Magister Insanity

After the meeting with the administrative worker — who, strangely enough, seemed almost relieved when I left — I made my way toward the school's library at a leisurely pace.

Imperium Academy.

This was no ordinary school. It was a gathering place for Sleepless who had endured the horrors of the First Phrase. Its structure resembled that of a university, though with far fewer restrictions.

Here, freedom was the rule.

For now, at least. Once training began tomorrow, that freedom would likely shrink, but outside of scheduled lectures and courses, students were left to their own devices.

Looking around, I saw the diversity of this place on full display: beastfolk, elves, and lycanthropes, walking and talking to one another. Among them, I caught sight of a familiar face from the induction ceremony.

An Oni.

Curiously, she was the only demonic species I had seen so far. Everyone seemed to be avoiding her and pretending she didn't exist.

I see. So this is what she meant by that, huh?

Some time ago, before entering the academy, Inquisitor Ivy had warned me to stay away from a certain species of extraterrestrials. She called them the 'Demonic Species.'

Everything in the Soul Realm, including the Soul, were made of from a singular component she called Reishi (灵子) Or Void Essence.

Monsters were made from the gathering of Void Essence within the environment and in the Soul Realm, Reishi was completely abundant. Now the demonic species has strong ties to monsters, making them one of the strongest races in terms of pure stats like natural body strength, agility, stamina and coordination.

Complete blockbusters!

However, the demonic species carried with them a fatal flaw: bloodlust.

Their deep ties to demonic beasts left them unstable, prone to losing control. Once that bloodlust was triggered, they would lash out indiscriminately at anyone in reach.

Because of this, the wisest course was to keep your distance and avoid them completely.

It's almost sad, watching her being isolated like this. But she doesn't seem to mind.

Perhaps she was already used to those stares, the mysterious Oni avoided everyone's gaze and continued walking. In fact, she was walking towards a particular direction.

It didn't take long for me to realize where she was heading.

The library.

The grandest building on campus apart from the central spire, the Library of Souls was a sanctum of knowledge. The building stood at the northernmost edge of the academy, directly aligned with the spire at the center, as if the two were meant to mirror each other — one representing power, the other wisdom.

From afar, its silhouette dominated the skyline. It rose like a fortress of stone and glass, veined with streaks of pale silver that shimmered faintly under the sun. Unlike the bustling dormitories or the training halls scattered throughout the campus, the library occupied its own isolated ground, surrounded by a crescent-shaped courtyard of black marble.

Pathways branched outward from every district of the academy, all converging here, as though every road eventually led to knowledge.

Perhaps that was by design.

Most Sleepless gave the place a wide berth unless they had a clear purpose for entering. Not because entry was forbidden, but because they simply had no reason to go inside. Some already possessed prior knowledge of the Spire, gleaned from their own home worlds, and likely had little need for further study.

I, however, had no such advantage. For me, the library wasn't optional. It was a complete necessity.

The Oni didn't hesitate. She walked through the crescent courtyard, the runes on the great doors already glowing faintly at her approach.

Creak! And then, opened in the next second, allowing her entry.

I paused at a comfortable distance, uncertainty holding me in place. But in the end, my legs betrayed my hesitation and carried me forward.

Upon entry, the view of the library's interior immediately came into view.

The Library of Souls was vast, far beyond what the exterior should have allowed. Rows of shelves stretched outward in every direction, climbing so high they disappeared into a canopy of shifting light. Between them, floating platforms drifted lazily without specific direction. Crystal orbs hovered along the aisles, glowing with soft illumination.

As I admired the architecture, my steps carried me to the center of the hall, where a single reception desk waited. Strangely, there was no librarian stationed there.

Tsk. Just my luck. But wasn't that person supposed to be here.

According to memory, Inquisitor Ivy said she had a friend who works in the library at the academy. Was it possible the fellow had just stepped out?

"Oh, visitors? Now that's a surprise," came a lightly amused voice as a silhouette descended from above.

Both the Oni and I tilted our heads upward.

A young woman stood on a floating platform gliding down from the upper levels. She looked youthful and slender, with small glasses perched neatly on the bridge of her nose and a stack of books balanced in one arm. Her long pastel aqua hair flowed down her shoulders, framing her lavender skin, and her pointed, bat-like ears twitched slightly as she landed.

