The library loomed in the distance, its massive size and grand structure an easy target to make out— especially in comparison to the slums that she had just left behind. The faint clinking of horse-drawn carriages and the hum of city life buzzed in the background as she climbed the marble steps and entered the library coming to a silence.
Seraphina scanned the expansive room, her sharp violet eyes searching for the familiar figure of Lorian Velk.
The nobleman had extended an open invitation the last time they'd spoken, eager to show off his family's collection. Seraphina had been dismissive at first, but now she realized that it might be an opportunity for her plans.
If his family had any knight methods worth value— especially one she could repurpose— it would save her significant effort. Even if they didn't have any knight methods, she could at least get some rudimentary methods from him to use.
After a moment, she spotted him.
Lorian stood near a table piled with books, engaged in an animated discussion with a scholarly-looking man. His finely tailored clothes and easy posture set him apart from the library's more subdued patrons.
As Seraphina approached, he caught sight of her, and his face lit up with unmistakable delight.
"Seraphina!"
Lorian said, his voice carrying a little too loudly for the quiet space, but he quickly lowered himself when the scholar frowned at the disruption and quickly excused himself, leaving Lorian free to approach her.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here."
He continued, a grin spreading across his face.
"What brings you to the library today? Searching for more obscure knightly texts?"
"Something like that."
Seraphina replied smoothly.
"You mentioned your family's library before. I thought I might take you up on your offer."
Lorian's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"You won't regret it! My family's collection is second to none— well, aside from the royal archives, of course. But come, let me show you. We'll head to my home, you'll love it."
Before she could reply, Lorian was already gathering his things, his eagerness spilling into his every motion.
Seraphina didn't even need to explain her reasoning or convince him, she just had to follow him out of the library, and he did all the talking himself. Lorian's enthusiasm bordered on overwhelming, but she saw no harm in indulging him— for now.
The walk to Lorian's mansion was relatively short as it was within the same district.
As they ascended to the upper streets of the district, the streets grew cleaner, the buildings more ornate— she even noticed the lessening of people and merchants as she went along. Lorian chattered animatedly along the way, recounting tales of his family's long-standing connection to the Empire and their role in various political and military endeavors.
Finally, they arrived at his residence.
The mansion, while not overly flashy and grand, exuded wealth and elegance much further than the common person's expense. Its stone walls were adorned with ivy, and the wrought-iron gates opened smoothly as they approached, revealing a well-tended garden.
"My father's away on business for the day."
Lorian said as they entered the house.
"But that means we'll have the place to ourselves. Come, I'll introduce you to the staff and then take you to the library."
Inside, the mansion was as polished as its exterior with grand hallways and arches. Ornate rugs lined the floors, and paintings of noble ancestors adorned the walls.
Seraphina noted the presence of a few maids, who greeted Lorian with respectful bows— he introduced them to her in passing, though she paid little attention to their names.
Her focus remained on her goal.
Lorian led her down a long corridor to a set of heavy double doors, which he pushed open with a flourish.
"Welcome to the Velk family library."
He announced with a sense of pride in his voice.
The room was spacious, lined with towering shelves filled with books of varying sizes and ages. A large window at the far end let in streams of natural light, illuminating the polished wood of the shelves and the intricate patterns on the carpet.
Seraphina's gaze swept over the room, taking in the rows of leather-bound volumes and scrolls. It was impressive, though not entirely unexpected— noble families often amassed extensive collections, and the Velks were no exception.
Even her family had a massive library of its own, albeit, it was more filled with general information than specific things such as knights. Perhaps her family had a different library with more special information hidden away, she wouldn't know.
Lorian walked to a particular section of the library, his excitement clear as he gestured to a row of books.
"This is where we keep the real treasures— our collection of knightly texts. Some of these are so rare, they're worth more than entire estates. They have been in our family for generations."
He glanced at the books, showing them off to her— but then he spoke once more.
"Our most prized book however isn't here, it's our family's knight method. A Tier-2 method, no less! My family paid a fortune to acquire it— in fact, if our former family head didn't chance upon the encounter, we wouldn't even have it right now."
Seraphina tilted her head slightly, her expression neutral as she examined the shelves, only shifted slightly when she heard about the method— it was exactly what she could use right now.
Lorian's pride was almost amusing— while a Tier-2 method was undoubtedly valuable, it wasn't as impressive in her eyes, having seen much more.
Take for example her own Shinster Method, that in itself was Tier-3, and she had seen firsthand the potential to create methods far superior to anything in this room.
"That's quite the achievement."
She said, keeping her tone polite.
"How did your family manage to obtain something so valuable?"
"Oh, it wasn't easy."
Lorian said, puffing out his chest.
"Our ancestor chanced upon someone selling it a long time ago by pure luck, not to mention a considerable financial investment. But it was worth it. A method like this can help the family truly become a powerful noble family."
Having said that, he turned to the shelf and pulled out a few books, as if showing them off to her.
"And these here? It's my personal collection of various texts on methods and even some rudimentary methods I experimented with while younger. They are my favorite to read because they leave a lot to imagine."
Seraphina feigned interest and nodded along with the man as he spoke away, her mind already turning to other plans.
If the family indeed had a Tier-2 method, it was possible there were others of lower rank hidden away— or if not, just getting the Tier-2 method would be worthwhile.
Something like that might suit her purposes, especially if she could adapt it for her group.
"I'm curious."
She said, allowing a hint of intrigue to enter her voice.
"What other methods does your family have? Surely this isn't the extent of your collection."
Lorian's eyes lit up, clearly pleased by her interest.
"Oh, we have more, of course! But those are the highlights. The others are older, less refined methods— useful, but not nearly as exciting. I'd be happy to show you, though."
He led her to another shelf, pulling out a slimmer volume.
"This one, for instance, is a basic physical enhancement method. Not as flashy, but reliable. It's the sort of thing you'd give to someone just starting their training."
Seraphina studied the book briefly before handing it back.
"And are any of these methods still in use by your family's knights?"
"Only the best ones."
Lorian said, grinning.
"We train the family knights using the best of our Tier-1 methods, as for the main branch of the family— we don't waste time on anything below Tier-2. Those are strictly for the common soldiers."
His tone carried a hint of condescension, though he didn't seem aware of it.
"Interesting. Your collection is certainly impressive."
Lorian beamed.
"I knew you'd appreciate it. If you're interested, I could arrange for you to borrow a few of the less sensitive texts. A promising knight like yourself could benefit greatly."
Seraphina nodded, her expression calm.
"I'll think about it. For now, I'd like to browse a bit more— if you don't mind."
"Of course, take your time."
Lorian said, stepping back to give her space— but he never moved away, keeping his eyes on her so she didn't do anything suspicious.
As much as he was interested in her, and liked boasting about his family capabilities, he wasn't foolish enough to just leave a stranger alone in the library.