Rin replied to Lance's question with a nod and gestured for him to sit down.
Lance was middle-aged; he was in his thirties with simple looks and thick facial hair. He was around 70 kg in weight and about 180 cm in height. He was the right-hand man to Rin.
Rin was in charge of the town. The town was mainly a stronghold near the borders, with fewer than a thousand non-combatants. She was also in charge of the combatants stationed in the town, in addition to commanding a spy unit. She had been drafted at age fifteen as a knight in the past war and had quickly climbed the ranks through her achievements.
Lance took off his bag and sword. He placed the bag on a shelf and carried his sword in his left arm, placing it on the armrest when he sat down. As a knight, it was the usual etiquette.
Rin said in a mild tone,
"There have been recent activities near the border between us and a small nation. If I remember it right, I think it's called Velmara."
It was a nation mainly focused on trade and the supply of metallic minerals.
"From the investigation, there seems to be something going on. There are three possible reasons:
1. Smuggling 2. Treason 3. A group of mercenaries or bandits causing trouble.
We have been charged with resolving the matter. I want you to depart early in the morning with a battalion."
Rin grabbed a signed paper from her desk and handed it to Lance.
Lance read it thoroughly. It was an official warrant, confirming they were not to be questioned when the battalion arrived.
Lance stood up, bowed his head, and said,
"If you will excuse me, I will go and gather the materials and soldiers needed for the trip."
He then grabbed his sword, picked up his bag, and left — without waiting for Rin's response.
She looked toward Aria and said,
"I will write a letter in the afternoon. I want you to send it to the Empress."
Aria nodded in agreement.
"Rin, I am going to the office. I want no disruptions."
She stood up and walked out, heading to the office. She entered, locked the door, and went to where she had hidden the book. She sighed with a worried expression, as the book contained some information about lost history, and there weren't many copies.
It could also go for thirty gold dragons.
The minimum salary was around five to seven silver stags, and the middle class earned from three to six gold stags. Salaries were paid every two weeks.
The price for the book was completely outrageous:
1 gold dragon = 20 gold stags
1 gold stag = 10 silver stags
1 silver stag = 15 copper stags
Rin was worried. If the book didn't have enough value, she would have wasted most of her savings.
She took out the book, walked toward the desk, and began reading.
Pages 1 to 17 didn't provide any new information.
I hope the rest of the pages contain something.
On the 13th of April:
"It" was worshiped by us.
"It"? Is it a monster, a human, or possibly something else? Rin thought deeply, but she continued reading.
On the 21st of May:
"It" had shown huge accomplishments.
Three humans started using magic with her help. "It" gave them part of its mana since they weren't born with it. The researchers began speculating that if those three had children in the future, there was a chance the children might naturally obtain magic.
Rin started flipping the pages quickly, as they contained nothing important — until she came across a torn page.
There were a few drops of blood on the page to the left of it. She flipped back to see if there were other damaged pages.
She was shocked.
The text that had been written was now gone.
She felt both horror and curiosity. Her mind raced to explain it, but only two possible causes made sense:
The item was an artefact, or Some unknown force had caused interference.
She leaned back in her chair, trying to collect herself.
Suddenly, the lantern on the desk went out.
A faint bit of sunlight streamed across the book — and then, glowing yellow letters started to appear on the page.
Rin stiffened in terror, her instincts on high alert, as the lantern flickered back to life. She stared at the now-illuminated book.
Was this the work of a god? Or something close to one?
This was far beyond anything even the most legendary artifacts could do.
She looked closely at the words, but she couldn't read them. They were written in another language.
She flipped through the remaining pages to search for any clues — but there was nothing. Just that single passage in an unknown tongue.
She closed the book and moved to the other side of the room, too frightened to touch or stay near it.
She tried to recall any clues from earlier, but most of the diary was written in a coded language. Without proper knowledge, it would be impossible to read.
She sat there, hours passing, her mind going in circles.
Eventually, she stood and resolved to try deciphering it.
By the time she glanced at the clock, it was already past afternoon.
She went to a smaller desk, far from the book, and grabbed a piece of paper and a quill to write the letter to the Empress.
After writing, she took out an envelope and a sealing crest. She placed the letter inside, sealed it, and walked toward the door. She called for a butler.
When the butler arrived, she gave him clear instructions. He bowed and gently took the letter from her hand. Along with it, she gave him an official writ — an order for three knights to escort the coachman.
After receiving the letter and reading the orders, the coachman departed to gather the knights. The letter was placed in a locked box inside the carriage, with the coachman holding the only key.
Not long after, the coachman returned with the three knights. The four of them boarded the carriage, and it departed shortly after.
They stopped briefly at the market to gather supplies for the journey. The costs were covered under Rin's name.
After stocking up, the carriage continued its route, stopping only for meals and horse rest.
....
After the butler left with the letter, Rin locked the office door again.
She feared what the book might do if left unsealed.
She didn't even know if she could still call it a book.
She returned to the desk where it sat and resumed reading. She began pulling reference books from nearby shelves, attempting to decipher the strange language.
Time passed.
It was now 6 in the evening — and she hadn't made a single bit of progress.
Her stomach growled, reminding her of the hour.
She closed the book and returned it to its hidden compartment.
After placing it carefully, she prepared a sealing spell.
Still confused and afraid, she began chanting in the language of sealing,
"Sohrel a'mon teris valen, In'kai duram vel'ethen."
She repeated the chant seven times.
The translation for the chant is:
"Hidden knowledge, I command your rest. Let no soul awaken you unless fate allows."
After that, she unlocked the door and made her way to the dining hall.
The look on her face showed that something was wrong. The maids didn't dare ask questions — it could be a confidential matter.
Rin sat down. Soon, the aroma of food filled the room.
The maids had been trained to prepare meals on short notice when none were pre-ordered. Within moments, food was served.
The poison taster sat down and sampled the meal. Once she confirmed it was safe, Rin began eating.
After she finished, she announced she would take a nap.
She went upstairs, entered her room, and threw herself onto the bed, holding her pillow to her face — still lost in thought.
She eventually drifted off to sleep.
The moment her dream began, she noticed something strange: she had full control. Full consciousness. Full feeling.
Soft chuckles echoed in the distance — faint but unmistakable.
She was so afraid she felt as if she might lose control of herself.
She tried to turn toward the source of the sound — but her body wouldn't move.
She struggled internally, then finally gathered enough courage.
She turned to gaze upon the source of the laughter.