I glanced back, searching for the source of that faint, almost negligible murderous intent.

Unsurprisingly, it came from someone I’d never met before — a scholar.

He wore a tattered, plain brown cloak adorned with poorly embroidered flowers, likely an attempt by small, unskilled hands to patch up tears. His unkempt brown hair, sunken eyes with dark circles, and hollow cheeks painted a picture of exhaustion. Thick, round glasses, cracked at the top left corner of the lens, framed his skeletal face, adding to his disheveled appearance despite the full beard attempting to hide it.

When my gaze met his, he quickly averted his eyes.

I had been mistaken. Those weren’t the eyes of someone driven by hatred or bloodlust. The "murderous intent" I sensed wasn’t truly intent to kill. It was resentment laced with hopelessness and desperation.

It would take a full day to reach the Frost Elf village at this pace. Plenty of time to do what needed to be done. Two things to be exact. Finishing the Image Keeper and unraveling the mystery behind why that scholar looked at me like that.

But for now, my priority was Elfina.

“I didn’t know Huskil could do that!” Sera exclaimed.

Elfina chuckled softly, the sound lighter than before. “Neither did I, until Abby sniffed out some wild fruit, ate it, and then dug a hole to bury the seed. I think he might’ve been imitating the hunters. He saw them planting seeds after gathering fruit during their trips.”

Sera smiled and leaned into the story, her enthusiasm pulling Elfina further away from her grief. The stories of Abby continued, one after another, and with each one, the shadow looming over Elfina seemed to lift, even if only slightly.

It wasn’t much, but it was a start. Sera had a way of making people feel lighter, and in moments like this, it was exactly what Elfina needed.

As we pulled the sled, something curious caught my eye.

The expedition team from NorthStar was also using sleds to move their equipment, but unlike us, they weren’t pulling them themselves. Instead, they had some kind of spectral creature doing the heavy lifting — a ghostly goat-like being made of transparent glass. Its eyes glowed with floating white fire, giving it an eerie, otherworldly appearance. The ropes tying it to the sled didn’t sink into its ethereal body but instead appeared to float, as if glued to it by some unseen force.

“Never seen a phantom conjure before?” Ragnar asked from my right.

“That’s not the only thing I’ve noticed, professor,” I replied flatly.

“Just ignore it.” Ragnar’s voice softened, but a nearly imperceptible edge of bitterness bled through. “We’re treated like this almost everywhere. It’s not uncommon.”

Ridiculous. That was the only word that came to mind as I glanced at the rest of the group.

The hired guards, supposedly there to protect the expedition team, had positioned themselves behind us. Their excuse was that it was a better vantage point to defend the group. But the truth was that they were using us as scapegoats should anything happen. They were leaving a professor, two young girls, and me to face any potential danger head-on.

It was all because we were from the Xanderson Clan. The guards didn’t see us as people. They saw us as monsters capable of stealing life force. That irrational fear masked by disdain and disgust burned in their eyes, fueling their cowardice.

I tightened my grip on the sled rope as indignation simmered within me. The logical part of me knew most of the members treated us like anyone else. But it only took a few bad apples to spoil the bunch, and these hired guards were particularly rotten.

I’d heard of clansmen who had died on expeditions like these, not because of monsters but because these so-called bodyguards refused to help when they were under attack. Stories of Bearowls tearing through our people while the guards turned a blind eye came to mind.

The previous Karl hadn’t just wanted to help Sera. He’d wanted to change the way the world viewed our clan. The same goal I now share.

Ragnar’s tap on my shoulder pulled me from my irritation, redirecting me back to our conversation. He glanced at me briefly, signaling with his expression that now wasn’t the time to act out. Then, as if to diffuse the tension, he returned to the previous subject.

“Anyway, you seem to be interested in that Phantom Beast,” he said.

“I am,” I nodded.

“Those are phantoms conjured by a [Beastcaller],” Ragnar explained. “You can gain that Class by completing the 2nd Ascension for the [Archer] Class.”

“If I remember correctly, each Class has two potential Ascension paths, right?”

