River's icy-blue eyes softened as he looked at her, a faint smile curving his lips, though the expression did not fully mask the shadows etched in his face.
"Yes. The Library of Memories is not a mere collection of knowledge. It's alive, in its own way... woven with the essence of every ruler who has walked the throne of Eleanor. It was my inheritance when I became king, but…" He trailed off for a moment, his gaze flickering to the shelves as though admitting a weakness to them was more difficult than saying it to her. "I have never been able to bond with it properly."
Her brows furrowed. "But you are the ruler. Isn't that enough?"
He shook his head, a low laugh leaving him, touched with resignation. "Being king grants me the authority to step into this place. But authority is not the same as acceptance. The library lets me take what I need, yes... but reluctantly, always resisting, never yielding. It has never truly opened itself to me."
