By the time they returned to the library, lunchtime was over.

“We didn’t even get to eat lunch,” Sera sighed.

“What else were you expecting when you suggested going to buy a sword…”

“I'll get you something. More importantly, let’s go and see that curse tile.”

Aeryth shook her head. “My job is to sit here, not spend time wandering through the empty corridor of shelves."

"Hey, c'mon. We'll be back in a blink," Sera leaned over the count as Aeryth went inside, and took her seat.

"Come back in the evening, or tomorrow. Then, I'll show you."

Sera grinned. "I have an idea." She walked away.

Aeryth sighed in relief, putting away the lunch break sign to the side.

The library was not closed during the lunch break, of course. Only this counter was. Even the students had lunch here, few were still having some. There was a water tap that had drinkable water.

"I'll be on my way then," Vik said. While Aeryth worked on the counter, Vik watched over people, made sure they didn't tuck a book in their bags as they left. There was one more person, who might've left for lunch already.

Sera returned after a minute. Her smile advised Aeryth to hide away.

"Heyo!" Sera, "If you don't know, I am also a member of the library. Now, I want you to guide me to the Beastri Life and Longevity Section."

Of course... Aeryth blinked, grinning victoriously. "Do you have your membership ID?"

Sera's smile wavered. "Are you doubting me?"

"You're not going to do the same thing as that drunk monkey... are you?"

Sera recoiled back. "Of course not." Her shoulder sagged as she realized her failure.

Vik watched their back and forth, "I can guide you, Sera, if you are lost."

Sera shook her head with a sigh. "I need her. Can you sit on the desk for a few minutes?"

"I don't mind."

"Thanks! I'll treat you later," Sera turned to Aeryth, "Now, there's nothing stopping you."

Aeryth sighed. "Fine," She had already accepted defeat. "You're hungry for treasure, huh?"

"I don't care about treasure. No. I mean I care more about the idea of finding something here, in this godforsaken boring hell. Imagine, if there's a hidden dungeon here, filled with traps and monsters."

"Traps? Maybe, but a dungeon filled with monsters in the middle of a city this fended? I find that hard to believe. Why would anyone make a dungeon here in the first place?"

"You have a point. Still, I can feel my adventure senses tingling. We will see some action, I know."

They made her up the stairs, and Aeryth took charge, rather uncomfortable, toward the dark corner of the library.

She stopped where she had left the blank back book. She pulled it out. "This is the one."

Sera hopped up, gazing inside. "I cannot see anything."

Aeryth's brow knitted, she also failed to see the glow. She stood on her toe. The whiteness had gone. "I swear, I saw it here."

Am I going insane? No. No. Wait? Tor could be jocking. Did he also think I was just trying to pull a prank or something?

She pulled out another book and another. But only the washed-off yellow wall greeted her.

"It's gone."

"Old man affirmed your question. There must be something here." Sera said. "Maybe, whatever you saw is moving around?"

Aeryth nodded. That made sense.

She placed the book back in their slot.

How did it move?

At this point, she was too lost in the sentiment to realize she was on duty.

Where should I look for?

She looked at the spineless book. Is this a clue? Or a marker?

She walked over to the wooden stair stool and dragged it back to the initial spot.

"I'll look around the room. Maybe there's a clue somewhere that I can find."

Aeryth nodded.

It was dark. She couldn't see anything in the gap. Hesitantly, she slid her finger into it. Roughness was nothing like how it should be after years of use.

"S-Sera," Aeryth hesitated. "Do you have a lighter or something to light up this place ?"

"I am no smoker," Sera returned to her side. "But, I sure can light anything on fire."

She snapped her finger, and a ball of fire was conjured. "You found something?"

"I think so..."

The wisp of flame rose, allowing Aeryth to get a clear view.

On the wood, there were carvings—entangled and dense, her mind failed to make any sense of it. It appeared similar to what she saw in the morning. Yet, it was different.

"There's a carving on the wood, but I can not make any sense of it. Though, it appears to be similar to the golden pattern on the white tile."

"Huh. Is this a puzzle?"

"Perhaps. Maybe, you're correct, and this is indeed a trap of some kind."

"What about the white tile?" Sera asked.

"Can you lift the fireball higher?"

Sera nodded. The fireball soared higher and higher until was almost touching the ceiling. We are going to start a fire at this rate.

