"Are you sure you're okay?" Tyrus asked. "It wouldn't hurt to be safe and visit the infirmary and get checked up on. I went there yesterday, and they seem to know a lot."

Ivy shook her head. "No, I'm fine. There's not a scratch or speck of dirt on my uniform. You really saved me back there, Tyrus."

"Anyone else would've done the same thing," said Tyrus.

Now that the lesson ended abruptly, everyone else was walking back into the academy walls while the instructors stayed back to deal with the aftermath. The atmosphere was active by students speculated on what could've happened if the aggressive hound got their hands on Ivy. There were even whispers of the validity of the instructors and whether they could truly handle the creatures they brought for the lesson. Careless instructors were the murmur of some students; others wondered about stricter academy rules for outdoor classes.

One even brought up the topic of firing Instructor Belpyr altogether, which Tyrus thought was harsh. Everything was going well, and it was simply unfortunate that one lesser hound out of many decided to attack a student.

Speaking of the attack, why did the renegade lesser hound attack Ivy, of all people? The pen it escaped from was closer to the instructors and other students, yet it had locked its gaze on Ivy almost instantly, as if drawn to her. Tyrus couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about it. Lesser hounds were aggressive, sure, but they weren't supposed to break containment without severe provocation. This one, however, acted with an almost unnatural intent.

"Was it just a coincidence, or is there something else?" he mumbled.

"What was what a coincidence?" Ivy asked as they entered the courtyard.

The place was quieter than usual because most students were either in class or in one of the facilities. The older students were the ones mostly wandering around the courtyard or sitting on the benches, doing their own thing. They seemed a bit confused by the number of first-years out of class, but they just shrugged and carried on with their activities.

"Nothing," Tyrus finally answered, forcing his voice to sound casual. "Just thinking out loud."

Ivy didn't buy it. "You're a terrible liar. What were you really thinking about?"

"It's just weird," he admitted quietly. "That beast didn't even look at anyone else. It broke free and went straight for you. Why not the instructors? Why not the other students closer to the pen?"

"Maybe the lesser hound went after me because I looked like the weakest one," Ivy suggested with a shrug.

Tyrus frowned. "That doesn't make sense. There's plenty of other students closer to it, and some of them were definitely smaller than you."

"Smaller maybe, but not quieter." Ivy tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I might've been moving differently. I was walking slower than most people since I was taking notes." She paused. "Maybe I bumped into something? Or I smelled weird? I used to experiment with different herb mixtures alongside my mother."

Tyrus gave her a skeptical look. "I don't think smelling like flowers would drive a lesser hound crazy."

They walked in silence for a moment before Ivy brightened. "Hey! Since the rest of the afternoon's free now, want to head to the library with me?"

"The library? Why?"

"Why not?" Ivy said a little too quickly. "I've been meaning to look up some texts—stuff about magical beasts and runes. I thought you might want to, you know... join me."

Tyrus thought about it for a second. "I guess I do need to check out if there are any books on the Beastfolk Kingdom and artifacts. Might as well."

"Perfect!" Ivy's face lit up. "I can help you with that. I've always been curious about the neighboring king, but there are hardly any texts that mention him in detail. Most of it is just speculation or brief records about their culture."

Tyrus nodded. "Yeah, same. I've only heard a few stories about the King of Beastfolk, but nothing solid. Maybe we'll find something useful."

With a plan in mind, they headed for the common and made their way to their destination. As they neared the entrance to the library, Ivy slowed her pace, suddenly looking a little hesitant.

"You know... I don't mind helping you with your research. I mean, it's kind of exciting to dig through old records and see if we can uncover something."

Tyrus raised a brow. "You sure? It's probably going to be boring. Pages of dry, historical text, barely anything interesting."

Ivy laughed. "That's what makes it fun. It's like a mystery waiting to be solved." She rocked on her heels slightly, trying to sound casual. "Besides, it's nice hanging out with someone who doesn't think I'm annoying for talking too much."

"I don't think you're annoying."

Ivy's face turned a shade pinker, and she glanced away, mumbling something under her breath. Tyrus pushed open the doors to the library, welcomed by the familiar scent of old parchment and ink. Students were scattered about, heads buried in texts or scribbling notes.

"Where do you wanna start?" Tyrus asked, glancing around.

"The historical section might have more on the Beastfolk Kingdom." Ivy stopped in front of one of the many shelves and scanned the titles. "Let's see…"

She trailed a finger along the spines of the books, occasionally tilting her head to read a particularly long title. Tyrus leaned against the shelf, waiting for a good minute.

"Most of these are about human history. Wars, treaties, founding of cities… but nothing on the Beastfolk specifically. We should ask the librarian."

