Tall bookshelves filled with books were present. The category of each shelf is carved on the shelves. She walked very closely to the shelves, reading out every category. The very last portion of the room where books overflowed was labeled the "Magic Section.".
The books contained much basic and intermediate knowledge regarding magic and its history. Some of the very famous authors' and magician's books, which were hard to come by, were at the library. Although no compilation of the recent decade's activities was present, she resorted to finding the ancient language.
'The speculation of necromancy, the healing by the light of Goddess Diana, the um... The Fundamentals of Ancestry Magic,' she gasped.
She had found the very book she had been searching for! It was a book bound in vellum. The title was written on its spine, and it had a very tarnished old orangish cover. She took hold of the book, walked down the staircase, and searched for another book.
In the Home Economics section, she took out a book titled "Renowned Recipes from Evermore." It had a simple appearance. The hardcovers were made of fabric, and the recipes were neatly written with a drawing of the actual dish on the side.
With two books in hand, she stepped towards the librarian's table. An old woman with grayish eyes and hair, partially covered by a scarf, was at the table. She had thin lips and a few wrinkles around her eyes.
"I would like to borrow these books." She placed them on the table. The librarian took a glance at her and then, slightly bent, took out a registration form.
"Fill it in while I stamp the dates," the librarian handed over the form. Luiza filled in her name and the city where she lived. The librarian took out a rectangular stamp, turned the dates, slightly placed it on the dryish ink, and stamped the date on the book.
"Bring them back after two weeks," said the older woman, who keenly eyed the book that did not belong in the library.
Luiza took a seat on one of the rocking chairs and started to read the recipe book. It was a collection of local recipes by Gloriette. The very first recipe was for fruit cake. The ingredients were simple, and a few pots and pans were required. Interested to learn she placed; she could not wait to return.
~
In the meantime,
In a very dark room, surrounded by books and a few vases of flowers, stood Hael. Before him sat a sinister man. "So, they sent you instead of your brother?" he asked.
He had black irises, slightly had his hands touched his lips, and the corners of his lips were slightly curved upwards yet had unreadable, gloomy eyes. The first two buttons of his shirt were undone, seeping in a trace of his muscular build. His lustrous, long black hair was left loose.
"My brothers have just enrolled and cannot be sent as of now," Hael replied, unfazed by the man in front of him.
"Well, you are no fun." He clicked his tongue and passed out two letters: "Take this and enroll the next day." The man then flickered his fingers and, in an instant, vanished into thin air.
Hael took hold of the letters placed on the mahogany table and then walked back to the library. His shoulders tensed and frozen from the cold. As he stepped inside the library, he saw an older woman placing her index finger on her lips, telling him to walk silently.
He walked in a gentle motion, and as he walked closer to an occupied chair, he saw Luiza's head leaning on the chair. Her lips parted, her eyes closed, and her hands clutched onto the book. His coat covered her like a blanket, and her ears and cheeks were tinted red.
Hael got on his knees and bent towards her. He lightly pulled Luiza's left cheek and then poked it. It was plum and soft, like a marshmallow. She groaned and fluttered her eyelashes. 'Um?' She saw a very blurry figure in front of her.
Her arms pushed her figure upward, helping her sit upright. Speechless by her situation and Hael's handsome face, she could only gape.
"Now that your nap time is up," he said, standing up and bringing his hands forward. "Let's head back."
She took his cold hands upon her warm ones and got up from the chair. The coat that covered her was placed around her shoulders, and they walked back home. On the way back, they took her uniform from the administration.
After a long, tiring walk, they arrived at their home. The house was warm but murky. She swiftly went to the kitchen, got the candle that she had placed on the cabinet, and lit it with her magic.
Hael leaned on the couch. His heavy eyelids exceed his mind's will to stay awake. By the time Luiza arrived at the room, he had dozed off. She placed the candle on the tea table and placed the coat over his body.
Her hands slowly brushed off his, which felt like a block of ice. "Huh?!" She grabbed both of his frosty hands and started rubbing her warm palms over his coldness. Once they were a bit better, she tried adjusting his position on the sofa.
After a few tries, she leaned horizontally toward the surface. She checked his forehead, which was like hot charcoal!
'Oh no! What do I do!' She was perplexed. Often to never, she had gotten sick, but she did remember her maids rubbing warm towels on their palms to prevent frost bites.
She rushed to the kitchen and lit a fire. Over the stove, she placed a pot filled with water. In the meantime, she got a few hand towels from her luggage. Placing the hand towels in the warm water, she started to press them against Hael's hands.