Mr. F reached the third floor, but instead of finding bookshelves filled with ancient texts or scrolls, the room held only a glowing orb sitting atop a delicate scale. He scanned the room carefully, confirming there was nothing else present. No chairs, no tables, not even a place for someone to sit down and read. It felt more like a place for transactions, brief and precise, rather than a space meant for deep study or reflection.

Approaching the glowing orb with curiosity, Mr. F hesitated for a moment before extending his hand to touch it. At first, nothing happened. But as soon as his fingers made contact, he felt a slight drain on his magic. It wasn't aggressive, but constant, like the orb was feeding off his energy. Sensing this, Mr. F decided to channel more magic into the orb to see what would happen.

Within moments, a voice emanated from the orb:

"State your query."

Unlike the cold, mechanical voice of the system he was used to, this voice sounded distinctly human, which led Mr. F to suspect that someone was on the other end. Perhaps this orb was part of some long-distance communication network, where a knowledgeable person sat, exchanging information for gold. This was merely a theory, of course, but Mr. F's instincts told him he was on the right track. What he couldn't know was that this orb was indeed connected to a learned individual—someone whose vast knowledge came with a high price.

Without delay, Mr. F posed his question:

"I seek knowledge about awakened plants that have developed souls."

The moment he finished, the scale began to tip. The side holding the orb lowered while the other side rose. Mr. F quickly understood what was happening. He placed a few gold coins on the empty side, watching the scale's movement closely. As he suspected, the more gold he placed, the more the scale adjusted.

After a few moments, it became clear that this particular piece of knowledge would be expensive. After placing 10,000 gold coins on the scale, it had barely budged. His estimate was that the information he sought might cost as much as 100,000 gold coins. A hefty price, but Mr. F wasn't willing to give up just yet.

An idea sparked in his mind. Perhaps he could refine his request:

"I would like to adjust my inquiry. I only need information about awakened plants that have developed souls and are of the tree or bush variety."

The orb remained still for a moment before the scale shifted again. The 10,000 coins he'd already placed weren't quite enough, but this time, it was closer. Mr. F added another 5,000 coins, and the scale finally reached balance.

He waited in silence. For a moment, nothing happened. The room was eerily quiet until the orb began to hum softly. The vibration intensified, and then, without warning, a book was ejected from the orb. The orb had no visible opening, yet the book emerged as if materializing from thin air.

Mr. F picked up the book, but it bore no title on the cover. In fact, it had no cover at all—just a collection of pages bound together. Flipping through, he noticed the hand-drawn illustrations of various trees and bushes, each sketched in meticulous detail. The handwriting, though clearly done by hand, was elegant and easy to read.

He couldn't help but wonder if the book had just been written moments before. While he knew that in the realm of magic, anything was possible, the speed and accuracy of this event still astonished him. Chuckling to himself, he mused that if people knew what he had done with the sapling and his own abilities, they would likely find it just as unbelievable.

Deciding it was best to study the book in the privacy of his laboratory, Mr. F made his way back out of the library. As he descended from the third floor, he noticed that the bloodthirsty gaze from earlier was no longer upon him. He smirked, thinking that whoever it had been was lucky to have backed down. After all, with him leaving the city soon, another death on his hands wouldn't have bothered him in the slightest.

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…

Meanwhile, Betty sat in front of her uncle, her head lowered in a mixture of shame and hesitation. Her uncle, pacing the room frantically, was visibly torn between anger and desperation. His voice trembled as he spoke, his steps echoing off the walls as if seeking an answer in the air.

"Are you sure, Betty?" he asked, halting abruptly in front of her. "Do you really understand what returning to the capital means for you?" His gaze bore into her, filled with both fear and disappointment. "We managed to delay your wedding with the excuse that you were too busy studying elixirs and plants. But if you return now, you're giving your fiancé the perfect excuse to force the marriage. And it won't just affect you—your family will be dragged into this mess too. They've paid a hefty price for your escape."

His frustration spilled over as he ran a hand through his graying hair. "Why can't you just stay here?" he pleaded. "We could wait it out, another ten years maybe. Who knows, by then your fiancé might lose interest in you altogether, and you'll be free to live your life as you choose!"

But as he glanced at Betty's face, the resolution in her eyes told him everything. She missed her family in the capital, despite the pain they had caused her by practically selling her to her fiancé. They claimed it was for the good of the family, a way to secure their future and stability. But Betty had felt betrayed, and so she had fled with her uncle, leaving behind the gilded prison of her arranged marriage.

Her family had scrambled to cover up her departure, spinning elaborate lies in the capital to maintain their reputation. They had paid dearly in political favors and gold to keep the scandal contained. The only way to restore their honor was for Betty to return and go through with the marriage. But that was the very thing Betty could not bear to do.

Her uncle, sensing her turmoil, tried again. "What if we tell them you're still here? You don't have to actually return to the capital. We can buy more time, surely." His voice grew quieter, almost pleading, as he grasped at anything to protect her.

But Betty knew better. Her fiancé's family had eyes and ears everywhere, even out here in the countryside. Word would spread quickly that she was traveling back to the capital. The problems it would cause—further disgrace, more hardship for her family—were too much to risk. She couldn't be the cause of their suffering, even if they had been the ones to betray her trust in the first place.

She wanted to help her family. She wanted them to regain their influence and wealth. But the cost—her freedom, her happiness—was too high. She had always feared sacrificing herself on the altar of duty, and the very idea of marriage filled her with a sense of dread and entrapment. She wasn't ready to give up everything for the sake of family obligations.

But that changed the moment she met her master, Mr. F. He had seen her at her lowest, almost destroyed by her own mistakes, and yet he had stood by her. Betty had longed for that kind of loyalty from her family—the unwavering support and trust that Mr. F had shown her. The thought of it brought tears to her eyes, and as they spilled down her cheeks, her uncle hurried to her side, pressing a handkerchief into her hands.

Betty wiped her tears, but deep inside, she knew the truth. If she ran away from this now, if she chose to hide once again, she would never forgive herself. This wasn't just about her family anymore—this was about her own sense of self-worth, about proving to herself that she could face the challenges ahead without flinching.

With a shaky breath, she looked up at her uncle, her voice quiet but firm. "I have to go," she whispered, more to herself than to him. "I have to face this."

Her uncle stopped pacing, his face filled with sorrow. He knelt beside her, gripping her hands tightly, the weight of her words sinking into him. "If you're sure, Betty, if you're truly sure, then I will stand by you. But know this—once you take this step, there's no turning back." His voice cracked with emotion. "Just promise me you'll be careful. I couldn't bear it if something happened to you."

Betty nodded, though the fear in her chest still lingered. But for the first time in a long while, she felt a strange sense of determination rise within her. This journey would not be easy, but with Mr. F by her side, guiding her, she believed she might find the strength to endure whatever lay ahead.