It had no effect on the mirrored patterns."

"I have never learned the trap breaking," Aeryth said. "Do you have any idea about them?"

"Me neither. That's Gu Yuan's job. Being the brain of the team that he is."

Aeryth nodded.

What else can I do? What's different from the morning?

"Light!" Aeryth snapped her finger at the air vent. "It might need sunlight to light up. That must be how it reflected in the morning. Now, that sun is not reflecting from there. We cannot see the white tile. It will also explain why no one else has seen."

"Then, can only see in the morning..." Sera sighed. "I will need to get up early again." Her voice was on the verge of crying.

Aeryth shook her head. "What if we use fireball to light the room through there? It could be the sunlight... or it can be the vent which needs to filter the light."

It was a wild guess, but she was willing to try. Well, she was not the one trying.

"Fine..." Sera muttered unsurely. She controlled the fireball and tried to make it pass through the gap.

But it flickered out as it reached the orifice.

"It won't work. There must be a ward to only let the light in, nothing else."

"There's a window on the other side. You can try from there."

Sera raised her brow. "Are you trying to get me arrested for casting magic in public?"

Aeryth bit her lips. "Then... we have to wait. I guess." She didn't want to sound disappointed but she was. The adrenaline in her veins seeped out.

"Fine... I'll go. Stop making that face. If I get arrested, you're taking half the blame."

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

Aeryth smiled, "I don't mind."

Sera went around the room and opened the window. "Come with me. I am not taking that risk alone."

"What if there's a particular angle that the light needs to filter through? I'll tell you to stop if it starts glowing."

"Waoh, we are very high. I am gonna fall..." Sera stepped out of the window.

"Can you not cast the fireball from the inside?"

"If I cannot see my fireball, I cannot control it yet."

"Please come back in if you're going to fall." Aeryth couldn't see her, and the idea of Sera falling down three stories wasn't a pleasant image. For some reason, her mind had become capable of creating rather gruesome and vivid images in her mind.

She still remembers the day Gene broke

her arm after falling down the roof. All because Aeryth couldn't hold down her curiosity.

The golden flames filtered through the vent.

"Anything yet?"

Aeryth shook her head. "Go Higher."

"What about now?"

The light gathered at one point as it filtered through the vents. "Go a little higher and farther back. Slightly to the left."

The light fell directly on it.

It glowed as if filled with golden liquid.

"That's enough."

The light vanished, but the white tile remained.

"Can I come back?"

"Yeah, it's still here."

A mage's treasure... It can be a spell book. Maybe, golds. That will solve my money problem.

Aeryth climbed down as Sera returned to her side. She climbed up the stool, and looked inside. Her face filled with amazement.

"Aeryth. Are you pulling my leg... There's nothing here."

"But it was just there a moment ago..." Aeryth blinked. "Maybe there's a time limit."

"Let's try again..." Sera went outside again and created the fireball again. Aeryth informed her to stop once the tile lit up again.

When Sera came up the golden tile was still there. Aeryth didn't climb down the stairs.

"It's not time-limited. As long as one of them is looking, it won't vanish." Aeryth informed her.

"Good job," Sera grinned, hopped up a few times to get a good look at it. "I would love to hang on the shelves to get a better look, but I can tell you from experience. It will tilt over, and then, I'll need to fix the entire third floor."

"Please don't jump. If you crash on the shelf behind you, we will have to do an equal amount of work, minus one shelf."

"Haha. That's true. What even is this?" Of course, Sera kept hopping up and looking at the white tile.

The pattern on the wood was a mirroring of the white tile. But, even so, she couldn't make any sense of it. It was too dense.

"I don't know. But," Aeryth pulled the book beside it. It didn't budge. "I cannot take out a book or change anything about this shelf once the tile appears. Even the upper compartments are glued in their blase."

"Oh," Sera's eyes glowed, and grabbed the ledge, and climbed up the shelf. "It's glued to the walls." She laughed.

"If it was not..." Aeryth muttered. She almost had a heart attack here. "Please don't try that again."

"This library has quite a lot of quirks." Sera pulled on the book. Completely ignoring Aeryth.

Sera created a fireball. And Aeryth had enough. "Sera, if you don't stop right this instant, I will leave."

"Okay..." the ball of fire puffed and vanished. "No need to be so threatening. I was just having a little fun."

