The National Library of Faerns is the oldest library in the entire Alwyn Empire, and naturally, it boasts the most extensive collection of books.
Built adjacent to Saint Lake Park, it sits in a corner of the eastern district near the royal palace.
Normally, hardly any players bother coming here, especially in the early stages of the game. With barely enough time to grind levels, who would settle down to read books in a library?
But I know better—delving into these books is absolutely worthwhile.
In Epoch, most valuable information is stored in libraries like this one. Key details for story quests, important NPCs, or secrets tied to the continent’s lore and legendary equipment are hidden within, waiting for players to uncover.
In my past life, many players stumbled upon significant opportunities in library books, rising from obscurity to minor fame.
Even major guilds would send members to libraries to gather intel on large-scale dungeons or bosses, preparing in advance.
But clearly, no guild has that foresight yet. I didn’t encounter a single player here—just a few who passed by in a hurry.
The only ones climbing the library’s steps were lavishly dressed NPCs, either nobles of the Alwyn Empire or erudite scholars.
“Wow, so grand.”
Even though I’d visited other libraries for quests in my past life, stepping into the Faerns National Library through its long, white jade corridor left me awestruck by its magnificent scene.
It wasn’t just the vast glass dome that seemed to touch the sky, or the countless white stone pillars supporting the hall, but also the maze-like bookshelves filled with books all around.
Compared to this, the Grand Library in the Demon King’s Castle was thoroughly outclassed in both grandeur and collection size.
Yet Syl, beside me, seemed unimpressed, shaking her head faintly.
“Compared to the Grand Library of Herentis in its prime, this is but a shadow, Your Highness.”
“I told you, I’ll work on it…” I gave an awkward laugh, quickly changing the subject. “By the way, with so many books, how do we find records about Soma Town?”
“Such books are typically in the history section.” Syl glanced toward the library’s information desk.
After asking the librarian and getting directions, we arrived at the west side of the third floor, where books and records about the history and legends of various regions in the Alwyn Empire were stored.
History of Sisblin’s Hundred-Year Fantasy
Groz under the Great Storm
War and Fortresses of the Far North
As I sifted through the countless books on the shelves for anything related to Soma Town and its surroundings, I activated my new Cataloging Skill, gained after the construction of the Grand Library.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a loli can’t be tamed overnight either. Turning the Grand Library of Herentis into a rival for the bright faction’s World Library would take time and effort.
But it wasn’t without benefits. At least I could scan book titles through system notifications to check if they were relevant to my search.
I hadn’t found the records I needed yet, but I did stumble upon a book that stood out with its peculiar style—
The Legend of Arano’s Desires II: The Spirited Dragonkin Maid
Well, how should I put it…
As expected of the National Library, it really has all kinds of knowledge.
But this feels like it might open the door to a whole new world.
Staring at the tantalizing words on the cover, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d found one of the legendary “dirty books” rumored to be hidden in Epoch’s libraries, as whispered about on the forums.
With a mindset of learning and exploration, I hesitated for a moment before my guilty little hand reached out, cheeks flushing.
But before I could flip open the cover, several thick books suddenly thudded onto the desk in front of me. Startled, I flipped the book over and tossed it aside, sitting upright in a panic.
“These are records and legends about Soma Town and the Gruin Region. They should provide Your Highness with enough inspiration.”
Syl spread the books out on the desk, glancing at me with a hint of confusion. “Your Highness seems a bit off?”
“Uh… maybe I studied too late last night…” I averted my gaze guiltily, dodging the topic.
In a way, it really was studying—of all sorts.
“If Your Highness is too tired, you should rest. Otherwise, you might fall asleep halfway through, which wouldn’t be ideal.”
“No need, I’m not that tired.” Syl’s concern warmed my heart, and I waved it off.
But her next words shattered my touched feelings.
“I’m only worried Your Highness’s drool might get on the books. It’d be troublesome to clean.”
“…Who drools in their sleep?!”
My loud retort echoed through the library section, drawing numerous stares.
An elderly man coughed disapprovingly as a warning, while younger nobles and scholars let out amused chuckles, as if tolerating a child’s cute outburst.
Under Syl’s ambiguous gaze and the crowd’s amused looks, I buried my red face in the books Syl had brought, mortified.
As it turned out, Syl was right—not about the drool, but about the books. I’d underestimated the lethality of dense text, especially after barely sleeping last night.
As the words before me grew blurry and I teetered on the edge of sleep, Syl’s words snapped me awake with a jolt.
No way, I can’t let Syl look down on me. I slapped my cheeks, grabbed another book, and refocused on the pages.
Then…
I opened the system menu and selected Temporary Logout.
What a joke—studying’s nowhere near as important as eating.
No, wait, slogging through boring books isn’t as important as a teenager’s physical development.
The Temporary Logout function lets players step away from the game for a while, leaving their character in the game world. It’s useful for situations requiring long waits, like guild meetings.
Though the character remains vulnerable to damage, posing some risk, surely no one would be crazy enough to attack a cute loli in the Faerns National Library.
With that thought, I happily enjoyed a lavish meal prepared by Aunt Anrou, fought with Aunt Yuyu over pudding (and lost, getting force-fed instead), then used the excuse of doing homework to return to my room.
But the moment I logged back into the game, I looked up to meet Syl’s scrutinizing gaze.
Danger.
It felt like something weird was sprouting above my head.
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