They made their way to the librarian's desk, where an elderly man with round glasses perched on the edge of his nose was scribbling something in a massive tome. He looked up as they approached, fixing them with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What do you need?" he asked curtly.

"We're looking for books on the Beastfolk Kingdom, preferably on their culture and traditions," said Ivy. "By chance, do you have anything like that?"

The librarian sniffed. "The academy does not keep books on Beastfolk culture. However, there are records on their founding and origins, as well as historical accounts of their interactions with the empire. If that will suffice, you may look under Section H-9."

Tyrus crossed his arms. "So there's nothing about their way of life? Their beliefs? Customs?"

"Not in this library," the librarian replied matter-of-factly. "Those kinds of records are not widely shared. If you are interested in such topics, you would need to seek permission to access restricted section—or find firsthand accounts elsewhere."

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Ivy glanced at Tyrus. "Looks like we'll have to settle for what we can get. Let's check out Section H-9."

As they walked away, Tyrus muttered, "Why do I get the feeling that the empire doesn't want people knowing too much about the Beastfolk?"

Ivy hummed thoughtfully. "That's an interesting thought. Perhaps we'll find some answers in these books, or maybe it'll just lead to more questions. Either way, we're in for a fun read."

The energetic atmosphere Ivy emitted stayed as they scanned the shelves for Section H-9, and before long, they settled on a table near the end of a row, their brows furrowed in concentration as they pored over their respective texts.

Ivy flipped through a heavy tome titled Warring Nations, her fingers gliding over the faded pages. "It says here that the Beastfolk Kingdom was formally recognized as an independent nation after the signing of the Non-Aggression Pact by the Fourth Emperor. Before that, they were constantly at odds with human nations due to border conflicts and territorial disputes. The pact set clear boundaries and ensured that neither side would invade the other."

Tyrus rubbed his chin as he skimmed through another book. "So they fought the empire for years, only to make peace later? What changed?"

Ivy pointed to a passage. "Apparently, they weren't exactly losing. The empire couldn't fully subjugate them, and repeated campaigns drained resources. Instead of endless war, it was Emperor Johan that opted for diplomacy, which ultimately benefited both nations."

Not stopping there, Ivy continued to summarize what she found in her book. Historical accounts revealed that the Beastfolk's first recorded encounters with the empire were not through war but through trade. Merchants who dared venture into their lands often returned with rare goods—herbs with potent medicinal properties, pelts of creatures or crops unknown to human lands.

Despite the early promise of cooperation, tensions rose as the empire sought to expand its borders. Conflicts erupted sporadically, often over land disputes and resource control. The empire, seeing the untamed lands of the east as ripe for annexation, launched multiple campaigns to bring the Beastfolk under its rule. However, these efforts proved futile, as the Beastfolk were far more powerful than expected.

Upon further skimming, it became increasingly clear that the empire's records were meticulously curated. A comprehensive record of battles, treaties, and strategic maneuvers was provided, yet the documents offered surprisingly little information about the complexities of Beastfolk society. The information was either missing or deliberately omitted. It was as if the empire had intentionally ensured that its people knew only the surface-level details of the kingdom to the east.

Another page was turned, but it offered no further insight into the culture of the Beastfolk. In essence, the book's last section simply reiterated the previously stated fact that the most formidable Black Tiger from the Tiger Tribe was always the king of the Beastfolk Kingdom. Beyond that, nothing.

A few hours of flipping through books that mentioned the Beastfolk Kingdom went by in a breeze. All their efforts couldn't uncover much beyond a carefully constructed history concentrating only on past political alliances, conflicts, and agreements. No records described the day-to-day lives of the Beastfolk, their traditions, or even their spoken language beyond vague references.

Tyrus already knew the gist of it: artifacts were powerful relics of an era long passed. They were nothing more than legends now, with scholars speculating of granting even unblessed power comparable to sorcerers or near-sentient objects, binding themselves to chosen bearers.

In contrast, pseudo-artifacts were a more recent phenomenon. Unlike true artifacts, they were created in the current age through a mixture of advanced enchantment techniques and alchemy. Pseudo-artifacts were often designed to replicate the functions of genuine artifacts, albeit with limitations. Their power was finite, and their effects often required maintenance or recharging. Still, they had become increasingly sought after, especially among those who could not wield sorcery naturally but wished to harness magic in some form.

Time slipped away unnoticed as they exchanged findings, sharing excerpts of old myths and folklore. Some stories spoke of artifacts bonded to their bearers through fate, choosing only those with the right soul. Others warned of cursed relics that drove their wielders mad, twisting their desires into obsessions. There was even a tale about an unblessed who found a rag that held the power to copy the likeness of anyone it touched, no matter the difference.

