9 - Books Readers

Today is a holiday, and what does that mean? No, not resting, but something much more important. Going to the library! 

Yes, after months away from Vineria and going through all those crazy adventures with Aela, I realized that I haven't spent time reading in a while. 

That's why after dodging Felix who wanted to train with me today, I'm now walking through the streets and magic shops, heading toward the largest magic library in the world, Vineria Library. 

And finally, I look at the large white building. My heart begins to race as I climb the entrance steps and enter through the great door. 

I look at the bookshelves in the spacious hall as I walk through the departments. Vinerius books, the fusion of two types, the swallowing barrier… I need to take them all. 

I took like four books and walked to the reception desk, when I saw a brown haired girl wearing the same uniform as mine, holding books. As I recall, she's from my class. As expected of a Vineria student. 

She looks so nervous though, maybe she needs help choosing a book. I understand her sometimes I stay here for hours just to choose the book I should take. I walk toward her. 

"Do you need help in choosing books?" I asked. 

"I... No, I need nothing" she said quickly, then walked away. 

Okay, I shouldn't annoy her, the library is a place of silence after all. I walked to the reception desk again, borrowed the books then left the library. 

…

"My assistant, let's train today!" After that day, Felix started chasing me even more. 

"No" I answered with no hesitation. 

"C'mon! I really want to show you-"

"Stay away, commoner!" 

I look at the sound source. There, Felipe stood cleaning his hands while a girl sat on the ground, he pushed her. Wait, this girl... 

"My hands are dirty now. Remember, don't walk beside me again" he walks away. 

"Wait, Felipe!" Felix called him "apologize to her." 

"Why should I listen to you? I was born better than both of you, you should accept that" 

The other nobles stare, smirking. Then, the girl quickly got up and shook the dust off her uniform. 

"I'm alright, no worries" she looked down. 

"But-" Felix tries to stop her. 

"Wait there" I announced. 

The trembling girl turned at me. Not stopping them here would make her an easy target for nobles in the future, which I don't like to happen to a reader like me. 

"Commoners these days are really cocky, do you want me to show you my power"

"Yeah, if you can" I smirk. 

I walked toward him and pointed with my finger, then, a ring of fire surrounded him, not letting him any place to escape. 

"Do you think you can go through this? I'll call the guards!" He screams. 

"Well, if they can come before you get fired"

The ring starts to narrow, and the fire gets close to him every second. He starts trembling. 

"A- alright... Alright! What do you want?" His eyes are full of fear. 

"First, apologize to her"

"I'm so sorry!"

"Second, don't miss with any students again."

"I understand..." 

"Third, this fire ring will appear any time you mesreact. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand!" 

I let him off then he ran away, I guess I heard "tsk" but it doesn't matter anyway, since this girl is safe. 

"Are you okay?" I asked the brown haired girl. 

"Yes... Thank you" her head is still down. 

"No need. I saw you yesterday in the library, are you interested in reading? I can lend you some of my books"

"Really?" Her expression changed for a moment. 

"Yes, you can come to my room later" 
"I will" for the first time, she smiles. 

"Rei, well done! As expected from my assistant!" Felix walked toward me "the fire ring you did before was amazing! Teach me how to do it."

The girl stared at us with confusion, Felix noticed that then smiled at her. 

"I'm Felix, and this is my assistant, Rei. What about you?"

"I don't remember being your assistant"

"I'm Sara" she smiled. 

After saying goodbye to Sara, we head to the courtyard so I can train Felix how to create a fire ring. 

"Magic is imagination, you can shape it however you want by controlling your mana and picturing it clearly."

"Alright, got it!" 

He shut his eyes for a moment then opened it, and pointed his finger at the air. A ring of fire begins to form. 

"Whoa this!!" He lit up for a second "... Too small."

Regarding the size, it fizzled quickly. 
"Why... " he watched the sparks fade with disappointment. 

"I told you, it's based on your imagination."

"Tsk" 

He grumbled but got back to training quickly. And after half an hour, he finally managed to create it. 

"I did it!" He cheers. 

"Yes, and it's the end of our training today."

Are you going to the dormitory now?" He asks. 

"No. To the library" I walk away. 

"Let's go together!" He follows me. 

"Why are you following me?" I sigh. 

"We're a team, have you forgotten?"

"I don't even remember us becoming one."

We walked to the academy library, a sprawling hall with many magic books- and as I expected. 

"Hello, Sara." 

I walk toward the brown haired girl sitting there, absorbed in a book, this book is mine... 

"Oh, Sara you're here too, ya ho!' He raised his hand. 

"Y- ya ho... " she imitates him. 

"The Reflective Barrier?" I didn't expect to see her interested in this. 

"Yes… my magic type is Defense Magic, and I'm… I'm a huge fan of the Cold Wicked Witch- Reina Ariel Valdemar" she confessed with a red face. 

"I see." 

Hearing it face to face stirs strange feelings. I adjust my glasses. Reina Ariel Valdemar doesn't wear glasses, and she isn't blonde. 

I look around, Felix is there, searching in the books. He acts just like a kid. 

"I think you should read the Charm of the Circle first." I retrieve the book from the shelf and hand it to her. 

"The Charm of the Circle?" She blinked. 

"The barrier is a circle. Do you understand what that means? It's a bounded space, yet it contains an infinite number of points. Since the mana within the barrier remains static, the reflective barrier, unlike ordinary ones that simply absorb attacks, deflects any mana that tries to disturb the stillness. So the most important step is for the caster to maintain a steady flow of mana." 

Without realizing, I got excited in front of this girl.

"Wait... that’s brilliant! I- I need to read this too. No wonder I admire the reflective barrier so much, it's the greatest invention so far" her eyes lighting up just like mine. 

"My assistant, I found an amazing book!"

He raised the book against me with excitement, the Explosion Magic. What does he want to do with this book? 

"Yeah cool. Sit there and read it" 

We lose track of time, talking and reading until the sunset paints the library windows in orange. Then after parting from Felix, we walk back to the dormitory together.