Chapter 79: The Third Day of the Festival (VIII).
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The Hidden Archive
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Once a revered sanctum within the most prestigious royal academy, stood as a beacon of knowledge, a silent witness to countless moments that shaped the kingdom's history. Long ago, this institution nurtured brilliant minds from both noble bloodlines and humble origins. Many of its graduates rose to become esteemed adventurers, wise rulers, and visionary scholars who paved the way for a golden era of prosperity.
Throughout the centuries, the archive became intertwined with legends. It bore witness to the summoning of heroes from distant worlds and to the forging of peace and power.
Among its most cherished tales was the story of the kingdom's first saintess, a woman renowned for her compassion, grace, and unshakable resolve.
She was a beacon of light, wielding not just immense magical power but an unwavering heart. In the face of an unprecedented evil that bled into their realm, she sacrificed everything. With the last of her strength, she forged her soul into her greatest weapon, the Wand of Light, a relic capable of immense purification.
At only twenty-six, she fell in battle alongside her beloved, their lives claimed in a final act of defiance against the darkness. Her dying wish was clear: that her wand be sealed away until her return, or until one worthy of her legacy would rise to bear it. To honor her sacrifice, the academy secured the relic deep within the royal archives, a place shielded from greed, ambition, and corruption.
But as time passed, the Hidden Archive faded from memory. Untouched for generations, it became a forgotten relic of the past. Magical crystals, rich in dormant energy, began to grow unchecked within its walls. With their rise came beasts, powerful creatures drawn to the archive's ancient power.
The once-sacred place fell silent under the threat of its own guardians, and none dared enter it again.
Now, it waits, cloaked in shadows and stories, for the moment fate stirs once more.
That is until the heroine came to continue her task.
"Whoah! Lord Ein come look! What do you think this is? I can't believe these crystals are being left untouched! They are full of mana and some unstable energy that I can't explain?!" In the game the heroine didn't even bother touching the crystals or the plants around the hidden archive.
Lord Ein nods agreeing with the heroine with her findings, his fingers traced onto the edge of the crystals feeling its intense mana. He looks down and observes the plants growing beneath, "Fascinating, the plants that are growing here… some of them are practically extinct and could only be seen through rough drawings in books. How long has it been since someone has stumbled inside the hidden archives? Some of it couldn't survive in this kind of environment but could the mana from these crystals have kept them alive?"
Analissa feels the energy of the surroundings, "Now that you mention it, the place is a bit overgrown. There's been sounds of animals or something too, birds are thriving in this place. I can't believe that the archive would be this well… big."
'The art in the game didn't really show the whole scene of the hidden archives, it wasn't made with great detail… I guess when it came to the Easter egg the devs got lazy and they focused more on the mechanics.' (Analissa) could remember searching up the answers on Guuglu while streaming the game. 'Ah… I remember when I had to hurdle a lot of things just to get that wand. Too bad there's no save and load button to make things easier and there's no chat giving me motivation. I'll just have to get through this with my memory.'
Analissa turns to look at Lord Ein who was busy in his own world.
"I must take notes, some of the herbal plants growing here could be used for healing and headaches. This is a rare chance I must take some, [Inventorium]. Not only that… the crystals here are so pure in mana this much high quality you'll never find outside without breaking the bank." He takes some of the plants and breaks the crystals in small chunks, carefully putting it in his inventory for a more thorough observation when they get back outside.
Mana crystals are a coveted source of raw magical energy, often harnessed to empower enchanted wands, drive groundbreaking inventions, and serve as vital ingredients in the brewing of powerful potions.
It's not always you can stumble upon hidden and what's considered to be forbidden places in the academy.
The heroine rests her chin by her palm, trying not to overthink if the challenges will be more difficult or easier to solve with another person by her side. 'And maybe with Lord Ein right by my side clearing this Easter egg quest will be a breeze.'
The said young lord was still happily chipping away the crystals.
Analissa, who was impatient and felt that they were running out of time, wanted to drag him out but then thought of something. "Lord Ein, you seem interested in these mana crystals. Are they worth a lot?"
"Indeed." He smiles, showing off a small chunk of pure mana crystal it glistens into the light. "This much pure mana crystals can get you a new mansion in the capital city. One could never find this much treasure and be foolish enough to not take some."
"Gasp!" Hearing his nonchalant way talking about the crystal that's worth hundreds of gold almost made her faint, just that one tiny crystal could buy her a mansion?!
"Well you could even buy new clothes, books, and well now you can get into the most expensive restaurants with Lady Alarie if you'd like." (Lord Ein) continues chipping away, but his words implanted fantasies in Analissa's mind.
The three braincell's eyes started rolling like a gacha wheel banner, it stopped on three Yen signs signaling a great fortune.
'Money for new books!' (Logical Braincell) explained as she dreamed of buying new books for her to read and study.
'Money for better things in our dorm!' (Normal Braincell) was excited about buying new blankets, clothes, and even thinking of repaying back the villainess for everything she's done for her. 'And for Lady Evelyn-'
'Money to spend for Lady Evelyn!' (Horny Braincell) on the other hand were thinking of using it in other ways. 'We can buy her really good clothes!'
