More than a thousand people had gathered, according to Adrian’s calculation.
And every single one of them was waiting for one person.
"Is this so kind of build-up?" Annabelle asked quietly as a man stepped onto the stage—soone who clearly wasn’t Clark.
"I think it’s part of his exhibition," Ruby said, guessing.
Ariana huffed. "Why do I already feel sleepy?"
Adrian leaned closer and whispered, "You can sleep if you want." He even offered his shoulder.
For a mont, the silver-haired woman found the invitation more tempting than anything else. Still, she shook her head. "Nah, I’m fine. It’s not like I’m the only one tired."
More than that, she wanted to see what Clark had actually created, rather than waking up in the middle of a potentially chaotic situation.
On the other side, Sylvie and the other two were seated as well.
Allen, clearly uncomfortable in his formal attire, muttered, "I feel out of place. I should’ve joined the others in the crowd."
Olivia smiled softly. "It’s not comfortable for either, but we can see the stage much more clearly from here."
Sylvie huffed. "I don’t like formal clothes either, but Olivia’s right. If you’re really curious about what Sir Clark created, you won’t find a better spot."
The guest seating was arranged in successive tiers, and each balcony was wide enough to keep the audience from feeling cramped. Everyone had a clear, unobstructed view of the stage.
Just then, "It’s about to start," soone murmured, and the crowd’s attention snapped toward the stage.
There were four people standing there now, and Clark was among them.
He stepped to the center of the platform, posture straight and confident, before turning to face the audience.
With his hands clasped behind his back, he began, "I am honored to have you all present here. I cannot put into words how gratified I feel, seeing so many of you gather despite having no idea what I am about to present today. That alone shows how much trust, respect, and goodwill I have earned throughout my life."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"And that," Clark continued, "is the greatest wealth I could have ever acquired."
A round of applause rolled through the crowd, accompanied by whispers and cheers for the man they regarded as the greatest Runesmith in existence.
Adrian humd in appreciation. Maintaining such a reputation for so long was no small feat.
Having witnessed multiple Towers beco centers of hostility—and even seeing one of them fall—Adrian could only admire Clark. Through it all, he had remained untouched by rumors and carefully distant from bad company.
The man continued, "Today, I will be presenting sothing I have worked on for the longest ti in my entire career. Sothing I believe is necessary for a society like ours—where so people enjoy safety simply because they live near places of importance, while a vast portion of the population continues to live under constant fear, wondering if tomorrow might be their last day."
A wave of grief and quiet acknowledgnt passed through the civilians at his words.
Antonmine had beco important, even a center of attraction, because of Clark. But in the past, before his rise, the town had been nothing more than a sprawling slum, forgotten and vulnerable.
’He’s very good at connecting with people’s emotions,’ Adrian noted. He was learning a thing or two from the man today, even if he wasn’t sure whether he would ever use those skills himself.
"Daaaarling... why doesn’t he just shut up and sh—mmfh?!"
Annabelle’s eyes widened as Ruby hurriedly covered her mouth.
Glancing around nervously, Ruby whispered, "Anna, do you want us to get kicked out or sothing?"
Annabelle huffed and turned her head away. "What’s wrong with stating my honest thoughts?"
Ariana sighed. "Just be a little patient. Or take a nap."
The suggestion was genuinely tempting for the raven-haired woman. Still, before she could decide, Clark finally steered the presentation to its core.
"I ca across an idea a few years ago that left completely stunned," he said. "It was wild, unconventional, and incredibly difficult to achieve. But then again, is there ever a simple path when one is aiming for revolution?"
Taking a few steps back, he gestured behind him. "That is why I created this."
A man stepped forward, pushing a trolley onto the stage.
Sothing rested atop it, concealed beneath a dark, soft fabric.
Clark grasped the cloth and lifted it away.
A ripple of anticipation passed through the audience as they caught sight of what lay beneath.
Mounted on a thin steel pole was a tal sword.
Large, neatly inscribed runes glowed across its blade.
Adrian frowned and reached into his Inventory, pulling out his glasses. Once he put them on, the runes ca into sharp focus.
"What do you see?" Ariana asked, her voice edged with impatience.
Adrian humd. "Nothing much. Probably intentional. He’s hidden the runes of the fifth thread sowhere."
Ruby nodded. "Those visible ones are only for the first thread and the initials of the second. He concealed the rest really well."
Annabelle snickered. "Such a sneaky bastard. Might as well have kept the armant locked in his vault."
Adrian chuckled. "That’s nothing new, Annabelle. People rarely reveal their runes during exhibitions." He sighed. "Even though there’s usually no real reason for it."
Unless soone possessed true talent in Runesmithing and had mastered every procedure required to tune a thread, there was no point in trying to decipher another’s runes.
And even then... what was the point of copying soone else’s style—
Wait.
Adrian frowned.
He slowly rose to his feet, drawing the attention of those seated beside him.
"Adrian?" Ariana asked. "Did you notice sothing?"
He continued studying the blade for a few seconds longer. Then a quiet chuckle escaped his throat.
Sitting back down, he said, "It seems Borodicus Clark sohow obtained the lost notes of Avirin. Or sothing close to it. Binding multiple threads to a single rune is sothing no one else has ever achieved."
Ruby’s eyes widened in shock as she leaned forward, staring intently at the second thread.
"There...is no way he could have found so ancient notes....Adrian..." Ruby turned towards him and said, "Did he replicate your armant?"
Adrian didn’t say anything and kept smiling.
But there was soone who was not smiling. No, she appeared furious.
Thunder began to crackle at her fingers as Annabelle growled, "He...stole Darling’s thod?"
That demanded so punishnt.
So serious punishnt.
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been reading this story so far, please drop a comnt or a review.
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