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Oh. Done already?
I looked down at the book in my hands. The jagged, spider-like symbols shimmered for a split second, then rearranged themselves. The headache-inducing scribbles resolved into clear, crisp text.
Yup. I can finally read.
"What happened, Big Sister?" Elena asked, noticing my pause.
"Nothing," I said quickly, snapping the book shut for a moment. "Let's sit somewhere so I can read comfortably."
"Okay!" She nodded. "You go first. Let me grab one book I want to read."
I nodded, and she disappeared behind the towering shelves.
Kaelen led me to a large reading table near a stained-glass window. He pulled out a heavy oak chair for me, and once I was seated, he pushed it in, taking his usual post just behind my left shoulder.
I reopened the book and started reading.
Wow.
The text didn't pull any punches. The Eryndor Empire wasn't built on diplomacy; it was built on a foundation of corpses. And not just any corpses.
Elven blood.
I traced a line of text describing the "Purification Wars." The Empire had slaughtered thousands to secure the land. It was brutal, systematic, and… disturbing, considering I was currently inhabiting the body of an Elf.
...
Time passed. I was deep into the grim history when Elena returned.
She was carrying a thick volume titled Advanced Restoration and Healing Arts.
Healing magic? I thought, watching her. Strange choice for a girl who likes dragon armor and heavy swords.
But this time, instead of being chatty, she sat down silently beside me. She opened her book and focused intensely, her brow furrowed.
We read in silence for a while, the only sound the turning of pages.
Then, Kaelen spoke, his voice low.
"My Lady. Allow Miss Lowfen to enter."
Huh? Elin?
I looked up. "Allow her? How? Is the door locked?"
Elena answered before Kaelen could. She didn't look up from her page. "The Royal Library isn't open to commoners, Big Sister. Only Noble and Royal blood can enter freely. Your guard and maid can enter, but only with the mental permission of a Royal inside."
"I'm the exception," he said.
"Oh, I see." I looked at Kaelen. "I guessed that much, but tell me how do I allow it?"
"Just allow her in your mind," he instructed.
"She is currently approaching the Library door."
"You really have sharp ears," I muttered.
I closed my eyes and focused on the door.
Let her in.
I felt a faint click in the back of my mind. I don't know how without magic I pulled this permission thing off. It must be linked to that presence registration scan earlier.
Never mind. It worked.
A few moments later, the heavy doors creaked open.
Elin walked in. Or rather, she waddled in.
She was carrying a massive silver tray stacked high with sandwiches, pastries, fruits, and a tea set. It was enough to feed a platoon of knights.
Wow.
I stared at the mountain of snacks. She really overdid it. She's definitely trying to make up for the bath incident.
"Elin, you really overdid it," I said, staring at the tower of pastries.
Elin froze mid-motion, clutching the silver tray to her chest. Her face went pale.
"My apologies! Did I overstep, Your Highness?" she squeaked, looking ready to pass out from anxiety.
"No, no! Don't worry," I said quickly, waving her down. "I'm starving anyway. In fact, there is way too much for just me. Let's all eat together."
Elena didn't need to be told twice. She slapped her book shut and pushed it aside. "Yes! Let's eat!"
Elin began serving us, placing delicate china plates on the table.
I turned my head and looked up at the silent shadow looming behind me.
"Kael," I said, pointing to the empty chair on my right. "You too. Sit here." I patted the cushioned seat for emphasis.
He didn't move.
"I am fine, My Lady," he replied smoothly. "Standing behind your shoulder gives me the optimal vantage point to identify and neutralize any threat."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up. Sit and eat."
I turned in my chair to face him fully.
"I haven't seen you eat or sleep since I arrived last night. You've been standing guard this whole time. Do you just not get tired? Are you a statue?"
His expression didn't change. "I do not, My Lady. Fatigue is a mindset."
Wow. Listen to this guy.
"It's an order," I said, my voice dropping to a tone that brooked no argument. "Sit. And eat with us."
"Understood, My Lady," he murmured.
He finally relented, pulling out the chair next to me and sitting down. His posture was stiff, his back perfectly straight, as if he expected the chair to attack him at any moment.
