The smell of fresh paper and wood wafted towards me, the pleasant atmosphere comforting me as I entered the Grand Library. Stallard Hope was especially popular among those who mingled with literature.
The Grand Library of Stallard Hope was considered the largest literature storage in the entire Empire.
It was said that if the Symons Empire were to fall, the library would immediately explode, never to let its contents be revealed. Moreover, a guard comparable to the strongest warriors of the Empire was to be stationed at the Library at all times.
Judging by the sheer number of precautions the Empire took, the library must've been hiding an important secret.
The school day had ended, and I was mentally drained.
Basic Combat was a very 'basic,' class, so I didn't learn much. However, Arcana Theory was quite beneficial. Then again, I didn't know how to use 'Arcana' yet, so it didn't really matter if I understood it on such a deep level.
But I wanted to unlock Arcana.
That was the reason I had entered the Grand Library… to search for books that may help me.
The Grand Library was enormous, with over a few acres of space to store books. There were at least a thousand shelves lined up across the lanes, with a single counter at the front for the Librarian.
It was a magical place.
As I took a stroll, I came across the Librarian, an old lady with white hairs poking out. Her hair was tied in a bun, nestled between behind her neck. She wore purple robes, but she clearly was not a student.
Her eyes were glued to a paperback held tightly in her hands, with text smaller than ants encompassing the ancient, brown pages.
As she noticed me, she shut her book.
It read, "Elissa's Fantasy."
A modern romance book.
With thick glasses and a stare at exuded an untouchable aura, she spoke. "Is there anything I could help you with, today?"
"Um, yeah," I said as her eyes dug into my soul. "I was wondering where the books on Arcana were."
"Aisle 34."
"Thanks."
With those words, I set off on a journey to locate Aisle 34. There were hundreds of aisles across the library, with many shelves spanning across each. Once I finally arrived at my destination, I let out a sigh.
They needed a better navigation system.
Once I located the section in which books on Arcana were stored, I began picking out those that interested me. After a few minutes of searching, I settled on a book called [Intricacies of Arcana - James Myer].
I found a bench before plopping down on it, burying my nose in the book.
The book began with a brief description of what Arcana was.
"As the lands of Melisande fell into disarray, the Gods blessed those with mortal souls with the power to defend themselves. As the divine were forced to retreat, they left us with something to remember them."
"Arcana is an energy native to Melisande, something that can be shaped to whatever form the user wants, and can be used for various tasks; most common of which is warfare."
"It is the pimrary force that governs Melisande."
"Arcana can also be refined to create Aurora, an energy swordsmen often use to strengthen their usage of the sword."
So it was like magic.
I recalled how Mr. Unger had used Arcana. The usage was so delicate I didn't even realize I was being tricked. Before long, he trapped me in a nonexistent world, rendering me helpless. That meant the capabilities of Arcana were endless.
And this Aurora…
It was interesting, to say the least. Judging by the fact that swordsmen used it, it was likely to enhance the physical aspect rather than magical.
Mastered to its peak, could it cut the world?
That was what I wondered.
Arcana and Aurora–when trained to their summit…. Could they slice open the fabric of reality itself?
Or create a gateway to the Divine Realm?
Just thinking about it made my heart race.
A few hours passed, and I continued to read. It was already past 11, and I couldn't help but doze off every once in a while before jolting awake. However, I wanted to sign out a few books about physical techniques or manuals.
As I stood up, I spotted the same girl who'd sat beside me in History Class, standing in the History Section.
Did she like history that much?
Regardless, I approached her.
"Hey, do you know where I could find books about combat?"
"What?"
"Like, manuals."
She looked at me as if I were crazy for a few seconds, which made me doubtful. Had I asked something I wasn't supposed to?
"What?"
"Don't you know?"
"Know what?"
"Manuals are not available to the students. The school only gives them out for a student's accomplishments."
"Of course… yeah… I knew that."
I coughed awkwardly as I bid her goodbye, walking away. I hadn't known that. So that was why the other students looked at me in confusion when I asked them about manuals in Arcana Theory Class!
Well, it didn't really matter.
After signing out a few more books on Arcana, I headed out of the Grand Library.
There was a different librarian at the counter this time.
Phew.
Stepping out of the school, I was immediately assaulted by the chilly breeze. The sky was starry yet again, with a tiny ball of white light peeking from the abyss up above.
Ian had already gone home, as I'd informed him of my library visit beforehand.
As I walked the streets of the town Stallard Hope was located in, I felt at peace. Devoid of sound or presence, the streets were calm.
My first day at school had been… eventful.
From Mr. Unger's lesson to the brutal thrashing of Rutley.
It was interesting, to say the least.
But, as I adjusted to the norms of Melisande, I felt myself being drawn to how the world worked.
And it was also as if…
As if it was all too familiar.