After changing, Verus led them to the great hall of the oldest ward.
The moment they arrived, Senna became amazed at the sight of towering shelves that had myriads of scrolls and books.
As Senna was about to ask how people would get books that were beyond reach, especially the ones that are located up so high to the ceiling, Verus waved out the book Iris borrowed and whispered, "Noctuam consurge"
Upon Verus' words, the nearest statue of an owl sitting on a pedestal became alive and came flying towards the three.
"Archive"
The large brown owl seemed to have nodded in agreement and took the book out of Verus' hand and then flew away.
The scene Senna just saw amazed her. And the mysterious and eerie appearance of the owl only made the appeal much more interesting.
Verus turned around to face his guests and asked, "Now then... Senna, do you have anything you want to read in particular?"
"I want to read on the oldest record of history you have."
Iris didn't expect Senna's answer. He was expecting she'd ask for something that had connection with geography.
"How do I command the owls?"
"Hmmmm... She's not from around here, huh?"
Verus confirmed with Iris.
"To summon the owls, you'll need magic. And I'm afraid magic used inside the Hall of Records are outside the capabilities of people living outside the third district."
Aside from riches, to be able to advance or maintain a high rank in the social strata, families also needed to be able to have a high aptitude for magic. The moment a family's unable to produce even a single satisfying member that can match the qualifications for their respective district, regardless of their riches, they would eventually be ousted out to a district of their level. The system employed in Ark was definitely a harsh one.
"Still, that's why I'm here, remember?"
Verus walked towards a platform and then waved his hand.
"Archive system, trace the earliest records of the world's civilization."
Cryptic images started to appear in holographic form over the platform in front of Verus. Senna and Iris went closer and the moment they were beside him, the hologram flash a picture of a tablet with another type of archaic writing that told the founding of Ark.
"Hmmm... That was what I was expecting. Ark is the oldest city in the world."
Iris said as he looked at the image.
"Tsk... You read so fast for someone from the outskirts. This was supposed to be the earliest style of writing."
Iris just smiled over Verus' uncalled for comment and shifted her gaze towards Senna.
"This is wrong."
Senna said as she gripped the sides of her trousers.
"There must be something much older than this..."
Senna's trembling voice became apparent.
Iris thought it was suspicious how Senna was becoming emotional over some age-old history.
"This is it. King Noah, the most powerful human of his time, founded Ark that later expanded to form Luen kingdom."
"Noah??"
It was as though a string has snapped inside Senna's heart the moment she heard the name of the first king of Ark. Could he be the one she knows? 'Please let it be you, Noah'
Senna asked Verus to flash everything that had a connection with Noah. It was quite a hassle browsing through the hundreds of records since it was speculated that he has lived for more than five hundred years after Ark's founding
Senna's heart beat faster and faster. The more she knew about the first king, the more her expectations grew bigger.
Verus and Iris were already getting tired until they reached the last file about Noah.
The hologram displayed a tablet that had another writing different from all they have seen so far.
"That's the last record we have of him. He made that himself before he died but no one understands what's written there." Revus explained in an exhausted manner.
Iris looked at the red-haired girl beside her as she attentively looked at the floating holographic image in front of them.
"There were reports he had gone crazy before he died. Who knows if this were actual texts or just gibberish he made up before he died—"
Before Iris could finish what he wanted to say, tears rolled down Senna's pale-white cheeks. A mixture a delight and sadness filled her face.
She could read it. Definitely!
In her mind, Senna read the message her friend left her, imagining his voice as it would have been as he grew old and defeated by time:
Friend of my soul,
The flood has ended and mankind has planted its roots once again.
My people have sinned against your kind.
The nine hundred fifty years of my life would never be enough to ask for forgiveness.
By the time you are reading this,
You are exactly ten thousand years away from your time.
The gates of heaven have permanently closed and,
Sadly, you are the last of your kind living in this world...