It was still early when Elena Virelle found herself standing before the ironbound doors of the village library. Her boots left faint prints on the dew-slick cobblestones, and a few roosters crowed in the distance like they'd never agreed on a wake-up time. The librarian had only unlocked the doors moments ago and had given her a mildly startled glance—apparently, not many people showed up at the crack of dawn eager to read about taxation laws or magical theory.
But Elena had a mission.
Two, in fact.
The first was to figure out what she could realistically do in this world that would bring in money. She couldn't rely on the small allowance from helping around the inn forever. And second... that note. That crumpled piece of parchment she had stuffed into the bottom of her satchel two days ago—it had started bothering her again. The strange runes etched into it were faint, but they glowed softly in moonlight, and once, she'd caught them rearranging themselves when she wasn't looking. Definitely not normal.
She opened the library's heavy wooden door with a soft push. The place smelled like old parchment, beeswax polish, and—unexpectedly—cheese. Probably from the stack of snacks left behind by scholars too deep in study to care about crumbs on ancient manuscripts.
Elena gave a half-suppressed laugh. "Perfect," she muttered. "Let's go solve some mysteries, shall we?"
---
The librarian, a narrow-eyed woman with gray streaks in her tight bun, led Elena to a corner stacked with practical volumes.
"If you're looking to work," she said with the air of someone who disapproved of young people but also secretly rooted for them, "you'll want these sections—trades, guild records, and craft registries."
"Thank you," Elena said politely, already scanning the spines.
It took her the better part of an hour to narrow things down. Some trades, like blacksmithing and stonemasonry, were physically demanding and required apprenticeships that lasted years. Too long. Others—like scribing or scroll copying—paid little but required a steady hand and fluency in multiple languages. Not ideal, but not out of the question.
Then there was alchemy.
A particular passage caught her eye in a worn guidebook titled Foundations of Common Alchemy: Volume I.
"The production of low-tier healing draughts is among the most accessible fields for beginning alchemists. A single draught typically sells for 8 to 12 copper crowns in smaller towns, and up to 15 copper crowns in border villages where supplies are scarce. Materials may cost 4–6 copper per potion, and training is essential to avoid accidents. Exploding brews are frowned upon."
Elena frowned. "So I'd earn maybe 5 to 8 copper per potion net… if I don't blow myself up."
Not bad. Certainly better than polishing cutlery or sweeping floors for 1 or 2 copper a day.
She turned the page.
"Initial apprenticeships are overseen by local alchemical guilds or traveling journeymen. Prospective students are advised to study basic magical theory, elemental resonance, and herbology. Caution: ingestion of experimental potions without supervision is punishable by law."
Elena grimaced. "Noted."
---
After several hours of note-taking and quietly mouthing strange words in old tongue ("fluxroot," "manic essence," "tincture of sleep"), Elena took a break to stretch. Her satchel sagged beside her with the weight of copied pages and bookmarks. She pulled out the old note from the bottom and unfolded it on the reading table.
It hadn't changed today. Still the same looping symbols in pale silver ink. But now that she'd read through sections on magical glyphs, she could at least tell it was a cipher of some kind. A binding glyph maybe? Or a map?
One particular marking resembled the rune for "seek." Another looked suspiciously like "veiled" or "hidden."
"I really need someone who knows magic," she murmured. "Or someone who knows how not to get hexed."
"Still talking to mysterious notes?" came a voice behind her.
Elena startled and nearly fell off the bench.
"Liora?" she said, heart jumping into her throat. "How long have you been standing there?!"
"Long enough to watch you squint at a piece of cursed paper for a full minute," Liora said with a smirk. She wore simple travel leathers today, her braid tied back tighter than usual. She had that knightly confidence in her stance again—like she was used to storms and swordfights before breakfast.
"Don't sneak up on people in libraries," Elena grumbled, shoving the note back into her satchel.
"You're not supposed to bring snacks in either," Liora said, lifting a half-eaten bread roll from Elena's other pouch. "But here we are."
"I was hungry!"
The knight chuckled and sat beside her.
"So what have you learned today, Miss Scholar?"
Elena's expression grew serious. "That alchemy might be my best chance to earn actual money. And that I need to find someone who can help me identify whatever language this note is written in before it decides to eat me."
"Alchemy, hmm?" Liora raised an eyebrow. "That's not a cheap craft to begin with. Materials, glassware, training… Even just starting might cost you a silver crown or more."
Elena winced. "I thought ten copper made one silver."
"It does," Liora confirmed. "But ten copper doesn't stretch far when you're buying powdered dreamspice or flameward roots."
"I was afraid you'd say that."
Liora tilted her head. "But if you want to learn, there are ways. The guild sometimes takes in unpaid apprentices. You learn by helping with chores and sorting ingredients. It's slow, but free."
"That's not bad," Elena said thoughtfully. "Do you think the guild here would take me?"
"They might. You have that look about you."
"What look?"
"The stubborn one."
---
They left the library shortly after noon, the sun casting golden light over the market stalls and tavern roofs. Liora walked with easy grace beside her, hands folded behind her back like a soldier off-duty.
As they passed a stand selling roasted sweetroot skewers, Elena hesitated.
"How much?" she asked the vendor.
"Three copper each," he said. "Two if you don't want the honey glaze."
Elena counted her coins. "One glazed, please."
Liora snorted. "Frugal and sugar-hungry. That's a dangerous combination."
"I'm budgeting!" Elena said, taking a bite and nearly burning her tongue. "Ow—hot—totally worth it."
They stopped by the notice board near the town square. Job listings, event notices, and gossip-riddled flyers filled the wooden planks. One new parchment stood out: a symbol in the top corner matched one of the runes from the strange note.
Elena's hand hovered over it.
"What is it?" Liora asked, leaning closer.
"I… don't know," Elena admitted. "But I think it wants me to find out."
---
[End of Chapter 12]