Ethan was overwhelmed the moment he stepped into the library. It was as if he had just entered an entirely different world.
The architecture reminded him of the second floor of the cafeteria - a luxurious, shadowy space with Gothic undertones - but the library took it even further.
At least on the second floor of the cafeteria, Ethan could still sense the modern, vibrant, and safe atmosphere of the lower floor beneath him.
But this library… It felt ancient, dark, and completely disconnected from the outside world.
A fragment of memory flashed in Ethan's mind.
Marina once told him that vampires don't turn to dust in sunlight…
But Ethan had personally seen how uncomfortable Autumn became under direct sunlight after drinking 1500ml of his blood.
So he guessed that sunlight must still affect vampires to some extent, especially after feeding on human blood.
That would explain why, even though Harmony High was built in a modern neoclassical style, nearly every classroom and facility in the school was designed to let in as much natural light as possible.
It was likely intentional, a subtle design meant to curb the instincts of the vampires attending the school.
Ethan hesitated for a moment, uneasy about the library's dimness. But his curiosity got the better of him, and he slowly ventured deeper inside.
Harmony's library spanned two floors. Both the first-floor floorboards and the upper-level walkway were made of natural wood.
The ceiling arched high above, with intersecting ribbed lines that formed star patterns.
All four walls, including the one behind Ethan, were covered from floor to ceiling with massive wooden bookshelves. To reach the highest shelves, one would need a ladder.
Every shelf on both levels was packed with thick books, most bound in leather or fiberboard.
The only natural light came from three towering windows in the center of the room.
There were matching windows on the second floor as well, but every single one was currently covered with heavy velvet curtains.
Below the windows, a low bookshelf doubled as a reading bench, crafted seamlessly to match the room's atmosphere.
A warm, pleasant scent filled the air - a mix of tea, jasmine, and the earthy aroma of old pages.
At the center of the room, directly facing the curtained windows, sat a plush sofa set with a tea table in front of it.
Strangely enough…
Ethan felt like his eyesight had gotten better recently.
Despite the dim light - and the fact that the candles on the tea table offered only a soft glow - he could clearly read the titles of the books stacked on the table.
"History of Vietnamese Vampires"
"The Civil War of the Twelve Great Houses"
"In Search of the Royal Lineage"
"Hunter Guild's Internal Conflicts"
"The Famine of 1945"
"1001 Ways to Quit Human Blood"
"Mark of the Bloodbound"
"Waking from a Century-Long Slumber in the Age of AI: A Quick Survival Guide for Vampires"
Ethan was particularly drawn to one title: "Mark of the Bloodbound."
Its cover featured a stunning woman with blood trickling down her neck - her expression a haunting blend of agony and ecstasy.
And that's when Ethan's heart nearly leapt out of his chest.
A white figure had appeared in front of him, without warning.
Swish!
His hand - still resting on Mark of the Bloodbound - was suddenly struck by a whip-like lash with a loud snap!
"Who are you?"
The voice was stern, belonging to a girl about Ethan's age.
She had flawless pale skin, platinum hair, and cold ash-gray eyes.
Ethan let out a sigh of relief when he saw the shadow of the girl cast on the library floor in the faint candlelight.
Ghosts don't cast shadows.
So, even though she looked like a ghost dressed head to toe in white, this girl was definitely a living being.
Swish!
"How did you even get in here?"
Another soft lash flicked across Ethan's hand. The girl clearly didn't mean any harm. It only tickled, not hurt.
"I'm Ethan. Class 11D."
He answered the first question from the white-haired girl.
"Oh! I'm in Class 11D too."
"Then why haven't I ever seen you before?"
Something about her felt vaguely familiar to Ethan.
"I'm on the Homeschooling program."
"Then… your name must be Camellia Nguyen, right?"
"Bingo!"
Swish!
Camellia beamed as she gave Ethan another playful flick of her whip, this time on his shoulder.
"Why do you keep hitting meee?"
"Because I feel like it. And you still haven't answered my second question!"
"I was just wandering around. I saw a sign that said 'Library' on the door, so I walked in. That's all."
"Hmph. Strange. Not just anyone can find this Library."
Camellia began circling around Ethan. He grew increasingly wary of the way she kept brushing the whip against him.
"So tell me, Ethan. Who are you really?"
"Oh come on! How am I supposed to answer something like that?"
"Well then, only one way to find out!"
Camellia plopped onto the velvet sofa and gently placed the whip on the table, as if it were something precious.
A warm scent of rosewood wafted through the air as she opened a small ornate wooden box on the table.
"These are tarot cards. When there's a mystery I can't figure out, I consult the cards."
She explained after catching Ethan's puzzled gaze. She shuffled the deck over a dozen times, then held it out to him.
"Pick three cards for me, Ethan."
"Ugh… I don't believe in this fortune-telling stuff. Sorry, I'm heading back to class."
Ethan started to stand, but Camellia's voice suddenly turned soft and pleading:
"I rarely get the chance to read for others. Not many people ever find their way into this Library. Will you do this one small favor for me, Ethan?"
"I'd love to, but I'm starving. I need to hit the cafeteria before everything's gone."
"Then let me treat you to lunch today. Just wait here, okay? Don't leave - or rather, you shouldn't leave. You know that, don't you, Ethan?"
She gave him a mysterious smile, the kind so enigmatic that even Leonardo da Vinci might rise from the grave just to paint it.
Camellia rose gracefully and walked toward the far end of the library.
Thanks to his unusually sharp eyesight, Ethan could clearly see her reaching up and placing her hand on one of the books on the shelf.
To Ethan's astonishment, the bookshelf slid aside like a hidden door. Camellia vanished into the pitch-dark hallway concealed behind it.
In less than five minutes, she returned to the library, pushing a full cart of food right up to Ethan.
His eyes widened. Camellia was no longer wearing the Harmony High uniform. She had changed into a luxurious butler-style suit, tailored to perfection.
But truth be told, the food on the cart didn't quite match the refined air she was trying to project. It was mostly snacks: potato chips, dried beef jerky, assorted sponge cakes, cream puffs, pretty little mousse desserts, lollipops, gummy candies, and several oversized cups of bubble tea - still from the 2High brand…
"Let's eat! I haven't had lunch either. Bon appétit, Ethan!"
"Uh… you too, Camellia."
Ethan grabbed a few slices of opera cake and some beef jerky for protein.
He noticed that while Camellia sipped her bubble tea at a perfectly normal pace, her speed devouring sweets was… borderline terrifying. In no time at all, the food cart had been cleared out.
Once full, Camellia wheeled the cart away, and reappeared in the library dressed like a fortune teller straight out of a Gypsy fairytale. Despite the feast she had just devoured, her tiny waist remained flat as ever.
"Now, time to get to business. Pick three cards. One for the past, one for the present, one for the future. Don't flip them over yet. Just place them here, face down."
She gestured to the black velvet cloth spread out across the table.
Ethan shivered slightly the moment his hand touched Camellia's Tarot deck. But he kept his cool and followed her instructions exactly.
"Ready? I'm flipping them now."
Camellia smiled, but her expression remained unreadable. Her stormy grey eyes gave nothing away.
Under her pale fingers, the cards turned over, one by one:
First card: The Fool
Second card: The Devil
Third card: The Lovers