[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-return-of-the-legendary-runesmith":3,"chapter-return-of-the-legendary-runesmith-return-of-the-legendary-runesmith-chapter-198":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Return of the Legendary Runesmith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1562523,2026,"Chapter 198 - 197- There’s more to it","return-of-the-legendary-runesmith-chapter-198",198,"\u003Cp>\"So you have a past. And Warden Annabelle... she means a lot to you,\" Ariana said gently, leaning back in her seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian had mentioned that he was Avirin as well, but her attention stayed on Annabelle—which he had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded. \"Yes... she was like a daughter to me. Her village treated her like a curse. Every night, they would hang her up at the entrance, thinking nothing could scare off evil more than a poor, orphaned child.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana’s heart clenched. She didn’t want to hear more—she could already see it in her mind. A small girl, helpless, strung up like that... it broke her heart every time she imagined it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can’t leave her now,\" she said quietly. \"She needs you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annabelle hadn’t had parents in this life either. They were killed in an ambush when she was still very young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, she grew up in an orphanage. By thirteen, she was already on the path to a warrior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her only family now... was Ruby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So yes, she was still alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ariana... I know how this sounds—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t need to explain anything,\" Ariana interrupted softly. \"I understand, Adrian. And I don’t mind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked in surprise. \"...Would anything change between us?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana looked a little taken aback by the question. \"Of course not. Why would it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian let out a breath of relief. \"It’s just... Annabelle’s feelings. Her obsession, even...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana understood what he meant. She had thought about it before—many times. But now that it was really happening, it still caught her off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood up, walked over, and sat down in front of him. Taking his hand in hers, she looked into his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not wrong to love more than one woman, Adrian,\" she said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded slowly. \"I know... but I don’t want to hurt you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then tell me,\" she asked gently, \"are you going to leave me? Ignore me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian shook his head immediately. \"Never. You know I love you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rested her forehead against his, her voice barely a whisper. \"The only thing I’ve ever asked is for you to stay by my side. So don’t ever think about leaving me, okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I promise,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a while, they just sat there, holding onto each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, a part of Ariana was sad. The thought of not being the only one in his heart—it stung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But deep down, she had always known this day might come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian wasn’t the kind of man to chase after women. In fact, he was one of the most loyal and sincere people she’d ever met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even back when they weren’t a couple, powerful women had tried to win him over—offering wealth, luxury, anything he could want.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Adrian had always said no. Because he had something stronger than desire—he had principles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s what made her stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning back in her chair, Ariana said with a soft smile, \"I’d like to meet her someday... if that’s possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian gave a wry smile. \"Not just yet. I need to get a better sense of how she sees things—especially how she might feel about you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana raised an eyebrow, her grin playful. \"You’re worried she’ll come after me just because I’m in a relationship with her precious darling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That mischievous look in her eyes made Adrian shift uncomfortably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She kind of has this... idea that only she’s allowed to have a claim over me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana laughed, amused. \"Well then, it’ll be interesting to pop that little bubble of hers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She leaned closer, eyes gleaming with mischief. \"I wonder how she’ll react when she finds out her beloved has been having wild sex with someone else almost every night.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian let out a long sigh and facepalmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why do I have a bad feeling this is going to get... chaotic?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian was on his way back to his room to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t slept the night before and had been traveling constantly. His mind and body were both in need of a break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things with Ariana might have seemed normal on the surface, but Adrian could tell—she was still shaken by what he’d told her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason he had brought up Annabelle so soon was simple: he knew Bella better than anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her affection... and her possessiveness... were bound to cause confusion. Rather than let suspicion take root, he chose to be honest with Ariana from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Haah... System. Now can you tell me a few things? he asked, shifting his thoughts away from the two women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What would that be, host?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Don’t play dumb. Tell me... did you used to serve Avirin as well?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a pause before the answer came:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Yes, the system used to assist the host named Avirin.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian let out a soft chuckle. Why are you hesitating? I already know everything about my past now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Not everything, host. The previous version of you held far more secrets than you realize. Runesmithing wasn’t his passion... it was his escape.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian fell silent, coming to a halt in the middle of the hallway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Escape?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t Avirin devoted to Runesmithing from the very beginning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weren’t runes his life—the very thing he dedicated himself to?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had spent nearly ten years with Bella, working tirelessly most of the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had even created the sword that banished the Darkness from the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t that prove he was born to be a Runesmith?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[There is more to it than meets the eye, host. A significant part of your past remains locked away. As stated before, recovering those memories may cause serious effects on your mental state. Proceed with caution.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian narrowed his eyes, reading the message carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing was clear now—Avirin wasn’t only about runes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had turned to Runesmithing... to run away from something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what was he trying to avoid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what exactly was his origin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why could he wield independent magic—something that should have been impossible for a non-believer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s time I finish the Fourth Thread, Adrian thought, his gaze firm. It’s time to uncover the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>°°°°°°°\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A\u002FN:- Thanks for reading.\u003C\u002Fp>",1021,"2026-06-06T07:53:02.436Z",1,"novelbin.me","d67633139584299c0607536fe4d378b9209d62014122a73f9e769a56de16a05e","return-of-the-legendary-runesmith-chapter-199","return-of-the-legendary-runesmith-chapter-197",595,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Freturn-of-the-legendary-runesmith-cover.jpg"]