Kreacher looked at the confused master, who stared blankly into space, and then at the letter that had fallen to the floor. For a moment, he didn't know whether to ask if the little master was alright or to quickly pick up the letter from the floor.
Rigel ignored the house-elf, instead watching as the book slowly opened, and right on the first page, neatly organized cursive writing presented itself as he read.
[Hello, writer, I know this might be a little confusing, but... congratulations on having me, my name is adventure book, I know, generic and boring, I didn't like it either, but unfortunately I had no choice about it.]
[Now, let's skip the panicking part for a moment and I'll explain directly what's going to happen next, okay? I'll take your silence as a yes.]
[You greeted me as soon as you touched the Hogwarts letter, because that moment marks the beginning of your adventure in this world. As you experience different adventures, I record them on my pages, and you can earn rewards based on the quality of your adventure. Cool, right?]
[Well, but that's not my only function. Once a year, during your summer vacation, I can take you to a fictional world to live a completely different adventure. Time here stands still while that's happening, so you don't have to worry about time. You can choose whether or not you want to enter a fictional world, but living adventures within these worlds also yields rewards, so I highly recommend it. Besides, only a projection of you will be there, so you won't really die even if you die there.]
[Well, now that I've made the basics clear, let's talk about me, the Adventure Book. You might wonder where I came from or something like that, but don't worry about it. Someone wanted a good story and sent me to you. Your adventures will be recorded on my pages, and when it's all over, I'll return to where I came from, now filled with a life of adventures. You don't need to worry, even if I leave, everything you've earned stays with you. It's a good deal for both sides, right?]
[Finally, you can accept the book simply by placing your hand on this page, or close the book and I'll go find a new 'writer'.]
The words had ended, and a handprint that would perfectly fit his right hand appeared on the page.
Rigel blinked, blinked again, his lips trembled, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.
He reread the soliloquy in the book again and sighed thoughtfully.
He didn't really need that book to live a good life, his talent wasn't bad, he could simply keep quiet and live a long and good life in that magical world.
But... he had no idea what rewards awaited him, besides, the book doesn't seem like it's going to force him to do anything, it seems more like the type that rewards you if you act and ignores you if you stay quiet.
He could have simply ignored it and closed the book, pretending he'd never seen it, but... it seemed like a shame.
What kind of things would he receive?
The book seemed to hear her thoughts, and the previous words were erased while new ones appeared.
[The rewards are divided into Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Rainbow. A Bronze reward might be as good as a hat or a watch, while a Rainbow reward can go far beyond that, absolute power, resurrection, eternal life... anything is possible.]
Rigel's lips trembled, should he accept?
The truth is that even if he has some confidence in staying alive on either side of the future war, that's just staying alive, this book offers him a chance to choose his own destiny.
Freedom...