Book 3: Chapter 311: The Blue-Feathered Angel of the Library

Throughout the entire afternoon, Sylutia spent her time discussing the plague matter with Sage Aitos, and by the end of it, she had managed to piece together the full sequence of events and obtain firsthand information.

It seemed this plague had grown to an enormous scale, and the difficulty of resolving it far exceeded initial expectations. In fact, before returning to the Mage Alliance, Sylutia had already heard that an unusual plague had broken out in the Geli Forest of the Hidden Grove, and the symptoms were identical to what she had encountered back in the Darkmist Mountains. During that time, people had even specially invited her over to consult and discuss the matter.

Thanks to past experience, the Hidden Grove side had been quick to seal off the region, then step by step, they snuffed out the plague in its early stages, preventing it from spreading further.

The Hidden Grove Alliance managed to dodge this calamity largely because their transportation network was underdeveloped, and the population surrounding the Geli Forest was naturally sparse. The Mage Alliance, however, was a completely different story. With a much larger population base and far more developed transportation, the plague spread much faster and was far harder to contain.

Moreover, the Mage Alliance regions did not have as many physician Transcendents as the Hidden Grove Alliance. Many of these roles were covered by apothecaries who were skilled at brewing various magic potions and spiritual medicines, but when it came to pathology and healing, they fell somewhat short of the Hidden Grove Alliance's experience and expertise.

Fortunately, once the problem was discovered, the Mage Alliance's official authorities also enacted lockdowns. Now, airships and mages patrolled several of the northern districts, preventing anyone from traveling through the infected zones and spreading the plague outward.

Additionally, even birds flying over the affected regions were being driven away or killed to prevent them from carrying the plague. This was a lesson drawn from the "Mad Crow Riot" of the Eighth Epoch.

Back then, the reason the "Mad Crow Riot" had plunged the entire sky continent into desperation was precisely because various birds could carry the plague. Once infected, some living creatures would even develop avian traits, and just before death, black crow feathers would sprout across their bodies while their limbs twisted and contorted into birdlike forms.

Later scholars had speculated that the "Mad Crow Riot" might have been connected to the deceased Hour, the "Dawn Wind Eagle." After that Hour fell into the Twilight Sea and was devoured by the "Aberrant Mother Nest," numerous birds underwent mutations and distortions, which was why higher-tiered avian creatures had become so rare ever since.

However, this remained nothing more than speculation. Since that period of history was so distant, and the Hours had withdrawn from the mortal world after the Covenant Epoch, much of this information was difficult to verify, leaving only vague conjecture.

After finishing her understanding of these matters, Sylutia noticed that time was growing late, and it was about time for her to leave.

"Is Amelie still living in the library?" Sylutia wanted to see that blue-haired girl.

"She's still there, though we've begun having her engage with practical matters and other people now, so she was given the duty of a librarian," Sage Aitos replied.

Because Amelie had spent so much of her past time devoted to studying, her lack of social experience now needed to be made up for. Fortunately, the Sages hadn't forcibly thrust her into complex and difficult tasks right from the start. Instead, they had her begin with the simple role of a librarian, offering advice and answering inquiries for mages who visited the library.

"Now that the Central Grand Library has reopened, any mage of the Fifth Tier or above may visit once a year to consult materials and study. Considering that many people are quite lost and don't truly know what they want, the librarian duty was arranged, and it happens to be a fitting role for Amelie to take on."

"It's a place where she's lived for many years, so it won't feel too unfamiliar. Additionally, the number of daily visitors isn't too high, and the atmosphere isn't rushed, allowing her to ease into working with others in a gentle manner," Aitos explained. It was clear the Sages had given this careful consideration.

"In a few more years, we'll have Amelie go out on inspection tours and trips, writing books along the way. This will let her gradually learn about the customs and cultures of different regions, slowly integrating into society. Only after that will she be called back to take on positions of true authority," Aitos finished outlining the general arrangement.

"That's very thoughtful." Sylutia nodded, suddenly recalling her own past experiences.

Thinking about it this way, the Sage had been quite confident in her back then. Right from the start, she'd been given tasks of considerable difficulty, sent directly to departments with real power, and within just a few months, she was already participating in major Alliance case investigations, learning about the real darkness of power, money, and all that came with it.

She couldn't help but wonder whether that had been trust, or whether they simply hadn't thought that far ahead at the time. Now that it was Amelie's turn, they were carefully nurturing her growth with the utmost tenderness.

Sylutia savored that subtle psychological shift, suddenly feeling like an older sister who had endured hardships and grown through trials, watching a younger sister being pampered and raised with gentle care.

