Another month passed beneath Backlund's gray sky.
For Shen, life had settled into a routine that was far more peaceful than he had imagined after becoming a Beyonder.
Most of his mornings began with the walk to the university, followed by several hours inside the library cleaning, organizing, and sometimes helping others find books.
But most importantly, he had a good amount of time to read.
Recently, much of that time had gone toward history.
His memories of Lord of the Mysteries had left him in a strange position. He knew secrets about this world's past that would make historians lose sleep for the rest of their lives, yet there were embarrassing gaps in his knowledge concerning things an ordinary university student might know.
After all, the novel naturally focused on what mattered to the story, such as gods, Beyonders, ancient families, secret organizations, wars, conspiracies, and the truths buried beneath history.
It hadn't explained every minor conflict between noble families, changes in taxation, the development of Backlund's districts, or why some trade route had been abandoned a hundred years ago.
So he had begun filling those gaps.
However, despite enjoying this peaceful routine, there was one matter that had gradually begun bothering him.
It was his potion.
The Rising Star potion had digested slightly after he became completely familiar with the library and gained recognition from the people around him for how quickly he had adapted to the work there.
At the time, he had been delighted. It seemed to confirm that his interpretation of the acting method was at least partially correct.
Then the progress almost stopped.
Now another month had passed, yet the potion had barely digested any further.
He had improved at his work, learned more about the library, and become so good at certain things that even some of the librarians here were lacking compared to him.
Some students occasionally even mistook him for an actual librarian because of how naturally he handled the place now compared to them.
And... well, maybe the hidden ability Spark played a small role in making him stand out in people's eyes.
Shen turned a page without really reading it.
Become a professional in more than one field in the 'eyes of others.'
He already understood that the last part was important. The problem was figuring out exactly what kind of recognition he needed.
Maybe I've already gotten everything I can from working here.
Shen wasn't pleased with that idea.
The library had been such a convenient place for him to digest his potion. Work, study, improve his knowledge, digest the potion, and get paid at the same time.
All in all, aside from these things, he had seen Erica several times during the past month, although not nearly as often as he had expected.
Despite her position at the library, she frequently disappeared to handle other matters around the university or elsewhere. Who knew where?
Shen had asked her about it once.
Erica had been checking several records near the front desk when Shen casually asked, "You know, for an assistant librarian, you're surprisingly not here most of the time. Where do you keep disappearing off to?"
"Hmm, some places," Erica answered pleasantly without looking up from the papers, using that mysterious tone of hers.
Shen waited several seconds before realizing she had finished speaking. "That's it? Some places?"
Erica finally looked at him, her emerald eyes carrying that familiar hint of amusement. "Would you prefer a longer answer?"
"I'd prefer an actual answer that can satisfy my curiosity."
"Then I'm afraid you'll have to remain curious. Just know that where I'm going is somewhere I can apply what I've learned."
Shen stared at her for a moment before sighing. "I don't know why I expected anything else."
After a brief hesitation, he explained, "You know, sometimes the world can be dangerous. I was just thinking that if you're going somewhere troublesome, maybe I could come with you."
"Oh my, are you really that curious about me, or is someone worried about me?" Erica teased.
Shen coughed lightly. "Cough... Who's worried about you? I'm just curious."
Erica smiled and returned to the records, leaving Shen a little embarrassed.
Gradually, their other conversations moved toward more productive subjects. Erica had noticed his sudden interest in studying, particularly after finding him with an Ancient Feysac grammar book during one of his breaks.
She stopped beside his table, glanced at the title, and then looked at Shen as if the book had somehow appeared in the wrong hands.
"Ancient Feysac?" Erica asked.
Shen looked up from his notes. "Yes. Is something wrong?"
"No. I'm simply surprised." Erica pulled out the chair across from him. "I remember you hated studying foreign languages so much that you didn't even want to look at the notes I gave you to help."
"Ahem... Well, now I feel like learning them is important, and they could come in handy."