“That’s right,” Ragnar confirmed, slipping into his teaching mode. “At the 1st Ascension, you can choose one of the two evolution paths. But once you make your choice, there’s no going back. The only flexibility comes from using Subclass. However, Subclass comes with a drawback: your Experience Point are split between the two, effectively doubling the amount you need to Level Up. And the Ascension Challenge for those with Subclass is significantly harder. Some people spend their whole lives stuck at the 1st Ascension because of it.”

“Interesting. Is the Ascension Challenge the same for everyone?” I asked, intrigued.

“No,” Ragnar shook his head. “Each person’s challenge is unique. Even if two people share the same Class, path, and Skill list, their challenges will still be different.”

That comparison caught my attention, sparking a follow-up question. “So, the challenge is different for each person, but two people can still have the same Skills?”

“That’s correct,” Ragnar replied, studying me carefully. “Why do you think that is?”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

I already had the answer. Skills weren’t just tools, they were deeply tied to the user's intent, comprehension, and understanding of Runes.

However, answering too confidently risked drawing unnecessary attention to myself. On the flip side, staying silent or giving an incomplete answer could make me seem incompetent, not exactly the impression I could afford to give if I wanted Ragnar’s support.

The best choice was a middle ground. To show that I knew the right answer but not why it was the right answer.

After pretending to think about it for a moment, I answered, “Since you’re a Rune Craft Professor, I assume the answer relates to Runes.”

Ragnar chuckled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “What a smartass. That’s right. But why are Runes the answer?”

“I was hoping you could explain why, Professor,” I replied, ensuring my voice and expression held as much curiosity as I could muster.

Ragnar’s expression softened. “You see, Runes are the foundation of magic. They’re also the foundation of Skills since Skills are essentially sequences of Runes placed in a specific order. With the right arrangement, you can create almost anything. Provided it adheres to the rules of Enhancing and Conjuring.”

Now that was new. It seemed this world’s magic system was confined to those two core principles.

“I still don’t understand why we need to follow the rules,” I commented.

“It’s to keep the Harmony in balance, Karl,” Ragnar explained, his voice heavy with solemnity. “Without the Harmony, people will repeat the same mistakes they made in the past, and another great war will come.”

He sighed, as though burdened by the weight of that possibility. But in that fleeting moment, I caught a cold glint in his eyes — sharp, calculating, and entirely out of place with the sadness in his tone.

Strange. His words didn’t align with the legends I’d read. Even if the book was just a collection of myths, wouldn’t it have mentioned something as critical as these mistakes to warn future generations? Why were such vital pieces of the past hidden?

I was certain Ragnar knew something most people didn’t. He held a fragment of this world’s true history, one obscured from public knowledge. And it was something I needed to uncover.

“What do you…” I began, intending to press Ragnar further, but my attempt was cut short as Sera interrupted me.

“Brother, what do you want to give big sis Elfina again?” Her voice brimming with curiosity.

I turned to look at the two girls, their wide eyes gleaming with anticipation. Sera’s ability to lift Elfina’s spirits was impressive, but her timing couldn’t have been worse.

Ragnar chuckled, an almost knowing smile on his face. “I have something to do over here,” he said, calling over a scholar before walking off to discuss something in hushed tones.

Just like that, the chance to learn more about the true threat to this world slipped through my fingers. Suppressing a sigh, I turned back to answer Sera.

“It won’t be a surprise if you know about it beforehand, will it?” I teased.

Sera pouted, puffing her cheeks dramatically, while Elfina let out a soft chuckle. With the heavy atmosphere somewhat dispelled, we began to share snippets of our lives as we walked.

When the sun receded and the moon took its place in the sky, the expedition team decided it was time to set up camp for the night.

Leaning against a tree, I watched the group gather around the campfire. The scholar who had glared at me earlier was nowhere to be found. Even though I actively searched for him while helping with the tents and cooking, he was conspicuously absent.

The unease left in my chest was like a pebble stuck in my shoe — small but irritating.

Instead of dwelling on it, I turned my attention to something more productive. Setting up Runes-based alarms around the tent shared by Sera and Elfina was a better use of my time. The layered alarms would ensure no one could sneak up on us without warning.

