The room was filled with bookshelves, densely packed with all kinds of books, covering every inch of the space.
It seemed clear that the purpose of the room was a library.
‘Spatial expansion.’
The space inside was much wider than the outside perception.
It was so vast that it could be considered a building in itself, not just a room.
Most of this massive space was filled with bookshelves, reaching up to the ceiling, making it feel as though I had stepped into a forest of books.
‘It’s old.’
The bookshelves, sprouting like bamboo shoots, were filled with various books.
I approached a nearby shelf and gently brushed my fingers over the covers of the books inside.
The books had been well-maintained, untouched by the usual decay, but the passage of time was unmistakably evident.
I ran my hand over the strangely rough cover and pulled out one of the books.
Whoo...
Despite the strong security that had been around the door, the key made it so that there was no resistance as the book smoothly slid out.
The cover revealed that the book was from the year 12 of the Divine Origin Calendar.
‘12 years... That’s from the early days of the chaos period.’
The chaos period had begun after a cataclysmic event that completely overturned the foundation of this world, plunging humanity into a long, dark period of confusion.
The early chaos period was referred to by some as the “dark age,” a brutal and bleak time.
In response to the threats of monsters and dungeons, humans began to manifest magical powers and unique abilities.
However, back then, there was no knowledge or experience about these phenomena.
There were no records passed down by ancestors, and no one had blazed a trail in understanding it.
The uncharted paths were full of darkness. The term “path” didn’t even seem to fit. It was a vast unknown, filled with uncertainty, that only the superhumans of the time could attempt to forge.
As a result, many died lost in the unknown, and many things were lost.
Most of the records from the early chaos period were lost, so now much of the knowledge is passed down through oral tradition.
I flipped through the book briefly.
Running my hand over the cover, I turned my focus to observing the other books in the shelf.
‘Hmm...’
There were books on history, magical science, philosophy, psychology, literature, and even dungeon geography, monster analysis magic, and other fields closely related to this world.
‘A lot of them are related to biology.’
Of all the subjects, the most abundant were those related to biology.
Without delving deeply into the contents, I simply skimmed through the covers and titles.
‘Origin and evolution of life, ecology, genetics, plant growth and development, animal behavior and ecology, in-depth anatomy, physiology, the backstory of natural selection, biological immune systems, growth, evolution... hmm?’
While organizing the flood of information, my hand paused as I skimmed a particular book.
Among the many waves of information, one piece caught my attention, sending a strange feeling through my consciousness.
I stopped what I was doing, briefly reconsidered the information, and then walked over.
I moved to a bookshelf in the corner of the library.
Despite the books and shelves being unaffected by the will, I could sense the time that had settled into them through my focused observation.
This particular bookshelf was among the oldest in the library. The books it contained, too, seemed to have aged, with a clear patina of time.
‘This one...’
It also had unusually strong security compared to the other shelves. Even if I used all my energy, I felt like it might be hard to leave a mark on it. But with the key in hand, it effortlessly opened.
I pulled a book out.
The green cover showed clear signs of handling by someone.
The edges were worn smooth, with small scratches scattered across it.
Just the cover alone told me it had been well-used.
I discreetly checked the title of the book.
『Siyoram Foundation Plan (A)』
‘A handwritten account?’
The foundation plan. It was probably from over a hundred years ago.
I continued to check the other books in the shelf.
The bookshelf contained various handwritten accounts.
『Siyoram Blueprint - Artificial Island Formation』
『Siyoram Blueprint - Land Formation』
『Siyoram Blueprint - Comprehensive Ritual』
『Siyoram Blueprint - Protective Ritual (A-2)』
『Interpretation - Boachunbyeok (The Wall of Protecting Children)』
From the foundation plan of Siyoram, to the process of forming the artificial island, constructing the land, and the specific rituals used for various parts of the mansion...
‘Oh my god, Boachunbyeok...’
As I skimmed through the records, my heart skipped when I came across the section detailing the protective magic applied to the Siyoram facility and the barriers surrounding the island... including Boachunbyeok.