Erica laughed. "If you insist. What else have you been burying yourself in?"
"History, mostly. I'm studying Intisian as well, and it's getting better. I've also started working on Feysac. Lenburg is probably next."
Her teasing expression changed into genuine interest. "Oh? That's quite a list. What are you planning to become, a merchant traveling to other countries? Also, how did you learn so many languages in such a short amount of time?"
Shen gave her a cool look before explaining, "It's because I'm smarter than most people. I simply never got the chance to show this talent of mine before, and this time I've decided to put more effort into studying."
"My, how narcissistic of you," Erica replied with a grin. "Also, if you're studying this much again, I thought you might want to continue studying law. It was your dream to become a lawyer, after all."
Hearing her say that, Shen remembered that the previous Shen had indeed been studying law in hopes of becoming an excellent lawyer.
He had been good at arguing and genuinely interested in it, but after dropping out, he never got the chance to study much further.
But now he wasn't exactly the previous Shen, and he didn't particularly want to pursue that path. Besides, with the apocalypse approaching and all the crazy things that would happen once Klein arrived, did he even have time to think about something like becoming a lawyer?
Sure, if this were a peaceful world, perhaps he could pursue an ordinary dream. Unfortunately, this wasn't a peaceful world. Being an ordinary person was dangerous enough, much less being a transmigrator carrying knowledge he shouldn't have.
After all, as a true transmigrator, there was always the possibility of somehow getting involved in something big.
If I don't get involved, that would be even better. But dying like some side character? Damn, I'd bring shame to all those successful transmigrators who survived their own stories.
Moreover, he did have a cheat of his own: a Beyonder pathway outside the standard twenty-two and, as far as he knew, outside the pathways of the Outer Deities as well.
"Shen."
He remained lost in thought.
"Shen, Earth to Shen."
Erica's sweet voice finally brought him back to his senses.
"Ah, yes. Well, I was reminiscing. Maybe I'm getting tired from all this studying," Shen said with an embarrassed laugh. "And yeah, maybe if I have the time, I'll study law again too."
Erica laughed softly before standing. "Just remember to rest occasionally. You have a habit of becoming strangely stubborn once something catches your attention."
"Don't worry, I know. I'll take care of myself."
"Good. Make sure you actually take my advice to heart."
Shen watched her leave before shaking his head and continuing with his notes.
Me, overwork myself? Does this boring place even have enough work for me to overwork myself? All in all, this place is pretty chill.
Unfortunately, at this moment Shen had forgotten about Murphy's Law.
The more confidently you said something wouldn't happen, the more likely it seemed to happen.
Aside from these changes, the Akivil family experienced the largest change of all.
They moved to a new house.
Arthur had apparently been searching for a better home without telling the rest of them. When he finally found one he considered suitable, he took his siblings to see it.
The house was near Hillston Borough, close enough that the difference from their old neighborhood was immediately noticeable.
The streets were cleaner and better maintained, and the surrounding homes belonged mostly to successful merchants, businessmen, bankers, and other respectable families.
They were nowhere near the estates of Backlund's true nobility, but compared with their previous apartment, the difference was enormous.
The house had five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a basement.
Shen walked through it once before turning toward Arthur and said. "It's a really good house; I quite like it. How much is the rent?"
Arthur knew exactly what he meant. "Ten pounds a week."
Shen stared at him in surprise. "Ten pounds?"
" Well, it's a good house."
"But still, is this really necessary? I mean, it is really expensive?" He asked in uncertainty
Arthur gave him a dry look. "You were the one complaining that our old apartment was too small."
"I said it was small. I didn't ask you to move us halfway into Hillston Borough."
Despite his complaints, Shen loved the new house.
Elara and Sera loved it even more. The twins immediately claimed the largest bedroom because it had enough space for two beds and separate study areas.
Their excitement lasted until they began arguing over where everything should go.
Shen wisely stayed out of that battle.
Arthur took one bedroom and turned another into his study room. Shen chose one for himself, while the last was kept as a guest room.
