The next morning felt… normal.
Too normal.
I stared at the ceiling for a while before exhaling and sitting up.
"…Library again?" I muttered.
At this point, it had become routine.
Wake up. Think. Go to the library. Search for answers that didn't exist.
Repeat.
But—
Yesterday crossed mymind.
Yuuki. Her house. Her family.
"…Yeah."
A quiet breath left me.
"It wouldn't be bad… going there more often."
I shook my head, pushing the thought aside as I got up and stepped out of my room.
And then—
I froze.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Sitting comfortably on the couch like she owned the place…
Was Alice.
"…Morning," she said casually, adjusting her glasses slightly as she glanced up from the book in her hand.
I stared at her.
"…Why are you here?"
That wasn't even a greeting.
She closed the book with a soft snap, crossing one leg over the other as she leaned back.
"Is that how you greet the one who took you in?"
"It's how I greet someone who shows up unannounced."
"Hmm."
Only then did I actually take a proper look at her.
Alice didn't just look out of place in my apartment—she looked like she belonged somewhere far more refined.
Long blonde hair flowed neatly down her back, catching the light in a way that made it almost glow. Her red eyes were sharp, observant, always analyzing something—even now. The thin-framed glasses resting on her face only added to that scholarly, composed image.
She looked… elegant.
Too elegant for this place.
And yet, she sat there like it was completely normal.
"…You're in my house."
"And?"
"…That's exactly the problem."
She ignored that.
"Work's off for the week."
I blinked.
"…You're taking a break?"
Now that was strange.
Alice Everhart—one of the world's greatest researchers and one of the Seven Sages—taking a break?
That didn't happen.
"Surprised?" she asked, a faint smirk forming.
"A little."
"You should be more impressed."
"I'm not."
"…You're supposed to praise me."
"Why would I do that?"
She clicked her tongue.
"Ungrateful."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
It really was rare to see her like this.
Relaxed. Casual. Not buried under endless research.
Usually, she felt… distant.
Like her mind was always somewhere else.
"…So," she said, resting her chin lightly on her hand. "Are you ready for the entrance exam?"
I paused.
"…I was just about to head out."
"That's not what I asked."
"I know."
"You're avoiding the question."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"…Yeah, okay. Maybe I am."
There was no point arguing.
She'd just keep going until I gave in.
Silence lingered briefly before I spoke again.
"…Did you find anything?"
Her expression didn't change.
"…No."
One word.
That was enough.
I exhaled slowly.
"Figures."
If even she couldn't find anything about my situation…
Then there really wasn't anything to find.
Alice watched me quietly.
Then leaned back again.
"You're still the only case."
"…That's not comforting."
"It's interesting."
"…That's worse."
A faint smile tugged at her lips.
"From a research perspective, you're incredibly valuable."
"Glad to know I'm useful for something."
"You always were."
"…Not in the way I'd prefer."
She didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she adjusted her glasses slightly, her gaze sharpening just a bit.
"You should be proud."
"…Of what."
"Being unique."
I let out a quiet breath.
"…That's one way to put it."
"Of course it is."
"…Not a good one."
"That depends on perspective."
I didn't argue.
Didn't feel like it.
After a few seconds, I grabbed my jacket.
"…I'm going out."
"To the library?" she asked.
"…Maybe."
"You're predictable."
"So are you."
She smirked slightly.
"Yet I'm still more interesting."
"…Debatable."
I walked toward the door.
Just as I reached for the handle—
"Rei."
I paused.
"…What."
"…Don't overthink it."
I didn't turn around.
"…Too late."
"Then stop."
"…Not that easy."
A brief silence.
Then—
"…Fair."
I opened the door and stepped outside.
The air felt cooler.
Clearer.
Or maybe that was just me.
Either way—
As I started walking, one thought lingered in the back of my mind.
The entrance exam.
One week.
"…Yeah," I muttered.
"This is going to be a problem."
The streets were quieter than usual.
I walked without really thinking, hands in my pockets, eyes half-focused on the path ahead.
Arcana's entrance exam.
"…The written test should be fine," I muttered.
That part, at least, I didn't have to worry about. Knowledge wasn't the problem.
It never was.
