The following day was off and classes were not in session. Melch decided that he would not waste this free time and left for the library alone. Where others would have spent the day resting or strolling about the academy grounds, Melch's mind was focused on other matters. He has question's regarding the research note . It was still unexplored territory and deciphering its cryptic content felt almost impossible without some form of guidance. The thought of strange symbols and the rather odd structure of that note seemed to carry kept rumbling in his head.
Melch rose from the dormitory early in the morning without waking Leif, who was sleeping soundly with his mouth wide open.
The academy was quite silent because only few students were in motion. Most were probably sleeping since it was a free day, as he walked toward the grand library, the morning air still crisp with the lingering coolness of dawn.
Inside, he was immediately greeted by the familiar smell of old paper and ink. The towering shelves of books seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction. Melch approached the librarian, an elderly man with sharp eyes behind the desk. Before Melch could even ask his question, the librarian's attention was locked in a heated discussion with another student on the extension of the borrowing time for a particular book.
The student even complained "I have already use the credit before, can't you just give me a few weeks?"
The librarian, an old man with sharp eyes shook his head and said "Rules are rules. Unless you are willing to provide the additional contribution points like the previous one, I cannot extend it further."
Melch watched as the student groaned in defeat finally accepting the terms and taking the book with a sour expression. The whole exchange reminded him of the false sense of victory he had felt before during his life thinking he had succeeded only to realize later that he was far from it and crumble instantly.
Once the student left, Melch approached the desk. "Excuse me, sir," he said. "I need some information regarding deciphering older books."
The librarian looked at him, then back at the book he had borrowed earlier. "Ah, so you're having trouble with that, have you? No surprise. Research notes are full of just bits, some scholars even use some spells to hide some content or what they've found. If it's that kind of spell, you won't be able to read it unless you know what spell was used or can find someone who breaks it."
Melch frowned. “Is there any way to figure it out myself?”
The librarian thought for a moment before replying “Well, there are two common options. The first is to seek out an expert magician who specializes in deciphering spells but finding them is less likely. The second being a better option is to take it to the Adventurer’s Guild. They have skilled individuals who can break enchantments for a price but their services don’t come cheap.”
Stolen novel; please report.
Melch sighed. He had already expected this anything requiring external help meant more expenses and he wasn’t exactly swimming in wealth.
"Is there any other way?" he asked, hopeful for a cheaper alternative.
The librarian thought for a moment. "Well… if a student encoded it, they probably learned how to do so from books in this very library. You might find something useful if you look in the right place."
Melch's eyes lit up with excitement. "Where can I find books on magical encryption?"
"The very back of the library," the librarian answered. "There are a few older books on the subject. Not many people read them anymore, but they might have the information you're looking for."
Melch had no time and rushed to the back of the library. In this part of the library, the shelves looked dustier. The books that lined them looked older and even more worn down than those from the main part of the room. Fewer students seemed to venture this far. He flicked through titles, his fingers running over the spines of the books to find something helpful.
After some time, he came across three books dealing with magical encryption. One of the books was an old version translated into modern Forsic, and the other two were written in ancient Forsic. The last one still interested him. Not purely ancient Forsic, it was a compilation of various scripts altogether. He found himself somehow understanding parts of it while the script changed, as if it actually shifted between known and unknown languages to him.
Curious, Melch took the book to the librarian and asked “Do you recognize this language?”
The librarian glanced at the pages and frowned. “It’s not from our kingdom, that’s for sure. But beyond that, I can’t tell you much.”
Melch nodded, not too surprised. If this book contained knowledge beyond the kingdom’s standard curriculum, then it might actually be useful.
He then decided to check the history section before leaving. He thought that maybe there could be something there that connected to his research note. After a thorough search, he didn't find anything directly useful. However, he did come across an odd, cryptic note tucked between two books. The handwriting was barely legible, but it looked just as mysterious as the research note he had borrowed.
He hesitated for a moment but took the note with him. Even if it wasn't related, it could give him insight into how such cryptic writings were structured. If nothing else, it was another puzzle to solve. So, it was still worth investigating. Sometimes forgotten knowledge held the greatest secrets of all.