"We are in a magical library. If there are any traps, you were going to trigger them with your stunt right there."

"How will we find treasure from this tile?" Sera asked. She jumped down and stumbled. Aeryth's nerve tightened as Sera's back touched the shelve behind her. Then, Sera stood straight. Aeryth let out a breath.

"If you try that again," Aeryth hissed through her clenched teeth. She was not angry. Just annoyed. So suffering annoyed. "I will jump down from this height, and elbow your head into your chest."

Sera shrank away into the corner. She raised her hand. "I surrender. Calm down. Take deep breaths. You don't want to splatter my dumb blood on the books, right?"

Aeryth's shoulder sagged, as she climbed down. "Light said, I shouldn't partake in any mentally straining activity. I am sure at this point, she meant, I should stay away from you."

"Sorry. Sorry, I will not do that again. Still, that was a thrill. How are you not having fun?" Sera shook her head dramatically. "Anyways... how about we focus on the treasure."

Aeryth nodded. Her eyes shot wide open. "Vik... I completely forgot about him."

"My apologies. My charisma is something else, makes ya completely forget about the world around you," Sera bowed, a very—begging to be punched—smug grin on her face.

Aeryth let out a breath, shaking her head. As her annoyance fizzled out, she realized how rude she was being to Sera. "I am sorry for my rudeness, Miss Sera. We should halt our search here for now. Let's go."

Sera's smile vanished. "Hey, don't get upset. I was just goofing around."

"I am not upset. I was just out of line." Aeryth said as she dragged the stair back to its place.

"You were not. I don't mind," Sera followed behind her. "I mean. Compared to morning, you look way more relaxed right now. You gotta let out your inner frustration by screaming at someone, you know. That's very healthy.... though I might've overdone."

"Thank you..." Aeryth said. "I am not angry. Hungry, perhaps." She smiled.

"Sorry! I'll get you something. My fault you didn't get the lunch."

"There's no need," Aeryth said, but Sera waved away her objection.

They walked down in silence. "I have to admit, you're very sharp. Like not even Gu Yuan makes that quick decision. Go out the window. Like how did you even think that in an instant? Almost like a practiced script. It was not even visible to catch your eye. Not to mention, today's your first day."

"I have a good memory," Aeryth said. "And it is just a window."

"It's not about the window. We literally solve the whole thing just like that. Well, we don't know what we solved. If it was me alone, I would've burned the whole palace down by now, after failing to make any progress," Sera skipped the stairs, almost fell, wobbling, but managed to find balance. "Good memory must be nice, right? I forget what I ate for my breakfast most of the days."

"It's not," Aeryth didn't elaborate. She still remembered that night so vividly as if she was standing there, watching it.

They made their way down. Vik stared at them, his chin resting on the desk. "Oh my, finally, someone remembered, dying from hunger, me."

"Sorry... I'll pay you back someday for this favor," Aeryth said. "I'll take over. Please forgive me for making you wait."

"Woah, woah, no need to be serious," Vik smiled. "Sera is the one reason for trouble. You're buying me lunch, and that, too, from Mr. Gingers."

"Fine. But why those stuck-up bastards!"

"They sell the best, and even more importantly, most expensive noodles in town, what do you mean why there?" Vik left the counter, grinning devilishly.

Sera followed behind him. "But, those people are just so nosy. Miss, please stay quiet in our establishment. Bah!"

"Please don't shout in the library," Aeryth said, pointing at the sign.

"FU!" Sera screamed, as she walked out.

Aeryth sighed. She picked up the monster and mundane volume two that the drunk man had left. Since there was no way to cross his name, she decided to read it.

Aeryth herself didn't know what elemental bone marrow was. Concentrated, even less so. But getting a monster with a lightning element must be the first priority.

"Is that an Alchemy thing? There's an alchemy section, but it was too big. Maybe... I need to talk to an alchemist to know what is lightning bone marrow. Maybe, I can ask Grace."

She shook her head. There was no need to bother Grace over this.

Aeryth looked up as her shadow descended over the counter. "H-hello..." she uttered.

He was a knight. Shiny metal armor, red clothes. A dear antler insignia on the chest.

"What can I do for you?" She asked. He's a knight. Not an undead knight. Stop worrying!

