Chapter 12: A Happy Break (3)
Fortunately, I made it to the library-slash-clock tower without any detours.
From its height, it was probably the tallest structure at the academy.
As I stood marveling at its design, one thing became apparent.
This place is way too small to be a library.
Sure, it was tall, but there didn’t seem to be enough space inside to fit anything.
For a moment, I wondered if it was just a hollow column. But if that were the case, wouldn’t it have collapsed long ago from shoddy construction? Still, the windows suggested there was something inside.
Or maybe this is one of those fantastical settings where things don’t collapse, no matter how lazily they’re built, because of some durable, magical material.
Even so, the interior seemed way too cramped to house a library.
That is, until I went inside.
Inside the tower, it was more fantastical than I could have imagined.
The library was massive, far more spacious than the exterior suggested.
Its height also seemed to stretch endlessly, much taller than it looked from outside.
The space must have been at least ten stories high. Staff members bustled about, managing books with clockwork efficiency or scrubbing the floors.
The sight was enough to make me think this place was just another one of those spots where nobles poured their excessive wealth.
I found it odd at first that there wasn’t the usual smell of books in the air. Then I realized it was probably because they kept the place so meticulously clean.
Some people even dislike the smell of books, so maybe this library was designed with such individuals in mind.
The air felt a little stifling, likely due to the warped magical energy that powered the place. But I was too busy being awestruck to complain.
For the first time, I truly felt like I was in a proper fantasy world.
Sure, lifting a piece of land or chatting with gods was plenty fantastical. But those were things I’d grown accustomed to since childhood.
When you’re used to something, it doesn’t feel as special anymore.
After all, in my 19 years as Baek Hoyeon, I’d spent almost 14 of them in conversations with gods. Lifting land at my request? That was practically a trivial favor.
Honestly, their constant offers to help had been more of an inconvenience than anything else. Now that I was separated from them, though, I felt a twinge of loneliness.
No, no. Let’s stay happy. Fantasy world. Happy thoughts.
“Please present your student ID.”
Before I could dwell on anything gloomy, someone who looked like a librarian approached me, asking for my student ID.
I vaguely remembered that first-years typically received their IDs a month after enrollment. Assuming the same applied here, I responded casually.
“I’m a first-year.”
“First-year students were issued their IDs collectively on the day of the entrance ceremony. Did you lose yours?”
Was this person human? Despite being made of flesh and blood, they felt mechanical.
So, IDs were handed out at the entrance ceremony, huh? Not exactly welcome news, considering I hadn’t received mine.
“…I’m a transfer student.”
I hoped being a transfer student might grant me an exception, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t.
Judging by how the teachers had treated me on my first day, I wasn’t expecting any special accommodations.
Teachers usually go out of their way to help transfer students, but my homeroom teacher had avoided me outright.
“Updating information… Reviewing Administrative Order 342. Apologies, but exceptions do not apply to transfer students.”
Of course. Nothing ever goes my way. I could already picture my homeroom teacher telling me there were special circumstances and that my ID wouldn’t be ready until the second semester.
The same excuses would likely apply to field trips or sports festivals, too.
…I shouldn’t have left home.
What business does a socially awkward shut-in like me have attending an academy? I could’ve just stayed in bed, instead of throwing a fit about wanting to enroll.
If someone had dragged me here against my will, at least I’d have someone to blame. But no, this was all on me.
So now what? I didn’t have anything to play with, no friends to chat with, and no gods to talk to… Well, they’re technically there, but it’s not the same.
I considered going back to see Dogeon, but returning so soon after leaving felt strange.
I’d probably come across as mentally unstable. With that in mind, it seemed like there wasn’t much for me to do outside.
Visiting Anastasia was also out of the question—I didn’t know where she was, and showing up uninvited would be rude. That left one option: heading back to my dorm and going to sleep.
Fine. I’ll be the shut-in I’m meant to be. I can unpack my luggage, write in my journal—there’s stuff to do. No need for it to be academy-specific.
