Unwan was suddenly seized by excitement, because the final sentence sent his hope and trust soaring beyond control.
{To ensure convenience, the library will provide meals, water, lodging, and even work attire.}
For others, the sentence sounded ordinary, almost routine. For Unwan, however, it carried immense weight.
Not every employment center could offer such conveniences. Some could be counted as exceptions, but they were rare. And of course, none of it was truly free, usually, the cost was deducted from one's wages.
That part didn't surprise Unwan. What truly mattered was that this proved his dream had been right. Something had helped him, guided him here, though no one could say exactly what it was.
After some time, Unwan began to notice a small discrepancy. In his dream, this work had been described as a state-funded effort, one where heavy investment made recruiting excess labor beneficial. In reality, however, it appeared that this arrangement applied only to The Greater Spell Library, a detail revealed only on the surface.
'Well… whatever it is, this is close enough to reality. I should head toward the castle.'
'Head toward it? What about those informations? Who's going to read them? Who knows what questions might be there things you don't know yet. No. That's not an option.'
Unwan ignored the voice, though he regretted it almost immediately, and began flipping through the papers one by one.
The worst part was that it took far longer than he had expected.
As he tried to keep his expression neutral, a few drops of sweat slid down his face.
The text was written in an overly poetic, ornate style. For a boy who nearly forgot his letters, it was painfully difficult.
When he finally finished reading, he muttered a quiet "Finally…" and felt an overwhelming urge to move on.
As Unwan began thinking about the castle, he noticed a bright structure shimmering in the distance, something that resembled one.
Only now did he truly register it.
Though it stood far away, it was still possible to make out its form. White walls, adorned in places with golden patterns, and three towers rising proudly above the structure. One at the center, the other two flanking it.
But it wasn't as he had heard. It was far more magnificent. Had Unwan not known this was the Greater Spell Library, he would have easily mistaken it for a royal palace.
The closer he drew, the more details emerged.
He noticed the castle's outer structure first. In his estimation, it was divided into three sections: left, center, and right. The left wing stretched horizontally but didn't seem especially large. The central section was massive, while the right appeared of average size.
Five or ten minutes later, it became clear that each section contained smaller internal zones. And that even the seemingly modest left wing was, in truth, enormous.
When Unwan finally stood before the Greater Spell Library, he saw its full scale. It truly resembled a castle, but one unsuited for war, neither for attack nor defense. The outer edges weren't even reinforced with iron. Its purpose was beauty, not fortification and it was beautiful enough to dazzle someone like Unwan.
Two moderately built guards stood before the central gate. They simply asked visitors their purpose and allowed them inside.
'Of course. This is a public place. And what benefit would the kingdom gain from restricting its people from obtaining grimoires? This is pure profit.'
Yes, it would be beneficial for Unwan. But who would allow a child in such a miserable state to enter? Especially a child no one seemed to like.
'Well, I've come this far. Now I need to figure out how to get inside.'
As luck would have it, a group of children appeared from the street to Unwan's right, accompanied by a well-dressed woman. The children were around Unwan's age. They looked like kids from good families and wore neatly dressed. The girls were visibly excited, while the boys were arguing over who would receive the best grimoire. Smiles were everywhere.
Except for one boy. He walked silently, his expression serious, positioned near the center of the group. At one point, his eyes met Unwan's.
Unwan stared back. Though they were the same age, Unwan felt something unsettling in that boy's gaze, like a thirst for cruelty.
They locked eyes for a few seconds before the boy turned his attention back to the group.
'Could I join them?'
Thinking it through, Unwan realized this was the perfect moment. If the woman was their teacher, she was currently speaking with the guards. The distance between Unwan and the group was less than thirty meters.
Even if the teacher noticed him, he could simply sit down or so he believed.
After a moment of hesitation, Unwan chose to wait and listen to the woman.
She spoke first.
— Yes, we're from the Northern Vesrendi Noble School. May we enter?
One of the guards replied with a smile.
— Of course. Everyone has the right to receive a grimoire, honored teacher.
The teacher smiled lightly, said "Thank you" and led the children inside.
Unwan stood off to the side, lost in thought.
'I can enter to receive a grimoire… but what if I ask about the job instead?.. N-no… that feels wrong. Maybe it's because everyone's always hated me. Fine. Even if it's a lie, I'll have to say it.'
'Of course you have to, idiot. If you ask about work, they'll take one look at your clothes and say, "We have enough workers," and turn you away.'
'No one asked you.'
'…'
— "Excuse me," Unwan said aloud. "I came to receive a grimoire. May I enter?"
The guard who had been smiling earlier looked at Unwan with open disgust.
— Who are you? What's your lineage?
— If everyone has the right to a grimoire, why does that matter, sir?
— How do we know you're even from this kingdom? You could be a refugee from another one.
Unwan sighed, then answered.
— I'm from the Rolan Dantes Orphanage. It's about 120 kilometers south of here. Due to certain circumstances, I ended up coming this way. If you want, go check it yourselves or open an investigation. Either way, you'll just be giving yourselves more trouble.
The guards stared at him for several seconds. Finally, one of them spoke, awkwardly.
— If you end up getting a good grimoire from in there… it'll be on us. Understand?
Unwan gave them a faint, hollow smile.
— Of course. Thank you.
And just like that, they let him pass.