With his strength the mercenary job was perfect fit for him but there also they asked for the status tool, even when he tried offering to fight their best guards Damian was laughed out of there and shooed away. He was already looked down upon because of his childish appearance it was somewhat understandable but frustrating nonetheless.
Tired of running around the whole city Damian was finally walking back to his inn thinking some other ways to make money when he came across a huge stone building that was the size of Baron's villa and had two stories. It was in the middle of where the four streets met and was alone in it's structure, having no other building near it which was rare for the this city. The words carved onto the stone in big letters read [Noelle Mariana Louminus Library].
"The library..?"
Damian knew big cities of scholars and academic places had some really big libraries. Total 8 libraries were there in Dawnstar alone, all famous and huge gathering spot for scholars. The library was considered an impressive thing for any kingdom in this era, the privilege of entering in one was considered very high and was priced accordingly since books were a very valuable resources, especially when it had knowledge of techniques and spells. Mages were drawn to the great libraries like a moth to a flame.
Damian didn't know they had one here. Guided by his curiosity Damian climbed the stairs and stood in front of the large gate. Two guards were staring down at him but let him past unquestioned. The building had a huge hall inside with rows and rows of bookshelves filled with books and scrolls from top to bottom, there were also stairs leading to the floor above where Damian could see even more books. Damian noticed many a people reading in separate tables that were placed in front of the huge glass windows which made the whole library full of natural light.
It wasn't huge per say, it was modest but that long lost familiar feeling of being surrounded by books was unmistakably there. Damian felt really glad that he found this place.
'Cough'
"Is there anything I can do for you, Young man..?"
Pulled back to the reality by the unfamiliar voice, Damian looked at the lady behind the big wooden table. She was mature pretty woman, looking more older than she was with her glaring face and few white strands in her black hair. A glasses would suit her perfectly. No matter the era there were always perfect people for each job.
Damian walked two steps towards her, he barely could look above the mahogany table but donning his most dignified look on his childish face he asked,
"How can I get access to the library books..?"
Squinting her eyes, with a quill in her hand she looked him all over before taking her time to answer.
"You have to register, 5 golds for an adult and 3 for an underaged kid."
It certainly was pricy but Damian was too curious to care for money right now.
"I just have to do it once right..?"
"Yes, with 1 gold for renewal every year."
"Oh.. Okay. I would like to register."
She finally had a surprised look on her bored face as she looked Damian over once again.
"What is your name..?"
Hell, what was his name.. He couldn't use Damian that's for sure. 'Chuck' came to mind and he almost spat at the ground. He would have to make something up and keep using that one from now on.
"Maximus."
Damian said the first name that came to his mind without a surname since commoners were not allowed to have a house name unless they were a knight sworn in the service of some noble household.
Giving her the money and getting lectured about the rules and library etiquettes she finally finished registering Damian, and he received a small white card made of beautiful stone. His new name was written on it, along with his age and joining date. It was enchanted, Damian could feel the magical energy within.
"Can I take the books with me...?"
"Of course not! What is this? A fish market? You are not allowed to take the books outside and remember to always place the books exactly where you took it from. Got it..?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She smiled at that. Was ma'am not a common thing to say or something..? Now that Damian thought about it he never heard anyone say it.
He went outside to make money and instead he spent even more money, well whatever it was worth it in Damian's eyes. He would think about making money some other day, right now he would enjoy the book heaven.
Getting almost giddy with excitement Damian went from shelf to shelf just trying to soak it all in and get an idea of what kinds of books were available to the public. Surprisingly a lot of history books, nature and geography related books and of course the spells and various fighting technique explaining books were available. Damian was glad to see some people really getting philosophical and scientifically reasoning and getting deep in the nature of mana and magic as whole. He couldn't wait to find out what people of this world thought about true nature of magic.
Going from one side to other Damian finally selected five books that he really wanted to see, one was Intermediate spell book, few important history books and a book that had the title of [Runes and Spells – The Search for God's Language]. Putting everything on the side Damian opened this one book that promised to reveal hidden meaning in the runic language that was somehow a proof of divinity. It was all really weird ramblings of the old man but few things were interesting indeed.
According to the author the runes everyone uses to enchant and make runic tools, is a washed down version of the real runic language that has been lost in history. Damian could somewhat get what he was saying since the real runic magic circles that he saw had few characters that vaguely resembled the common runic language but most of the thing was pretty unrelated, specially that part where Damian could change various values of the spell and make it completely another spell.
Another interesting thing in it was material cost, according to the old man the cost of material was because of the incomplete and deteriorated structure of runic language spell. The real god's language could be used without even a single side effect on material like it were words on air. This was literally bonkers since Damian knew the material cost was because of the material's capacity to hold atmosphere's mana and use it to power the spell. It was impossible to use runes without damaging the material unless the material was really really mana compatible and could heal itself using the same mana & hold incredibly high amount of magical energy. However still Damian also used runic spells on empty air, and there only cost was his mana supply. The air was not even hot around the magic circle that he drew and used, it's as if when one uses their own mana there is no material cost.
Damian of course had also tried this on a parchment where instead of the section responsible for gathering mana from the surroundings, he used his own mana as source but the paper still burned and his mana was also used. Maybe there was some more to this but he would have to spend time experimenting to find out.
Damian was reading the rest of the old man's rambling with interest agreeing here and there but completely debunking most of the things it said, when suddenly the table he was sitting at became brighter and a blue ethereal light fell on his book. Damian looked up to see what was going on and saw a woman, no a teenage girl of maybe 15-16 going through the bookshelf while a giant blue runic magic circle was following behind her everywhere she went. The circle was the biggest Damian had ever seen and it was way more complicated and detailed that his water watch runic tool magic circles.
The diameter of the blue magic circle covered the girl's whole body from top of her wavy black hair to the bottom of her sandaled legs. Getting lost in the complexity of the circle Damian totally ignored the girl in front of the circle. Only after staring for a minute did he realize that he may have been looking at the magic circle but for normal people he was staring at the young girl, who was glaring at him by now.
"What are you looking at, Pipsqueak..?"
Her voice was just as he imagined it would be like, childish and annoying. Well he wasn't one to complain since his whole body was beyond childish.
"Ah ! I'm sorry. I was looking at the book behind you."
"There is a window behind me, Genius."
There really was a window behind her, Damian wanted to slap himself for speaking without thinking. He had to make a valid excuse.
"Uhm... You are just so beautiful. I couldn't help but stare."
"I was looking at the shelf, you were staring at my back. What were you looking at my back... wait a minute.. were you looking at my behind...!? What a pervert child ! Hmphh..."
Damian wanted to dig a hole right there and get inside and never come outside.
However just as he was thinking about going on his knees to apologize the girl burst out laughing like crazy.