It was break time. Students had scattered across the school grounds—most heading toward the cafeteria. Alissa and her friend, however, veered in a different direction.
Arvard, not feeling hungry, decided to take a walk and leave Elena alone for a while. As he approached the lift that led to the lower floors, the adjacent elevator opened with a chime. He paused.
Why not use that one?
Just as he turned, Mai stepped out. They both froze, surprised by the unexpected encounter.
"Hi," Arvard said, attempting a friendly tone.
"Hey there," Mai replied, blinking. "Didn't expect to run into you again. Are you lost again?"
Arvard tilted his head toward the corridor and replied, "I wasn't lost. Just thought I'd go outside for a bit."
"Not feeling hungry, huh?"
"Yeah," he said, stepping into the lift.
Mai blushed slightly. "Mind if I join you?"
"Why not?" he said with a small smile. He pressed the button to the ground floor.
"Where were you planning to go?" she asked as the doors closed.
"No idea really. Got any suggestions?"
Mai hesitated. "Well, how about the library? Oh—sorry, that might be boring."
Arvard's face brightened. "Why? I love books."
Mai's breath hitched slightly at his answer. A wide smile tugged at her lips. He loves books too...
The lift opened, and Mai exited first, her hands clasped behind her back. She walked with an energetic bounce in her step.
Is this a new way to look cute? Arvard mused, amused by her almost childlike demeanor.
They crossed the grass courtyard on the left side of the second school building.
"There," Mai pointed ahead. A modest two-floor structure nestled against the main building's wall. "That's the library."
"Isn't that a bit small?" Arvard asked. Judging from the school's budget and infrastructure, he expected something far more grand.
Mai laughed. "Not really. Most of it's underground—special and restricted sections included."
"Ah." Arvard sped up to walk beside her. She was surprisingly fast when excited.
Soon, they reached the library. The doors resembled something out of the early 1900s. Inside, it was much more expansive than it appeared from the outside. Wooden tigerwood floors stretched beneath rows of towering shelves. The central aisle led straight ahead; shelves lined both sides, creating a cozy maze of books.
Without a word, Mai led the way. Arvard took a moment to spin in place, absorbing the old, bookish scent and soft quietude. Students sat quietly, reading and taking notes. Above them, a large domed skylight struggled to filter sunlight through the cloudy sky.
Arvard turned to his right. Mai was chatting with an elderly woman seated at the far end behind a worn desk. She must be the librarian.
As Arvard approached, the old woman's eyes widened in disbelief. He didn't like the way she looked at him—like she'd seen a ghost.
The woman's gaze locked on his face. "Albert… you said?"
Mai turned to him. "Come on, let's head downstairs."
She nearly grabbed his hand in excitement but stopped herself just in time, her cheeks flushing pink. She spun around and walked briskly to the far-left corner, where a lift stood hidden behind a curtain of bookshelves.
Mai scanned her ID, and the lift doors opened. Inside, she quickly pressed a button, and the doors slid shut.
"That was the librarian, wasn't it?" Arvard asked casually.
"Yup," Mai nodded. "She's been here for over five centuries. Traveled all over the world gathering stories."
"How do you know so much about her?"
"She was my first friend here," Mai said quietly as they exited.
They stepped into a metallic corridor lit only by fluorescent tubes. The air was cooler, and echoes bounced faintly off the walls. Rows of doors lined the hallway, each labeled with a subject.
"History… Literature… Maps… Biographies…" Arvard murmured as they walked.
Mai stopped in front of one labeled Adventures. She turned to him. "What would you like to read?"
Arvard caught the hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Let's try this one."
He stepped inside. The room was tall, cold, and metallic—but the shelves were overflowing with books. At the very front, a wooden plaque read:
"The Great Adventures of Arvard Luther de Ampher"
Arvard stared at it.
"…Biltus," he muttered.
"What?" Mai asked.
"Nothing," Arvard said quickly, walking forward.
He browsed the shelves, confused. Why are these even here? They can't be called 'adventures.'
He stopped at a thick book titled Arvard and the 100 Mages. Flipping it open, he quickly found the chapter Payment.
"That one's pretty popular," Mai chimed. "Even people who hate reading enjoy it… for the, um, dramatic parts."
Arvard read the page, then closed the book slowly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"Something wrong?" Mai asked, catching his expression.
"Shouldn't books like these be restricted?" he asked dryly.
Mai pouted. "Why? Okay, sure, they've got adult content, but they also tell the story of our prince. How dedicated he was to the moon's secrets—even after betrayals, false starts, like the Mermaid Scroll, the Truce, the Feast of Blood…"
"What if I told you… parts of these were changed? They're not the real story."
Mai paused. "I'd still want to hear it. Even if it's only a little closer to the truth. Miss Frigga loves this section too."
"You're really kind, Mai," Arvard said, surprised by her honesty.
Mai blushed. "Where did that come from?"
"What if I told you the true version of one of these books? Only one."
Her eyes lit up. "I don't know how you'd know what really happened, but… yes. That would make me super happy!"
"Then pick a book. Any book except Mermaid Scroll, Truce, Punishment, The Witches of the Mountain and—"
"This one!" she interrupted, holding out a heavy volume.
Arvard read the title: The Feast of Blood.
He was about to decline, but her eager face stopped him. She just wants to know. Doesn't matter if she believes me or not.
"…Alright," he agreed with a sigh.
Mai's joy was immediate.
"First, I'll need to read it. I want to see what's been altered. Give me two days."
"Two days? Are you sure that's enough?" she said, eyeing the massive tome.
"More than enough," Arvard replied with a confident smile.
She almost hugged him right then.
As he turned toward another shelf, Mai asked, "So… how do you know what really happened?"
He ignored the question, pulling out another book.
"What's this?" he read. "'The One Who Lived with Vampires'."
"By Gelhard Truce," Mai said, eyes lighting up. "He was the human who traveled with the prince! They fought together—witch hunters, monsters—and even slept under the cold black night with their—"
Arvard cut her off. "Oh, then I'm definitely taking this."
He remembered Gelhard well. The man had a habit of running away from danger and returning with pride like he'd helped win the battle.
I still remember how we met…