It took Theo a minute to work up the courage to interrupt Chrys. Sparrow had gone to look over her shoulder, and was trying to read along.
“Chrys?” She grunted in response, still completely absorbed in whatever was on the paper there.
Sparrow came around, throwing their arm around his shoulders, and handed him a single piece of the paper that came from the chest.
“I have worked with runes all my life. They are something I understand more intimately than breathing, and yet I am equally as intimate with the limitations that I must work around. It is my hope, nay dream, that you can take what I have and make them reality.” Sparrow read from the page aloud, quietly enough to not disturb Chrys. “It’s signed by ‘Alexandra’.”
As the first chest had been from Libera the Kind, then there was a fairly good chance that this ‘Alexandra’ was Alexandra the Wise, the founder of the College of Spells. It would also explain why it had been hidden away in such a place in the College (but not how coincidentally Chrys was already here).
Theo explained his guess to Sparrow. They nodded. “That does make sense.”
They put a hand on his shoulder, as he was about to explain it to Chrys as well. They put a finger to their lips. “Let them have their moment of inspiration. Then we can discuss everything we want.” Theo closed his mouth, and they sat in silence.
Sparrow closed their eyes and started to circulate internal magic. Theo re-read that note from Alexandra, memorising the letters and how they were organised. “You don’t have anywhere to be tonight, do you?” Sparrow cracked open an eyelid and looked at him.
He thought about The Pub. He’d performed there last night, so Alan should be fine if he’s a bit late. “I shouldn’t be out too late, but I’m happy to stay for a little bit.” Sparrow nodded, and the silence resumed.
---
Theo got bored waiting. Bored wasn’t quite the right word (as the magic he could study was fascinating, but he wasn’t in the right mindset to do so). He was restless.
So it was a good thing when Chrys soon exited her fugue state, looking around in confusion until she spotted the two of them.
“Welcome back to the land of the living. How was reading the diary of the dead?” Sparrow quipped, as Chrys scowled.
“Hush, you.” She schooled her features as she spotted Theo once again (and Sparrow’s grin almost split their face in two). “It was not a diary, but a collection of research notes on runesmithing.”
Sparrow nodded in understanding, while Theo did not (to call it a lack of understanding would be an understatement). “But aren’t those notes centuries old?”
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
Chrys chuckled. “They are. Which is why it is all the more impressive that they are still even close to useful. In fact, I’d say they’re revolutionary, almost.” She thumbed through the pages, shuffling and re-ordering them.
“You have speculation on the theoretical limits of mana infusion,” she pulled out a page in particular. “Runework simplification and compression,” and another. “And notes on inscribing mana into flesh. Among other things. These aren’t the experimental forefront of rune development – these are squeezing out its full potential..."
She trailed off, as she quickly (but carefully) flipped through, trying to find a specific piece. “This here even contains instructions on how to manufacture the Coins of Unity, which means the supply won’t be limited. Those alone contain so much that I’ll be occupied until the day I die!” Chrys half-complained, half-celebrated.
“These notes will be a boon to the field, and I can’t wait to see how they built the prototypes.”
Words caught up to Theo’s mind. “Wait, inscribing mana into flesh? Like, mana-infused tattoos?” Chrys nodded to his question, looking carefully at that specific piece of paper.
“Yes, although that one in particular will take quite some time to understand how to do it safely, and how its effect compares to inscribing runes into other surfaces. In fact, I wonder how…” Chrys started answering his question, before trailing off, muttering to herself and reaching for a blank surface to scribble on.
The pieces of paper scattered around the room almost acted like a school of fish avoiding a shark – they fluttered about, creating a constant buffer around her hand free from scraps of already-written-on paper. Eventually she found one that didn’t move away as soon as her hand grew close, so she picked it up, and started writing notes on its surface.
After a minute of frantic writing that didn’t seem to slow down, Theo was lost on how to proceed. Sparrow stood there patiently once again, so he followed their lead (even imitating their body language, casually sitting on a surface that had no business being sat on).
Eventually, the piece of paper was so full of writing that it was more ink than paper. Chrys put the end of her pen in her mouth, thinking how to resolve an issue, before shrugging her shoulders, and sticking that piece of paper to the outside of the furnace.
Once it was stuck, she went back to reading the notes, pausing before she started as she remembered that the two of them were still there. “Well, thank you for the notes. Anything else you’d like to ask before I politely ask you to leave so I can properly pore over these?” Chrys asked, eyes constantly darting back to the stack of notes.
“Are we going to be compensated for giving you these priceless notes?” Sparrow countered, causing Chrys to fall silent. She closed her eyes.
“Later, on another day. For now, please let me enjoy this. Anything else?” Sparrow raised their hands defensively as they backed away, and Theo drew closer with his question.
“Is this ‘Alexandra’ the same Alexandra as Alexandra the Wise? And why this chest was hidden in this room in particular, in the furnace?”
Chrys answered almost instantly, needing no time to consider her response. “I’d wager that they are one and the same. Alexandra the Wise was a master runesmith and the original Master of the Mint, so this would have been her office. To add a hidden compartment in the furnace was well within her capabilities, and seeing as it was untouched before today, I would say that it was a very good hiding spot.”
And with that, she turned her attention once more to the notes, ignoring their presence.
Theo waited awkwardly for a minute, before Sparrow got fed up and started opening the door, expertly unravelling the locks. “We’re heading off, thank you for all your help!” They half-yelled at Chrys, before stepping through the door. At that moment, with his enhanced hearing, Theo could barely make out her faint grunt of acknowledgement before getting back to work.