The basement interested Shen almost as much as his bedroom. It was private, spacious, and far enough from the main living area to be useful if he ever needed somewhere to practice mysticism without risking his siblings discovering what he was doing.
What surprised Shen most, however, was how much of this Arthur had managed on his own.
Shen had expected the money he'd previously brought home to be part of what made the move possible. When he'd offered Arthur more money before, however, his brother had refused.
Later, Shen tried again to help his brother share the burden. They were standing in the new living room when Shen held out several banknotes.
Arthur looked at them and shook his head. "Put that away."
"Arthur, this house costs ten pounds every week. Take it. I want to contribute too."
"I know how much it costs, Shen. I'm the one who bought it and signed the agreement."
"Then why are you refusing the money?"
"Because you've already contributed enough."
Shen frowned.
"You know, things at work have improved for me," Arthur explained with a soft smile as he sat down. "I've taken on more responsibilities, and I'm earning more than before. I wouldn't have brought everyone here if I couldn't afford it."
That caught Shen's attention.
The original Shen's memories had always made one thing clear: Arthur was an extremely capable man. He had graduated from university and entered government service without wealthy relatives or connections clearing the way for him.
Even while supporting three younger siblings, he had continued taking additional work whenever he could. Just from that alone, Shen could tell how talented and hardworking Arthur was.
Surviving in Backlund's unfair and twisted society was already difficult enough for someone from a middle-class background, yet Arthur had managed it while supporting three younger siblings.
A few evenings after they settled into the new house, Arthur brought up something Shen hadn't expected.
Shen was arranging his books when Arthur appeared at his bedroom door.
"Do you have a moment, Shen?"
Shen glanced over. "Sure."
Arthur entered and looked around the room before asking with some hesitation, "Have you... ever thought about returning to university to continue your education?"
Shen's hands stopped.
"Well, if money was the reason you left," Arthur continued, "you don't need to worry about that anymore. I can handle the tuition for you now as well."
For a moment, Shen said nothing.
The original Shen had wanted to continue his education. He had only dropped out after watching Arthur exhaust himself supporting three younger siblings. Removing his own tuition had seemed like the easiest way to lessen his brother's burden.
In my opinion, that was a really stupid decision on his part and not making any proper plan as to what to do after dropping out.
At the time, Arthur had been deeply disappointed, but he had respected Shen's decision.
Now he was offering him another chance.
Shen placed the book in his hand on the desk. "You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?"
"Of course. I never wanted you to leave your education behind," Arthur said, a trace of guilt in his voice. "If you want to return and continue your studies, I can arrange it for you."
Shen considered the offer seriously for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Not right now."
Disappointment briefly appeared on Arthur's face, so Shen continued before his brother misunderstood.
"You know, I'm still studying. That's actually one of the reasons I wanted the library job."
Arthur looked surprised. "You're still studying? I thought you only wanted to read some books at the library."
"Well, that is studying in a way. I'm studying history, mathematics, languages, whatever catches my attention. I'm also filling in some gaps from before."
Arthur glanced at the books covering Shen's desk. Very few of them were novels.
Shen smiled helplessly. "Don't look so shocked, brother. Those really are educational books, not novels."
"It's true that the library isn't the same as attending classes at university," Shen admitted, "but I have a general direction for what I want to study, more books than I could possibly finish, and I'm surrounded by students and professors. If I get stuck on something, finding someone knowledgeable to ask isn't exactly difficult."
Arthur considered that before nodding. "If you're satisfied with this for now, I won't force you. But if you ever want to return, tell me."
"I will."
Arthur turned to leave, but Shen called after him.
"Brother."
Arthur looked back in confusion. "Hmm? Is something the matter?"
Shen hesitated for a moment before saying sincerely, "Ah... thank you. For everything you've done for us."
Arthur's expression softened, and he smiled. "You don't need to thank me for wanting you to have a future."
After Arthur left, Shen remained beside his desk for a while.
