The room was stuffed with bookshelves crammed with all sorts of books with no gaps in between.
It felt distinctly like a study.
‘Space expansion.’
Definitely larger than it seemed from the outside.
It was so immense that calling it just a room would be an understatement.
Most of that space was filled with towering bookshelves that reached the ceiling, giving off the vibe of being in an actual forest.
‘Looks old.’
On the bookshelves sprouted all kinds of books like mushrooms after rain.
I approached a nearby bookshelf and gently caressed the cover of a book nestled within.
Though it had been well-preserved without damage, the deep imprint of time could still be felt.
I pulled it out slightly, the mysterious cover feeling oddly gritty under my fingers.
– Whooooosh
Despite the strong security I sensed from the door, it slid out smoothly since I had the key.
From the cover of the book I extracted, I could see it dated back to the 12th year of the Divine Era.
‘The 12th year… That’s right in the early days of the chaos period.’
A long, tumultuous time that followed the great upheaval, turning humanity’s world upside down.
The initial stage of the chaos period was so dreadful that some called it the Dark Ages.
In response to threats from monsters and dungeons, humanity’s magic and unique abilities began to manifest.
Yet, at that time, there was no knowledge or experience regarding them.
The records passed down by forebears were non-existent, and no one had paved a path for others to follow.
The undisclosed paths were filled with darkness. It wasn’t even appropriate to call them paths; they were simply unknown, laden with obscurity. The superhumans of the time had to carve out the road themselves.
As a result, many perished in the unknown and much was lost.
Especially the initial materials from the chaos period were mostly lost, leading to many stories now passed down through oral tradition.
I flipped through the pages for a moment.
Running my hand across the covers, I observed the titles of the books inserted into the shelves.
‘Hmm…’
There were fields like history, magical science, philosophy, psychology, literature… along with plenty of books concerning dungeons and monster analysis that seemed like they fit well in this world.
‘A lot about biology.’
Among them, books on biology were the most numerous.
For now, I skimmed through the covers and title information without delving deeply into the contents.
‘Origins and evolution of life, ecology, genetics, plant growth and development, animal ecology and behavior, in-depth anatomy, physiology, the intricacies of natural selection, biological immunity systems, growth, evolution… Huh?’
As I was sorting through the piling information, my hand stopped brushing against a book.
Among the countless waves of information, one piece particularly caught my attention.
I abruptly halted my actions, taking another look over the information, and then shuffled over with purposeful steps.
To the bookshelf situated in a corner of the study.
The bookshelf and the books possessed no hint of wear due to the strength of will but revealed the passage of time through meticulous observation.
This bookshelf was among the oldest in the study. It was evidenced by the slightly aged condition of the books placed within.
‘This one…’
Additionally, it had a stronger security than the other shelves. Even if I poured all my energy into it, the robust security seemed to resist. Yet, as I approached with the key, it smoothly opened.
I yanked out one book.
The green cover bore evidence of someone’s touch over time.
The edges were worn smooth, and small scratches marred its surface.
And that was just the outer layer.
I cautiously checked the title of the book.
“Shio-ram Establishment Plan (Draft)”
‘A handwritten account?’
An establishment plan. Definitely over a hundred years old.
I continued checking subsequent books.
The shelf contained various hand-written accounts.
“Shio-ram Blueprint – Artificial Island Formation”
“Shio-ram Blueprint – Ground Formation”
“Shio-ram Blueprint – Comprehensive Spell”
“Shio-ram Blueprint – Defense Spell (Draft-2)”
“Interpretation – Boa Sky Wall”
The establishment plan for Shio-ram, its purposes and processes for forming the artificial island, where to build on top, and what spells were inscribed overall…
‘Good heavens, the Boa Sky Wall is…’
As I hastily skimmed through the records, I was internally aghast at the part detailing the spell formulas.
The defense magic applied to Shio-ram, as well as the barrier encircling the island… and information about the Boa Sky Wall.
The barrier that has never been breached, not even once.
It endured attacks from the tower masters and remained intact through multiple invasions.
A robust shield that barely resisted the eleventh attack.
The structure of that Boa Sky Wall was recorded in astonishing detail, encompassing even the elements and placements that made it up, along with methods to break it.
‘Wait…’
Considering my lack of knowledge compared to the level of the barrier, I couldn’t fully grasp everything.