Boachunbyeok, the barrier that had never once been breached.
Even during the invasion of the Tower Lords, it held firm, enduring wave after wave of attacks.
The powerful shield that had only been breached on the 11th attempt, and only with great difficulty.
And now, the structure of Boachunbyeok was recorded in great detail, including its components, location, and even methods to break it down.
‘No...’
Though my knowledge of the barrier’s level was insufficient to fully grasp it, I could already feel a heavy weight in my head. The information was far too advanced.
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
It wasn’t a headache, but my head felt unusually tight. I rubbed my temples, squinting my eyes.
But I could still remember it. Or at least, I could take this book with me.
Hoo...
I took a deep breath, as if expelling my tangled thoughts, and walked toward a different part of the library, trying to ignore the overwhelming information.
On the wall facing the door was a large wooden desk, where various magical tools and scattered papers were spread out. The orange light from a lantern-shaped magical tool illuminated the desk.
I shifted my focus from the bookshelves and noticed a large portrait hanging on the wall, directly across from the desk.
A large portrait of a beautiful woman, proudly displayed as if advertising the owner of the library.
She sat comfortably in a chair, her round form accentuated by her loose clothing.
Her slender white hands were elegantly placed on her lap.
Her hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her eyes, though painted, seemed to pierce through me with an amethyst-like glow.
‘......’
The mansion once inhabited by the dean.
The library in this mansion contained detailed handwritten accounts of Siyoram.
Plans and processes for its establishment, as well as the overall structure of Siyoram were all meticulously recorded.
And hanging in this library was her portrait.
The name of the author inscribed in the records.
‘Neriel Claudia.’
The dean of Siyoram, the Tower Lord of Growth.
‘What in the world...’
I stared at the portrait with a complicated expression.
Neriel Claudia.
She created the strange system of special admissions, and after more than a hundred years, she had left a position that had remained vacant—now she had handed it to me.
And now, she had disappeared, leaving me this mansion she had once resided in.
In this mansion’s library, she had left behind detailed records.
Her portrait and writings on Siyoram.
Including even the protective barrier of Siyoram. How dangerous is this? I could hardly express it.
Though powerful protective measures were in place, simply leaving such records was already an enormous risk.
And now, she had made it so easy for me to discover such important, highly classified information.
With the key, I could easily enter both the estate and the mansion, explore the library, and pull out books.
It was far too dangerous.
Siyoram is an indispensable place in this world.
Not just for symbolic reasons, but practical ones as well.
A single powerful superhuman can achieve incredible feats. Siyoram, which produces hundreds of such superhumans every year, is one of the cornerstones of this world.
Yet, in the midst of all this, why was I given this critical... confidential information?
What does she want from me?
What does she expect me to do? Does she want me to grow? And then what? Does she know what will happen later? Does she want me to stop it?
‘What do you want from me?’
I stared blankly at the portrait.
I analyzed the details.
Though it was just a flat painting, I could visualize her appearance through my observation.
‘She looks like...’
She resembled the vice-dean. Her hair and eyes were similar. The deep purple that reminded me of amethyst was strongly embedded in my perception.
But her features were entirely different.
The vice-dean was rigid and cold like a chunk of metal, but the Tower Lord of Growth exuded softness and warmth, despite her outwardly stern appearance.
This was the first time I had seen her in person.
At least in the form of a portrait.
Memories long buried began to resurface.
I compared the figure in the memory to the one in the portrait.
They were different. The hair color, length, and eye color were all different.
But the overall features, the body... they were very similar.
‘No.’
They were almost identical. There was hardly any difference.
Even the atmosphere that faintly radiated from the portrait matched that of the person in my memories.
A soft yet firm presence... it was strikingly similar.
It wasn’t such a distant memory.
Not a very clear memory either.
A memory I didn’t want to recall.
The memory of someone who rushed to save me and was hit by a car.
‘She looks like her.’
The person I was saved by looked like her.
In the vase on the corner of the desk, a purple flower was blooming beautifully.
[The Tower Lord of Growth remains silent.]