After spending the night in the lodge closest to the portal, Jan woke up early to find Rollo already waiting for him.
For breakfast, he took him to that same inn from the night before. Apparently, it was Rollo's favorite spot.
The innkeeper, recognizing Jan immediately, asked about his well-being after his late-night rush to the tower.
That's when Jan learned the innkeeper had slipped strong coffee into Rollo's mug the night before—hoping it would sober him up enough to go after him.
'It didn't quite sober him up, though,' Jan thought, recalling Rollo's loud, off-key singing on their way out last night.
Despite the loudness, and the occasional bursts of violence, Jan couldn't deny that Rollo had been nothing but kind to him.
Not only had he saved Jan's life, but he had also paid for his room and was now covering his breakfast.
'Someday, I'll repay him.' Jan resolved.
The innkeeper personally served their meal, bringing freshly baked bread, roasted meat, and a warm broth. It was clear that they were receiving special treatment, as no other table got such care.
With Jan now less shy, the two of them ate to their hearts' content. After nearly an hour of food and chatter, Rollo suddenly realized the time, hurriedly donned his helmet, and stood up.
"I'm running late," he said as he adjusted his armor.
As promised, Rollo told Jan plenty of things about this world.
He explained more about the tower, the current state of the Heroes, and how they'd all been stuck on the 50th floor, unable to move forward.
Rollo wasn't sure why—most of what he knew came from merchants, travelling between floors.
Jan found it strange that merchants even made it that far. Wouldn't it be dangerous for regular folks to go into the tower?
"They had no choice," Rollo explained.
Each floor was linked to its own town, and every ten floors formed an entire nation.
That meant there were 50 floors and five nations in total.
Merchants, heroes, and adventurers regularly traveled between these towns, whether to trade, relay information, or restock supplies.
However, no one, not even the people of this world, knew what lay beyond the 50th floor.
Each town had a portal leading to the next, but for some reason, the portal to the 51st floor was missing.
Jan had his suspicions. 'It must be in the Endlesscape.'
But that was a mystery for later.
For now, Rollo advised him to stay in town and focus on getting stronger.
He even offered to train him in the evenings after finishing his knightly duties. It was an offer Jan couldn't refuse.
Rollo left, and Jan, now stuffed and satisfied, stretched slightly as he stood up. Once more, his gaze swept across the inn.
He looked, he listened—The sunlight slipping through the cracks, the smiles on people's faces, the chatter, the laughter, the yells and whispers—
It was real.
These people, those beasts, that tower… I have to accept it now. This world is real.
However, everything here worked differently.
Even life and death.
If he wanted to survive, he had to change—let go of his inhibitions, his stubbornness and accept the strangeness of this world.
'I can't believe I'm saying this. I guess for once, I have to play the game!'
As he made his way to the door, the innkeeper called out.
"Hey, hero! Did you enjoy the food?"
Jan paused, turning back. "Yes, it was delicious. Thank you very much."
"Come back anytime! You're always welcome here," the innkeeper said with a proud grin, "Oh, and I put in a good word for you at the training hall. If you need some practice, just head over there!"
Jan was genuinely surprised by the innkeeper's kindness. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me! You heroes are destined to save our world. If you ever have questions, don't hesitate to ask—I'm always around!"
Jan hesitated for a moment.
"Actually, there is something I wanted to ask..."
Jan said he was going to play this game but the first thing he asked about was,
"The library?" The innkeeper raised an eyebrow.
***
Jan stood in front of the small, forgotten building at the northeast edge of town, a faint smile pulling at his lips.
Time had not been kind to this place. Ivy crawled up its weathered stone walls, and the moss-covered roof sagged worryingly. Above the door, a barely legible sign swung on rusted chain, reading:
"LIBRARY"
Jan took a slow, deep breath, taking in the unmistakable aroma of aged paper, ink, and dust.
"Feels like home."
Barely containing himself, he knocked softly on the heavy wooden door, careful not to disturb any readers inside.
Knock, knock.
No response.
Knock, knock, knock.
Still nothing.
Just as he raised his fist to knock again—KNOCK, KN—
"QUIET!"
A voice suddenly boomed from inside, nearly making him jump out of his skin.
With a long, creaking groan, the door swung open, revealing a giant.
He was over eight and a half feet tall, hunching over just to stare down at Jan, his scowling face telling of how he felt about his presence.
"Go back. This is no place for a hero." His voice was thunderous.
Jan blinked. "Huh?"
The man turned as if to slam the door shut, but Jan hurriedly stepped forward.
"Wait, wait! I just came to read some books!"
The man stopped moving, groaning in clear irritation.
"Like I said, this isn't the place you're looking for. We don't carry those books you people always want." He frowned deeper. "What are they called again? Right—'Instant Books.'"
Jan frowned. "Instant what? No, I don't want that! I just want to read normal books!"
The librarian narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him for a moment.
"And what exactly are you looking for?"
"History books," Jan answered without hesitation.
The man stared at him.
Then, with an exasperated sigh, he muttered, "A hero reading a book… Might just be what brings forth the end of times!"
Without another word, he stepped aside.