The real issue was everything else.
Evaluation.
Practical performance.
Gift demonstration.
"…Yeah," I exhaled quietly. "That's where it falls apart."
Even if I pushed myself—
Even if I used magic to its absolute limit—
Without a Gift, I'd be starting at a disadvantage I couldn't close.
"…Still," I added under my breath, "I've got magic."
It wasn't nothing.
Not in this world.
Just… not enough.
My thoughts were cut off by a vibration.
bzzzt.
I pulled out my phone, glancing at the screen.
Alice.
That was already a bad sign.
I opened the message.
Alice: I forgot to tell you something earlier.
I frowned slightly.
That didn't sound reassuring.
Alice: I gave you access to the World Union's restricted library section.
"…What?"
I stopped walking.
For a second, I just stared at the message.
Restricted… library?
The World Union?
That wasn't just some archive anyone could walk into.
That was—
Alice: You might find something there.
My grip tightened slightly around the phone.
"…You're serious?"
Another message appeared almost immediately.
Alice: I'll send you there now.
"…Wait—"
I didn't even get to finish the thought.
The world tilted.
No—
I tilted.
My feet left the ground.
"…What—"
For a brief second, I was weightless.
Then—
Everything snapped.
The air shifted violently.
Space folded—
And—
"—gh!"
I dropped.
Hard.
"Seriously?!" I snapped, catching myself on one knee as I hit the ground. "That was way too rough for teleportation"
My voice stopped.
Because when I looked up—
…This wasn't the street anymore.
Silence.
A different kind of silence.
Heavy.
Still.
I slowly stood up, brushing myself off as my eyes adjusted.
And then I saw it.
Rows.
Endless rows.
Bookshelves towering so high they faded into the shadows above. Ancient tomes, sealed records, glowing inscriptions faintly embedded into the spines of books that didn't look like they belonged in any normal library.
The air itself felt… dense.
Like knowledge had weight.
"…You've got to be kidding me," I muttered.
This wasn't just a library.
This was the restricted library.
The World Union's sealed archive.
A place that—
"…Yeah."
My gaze moved slowly across the endless shelves.
"A place I should not be in."
Access here wasn't just limited.
It was controlled.
Only a handful of people in the entire world were allowed inside.
High-ranking officials.
Top researchers.
The strongest of the strong.
And somehow—
I was standing here.
"…Alice," I muttered, "you're insane."
Not that I was complaining.
My eyes sharpened slightly as I took a step forward.
If there was anywhere in the world that had answers—
It would be here.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Alright."
Then started walking deeper into the rows.
Each step echoed faintly in the vast silence.
Ancient books lined the shelves.
Some looked untouched for decades.
Others…
Felt like they were watching me.
"…Creepy."
Still—
I didn't stop.
Because for the first time—
There was a chance.
A real one.
And I wasn't about to waste it.
As hours passed
I lost track of time.
Somewhere between the tenth shelf… and the hundredth book.
"…This is pointless."
I lay flat on the cold floor, one arm over my eyes, the other loosely holding an open book that I had already skimmed through twice.
Nothing.
Not a single useful thing.
No records of someone without a Gift.
No anomalies matching my condition.
Not even a theory that came close.
"…Seriously…"
My voice echoed faintly in the vast silence.
"I get access to the restricted section and there's still nothing?"
I let the book fall onto my chest with a dull thud.
For a moment, I just stayed there.
Staring at nothing.
Thinking about nothing.
Then—
"…One more."
I sat up slowly, grabbing another book from the nearby pile.
This one felt… different.
Heavier.
Older.
The cover was plain. No title. No markings.
"…That's not suspicious at all."
I opened it.
Blank.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
I flipped through a few pages.
Still nothing.
Empty.
Every single page.
"…Why is this even here?"
I frowned slightly.
Then paused.
"…Wait."
A thought crossed my mind.
Magic.
If this was the restricted section, then normal rules probably didn't apply.
"…Worth a shot."
I placed my hand lightly against the page and began channeling a small amount of magic into it.
At first—
Nothing.
Then—
The page flickered.
"…Huh?"
Golden lines began to appear.
Faint at first.
Then clearer.
Symbols.
Words.
