Humans who awaken their realm cores become realm knights, realm mages, or realm mageknights, depending on which realm core they awaken. Realm knights, often called knights, have increased physical abilities, but cannot project mana outside their bodies. Realm mages, often called mages, are physically weaker, but have access to magic, even if it barely reaches inches outside their bodies in the first and second realm.

  Realm mageknights have both abilities, but the odds of one awakening as one are one in a hundred of all awakened.

  — Excerpt from Introduction to Realm Cores

  Day 1, 1:20 PM

  My butler, whose name I failed to get, since asking it might have raised suspicions, led the way. In my mind, the lord of a castle should know the names of men and women attending to him. I knew most of my staff by name back when I was a king, and this place seemed tiny compared to my palace.

  The name didn’t matter much, though. Nothing but our muffled footsteps broke the silence as we descended three floors through the narrow servant corridors without seeing a soul. And even when I had something to say, there was no need to politely address the butler by his name.

  “I need your hooded cloak, if you have one, or a dun blanket or something.”

  “Yes, my lord.” He ducked right at the bottom of the stairs, and a dozen feet later entered a tiny room crammed with four bunk beds. He opened a wooden chest, rummaged through it and pulled out a worn out green cloak.

  We left the keep through the kitchen exit, where the old cook and her assistant lacked the time to inspect the hooded figure no matter how ill-fitting or comical the hood was. Once out of the castle we kept to dark narrow passages, not much different from larger-scale servant corridors, if one excluded the smell and the waste they had to step around with great care.

  The irony of taking smelly back alleys inside which former Dandelion wouldn’t have been caught dead in didn’t escape me.

  Unfortunately, the amusing thought didn’t help with the situation. While even the much more civilized Earth had dingey alleys full of waste hidden in nearly every metropolis, the chamber pots emptied in this manner still disgusted me. They also revealed yet another hint about this world’s level of technological development, health awareness, and sanitation.

  Most buildings we passed were made of wood, high quality craftsmanship, but free of carvings and decorations. It hinted at the utilitarian approach to life, but then again, I couldn’t imagine any, save for the most artistic cultures, decorating the side of their home which was facing what was basically a waste disposal turned into an alley.

  Thankfully, we left the smelly network after about a minute and entered a smallish plaza with a building which definitely stood out compared to the rest. Unlike all other wooden structures, the library was made of greenish stone marbled in gold. It was a massive square block of rock, whose architect didn’t bother with the aesthetics, save for the breathtakingly beautiful material.

  “Here we are, my lord,” the butler said, as if the huge golden letters spelling this world’s equivalent of ‘Library’ weren’t enough.

  “Thank you, I won’t forget this, errr…” I looked at the servant expectantly since I had reached my safe haven.

  A moment later he realized I didn’t know his name.

  “Hammer, my lord.”

  Hammer? What kind of name is Hammer? Is it this world’s attempt at Smith? And is it a first name or a last name?

  “Yes, Hammer, of course. I’ll remember your loyalty and reward it once I have dealt with the traitors.”

  Hammer didn’t seem to believe me, but still uttered empty words of thanks before taking his cloak and vanishing into the back alley.

  I looked at the pristine building I was about to enter, then at my shoes. Despite my best effort and inhuman agility, they reeked, even if I didn’t step into anything.

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  With a sigh, I approached the library, a pillowcase of manarium hanging off my belt. The desire to learn filled my mind and heart while Redo no longer induced the same existential dread it once did. Still, I knew repeating the same actions and same conversations over and over would have driven me mad. I would lose touch with reality after several repetitions.

  I reached the library’s entrance, took off my shoes, and stepped in. The entrance chamber was smaller than expected, with enough chairs to seat ten, and enough room for another ten to stand or to cram twenty-five with hardly any space to breathe.

  The chairs were light, grayish-white wood, pale-blue cushions lining them. Before me stood a large counter behind which a slim young woman, around twenty-five years old, incinerated me with her glare.