"I'm Guard Captain Truman. Saw a fire outside the building... what was that about?"

Aeryth swept her eyes around the room. Every head was eerily stuck to their books, hunched over the desk. Almost as if they were statues. "I'm sorry. I am not a mage to help you with that."

"Who said anything about a mage?" He asked, eyes narrowed.

"It's the only appropriate presumption. Because, if it was not a mage, then the library must be on fire. I don't smell burning wood and paper or the heat."

"Sharp tongue," His expression twisted. Lips twitching like a fish out of water. He stared at her. "I know who did it."

"I guess that makes your job easier, Guard Captain Truman. I hope, you've a good luck finding the person," Aeryth tried to sound as impassive as possible.

"For a little orphan staff, you're quite the speaker."

"Thank you for the compliment." Aeryth nodded. She had no idea why she was being so unfriendly and somewhat antagonizing with this person who was just doing his job. But Knight's or their armor made her uncomfortable, and she wanted him gone.

"Anything else?" Aeryth asked.

"I'm waiting."

"Waiting?" She repeated.

"For the culprit. If there's a fire, there's a culprit. And this particular thief... I know personally."

Aeryth sighed. Sera said she'd bring me something to eat. I hope she does not.

"No objection, eh?" He grinned, taking a stool from the corner, plopping down with a groan.

"What right do I have to object an officer on duty?" Aeryth replied.

Aeryth returned to reading the book, but couldn't focus. She wanted to take the blame since she forced Sera into doing the stupid thing. But she was afraid of the knight. More than she should be. Her hands were slightly shaky as she flipped the page.

He's just a knight. No ill will towards me. There's nothing to be afraid of.

"New here?" The officer asked.

Aeyrth fought down her nerve. "I am." She stared straight at the window on the opposite side of the counter.

Sera waved at her from the window. Aeryth noticed. How long had she been doing that? Aeryth cast a sideway glance at the officer, who seemed to be lost in his musing, staring at the poor people doing their study in quietness.

Aeryth raised her brow. Sera lifted the roll wrapped in paper. A grin on her face.

She is getting a thrill out of this, doesn't she?

Aeryth didn't try to do anything, lest she attract the attention. Sera tried numerous hand signs, but none of those worked.

Aeryth lifted her hand from the book slightly. It got both of their attention. She extended it, and placed it on the desk, drumming slightly, pretending. Perhaps badly. He narrowed his eyes.

Aeryth could tell the officer was suspicious. She looked down at the book.

He also busied himself in slight nodding off. He was well above his fifties and round belly like a balloon.

Aeryth's eyes went to the window again, and Sera still was there.

Leave.

She inaudibly mouthed.

Sera waved her hand as if asking her to repeat.

Leave.

Aeryth's heart drummed, ached in her chest.

Sera knitted her brow.

Aeryth shook her head. This was not going anywhere.

Go Away. She tried.

Truman's head snapped at her. "What was that?"

"What?" Aeryth pretends to be oblivious. But, inside, her heart had stopped beating.

"I saw that..." he whipped his head toward the window. "Not a word." He said, barely above a whisper.

Slowly, he crept toward the window, glancing her way to make sure she was quiet. The window hissed. Clashed to the other side, shivering. "Sneaky little rat!" He cursed as he leaned over the window. "I can arrest you for trying to hide that little troublemaker."

"I don't know what you're talking abo—" Aeryth's voice came to an abrupt halt, as her face jerked. The metal edge of the stick was an inch away from her nose. Glinting. Her heart thrummed in her chest. Reeling with the vision of that night. The way that sword glowered as it cleaved her friend.

"Don't play smart with me," he said, moving away the bat. "I like you. At least, you know what fear is," He grinned like an undead monster who took pleasure in others' woe. "Now that rat has escaped, no point in wasting time anymore."

He left.

Aeryth remained frozen, hearing her heart hammering in her chest.

Sera pushed the window that was beside the counter. She looked at her. Her face turned red. Her smile vanished. "Did he do something to you?" Sera asked through her clenched teeth. She seemed to be burning in flame.

Aeryth could feel the heat radiating off of her, it warmed her frozen blood.

Did her face really give away all her fears?

She shook her head. "No." Managed to croak out. "He didn't do anything."

She didn't know who Sera was, but getting into an argument, a brawl, with a guard would not end well for any of them.