"There's probably a way to haul pictures into an Excel sheet."

"Probably, but then I have to have a scanner or try to draw in Paint or something. Which I can't do, because drawing with a mouse is annoying."

"I think I could manage approximations that were close enough for casual reference."

"Maybe you can, but I'm a perfectionist and them being too squiggly would really bother me."

"Okay, then you don't have to use my spreadsheet."

"I'll have to see how squiggly your runes are. Which, by the way, I will make you draw them, later, and correct handwriting. So that'll be fun."

"Thank goodness I have excellent handwriting."

"That's the spirit."

"What general class of problems results if a rune is drawn wrong? It's like it's not there, or you get an unpredictable subset of effects, or it just straight-up explodes, or what?"

"It's like it's not there, which... sounds innocuous enough, except if it's used in a spell and it's there to stop another rune's effects..." he trails off. "Bad things."

"I assure you I am never going to be asking what happens if I do something wrong so that I can then merrily go do something wrong."

"Good, because I would make faces at you, then."

"And that would surely be more terrible than any failed spell."

"Oh yes, certainly. You heard my sister, some of the ones I make are terrifying. Apparently."

"Just like spell-botching I shall diligently avoid ever finding out the details." New page. "Gimme a rune."

This one's notes gets footnotes on the back of its page. Bella is enthralled the entire time.

Darren notices! He will tailor his lesson plan because of this. The next rune is another less physical rune, and requires some more explanations - but once explained it makes sense.

"You," pronounces Bella, footnoting this one, "are a good teacher."

"Thank you!" says Darren, delighted. "I'm glad you're enjoying this."

"So am I. It would be so disappointing if there were real magic and it was intolerably boring."

"Me too. I spend hours on magic, it would suck if it were just... 'Press a button fifty thousand times, get magic.'"

"Oh my God that would be terrible."

"I would be okay if it were just 'Press a button five times' but fifty thousand and I would just feel like I was wasting my time."

"Even if it was 'press button fifty thousand times, world peace' - that would be disappointing. I'd press the button but I would complain about it."