The Librarian with a 'Philosophical' Curve

I lay in my creaky inn bed, sleep remaining elusive as my mind drifted back to the kiss with Putri. Had it really happened?

It seemed hazy now, like a half-remembered dream. Strange how a single moment could send ripples through everything that came after.

I thought about Putri’s compassion, her unwavering faith in me even in my darkest moments of doubt. She was an anchor keeping me from drifting astray.

Being with her felt...right, like finding a missing piece I didn’t know was lost.

But forces beyond our control seemed intent on pulling us apart. There was so much at stake—the kingdom, the villagers, the Heartstone’s secret. And now this forbidden affection blossoming between us, as untimely as the first sprout of spring, pierced by winter’s last chill.

I turned to my side, watching shadows dance across the sketchbook lying on my bedside table. Inside were the origins of all this—my drawings, my creations. Living, breathing people now sharing my turbulent journey through this realm.

Putri, Pyuan, Nabilah, even the Queen... they were here now, brought to life from my imagination. And deep down, I knew I would meet more. Each stroke had become a part of a world I had yet to fully explore.

What bargains had I made in coming here?

And did fate permit me a choice anymore?

Sleep continued to evade me as I lingered on these mysteries, my mind returning again and again to Putri’s face, her voice, her touch... The memory of our shared moment was like an unbreakable thread weaving our experiences together.

-o0o-

Morning emerged, pale light filtering into my room as I prepared myself to face Putri again. Our intimate moment still felt fresh, yet somehow distant. Perhaps she regretted it happening. Or worse, resented me for letting it occur, however fleeting.

I descended the creaky stairs slowly, feelings of both anticipation and dread welling within me. But Putri greeted me with her usual smile, warm and guileless.

"Ready for today?" she asked cheerfully.

Her easygoing tone allowed me to breathe, even as an undercurrent of things unsaid lingered between us.

We gathered supplies, maintaining a façade of normalcy, even though inside, my heart churned and thoughts tangled like threads in a knot. As we checked gear and filled our packs, Putri made casual conversation, never hinting at our secret shared moment.

Our companions joined us for the road ahead, but at that moment all I perceived was her – this tangled dance of joy and sorrow.

There would be time to unpack it all, I hoped. The mysteries of the heart could wait, I decided. 

For now, we had a vital mission to focus on, even though my heart was split between duty and the affections I never dared fully reveal. But with my friends close by, I felt bold enough to continue facing the challenges that lay ahead.

We gathered around the table, ready to plan our next steps. Nabilah unfurled a map of the region, her finger tracing a route through the mountains.

"Thanks to Nanang's portal magic, we can take a direct path to the Mystic Peaks," she began. "That should cut our travel time significantly."

I nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at me. "I can try opening a portal, but I've never actually been to the Heartstone itself. Is there anything marking its location?"

The others exchanged glances, realization dawning that none had seen the Heartstone before.

Putri's face lit up. "Wait, Vanesha would know!" she said to Nabilah. "She's studied all the obscure lores at the archive. You know... Vanesha, that girl from our academy?"

Nabilah's brow furrowed slightly, her lips pursing. "Vanesha?" She paused, clearly not thrilled. "Oh, you mean the one who's always buried in those dusty old books?" She sighed, rolling her eyes. "She nearly had me expelled once for borrowing a manuscript I wasn't supposed to. I'll admit she knows her stuff, but she's a bit too by-the-book for my taste."

Putri chuckled, "She's a bit of a stickler, yes, but her knowledge will be invaluable."

Wait, Vanesha?

Vanesha Fujiwara, right? 

Isn't she one of my creations?

I wondered, no longer surprised by these twists.

I glanced sneakily at my notebook. Yeah, she's there: a librarian, very smart, and... ehem, big-chested. I chuckled inwardly, realizing my imagination had certainly taken liberties when I sketched her.

"I should have put more thought into her character design," I mused, but pushed that aside. 

Her mind, not her figure, was what we needed now.

