[Initio Library Card]

[A library card that grants you access to the .]

Wow, who knew getting a library card was easy? Well, I got it because I have a [Scribe] mastery with me, but I’m still amazed about how I got it. At first, I’m not sure how I can tell her that I'm just here to read and copy some books in library. But just before I can mention this, the system suddenly chimes in and tells me about a [Key Item] sitting in my inventory for a while through a pop-up window. And when I check it, I find that it’s referring to another ID card. Though I can't say it's like the school ID that I have in real life, but rather a small wooden plank shaped like a trading card with a green gem in the middle of it and a bronze coin at the top of it.

[Adventurer Passport]

[An identification plague that signifies your place in the . The coin represents your current rank while the stone shows the registered skills you currently possessed within you.]

When I pull it out and show it to the librarian, she just gives me the library card and lets me in without any problems. I have to admit, this passport is very useful for any [Quests] and other stuff. I wish I can tell Wind about it, but I don't want to waste my time in here for long. I need to train my [Scribe] skills so I can do some interesting crafts alongside with my other [Masteries]. I actually hadn’t planned to go to the library and work on this [Mastery] originally, but when I was looking into more information about the [Scribe] skill, I learned that I can improve [Grimore]-type weapons by combining my [Scribe] and [Magecrafting's] crafting skills together rather than relying on the latter. With this revelation, I might even make the strongest spellbook that I can wield in the game!

However, even with that idea, I know I can't just craft it without hard work and training. Besides, this is a great way to learn about the game's lore without relying on the wiki so much. Though, it can be a bit expensive at first since I have to get a few more levels before I can even make my paper. Thankfully, that librarian has given me some of them to lessen the burden on our allowance. Plus, I bought some writing tools before coming here.

10x [Plain Paper]

[A simple piece of paper that you can draw or write on with just a lead or ink.]

[Beginner Writing Tools]

[A tool kit consists of a black inkwell and a [Windfell Pigeon] Feather Pen, perfect for new aspiring writers, cartographers, and scholars.

Quality: 10]

Unfortunately, she only gave me a limited amount of paper, so I have to make sure not to write too much while copying some of the book's contents. Though there’s another problem in my mind right now.

As I stare through many bookshelves right in front of me that is located at the back of the library, I begin to realize that I don't even know where the books on the world and history are! I try to use the appraisal system to find them, but there are so many books that even it can't even track them down with just my own two eyes. I wish I can return to the librarian just to ask where it is, but I feel that her glare has made me a bit reluctant since it just reminds me of a lot of Ms. Revel back home. Besides, I'm not ready to go back to Wind yet until I finish what I came here for.

Seeing that I might not able to find the books I need, I just sigh and leave in front of the bookshelf. But as I do in defeat, I accidentally bump someone nearby, which I see some papers and scrolls fell on the ground in shock. Of course, all I can do is gasp and drops down as I grab them in panic. "Sorry, sorry! I didn't see where I'm going! I'll pick them up right now."

However, a gloved hand stops me from doing so, causing me to look up to see who it belongs to. To my surprise, the one who stopped me is a hooded figure wearing a long white robe and grey boots. While I can't see his eyes and hair very clearly, I can tell that he's an adult man since his body is like our Dad’s. He is also wearing a jeweled necklace with a transparent blue gem embedded in the gold plate. Regardless of his appearance, I can see him smiling as he picks up the dropped papers and scrolls in front of him.

"It's alright, young lad. I know you're a busy bee and it's my fault that I didn't notice your presence," the man whispers as he dusts himself while holding most of his paperwork together. However, he suddenly turns around and stares at me for a few seconds. To be honest, I am a bit uncomfortable with him staring at me like a stalker. But after a few seconds of awkward staring, the hooded man just smiles and hums a bit. "Say, you don't look like some human child wandering lost in the library. You also seem too young to be a magician or a wizard apprentice"

I sheepishly chuckle as soon as he mentions it. "About that... I'm lost, but not in the way you think. I'm trying to find some books that I want to copy."

"Books, eh? If you're looking for some grimoire around here, I feel you should try checking at the town's local bookstore. I think they should have a spellbook perfect for a young mage in your current age."

I want to try telling him that I'm looking for some books regarding the game's lore and world. But I quickly stop myself when I look above the hooded man's head. There, I see that his name (which he is called a ) has a blue crystal next to it, an indicator that he's one of the virtual world's inhabitants. In other words, an NPC of . In any case, I have to avoid mentioning that this world is nothing more than a video game. Besides, breaking the fourth wall would destroy the immersion I'm currently experiencing in the game. So instead, I have to choose my words carefully to avoid mentioning the world's true nature. "I want to read on some books on cities, maps, and any landmark around . I'm one of the sons of a famous magician in a faraway land and I'm working as an adventurer with my brother."

I don't know if he believes in my explanation. In reality, I'm just an ordinary 12-year-old playing a fantasy virtual reality game. But then again, he is just another one of those NPCs, so I'm a bit scared about what his response will be. But as I watch him staring at me with a suspicious look on his face, he then hums a bit before looking around the whole library. "And I'm guessing that one of your parents is from an [Insignis] race, correct? Don't hide it, I can tell because you look like a full-fledged [Insignis] child."

