CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 183- NEVER ABANDON ME

"That was dope," Adrian couldn’t stop muttering to himself as he sat inside the Time Chamber.

Last night, he had mimicked the technique he saw the moment he grabbed the handle. He didn’t know who the original wielder was, or how he was able to copy the technique so easily. But one thing was certain—using that weapon allowed him to strike with overwhelming force.

He hadn’t run out of mana, nor was he physically exhausted enough to collapse.

"So that’s why Valor was so eager to help me. Maybe with this, I can actually become a better swordsman." It was like part of his third plan falling into place.

Still, he wasn’t completely sure he could pull off that attack again. But... there was hope.

"Alright, focus," he told himself as he turned back to the notes he had written.

There was nothing new left to read about the fourth thread. He already understood what needed to be done to bind someone’s physical body to their armament.

Truthfully, the further he went, the more complicated things became.

The fourth thread gave a runesmith full access to a person’s body. Once connected, the runesmith didn’t see muscles or bones—instead, they saw a living map of mana. Paths of energy flowed through the body like glowing rivers, branching through organs, nerves, and pressure points.

Using this vision, a runesmith could design runes and enchantments tailored to the person’s unique mana pattern. This made the result not only more powerful but also more efficient and safer.

However, each person’s mana map was different. Depending on how the mana flowed, shifted, and responded to the body, the runesmith had to carefully recreate that pattern using runes.

It was a slow, delicate process—one that demanded precise control and steady magic.

He spent a few hours inside before deciding to stop. "Overreading might lead to overthinking...and I can’t have that." He needs to trust his skills to build a good fourth-grade weapon once he begins experimenting tomorrow.

Now, it’s time to go out and have dinner.

He gathered his notes and stepped out of the Time Chamber.

In the blink of an eye, he was back in his office—and just as he rose from his seat,

Knock.

He blinked, slightly startled. "Who is it?"

"It’s me," came a voice from the other side.

Ariana?

Adrian stood and moved to the door.

On the other side was the familiar silver-haired figure he had planned to visit.

"Did something happen?" he asked, stepping aside to let her in.

Ariana entered, looking slightly flustered. "A few people from the Tower are coming to see you."

"The Tower? Why so suddenly?"

She took the seat he had just vacated and replied, "I got a message from Sir Abel a few hours ago. He said he’ll be here by dinner. I checked the mail late."

Adrian sat across from her, brows furrowed. "Is this about what happened a few days ago?"

"Highly unlikely," Ariana said. "The Tower doesn’t consider such things worth its attention. If they did, they would’ve shown up the very next day."

Adrian gave a slow nod.

The only part the Tower had taken responsibility for so far was the missing Light User at the teleportation portal.

They claimed an investigation was underway, but considering their priorities and lack of manpower, chances were they wouldn’t find much—if anything at all.

"Then this is something related to Runesmithing, after all?"

Ariana gave a small nod. "Remember how that midget barged into the academy last time to ask you something?"

Adrian let out a wry smile. "Don’t refer to a Tower Master like that... but yeah. If they’re in a rush, it’s probably because of some discovery. Or a contest."

He tried to recall if anything like this was mentioned in the canon timeline. But nothing came to mind. Maybe it wasn’t part of the original story at all—or maybe it was something yet to appear.

As silence settled between them, Adrian hesitated for a moment before asking, "Um... Ariana. Did you take the pills this morning?"

Ariana’s eyes, which had been half-closed in thought, suddenly snapped open. A teasing smile played on her lips. "What if I say no?" She gently touched her abdomen and added, "With how much you deposited last night, you might’ve gotten me pregnant already."

Adrian’s expression wavered—caught somewhere between nervous and unsure.

Noticing that, Ariana’s smile faded just a little. "You really don’t like the idea of having kids?" she asked, voice soft, almost uncertain.

He let out a sigh. "I told you—I do want a big family, Aria. More than anything. But I don’t want to push you into it. You have so much ahead of you... And we’re still young. There’s no need to rush."

Ariana looked at him quietly. Then, in a low voice, she asked, "What if my priority becomes giving you babies? Would you let me?"

The question caught him off guard.

She wasn’t joking.

That realization struck him hard. Ariana was always the kind to joke her way through serious emotions—but not now. When he looked into her eyes, all he saw was a mix of nervousness... and something else.

Greed.

Greed—for him.

She wasn’t testing him. She wasn’t being dramatic. She was just... choosing him, all over again. And putting everything else aside.

That’s why he chose his next words with care.

No jokes. No avoidance.

"Ariana," he said, his voice steady, "if you ever decide to stop chasing everything else... if you choose to settle down and become a mother—I’ll support you. I’ll work, I’ll take care of the family. You can rest. I’ll carry it all, if that’s what you want."

Ariana didn’t laugh, because she was never joking.

She just kept looking into his eyes—full of certainty and assurance.

She suddenly got up and walked around the table to reach Adrian.

She offered him her hand.

Adrian held it before she suddenly pulled him towards her.

"Ari-mmfh?!" His lips were sealed before he could have exclaimed.

Ariana’s eyes were damp as she kissed him deeply.

All her emotions were shared by the interaction of their lips.

Adrian’s initial shock disappeared as he held her waist and returned her passion with all the tenderness he could offer.

The two felt it. The undying, passionate love they felt for each other.

Ariana had never felt like this before. The feelings of needing something. The feeling of dependence and this profound sensation of wanting to grow even closer to someone.

Their lips parted. Her arms hugged his neck as she looked into his deep eyes and confessed,

"I love you, Adrian. Please never abandon me."

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.