I noticed Pyuan was there too, seemingly lost in thought, perhaps pondering the plan or simply daydreaming about the next adventure.

"Well then," Nabilah said, rolling up the map and softening her expression, "we must pay Vanesha a visit before departing. She's sure to have clues about the Heartstone's appearance and location."

-o0o-

Vanesha welcomed us into the cozy archive room, shelves upon shelves of books and scrolls lining the walls. She had an eager glint in her green eyes, like a student asked to give a presentation on their favorite subject.

I was momentarily taken aback - she looked exactly like I had drawn her: long blonde hair and piercing eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, and yes, a rather ample bosom barely contained by her conservative librarian's tunic.

I quickly averted my eyes, feeling suddenly self-conscious about my artistic liberties.

"Is something wrong?" Vanesha asked, noticing my reaction.

"Oh, uh, no! You just remind me of someone I once... knew," I said awkwardly, but she didn't pry further.

"The Heartstone, you say?" she remarked, grabbing a few maps and manuscripts. "I know just where to start."

She unfurled the maps first, launching into the lengthy history of the Heartstone's origins—its ancient magical properties, and suspected location deep in the mountain caves. Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, her words flowing like a river. I found myself swept away by her passion, yet also confused and somewhat overwhelmed.

Nabilah's impatience started to show as she shifted in her seat, finally interjecting, "Yes, yes, fascinating, but can we get right to the point?"

"Of course," Vanesha replied tersely. "I was simply aiming for thorough context."

Vanesha shot her an irked glance before continuing. Clearly, these two had clashing personalities - the studious archivist and the brash adventurer.

"Heeey, it's okay... It's okay," Putri mediated. "You can take your time, Vanesha."

Putri's gentle encouragement brought Vanesha's enthusiasm back, and the conversation continued. But as she revealed the old etching of the crystalline Heartstone, something she said struck me.

"The Heartstone is no mere gem," Vanesha explained, "but the crystallized essence of creative energies from the primordial void. When the 'Creator' forged this realm, the Heartstone came to be, capturing a spark of that original genesis force."

"This is what you seek," she declared. "Finding it is another matter."

"Creator? What exactly did you mean by that?" Nabilah asked Vanesha.

Vanesha tilted her head thoughtfully. "Ah, it's just an ancient term some texts use for the primordial force that dreamt our world into being."

"So someone dreamed us all up and poof, here we are?" Pyu's ears perked up curiously, "That's like, super wild~pyu!"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

Surely Vanesha didn't mean... me?

That couldn't be, right? 

I rubbed my hand around my neck as Putri caught my eye.

"Where were you when we planned our first trip?" I joked. "Could've used this intel from the start!"

Vanesha tilted her head, giving me a strange, knowing look. "I suppose the 'Creator' did not allow me to be present earlier in your tale," she replied cryptically.

"Have you ever heard, of uh... a Fated Fabricator?" I took the opportunity to ask her.

"Ah yes, the prophecy of the Fated Fabricator. Legends say they will possess the power to manifest their very imagination into reality."

She then glanced at my art supplies. "Were you wondering if... this 'Creator' is the same as the Fated Fabricator?"

I nodded.

Vanesha let out a sigh, "I don't know, actually," she said, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I was under the impression that the Creator isn't a literal being, but rather the essence from which our reality took form. But what that means... well, it's up to interpretation. What you believe, that's all that truly matters."

The idea of a 'Creator' shaping our world was something that both intrigued and puzzled me. Was this Creator akin to a god, orchestrating the dance of existence from the shadows, or something more abstract, like a force or essence that gave rise to all life? In my old world, I had often pondered the nature of the divine, wrapping my head around various beliefs and philosophies. But in here, the line between myth and reality seemed to blur.

Vanesha's words resonated with me, leaving me to wrestle with the notion that perhaps our understanding of creation and deity was not confined to mere definitions, but something more profound, fluid, and personal. What we believe, indeed, might be all that truly matters.

And no, before anyone asks, I'm not claiming to be a god. Who would ever worship a guy who still can't draw a decent dragon without reference images?