The Runic Alchemist

Chapter 824: The Grand Opening Celebration Week 20

Damian did not go to meet the man just yet.

“Yes, Reize.” He initiated.

“Perhaps we could.. stay in the city for a while?” Reize said.

“Why would that be?”

“Even before assassination attempts, I don’t think people would have been happy with me being here,” Reize said, looking down mid-sentence.

Damian’s face hardened. “Did anyone say something?”

“No,” Reize said.

“But they stare at her..” A voice came from the side.

When Damian looked towards Reize’s sister, she only maintained eye contact for a second before frantically looking all over except him. There was practically no difference in physical age for the two sisters; one was near 24, while the other was around 21. Yomi, despite being younger, had a healthier body type compared to athletic, petite Reize.

They had not kept the origin of Reize a secret from the people of Sanctum. There were several different popular narratives about their time in the Highsword dungeon going on in public. People of Sanctuary, at least the ones from near Sanctuary City, knew exactly who Reize was to Damian and other Sanctum heads.

They had never given any official statement as to what had happened in the Highsword dungeon, but bits and pieces of the story were slowly revealed by all who were part of it. Along with all the information revealed by Alex and others, who had come before them.

But knowing that Reize was a demon who left her country and had helped fight against the demons while saving people dear to Lord Keeper, and accepting the presence of a demon walking amongst them were two different things. Even though Reize and her sister were hybrids, not full demons.

Public image. That needed some influence.

Damian had some ideas about changing Reize’s public image, but he needed some tools for it that he still needed to invent.

“Get your things, I will shift you to Lucian’s floor. She has many extra rooms.”

Reize immediately replied, “It’s still going to be diffi-”

Damian cut her off, “Living in the city is going to be even more uncomfortable for the two of you. Let the week pass, give me a few days, and I will make something that will solve this issue for you. Then you can roam around the Sanctuary as you wish, and no one will be able to tell who you are. In the meantime, we will work on your public image.”

“You can build something like that?” Reize asked, her face full of curiosity and wonder.

Damian smiled. “You know how it is. We hit it till it breaks.”

Reize chuckled. “I thought a transcendent runesmith would have figured it all out.”

“Not at all. Instead, there are more possibilities and mysteries now, and not enough time to pursue them all. I did make something you would be interested in. You should check out the Sanctum shop, especially the Runic Mold Tool. Ask Evrin or Souldealer to show you one.”

“The first-place prize?” She asked.

Damian nodded.

Reize continued, “I saw the endless items in the receiver shop.. Didn’t reach till the runic mold section yet.”

“Let’s figure out a solution together. Never should you think that you don’t belong here just because of some raised eyes. You are valued here. Your skills are exactly what I’m looking for. And even without that, I owe you enough to at least give you a comfortable place to live.”

“Thank you,” Reize whispered.

Damian smiled and asked them to pack their things and wait in their rooms before leaving.

Not waiting for the runic lift, Damian flew straight. Using womholes to bypass the air shield giant windows. When he arrived, Anthony was seated in Sam’s room, Sam and Grace standing near him.

There were no hints of recognition in Anthony’s eyes at all. Well, Damian had undergone a massive change since they had last met. His tall, lean, and solid build was wrapped in several layers of black and gold clothes. Added with his two horns, needless to say, his appearance was not something people could forget after seeing it once.

His horns were white. Even though the tip was slightly black, it didn’t draw too much attention to itself. Reize’s were pitch black. Even though her horns were curved like many beastmen, they were still eye-catching and dark. Before meeting demons, no one would have looked twice at her, considering her a beastman of rare origin.

But after meeting the demons and fighting a long war against them, their characteristics were imprinted in every mind on the mainland. They all had pitch black, sharp horns. Beastmen with black horns were very rare, but beastmen would have other features to differentiate them.

Reize had the pitch black horns and an almost human appearance. Her fluffy tail and ears, which she had in the academy, were a product of a potion acquired from the island of demons. Damian was very curious about this potion, but Reize had no idea who on the island made them; even on the island, it was a rare thing.

There were some other potions publicly available and used by the army on the island of demons, but they did not work on humans. Damian had planned to check out the island of demons when he had some free time; needless to say, the free time was a luxury with everything going on, so he never got to it.

“Ah, you’re old now..” Damian commented.

Anthony was visibly confused and unsure how to reply to the uncalled-for insult.

“Guess who he is?” Sam asked with an amusing smile.

Anthony’s eyes widened. There weren’t many people who knew both of them. Leaving the answer clear as day.

“..Maximus?” Anthony murmured.

It felt good to see a familiar face. They talked for minutes, bringing Anthony up to date while informing Grace about all that they had done in the past. The story was too big, though, and they didn’t go into much detail.

Sitting in Sam’s living room, talking and laughing, the four of them didn’t realize when minutes turned to hours.