Chapter 10: A Chance Encounter

Chapter 10: A Chance Encounter

The morning sun peeked through the grand windows of the Ranolf mansion as Aetrial, dressed in his less ostentatious clothing, stood at the main entrance. Barnard was beside him, clipboard in hand.

“Young Master,” Barnard said, glancing up from his notes. “Today’s agenda includes a visit to the library in the city. I’ve heard they recently acquired a rare collection of books on mana refinement.”

Aetrial perked up slightly. Despite his mixed feelings about dark magic, any opportunity to improve his skills was welcome.

“That sounds... useful,” he replied, stepping into the waiting carriage.

The ride to the library was uneventful, the rhythmic clatter of the horses’ hooves providing a soothing background. Aetrial gazed out the window, watching as the bustling city unfolded before him. It still felt surreal—this world, this life.

---

The city library was an imposing structure, its towering columns and ornate carvings a testament to the wealth of the kingdom. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of old parchment and ink. Rows upon rows of shelves stretched into the distance, filled with books of all sizes and colors.

Aetrial wandered through the aisles, his fingers brushing against the spines of the books. He eventually found the section on magic and began pulling out anything that looked remotely useful.

As he flipped through a particularly dense tome on mana conversion, he became aware of a presence nearby. Glancing up, he saw a girl with braided brown hair and light brown eyes. She wore a simple dress and carried a stack of books.

“Excuse me,” she said softly, her voice tinged with nervousness. “You’re standing in front of the book I need.”

Aetrial stepped aside quickly. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t notice.”

The girl smiled shyly as she reached for the book. “Thank you.”

For a moment, they stood in silence, the only sound being the rustle of pages. Then, curiosity got the better of Aetrial.

“Do you study magic?” he asked, trying to sound casual.

The girl nodded. “Yes. I’m a first-year student at the academy. I’m studying holy magic.”

Aetrial froze, a flicker of recognition sparking in his mind. Holy magic? Light brown hair and eyes? Could she be...?

He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. “That’s... impressive. Holy magic is rare, isn’t it?”

The girl looked down, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “It’s not that special. I just do my best.”

Before Aetrial could ask her name, a voice called out from across the library.

“Lilliana! Are you ready to go?”

Aetrial turned to see a tall young man with blond hair and blue eyes. His posture was regal, his expression calm yet commanding.

Arthur Lionheart. The crown prince.

Aetrial instinctively stepped back, his mind racing. Of all the people to run into, it had to be him.

“Coming, Your Highness!” Lilliana called back before glancing at Aetrial. “It was nice meeting you. Maybe we’ll see each other at the academy.”

She hurried off, leaving Aetrial standing there with a sinking feeling in his chest.

“Great,” he muttered under his breath. “Just what I needed.”

---

The rest of the day passed in relative peace. Aetrial managed to avoid any further run-ins with the main characters of the novel and spent the afternoon reading in the library’s quiet corner.

But as he returned to the mansion that evening, his mind kept drifting back to Lilliana’s kind smile and Arthur’s piercing gaze.

“This world really doesn’t give me a break,” he sighed, collapsing onto his bed.

Little did he know, his encounter with Lilliana and Arthur would set off a chain of events he couldn’t possibly anticipate.

End of Chapter 10