Having a brother like him really is a blessing.
In this world, where a person could lose everything one day and fall into poverty, loneliness, and despair, having a family worth returning home to was something Shen valued more with each passing day.
Just like that, another week passed.
As usual, Shen was working when, on this unfortunate day, he ran into that annoying guy again.
Devan Whitlock.
Technically, he had already met Devan several times.
Devan was a university student around his own age, with chestnut-brown hair that never seemed properly combed and a friendly face incapable of hiding what he was thinking.
He was polite and energetic, yet somehow possessed the remarkable talent of failing to locate things while standing almost directly beside them.
The first few times Devan asked Shen for help, he assumed the student was simply unfamiliar with the library and a little slow when it came to finding things.
So Shen helped him out and even gave him a map showing where the different sections and books could be found.
But somehow, Devan still couldn't find the books he was looking for.
By the fifteenth time, Shen began having doubts.
Is this guy a low-budget version of Zoro in Lord of the Mysteries?
One afternoon, Shen spotted him again, sitting at a reading table with several books and sheets of paper scattered around him. Devan had one hand buried in his already messy hair, rubbing it furiously while staring at his notes.
Shen would have hurriedly walked past the guy if he hadn't recognized the history book Devan was reading.
It concerned the end of the Fourth Epoch.
His eyes passed over Devan's notes.
Then Shen stopped and took two steps backward.
One event was written in the wrong order. Two political factions had somehow been mixed together, and one consequence had been placed before the conflict that caused it.
Devan noticed him and looked up in surprise. "Oh, Mr. Akivil. Do you need something?"
Shen pointed at the notes. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Are you actually studying the end of the Fourth Epoch? And are those crappy writings that look like wriggling worms supposed to be your notes?"
Devan looked embarrassed. "I'm still working on them. They're not that bad, are they?"
Shen considered the question for a moment on how to answer. Then he decided to be honest with him. "No. They're worse and as ugly as they can be."
Devan's expression collapsed so quickly that Shen nearly laughed.
"What exactly are you struggling with?" Shen asked as he picked up one of the sheets.
"I can remember the names and individual events," Devan explained, "but once the book starts connecting the factions and conflicts, I get everything mixed up together."
Shen skimmed the notes again. "Because you're trying to memorize every fact separately. You're treating history like a list."
"Isn't that what I'm supposed to remember?"
"Not like this. Look at what happened before an event, who was involved, what each side wanted, and what changed afterward. Once you understand how one event leads into another, all of this stop looking so confusing."
Devan still looked uncertain, so Shen pulled a blank sheet toward himself and began reorganizing the material while explaining things a little more clearly.
The explanation lasted nearly an hour.
Devan interrupted him frequently. Some of his questions were useful. Others made Shen wonder whether the man had even been listening to his explanation five minutes earlier. But eventually, the mess in the original notes began turning into something coherent.
When Shen finished, he pushed the paper toward him.
Devan looked over it before his eyes widened with surprise and excitement. "Wow, your explanation actually made it much easier for me to understand."
Shen stood up calmly and collected the books he'd originally been carrying. "You can use the same method for the next section. I still have work to do."
"Thank you, Mr. Akivil."
Shen casually waved his hand and left.
After that incident with Devan, he returned several days later with more questions. Then again, and again two days after that.
By the end of the week, Shen had somehow unknowingly become involved in the man's studies without ever getting paid to tutor him.
Several days later, Devan returned again with a grin and a paper in his hand.
"I passed, Mr. Akivil!"
Shen looked up from the borrowing ledger in confusion. "Passed? Passed what?"
"My history examination."
Shen's hand stopped. "That was for an examination?"
"What did you think I was studying so seriously for?" Devan asked with a laugh as he pushed the paper toward him.
Shen checked the score. It wasn't extraordinary, but compared with what he'd first seen on Devan's table, the improvement was obvious.
"Oh, not bad."
Devan stared at him. "Only 'not bad'?"
