Which meant one thing:
It was either so well-known that nobody bothered marking it…
or reserved for those who sought it intentionally.
So it must be important.
She oriented herself and asked a baker sweeping outside his shop.
“Excuse me. Where can I find the library?”
The man blinked.
“Which one?”
Eis paused. “…There’s more than one?”
“Oh yes. Academy archives, church libraries, trade records…”
He then brightened.
“Ah. You mean the Grand Archive.”
“Yes.”
He pointed southeast.
“Follow the white stone road until you see the silver banners. That’s where the main one is.”
Eis bowed slightly.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t get lost in there,” he laughed. “People go in for a quick read and come out three days later.”
Eis wasn’t entirely convinced he was joking.
The white stone road took her into Lumaire’s oldest district — elegant buildings with carved facades, faint arcane runes, and tall crystal lamps that glowed even in daylight.
This wasn’t the noble quarter.
This was the scholarly quarter — where Lumaire kept its intellectual backbone.
At the road’s end stood a massive marble structure draped in silver banners.
Even from a distance, Eis felt the hum of protective warding magic.
It was not a palace.
Not a fortress.
But it carried an aura of authority sharper than either.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
The building rose high with sweeping arches and towering windows.
Silver banners displayed a symbol of an open book wrapped in runes.
Two guards stood by the doors, though they relaxed when they saw Eis approach.
As she stepped closer, the magic in the air shifted.
Welcoming.
Steady.
Ancient.
She entered.
Her breath caught.
The Grand Archive was far larger inside than outside.
Spatial expansion magic.
Rows of bookshelves stretched endlessly, illuminated by soft magical lights. Scholars and adventurers sat at tables, deep in study.
A robed archivist approached.
“Welcome to the Grand Archive,” he said warmly. “First visit?”
“Yes.”
“You are welcome here. Entry is free for citizens and guild members.”
Eis instinctively touched her badge.
“Are there rules?”
“Only a few,” he said.
“No open flames.
No combat spells.
No loud disturbances.
And handle the books gently.”
Eis nodded.
“What are you searching for?”
“The world,” Eis said honestly.
“Information about Lumaire… and the kingdom it belongs to.
The surrounding nations.
History. Politics. Geography.”
The archivist’s approval was immediate.
“A wise starting point. Come — I’ll lead you to the Historical Wing.”
He guided her to a massive section lined with ancient tomes.
“These shelves hold:
- Histories of Lumaire,
- Records of the Kingdom of Eldoria,
- Accounts of the Elder Conflicts,
- Treatises on neighboring nations,
- and recent diplomatic reports.”
Eldoria.
So that was the kingdom Lumaire belonged to.
The archivist bowed slightly.
“If you need aid, ring the bell on the desk.”
Eis whispered, “Thank you.”
She pulled the first book from the shelf:
“Lumaire — A Chronicle of the City’s Rise.”
At a table, she opened it carefully.
Line one:
“The City of Lumaire, jewel of the Kingdom of Eldoria, was founded 382 years ago…”
Eis inhaled deeply.
Time to learn everything.