Return of the Legendary Runesmith

It was a rare sight—all four members of the Vermillion family gathered around the dining table.

The young heir, Damien, usually stayed at the academy dorms, but he was home for vacation after his mid-terms.

The head of the family was rarely home too. With only two people he could truly trust to manage his territory, he was constantly on the move.

Although the Vermillions had branch families, their roles were limited, and they held little power.

So, yes—this dinner was the first in a long time where they were all seated together.

"You did what?!" Damien, the youngest, gasped, staring wide-eyed at his older sister.

Ruby flinched and quickly covered her ears. "No need to shout," she said, frowning. "I’m not deaf, you know."

But Damien wasn’t done. He leaned forward, eyes burning.

"You went ahead and promised our support to another country—in the name of Vermillion—and you expect me to stay calm?!"

Just a day ago, Ruby had publicly declared that the Vermillion family would support Valmora.

Unsurprisingly, the news had already reached the ears of Grimvale’s court, though they hadn’t made any move yet.

Still, Damien knew the implications.

The sudden alliance between a powerful noble house like the Vermillions and a foreign country wouldn’t sit well with Grimvale’s council—not one bit.

Ruby let out an annoyed sigh and glanced at the boy sitting across from her.

"Do you really think I’d make a move like that without talking to Father first?"

Damien frowned. "But he just got back today."

With a mischievous grin, Ruby turned to the man at the head of the table.

"Well, I’m asking him now. Father—are we allowed to support Valmora?"

Damien stared at her, stunned.

Was she serious right now?

From the side, he felt a gentle hand rest on his shoulder.

He looked up and saw his mother smiling softly, giving him a calm, reassuring nod.

With a huff, Damien looked toward the patriarch, now waiting for his response.

The man didn’t rush. He calmly finished chewing his meat, swallowed, and only then lifted his gaze.

One of his eyes was pure white. The other, a light green. A look that could easily intimidate anyone—except his family.

Ruby held his gaze, waiting silently and without flinching.

"You suddenly care about the fate of a foreign country?" he asked, raising a brow, a hint of amusement tugging at his lips.

"That doesn’t sound like you." He leaned back slightly. "So tell me... who is he?"

"Wait—who? Mom?" Damien blurted out, panicking like he always did.

Their mother finally spoke, giggling as she leaned back in her chair.

"Your sister finally brought a man home. And oh my, he was handsome. I was this close to asking him to stay a bit longer so your father could meet him."

"Now I’m getting a little suspicious of the guy," the patriarch, Reid Vermillion, said with a chuckle.

Fiona Vermillion grinned and gently rested her hand on his arm, whispering something in his ear that made Reid’s smile stretch even wider.

Damien, ignoring the parents flirting, turned toward his sister.

"You’re really dating some guy who begged you to help his country?" he asked, eyes wide with excitement.

Ruby sighed and resisted the urge to massage her temples. She held back and said instead,

"He’s not just some guy. And for the record, it wasn’t charity—we made a deal."

She added that last part in case her father was curious too.

Reid hummed, "While I am curious about the deal, I’d rather know what kind of man caught my daughter’s attention."

It was a valid question.

Ruby had always been detached from the world outside. The only real bond she maintained was with her family.

She’d graduated from the academy in just a year—after proving she already knew more than the instructors could teach. Her published theory even drew attention from the Tower. Yet instead of working with them, she chose to tinker alone in her small workshop, researching and building things at her own pace.

When boredom struck, she went hunting—earning the title of fourth-ranked in just a few years through sheer achievement.

Many believed she could’ve risen higher if she focused solely on combat, but Ruby never cared for those opinions. Her father never pushed her either.

Now, for the first time, she spoke of someone outside their circle.

Ruby placed her hands on the table and said, "He’s... different. He doesn’t care about my status or the things I’ve achieved. He says whatever’s on his mind, especially when someone talks down about Runesmithing. And... his eyelashes are quite long."

When her gaze drifted toward her parents, a flush of embarrassment crept onto her face.

Her mother beamed, clasping her hands near her chest, while her father wore a knowing smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

The silence broke with Damien’s voice, sharp and dramatic. "You’re in love... and I need to murder someone."

"Enough, Damien," Fiona scolded gently. "He’s not your enemy."

Damien scowled, clearly unconvinced. "But Mom, he’s obviously taking advantage of her. And how many times has she even met him?"

"Three," Ruby answered calmly. "And all of them were... very eventful." A dreamy look softened her features.

She didn’t say much more—but it was enough. Adrian’s expressions when he was thrilled when he was nervous... Ruby remembered them all. And to her, they were fascinating.

"She’s in love," Damien repeated like it was some tragic revelation. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Reid chuckled. "Well, I truly look forward to meeting the man who managed to catch my little one’s attention."

Ruby panicked just a bit, waving her hands slightly. "D-Dad, there’s nothing between us, just so you know."

Reid smiled gently. "I never assumed anything, dear. But I do know this—if you ever do choose someone, I’ll be the first person you tell."

Ruby exhaled a small sigh, grateful for his words. "He probably won’t be attending the meeting, but... if you’d like, I can ask him if he has time?"

He mentioned that he still have some days left until classes would resume and since such an important even was about to take place, he might make some time to visit the capital?

Reid leaned back, thoughtful. "No need to force anything. If he’s really as remarkable as you say, then I’m sure our paths will cross naturally."

Then, behind that calm, reassuring smile, a flicker of something else sparked in his eyes.

’Adrian, huh... Let’s see whether you’re a potential son-in-law... or just an obstacle I’ll need to remove.’

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a review if you have enjoyed the story so far.