The history books in the library were not as detailed as the religious scriptures, and most were hero biographies. Lilith pulled out a heroic epic called "The Song of Aldrich" and read a few pages. The book was full of mythological elements, starting with the creation of the world by ancient gods and the adventures of Aldrich, the son of the God of Wisdom, on the Western Continent.
The opening of the book described how the creator god made the world and humans: the god took out his heart to form Garlan and used his blood to create humans. Fearing humans would be cold, he plucked out his left eye to create the sun, giving them warm sunlight. Fearing they would get lost in the dark, he plucked out his right eye to create the moon, providing them with gentle moonlight.
After the creator god fell, his soul gave birth to many new gods, who descended on the heart of the mother god, continuing to bless the humans of the star Garlan. The book also recorded a war two thousand years ago, known as the War of the Gods' Faith. This war burned the human paradise to ashes overnight, turning it into a barren desert—the wasteland it is now.
Since that war, the gods no longer descended but stayed in the heavens, while humans migrated to a new continent to recuperate. This new continent is where they now live—the Western Continent. There is a legend of a third continent called Fogland, located north of the Western Continent, but the northern sea is always shrouded in thick fog, and no one has successfully crossed it, so its existence remains unconfirmed.
If Fogland really exists, she could escape there if she ever gets exposed. As night fell, Lilith read a few more pages before going to the checkout desk to borrow the book and take it home.
Just as she left the checkout area, four or five boys walked over, one of them heading straight for her. With a "smack," the book in Lilith's arms was knocked to the ground.
A hand picked up the book before she could, the boy drawing out his words as he read the title: "Let me see, what is this commoner borrowing... uh, 'The Song of Aldrich'?"
After reading the title, he glanced at Lilith and fell silent. This ancient, difficult epic gave him a headache with just one look. Could this girl really be borrowing it? If she were a commoner, she wouldn't be reading such things—they can barely read at all.
The other boys, thinking the same, exchanged glances without speaking. The boy who picked up the book quickly handed it back to Lilith, his attitude taking a 180-degree turn. "Miss, please forgive my rudeness. There was a misunderstanding. Here is your book."
Lilith frowned and reached out to take it.
"Ah, wait a moment," the boy suddenly changed his mind again, eyes glinting with cunning. "Beautiful lady, I've been reading this book too but find some parts difficult. Could I ask for your guidance?"
Great, another test. They thought she couldn't understand ancient texts? This was simpler than classical Chinese.
Lilith withdrew her hand, indifferent. "Ask away."
The boy opened the first page and pointed to a random passage. "I can't understand this part."
Lilith looked at him oddly. The first page?
The boy's face stiffened, knowing how stupid it made him look, but he had only read the first page.
"Fine, give me the book. I'll explain."
The boy handed it over.
Lilith pointed at the text, her voice gentle and melodic. "The mother god perished, her soul pregnant with gods, giving birth to deities who watched over the world; each god ruled their domain. In those early chaotic times, the divide between life and death emerged, with countless creatures..."
After she finished explaining, the boy's doubts were completely dispelled.
He thanked Lilith and, as he left, took a good look at her face, feeling a stir in his heart. This girl, with her fair skin, red lips, and ebony hair, had an elegant demeanor and vast knowledge, marking her as a true noble.
Athena had said she was a commoner—she must be jealous.
The boys returned to Athena, only to be scolded.
"Idiots! There are smart commoners too. Do you think everyone is as ignorant as you?"
The boy retorted, "But she didn't go for the arithmetic books, Athena. You must be mistaken."
"Enough! Get out of my sight!"
"How did dukes raise such fools?"
Athena's face twisted with rage. She hadn't expected her plan to backfire, with the boys returning, impressed by Lilith.
The boys, fed up with the spoiled princess, left angrily.
Meanwhile, Lilith walked past a rose garden and saw their dormitory, a quaint Romanesque building standing quietly on the green lawn. The semi-circular arches and rounded domes gave it a dreamy feel.
The original owner's room was at the end of the second-floor hallway, with a good view of the lake and a small balcony for tea. Her conflict with Athena started over this room. Lilith had moved in first, and despite Athena's desire for the room, the teachers assigned it to Lilith since she had already moved her belongings.
Back in the dormitory, Lilith admired the view before the setting sun, then returned to the table and lit the oil lamp. She picked up a bronze mirror from the table, pausing as she saw a young face in the dim reflection.
Isn't this her fifteen-year-old self?
She had expected some changes after transmigrating but found that the original owner looked just like her. The black-haired, black-eyed girl in the mirror stared back at her, like looking at her past self.
Lilith blinked, now unsure if she had traveled with her soul or her entire body. Thankfully, the original owner shared her appearance and had the most respected hair color in the West. If she had red hair, she couldn't have pulled off being a noble—red hair was still stigmatized here.
After the mirror, Lilith understood why the teacher favored her over Athena. It was probably prejudice, seeing her black hair as more noble than Athena's blonde.
That was good news.
Lilith put down the mirror, changed into a linen nightgown, and frowned at her woolen undershirt. The original owner had spent all her money on outer garments, neglecting inner clothes, giving Vina an excuse.
The undershirt, though clean and soft, was not something a true noble would wear. Nobles didn't wear woolen underclothes because the technology to dye and weave wool was underdeveloped, making it coarse and thick. Nobles wore fine linen or cotton instead.
Lilith rubbed the woolen shirt, remembering the processing steps. If the technology was underdeveloped, she could improve it. In the 21st century, animal fiber fabrics were more expensive than plant fibers.