Well, there wasn't much point in comparing, really. After all, she'd only been at the Mage Alliance for a few years. It was different for Amelie, who had grown up right under the watchful eyes of the Sages since she was small, so of course she would be doted on and given far more attention.

Upon learning that Amelie was still in the library, Sylutia took her leave and made her way toward the tall tower on the northern side of Tetis College.

By this time, evening was approaching, and the library was just about to close for the day. Quite a few people were walking out, some still standing by the steps, continuing their discussions.

Those who could visit this Central Grand Library were all high-tier mages of the Fifth Tier and above. The topics they discussed ran deep and profound, and ordinary onlookers probably couldn't understand what they were talking about at all. Sylutia, however, could follow a great deal of it and found it quite interesting.

Arriving at the main entrance of the library, the duty officer there asked Sylutia whether she had permission, and also informed her that it was already too late in the evening to be entering the library.

"What about this, would this work?" Sylutia produced the badge identifying her as a student of Tetis College.

"I'm sorry, but even if you're a student of the college, you'll need to come back tomorrow."

"I understand." Sylutia blinked, making no attempt to force her way in.

She first walked away from the library entrance, then stood below, gazing upward. Beneath the dark grayish-yellow evening sky, the top of the library's tall tower vanished into the clouds, its peak impossible to see. After a moment's thought, Sylutia produced a special orb. It was the one she and Amelie had used to communicate in the past. She wondered whether the other girl still kept it on her.

Before long, the orb activated, emitting a faint glow, followed by a slight vibration.

A few minutes later, a side entrance of the library opened, and a young girl with long, azure-blue hair came running out, clutching a book in her arms. She looked around, and quickly spotted Sylutia standing at the foot of the steps.

In the fading glow of dusk, everything around was dim and shadowed, the world resembling an aged oil painting. And within that murky world, the figure in silver hair and a white dress stood like the only moonlight, quietly poised. A single gentle wave of her hand was enough to send Amelie's heart flooding with joy.

"Hedra." She wanted to call out the name, but it had been so long since she'd spoken it aloud that her mouth seemed reluctant to open. Instead, she simply quickened her pace and hurried over.

Perhaps to mask Amelie's overly striking appearance, she now wore a rather plain librarian's uniform and a pair of large-framed glasses, dimming some of that pure, ethereal charm she once possessed.

When she reached Sylutia, Amelie took her hand, feeling the familiar warmth that flowed through it, and only then was she certain this was neither illusion nor dream.

"You're back." Her voice was pitched slightly higher than usual, carrying a joy and excitement she herself didn't quite notice.

"Yes, though there's plenty to keep me busy this time as well." The silver-haired girl nodded.

"How have these two years been for you, Amelie? Have you grown? When you deal with people now, do you still get nervous?" Sylutia walked hand in hand with Amelie through the side entrance into the library, leaving the duty officers who witnessed the scene utterly astonished.

Though they felt this was somewhat against the rules, those who worked here likely understood Amelie's status well enough that they didn't forcibly stop them. They merely wondered who this newly arrived silver-haired girl might be.

Though her facial features hadn't changed dramatically from before, the black-haired "Hedra" and the silver-haired "Sylutia" possessed completely different auras. Moreover, the "Cornflower" tucked beside her ear was far too eye-catching to ignore, which was precisely why no one had managed to recognize that Sylutia was Hedra.

Passing through the library's grand hall, which no longer gathered dust or stood empty of visitors, the two climbed the endless spiral staircase together. When they reached the midpoint of the tower's height, Amelie lightly leaped into the air, and a pair of pale blue feathered wings slowly unfurled behind her. Carrying Sylutia with her, she soared upward, passing through the library's many layers of seals until they reached the floor where she normally resided.

Once her feet touched the ground, Sylutia looked around. Not much had changed here compared to the past. It seemed this floor was Amelie's exclusive domain, and ordinary people couldn't reach it at all.

After landing, Amelie hurriedly scurried about to find tea. Watching her slightly flustered and unpracticed movements, Sylutia felt a smile tug at her lips, but also a quiet wave of tenderness.

It seemed Amelie rarely hosted guests like this. She might very well be the first.

She walked over, gently pressing down on the girl's shoulder to calm her nerves, then patiently taught her, step by step, how to brew tea, and how to wash and arrange the tea set.

"It's really not that hard. Once you've done it a few times, you'll get the hang of it."

With her soothing reassurance, Amelie gradually relaxed. The two then sat before the fireplace, catching up and chatting. Sylutia told Amelie about her two years in the Hidden Grove, then explained the reason she'd come back this time, as well as the reason her appearance had changed.

"Ah, so Hedra was Sylutia all along?" Amelie covered her mouth with a soft gasp of surprise.

