Following the man’s advice, I made my way to the library housed within the Adventurer’s Registry and Affairs Hall.

One of the benefits of such a massive building was that it catered to every need an adventurer might have—including knowledge. And the best part? It was free for anyone who needed it.

The library itself wasn’t anything magical or extraordinary. Just rows and rows of wooden shelves stacked with countless books.

The place had an almost old-world charm, with the faint scent of paper and ink filling the air.

The dim lighting gave it a quiet, almost peaceful atmosphere.

It wasn’t designed for grandeur but practicality, which suited me just fine.

As I stepped inside, the silence was striking. Unlike the bustling hall outside, the library was nearly empty, with only a handful of people scattered around the tables, noses buried in books.

I walked further in, No crowds, no loud conversations, just the soft rustle of pages being turned.

I made my way to the shelves, searching for anything related to the Four Pillars.

It was time to dig through the stories they had woven.

I wandered through the massive library, the shelves stretching endlessly, filled with books that seemed to cover every topic imaginable.

But finding what I needed—information about the Four Pillars was proving to be more difficult than I expected.

My fingers grazed the spines of countless volumes, each title more obscure than the last. Nothing seemed to jump out at me as relevant.

After what felt like an eternity of aimless searching, a sudden idea struck me.

I stopped, opened my bag, and looked down at Lila, who was sitting inside.

"Lila." I whispered, keeping my voice low in the quiet space. "Think you could use your Pathfinder ability to help me find the right book?"

Her eyes lit up, eager to assist. "Sure! What exactly are we looking for?"

"Anything related to the Four Pillars." I replied.

She closed her eyes, her small face scrunching up in concentration as she activated her ability. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again.

"Leon, there are way too many books on this. I can sense tons of them all over the library!" she said, her voice filled with surprise.

"That many?" I said, equally stunned. I hadn’t expected the topic to be this well-covered. "Alright, can you narrow it down? Filter out anything that is only authored by the Steelheart family."

Lila focused again, and after a moment, she nodded. "One book is gone, but the rest are still here."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "So almost all the books on the Four Pillars were written by the Steelheart family?" I asked, more to myself than to her.

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"Yeah." Lila confirmed, sounding a little puzzled herself. "Except for one."

That caught my attention immediately. Why would the Steelheart family control the narrative so completely, and what was that one book that wasn’t written by them?

"Okay," I said, thinking quickly. "Now, filter out everything written by the Steelheart family. Let's see what's left."

Lila closed her eyes again, focusing hard.

"Only one book remains." she said quietly.

"Just one, huh?" I muttered, my curiosity piqued. "Well, that’s the one we're going for."

The Steelhearts clearly had their hand in shaping the story around the Four Pillars, but this lone book might hold a different version.

With Lila's guidance, I navigated through the dimly lit aisles of the library.

The deeper we went, the more neglected the space felt, as though the books here were forgotten or intentionally avoided.

The shelves were covered in dust, and the faint light barely reached this secluded corner. It was clear that whatever section I had entered wasn’t meant to be appealing.

“This feels... different.” Lila whispered from the bag.

I nodded, feeling the same eerie sense of neglect.

Finally, Lila pointed out the book she had sensed, tucked away in the far corner of the lowest shelf.

It was easy to miss, almost as if someone had hidden it there deliberately, away from prying eyes.

I crouched down and carefully pulled it out, blowing off a thin layer of dust that coated its cover.

But when I looked at the title, I froze, puzzled.

"What is this? How is this related to the Four Pillars?"

The book was plain—no illustrations, no markings of importance. Just a single title in simple font across the cover:

"Four Flavors: A Pillar's Taste for the Red Warrior"

I stared at it, my mind reeling. It looked like a recipe book. How could this possibly have any connection to the Four Pillars?

I turned the book over in my hands, scanning the back for more information, but there was nothing else. Just the title.

“This... this is the book?” I asked, looking at Lila.

She nodded. “That’s the one.”

A recipe book with a vague title about “Four Flavors”? This didn’t make any sense. But then again, in this world, things rarely did.

There had to be a reason this book remained hidden, and why it was the only non-Steelheart account connected to the Four Pillars.

Curiosity piqued, I flipped open the cover.

I carefully opened the book, half expecting some hidden note to leap out at me, but the first page was just text. No grand artwork or hidden compartments, just plain, simple words.

The introduction started like a standard biography, but there was no author name, only vague information.

I began reading aloud quietly, hoping to make sense of it.

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A warrior’s strength lies not in the ferocity of their attacks, but in their ability to maintain balance. The same holds true in the kitchen.

In the art of flavor, one must approach each dish not only with the intent to nourish but to create an experience, a memory.

The four pillars of taste—sour, sweet, salty, and bitter—are the foundation upon which great meals and greater legacies are built.

In my time, I have learned that balance, though vital, can sometimes be forsaken in the pursuit of a greater taste. For even a red warrior must learn the harmony between strength and restraint.

Too much of one flavor, and the dish becomes overpowering, leaving no room for the subtlety of others. Yet, too little, and it fails to leave an impression.

To those seeking to understand this delicate balance, my recipes will offer more than sustenance. They are tales hidden beneath the surface of every ingredient.

The four flavors, like the four pillars of life—sour for the struggles, sweet for the victories, salty for the hardships, and bitter for the lessons learned—are what shaped the journey of the red warrior.

Remember: The four pillars—never forget their importance. They hold the key to the red warrior’s true strength.

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I stared at the words for a moment, feeling like there was something more to them. "The four pillars...," I muttered, recognizing a parallel to the four support members of my Bloodzerker’s party.

But it wasn’t just the mention of the pillars that struck me—it was the constant reference to balance.

It seemed to be a metaphor, one that could be tied to my Bloodzerker’s journey. The "red warrior" could only be referring to him.

The more I read, the more I realized this wasn’t just a recipe book. The mention of "tales hidden beneath the surface of every ingredient" felt like a riddle, as if the recipes themselves were clues.

With the introduction planning the seed of curiosity and doubt, I flipped the page, hoping for more insight.

As I turned it over, the heading at the top caught my eye:

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The First Pillar: Sour

Recipe: Sourlime Boar Shank with Wildfruit Relish