Elin finished arranging the feast—sandwiches, glazed fruits, and steaming tea—and stepped back with a satisfied nod.
I reached for a strawberry tart, but Kaelen's voice cut through the air.
"Wait, My Lady."
I froze.
Kaelen closed his eyes for a brief second, taking a slow breath. When his eyelids snapped open, the endless void of his dark irises had vanished.
Instead, they glowed a piercing, electric blue—bright and shifting like the deep ocean illuminated by sunlight.
Whoa.
He swept his glowing gaze over the table, scanning every plate, every cup, and every crumb with terrifying precision. A faint hum of force vibrated in the air.
A moment later, he blinked. The azure light extinguished instantly, his eyes returning to their usual impassive, coal-black color.
He picked up his fork.
"It is safe, My Lady."
I watched Elena first. She was attacking a sandwich like it was an enemy fortification—large bites, minimal chewing, pure efficiency. It was definitely more "barracks" than "ballroom."
Then I looked at Kaelen. It was even more disturbing. He was eating... swiftly. Too swiftly. I could barely see his hand move.
One second the plate had a tart on it, the next it was gone, and he was already swallowing. He ate like a man who expected a siren to go off at any second.
Wow. I sighed internally, picking up a slice of melon. I am absolutely not going to learn a single thing about royal etiquette from these two. They eat like soldiers on the front lines.
Never mind. I'll just eat. Those cookies from earlier didn't even dent my hunger.
The fruit tasted exactly like Earth's melon—sweet and crisp.
"Say, Elena," I asked between bites. "You practice swordsmanship, but you were reading a book on Healing Magic just now."
She swallowed a massive bite of sandwich. "Oh! Well, I possess a natural affinity for Healing Magic, so I'm trying to sharpen it. But for defense—and to prove myself to the court—I'm practicing swordsmanship."
Wow. A Healer-Tank build? She is so cool.
"Wait," I said, a memory sparking. "I think Grandpa Eldric also uses healing magic."
Elena choked on her tea. "Eh? You call Grand Master Eldric... 'Grandpa'?"
I nodded casually. "Yep."
"Cool..." She stared at me with wide eyes. "I never dared to call my Master's Master 'Grandpa'... He's terrifying!"
She recovered and nodded enthusiastically. "But yes! He does use it. Grand Master Eldric is amazing. Even Master Kaelen can't use healing magic."
I paused, a slice of apple halfway to my mouth. I looked at the stoic knight beside me.
Wow. I smirked. So there is actually something he can't do, huh? He isn't perfect after all.
Kaelen avoided my eyes, staring intently at his empty plate. He didn't offer a defense or a witty comeback. He just went silent.
Strange.
For some reason, a cold knot tightened in my stomach. Something felt... wrong.
I replayed the System's warnings in my head.
The System said if I want to "survive tomorrow"—which is technically today—I had to find the Royal Library. It said to survive the "Encounter," I needed to "Tame Kaelen."
I looked around the peaceful library. But I'm safe. Nothing bad happened. In fact, I got the Azure Concord, a powerful title, and I'm eating fruit tarts with a Princess.
Did I misinterpret the warning? Was the "Encounter" just Lucian being rude?
No. My heart skipped a beat. The System said I hadn't tamed Kaelen yet. If the danger was over, why would it still matter?
I opened my mouth to ask Kaelen something—
The world tilted, just slightly.
Blink.
The library vanished.
The sunlight, the smell of old paper, Elena, Kaelen, the taste of the apple on my tongue—gone. Instantly.
I wasn't sitting in a chair anymore. I was floating in a void of suffocating, absolute darkness.
"Kael? Elena?" I called out, but my voice didn't echo. It was swallowed by the silence.
Hehehehe...
The sound scraped against the inside of my skull, like fingernails dragging over bone.
All around me, tiny, flickering lights began to ignite in the blackness. They weren't stars. They were jagged, sickly colors—purple, rot-green, blood-red. And they were moving.
They circled me, spinning faster and faster.
Heehee... found you...
The lights weren't just glowing. They were laughing.