The childishness Ash had briefly shown—a quality fitting for someone her age—vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"Unfortunately… for various reasons, I don't plan to contract a Spirit Beast just yet," Ash said with a small smile, her expression calm and devoid of any bitterness or complaint. "Grandpa, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading home now."
The librarian nodded.
Ash picked up the book she had borrowed from the desk, held it in her arms, and thanked the old man before turning around to leave the library.
Just as she was about to step out, the old librarian's voice unexpectedly echoed through the otherwise quiet library.
"Every October, a kind of spiritual fruit called the Ripple Fruit ripens on Azure Bay Mountain," he began.
"These fruits are rich in ice attribute spiritual energy. Whether refined or consumed directly, they are highly beneficial for Spirit Beasts of the Glacies-type or Aqua-type, helping them accumulate the energy needed for evolution."
"You can follow the creek upstream, pass through a dense forest, and find a moss- and vine-covered rock wall. If you pull aside the vines, you'll see a narrow crevice just wide enough for one person to squeeze through. That's the only path to the inner area of Azure Bay Mountain."
Hearing this, Ash stopped in her tracks.
She turned back to the old man, her face filled with confusion.
"Grandpa, why are you telling me th-"
Before she could finish her question, the old man cut her off.
"Don't worry, I don't have any ulterior motives," he said with a gentle smile.
"This was something I accidentally discovered in my younger days," he continued. "Now that I'm old and my legs aren't as strong, I can only watch those Ripple Fruits go to waste every year. It pains me to think of them rotting away on the mountain."
"And since you're a student at Solvale Beast Master High School, I'm sure you must have classmates who've contracted Aqua-type Spirit Beasts, right? Whether you sell them or give them away, it's better than leaving those fruits to rot on the mountain, isn't it?"
The old librarian's smile was kind and warm as he looked at Ash.
Truthfully, he had taken quite a liking to this young girl.
In a world where most people were preoccupied with chasing power and prestige, someone like Ash—whose love for Spirit Beasts was pure and untainted by ambition—was a rare sight.
Perhaps that was why the old man didn't mind offering her a small bit of help.
"However, you must be careful. The area nearby is home to a colony of Vespitoxin," the old man cautioned, as if afraid Ash might wander into danger. "They're very fierce and territorial creatures, and if you accidentally intrude on their domain, you might face a serious attack."
"I… I understand," Ash replied, unsure how else to respond.
She wasn't a clueless child; she fully grasped the significance of the old man's warning.
She stood there, her mind racing, overwhelmed by gratitude that was surged like a flood.
It's choking her throat with words that she couldn't seem to say.