Chapter 4: The Extra, Anti-Hero, Villain, And Hero
[Age Of Sorcery and Mystery: What Happened 130 Years ago?]
[Architecture: What You Need To Know]
[Runic and Arch Language: Basic Knowledge]
[Ruiner’s Guide: Basic and Common Knowledge]
The first book Cillian is reading [Age Of Sorcery and Mystery: What Happened 130 Years ago?]
"In the Year 1203, it was the year that made the Age of Swords and Magic vanish due to the emergence of Runic Gates. It enabled more use of mana, discovering the Birth of Sorcery, which is more intricate and difficult than Magistry. Runic Gates are terms for otherworldly portals that connect to another world, also produced what we so-called Ruiners as of now..."
’Swords, magic, portals. Pwe, cliché.’
If Cillian could just gauge his eyes out, seeing cliché of all clichés, he might’ve already done it.
But then again, there was a saying that clichés aren’t that bad if done well.
Cillian tried very hard to read the next texts.
"If Magic uses mana, the same as Sorcery, why has Magic declined? Well, it wasn’t entirely gone, but it has just been advanced. If Magic contained only words and spells, this time, symbols and signs were added, adding more complicated wordings and firepower to the once simple Magic. That didn’t mean it was completely gone, but only a few are using Magic to this day because studying Sorcery has been a top priority..."
Cillian read those words under his breath, forming a hypothesis inside his head as he delved deeper into the history of the world.
’Magistry, Magic, Sorcery... I’m not interested in it since my mind is resolute on being a Ruiner. Well, it might change in the future, but for now, I should focus on becoming one. The main character is secretly a Ruiner, but hides his secret until he starts revealing his cards recently. All the attention right now is probably on him.
’Wait a moment, if Sorcery is just an upgraded version of Magic, and it is obviously complicated and taxing, why even study it in the first place? Isn’t simplicity the best?’
With questions appearing in his head, Cillian moved down to the next few pages until he finally saw why Sorcery was being studied, and Magic was out of the curriculum.
"Unlike Sorcery, which is much more profound and refined due to the teachings that the people had scavenged from the Runic Gates, tackling Magic often led to disaster-grade level danger. Examples were Evil Gods and Devils. That’s why there are signs and symbols involved in learning Sorcery to not disrupt or disturb the hidden god that might come into existence, all because someone accidentally spoke the magic spells that might lead to that existence...
"Before this age, heathens and cults were active. They believe such an existence exists and try to bring it to the world. Unfortunately, they had been stopped from time to time. With the appearance of runic gates, it became even harder for these heretics. Now, most of them are just part of history. With the appearance of Runic Gates that have unimaginable powers, the term Piece became widely known, and those 130 years brought peace throughout the world..."
Cillian couldn’t help but knit his eyebrows, scrutinizing the text intently.
"Why does it feel like doom is coming... The Fool, even after you die, the book’s world is as bad as it gets. How in the world did you introduce a world like this without enemies? Wait, how do I even know that everything about this exists, and you made it...?"
Certainly, Cillian had a lot of questions in mind.
The first important matter was his transmigration, which still baffles him and will continue to baffle him until the end.
Second was the world that he had transmigrated into. Since he had no answer yet to the first question, he proceeded to find and learn the details of the second matter.
’Anyway, let’s continue...’
"Before the emergence of the Runic Gates, the Great Civil War commenced, and new powerhouses emerged. Wars and battles happened through the entirety of the world. Right before the heels of this new age, the struggle and the civil war finally stopped. Some maintained their position, and some new names emerged. The once one huge empire was split into seven territories after overthrowing Emperor Dahlin from his throne, forming powerful families across the continent..."
Cillian creased his brows and didn’t focus much on the details of the family’s accomplishments and history of overthrowing the emperor, but solely focused on their family names.
"Netan Family... Quesna Family... Mandate Family... These three powerhouses remained in their positions, huh? The new families that emerged were the Viola Family, Xesie Family, Hanetry Family, and Gafantry Family."
These families then formed countries on their own just right before the emergence of the Runic Gates.
Sorcery Academy was built after this emergence, and seven of them sprang across the lands where these seven families are the most influential.
Cillian began to understand where he was located and why Fergus Viola was influential and feared by the masses, especially in this academy.
’So that’s the reason why everyone was revering him, huh? We’re under Viola’s territory, hence explaining his authority here. Everyone submits to the strong, and the weak can only abide, huh? But that doesn’t explain why Fergus would be sent to juvenile prison when he is a Viola. Well, that trash of an author merely focuses on the main character alone, so... this is really a surprise ’
Soon, Cillian continued reading through the thick pages of the book before he finally landed on why these families didn’t hold absolute power.
"Afraid that another revolution would arise, a huge reformation happened, giving birth to the House of Commons and Lords. This elected personnel, by the people, will keep the seven families in check while also enacting and giving out laws, further strengthening the world. By following the rules, peace would be maintained..."
Cillian stared at it for a moment before letting out a small chuckle.
"I take my words back. The families hold the absolute power."
The House of Commons and Lords appeared like a mere convention to ease the people’s worries about the big families abusing their powers.
However, even with his little knowledge regarding politics, Cillian knew this simple strategy worked all too well because he was pretty much sure that the big families controlled them, which solidified their positions for at least a couple of hundred years.
After all, this reformation can be understood in a simpler way.
The families will make it look like they didn’t hold absolute power, but were in fact holding it.
These powerhouses didn’t want their power to waver and cause another revolution, hence they put up a front that made it look like ’this’ power could contest the families, when in fact, it was still them who were controlling it.
Thus, for the next incoming pages, the book began to focus on the sorcery and mystery that revolved around the world.
"The change that the Runic Gates brought to the world is immense. The world had undergone certain changes with the knowledge contained inside these otherworldly portals. Ingredients for certain sorcery, experimentations of certain spells, and uncovering the mysteries that the world had bestowed on humans..."
Cillian’s eyes constricted.
’My reader’s instincts are telling me that something is really about to happen. Where are the monsters that guard these gates? Why hasn’t the world been thrown into dismay by these creatures? Why is there no freaking common enemy?!’
Cillian couldn’t help but lament how these nagging feelings were keeping him nervous and, at the same time, leaving him with a tinge of excitement.
’This is good. It would be boring if I knew everything from the start. I also don’t like where there’s an unimaginable head start on everything, and I will get to take everything because of my previous knowledge. Hahahaha, yes, this is good!’
Cillian’s biggest problem when he was on Earth was his boredom.
This was the emotion that molded him to be a professional hater, which is also the reason for his being murdered by one of the authors he dissed and talked shit about.
However, if there was a choice where he could’ve just transmigrated without dying and somehow been put in the same situation, Cillian would definitely choose it, since he got traumatized by one knife being plunged deep into his stomach.
Aside from that matter, Cillian now had the opportunity to enjoy himself and make everything exciting according to his desires.
’To do this, I had to acquire knowledge and be strong. I can’t have fun if I’ll just get killed while doing what I wanted.’
Cillian will change the course of the story to a situation he likes. He will be the villain to the heroes and the hero that the villains hate.
Follow the story? Screw it.
He’ll be everyone.
’I’ll be the extra, the anti-hero, the villain, and a hero. I’ll be all of them.’
Cillian chuckled at his seat while reading the books with glee.
’This should be fun... Hehe.’
"Hehehehe."
The other people in the library were afraid of Cillian’s spot as they watched him laughing on his own like a deranged guy.
