“This world’s love is probably just like this—longing without fulfillment, loving without reunion. Beautiful love always ends in tragedy…”
In the quiet Imperial Royal Library, at this late hour when no one came, the silence was absolute.
Even the soft recitation echoed gently in the stillness.
Victoria stood behind Willis, watching as she pulled a hardcover classical book from the dense bookshelf, then parted her lips slightly to read aloud from its contents.
Afterward, she carelessly shoved the book back into place.
“What nonsense—unrequited love? If you can’t get it, it’s because you’re not good enough. If anyone dares to keep me from getting what I want, I’ll just take it by force!”
Hmm, such an unreasonable and forceful personality—that was the Willis Princess she knew.
Of course, at this moment in Victoria’s eyes, this could also be understood as— even if by some miracle, Princess Hill Yu fell in love with Annie Donald, Willis would still choose to use brute force for love.
“After all, love isn’t about who’s right or wrong!”
See?
This shameless princess had already found a clumsy excuse for herself.
“Don’t you think so, Victoria?”
Throwing the question to the one beside her, Victoria noticed that Willis seemed eager to put her on the spot tonight.
So Victoria chose to remain silent.
Willis didn’t press her for an answer any further.
***
This Royal Library was vast, designed specifically to store as many books as possible.
There were ten floors in total, each at least ten meters tall, filled with all kinds of books.
Willis led Victoria to select books floor by floor, finally arriving at the Fifth Floor.
An elderly man stood before her.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, I understand. I won’t go up to the Sixth Floor,” Willis nodded.
Willis had met this old man a few times before when visiting the library. He always stopped her from going to the Sixth Floor—not with force, but with advice.
The reason was roughly this—Willis’s current strength wasn’t enough to practice the advanced spells stored upstairs. Borrowing those books and trying to learn forcibly would only cause her to lose herself.
In severe cases, it might ruin her entire path in Magic.
Trying to grasp advanced or even epic-level spells prematurely would quickly drain the budding magical talent she had.
Only with consistent accumulation and sufficient power could one have the right to approach higher-level spells.
The old man meant well and never forcefully stopped her.
So Willis had disbelieved and gone up to the Sixth Floor before. After skimming through a few obscure magic books, she obediently retreated.
Tonight, Willis didn’t come for those high-level spells that would take a long time to master.
“Well then, Your Highness, please feel free.”
The old man slowly withdrew and disappeared, and Willis never asked about his background.
“Your Highness, who was that just now…”
“I said, even I, the Grand Princess, don’t know. Do you believe me?”
Willis winked playfully.
“Let’s go.”
On this Fifth Floor were exactly the fire-element spells materials Willis needed for her cultivation.
Included were notes and reflections summarized by predecessors, along with some systematic books.
Willis picked out about ten books from the shelf. Victoria even saw Willis pick up a copy of Flame Magic Basic Spell Explanation.
Then, Willis led Victoria downstairs, stopping on the Fourth, Second, and First Floors to collect many foundational books.
These were books Willis had already identified earlier but hadn’t taken yet.
Among them were History of Magic on the Westoria Continent, On the Origin of Magic, Encyclopedia of Basic Magical Knowledge, Introduction to Basic Spells of Each School of Magic, Basic Swordsmanship Explanation…
A total of thirty thick books, which Victoria struggled to carry behind her.
Very heavy!
In contrast, Willis, who had picked so many books, moved with ease and grace.
Because she hadn’t taken a single book herself—all were carried by Victoria.
Under her silver hair, Victoria twitched the corner of her mouth, a hint of complaint in her eyes, but still did her best to keep pace with Willis steadily.
“Your Highness, why do I feel like there are very few guards inside this library?”
Victoria asked, gritting her teeth.
Willis looked back and replied lightly, “Impossible. There are more guards inside than outside. You just haven’t seen them…”
“Really? Then why…” Victoria snorted coldly, “there isn’t even a single page to help carry books?”
“Ah, there are, but it’s so late, they’re all asleep now.”
You know it’s this late too! Victoria raged silently at Willis.
But on her face, she maintained the demeanor and etiquette befitting a Guard Knight.
The entire tower library had hidden exits, but only one entrance was normally open—that was the main entrance.
Outside the heavy, ancient door, the old man who had been napping there was still present.
Hearing the noise, he lifted his eyes and quickly stood to salute.
“Her Highness the Princess!”
“Enough. Register it.”
“No need, no need. Your Highness borrowing books—even if you never return them—is allowed, indefinitely!”
The old man flattered with a smile.
“Very well!”
Willis motioned for Victoria to leave. After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned back to the old man.
“I don’t think the position of gatekeeper suits you. What do you think?”
The old man was momentarily stunned, then respectfully replied, “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. But I am well into my years—half buried in the ground, with no such ambitions anymore…”
“Now, I only wish to quietly stay by the gate, away from troubles. To rest peacefully in the earth tomorrow—that is my wish.”
Hearing this, Willis nodded.
“So be it. Farewell.”
Willis led Victoria down the steps to the waiting carriage, where a breathtakingly beautiful young girl who had finished packing was already waiting.
The two exchanged nods. Victoria then placed the books into the carriage, sitting next to the driver, tasked with protection.
As the convoy departed, the old man at the door withdrew his gaze, then laid back on the table, pulling a blanket over the chair’s backrest and peacefully continued his nap.
Inside the carriage, Annie Donald appeared anxious and restless.
But that soon passed.
Because after Willis got in, under the faint glow of the carriage’s magic light, she quietly flipped through the books.
Pages turned slowly beneath her slender, fair fingers. Willis gazed absently at History of Magic on the Westoria Continent, while Annie gradually noticed her trance-like state.
Real Eye!
[There is an issue with this passage. The events that happened 913 years ago at Wamere High Cliff were witnessed by people who have long since passed away. The author of this book was not present and has no trustworthy evidence, so much of this is speculation…]
[Carong’er is a kind of snow beast from the Northern Coldlands, skilled in camouflage. Its habits now differ from those described in the book, having changed with the environment…]
[Grammatical errors…]
[Incorrect knowledge… Mimi Crab Dew is not derived from…]
Page by page, with the help of the Real Eye, Willis could not only detect the mistakes in the descriptions but also discern factual differences between past and present.
Moreover, reading with the Real Eye made many concepts easier to understand, and the information was deeply imprinted in her memory.
Some vague or ambiguous matters could also be clarified with the hints from the Real Eye.
This was practically a super cheat for studying!
Willis became engrossed, completely unaware of the movements outside.
Suddenly, she heard Annie Donald softly sigh from across.
“Your Highness, your eyes are so beautiful!”