Embarrassing as it was to admit, when Vinny thought about it carefully, it felt like lately he only ever went to Mirexia when he needed her help with something.

Only then did he think of her.

But Mirexia never seemed to mind in the slightest. As long as she knew she could help Vinny, she was always happy to do it.

“Mirexia, something unexpected happened during my practical assessment.”

Vinny told Mirexia about it. When it came to Mirexia, he had always trusted her without reservation.

Vinny told her everything that had happened during this practical assessment, including the purpose of that underground research institute—why it had existed and what the Ancient Empire had built it to do.

Naturally, keeping these things secret was best. Otherwise, there was no telling whether some hidden force with ulterior motives might set its sights on him.

But Mirexia had always been someone who understood boundaries. She knew what should be said and what should not, and she was extremely tight-lipped, so Vinny trusted her enough to tell her.

Unlike Shicodale. It was not that Vinny did not trust him as a person.

He just did not trust his shallow life experience or his intelligence. If he ran into someone on Aesphyra’s level, a few hooks in the right places would probably be enough to make him spill everything.

“There’s a secret research institute left behind by the Tyrelis Ancient Empire beneath Gaflei Fort? And it was researching how to produce [Divine Authority]?” Mirexia tried to digest the overwhelming amount of information.

“Yes. And all the researchers involved in that project were from our Academy. They were basically all our upperclassmen and upperclasswomen.”

“So something that dangerous really happened...” Mirexia fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

[Virtue +100.]

[Current Virtue: 7539.]

“Yeah. This time, I only made it out alive because of Aesphyra and Milian.” As he said that, Vinny took the emerald-bright Soul-Heart from his chest.

“So I wanted to ask you whether you know where the other Golden Elf students at Carillian Academy live. No matter how you look at it, I have to make a trip to Eternity Forest.”

Mirexia felt that was only right.

After receiving such a tremendous debt of gratitude, if all he did was hand the Soul-Heart over to the Golden Elves, let them figure out the rest themselves, say he was powerless to help, and walk away—that would be far too improper.

Not to mention, Milian’s status was special. She was the second princess of the Golden Elves.

After hearing the whole story from Vinny, Mirexia sincerely felt grateful to both Milian and Aesphyra for saving him. She also felt it was necessary to meet Milian’s family in person and explain everything clearly.

But Mirexia also knew that the Golden Elves were extremely hostile to humans. Eternity Forest was an outright forbidden zone for human beings. Unless a human had received permission directly from the queen, there was no entering it.

“Let me think... I happen to know one.” Mirexia thought it over. “If I’m remembering right, there’s a Golden Elf student in the class next to yours. Her name is Ronilei. She should count as someone Milian knows. I’ve seen her with Milian a few times around the Academy.”

“Ronilei, right? Got it. I’ll remember that. Where can I find her?” Vinny asked.

“Ronilei seems to like reading quite a bit. I’ve seen her several times in the courtyard on the third floor of the Library of True Knowledge.” Mirexia considered for a moment.

“Alright. Thanks, Mirexia.” He had originally wanted to invite Mirexia out for afternoon tea or a meal or something, but there was no time to waste. Vinny stood up at once, ready to leave. “Thanks, Mirexia. I keep troubling you every time. Next time, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“I’ve told you a million times already. You don’t have to thank me.” Mirexia turned her eyes away.

Vinny left the Student Council and headed for the Library of True Knowledge. This library was one of Carillian Academy’s most luxurious archival libraries. Students from outside Carillian Academy were not allowed inside.

Following the rough route in his memory, he made his way there.

The moment he arrived, Vinny understood why Mirexia had described Ronilei’s location so precisely.

This library looked like an opulent palace standing upon the earth. Its roof was shaped like a gigantic open book turned upside down. Its outer walls looked like volumes standing upright on a bookshelf. From a distance, the whole structure looked like a pile of books stacked together.

Vinny recalled some of the relevant information about it. This library had been built based on several famous masterpieces from the era of the Tyrelis Ancient Empire. Every “page” forming the massive structure had been carved with the same contents as the original text. The scale of the engineering was enormous.

