Ven looked at Vivi as if she'd claimed herself to be some sort of god. He didn't seem to believe her claim, but the offer was insane enough that he appeared surprised regardless.

"You're selling the best sword in Zand for ten thousand ether," Ven said. "And you'd be the one making it?"

"Yes," Vivi said. "It won't take long. I'll have a two-runed sword completed in a week at most. Some metals take longer to work on than others."

Ven snorted and let out a funny smile. "I used to know a runesmith outside Zand. He was seventy years old, having spent sixty of those as a runesmith. I witnessed his work with my own eyes. A runesmith of his level requires weeks, sometimes months, to craft a two-runed sword."

If only my old sword hadn't snapped… Vivi thought. This would have been a lot easier.

"I am a runesmith," Vivi said. "If you need proof of my skills, bring me a quill and parchment. I can draw any rune from memory. That should showcase the foundation of my technique."

Ven stayed silent, observing her. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"I am a runesmith," Vivi said. "Bring me to a smithy, and I will prove it."

Ven's face was serious. After a pause, he said, "Wait here. I will be back shortly."

He exited the tent. Vivi and Eem were left alone. Her body was filled with pressure. She had just revealed her profession to another demon. Talking about runesmithing was nerve wracking. It felt as if Vivi was trusting her deepest secrets to some unknown entity. Vivi still wasn't certain whether working with Ven was the right decision or not.

"What do you think, Eem?" Vivi asked. She rubbed the fiend's foot. "Ten thousand ether. That's a lot."

Eem had stayed surprisingly patient during the negotiations. Vivi had expected the fiend to lose her patience at least once. Instead, Eem had hugged tightly to her neck and shoulders, as if hoping to protect Vivi in the unfamiliar territory. Eem held position, unmoving. She was focused. Or perhaps nervous. Being close to people without clear exits in sight always placed Eem on edge.

So far, everything had gone smoothly. But now that Ven knew Vivi's profession, would he try to enslave her in the smithy? Would he give up on the offer, forcing her to work instead? It was possible. Vivi was still in Zand. People worked for their own benefits. Even if Ven had saved her once, the situation was different now. Ven could have new motives, knowing Vivi was a runesmith.

I'll need to make a sword for myself before I make anything for them, Vivi thought. If we're betrayed, I can at least fight back.

"Agreed," Lucius said. "Ven is more trustworthy than Andre. But he's still a nimrod."

The tent door pushed open a few minutes later. Ven entered along with the armored man that had fought the bear. Ven placed a smooth piece of parchment on the table and an ether-powered pen.

"Draw what you wish to prove yourself," Ven said. "I admit, I don't know the slightest thing about runesmithing. Anything you try to show to prove yourself will only confuse me. I will bring in someone that is more knowledgeable to assess your work. How much time will you need?"

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"Half an hour should be enough," Vivi said.

Ven nodded. "Rohan, watch that she doesn't try anything stupid."

With that, Ven left again. The armored man stayed by the tent's exit, watching over Vivi. His presence didn't feel strong like a blatant breaker's, but he wasn't a weakling either. Something was weird about him. Vivi would like to avoid a fight if possible.

No use regretting this now, Vivi thought. She sat on the cushions and picked up the pen and parchment.

Something to prove myself… Vivi thought. She had hoped Ven would ask her to draw some difficult obscure rune. Vivi wasn't lying when she said she could draw every rune. But if Ven didn't even know what runes were obscure, this would be more difficult.

Let's just draw a full wisp, Vivi thought.

"A full wisp?" Lucius asked.

Remember when I said that runes were invented by looking at a wisp of ether through a microscope? Vivi thought. That's because a wisp of ether includes every rune. Runes originate from wisps. If a runesmith can draw a full wisp of ether, they can also draw every single rune.

She started her drawing from the wisp's core before outlining the larger branches of a live wisp. From there, she drew the runic patterns of sub-categories, eventually making it to each concise element of ether. In a way, drawing a wisp of ether was like drawing a roadmap for every rune that existed.

The job was easy, coming almost out of muscle memory. Grandpa made her draw a wisp of ether once each month to ensure she remembered it all. Throughout her years, she must have drawn the same picture over a hundred times. Drawing was easier than carving, as a pen just left a flat line. Vivi didn't need to worry about digging her carving knife to the correct depth.

By the end of the thirty minutes, the piece of parchment was filled with runic patterns and seemingly meaningless scribbles. The pen was thick enough that drawing the smaller branches was difficult. To an outsider, a wisp of ether looked like a mess of lines, almost like a screwed up asymmetrical kaleidoscope. Only a scientist could identify the wisp's core at the middle, from which all of the branches originated from.

Vivi was just finishing up drawing the last of the wind elements when Ven entered again, accompanied by an older dwarf. The dwarf's face was scorched and demonic. One of his eyes was scarlet red with a scar cutting from his eyebrow down to the cheek. The other half had smoother but wrinkled skin. His arms were small, and his hands had no calluses like most craftsman dwarves did. He had curly hair that covered most of his forehead, with short horns poking out.

"What's the ruckus?" the dwarf asked. "This girl claims she can draw runes?"

"It's almost finished," Vivi said. She drew the last line, leading to what was called a nix rune. "This facility has made me rusty. It took me a bit longer than usual. But everything should be correct."

She handed the parchment to the dwarf. He took it.

Immediately upon seeing Vivi's drawing, he frowned. "What in the name of Ingfried's ass?"

"What is it?" Ven asked. "I've never seen a rune like this."

The dwarf eyed the paper closely with his red eye. "This isn't a rune at all. It's a bloody full wisp of ether. Void elements and all included. This is exactly how a wisp of ether looks underneath a microscope. Where did you get this drawing?"

"I just drew it," Vivi said.

"With what reference?"

"I drew it from memory," Vivi said. "No references."

The dwarf's frown deepened. "Memorizing a wisp of ether is impossible."

Vivi was taken aback. "Well, I just did it?"

"Rohan?" Ven asked. "You watched her, right?"

"She did draw that image," the armored man said. "With her own hands. I didn't see her using any cheats."

The dwarf was staring at her piece of parchment. "You included the sub-elements as well. What the fuck? This is better than any reference I've seen."

"You can have it," Vivi said. "I know it from memory already."

He lifted his head, meeting Vivi's eyes. "Girl, who are you? Why are you in Zand?"

"I'm a runesmith," Vivi said. "An apprentice of my grandpa. My offer is still the same. Ten thousand ether, and I'll craft you a top-notch two-runed runesword. I just need a smithy and the equipment to work with."

Ven and the armored man were silent, waiting for the dwarf's assessment. The dwarf, despite his words of surprise, was scowling at her.

"Bring the girl to the smithy," he said. "I want to see this top-notch runesmithing for myself."

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