Chương 5: Library

Being a child, Lyrian had still fallen quickly asleep in no time. When he woke up, he waited for his father to go to work so that he and his mother could finally go to the library.

Rosa wore a patterned bonnet on her head and put a bag over her right shoulder along with her normal attire and dressed up Lyrian in a pair of brown shorts and a simple shirt.

The two left their humble abode, which was an average-sized house in the middle of the city. As soon as they stepped out, Lyrian was met with a bustling environment.

The air was filled with the sound of haggling, the smell of spices and roasting meats, and the sight of colorful fabrics and glittering jewels.

The medieval market street was a hub of activity, bustling with merchants and shoppers alike.

Lyrian walked down the wide cobblestone street, his eyes wide with wonder at the variety of goods on display.

Brightly colored fruits and vegetables were piled high on wooden carts, while vendors shouted out their wares in a cacophony of voices.

The aroma of fresh bread mingled with the sweet scent of honey cakes and the smoky tang of grilled sausages, making his stomach growl.

As he made his way through the crowd, he saw craftsmen hard at work, carving intricate designs into wooden bowls or shaping molten metal into shining swords.

He stopped to watch a blacksmith hammering a piece of red-hot iron into shape, the rhythmic clang of the hammer on metal ringing in his ears.

Further down the street, Lyrian and his mother came across a group of minstrels playing lively tunes on their lutes and flutes, their music drawing a crowd of dancers and onlookers.

Lyrian and his mother finally approached Ilstria's local library, located in the heart of the town square.

The grand building made of stone was impossible to miss, with tall columns and intricate designs etched into its walls.

It was the most popular spot in town, and people could be seen coming and going from its doors at all hours of the day.

As they walked closer, Lyrian felt a sense of reverence wash over him. The library was a place of knowledge and learning. It might have even held the greater knowledge of magia that he was looking for.

He watched as people of all ages entered and exited the building, some carrying books and others simply enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

Finally, they arrived at the stairs to the entrance of the building. Atop the stairs was a guard that was rather obese. His mustache stretched across his face.

In his hands was a baton and his expression was dull, as if he was tired of working.

As Lyrian walked up the stairs behind a line of people, he noticed that they all showed a badge of sorts before entering.

It was a golden plate that had the word "noble" written on it.

"Get the hell out of here, peasant! Dogs like you don't belong here!" The guard suddenly barked at a young boy who looked a few years older than Lyrian.

The boy was the next in front of them in line.

His clothes were ripped and dirty, his body covered in scratches, and his hair was in a mess. Looking at him reminded Lyrian of himself back on Earth.

"But please, sir. I have the 5 silver's needed in order to enter." The boy begged, holding up a small brown pouch.

In a split second, the guard swiped the bag from the young boy's hands, stuffing it into his back pocket.

"5 what? I don't see anything in your hands. Now scram before you regret it!"

Lyrian was shocked.

"Si–sir. You just took–"

*Swish!*

The guard suddenly swung his baton, slamming it hard into the boy's side and causing him to fall down the stairs.

"Those like you who are born with nothing don't deserve to gain anything, either. Stay where you are, and don't infect your higher-ups." The guard said with a cold eye.

The guard worked for Braakan Theagard, the mayor of Ilstria. He was a man who worked hard to grow the status of his small city so that he was recognized by the king and promoted.

With this in consideration, he was known to be a ruthless man, cold in heart and only caring about material things.

Due to this, all who worked under him were forced to accept those same qualities to be accepted.

This case was no different for the guard. However, almost everyone from a young age in the kingdom of Yalta was taught that nobles were simply superior beings, as they often had the ability to conjure magia.

Lyrian, however, had no clue of this. "Why–" He decided to speak out against the guard but was suddenly interrupted by his mother.

"Fanus! How dare you steal from the citizens of Yalta so casually in prime daylight! It seems this authority has driven you to corruption!" She said sternly.

For a moment, the guard's expression turned pale as he quickly fixed his posture and turned his head to face Rosa.

"I'm sorry, mam—what? Oh, it's just you." He quickly returned to his normal self, seeing who was speaking to him in such a daring tone.

"What do you mean, it's just me? Do not forget that I am a relative of the main noble family in this Ilstria!"

The guard stared at Rosa nonchalantly, unimpressed by her words.

Grasus Theageld was the twin brother of Braakan Theagard. The title of mayor was given to Braakan at birth by their mother, who passed soon after.

Their father, at the time, was away fighting for the king as a squadron leader for the Imperial Army.

The two brothers were close at first, but Braakan slowly grew to be a worse person, being raised by his corrupt uncle and aunt in place of his father, Bralars Theageld, who was still serving in the army.

Braakan broke off with Grasus as much as he could to reap most of the benefits of being mayor.

By the time their father returned, Braakan had already turned into a cold monster, and Bralars quickly fell ill with a mysterious illness.

However, Bralars still made sure that Grasus' family wasn't treated too terribly and forced Braakan to allow Grasus' family to keep the title of noble. This helped them a lot to stay afloat.

Recently, however, Bralars had gone into a critical condition, and so, everyone knew that he wouldn't be able to step up for Grasus' family anymore.

Of course, this meant that they wouldn't need to be treated so highly as before.

"How about this, bitch; do not forget that the old man is on his deathbed right now. Now, you can't suck off from him for help anymore." The guard, Fanus, said.

Rosa was stunned, not knowing what to say back. The news of her father-in-law getting critically ill was not new, but she still hadn't fully realized it in her day-to-day life.

"Now… get the fuck out of here before I beat you like a swine in front of all of these kind people," Fanus said, tapping the baton against his palm as he looked at the people behind Lyrian and Rosa in line.

Rosa also looked back, and behind them was a small crowd of people with scared looks on their faces. This caused Rosa to hide her head in shame immediately.

For Lyrian, this was the most rage-inducing experience he had ever gone through. His mother was the one who cared for him so much.

He, a slave. Nobody. A worthless being whose purpose was once simply to serve his master and then die.

She cared for that person, and to witness her being threatened and humiliated like this lit a fire inside of his heart that he had never felt before.

His eyes were opened wide as he stared at the floor, fists curled and not knowing what to do with the rage he felt inside.

It felt similar to when he was being insulted in his previous life, but this was not against him, but against someone who sacrificed so much for him.

"Well? What are you waiting around for?" Fanus gave his final warning.

Lyrian was shaking with anger, but loosened his balled-up hands and took in a deep breath as he followed his mother down the stairs and back on the way home.

Rosa was silent while walking, but Lyrian could tell that she was crying a little. She was trying to hide it from Lyrian.

Lyrian knew that if he was to act at that moment, he would be putting the life of his mother in danger, and so chose not to act.

'If only I was strong enough. I could have beaten that guard to a pulp without having to worry about endangering my mother.'

…

'I have to get stronger, damn it!'

*Ding* [New quest obtained!]

[Open the quest menu to see active quests.]