Of course, when this library had been built, the Tyrelis Ancient Empire had still existed. With the empire’s vast wealth backing it, and with imperial culture at the height of its glory, they had naturally been able to build whatever wonder they pleased.

Elves really do like things with historical depth, huh.

That was what Vinny thought.

When he entered the library, the scent of paper washed over him, carrying a trace of antiquity.

The Library of True Knowledge was very quiet. Sunlight fell across the old wooden shelves, sketching out their natural and elegant outlines.

The books were neatly arranged on the wooden shelves. Looking around, it seemed there was not a single wrinkled page or bent corner among them. It was obvious that the administrator here had put real care into the place and truly treated the books like treasures.

“Ahem. You there, the blue-haired student. Show me your student card.”

Vinny had been standing at the entrance for quite a while without going in, so the short, dark-skinned old man sitting on a bench finally spoke up. His voice was rough and hearty, yet oddly polite for how gruff it sounded.

“Oh, sorry.” Vinny handed over his student card.

“Vinny Facilis.” The old man, dark-skinned and squat like a sturdy tree stump, read the name aloud. “Facilis?”

“Yes, sir.”

“This is your first time at the Library of True Knowledge, isn’t it?” The old man returned the student card.

“Yes. First time.”

“You’re not here to look for books, are you?” the old man said abruptly with a nod.

“...Uh, how could you tell?” Vinny asked, puzzled.

“After you came in, your eyes kept darting back and forth between the corridor and the tea room. What kind of book are you going to find by sweeping your gaze around like that?” The old man {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} was not the least bit surprised. “And if you’re not looking at books, then you’re looking at people.”

“You young people really are something else. If you want to chase after someone, then do it openly. Couldn’t you at least pick a better place? Always pretending to be book lovers so you can sidle up to somebody—starting from that kind of excuse, sooner or later you’re going to give yourselves away,” the old man muttered to himself.

Vinny said nothing and did not bother explaining that he was not here to chase anyone.

From the looks of it, this old gentleman had seen more than his share of things like this—students hearing that someone they liked often came to the library, then showing up here to stage a “chance encounter.”

And he clearly had opinions about it.

“Go on in.” The old man opened the magic gate, and the two magical chains intertwined in the air vanished.

“Thank you.” Vinny walked into the first-floor hall of the library.

Only now did he fully understand why Mirexia had described that Golden Elf student’s location in such detail.

The place was simply too big.

Its horizontal area alone was probably as large as several training fields put together. It had five floors, each holding different types of books.

If all he had known was that she was somewhere in this library, then even from morning until night, he probably still would not have found her.

Vinny climbed the stairs to the third floor and asked around in several places before finally managing to find the courtyard.

I hope Ronilei’s here.

Judging by the timing, most first-year students had already returned to school. There was still a practical combat exam later, so after finishing the practical assessment, everyone still had to come back.

Ronilei should have returned to the Academy by now.

And if she had, then according to her habits, she ought to be here in her usual library, reading as always.

The road a person walks often becomes their habitual route.

So she should still be in her usual spot.

In the courtyard on the third floor, sunlight streamed through the glass windows and fell over the potted vines growing indoors. Next to the bookshelves along one side of the corridor was a bright, clean little resting area.

There, on the sofa nearest the greenery, sat a blonde girl.

A book lay open on the table before her, and her emerald-gem eyes moved with the guide of her finger as she read the contents of the thick black-covered volume in silence.

Her golden braid rested by her side as she read with full concentration. Those cute pointed elven ears made her identity obvious.

This had to be the Ronilei Mirexia had told him about.

Anyone looking at that scene would hesitate to disturb her, and Vinny also remembered that elves all seemed to have some peculiar fixations and temperaments. For example, being interrupted while doing something they loved and were completely focused on was one of the things they found most intolerable.

Vinny stood beside the blonde girl, unsure how to begin or what kind of opening line would be appropriate. Since he did not want to interrupt her, he simply stayed there beside her like some bodyguard.

