"Good afternoon" With the sound of the door chime, I enter the library and greet the lone female student manning the reception desk.

Noticing my presence, The female student then lowered the book she was reading before greeting me back.

"Afternoon, you're late than usual"

"I watched the mage club practice before heading here. Is it only you today Ris?"

"Yep, Sir Wier took an emergency leave"

The girl in front of me is Risrioette Nelgrad, a third-year student and currently the president of the literature club. She has slightly tanned skin, long blonde hair, and a pair of crisp yellow eyes.

Commonly referred to as the book fairy, she is often found here working in the library as an assistant librarian during after-school hours.

Given her intelligence and a stupidly high appetite for literature, one could say that she embodies what you'd envision a perfect role model student would look like.

Well, almost perfect... upon taking a short glance at the title of the book she was reading, all I can say is that her taste for novels is... to say the least... quite unique.

'True Love of Camaraderie on the Battlefield'... I think it's best to pretend that I didn't see that.

"Hmm?" Ris upon noticing me taking a short glance at the book she was reading, her face immediately turned red and snatched it away from my prying eyes.

"Did you see it?"

"See what?" I denyingly replied while looking away, praying that she'd fall for my feign of ignorance.

Now that I managed to take a good look around, I noticed that there's currently only me and Ris in the library which is quite rare as normally this library would be jam-packed with students who are trying to finish their after-school activities.

"The library is quite empty today"

"Well that's a given, there's a celebrity touring the campus at the moment"

"A celebrity?" Why haven't I heard of that?

Ris nodded as she handed me a folded flier from under the counter.

"Her name is Illianara Clainad, a pretty famous songstress from the north. I heard she's never been to the capital that's why she's currently touring around before her last performance here.

"Last performance?"

"Yep, for an unknown reason, she decided that it's time to retire"

"Oh"

Opening up the flier, it is an advertisement poster that features the woman in question. She had long ash-blonde hair, bright grayish eyes, and pale-colored lips. Her look was that of a young woman around my age but somewhat gave off an alluring aura of that of a mature person who could attract any man's heart at first sight.

"Well she's pretty, I can say that" Was my comment.

"Her performances were just as beautiful as her look, believe me, I've watched her before back when I was staying with my grandparents last summer"

"Well, I hope she enjoys her time around the capital then. —Anyway, it's not every day you can have the library all for yourself, best to enjoy it while it lasts"

"Heh~ I have to agree with that. Peace and quiet!" Ris then let out a yawn. "Wish every day would be like this"

Ending our short conversation, I then deposited my library card to Ris before handing her a list of book titles that I'm currently interested in reading today.

"Hmm... The Magical Botanical Garden, Technologies Recovered from the Lost Era, and Legends of the Bountiful Ocean of Trees. What a peculiar set of books, I think we have all of those. I'll be right back" With that, Ris then left her desk and began searching for the books I requested.

**********

"I'm back" After a couple of minutes of waiting, Ris then returns with all the books in hand.

"That was quick" I commented as Ris handed all the books to me.

"You're lucky we still have a copy of each available"

"That's great, Thanks"

"Library closes at five today, good luck"

After thanking her again, I then proceeded quietly toward the reading area.

Gently sitting on one of the chairs, I opened up the first book and quietly began reading the content.

The Magical Botanical Garden, written by a now-famous ex-adventurer-slash-explorer, Sir Grently Rothenborn.

The book contains, in summary, various data about the countless exotic flora that he encountered along his journey as he traveled all around the world.

The books included some of the most bizarre and elusive plant life on the planet like the moon-tear flower, which based on what's written here, is a red bioluminescence flower that only blooms during the night of the blood moon.

Found on the southernmost part of the far-east continent, Its nectar is said to have some miraculous healing properties and can heal deep wounds in a matter of hours without leaving any scars.

Quite bizarre, but not what I'm looking for.

Next on the list was the Dia Crysta, another unusual flower that has a clear crystalline structure that shines like the brilliance of a diamond. Based on what's written here, it was observed that the Dia Crysta was originally a very poisonous red flower that's rarely found in the high Alps of the Europa southeastern mountain range. Just one petal from this flower contains enough poison to kill an entire township which is why it's given the name the Malignant Red Bloom.

As for this flower turning into the beautiful Dia Crysta, it is said that at the end of its life, the flower has a small chance to lose all the toxic chemicals in its petals and start crystalizing itself so that it may never truly wilt.

Hmm... Despite its prerequisite form, it is also said here that the Dia Crysta holds significant value among the ladies of the high society and would consider receiving such a gift as a means of conveying the highest feeling of affection that would often lead to marriage.

Browsing through page after page, it seems that there's not much valuable information that can be further gathered from this book so I decided to just close it.

"What are you reading my lord?" A voice rang inside my head, It was Entropy.

"Just some random books to pass my time" I lyingly replied.

"I would never have imagined that there would come a time when you'd be interested in flowers, did Lady Marrianne perhaps manage to smear some of her hobbies unto you?"

That name... Why does it sound very familiar...

"Marrianne?" I obliviously ask.

