Ethan slumped in his 'librarian' chair, feeling the weight of recent revelations pressing upon him. Through the system's guidance, he'd learned that the war which ravaged the Sacred Wind Academy 200 years ago was still an unsettled business; the chain quest had revealed that invaders now walked among the academy's disciples, acting in secret as spies. Their objective was clear—to uncover the hidden, world-altering treasure or secret that had eluded the attackers centuries before, still concealed somewhere in the depths of the neglected library.
The crystal now stored in his system inventory weighed like a secret in his soul. Perhaps this was the very item those invaders and foes had been desperately seeking. From the system's previous analysis, he understood crystals functioned much like diaries—except more magical and potent. On Earth, people would write down their secrets, their dreams, and daily happenings in diaries; in this cultivation realm, memories and experiences could be pulled directly from the mind and stored as living records in a crystal.
Depending on the grade and quality, these crystals had capacities ranging from a few years to centuries—even up to a thousand years, if legends were true. Unlike journals, these memory crystals could be viewed, transferred, or even erased by their owner—or a powerful enough user. Ethan had never cared for keeping a diary back at home, but here, the concept carried different, almost dangerous stakes.
He dared not remove the crystal from his inventory during daylight hours, not with enemies and possible traitors lurking about. Unlike his MMORPG days, where failure simply meant respawning at a checkpoint or restarting an event, one false move here could mean the end—no resurrection, no second chances. Discretion, caution, and patience were vital. He would examine it in private, safe in his dormitory once night fell.
The morning passed slowly. Sunbeams gathered like golden dust across the tables and shelves. The air hung heavy with silence and the lingering scent of ancient scrolls. Ethan tried to distract himself by rereading some stored encyclopedia pages and reviewing possible strategies for attracting customers—cultivators, teachers, anyone. But the reality stung: his first great marketing pitch in the dining hall had been a failure. Numbers don't lie, and the empty library was proof enough.
He sighed again. Perhaps it would take more than an enthusiastic announcement among his skeptical peers to resurrect a forgotten institution.
"Excuse me! Is anybody here?" The gentle voice came from the entrance, soft yet distinct, carrying through the hushed expanse of the library.
Ethan snapped out of his reverie, glancing up in surprise. The voice belonged to a girl—sweet and unassuming, with a nervous energy that instantly reminded him of his own first days at Sacred Wind. She was standing just outside, partially hidden from his view by the heavy door and the shelf-lined corridor. Her tone and phrasing betrayed both innocence and hesitance.
"Please, come in," Ethan replied, his voice steady, friendly.
The girl edged through the doorway, her ponytail swaying, her movements hesitant but determined. Her robes were simple, her posture wary; if she had entered the Academy recently, her lack of ornament or grandeur spoke of humble origins.
She paused a moment, scanning the ancient hall with wide eyes, then fixed on Ethan and tried to steady her nerves. "B-big brother—I finally found you!" she ventured, almost stumbling over her words. "I was looking everywhere for the past two days."
Ethan blinked. "You were waiting for me? Why?"
She fidgeted, embarrassed but earnest. "That day in the dining hall, I heard your announcement… about the library reopening. I was struggling with my cultivation, stuck at a bottleneck, and my master couldn't help. I thought, maybe one of the books in here could have the answer. So I tried and tried, but you weren't here. I kept coming back hoping you'd be here eventually."
Ethan smiled, some of his depression fading. "Sorry about that—I was busy with other things, so I couldn't open the library for a couple of days. But you're here now," he said brightly. "You want help with your cultivation problem, right? You're in exactly the right place. But first, there are two ways to enter—the official ways, I mean. Guest entry lets you browse for 200 contribution points per month. Or you can get a membership, which is normally 100 points monthly. Since you'll be my first customer, you get a discount—just 25 points this month. So, which do you prefer?"
She bit her lip, thinking. Guest entry was steep, especially for a new disciple with limited points. But membership—discounted, and with the chance to become the very first customer—had obvious appeal. "I-I'll take membership," she decided, nodding with newfound bravery.
Ethan grinned and hurriedly completed the official procedures before her doubt returned and she changed her mind. He issued her a membership token, recorded her name in the system's library panel, and walked her through the basics of searching for books and manuals by topic.
Just as he handed her the token, a new notification appeared in his vision:
Quest Name: A True Librarian II
Description: Keeping the library clean is one facet of a librarian's duty. A true librarian draws readers and cultivates curiosity. Only then is the title earned.
Mission 1: Attract 100 disciples for 25% completion.
Mission 2: Attract 500 disciples for 50% completion.
Mission 3: Attract 1,000 disciples for 75% completion.
Mission 4: Attract 5,000 disciples for 100%.
Special Mission: Attract faculty to increase library usage. Doubled rewards upon completion.
Number of disciples: 1
Number of faculty: 0
Ethan's heart surged. At last—progress! The mission counter ticked from zero to one, and the burden of total failure eased ever so slightly. For the first time since arriving, someone sought genuine help in the ancient halls he now tended. He was more than a placeholder: he had made a difference.
He turned to help the young girl settle in. As she wandered the first row of shelves, eyes wide, trailing her fingers across dusty spines, Ethan felt a flicker of hope. A journey of a thousand miles, he thought, begins with a single step. In this case, the journey to revive the academy's lost knowledge began with one new member.
The future would be hard, but Ethan embraced it. There would be lonely days, secret quests, powerful enemies—perhaps even betrayal. But now, at least, he was not walking this path alone.