He had no idea how much time passed.

The sunlight slanting into the room shifted, and the last scattered fragments of sunset on the glass looked like glittering agate.

The blonde elf girl rubbed the back of her neck and had just started to rise when she suddenly discovered that, at some point, a figure had appeared at her side.

“??”

She turned sharply and looked at the blue-haired young man standing there, her expression tinged with surprise and something stranger.

A human had been standing right beside her this whole time?

And with her senses, she had not noticed even once?

“And you are?” The blonde girl’s gaze moved over Vinny. After seeing him clearly, a strange flicker passed through her eyes.

“Hello. Excuse me, are you Miss Ronilei?” Seeing that he had finally gotten her attention, Vinny felt like a burden had been lifted. If he had gone on standing there any longer, he felt like spiderwebs might have started growing on him.

“I am.” Ronilei’s gaze settled back into calm as she looked at him. “Stranger, how long have you been standing here?”

“Since I didn’t want to interrupt your reading, and I wasn’t sure how best to start talking to you, I ended up standing here a little longer,” Vinny answered.

“...”

Ronilei glanced at the sunset outside the window and only spoke again after a moment of silence.

“Should I praise your patience, or should I say you have far too much free time?”

“Did you need something from me?”

There was a faint cool distance in Ronilei’s tone. Vinny was not surprised by that. This was probably just how elves generally treated outsiders.

“Yes. Ronilei, if I may ask—after your practical combat exam is over, will you be returning to Eternity Forest?”

“?”

Ronilei did not answer. She only looked at Vinny in silence.

It was a question involving personal privacy. Any normal person would become wary and guarded when a stranger suddenly asked something like that.

“I don’t mean anything by it.” Vinny sat down and took the Soul-Heart pearl from his chest.

“?!”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ronilei recognized what it was, and her expression changed instantly.

“Student, where did you get that?” Ronilei stared at Vinny in alarm.

“Ronilei, I don’t mean any harm. Actually, I want to ask you for a favor.”

“...A favor?”

“Yes. You know Milian, right?” Vinny said.

“Her Highness Milian? Of course I know her,” Ronilei said. “So what are you trying to say?”

“I’m here to send Milian home.” Vinny placed the Soul-Heart on the table and spoke softly.

“?? Human, what is the meaning of this? What did you do to our princess?” The instant Ronilei connected the Soul-Heart in Vinny’s hand to the deliberate mention of Milian’s name, she realized something. Her eyes narrowed like a cat’s, cold light flashing within them.

“This is what happened. Listen to me first.” Vinny raised a hand and then told Ronilei the entire sequence of events, from meeting Milian during his practical assessment to everything that happened afterward.

“...”

Ronilei’s expression kept changing throughout his explanation. She clenched her teeth and stared at the gleaming emerald Soul-Heart resting on the table.

“You’re saying... our princess is trapped in the Demon God Abyss?” Ronilei’s voice had grown hoarse. “Do you have any proof that any of this is true?”

“As for that, there should probably be some kind of notice made public soon enough. If you don’t believe me, Ronilei, you can ask the relevant mentors. Tell them you’re Milian’s acquaintance, and that I told you to ask. They’ll tell you,” Vinny said.

Without a word, Ronilei picked up Milian’s Soul-Heart.

Sure enough, just as Vinny had said, only half of it still flowed with emerald radiance. The other half had been hollowed out.

This was something she had never even heard of before.

An elf’s Soul-Heart either vanished completely, or it remained whole. She had never seen a state like this before, where only half of it still existed.

But if a Demon Pillar was involved, then everything did make sense.

“Then, Vinny,” Ronilei said, holding the Soul-Heart and staring hard at him, “what exactly is your purpose in coming here? You could have let the mentors at Carillian Academy explain the situation and have them hand the Soul-Heart over to me.”

“I was hoping... Ronilei, could you take me with you to Eternity Forest as well?” Vinny said honestly. “This happened because of me. I’m going to take responsibility for it to the very end.”

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