Once the alarms were in place, I retrieved the Image Keeper from my Inventory and resumed tinkering with it. The tool still needed significant upgrades like an editing function, improved image quality, and added sound.

Adding sound was the simplest task. I simply copied the Runes used in the Recording Crystal.

Improving image quality, however, was trickier. I brainstormed various Runes that enhanced or altered vision and searched for ones that could refine the captured images.

I sifted through the mental library of Runes, analyzing each one for the task at hand.

Illumination Runes that shone in the darkest night? No, not that one.

Purity Runes that cleared impurities from water, restoring clarity? Still not it.

Distort View Runes, which affected depth perception? Useful in the right circumstances, but not this time.

Finally, I found what I needed.

Clarity Runes. These Runes were prized by [Archers] and [Rogues] for creating scouting Skills. Their purpose was simple yet vital — enhancing fine details and sharpening focus.

The Rune’s design was peculiar with thin, sharp lines radiating outward from a central dot, like the space-warping effect in a sci-fi movie.

I set to work. Adding the Clarity Runes required inserting them between the Image Runes and Conjuring Runes already in the Image Keeper. The next step was connecting the motes of light into bridges, forming a seamless pathway for their functions to interact. It took me about five minutes to connect everything properly.

Once the modifications were complete, I picked up the Image Keeper and recorded a fresh three-second video for testing.

The improvement was immediate and remarkable. The edges of objects in the video were now sharp and defined, while textures stood out. The upgrade was akin to jumping from 480p to 720p resolution. It wasn’t perfect, but it was more than enough for what I planned to showcase at the Frost Elf’s festival.

Satisfied, I allowed myself a small smile. Progress was steady, and soon, this world would get a taste of something entirely new.

*Ding

[Rune Crafting Level up: Level 2 –> 3]

Now, onto the editing part.

To edit a video, I needed basic functions such as copy, paste, cut, delete, restore, replace, merge, and zoom. Each function sounded like it aligned with Enhancing rather than Conjuring.

With that thought in mind, I categorized existing Runes into either Enhancing or Conjuring types. From there, I identified the Runes I needed for the editing process.

Conservation Runes for copy and restore, Clarity Runes for zoom, Transference Runes for paste, Severance Runes for cut, Scattering Runes for delete, Altering Runes for replace, and Unity Runes for merge.

The list was completed, and I felt confident in its accuracy.

As I prepared to implement the Runes into the Image Keeper, a movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. My instincts flared, and I snapped my head toward the hand reaching for me, prepared for a fight.

But it wasn’t the scholar.

Elfina froze, her hand jolting back as if she’d touched fire. Her shawl fluttered slightly with her movement, the gentle fabric offering her a feeble shield against the cold. We stared at each other in awkward silence before she broke it with a hesitant question.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” Her voice was soft, but it carried a hint of concern.

I glanced around the camp. The fire had dwindled, casting faint shadows, and everyone else was fast asleep in their tents. Only Elfina and I were still awake.

"Thanks for reminding me." I stood up, pretending to put the Image Keeper back into my bag, but in reality, I returned it to my Inventory.

"Goodnight, Elfina."

"Goodnight, Karl," she replied softly before walking toward a patch of forest bathed in the soft glow of moonlight.

I watched her solitary figure until it disappeared beyond the trees, then turned and entered my tent to get some sleep.

The night passed peacefully, with no interruptions or attacks.

*****

During breakfast the next morning, I kept a vigilant eye on our surroundings, scanning for any potential threats, like poison in the team’s food or sudden movements from the shadows. At the edge of my vision, the scholar with the resentful gaze was crouched by his tent, meticulously preparing his equipment. He worked with an unassuming calmness, as if the hostility he’d directed toward me the previous day had never existed.

It made his behavior even stranger.

After packing up, we resumed our journey. For the next three hours, we traversed the snowy forest in relative silence, save for the occasional crunch of snow beneath our boots and the distant rustle of the wind.

Finally, we arrived at our destination – the Frost Elf’s village.