My eyes quickly darted over my shoulder. Kael was standing there, looking completely bored.
"Huh? Is it safe?" I asked, my voice rising an octave.
"It is, My Lady," he replied, not even blinking at the blinding light engulfing me. "Since it is your first time entering the Royal Library, the ward is simply recording your signature and presence."
"Oh... is that it?"
As the scan completed, the circle glowed brighter, washing over me from my feet to the top of my head before dissipating into sparkles of light.
I blinked the spots from my vision. "Can I enter now?"
"Yes, yes, you are good to go!" Elena chirped, pulling me by the hand.
We stepped inside, and my jaw dropped.
It wasn't just a library; it was a cathedral of knowledge. The room was massive, with shelves stretching all the way up to a vaulted ceiling that seemed miles away. Thousands—no, millions—of books lined the walls, and the smell of old parchment and ink filled the air. It looked damn cool.
But before I could admire the architecture, my eyes landed on the only other person in the room.
Lucian.
Oh... is this the "Encounter" the System was talking about? But I've already encountered him once today!
He was sitting at a large oak table in the center of the room. But he wasn't just reading. Multiple heavy tomes were floating in the air around him, pages turning on their own, while a quill scribbled furiously on a piece of parchment without his hand touching it.
He sensed us immediately. He didn't look up, just spared us a cold, side-eyed glance.
"Leave."
Huh? How mean!
Elena stepped forward, planting her hands on her hips. "Why should we leave? You go if you have a problem, Big Brother!"
Wow, talk about typical sibling dialogue. Even royalty fights like toddlers.
Lucian finally stopped writing. The quill dropped to the table. He turned his chair toward us, his eyes cold and irritated. He lifted a single finger, pointing it in our direction.
Hummmm.
A faint, glowing magic circle began to form on the floor beneath us, expanding rapidly.
Wait... is he going to teleport us out? Or just throw us out the window?!
I panicked. I grabbed Kael's arm and looked him in the eye.
"I don't want to leave!" I commanded.
Kael didn't hesitate.
BOOM!
He slammed the tip of his sheathed sword into the stone floor with terrifying force. A shockwave of brilliant blue magical light erupted from the blade, rushing across the floor and colliding with Lucian's spell.
Crack!
In an instant, Lucian's magic circle shattered like glass and vanished.
Lucian shot Kael one last, withering glare. The air between them crackled for a second, but then—just as quickly as the tension had risen—it vanished.
Lucian turned his back on us, the floating books resuming their orbit as he went back to his reading and writing, completely ignoring our existence. It was the ultimate dismissal.
Elena's jaw dropped slightly. She leaned in, whispering to us.
"Wow... that is the first time Master has ever gone against my brother."
For a moment, I felt a swell of pride. Hah! My knight protected me against the future Emperor!
But Kael immediately shattered my delusion. He didn't look proud; he looked like a machine running a program.
"I am merely following my Lord's previous order," he stated flatly. "He commanded me to serve and protect the wearer of the Azure Concord. I am simply fulfilling my duty by obeying Your Lady's command to stay."
Yeah, yeah. I rolled my eyes internally. So he really isn't tamed by me yet, huh? It's just malicious compliance and duty.
I looked at Kael's stoic profile, then at Lucian's cold back.
Never mind. I'll fix him.
Elena ignored Kaelen's technicalities and clapped her hands together. "So! Which book are you looking for, Big Sister?"
"Ah, good point."
I tapped my chin. I need to start with the basics. If I'm going to survive here, I need to know the playing field.
"I think I want to understand you all—and this Empire—better," I said, putting on a serious expression. "To be truly worthy of the Azure Concord, I should know the past. I'm looking for the History of the Eryndor Empire."
Elena nodded enthusiastically. "That's a great idea! Follow me, the history section is this way."
The history section was a labyrinth. The shelves here were towering, packed tight with leather-bound spines that looked like they hadn't been touched in decades.
"It must be that one!" Elena said, craning her neck and pointing to a thick tome resting on the very top shelf, practically kissing the vaulted ceiling.
I sighed. Great. Do they keep the important history out of reach on purpose?
I looked at Kael. "Up there."
He nodded once. He didn't look for a ladder. He didn't even bend his knees to jump.
He simply raised his gloved hand, pointing his index finger at the specific book.
Hum.
Faint, azure-blue lines of magic materialized in the air, swirling around the book's spine like ribbons. With a soft tug of his finger, the book slid off the shelf. It floated down gracefully, orbited by the faint magical glow, and descended until it hovered right in front of me.
I opened my palms, and the book settled gently onto my hands as the magic dissipated.
Wow.
I stared at the heavy book, then at Kael's hand.
It really sucks that Cyrina's body has absolutely no magical ability.
That was so cool! And convenient! Meanwhile, I'm over here struggling to walk in heels while everyone else is playing wizard.
I opened the heavy leather cover.
The very first page featured a beautifully preserved, ancient painting of a man. He was shockingly handsome—sharp features, glowing eyes, and an aura of absolute authority.
He had to be the founder. Aurelion Aetherion.
I nodded appreciatively and turned the page, ready to dive into the lore.
And then I froze.
I don't understand shit.
The page was filled with text, but it wasn't English. It wasn't anything I recognized. It was just rows and rows of weird, swirling symbols that looked like dying spiders stamped onto the paper.
Wait. How can I speak and understand everyone perfectly, but I can't read?!
System!
The blue screen flickered to life instantly, hovering innocently over the unreadable book.
[ Yes, Celine? ]
Don't act innocent with me, I snapped internally. What is this? You knew this would happen, right?
[ What are you saying? I don't know what you mean. ]
Stop playing dumb! Come on, install the Language Feature in me already.
[ I can't. Not for free. ]
Oh, wow, I thought, resisting the urge to roll my eyes physically. Isn't this a basic transmigration necessity? It's the "Isekai Starter Pack"! Why do I have to pay for it?
[ But you are already able to listen to and speak their language. That was included. Literacy is an add-on. ]
Ugh. Right. Of course it is.
[ I won't help you further. You can either pay for the upgrade, or you can learn it on your own. Good luck with the syntax, by the way. ]
I stared at the gibberish on the page. Yeah, right. Like I can just walk around acting illiterate. "Oh, sorry, I can't read this treaty, can you read it to me like a bedtime story?" I'll be laughed out of court.
Fine. I need this reading and writing skill anyway.
Never mind, I grumbled. Tell me what I have to pay with, you trickster. You told me not to rely on you, and now you're actively cornering me into buying your help.
[ I'm just your helper. Anyways, agree to pay the price, and the transaction will be complete. ]
Paid with what? I pressed.
[ You will know soon enough.]
A chill went down my spine. That sounded... ominous.
I sighed, looking at the useless book in my hands.
Okay. It's risky. But it's necessary.
I agree to pay!