"She's a very dear person to you, during your time as Magus"

"So you're not kidding when you said I had lived multiple lives in the past huh"

"I wouldn't dare lie to you"

"I know... —but it's just hard to accept it. What kind of person am I even back then?"

I then hear a subtle chuckle from Entropy.

"Fufufu. That's a question that only you can answer"

I could only remain silent to her reply and begin to read the second book.

*********

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Sigh... There's nothing much I can find here either" Slightly disappointed in the content of the second book, I let out a deep sigh before closing it and setting it aside.

"Of course, it won't be that easy..." I whispered to myself.

Looking at the last book, I am quite curious about what this one will entail.

The Legends of the Bountiful Ocean of Trees is a book written by an unknown author and contains a collection of folktales regarding the dark forest outside the Capital Region, The Winding Woods.

Despite being a popular hunting spot, there's not much information about the place, if anything, all information regarding the Winding Woods is all in myths and legends.

Opening the first page, what greeted me was the quote old folks often said about the place.

All answer lies beyond the ocean of trees...

To this day, I still don't understand the meaning of this quote.

I guess I'll just finish this and go home.

Reading through the pages, as expected, the book contains only myths and legends that you often hear in bedtime stories... —Just as I was about to lose interest in the book, buried among the sea of text was a single folded-up page... Curious about what it contained, I then unfolded it only to see an illustration that took all of my attention.

Elixir of Life?

"Elixir of Life also known as the Essense of Ambrosia, is a type of miraculous potion that can heal all sorts of wounds, and diseases, as well as prolong the consumer's youth"

What?!

Shock of what I've just read, I immediately turn to the next page and see what are the other things that it says. —But to my disappointment, it was the end of it.

That's it? That can't be everything?!

Thinking that I must have skipped something, I then began turning the page back and forth, but after double-checking everything, sadly it was all that was there to it.

Defeated, I leaned on my chair and let out a deep sigh.

"A miracle potion, huh? Well, there's no way that can't be real... right?"

—But still! Just when I've finally got a semblance of a clue... —No! There must be more!

Resuming reading the book with the hope for something more to show up, I was then hit by a flash of a vague memory. It was not a recollection like what happened last time, rather it was a recall of a recent memory, just a year prior.

Back in my private room, sitting right at the top of my bookshelf, there was an old cryptic book that I bought from a wandering old man. The book was written in incomprehensible language that even relic appraisers have no idea what it was, I didn't bother with either, and as far as I'm concerned it was just another addition to my growing collection of ancient relics and trinkets.

—but thinking about it now, I do remember that there was a certain page in that book that contained an illustration similar to that of the Elixir shown here.

...

... ...

... ... !!!

Surprised by the sudden revelation, I instantly stood up from my chair and hurriedly returned all the books to Ris before bolting out of the library.

"—wait, your ID!" Ris shouted but I didn't bother to stop.

"That book... It couldn't be... But it's the only lead I have right now!"

Rushing out I head straight to the train station.

*********

"Next stop Abenford station!" A conductor shouted from afar as he inspected all the passenger's tickets.

After leaving the campus, I wasted no time and boarded a train heading towards Verena.

Finding a good spot to sit, I then lean to the glass window to relax before indulging myself in the fast-changing scenery outside.

...

... ...

... ... ...

"Verana terminal station! I REPEAT VERANA TERMINAL STATION!"

After an hour of uneventful ride, I finally arrived at my destination.

With the sky dyed orange from the setting sun, I then exited the station and continued my journey on foot.

"Where are we going, my lord?" It was Entropy.

"There's something I need to get from my previous home"

"Previous home?"

"Yeah, we recently just moved, but we used to live here in the commercial district, there are still tons of personal belongings I still left there"

"I see, then allow me to accompany you" With that Entropy materializes herself and walks with me towards my next destination.

*********

"This old home of yours, what does it look like?" Entropy asks as she excitedly surveys all the tall buildings and carriages that run along the busy main road.

"It's just an apartment" I replied telepathically to avoid any unwanted attention from other people.

"What's an apartment?"

"It's like a small room that you own inside a building, basically it allows multiple households to live in a close space. It's like an Inn, but instead of renting out a room, you actually have to buy it"

"Hmm... Living together in a more enclosed space... That concept is very foreign in Arcana. To begin with, Arcana, throughout its time only has a small population to warrant this kind of architecture.

—But I gotta admit, it's kind of beautiful to see numerous towering structures casting their shadow unto you"

"Glad you're enjoying the trip, we're almost there"

After that Entropy's curiosity began to run wild and started to wander around inspecting every nook and cranny that was foreign to her.

After a long walk, turning to the next corner we then finally arrived in front of a huge shopping center.

"I guess we've arrived"

Occupying a large portion of the designated shopping strip of the Verana District with a total area of four square kilometers, this eleven interconnected building is the mall chain owned by my family.

What started as a small-time variety store when I was just a kid, has now grown into this behemoth establishment thanks to the effort of my parents.

"Well... Welcome to the Argentavis Shopping Mall. So what do you think?"