Just as I was about to leave the library, a voice called out from behind me.
“Reviewing Administrative Order 1453 from the Headmaster… Provide… to student Baek Hoyeon. Confirmed. Cross-referencing data… Confirmed. Welcome, Miss Baek Hoyeon. Apologies for the inconvenience. Please feel free to use the library at your leisure.”
I didn’t understand what this “administrative order” was, why my name had come up, or what kind of data they’d cross-referenced.
But I figured it meant I was allowed in now. Hesitant, I walked past the librarian-like figure. They didn’t stop me.
…Whatever they were supposed to provide, it was probably some kind of accommodation for me as a transfer student. No point overthinking it, so I headed inside.
The library was quiet and sparsely populated.
A few students were scattered about, some buried in books for study, others reading for leisure.
The atmosphere was tranquil.
Most people barely glanced at newcomers before returning to their own business.
One student who briefly looked at me had such pronounced dark circles under their eyes that I found myself silently rooting for them.
Hang in there. They wouldn’t hear it, but I sent them my encouragement anyway as I began considering what to read.
Etiquette books seemed like a good choice—something about the culture, manners, or common sense of this world and continent.
But would a sophisticated library like this even have something so basic? For students attending this academy, such knowledge was probably considered common sense.
“Etiquette of the Empire: A Guide to Avoiding Mistakes.”
There it was. On the fourth floor, in the sociology section, labeled as a recommended book of the month.
The spine showed signs of wear, the corners rounded from frequent handling. Clearly, it was a popular read.
I’d expected heavy tomes with serious titles, like The Prince, but instead, I found attention-grabbing titles.
Amused by the universal appeal of sensational book titles, I opened the cover with a small chuckle.
***
“Get up.”
It was less a lesson and more an act of cruelty. Everyone left standing, including Han Dogeon, felt the same. No one could understand why survival training required running laps until they collapsed.
“Stand up. This is the class you chose to remain in, Han Dogeon. Rise with sheer willpower.”
Ordinary students had already dropped, and even those using mana-breathing techniques were sprawled on the ground.
The few students still conscious could only wonder, in their fading awareness, how this professor hadn’t been fired yet.
“You didn’t uncover the secrets of the arcane with this pathetic level of resolve, did you?”
Sprawled on the ground, Dogeon reflected. While earning the professor’s recognition had been nice, he should’ve considered what came afterward.
He’d known about unlocking the mysteries of the Kettlebell spell and the subsequent one-on-one training with Georg. But he hadn’t expected this grueling process in between.
Ultimately, though, his plan had succeeded. Being personally trained by a former mage from the Hero’s Party was a huge win. Sure, his body would suffer, but the trade-off was worth it.
Stretching out his arms to push himself up, Dogeon collapsed again. Even with the advantages of reincarnation, his body couldn’t withstand such extreme exertion.
“…Reset.”
When the students came to, they found themselves lined up on the field as if nothing had happened. Their stamina had been fully restored.
Dogeon was the only one who grasped what had occurred. In that brief moment, the professor had healed every student and repositioned their bodies.
Healing was supposed to be a cleric’s domain.
How is this man even a mage?
Still, Dogeon found it reassuring. A monster like this teaching him magic was bound to produce results.
“If you don’t understand what just happened, don’t worry. But consider this: why did I make you run?”
It doesn’t matter what you answer. With a personality like his, he’ll tell you it’s wrong anyway. At least, Dogeon mused, the professor didn’t treat Hoyeon that way.
As someone who believed himself the only person in this world who understood the Baek Empire’s strength, Dogeon felt a contradictory compulsion to protect Hoyeon from the plot while keeping her uninvolved.
If anyone harmed her, intentionally or not…
Her parents wouldn’t sit idly by.
Resolving to bring forward any events that could be expedited—while ensuring Hoyeon remained safe—Dogeon steeled himself once more.
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