My eyes widen when he mentions my character's race. According to the wiki, no one including the inhabitants can recognize an [Insignis] resident unless they reveal a rune mark around their body. Mine is located at my left shoulder and I am wearing a long-sleeved robe to hide it. Yet why did he recognize me at a first glance? In any case, I guess I can't hide my race to this NPC for long, but I have to make up some kind of backstory to avoid any 4th-wall breaking problems. "U-Uh, yeah. I got it from my father's side. He's that famous magician that I've been mentioning about."

"I see. And I guess that from your age alone, you must be a prodigious enough to become an adventurer at your age. I'm impressed."

He's impressed? Wow, do all of the NPCs respond like that when I tell them my real age? Still, this is starting to feel like a real fantasy world just by talking to this hooded NPC. "U-Uh, I guess so. And to tell you the truth, I don't have enough knowledge when it comes to history and landmarks."

"A shut-in apprentice, huh? It makes sense since the world outside cities and towns can be very dangerous even to a child prodigy like you. Well, if you're looking for its geography and history, there is one right behind a bookshelf next to the bestiary and flora. I feel it's enough for you to learn more about as well as history. Of course, I suggest skipping politics since you're too young to understand more about its current events and the government itself."

That is true. I prefer to skip on politics in real life as well since I'm not very keen on conflict-related stuff. "Y-Yeah, thanks for your help, mister."

The hooded man chuckles before he shuffles through his scrolls and papers. "It's alright, young man. And before you go, I want you to give you something in return."

Something in return? All I did was help him out with his dropped items. However, he quickly gives me some kind of a hardcover blue book, at which a new pop-up window explained what it is.

[Mysterious Book]

[A hardcover book that you obtained from a mysterious stranger. It seemed to be sealed with a mysterious magical power hidden inside of it.]

A [Key Item]?! I am completely confused and shocked that this NPC just gave it to me so suddenly. Not only that, there is no [Quest] pop-up window that indicates I even earn it in the first place. Then as I see the man about to leave, I quickly run up to him with the book in hand and said, "Hold on! I can't have your book! I don't even deserve it anyway!"

However, the mysterious man just smiles at me and puts his right index finger to his lips. "Don't worry, young Kazu. When the time comes, that book will contain answers to the questions you may run shortly." My eyes widen once more. I never told him about my name! "And since it might be rude for me to leave, I can at least tell you my name. I am known as the [Seer of Eyes], and I will be watching your progress alongside your [Human] brother. Until then, keep it up with your training and we might meet again soon."

I want to stop him, but before I can try, the hooded man suddenly disappears into thin air. I guess that's what happens when you try to talk to a unique NPC. I doubt he could come back even when I call for him, risking the possibility of being banned from the library for making noise in the process. In any case, I had no choice but to hold onto the book for now and head to a bookshelf that he pointed out earlier.

An hour passes since my meeting with a strange NPC and boy, I am exhausted! Thanks to him, not only have I found that the books I needed for my [Scribe] training, but I have also copied enough information I need in the first place. Sure, I only copied half of the info because of the limited amount of papers I have on hand, but at least I have some progress enough to level my [Mastery] up in a few levels.

But there's something on my mind ever since that meeting. What kind of book did he just give me? Was it a grimoire or something else? I try opening it, but true to its flavor text, I can't even budge through the sealed book cover. I guess I have to wait a certain amount of time or some kind of special [Quest] to open it. For now, I’ve already done what I needed to here in the first place.

5x [Volo History Notes]

[Written notes containing abridged information copied from history books of .

Quality: 5]

4x [Volo Geography Notes]

[Written notes containing abridged information copied from geography books of .

Quality: 5]

1x [Volo Handmade Map]

[A crudely drawn map of copied from one of the pages of a geography book of .

Quality: 3]

Other than a map that I try to copy, most of my notes are decent quality, hopefully enough for Wind to read through my handwriting. With that said, I return the books to their proper bookshelves and head back to the library entrance to rendezvous with my brother. But when I arrive there, I gasp in shock to see my older brother lying down headfirst onto a table near the receptionist counter gasping for air, as if he’s dying from some sort of poison or disease. Also, I notice that he is holding the same library card I had in his hand. In any case, I quickly shake Wind's body as I call out his name to wake up. Thankfully, it was enough to do so as his eyes flutter open before he turns towards me.

"K-Kaz? W-What happened? How long was I out?"

I raise my eyebrow once he asks those words. "Um... It's about an hour and a half and I just found you lying on the table like that. But I have to ask you the same question. Did you get attacked by a hostile monster or something?"

Wind then groans in response and answers, "It's not that. When you said I have to take a [Quest] to get my card, I didn't expect I have to take a written exam to finish it."

I become confused at what Wind said. I’ve had no idea the [Quest] involves that kind of objective in this game. "Well... at least you got what you needed while I was busy. That's good news for you on your end."

"Y-Yeah... But can we log out right now? I feel like my head is about to explode from all of this talking and I need a few minutes of rest before lunch."

He's right. We decide to leave the library and head back to the inn to log out for now for a lunch back. We need all the energy we can get for our weapon-crafting session later. I can't wait to see what we're going to make out of the materials we obtain from our few weeks of training and gathering.

Wind's Masteries

[Archery] Level 11

[Woodcrafting] Level 2

[Swordsmanship] Level 10

[Cooking] Level 4

[Wind] Level 9

[Physical Enhancement] Level 3

[Hunting] Level 10

Kazu's Masteries

[Arcana] Level 10

[Thunder] Level 11

[Wind] Level 7

[Alchemy] Level 12

[Magecrafting] Level 1

[Magical Affinity] Level 11

[Scribe] Level 4