Chapter 122: Silent Maw

…

The scout suddenly stopped in his tracks, yet there was no one around. Avius looked around, trying to see if maybe he was hiding inside the shadows, but he couldn’t see anything.

“I can’t sense him anymore.”

Avius’s eyes widened as he brushed his long beard with his hand. The scouts could track someone within a specific radius. But not long ago, they were somehow next to him, even after they were tricked. So how could he have escaped if they were following him?

There was no way, at least, not in their world.

“The Infinite Library, but why…”

Why would the Abyss ever retreat in such a place? It was dumb; after all, his whole getaway inside the Withered was that he could hide in the shadows. So did he think that he got away after his trick, and he just wished to enter a book.

Or was that his escape plan? Did he know they were still following him, and to get away, he was going to challenge a story… then, they needed to find him fast.

“This is going to be a long day.”

Finding someone inside the Infinite Library was hard; the only way for two people to meet in the same place is for them to make contact before they enter. But, it did make him wonder, would it be better if they split up? They had the lantern, so if they were able to somehow get near him so that he would appear in the radius, they would be able to follow him.

But what were the chances? Let’s say it did happen, though, it would be better for them to be with the scout. Yet he doubted it would be that easy.

“Let’s split up, we’ll meet at the center of the Infinite Library after the sun sets.”

…

…

“What was I supposed to do again?”

Iris stared in confusion at the many rows of books that filled the Library. Was the Abyss really hiding here? In her opinion, it would be hiding in plain sight. The only problem was that the plain sight was infinite, so needless to say, it had enough places to hide.

And plus, what if he had already entered a book? They were going to do this for nothing.

It was useless, so she decided to be a little rebellious and not try to find the Abyss; instead, she was just going to wander around and look at books, like she always did inside here.

She knew she probably wouldn’t be able to leave if she entered one, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t read their description and maybe even find ones to challenge later with her helpers. Every Celestial and royal member had specially assigned helpers chosen best fit to help with their affinities. Her affinity, though, was compatible with every other affinity, so for her, they just chose some powerful Seeker to help her.

It would be overkill for her to have Bearers on her team, and it would have been dangerous to have Readers, even if they had strong affinities.

Well, Orion was also on her team, and he was a Reader, but he was an exception.

She sighed, walking through the many lanes filled to the brim with stories. It was weird to think how each of them held a world inside, full of adventure and people to meet.

Some caught her eyes, like one where the world was made out of clouds; she really wanted to see how touching one felt, but she restrained herself. Or another where there was a village with a river of chocolate flowing inside it.

She really wondered what the ending of these books was.

After all, not all the world needs saving; many stories have good endings, happy endings. A Reader isn’t limited to changing bad endings. But that, of course, didn’t mean that if one enters a story where everyone ends happily, that they have to change that and create an ending where they all die. For Reader books, it could be as simple as getting an identity if the person you take over wasn’t already known.

It’s like this.

If you enter a book where a prince and princess have to face a dragon, and they do it. You don’t have to stop them, and make the dragon win, you can change the ending by participating in the battle, and getting an award.

It is risky, since no Reader can be sure that the ending they wish to make satisfies the Codex, and even if it does, you won’t get a lot of sync.

But if you don’t want to be evil and destroy the world you enter, that is a way to still be able to enter them.

Many readers enter some books to experience them, not for the sync. If she were a little stronger and could fight for herself, she would also be that type of person.

“How unfortunate.”

…

“What’s unfortunate?”

Iris’s eyes widened as she turned her head to see a familiar face.

She smiled as she recognized him.

“Aether! Didn’t expect to see you here.”

The boy smiled back, taking the book she was looking at and examining it.

“I’m honored that you remembered me… and a chocolate river, really?”

Aether scoffed, giving the girl back the book.

“I thought someone of your caliber would try and challenge something more… fit for a princess.”

Iris pouted, annoyed by his remarks. How dare he talk to a princess like this? He was lucky she owned him one. If he hadn’t been there that day, she would have probably died because of the hail.

“I don’t know how to protect myself, my affinity is more on the supporting others part…” She paused for a second, looking at Aether. “Wait, you’re strong, do you want to enter this one together? I really want to see how the river tastes.”

…

Aether chuckled, trying to cover his mouth, that she wouldn’t get mad, but it was too amusing to him. As from a chuckle, it turned into a full laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Iris said, mad, but mostly embarrassed.

“Nothing, nothing. Just… didn’t expect you to say that all of a sudden, after all, we hardly know each other.”

Iris crossed her arms, looking away from the bastard, but still stealing some glances once and a while.

“Well, I can see you are not a bad guy.”

Aether cleared his throat after his grand laughter.

“I’m honored, but I must decline. I already have a party, and I don’t want to betray them, you know?”

Iris squinted her eyes. Not understanding the meaning behind his words.

What did betraying have to do with entering a book? I mean, it wasn’t like they were going to be there for days, or that they were going to get a lot of sync. And even if they did, why did that even matter? Shouldn’t his party be happy that he was stronger?

It was times like these when she realized how different the two districts were. Inside the Blue Rose, it didn’t really matter with whom you challenged a world, even if you already had a party. So why did in the Withered going inside a story with someone else than your party be considered an act of betrayal?

She sighed, putting the book back where she had gotten it. She really wanted to see how the river tasted. Well, she just had to ask Praise to remember where she put it for when they got back…

But when were they going to get back, I mean, was this going to last until they found this so-called Abyss? She wasn’t even sure if it existed; what if it was just the people of the Withered pulling some joke or something?

And plus, no one has seemed to see this so-called Abyss, only her master, but what if he was just seeing things?

…

She looked at Aether, getting an idea.

“Hey, do you know who the Vessel of the Abyss is? Or where he is hiding.”

…

“Who the heck is that?”

’See, not even he knows. I’m right, the Abyss doesn’t really exist.’

“Nothing, just forget it.”

Aether looked at him, confused, but shrugged it off.

…

…

They spent the rest of the day together until the sun was about to set, meaning Iris had to meet at the center of the Library with the others.

It wasn’t hard to reach the center, since the glass ceiling was made to show you in what direction to head to reach it. It was genius in her opinion.

When she reached the center, though, she saw the rest cornering a poor girl… the same girl from before.

’Weird.’

Couldn’t they see she wasn’t the Abyss? What did they have with the poor girl?

She had to wake them up to really again. They were grown men; what was up with them, and why did they always have the same excuse?

She didn’t understand.

…

…

’It’s because of a relic.’

Iris was suddenly caught off guard by Praise’s remark.

’A relic?’

’Yes, it’s a relic that has some sort of mental ability; you’re able to see it because of my protection. But… to think that even Keres at the Harbinger class is affected. Means that it can’t be any relic.’

’Do you have any idea of what relic it might be?’

…

’I might have an idea.’

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