Heading towards the library of the Magic Hall was a rather relaxing experience outside of Ashroth, that should not be a surprise considering the entire time was filled with his cackling.
“Oh I should have done a mana check, an Alphonse ended up a cripple? This is far too funny. Funnier than lighting up that brat and watching him detonate like a peasant with a fireball down his throat. Anyways you should watch your back that child had a mana purity I have not seen in many besides Roswald.” Ashroth commented as I was heading into the library.
Just like the main practice hall had such a rich purity of mana in the air, so did the library. It felt as if my mind was completely refreshed as I headed to the front reception where a rather tired looking receptionist sat up. Blonde hair in a short buzz cut with wiry glasses possessing faint purple runes he just adjusted his glasses and pointed past himself.
“You can head on inside.” The blonde man retorted tired before laying his head back against the desk.
“Umm.. alright, I’ll just go on ahead?” A little confused I decided to possibly check the pass I was given by Instructor Alex and putting a little mana into the pass I could feel it surge back with a mana that was not mine. ‘A mana imprint?’ I was surprised as I headed into the depths of the library aisles. A mana imprint was a rather complex method of application intertwining mana into the atoms of an object leaving a signature of sorts used normally as a convenient way to essentially write your name onto an object. As untwining the mana was much more difficult than anyone could expect as pulling it away can risk breaking the entire item.
Glancing across the sections I read along the shelves ranging from ‘Bestiaries’, ‘Races beyond Humans’, ‘Alchemy’ and finally ‘Fundamental Magic’ which was at the furthest depths of the library with its shelves still dusty. Odd enough as it was magic itself was actually prohibited within the bounds of the library as with all reliquaries of very flammable knowledge it was best not to let anyone cast any sort of spells. So all cleaning and maintenance would have to be done by hand which in a way left the least used section neglected. After all anyone normally having access here would be a second year at least but maybe there was something to find. Glancing over my shoulder Ashroth seemed to be interested through scouring the entire library, perhaps seeing the knowledge he was kept away from for centuries was an eye opener.
Reaching the very end of these shelves was a rather faded book that seemed to have been binded in a completely different style with a green leather cover and silver rims. The title was what had drawn his eye, ‘Theory of Scientific Applications towards Magic’. Certainly a mouthful but it was a rather interesting idea considering the study of sciences was generally looked down upon by the majority of mages. Magic could bend the laws of physics to its whims, why refine elements for usage down to the atomic level when it would produce nothing as potent as alchemy could and biology may give a general grasp of creature form with all manners of demonic and fae beasts that roam the world even those would become void. It was regarded by the majority of nobles as a poor man’s study of science as did the technologies branching from it would only truly serve peasants. Ironically due to it being such a looked down upon study its research was often so costly any technology found was destined to die from its researchers drowning in debt without becoming a commercial product. Though some simple technologies have been slowly spread around thanks to the Belarune family which was a major ducal family but any of its greater innovations seemed to have not expanded past the northern borders.
Opening the book the first chapter was a rather interesting hypothesis. Although it was known that mixing wind magic and fire magic would lead to a much more potent and uncontrollable blaze the book suggested a few ideas that intrigued him. First was to manipulate the wind itself to increase its purity of oxygen before creating a fire based spell and then instead of solely igniting mana you intertwine mana into the pure oxygen pulling them and creating a much more potent blaze all at once. Other suggestions include using wind magic in enclosed areas like caves or the sort to pull pure oxygen out of the air and suffocate those inside without them knowing… Setting the book down he reread the paragraph and looked at it with a shudder. Suffocating to a vacuum would be horrific but imagine as you are just standing there suddenly the air you desperately try to use to fill your lungs becomes a pointless task and you die without ever realising. With flame based light sources having been all but phased out in any practical use especially during warfare there would not even be a signal of a flame being snuffed out. Beneath it there was a note referring to the Dwarves, which was quite an absurd point considering no one but the Alphonse family and it’s militaries have come into contact with Dwarves in nearly five hundred years since the Age of Abyss. Rather troublesome folks who dig deep beneath the front lines of the frontier causing them to collapse and break formations. Them and the elves were the biggest thorns in the Alphonse family side as we kept them out of the human empires. In a way it was the cost of being the connecting landmass that kept the empire connected to the continent. This meant if it was even suggesting militant application against Dwarven bunkers and fortresses this book was certainly pre-empire days. Flicking through the book further along made his head spin as there were even suggestions of manipulating mana to create something called ‘Nuclear Fission’. A theoretical note that was in the final pages along with the author’s final statement.
