Unwan stepped inside. The room wasn't particularly grand, but it was still better than average. It certainly wasn't the corridors of a royal palace, it was a waiting area before the library section where the grimoires were kept.
The room appeared roughly square. Because there were no windows, torches burned along the walls to provide light. Ahead of the entrance, another door stood, and about five or six meters away, three small, almost imperceptible steps were set in a row.
Unwan slowly looked around and stood near the corner by the entrance. There were quite a few people in the room. The previous students were standing with their teacher, while a few teenagers in ordinary clothes chatted amongst themselves. Others waited quietly, as if expecting someone.
'Who are they waiting for? And where exactly am I supposed to go?'
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Unwan overheard the children talking.
—"Fred, what will you do if you don't get a grimoire this time again? It's your sixth attempt already," one said.
Fred replied.
— I don't know. If I fail again, my father said he'll make me apprentice with a blacksmith. This hated grimoire won't come out easily. My parents say I'm not mentally ready, so they've made me look foolish.
Another joked.
—Maybe that's true.
— Shut your mouth. Anyway, if I fail again, I'll turn to stealing. I'll take someone else's grimoire, claim it as mine, show myself as some sort of Owner who fights against monsters, and spend the whole day causing chaos and mischief with you guys. Even if my dad asks me to show my grimoire's spell, I'll make excuses, say I'm tired or no mentally energy left, and end the topic.
His two friends fell silent.
— But how will you find such a kid? You can't fight a person with magic at all.
— Yeah, but people don't know how to use a grimoire the first time they get one. I'll use it. And…
Fred glanced at Unwan and whispered.
— …if that kid gets a grimoire, we'll beat him and take it. If I'm lucky, even if I fail, if he succeeds, that's my victory.
Unwan listened to all of this. Though his expression didn't change, inside he felt a storm of emotions. Fred was strong enough that, even if Unwan weren't, he could have handled the boy alone. And with two friends backing him up, Unwan had no chance. At best, he'd pass the application and stay in the room.
At that moment, an older man entered through the door in front. He was slightly shorter, bald, wearing a long robe, and holding a folded piece of paper. He smiled and looked at everyone in turn.
— Ah, greetings, ladies and gentlemen, bright minds and lovely children. I am glad to see you all in such a wonderful place today.
'Is all this formality necessary?'
— Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am Mr. Derang, in charge of the Greater Spell Library, one of the five most wonderful libraries in this world.
'So if I get a grimoire, you're partly responsible too?'
Derang looked at the children for a moment and continued.
— I can see the fire in your eyes, the desire to acquire powerful grimoires. Don't worry, the grimoires will not escape. But first, let's go over what needs to be done here.
He unfolded his paper and began to read.
— First, we must understand the types of grimoires. You may have already studied this at school, but a quick review won't hurt.
He paused briefly, then continued.
— As you know, grimoires have five general levels. Each has its own grimoire. Let's start with 1-tier. 1-tier grimoires are common and varied. They have usually six types, representing elemental powers like water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning. The last is the grimoire of mechanics we know and use.
Unwan thought of the Mechanical Guardian.
'If 1-tier is this powerful, what must 5-tear be like?'
— 2-tear includes two grimoires: Life and Space. Grimoire of life allows control over living beings from tiny insects to large animals. Grimoire of space, despite its immense power, cannot govern the space directly, which teaches its user humility. Still, some use it for star prophecy spell.
'And 3-tier?'
— 3-tier is the Grimoire of Objects, focused on altering and editing objects. It's extremely rare. 4-tier is a full or partial Elemental Grimoire with combining water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning. As you know, our first king, Rendi Won Andel, possessed such a grimoire.
'That's right. I recognized it by the pentagon shape myself.'
— And finally, the highest level. Only a few in the world achieve this: The Grimoire of Infinity and Time.