  “Greetings, Townlord,” she said in a fuck-you tone, “how may I be of service?”

  Not a hint of servitude entered her voice or bearing. In fact, she didn’t bother concealing the contempt in her eyes.

  I guessed that was expected, kind of? What would a townlord as dumb as a brick need a library for?

  “Greetings,” I returned the politely neutral salutation, and her eyes flickered downward, towards my bare feet and back at me with such speed that someone else might’ve thought they had imagined the movement.

  Given my advanced age and wealth of experience, I wasn’t as foolish. The woman checked me out, disdained me, and hid it all behind a mask of forced politeness. And she achieved it all in less time than it took to blink.

  Who the hell has librarians like this? Is it the norm, or is she an anomaly?

  I cleared my throat and did my best to give her a winning smile.

  “I am here to read, and I would like to start with the basics, the children’s stuff.”

  She deadpanned at me. Then I realized that given the previous Dandelion’s intellect it was quite possible she would give me a picture book. Still, I endured the piercing gaze, and she sighed in exasperation.

  “Accessing common knowledge books costs one gold coin per book,” she recited the memorized line. “Accessing first realm related techniques and insights cost a thousand gold coins per book, accessing second realm related techniques and insights cost a first realm manarium crystal, accessing third realm related techniques and insights cost a second realm manarium crystal, and finally accessing fourth realm related techniques and insights cost a third realm manarium crystal.”

  I had no idea what all those prices meant, but if there was a logical progression, a first realm manarium crystal costs a million gold coins, and each realm a thousand times more expensive than the last. I filed the fact as a maybe, since the sample size was too small, but it still gave me a ballpark of how expensive the knowledge from the imperial library was. The place saw few visitors unless the folks living in wooden houses wallowed in gold in their spare time.

  “Should you require higher grade information, we have a catalogue of books we are allowed to order from our regional headquarters, but the price would double and include an additional delivery fee.” Her face turned into a sneer, and a moment later I realized what was the problem. “Should you have unique information or knowledge you would like to share with the imperial library, we are authorized to trade for it on a book per book basis.”

  The woman barely contained herself from bursting into laughter, but she kept going. “In case of a visitor offering information beyond my understanding, I am authorized to contact my superiors to evaluate your contribution.”

  She stopped talking, spearing me with her gaze, probably waiting for me to leave after I’ve had my fun. Not happening.

  “I would like to read the common knowledge books, please.” The please confused her, but she immediately regained her composure.

  Once again the speed with which she had handled the change was beyond human. She either had a Guide with a heavy investment into intellect, or there was some sort of sorcery at play.

  “That would be one gold coin.” She folded her arms and shifted her stance to look down at me, which was quite a feat, considering her eyes were level with my chin.

  I opened my sack and fished out a translucent crystal, my mind coming to terms that the manarium, a metal ore from my previous life, was actually a gem in this place.

  “Are you making fun of me?” Her face darkened. “You want me to pay you back the change for a second realm manarium crystal?”

  All right! So, this is a second realm manarium crystal. She asked for a gold, and I paid her with what’s basically a billion coins.

  “You can keep it. Will that cover a two weeks’ fee?”

  She frowned, then her eyes shot up as she calculated, then she looked back at me, all within a space of a second.

  “You may read all books beneath the third realm for two weeks for the payment you have made.” She snatched the walnut-sized crystal, her eyes studying my face as she searched for hints of dismay.

  Naturally, there were none. I paid her with what’s basically another man’s property for a service I desperately need. I’d give her the whole pillowcase without batting an eye. Albeit, I would redo the moment and never enter the library in the first place.

  “Would you mind pointing out which sections I’m entitled to enter?”

  First she pointed to the wall to my right, where three doors stood, one with a number four plaque on it, the other unadorned, and the third saying, ‘Private’. Then the librarian pointed towards the other wall, where three doors stood, marked as one, two, and three.

  “Thank you.” I acknowledged her with a nod, which seemed to insult her for some reason, and headed for the common door while the librarian behind me steamed in rage.