Shen looked at him expressionlessly. "What? Do you want me to applaud you and sing your praises?"
"I was hoping for slightly more enthusiasm," Devan replied in a sorrowful tone, looking like a lost puppy.
Shen sighed before saying with a slight smile, "Fine. You did well. And if you're struggling again, keep using the method I showed you. Maybe next time you won't need to hunt me down every other day."
Devan seemed satisfied with that and thanked him again.
However, three days later, he returned carrying a mathematics book.
Shen saw it and immediately narrowed his eyes. "What is it this time?"
"Nothing. I was just hoping you could help me with mathematics," Devan explained as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "The way you explained history last time worked much better than how I usually study. I thought maybe you could help with this too."
He even looked at Shen with those hopeful puppy-dog eyes again.
Shen was about to refuse, but then he looked at the problem.
It wasn't particularly difficult. His university education in computer engineering during his previous life had required plenty of mathematics.
Shen sighed and pointed toward the chair. "Sit down. But I'm not doing your work for you."
Devan happily sat down.
However, that was Shen's first mistake.
First it was history, then it became mathematics. After mathematics came a foreign language, and if that wasn't enough, the annoying fool eventually brought mechanics into his studies.
When Shen saw what Devan had brought this time, his lips twitched.
Does this guy think I'm his personal AI teacher or something? Teaching him everything for free while expecting me to know everything?
Shen, without any hesitation, directly refused.
Unfortunately, Devan didn't give up. He came back to annoy him every day afterward, until one afternoon, the bastard went so far as to make a scene in the middle of the library by grabbing Shen's leg, getting tears and snot all over his new suit pants.
"Please, Mr. Akivil! My friend, my brother from another mother, my teacher, please help me with my studies! You're the only one who can save me!" Devan cried while stubbornly clinging to his leg like a kola.
He was causing so much commotion that Mr. Weber was giving death glare at them from across the library, while nearby students, professors, and staff had all turned to look at the scene in equal annoyance.
"Shh! Shh! Stop crying so loudly, you idiot! This is a library!" Shen whispered fiercely while shaking his leg and trying desperately to get away from this troublesome bastard. "You're going to get both of us killed!"
"No! I won't let you go! Please, you have to tutor me! I'll even call you my godfather. Help me, Godfather!" Devan cried, holding onto Shen with an iron grip.
Just how strong is this guy?
No matter how flexible and coordinated Shen's body had become after becoming a Beyonder, the Rising Star potion hadn't increased his physical strength by much.
"Let go of me! Besides, I'm not even well-versed in mechanical engineering. How am I supposed to tutor you? Go ask someone who's actually good at it!"
Shen tried to shake him off again.
Damn it, even kicking this guy off isn't working.
However, Devan still refused to let go and continued crying, "No! You're the Great Sage, a legendary tutor who saved me in three exams! Godfather, you're a man of many talents. I believe you're the only one who can save me!"
What the fuck, my guy? How shameless are you? What Godfather? What Great Sage? Just what kind of crazy delusion does this fool have about me?
"Okay, okay! I'll do it! Just let go of me first!" Shen finally relented. Once Devan released his leg, Shen quickly added, "However, I'm not teaching you for free anymore. Each tutoring session will cost fifteen pounds."
Hehehe... Fifteen pounds. Now, with this much, I'm sure he'll back off. Right?
Contrary to Shen's expectations, what Devan said next nearly made him vomit blood.
"Really?! Thank you! Thank you so much! What a generous man you are for asking just this much money! You really are my godfather. I'll go gather my things right away!"
Shen froze.
"Here's the money," Devan said happily, handing him the fifteen pounds.
Shen stared at the money in his hand.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I?
Are fifteen pounds really that cheap to this guy?!
Shen's lips twitched.
He had deliberately chosen fifteen pounds because he thought it would be expensive enough to make Devan back off. Instead, the bastard had paid him immediately.
And now that Shen had taken the money, he couldn't even refuse him anymore.
Just like that, he was forced to learn mechanics.