the library

The next day, I went with James to accompany him to the library after we bid farewell to my dad at the adventurers' guild. The walk felt long and uncomfortable, with every step making the silence between us more unbearable. Along the way, I noticed a lot of people giving us curious looks, but no one actually came up to talk. I wasn't surprised.

James was exuding that familiar arrogant vibe again, the kind that screamed, Don't talk to me, don't even look at me. It was a far cry from the warm persona he showed when he was with my parents.

As for me, I'm still not used to talking to strangers, especially the kind who carry themselves with such an air of superiority. I could feel the tension building, so I decided to break the silence.

"After we turn left up ahead, we'll be able to see the library," I said, my voice feeling oddly small in the quiet. "It's just a few more steps."

James simply nodded, his eyes straight ahead, giving me no indication of whether he cared about my attempt to ease the awkwardness. I sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long day.

If I hadn't seen it myself, I would've thought the person laughing and joking with my parents this morning was someone entirely different. The moment we entered the library, James slipped back into his aloof, distant demeanor. After browsing through the shelves for a while, checking the types of books available, he eventually made his way to the ledger, skimming through the records of visitors. Unsurprisingly, my name filled most of the entries.

"You really come here every day," he remarked, glancing up at me.

I simply nodded as I pulled up a chair next to him.

Most people in this area didn't care much for books. With the Forbidden Forest nearby, they were more focused on becoming adventurers and training for survival. Despite seeing the titles of the books I'd borrowed, he still asked, "So, what kind of books do you usually read?" He leaned back, watching me after closing the ledger.

"Novels. Adventure stories," I replied quietly.

"Interesting," he said, leaning back in his chair, his expression less arrogant now and more thoughtful. "Adventure stories, huh? You ever plan on becoming one of those adventurers you read about?"

I shook my head, feeling a bit uneasy under his gaze. "Not really. I just like reading about them. The idea of going out there and fighting monsters doesn't appeal to me."

He chuckled softly, the edge in his demeanor softening for the first time since we left home. "Well, I guess it's a good thing you're sticking to books. You probably know more about adventures than most of the people training outside. Reality's a lot messier than the stories."

I glanced at the ledger on the table, trying to shift the focus away from myself. "I guess people here are more interested in action than words."

"True," he said, standing up and stretching. "But words can be powerful too. Sometimes they prepare you for more than you'd expect." He looked at me again, his usual arrogance fading. "Stick to what you're good at, kid. The world's big enough for more than just sword-swingers."

I nodded, unsure how to respond.

He walked over to the shelves for a while and returned with a couple of old, worn books that looked like they belonged in a museum....history books. He pointed at them with a smirk.

"Have you ever read The History of the Nation" and "The Great War?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe the first few pages, but I stopped. It was too complicated," I admitted, though I could see from his expression he wasn't buying it.

"Complicated?" he asked with a teasing smile, clearly amused by my excuse.

"Well, not really. I just didn't care about all that irrelevant information," I shrugged, brushing off his teasing.

He didn't let it go. "You're so far behind in a noble's education. I don't know if Theo intends for you to enter that world, but knowing the basic common sense of nobility is essential."

Before I could interrupt, he raised a hand to shush me, his tone growing more serious.

"Look, wanting to stay out of the noble world and actually being involved are two very different things. Listen carefully. First of all, your hair—it's a rare color. And the rarer the color, the more powerful your awakened abilities will be in the future. That alone will elevate your position, make you stand out like a shiny piece of treasure to be taken advantage of by other nobles. Whether you want to be involved or not, you will be. There's no escaping it."

He paused, letting that sink in before adding, "And don't even think about skipping the academy. At least for your first year, it's non-negotiable. So You need to learn how to protect yourself in that world."

Just when I was starting to think that avoiding all this would be as simple as not going to the academy, I heard his last sentence.

"Huh?" I blurted out.

"Yes, it was about two years ago when the rumors started," he continued, oblivious to my confusion. "We don't know exactly what happened, but the king suddenly decreed that every child in the kingdom must be tested and attend the academy for at least a year. Of course, not everyone will be accepted into the capital's academy, but they've built a new one just for that purpose. Starting this year, it's mandatory."

"Two years ago?" I asked, my voice shaking, as a memory of my second birthday flashed in my mind.

He nodded, still speaking casually. "Yeah, it came out of nowhere. The king was adamant, and even the council couldn't block his decision. But honestly, it's not a bad one. It gives every kid a chance to experience academy life, and they'll be taught at a professional level."

He kept talking, his voice droning on, but my thoughts spiraled elsewhere. Could all of this have something to do with me?.

Hello, sunshines! 🌞

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