering—just three stories tall—but its width stretched far enough that the full structure didn't even co into view until he had fully entered the estate grounds.
Neatly trimd bushes lined both sides of the cobblestone path as they strolled toward the entrance. The gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds added to the calm atmosphere.
"My mum loves decorating the house," Ruby said with a fond smile. "You'll be surprised when you see the inside."
Adrian let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Am I… am I going to et the Patriarch and the Lady?"
Ruby turned to him with a mischievous grin. "Of course. The man should always ask a woman's parents for her hand in marriage."
Adrian groaned, "Now's not the ti to joke."
Her laughter ca freely, light and genuine, echoing softly off the stone walls.
After calming down, she glanced at him and added reassuringly, "Relax. You won't et anyone today. Mum and Dad are away, and my brother's still at the academy."
Adrian exhaled in relief as they stepped into the mansion, finally escaping the glare of the sun.
Inside, the air was cool and comforting. The décor wasn't extravagant—it was tasteful and subtle. White and blue curtains swayed slightly with the breeze, matching the soft-toned carpet under their feet. Warm light spilled gently from the chandelier overhead, casting a llow glow on the room where they now sat.
It was calm.
A maid arrived and delivered water, tea, and so cookies.
Adrian took water and asked, "So, what are we going to do?"
Ruby's brows rose, "Already eager to be locked up?"
Adrian nearly spilled the water, but he sohow gulped it down and asked her, "Why do you say it like that you are going to imprison ?"
Ruby's sharp fangs appeared with that face-splitting grin as she declared, "Once I get into it...my beloved workshop, I don't stop. And since you would be my partner today, ask for no rcy."
Looking at him intently, she declared, "By the end of the day, you either will run away from or fall in love with ~
"...." And he thought he was a rune fanatic.
°°°°°°°°°
A/N:- She will bind him to the plank while wearing leotard leather suit, and holding a whip~
Ah, I should stop running my fantasies wild.l
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