"Come in."
It was daytime, but barely any sunlight made it into the library. A few wall-mounted lanterns cast a dim glow that revealed the titles lining the towering shelves, which cast long shadows that crisscrossed the room.
It wasn't a large space, but the unusually tall walls, shelved all the way up to the ceiling, made it feel immense.
The silence was complete.
Jan walked carefully, his footsteps soft—but the old wooden floorboards still creaked.
In the farthest corner of the room, he saw a single reading table set closest to the flickering glow of the largest lantern in the library, surrounded by a few rickety wooden chairs.
Jan took a deep breath, soaking in the scent of parchment, leather, and dust.
"Perfect!"
The librarian led him toward a large section of rustic, leather-bound books.
"You'll find everything about this world's history in this section," he said, motioning toward the shelves.
Jan's eyes widened. "Wow, I didn't expect so much… Thank you."
He quickly thanked the librarian as he eagerly reached out for one of the books.
A hand shot out, stopping him mid-motion.
"If you make any noise…" the librarian said, his voice dangerously low, "I'll throw you out."
Jan swallowed.
"If you damage even one page," the man continued, his gaze as sharp as steel, "I will kill you."
Jan stiffened. "Y-Yes, sir!"
The librarian grunted in approval and stalked back toward his desk. Even as he turned away, Jan could feel the weight of his gaze still weighing him down.
Still, he didn't hesitate for long. Within moments, he was carefully flipping through the pages of one of the books, and before long, he forgot all about the librarian, his eyes glued instead to the titles before him:
"The Five Divines: Guardians of the Realms."
"Before the Towers: Chronicles of the Lost Age."
"The Five Nations: A History of Unity and Division."
"The Endlesscape: The Infinite Wilds."
Jan's eyes scanned the shelves, growing more intrigued with each title he discovered.
He had been worried about having to learn this universe's writing. But, to his surprise, it wasn't an issue at all. The words, the sentences—they all made perfect sense to him.
The language was completely unfamiliar, yet reading it felt as natural as his own. It was so seamless, in fact, that he hadn't even noticed it before on the signs and billboards. Only now, surrounded by books, did he realize how different the language truly was.
"Is it just the writing? Or is the language itself different? Perhaps… No, not the time."
He set aside the question for later and gathered a small stack of books, carefully carrying them to the reading table. As he pulled out the chair, he warily glanced toward the librarian. Jan took extra care—he wasn't about to get thrown out for something as trivial as a noisy chair.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the first book and began to read.
This world seems to have seen two distinct eras: Before the Tower, and After the Tower.
Neither era, however, was defined by peace.
Before the tower existed, the Five Nations were torn apart by internal strife, constantly at war with one another. Yet, in the face of a greater enemy, they were forced to unite.
An enemy so powerful that it nearly drove the world to ruin.
Strangely, the books never specify the nature of this threat. Despite its monumental role in shaping the world, there are no details, no records—only the ominous notion that, at some point, the world had teetered on the edge of destruction.
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
In response to this unnamed threat, five kings rose to power, uniting the realm in order to fight back.
History would later remember them as the Five Guardians of the Realm.
One passage described their final stand—a battle so fierce it altered the very fabric of reality. In the wake, the world was divided, the tower emerged, and with it, the mysterious 100th floor.
It was from that moment on that heroes began appearing in this world.
[Wisdom increased by 1 point (+1 WIS)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
Despite their significance, the books had little to say about the heroes themselves.
They were described as powerful beings summoned from other worlds, their purpose clear—to save this realm. Yet, the books offered no details about the mechanics of their summoning.
How were they chosen?
Who summoned them?
And why?
Nowhere in these books was there an answer.
[Wisdom increased by 1 point (+1 WIS)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
One book, however, offered a different perspective.
A historian named Merlin Dorado openly questioned the heroes' role.
Were they truly here to save the world, or were they merely selfish individuals pursuing their own goals?
His writing suggested that these so-called "saviors" may not have been as noble as history painted them. Despite their strength, not a single hero had ever broken past the 50th floor. They had been summoning for centuries, yet none had succeeded.
[Wisdom increased by 1 point (+1 WIS)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
Jan paused, recalling Rollo's words from earlier.
"So the rumors were true."
Time slipped away unnoticed as Jan flipped through book after book, lost in the depths of history.
[Wisdom increased by 1 point (+1 WIS)]
[Wisdom increased by 1 point (+1 WIS)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
[Intelligence increased by 1 point (+1 INT)]
[Congratulations! You've obtained a new skill: "Reader Lv.1"]
Jan blinked as the notification faded from his vision.
"A reading skill, huh? I wonder if there's a book about these windows I keep seeing."
When he glanced up, he noticed the dimming light outside the window.
It was already evening.
Remembering his appointment with Rollo, he sighed and reluctantly closed the book in his hands.
"I should stop here for today."
His gaze flickered toward the librarian's desk.
The giant man was nowhere in sight.
Jan slowly stood up, stretching his sore muscles. But as he turned toward the shelves one last time, his eyes lingered on the History section.
He whispered.
"But before I go..."