Chapter 568 - Vow Of Knowledge
The Reverse Family might not hold a lot of strength, but no one dared to offend them. Otherwise, the runes they uncover and the instructions to create them will never reach the offender. However, Julia took a strong stance against Casca even before he managed to hurt Arthur.
The earlier help was nothing compared to this, and Arthur knew that. Julia was risking her future as a runemaster for his sake, and it might be the first time someone he barely knows does that.
"Julia Vinera," muttered Casca as his focus shifted to her. "Are you willing to risk our relationship for this man? If he turns out to be lying, then he will be banished as a runemaster. As for you, the Reverse Family will forbid your usage of any runes we uncovered."
"You did not do this for the other students," Julia held her hands behind her back as she puffed her chest. "The fair thing to do is to summon every applicant and ask them to prove their ownership of the runes."
"We managed to retrace every artifact submitted except for this one," frowned Casca for the first time. "And summoning thousands of runemasters to Runera is not worth it."
"And is it worth inconveniencing Alexie because he tore apart that pride of yours?" she said with a frown. Arthur was too speechless to hold her back, and the master of the Vinera Family rushed forward to hold her back.
"There is no need to turn this into an unsightly scene," said Julia's father and the head of the Vinera Family, dignified and unpleased with his daughter. "Alexie Linan should recreate the artifact, which will solve the issue."
"I will never allow that," said Julia as she turned and walked toward Arthur, who was looking at her with surprise. Her lips curved in a smile when she saw his shock. "I vow that this artifact is his and that Alexie is more than capable of creating it. This is a vow of knowledge."
Julia turned to stand in front of him as she said that, and there were gasps among the crowd. The most sacred vow for runemasters and scholars is the vow of knowledge. If turned untrue, the runemaster will have to abandon his knowledge and everything he learned about runes.
Arthur heard about something similar from Oriole during their many talks, but he thought it was an obsolete tradition. However, judging by the crowd's surprise and the panic that struck Julia's father, it seems genuine.
As Julia stood in front of him, Arthur felt shielded from the world. It was obvious that she was doing this to prove that she wanted him as a friend, but her willingness to risk everything for him changed his mind about her.
Casca Reverse glared at Julia as the customs stated that whoever disapproved of another scholar's vow of knowledge would have to undertake the vow himself. This was the contest of absolute certainty to solve issues regarding sacral knowledge.
It was used mainly to solve disputes that might result in unfortunate consequences and not trivial disputes. However, it was a courtesy to believe a scholar who vows using his knowledge and trust shared among those who proved themselves to make this vow.
If Casca Reverse wanted to prove that Arthur was not the one to create this artifact, he would have to vow his knowledge too, and if his vow were untrue, he would lose his knowledge. Julia was simply playing poker and betting all-in before she saw her cards.
There was no method to read a madman, and Arthur saw Casca glare at Julia because she ruined his little experiment for the truth. But, if he wanted to save his family's pride, he would have to risk everything.
"I did not think we were so close," said Arthur from behind her back, and Julia hmphed before turning toward him with a smile.
"Friendship is not the only reason. I have seen what you can do, Alexie. This is me assisting another runemaster."
"Apprentice," Arthur corrected.
"If I call you that, then I would say every runemaster is worse than an apprentice," she shook her head before looking back toward Casca. "I want to prove to myself that I am a good person."
Arthur smiled as he felt that Julia might never change, but she was also fine the way that she is. This was the same case as the fight against that pig in the association. If Julia had taken Arthur's side at that time, then he might have been saved, but the pig will forever try to hunt him down.
Emma was the one to save the day with her status as the future queen of their union. Her interference left that pig with no room to pursue the matter, but this was not the case here.
If Julia forced Casca Reverse to back down, she would make herself their enemy. On the other hand, if Casca Reverse does not back down, Julia would either lose her knowledge or make an enemy of the Reverse Family.
Arthur knew that this was more than Julia choosing him. She was sacrificing so much to prove that she was a different person. And as she said, Julia was doing this to prove to herself before anyone that she was a good person.
However, Arthur would never let her ruin her future for him. This dispute must end on good terms, but he couldn't possibly create an artifact in front of these monsters. They would see through his acting and realize that his skills in 'artificial artifacts' did not match the result.
"I am eternally grateful for this gesture," said Arthur as he stepped past Julia. "However, I cannot let my friend ruin her future for me. I will handle it from here."
The last line was heard only by the two of them, and Arthur ensured that. Casca's eyes shifted toward Arthur, who was now standing in front of the saber. Their heights were the same, and their eyes stared at one another.
"There is no need to turn this into a bitter rivalry and a seed of hatred," said Arthur with a polite smile. "I admire truth seekers, and this means every runemaster here."
His words stroked the crowd's ego, and their chest inflated as if they were balloons. Arthur was doing this on purpose, but it was all for Julia's sake. The crowd's favor shifted toward the polite Alexie, making Casca seem like the villain if he refused to pacify things.
The serious man in front of him glanced at the crowd before a smile appeared on his face. It seems he realized Arthur's plan to smoothen things, and it gave him an exit that saved him face.
"I am here for nothing but the truth," said Casca as he held the blade's hilt. "Prove to me that you have created an encryption that my family could not crack, and I will treat you as my equal."
After hearing a grandmaster treating an apprentice as his equal, the words exploded through the crowd. There was both envy and awe as the runemaster looked at Arthur, and some of them even hoped he would fail.
"There is no need to recreate this artifact, as I can simply decipher it to prove that I created the encryption. Then, I will destroy the runes inscribed, which can prove that I am the creator."
Casca looked at him with surprise because this was an unorthodox method of proving ownership. Runemasters were quite proud of their creations, and hearing someone destroy the runes they managed to inscribe was like a man killing his son.
"Are you sure about this, Alexie?" asked Julia as she walked to stand beside him. "There is no need to un-rune this artifact," her words were filled with concern, which Casca shared.
"There is no need for such extreme measures," said Casca with a frown. "This artifact is a work of genius. If you are truly the creator, it would be a waste to destroy it."
"That concern is unnecessary since you believe I cannot do it," said Arthur, smiling as he held Julia's hand and turned toward her. "This is what I want to do."
Arthur had more than one reason to destroy this artifact. He did not want any trace of his artifacts in the hands of the Reverse Family, and he couldn't create an artifact in front of this crowd.
Hearing his words, Casca and Julia folded and took a step back from the saber. Arthur walked toward it and pulled the blade from the floor. The weapon gave a hum that only Arthur could hear as if telling him that it had returned home.
Arthur held the blade with his hands, and the runes glowed. His encryption masked the runes embedded into the sword, and it was indeed a pity to take them back. However, Arthur returned the rune to his body, and it seemed happier than ever.. Then, his finger touched the runic lines.