‘As this war is coming to an end I doubt this publication will ever have much reach as the majority of these theories have either stagnated or lost benefit in overwhelming mana force. But to those reading to this point never lose hope that magic and science can truly become the greatest union of knowledge. May you become the pioneer I failed to be. - Belmus Talkurn’
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Sitting back the book in his hands felt much heavier as within the pages were pristine, not a single page slightly crumpled or damaged. It was clear he may have been the first set of hands to even move this book from it’s shelf. Getting up he looked at the pocket watch in his pocket and got up.
“Shit, it's three in the middle of the night?” Getting up he groaned as the hunger that seemed to slip past him this entire time hit like a carriage. Feeling a little woozy he slowed his breathing and inhaled as much mana as he could to put off the feeling of hunger even if it was just a false illusion it became his best crutch at home whenever he was put on an educational fast by his mother. Ashroth was quiet as he looked over the book in my hands it was almost unsettling the glimpse of nostalgia and longing that kept him quiet by my side as I headed to the front. Getting to the reception the blonde haired man woke up with a confused look glancing towards the clock on his desk and back to me standing in front.
“I’d like to borrow this book, please?” I gave him a short smile feeling a little apologetic for waking him but not too much considering this was his job.
“Uhh, sure? Were you here reading this whole time?” The blonde haired man asked rather incredulously.
“I did, the book I found was quite interesting.” At this the blonde haired man chuckled as he took the book from my hands.
“Most other students and even professors only really sit here to look over some notes and regenerate their mana before leaving. It’s hard to find anyone equally interested in actual books. Judging by this one you picked it up from the Fundamentals section?”
Looking a little surprised I nodded. “H-How?”
“The only section that would have a book as layered with dust as this would be that section. We normally have apprentices clean but normally they get distracted with the front and upper levels. Not that anyone cares much for these books.” Blowing off the dust he took a cloth from his side and wiped off the cover leaving it to reveal the jade like green that dyed the leather. Opening it he looked as surprised as I had been in the moment earlier. “Weird, this does not have a borrower’s card attached to it. Nor does it even have an identification tag on the back. Are you sure you found this here?”
“I did it in the bottom corner of the Fundamental shelf.” I felt a little worried he would be irritated or assume I was trying to prank him in some way.
“Well it definitely has the appropriate level of dust to it. Tell you what, you can take this book without needing to return it considering how dusty it was that should not be a problem. But how about you keep it between us?”
My eyes narrowed a little at such a generous proposition. “What’s the catch?” Putting on a slightly colder tone I was often taught to be cautious of any act of generosity.
“No catch, just interest in a fellow bookworm. The name is Alan, a magician kept as the receptionist here. Technically a third year in the Magic Department I needed a job as my year uses a lot of material components for alchemical studies and the school only provides a limited amount. My lack of talent often keeps me needing more than the given allowance so I end up having to buy a lot more. Thankfully, working here pays an Alphor a month.”
I nodded following along. The general money of the empire consisted of platinum coins called Ashers, then gold called Alphords, after was Dolvars being silvers, after Rothars made of bronze and finally Bels made of copper. The hierarchy was ten Alphors to one Asher, a hundred Dolvars into one Alphor, ten Rothars went into a single Dolvar and finally ten Bels into a Rothar. The money itself carried a level of prestige to the imperial family and the four grand dukes signifying their worth. Yet a single Alphor could rent a commoner’s hotel for a month with meals included. I only learnt this the one time I ran away when I was made to visit the family mansion in the capital and rented out a hotel room to just get a breather. But for the average commoner family a single Alphor would take an entire month at least to earn it as they only really needed to live on maybe fifty Dolvars in the main capital. That was a shock considering I had only ever seen my family handle commerce in Alphors or Ashers.
Taking the book I stepped out of the library with a wave as I made my way to my dorm room I found two envelopes. One sealed with wax seal I felt dread just looking at and another which was not an envelope but a folded paper. Seeing the leisurely state of my sleeping roommates I stepped into the hallway and opened the folded letter.
Written was…
‘To Lucas Alphonse, I challenge you to a duel. For the disrespect of sabotaging me in the Magic Hall I expect to see you in the west forests at two tonight. - From The Prodigy of Magic Itself, Damian.’
Looking at the time I could only chuckle in my own amusement as Ashroth suddenly burst out laughing into my ear.
“Fucking hell, you skipped the entire fight by reading in the library. Oh this is glorious he’s going to want to skin you alive when you see him next.” Ashroth was gripping his stomach and spinning mid air in his own hysterics before making mock voices of what may have happened if I went. Smiling at the rather silly prospect of the entire situation I held my breath as I opened the sealed letter. Yet as I saw the sharp writing done in black with the lingering mana I was all too familiar with my stomach plummeted.
Written in letters along the top was quite clear. ‘Notice of Disownment’