Written in a language I didn't recognize.
"…What is—"
The entire book lit up.
Golden text spreading across every page, forming intricate patterns that looked less like writing and more like something… alive.
Then—
The library shook.
Violently.
"—What?!"
I stood up immediately, nearly dropping the book as the ground trembled beneath me.
The shelves rattled.
Books shifted.
The air itself felt like it was distorting.
"What did I just—"
I looked back down at the book, trying to read—
But I couldn't.
The language made no sense.
It wasn't just unfamiliar—
It felt impossible to understand.
Like my mind rejected it entirely.
Then—
Light.
Blinding.
It swallowed everything.
Before I could react—
My vision went completely blank.
When I opened my eyes again—
I wasn't in the library anymore.
White.
Endless white.
No ground.
No sky.
Just… nothing.
"…Where am I?"
My voice felt small.
Distant.
Like it didn't belong here.
Then—
The space shifted.
The white fractured.
Darkness bled through.
And suddenly—
Stars.
Countless stars.
"…Space?"
I looked around slowly.
It felt real.
Too real.
Then—
A sound.
Crack.
Loud.
Sharp.
Like reality itself breaking.
I turned—
And saw it.
A fracture.
Tearing through space.
And from it—
They came.
Things that shouldn't exist.
Abstract.
Formless.
Yet somehow… present.
Eldritch.
Wrong.
My body froze.
Not from fear.
From something deeper.
Instinct, rejection.
"…What the hell are those…"
They moved.
Slowly.
Towards—
Me? No.
My eyes shifted.
Past me.
Behind me.
That's when I felt it.
A presence.
I turned.
And saw her.
A woman.
Long white hair.
Eyes that shone like gold itself.
She stood there—
Calm.
Unmoving.
As if everything around her didn't matter.
And those things—
Those beings—
They weren't coming for me.
They were coming for her.
Then—
A voice.
Everywhere.
Nowhere.
"Existence… and reality… had a beginning."
The beings drew closer.
Closer.
The woman didn't move.
"Above all infinite layers of creation… four stood at the summit."
Her gaze remained forward.
Unshaken.
"The Primordial Gods."
The pressure increased.
Space itself felt like it was collapsing.
"Creators of all that is known."
The beings lunged—
And she raised her hand.
Then spoke.
Her voice—
Calm.
Absolute.
"Fold the tapestry. Sever the thread.
The Zero Point beckons the All.
Gravity as the memory of the first breath.
Space, kneel. Time, perish.
— Primordial Rite: Singularity."
Silence.
Then—
Everything collapsed.
Light consumed everything.
Space shattered like glass.
The beings—
Gone.
Erased.
No—
Overwritten.
Then—
Crash.
Reality broke.
And—
I was back.
White space again.
Empty and still.
"…What…"
My breath was uneven.
That wasn't normal.
That wasn't anything close to normal.
Then—
The voice returned.
"Since the dawn of creation… their reign was absolute."
I looked around.
"But even eternity breeds stagnation."
The space rippled.
"And so began… the Primordial War."
Something formed in front of me.
A figure.
Unclear and unstable.
Shifting.
"Three shall fall."
It changed.
Yuuki.
"One shall remain."
Alice.
Lucy.
Faces I knew.
Faces I didn't.
Constantly shifting.
"…Who are you?"
The figure laughed.
A soft, amused sound.
Feminine.
"Just an observer."
Her form flickered again.
"Interfering with them would be… boring."
She tilted her head slightly.
Smiling.
"After all…"
Her eyes—if she even had them—seemed to lock onto me.
"I already know how every story ends."
My expression hardened slightly.
"…Then why show me this?"
She stepped closer.
Or maybe the space folded.
It was hard to tell.
"Because…"
A pause.
Then—
"You found it."
I frowned.
"…Found what."
A soft laugh.
"The book."
She gestured lightly.
"I placed it there."
"…You what?"
"The Archive of Eternity isn't something one simply stumbles upon."
She looked amused.
Genuinely.
Like this was entertaining.
"But you did."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"Just as expected."
Silence.
Then—
She looked directly at me.
And asked:
"So tell me…"
A faint smile.
"What is it that you seek, Rei Arkwright?"