At some point, Ivy leaned closer to peer over Tyrus's book, absorbed in a passage about a blade that could cut through mana itself. Her curiosity was infectious, and before long, they were theorizing about what in the world could create such an unfair weapon.

Neither of them noticed when the grand clock near the entrance struck the evening hour. The once-bustling library had emptied, leaving only the glow of light flickering over the shelves. Only when a throat was cleared did they realize how much time had gone by.

The librarian stood with a disapproving frown, arms crossed. "I believe I've been patient enough, but the library is closing. You two need to leave."

Tyrus blinked, then glanced at Ivy, who looked equally surprised. "Already?"

"Yes, already. The Illumination orbs will be extinguished soon, and I'm not about to leave two students buried under stacks of books past closing hours." The librarian gestured toward their fortress of tomes. "Return what you've taken, and off you go."

Ivy sighed, reluctantly closing the book she had been engrossed in. "Guess that's our cue."

They worked quickly to return the books to their proper places, though Ivy lingered a little too long over a particularly interesting passage before reluctantly sliding the tome back onto the shelf. Tyrus found himself smiling at her reluctance. It wasn't often he spent time like this—pouring over books, sharing discoveries, and losing track of the hours.

Stepping outside, beams of light, reminiscent of silver threads, wove through the cloudy night. The street lights did its best in holding back the thick blanket of night that had already descended upon the academy.

Ivy stretched, her expression content despite being forced to leave. "That was fun," she admitted, a little sheepishly. "I know I get carried away sometimes, but thank you for sticking around, Tyrus."

"I had fun too," Tyrus said. "It's a shame you missed out on reading about magical beasts and runes after all the time you spent helping me. I feel bad that you didn't gain anything useful. Next time we should..."

"Next time?"

Tyrus hesitated for a moment, realizing what he had just implied. He wasn't usually the type to plan things like this in advance, especially not with someone as excitable as Ivy, but the thought of another evening lost in books and stories didn't seem so bad.

"Yeah," he said, crossing his arms. "Next time. You still want to research magical beasts and runes, right? Seems fair that we focus on that."

Ivy blinked in surprise before her face lit up with a bright smile. "You mean it?"

"Why not? You helped me out, so I might as well return the favor."

She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels. "Well, I won't say no to that! There's so much to look into. Summoning runes, beast affinities, even how some creatures naturally absorb mana! We might even find out more about why that lesser hound acted so weird around me."

When the hound was mentioned, Tyrus looked at her. He still hadn't shaken the unease from earlier that day, but for now, he let it slide. There would be time to figure it out.

The night air carried the distant hum of the academy winding down, with the occasional student pair or group still lingering outside. When they stopped in front of their respective hall, Ivy looked up at the sky, watching a sliver of silver peek through the moving clouds.

"You know," she mused, "at first, I didn't think you were the type to get caught up in books like that. You were actually enjoying yourself."

Tyrus snorted. "I don't spend all my time fighting or training, you know. I get absorbed in whatever interesting catches my attention."

"Really? Could've fooled me," she teased.

Entering the foyer of Lavarun Hall, Ivy stifled a yawn. "Alright, I guess I should let you go before you tire of my voice. Good night."

"Night," he said, watching as she skipped up the stairs.

Now all alone, Tyrus turned toward the warmth of the crackling fireplace, mind still buzzing with the stories they had uncovered. About halfway into reading about artifacts, Tyrus had forgotten all about the reason he had first come to the library in the first place—instead, he immersed himself in a newfound appreciation for historical accounts and fairy tales alike with Ivy. It was enjoyable imaging himself in their shoes at the point of discovering artifacts and their uses.

In the bigger picture, he gained little insight from the texts. Learning about the historical conflict between the Beastfolk Kingdom and the Lethos Empire, which had been at odds decades ago, was new to him. He had assumed they had always been on good terms. Now, both nations were once again hostile towards each other. Tyrus could understand why most people in the empire despised him and the Beastfolk. However, that didn't justify their hostility towards him.

Although he learned some history, he was ultimately disappointed with the outcome. So what he learned about a few battles and treaties? How did any of that help him learn more about the Black Tigers? That was his goal of reading about the kingdom in the first place, but information about them was nonexistent. Why was that family so darn secretive for no reason whatsoever!?

Tyrus rubbed his hair in frustration, then suddenly slowed down. He froze, pinpointing a strange scent coming from his right shoulder. Giving it a few sniffs, he raised an eyebrow as he detected a heavy, rank odor with a hint of fishiness that belonged to a bear; a creature Tyrus couldn't recall encountering in the past few months.

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