[Phoenix's Tears: a tear of a phoenix that would prolong the life of a dying being by one year if they consume it. The tear can also be a medium of summoning and can be used to forge fire artifacts.]
Even though the last line mentioned artifacts, it was still different from the tears he got at the Runes Apprentice Cup. This was a bona fide tear from the legendary creature, the phoenix. The properties of fire were integrated into it, thus the ability to create fire artifacts.
Arthur had pieced together the information he got about Gala to make an offer she couldn't refuse. As promised, when the night was at its darkest, the spirit appeared beside Arthur and turned him invisible.
He sneakily left his room and went to the library following the map Gala gave him. The night's darkness worked to aid him, not that anyone could see him with the little spirit helping him.
He reached the library's grand doors and found them to be unlocked, probably by Gala. The door swung inward and Arthur slipped inside before closing it.
The library was kindled by a thousand gem, covering all of the shelves and tables with dim light. It was empty, luckily for him. He walked through the shelves as he read the titles of the books, each carrying a different myriad of information.
'Fine Attainments in Way of Beasts, Elements, and Reaction of Arcane, Road to Alka's Grand Tree,' The list went on and on, piquing Arthur's curiosity to no end. This world was as wide as Earth, but with different properties and rules.
For one thing, there were no spirits back on earth. The closest thing to a spirit was a manifestation ability. However, here, it was a different entity separate from humans.
Another thing was abilities, as they didn't exist in this world. There were traits instead, the thing that separates humans from Demis. Arthur had yet to understand how this different line of evolution came about.
'Evolution of Demis by Farn Zoran,' Arthur paused at this book. He pulled it out and opened it to read. It took him almost thirty minutes to understand the general gist of how Demis came about.
Long ago, humans were nearly wiped out of existence by the Calamities. All changed when one human, on the verge of starvation, ate the heart of a monster.
This would have resulted in death, as the monster's violent mana would have killed the human. However, instead, the first Evolved Demi appeared.
With the traits of a monster that granted him abilities to change the world, the human was able to survive. Naturally, this led to the extinction of humans that aren't Demis and only the new races remained.
After that, the world began to change. The humans grew stronger and managed to build kingdoms in areas the Calamities didn't venture into. This was what brought the Demis into existence, or so it was theorized. That era witnessed very little historical documentation.
The reason that Demis look down on humans is that their existence is a flaw that might spell doom for the world. They were the last of the evolutionary road and their reemergence is a sign of weakness.
'So, the Demis hated humans because they were a burden to the world. The humans were weak against the Calamities, making them only mouths to feed.'
Arthur closed the book. He didn't have time to waste on this, but it was good to know about it. After returning the book to its place, Arthur went toward the restricted section of the library.
It was another door that glowed with red lines. Arthur took out the key Gala gave him and it also glowed red. The light emitted from the door and key entangled before the door was unlocked, even without Arthur inserting the key.
Arthur entered the restricted section and found only two shelves. All of the books were written in Alvan Language except for one only.
'Bestial Order.'
It was written in Yalveran Language. Arthur frowned and pulled the book out before examining it. He was confused as to why this book would be in Yalveran.
'Is Bloodline Order something discovered by someone from Freda?' Arthur wondered as he looked for the name of the author, but there was none.
He was now convinced that Freda spoke Yalveran, for reasons he couldn't understand. There was a connection between Freda and the Yalveran Union that he needed to uncover.
As he opened the book and started reading, his eyes turned wide at every page he finished. He had to close the book and put it down.
'The Bestial Order is the same as the Bloodline Order, nothing but a taming technique. It might help parents establish dominance over their children while also granting them abilities and strengthening them. However, in essence, it's a method that was created by humans to control the Demis bestial side.'
A sigh left his mouth, this secret was the reason wars were waged. If humans could control Demis without the Demis having a similar ability, the Demis had every right to fear humans and be wary of them.
The concept of Bestial Order was to control the traits of the monster the Demi has evolved from by injecting power into the traits of the Demi-Core.
Arthur didn't know if every Demi did this to their children or if the Duke was simply trying to control his daughter. Either way, he was now standing in the middle of a difficult choice.
'Power... or morals?'
This was the decision he had to make. He can try to deceive Dia and control her through this Bestial Order, but Arthur wasn't the kind of person to cease away someone's freedom for his benefits.
'Am I in the position to enjoy the luxury of morals?' Arthur chuckled wearily. 'The weak have no place for morals.' Arthur's eyes turned resolute.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door closing. He frowned and left the restricted section. In the library on a table, he found Princess Dia holding a book.
'Isn't she blind?' Arthur wondered but he saw her use mana to read. The library suddenly turned chilly and Arthur saw his breath turn white.
As he was about to sneak around and leave the library, someone else entered. This time, it was the Duke. He strode toward Dia and she closed her book.
"When are you going to stop this nonsense?" The Duke said in a low, furious voice. "Neray came here just to see you as his future wife, why are you refusing to meet him?"
"He's here not for me, but for the powers, I would obtain after my awakening," Dia said curtly. "Yet, here he is threatening the Seika left and right. He's a jealous child that is obstructing my plans."
"He has the right to!" The duke slammed his palm on the table. "You are crossing every line with that slave. You almost beg him to hold your hand, is this how I raised you? A whore without dignity?"
"You raised me as a weapon, father." Dia gritted her teeth. "You never allowed me to meet anyone other than my servants. The matter of the Seika is simply because my powers are on the line. If you, or that Neray, can't understand how important this matter is, you might as well keep staying away from it."
"No," The Duke said firmly. "I'll have Gala extract the leaf from that Seika's powers even if that killed them both. Neray will be the one awakening you, not a slave gardener."
"Oh, father." Dia's body began rising. "You have no say in this. For after I awaken, you will be nothing in front of what you created. I know about your promise to the king, so you have no choice but to step away from this."
"Dia!" The Duke glared at her but she didn't back down. "Good! Good!" He fumed in anger. "After your awakening, I'll behead that gardener myself."
"I don't care what happens after that."
After that, the duke left and only Dia remained and Arthur remained in the library. She resumed reading the book as if nothing happened and Arthur kept hiding.
'She doesn't know about her father's seal on her.' Arthur stared at her in the darkness. 'I knew she had no intention of keeping her promise.' He smiled in the darkness. 'Resent your gods, for I am to foil both of your plans.
After that, Arthur returned to the restricted section and kept reading the book. He guessed that this book was kept in Yalveran because Dia didn't know how to read that language. Her father wanted her to know nothing about the true might of Bloodline Order.
'She thinks that the Order can be reversed once she grew stronger.' Arthur opened the book and sat down. 'What she doesn't know is that like a seed, the power injected into her core can never be overcome. However, it can be replaced and eaten by something stronger. Something like... the power of creation itself.'