The information was too elevated and excessive, giving me a headache.
It wasn’t a headache exactly, but my head was strangely fuzzy. I grasped my head, frowning.
But I could remember it. Alternatively, I could take the book with me.
– Hoo…
After taking a deep breath, as if to exhale the complex emotions, I headed toward a section I had been trying to ignore.
On the wall facing the door stood a large wooden desk instead of a bookshelf.
It was cluttered with tangled magical devices and scattered papers and books. The orange light projected by a lamp-like magical device draped over the desk.
I shifted my observational focus. On the wall attached to the bookshelves, I spotted the portrait of a beautiful woman.
A grand portrait that seemed to announce the owner of this study.
Reclining comfortably against the back of her chair, her ample figure distinctly highlighted even through her puffy garments.
Delicate, white, slender hands neatly folded on her lap.
Her hair flowed like a clear waterfall, and even as a painting, her eyes seemed to pierce through you, glimmering in the color of amethyst.
‘……’
The mansion that the headmistress once resided in.
From the residence’s study came a detailed handwritten account regarding Shio-ram.
Even stakeholders might not know the establishment plan and process, not to mention the overall structure of Shio-ram is intricately detailed in the manuscript.
That portrait hanging in such a study.
The name inscribed in the manuscript.
‘Neriel Claidya.’
The headmistress of Shio-ram, the name of the Tower of Growth.
‘What on earth…’
I stared at the portrait with a complex mix of emotions, unable to discard the undeniable evidence.
Neriel Claidya.
She created the peculiar special admission system and left a position untouched for over a hundred years, only to suddenly plop me into it.
And now, where had she vanished to, leaving her mansion behind for me?
That mansion’s study held all sorts of written accounts.
She left behind her portrait and matters concerning Shio-ram.
Incredible information about the Shio-ram barrier was also included. How dangerous is this? It’s shocking to even explain.
Of course, there were strong security measures in place, yet simply leaving this sort of record alone already poses significant risk.
Additionally, I should be able to figure out such critical material so easily.
As long as I have the key, I could easily set foot in the grounds and the mansion, and waltz into the study to grab a book.
This is far too dangerous.
Shio-ram is a place that must not vanish from this world.
For both symbolic and practical reasons, it’s essential.
A single accomplished superhuman can achieve countless things. Shio-ram, which cranks out hundreds of such superhumans yearly, is a pillar that cannot be dismissed in this world.
Amid all this, why am I being handed such vital… classified information?
What do they expect from me?
What if I decide to break the barrier structure?
Even just passing this information to someone else could plunge Shio-ram into a chaos that would be unfathomable to resolve.
‘What do you trust in?’
How did they know I’m not even a person from this world, let alone how I crossed over? What do they see in me, such that they put me in this seat and offer such support?
‘What do you want from me?’
What is it you wish to achieve? Do you want me to grow? If so, what do you want me to do with that growth? Do you foresee something down the line? Are you hoping I’ll intervene?
‘You are…’
I stared blankly at the portrait.
Analyzing the elements in detail.
It’s just a flat painting, yet through observational analysis, I could vividly imagine the person depicted in the portrait.
‘She resembles someone…’
She looked similar to the vice-principal. The color of her hair and eyes bore a likeness. The deep purples evoked thoughts of amethyst, etched strongly into memory.
Yet her facial features were entirely different.
The vice-principal seemed like a solid iron mass, cold and hard, while the Tower of Growth’s headmistress gave off a softness and warmth beneath her blunt appearance.
This was truly the first time I was seeing her likeness.
Even if it were but a painting, it was still a mere portrait.
Some deeply buried memory surfaced.
I compared the person in that memory with the one in the portrait.
They were different. The color of the hair, its length, and the color of the eyes were all different.
But the overall facial structure…
‘No.’
It was almost identical. Similar to a point where the differences were negligible.
Even the vibe that comes through the painting resonated alike.
Both showing a soft yet steadfast presence… the aura that resonated was eerily similar to that person.
It wasn’t that far removed from my memory.
Not a very detailed recollection.
One I’d rather not recall.
The memory of a moth rushing into a flame and getting hit by a car.
‘She resembles me.’
She looked like the person I saved by shoving away.
In a corner of the desk lay a vase with purple flowers blooming splendidly.
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