Chapter 19 : Chapter 19
Chapter 19 : Library
The setting sun draped Saint Roland Magic Academy in a magnificent cloak of rosy clouds.
Just as Ryan led Cosette out of Silver Fir House and began walking toward the ancient library at the center of the academy—its immense structure resembling a slumbering beast—an unnoticed incident occurred at the old curio shop they had just visited in Craftsman’s Lane on the opposite side of the campus.
A figure completely concealed beneath a loose gray cloak nearly burst through the shop door as they rushed inside.
Upon entering, the person’s gaze swept anxiously across the crowded, chaotic shelves before finally locking onto the wooden crate of scrap materials piled in the corner.
The cloaked figure hurried over and began rummaging frantically through the crate. Then the movement suddenly froze.
A sharp, anxious intake of breath came from beneath the cloak.
“Boss!” The cloaked person spun around abruptly, their voice hoarse and urgent. “Where is the white crystal that used to be in this barrel? The large one with many impurities!”
The shop owner, who had been dozing behind the counter, jerked awake. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he muttered a confused “Huh?” before slowly asking, “White crystal? What white crystal?”
“That one! Grayish and dusty, about the size of a fist. It looked like trash and had been sitting here for ages!” The cloaked figure’s tone grew even more impatient.
The owner frowned and scratched his ear, trying to remember. After a long moment, realization finally dawned on him.
“Oh—so you mean that one! Someone bought it this morning.”
“What?! Bought it?!” The voice beneath the cloak suddenly rose in pitch. “That is impossible! Who bought it? What did they look like?!”
The owner was startled by the intense reaction. Muttering under his breath, “It is just a broken stone, what is the big deal…,” he still tried to recall.
“It was a young fellow. Probably some noble young master, looked like a student. His hair was… hmm, brown, I think? Quite handsome, though his expression was rather cold. Oh right—he also had a little maid with him. Very young, probably in her teens. She wore a maid dress and looked quite pretty… Why? Is that thing important to you?” the owner asked curiously.
But before he could finish speaking, the gray cloak before him swayed.
The mysterious visitor had already spun around and rushed out of the shop like a gust of wind, vanishing instantly into the thinning evening crowd of Craftsman’s Lane. Only the swaying door panel and the bewildered shop owner remained.
“Strange things happen every year…” the owner muttered as he lay back down on the counter. “A worthless crystal nobody wanted—first that cold-faced young fellow bought it as a bonus, and now someone else comes looking for it in such a panic… Could it be that the Magic Academy is using that sort of thing for research lately? Maybe I should stock up on more items like it…”
Meanwhile, Ryan and Cosette had already arrived before the grand building of the Saint Roland Magic Academy library—known as the Dome of Wisdom.
Even Ryan, who was accustomed to massive modern libraries, felt a deep sense of awe.
The library’s main structure was a circular domed building nearly one hundred meters tall. It was constructed entirely from milky-white magical stone, and faint golden runes flowed across its surface like liquid mercury, slowly rotating and shining brilliantly under the evening sun. The enormous archway stood open, resembling the mouth of a colossal beast devouring knowledge.
Upon entering, the first thing one felt was a peculiar quietness—not silence, but a soft white noise formed by countless turning pages, scratching pens, and murmured whispers.
The interior space was even more astonishing than it appeared from outside.
Looking up beneath the vast dome, spiral ring-shaped galleries ascended endlessly upward, disappearing from sight. Countless bookshelves were arranged in layers like the rings of an ancient tree, neatly organized and packed tightly with books, scrolls, and even faintly glowing magical crystal tablets. Gentle and stable magic light orbs floated in the air, illuminating the ocean of books as brightly as daylight.
The main hall was divided into clearly marked sections.
Near the entrance was the “Humanities, History, and Popular Reading Section,” which contained works such as the empire’s general histories, regional chronicles, legendary novels, and poetry collections. Many students relaxed there while reading.
Further inside was the “Basic Magical Theory and General Instruction Section,” which was the most crowded area. Students stood or sat everywhere, browsing various magic textbooks ranging from beginner to intermediate level.
Deeper still were specialized zones categorized by element, discipline, and application field, such as the “Advanced Elemental Magic Research Section,” the “Alchemy and Potion Studies Section,” the “Summoning and Contract Magic Restricted Section,” and the “Ancient Magic and Modern Magi-Engineering Interdisciplinary Section,” among many others.
Ryan’s destination, however, lay at the very depths of the library.
It was the “Ancient Documents and Forbidden Knowledge Archive” and the adjacent “Rare Minerals, Gem Compendium, and Ancient Magic Item Appraisal Section”—areas that required additional verification of student authority to enter. Only third-year students or those with approved specialization requests could normally access them.
According to the hints from the Eye of Probability, those sections were the most likely places to find clues about the emerald gem he carried.
Leading Cosette, who was following closely behind and already staring at the magnificent sea of books with her mouth slightly open in amazement, Ryan walked straight through the bustling crowd toward the deeper sections.
Cosette stayed tightly behind him. Her hazel eyes were wide as she gazed upward at the endless bookshelves that seemed to stretch into the sky. Her small face was filled with awe and confusion.
So many books… One could never finish reading them in a lifetime.
What exactly was her master searching for here?
Along the way, they passed several quieter corners where heavy oak tables were arranged. Some individuals wearing senior student uniforms—or even professors’ robes—were bent over their work, writing furiously or studying ancient scrolls that emitted strange flickering lights. The magical fluctuations in the air also became denser and more complex.
Finally, they arrived before a relatively small archway made of dark wood and inlaid metal.
Above the door hung a plaque engraved in both Ancient Imperial language and the modern common tongue:
“Ancient Manuscripts and Rare Book Reading Area.”
Beside the door stood a small magic verification crystal.
Ryan took out his student badge and pressed it against the crystal.
The blue crystal embedded in the badge glowed faintly, resonating with the runes on the door. The heavy wooden doors silently slid open inward, revealing an even quieter space beyond—where the bookshelves were older, denser, and the air carried a thicker scent of dust and time.
“Stay close. Do not touch anything casually,” Ryan whispered as he stepped inside first.
Cosette quickly nodded and followed in on tiptoe, afraid she might accidentally brush against some priceless ancient book.
The lighting here was dimmer and more yellow, provided entirely by moonstones embedded in the walls that emitted a constant gentle glow. Most of the books on the shelves had worn, mottled covers, and some of the titles on their spines were barely legible, saturated with the weight of passing centuries.
Following the section markers, Ryan soon located the shelves related to “Rare Mineral and Gem Compendiums” as well as “Ancient Magic Item Sealing and Identification.”
He gestured for Cosette to sit and wait on an empty reading bench nearby while he began rapidly searching through the aged volumes that smelled strongly of time.