By the time they left the workshop, night had already fallen. Stars dotted the deep blue sky as Ang and Aisha walked side by side along the path back to the lord's manor. The cool night breeze carried the fresh scent of earth, dispelling the heat from the workshop.
Aisha stretched and could not help asking, "Brother, you mentioned recruiting my classmates earlier. Are you planning to have them work in the workshop?"
Ang nodded thoughtfully. "That's right. Rune crafting is complicated, but if they are willing to learn, gaining practical experience in the workshop would be far better than shutting themselves away at the academy. Besides, the workshops of North Wind Territory will become a platform for them to study and develop, not merely a place to labor."
Aisha looked thoughtful. "That's true. Our academy has courses on runes too, but they are mostly theoretical, with very few opportunities for practice. Brother, doesn't that make your workshop better than many academies?"
Ang smiled and shook his head. "Not quite. The academy system is more complete, and its instructors are plentiful. Still, we have our own unique advantages. For example—" He paused and turned to look at Aisha. "Did you notice how the runes I inscribed today differed from the Imperial Runes you study at the academy?"
Aisha tilted her head and thought for a while, then suddenly understood. "They really did seem different! I don't know much about runes, but your rune patterns looked stranger somehow, unlike the standardized runes taught at our academy. Aren't those Imperial Runes?"
Ang smiled faintly, a trace of appreciation flashing in his eyes. He slowed his pace and explained patiently, "To be precise, my runes originated from an ancient plane—the Guanda Plane. The runes there share the same roots as Imperial Runes, but