"So what do I do now?" The test happened to be in a week's time and I have no idea of what I need to even learn.
Surely I can't ask anyone about it. I mean I have already given this once or atleast Henry Mordant has given it. Me asking someone about the contents would only deepen their suspicions about me.
My mind was full of thoughts as I walked down the long corridor. It was completely empty and from the angle of the sun, it looked to be midday.
I passed by a vast field. Various students were engaged in combat with each other as teachers looked over them.
The students had white robes on them and looked quite dedicated. Then I smiled reminding myself this was the fourth ranked academy in whatever kingdom I was in.
My eyes took in their various actions. Fire, water, ice, light and several other elements were their weapons and they seemed bent on mastering them under the tutleage of their teachers.
I pressed down on my nose, suddenly being hit by a wave of nostalgia as I remembered my school days.
The happy ones. The version where I had friends. In particular one little girl of my own class.
"What was her name again?"
I can't even remember her name. She had transferred to another school and I never saw her after that.
I soon went away from the place, leaving the students at their own training.
On my way, I passed by the staff room. Peeking through the door, I asked.
"Umm...where is the library?"
The nearest staff who had her back to the door jumped at my voice but then calmed down but not before glaring at my direction.
'Great, just what I needed', I thought with a sigh.
One of them replied, "Take the left stairs and enter the third corridor. You shall reach it."
My eyebrows arched up a little at his words. It almost sounded like I was about to explore a maze.
Nonetheless I thanked them before continuing on my way.
The second floor looked even more forlorn. An intricate symbol of a sun radiating sun rays along with a diamond shaped structure in the centre was etched on the white marble floor.
Plentiful of sunlight skittered through the large windows in this hallway.
The hallways gave off a warm and welcoming ambience but looking at the far end, I realised I couldn't see its ending.
How long was it?
"Third corridor...third one.....yeah this should be it." I came across a dark corridor on the right side of the hallway.
I stepped into the narrow space and the darkness soon turned into another bright hallway, which looked the exact same as the hallway I have been in.
The only thing that made me stop from panicking was the presence of rooms and students and teachers roaming.
It didn't take me long to spot the library.
Pushing open the blue coloured door, I entered a vast room. The first thing I saw were a pair of eyes glancing up from a book they were reading.
A man with a large beard and beady eyes looked at me for a while with mild confusion before clarity came.
"Ahh the vice principal. What brings you here, sir?"
I tried smiling in response, but it ended up as an awkward laugh.
Honestly, hearing an old man calling me sir felt...weird.
I replied, "Just wanted to check out the place. Nothing wrong with extra knowledge right?"
"That's the spirit, sir. People like you are needed more, never stopping to learn new facts everyday." The man heartily chuckled as I looked around me for students.
However it looked empty. Or maybe behind all those endless shelves they were there, reading books.
Giving a polite smile to the librarian who introduced himself as Bassanio, I walked between the shelves.
Endless books swarmed my vision. Each different than the other.
My childish curiosity stirred in me as I felt a mild excitement looking at all the books.
A vast sea of knowledge lay around me. All waiting for me to devour it.
Honestly I didn't even know what am I supposed to do in this world. For now, I am going with the flow but sooner or later, I really need to figure out this world and it's internal workings.
And what better than the library to start about finding it?
Practicals when geared up with theoretical knowledge would turn into the most dangerous combo.
I have seen enough classmates of mine who had once watched the change in colours of chemicals with an awestruck expression. On the other hand, I understood what was going on.
That was a better feeling in my opinion.
Anyway returning to my dilemma.
And yes, my dilemma! True I was surrounded by the books and have all the resources for the upcoming exam.
But what do I even need to read...? I can't just take a random book from a random shelf and pray that the paper shall be asking me from that.
And wait...are these all stuffs for children or can I read them as well?
I had no idea when the titles on the books ranged from names like "Morcus' Laws: Mana Integration", "A Sphere of Magma:Proven" to "The Legends of the Terror King."
At that moment, a student appeared from behind a shelf mumbling something to himself and counting on his fingers. He looked around 17 years old and had red hairs.
As he clutched a book to his chest and moved to a nearby study table, he noticed me.
He stopped mumbling and adjusted his glasses with an embarrassed cough.
Makes sense given that I just saw him mumbling to himself.
Though even I do that at times...but nobody needs to know that, right?
I searched for books but started getting nervous as the minutes ticked by and I still had no idea on what to pick.
All this moment, I felt the occasional glances on my back.
I looked back the same moment he glanced at me once again.
His eyes widened slightly behind his glasses on having been caught as his eyes darted away at a panic.
I asked gently, "Do you need something,elde--ahem, boy?"
I almost called him elder brother...one of my past habits when addressing a senior.
Scratching his head with a slightly nervous chuckle, he answered.
"Actually umm I have never seen you around here. Are you a new staff?"
I smiled a little. "No, I am the new Vice-Principal."
His reaction...I enjoyed it.
The moment my words had left my mouth, his eyes widened like two balloons as he abruptly stood up.
"Good afternoon, sir. I-i didn't recognise you at all."
"Haha, it's okay boy. I wouldn't hold that against you."
Maybe I was enjoying this a bit too much.
The boy said, "You are so young...so I kind of never thought of that. I am a big fan of yours by the way. Your papers on the possible historical evidences for the first civilizations were so interesting."
History...huh? I thought as I glanced toward the history section.