From her back extended a pair of small, membranous wings the same shade as her skin, swaying subtly with her movements.

Her outfit was shockingly casual and bold for such a setting: a loose, white sweater paired with a short black skirt that barely contained the overwhelming flare of her hips and the plush, heavy thickness of her thighs. Black stockings hugged her legs snugly, climbing to her mid-thighs and accentuating the curves of her figure.

If Ivy could be called a gorgeous beauty, then this woman was nothing less than a devilish one.

A thought struck me.

Wasn't this what people would call a succubus? Yet something felt off. I wasn't entirely sure which subspecies she belonged to.

Her presence exuded charm, but not the overwhelming kind that legends often ascribed to succubi. Instead, it was subtler like a flame you didn't notice until it had already warmed your skin.

Her lavender skin, the bat-like ears, the wings folded neatly against her back… they all pointed toward the succubus archetype. Even so, there was no feeling of intoxication or the dizzying pull of enchantment that should have accompanied such a being.

If anything, her gaze was sharp, even clinical, as she adjusted the stack of books in her arms and stepped gracefully off the floating platform.

"Mm. New faces. A new bunch of Sleepless I suppose," she murmured, her tone neither cold nor welcoming.

The Oni at my side remained impassive, keeping her eyes steady on the woman. As for me, I couldn't shake the suspicion that this wasn't a straightforward encounter.

What was I supposed to do? I was obviously flustered but I couldn't show such weakness. Instead, I wore an indifferent face and addressed her.

"Excuse me, you're Brynlee, right?"

"You know me?" She asked, a bit surprised.

"A mutual friend recommended me to come here."

"Oh," something resembling realization flashed through her yellow eyes. "So Ivy sent you. I guess that makes sense. What about you young miss? Are you two together?"

The Oni shook her head.

"No. I'm not with him."

Brynlee glanced between us a few times before she sighed, setting the stack of books onto the reception desk with a muted thud.

"I see. Then I'll assume your paths just happened to cross." She brushed a strand of platinum hair behind her ear, her expression cooling into something businesslike. "In that case, welcome to the Library of Souls. I am Brynlee, custodian of this place, or one of them, at least. I'll explain the rules of this library so you understand. So listen attentively."

Well, I'm all ears, no pun intended.

"There are a total of three rules in the Library. Break any of them, you'll be thrown out and banned from entering again."

That's harsh but also understandable.

"First," Brynlee raised a single finger, "do not tamper with the wards. The shelves you see, the orbs that light them, the platforms that carry you, they are not simple decorations. They are part of the library itself. If you damage, disrupt, or attempt to steal from them, you'll experience something unpleasant. And of course, you'll be expelled immediately."

What do you mean by something unpleasant? The question rose to my lips, but I forced it back down. Some things were better left unasked and buried.

"Second," the librarian continued, raising a second finger. "No eating in the library. If you try to sneak food in, you'll only create litter. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep this place clean and organized? If you're caught, you'll be thrown out and banned from ever returning."

Her gaze flickered toward me then, lingering long enough that I had to force my expression into neutrality. Beside me, the Oni's shoulders stiffened ever so slightly.

"And lastly…" Her voice dropped, and with it, the atmosphere seemed to grow heavier and colder. Murderous intent pressed down on my shoulders. "Respect the Silence. This is the most important rule of all. If you speak too loudly or cause a disturbance, the runes will alert me instantly. And I will throw you out without hesitation."

The pressure vanished as suddenly as it had come.

I exhaled slowly, realizing I had been holding my breath.

Brynlee straightened, her posture once again relaxed, adjusting her glasses as though nothing had happened. "That's all you need to know. Follow these rules, and you may visit as often as you like. But keep in mind, the library closes at eight sharp. Once the doors seal, you'll have to wait until the next day."

The Oni gave a slow nod, wearing an unreadable expression. I, meanwhile, forced myself to speak.

"Understood. Then, how do we begin?"

Brynlee tilted her head, studying me with a trace of quiet amusement.

"That depends. The library holds countless subjects. What is it, exactly, that you're seeking?"

"Geography."

I replied without hesitation.