The other two braincells stared at her and then focused back on the task at hand.
"But to extract something this delicate, you'll need proper technique," He said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Judging by the look in your eyes... you want a few, don't you?" He chuckled softly, the greed practically radiating off her was impossible to miss.
Analissa nodded, sheepish. "I-If you don't mind! As you can see, I'm not exactly in the best financial situation… so I might need it. J-Just a few! Enough to help me live without worry for a while."
Honestly, money doesn't really faze her now. Even if she manages to sell this crystal, she'll still be keeping her restaurant job for free food.
"Haha! Good thing we're friends, then. I'll grab a few for you. Wrap them in any spare cloth you have- keeps the quality high. And don't just shove them in your pockets. Use your inventory."
"But… wait," She tilted her head. "Do you need money too, Lord Ein? For some reason you're way too into this."
Lord Ein slumped with a dramatic sigh, looking utterly defeated. He can't yell at her that his situation right now for being broke was for her sake! "Don't remind me.."
He didn't seem to be in any mood longer so Analissa just side eyed and decided not to touch that side of things.
"O…kay?" (Analissa) said, unsure how to respond.
Lord Ein carefully placed a few mana crystals into Analissa's open hands, his movements uncharacteristically gentle. The crystals shimmered with a soft, ethereal glow, their surfaces gleaming like polished glass, with veins of magic pulsing faintly within.
Analissa stared in quiet awe. They were even more beautiful up close. No wonder they were worth a fortune. Without wasting a moment, she pulled a spare cloth from her inventory and wrapped them up delicately, tucking the bundle away with care.
"Thank you, Lord Ein," She said sincerely, clutching the wrapped crystals to her chest. "So… where do I sell them?"
"You don't know?" He frowned, imagining the blonde girl selling this out in the open- god she is easy to rob in daylight! "If you're inexperienced with bartering, you're bound to get scammed. You can sell them at the nearest adventurer's guild, but there's a heavy tax."
"Tax?!"
Curse these taxes!
He sighed, thinking that this girl won't make it if he leaves her alone with the mana crystals. "I'll sell your share. Leave it to me. I've got connections. One of my father's friends collects pure mana crystals like these, he pays well."
"Thank you, Lord Ein." (Analissa) beamed, giving the crystals that've been wrapped in cloth back to him. "I think there's a lot of paperwork involved too, right? I'll leave that all to you."
Lord Ein muttered under his breath, "I swear, it's a good thing I'm here or else you'll not only slip in your love life but also your financial life..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Just hoping we can make it back in time for the magic duel." What a smooth criminal, this one.
Analissa suddenly remembered that they should keep going, they don't have enough time after all. "You're right. I don't want to keep Lady Evelyn waiting. After all, we don't even know how much time has passed down here. We'll just have to hurry on finding that wand and I remember my chat- I mean! My research upon this matter, and I have found out that some tomes here carry spells that will lead us to certain clues."
"Well then, we should follow the path for now perhaps it will lead us where we need to go." (Lord Ein said) quietly, eyeing the path.
They continued along the winding trail, the forest growing denser and more ancient with each step. The trees loomed high above, their trunks laced with glowing mana crystals that pulsed gently like the heartbeat of the land itself. Vines shimmered with a faint luminescence, and the air buzzed softly, heavy with forgotten magic.
Then, just beyond a break in the overgrowth, they saw it.
A pedestal, grown into the roots of an ancient tree, stood solemnly in a small clearing. Atop it rested a tomel, it was old, yet untouched by time. Its cover was bound in deep emerald leather that seemed to ripple like water in moonlight. Gilded runes adorned its surface, shifting fluidly as if resisting the gaze of the unworthy.
The pedestal was partially wrapped in moss and glimmering crystal, as if the forest itself had cradled and shielded the tome for centuries. A faint aura surrounded it, casting soft motes of golden light into the air.
The book pulsed gently, it was a relic from another age, slumbering in silence, waiting for the right hands to unveil its secrets.
"Here's one."
Analissa quickly took it and opened the first page to see its contents, but quickly became disappointed upon seeing the unknown language inside.
"I can't… read it." She shows the tome to Lord Ein who also doesn't know how to read it.
"Perhaps this is a tome belonging from another country-"
Before they could move any closer, the tome stirred.
A soft hum resonated from within its pages, and the runes on its cover began to shift, writhing like living ink. The ancient script, once unreadable, twisted and morphed before their eyes, reshaping itself into words they could finally understand. Light seeped from the seams of the book, casting strange shadows on the trees around them.
Analissa took a step back, eyes wide.
"Wh-Whoah! N-Nevermind," She stammered, clutching her cloak as the air grew charged with bursts of energy.
The tome's cover creaked open, pages fluttering as if caught in an invisible breeze. Yet no wind blew, only magic pulsing with purpose, awakened for the first time in a long while.
Lord Ein narrowed his eyes, cautiously intrigued. "It's responding to us," He muttered but the energy focused only on Analissa. He couldn't help smiling, knowing that it was worth following her into the hidden archives.
"Or maybe just to you."
The forest seemed to fall still once more, all of nature holding its breath as the tome awaited a reader.
It was waiting… for its new master.
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