Chapter 15: History Class

One of the very first things history class teaches, which is mandatory for every first year, is how the library works. While some students may think they don’t need it, the library tower is one of the most important parts of the academy, and also one of the trickiest, and Ariella learned that firsthand. It wasn’t just any old library where she could just walk in, ask a librarian, and find the books she was looking for. The place was far more than that, and if you were going to study at the academy, you had to learn how to use it. Part of the history class, since the library was a huge part of the history of the royal capital’s towers, was to teach the new students how to use it.

“Does anyone have questions on how to use the library? You’ll be required to do a lot of research during your school years, so it’s important you understand how it works.” The professor asked.

“How does it decide which books we actually want?” A student asked after raising their hand.

“Magic is the best way to explain it. At the top of the tower there is a large mana stone carved with intricate and basically impossible magic circles to make the tower function. No one knows the details since there hasn’t been a single person allowed to enter the top of the tower, but the theory is that the person who made the tower also created that stone.”

“Do we know who the maker is?” Ariella asked.

“We do not. There are rumors about who it was, but they have zero substantial facts, and since this is a history class, we will not be discussing those.”

“Are we trying to make it to the top?” Another student asked.

“Early on we have, yes. But the previous dean banned the search, and our current one is upholding that ban. It simply wasn’t worth it when we don’t know what would happen to all the knowledge in the tower if someone ruined the magic stone. Yes, banning it doesn’t completely stop the ones who want to find it, but they do so at the risk of being banned from the school for the rest of their lives.”

“And that itself would probably ruin their lives,” Ariella added.

“I don’t like to be negative, but yes. Word will get out, and the chances of you receiving any kind of work are slim to none. You’ll have to leave for another country, and the political climate of our world isn’t the best.” Professor Bauer said.

“Is it even possible for someone to enter the top?” Ariella questioned. “That place was like a maze. There was no way to know where you were, and when you want to search for books on a topic, it’s not like it would direct you to the section it had. It simply leads you up a flight of stairs to a bookshelf, and that’s it.”

“It is definitely possible, I can say that with certainty, but we don’t know if only the creator can enter it, or if there is some other way to do so.”

“As in wishing to find the stone like you would search for a book?” Another student added.

“Yes. Many have tried that way, and while it has never worked, we’re not sure if it’s impossible.” With the tolling of the bell interrupting their lesson, Professor Bauer spoke. “It sounds like that’s the bell for the end of class. I hope everyone has now understood the importance of the library, and I hope you all plan to use it to your advantage, and if you find the library interesting enough, you can apply for my class next semester where we will dive deeper into everything we know about the place.”

Noting a future class she would love to join, Ariella rushed down to the professor’s desk. She had to be quick with her question since her next class was a pretty far track, but before she left, Ariella wanted to see her thoughts on the notebook she found. Originally, she was going to ask the language teacher, but since it was the weekend, she felt it wouldn’t be wise to interrupt a day off, so before going to find the professor, Ariella thought she would try her luck with the history teacher first.

“What’s wrong, Ariella?” Professor Bauer asked.

“I’m in a bit of a rush, but I wanted to see if you knew something.” Ariella handed the notebook over to Professor Bauer, who then opened it to the first page. “I plan to check with the language professor if she knew the language, but since it’s an older one, I thought you might know what it is.”

Professor Bauer scanned through a handful of pages with a furrowed brow before closing it and handing it back to Ariella. “I can’t say I’ve ever seen such a language, but you should ask Professor Marsh. He teaches the older and forgotten languages, and does extensive research into them. If anyone would know, or even have a hint of what that language is, it would be Professor Marsh.”

“Thank you so much,” Ariella bowed lightly. “Do you know where I could find him?”

“If he’s not teaching a class, then he’s in his lab researching. That’s all that man ever does: research, research, and more research.” A spark of anger lingered in her words as she spoke. “Sorry,” she coughed into her hand. “His lab is in the same classroom as he teaches, so you’ll always find him there.”

“Would he be willing to talk?”

“If you showed him that notebook of yours, then yes, without a doubt. He’s not the friendliest of people,” Professor Bauer rolled her eyes. “But if it’s about forgotten languages, he’ll talk your ear off.”

“Thank you,” Ariella bowed lightly before dashing off to her next class.