"Hmm... What should I say... I mean you're not wrong when you said that you're just an ordinary son of a merchant family, —but I honestly didn't expect it to be like this, Even back in Arcana owning something as big as this is quite a feat" Entropy stares in disbelief at the gigantic buildings in front of her.

"Well you can give your compliments to my parents"

Entering the mall what greeted me inside was the throng of people shopping around as well as the number of stores ranging from a simple variety store and boutiques to popular restaurants.

"This shopping center has eleven interconnected buildings in total but only six here are made to serve as malls, three were built to be an apartment building for our most loyal employees to live in, while another one serves as the main office of the company, as for the last and the newest one, it serves as the main building for our new privately owned bank to maximize profit while also minimizing the circulation of the money from going to other places.

—I was the one who suggested the last one, Pretty neat huh?"

"Uhuh, you got a pretty good system running"

"I'd honestly love to give you a tour of the place but maybe some other times"

After taking an elevator to the penthouse, I wasted no time and headed straight toward my study room.

Upon opening the door what greeted me was a dusty room full of crumpled papers and a stack of random books scattered all over the place.

"It's quite messy here, it's been a month since I last cleaned up the place, hope you don't mind" I embarrassingly let Entropy in.

"Human anatomy... Modern medicine... Miracles of Alchemy... Say, my lord, are you perhaps trying to be a doctor?" Entropy upon noticing the title of the stacked books questions me.

"Doctor? No, it's for something else" I replied as I approached the bookshelf and picked up the old book that I was referring to.

"—Potions of apothecary... I see now, I think I'm starting to get the whole picture here"

"hmm...? What do you mean?"

"I understand now why you're so obsessed with training every day and searching all sorts of cures for diseases..."

"..."

"It's for that girl, isn't it? The one from your past memory, Alicia..."

I can only stay silent to her words as it is after all the truth.

"I thought you had completely cut all connection to those two... So why?"

"I just want to correct what I've wronged, nothing more nothing less. I'm not doing this to make amends nor want to ask them to make amends, I know what I've done cannot be simply forgiven.

This is also not only for Alicia but also for myself... I want to mend the guilt I've been carrying ever since that day, I already cut ties with them, but I know it is not as simple as that, after I've found a cure I plan to just simply deliver it to them and pray that we may never cross paths with each other again... I think that's the only way I can atone for my sins"

"..."

After dusting off the book, I opened it up and immediately began searching for the page containing the illustration similar to the one I found back in the library.

"Here it is... Ent, can you perhaps understand this language?" Finding the exact page, I then present the book to Entropy asking her for her help.

"This book... It can't be... It is written in the Arcanian language but in a much crude structure... Where did you find this?"

"I bought it from an old man. What does it say?"

"Let's see... This page says that the illustration is what is called the Exilir of Life... created by the Empress Cerestine"

"It seems that my hunch is right. There's more on the next page right?"

"Well, it does contain other details of what the Elixir can do, but this section here in particular says about how to synthesize it"

"Synthesize? You mean on how to create it?! Go on, continue" Elated about the news, I let Ent continue reading the section.

"The first component of the potion was a high concentration of the Empress' mana to the point that it condenses into its liquid form, the second was a vial of Exalt phoenix tear, and lastly six reverse scales from an elder dragon that's grounded into a powder"

"Exalt Phoenix? Elder Dragons? Aren't those just fictional mythical creatures?"

"—No my lord, I can attest to you, they're real... Well at least they did exist back in the day, it was you after all, who advocated for their continued protection from those who wish to harm them"

"Considering we need the Empress' mana itself, I don't think we'll ever be able to synthesize the elixir itself. What are the other things the books said?"

"Well, it says here that as the final gift to the world, the empress created a mystical pond located deep inside the Garden of Eden. The pond contains a much purer form of the elixir which grants eternal youth, but there's also a warning here for those seeking to find the place, it is guarded by countless creatures against those who want to obtain the elixir for their own nefarious gain"

Garden of Eden... Another fictional place that's often told in bedtime stories...

"Ent, does the book tell where the garden is located?"

"No, Not particularly, but whoever wrote this book is kind enough to leave us a clue. It says here that the garden is the culmination of all the Empress' works throughout her reign, and only those who are close to her know its exact location... It is a place of absolute wisdom and knowledge where all the answers to questions are found..."

A place where all answers to questions are found...

I need more clues...

*********

After spending a couple of hours in my study room I am now back on the train and am heading home.

Although a little bit tired, today is no doubt a very fruitful day. Staring at the starry night through the train window, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved that all my hard work had not fallen in naught.

I can't tell if the information I have now is credible, but so far it is all I have. It is a long shot, to be honest, but it is better than not having anything at all.

...

... ...

Arriving back at the Central Station, just as I hopped out of the train, I managed to spot Prez sitting at one of the cafes and currently talking to a mysterious hooded person.

Curious about what's up, I was thinking of approaching her, but realizing that it's not my business to meddle with her affairs, I decided to just ignore everything and just be on my way.

—But just as I was about to leave and be on my way, I suddenly heard Prez's voice calling out to me.

***************