She was perhaps the last high-ranking member of the Mage Alliance to learn of this matter. After all, she was still quite young. In the eyes of those Sages who had lived for centuries, even a Fifth Tier practitioner like Amelie was still practically a child.

"Yes, I'm sorry I didn't tell you the reason directly back then." Sylutia gently stroked her hair as she replied.

"Actually, the timing when I returned two years ago was still quite delicate. I didn't know what identity I'd come back to the Mage Alliance with in the future, and at the time, the Hidden Grove Alliance and the Mage Alliance hadn't yet begun large-scale cooperation. The situation was still unclear."

"But things have developed quite well between us now. Thanks to the railway construction and the exchange of resources and technology, the relationship between the two sides has eased considerably. Many issues that were once highly sensitive don't seem so severe anymore."

"So from now on, should I call you Sylutia?" Amelie felt a sudden pang of awkwardness and distance, as if two people who had once been very close now had a thin barrier between them.

"You can just call me 'Ti Ya.' That's what my family and friends called me when I was little. It's simpler and more affectionate." The girl answered in this way.

Hearing this, Amelie's mood improved considerably, and as the two continued catching up, that faint sense of estrangement she'd felt earlier gradually dissolved.

Hedra, no, Ya was still the same as ever, Amelie thought as she listened to the girl describe her life in the Hidden Grove.

Over these past two years, in her role as librarian, she had met quite a few mages who came to visit and seek knowledge, and she'd observed all kinds of perspectives, ideas, and troubles from them.

It had to be said that most people were rather mundane. Even after becoming high-tier mages, many remained trapped within their own heart's knots and emotional entanglements.

Mages who had advanced to the Fifth Tier generally no longer lacked for money. At this stage, they had a fairly clear understanding of whether they could reach the Sixth Tier, or even go further. So the people who came to the library asking questions weren't actually concerned with advancing their power or strength, but rather with the many worldly worries and anxieties that plagued their lives.

For these high-tier mages, they disdained to share their inner troubles with ordinary people, nor could they. Finding friends of the same tier wasn't easy either. Those who managed to advance to the Fifth Tier were already a rare minority, and each of them typically held mid-to-upper level positions in organizations or institutions. Confiding their troubles to acquaintances carried risks, whereas strangers with no connection to them were far easier to open up to.

And so, even while working at the library, Amelie had grown considerably over these two years. She'd come to appreciate the complexity of human nature, as well as the obsessions and tangled thoughts that she found so difficult to comprehend.

So much so that when she later looked back, she realized just how rare a friend like Sylutia was, one so intelligent and clear-minded.

Listening to Sylutia's soft, ethereal voice, Amelie felt her thoughts settling into calm, as though a faint sense of peace had washed over her. Then she shook her head, feeling she'd grown too dependent on Sylutia.

She was, after all, slightly older than Sylutia, and she'd matured considerably by now. She couldn't cling to the other girl the way she had back then, with that simple, dazed devotion.

The two sat on the sofa chatting, and before they knew it, the kettle on the stove had boiled. After finishing their tea, Sylutia saw that it was getting quite late, and it was time to say her goodbyes.

Having just reunited only to part again so soon, Amelie felt a tug of reluctance. But when Sylutia told her that she would be staying with the Hidden Grove team at the Mage Alliance to deal with the plague for quite some time, and that they'd have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future, her mood brightened considerably.

"See you next time, Amelie~" Sylutia waved goodbye before descending the steps.

"Mm." Amelie nodded slightly, but as she watched Sylutia leisurely making her way down, something seemed to occur to her.

A moment later, she was by Sylutia's side once more, gently wrapping her arms around the girl's waist.

"Let me carry you down, Ti Ya." Amelie then lightly leaped into the air, her wings beating behind her, and in a princess carry, she descended with Sylutia all the way to the lowest floor of the library.

"This..." Sylutia had initially wanted to decline mid-way, but seeing the faint joy on Amelie's face, she held back.

Perhaps this way, Amelie would feel she'd been able to help Sylutia, gaining a quiet sense of accomplishment, no longer just that naive, innocent girl who had depended on Sylutia for everything.

Sylutia, perceptive and clear-minded as she was, understood the other girl's feelings. So she stopped resisting and let Amelie carry her down from the library's upper floors until they finally touched the ground.

Once she was steady on her feet again, Sylutia waved her hand in thanks once more.

"Amelie, you're really dependable now."

Her words flowed like a gentle stream, nourishing the heart of her somewhat awkward friend, until it melted into a soft, sweet happiness.

Afterward, Sylutia slowly walked out of the library, gradually disappearing from Amelie's sight.