The sensation of interdimensional displacement gradually faded, replaced by the reassuring familiarity of Aiden's personal space. His feet touched the polished marble floor of what looked more like a small studio than the grandiose library he had visited during his first summoning.
The space was compact but functional: a dark wooden desk, a comfortable reading chair, a few shelves containing a dozen books at most, and a small alcove with a simple bed. Nothing like the mystical immensity of the Great Library where he had first encountered the system.
Aiden moved toward the desk where a new book had appeared. Its cover, of deep blue sprinkled with silver stars, bore an inscription that made him smile despite his fatigue:
- "Librarian's Evaluation Record - First Mission Accomplished"
Aiden's hands trembled slightly as he opened the book. The pages turned by themselves until they stopped at a particular section. The golden writing that appeared there seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
[COMPLETED MISSION EVALUATION[
[Story: The Cursed Village of Greyhollow]
[Difficulty: Novice]
[Status: RESOLVED]
[Performance Analysis:]
[Strategic Approach: Satisfactory adaptation to circumstances. The Librarian identified the main issues but with sometimes haphazard methods.]
[Relationship Management: Emotional connection established with inhabitants, though some interactions could have been optimized.]
[Conflict Resolution: Effective but costly. The method of liberating Corvus required significant sacrifices.]
[Balance Preservation: The story was resolved within acceptable parameters, despite some minor disturbances.]
[Initial Grade: E]
Aiden grimaced upon seeing the grade. An E? For his first mission? He knew he hadn't been perfect, but still... This evaluation seemed particularly harsh. He continued reading, hoping to find an explanation.
[Adjustment Factors: +2 ranks for exceptional creativity and unexpected emotional impact
Final Grade: D]
[Comment: Acceptable first mission for a new Librarian. Creative resolution compensates for initial clumsiness. Potential detected but requires development.]
A sigh of relief escaped from Aiden. The system had at least recognized his creative efforts. A D was already better than an E, even if it was far from brilliant.
The next section appeared, immediately catching his attention:
[REWARDS GRANTED]
[Narrative Essence acquired: 500 points]
[New threshold reached: Access to the Librarian's Shop]
[Note: Improvements are now available. Use them wisely.]
Five hundred points! Aiden had no reference point to know if this was a lot or a little, but excitement was building within him. The idea of a "shop" was particularly intriguing.
As if his thoughts had triggered something, a section of his small studio's wall shimmered and transformed. A crystalline panel appeared, floating in the air, displaying what looked like a catalog.
Aiden approached it with curiosity. The title floating above was simple but promising: "Novice Librarian's Shop".
By touching the crystalline surface, information poured directly into his mind.
[LIBRARIAN'S SHOP]
[Available Narrative Essence: 500 points]
[PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS: • Strength +1: 100 points • Agility +1: 100 points • Endurance +1: 100 points • Intelligence +1: 100 points]
[SPIRITUAL IMPROVEMENTS: • Vital Flame Intensity +1: 500 points • Energy Recovery Pool: 2000 points]
[SPECIAL SKILLS: [LOCKED - Level 3 required]
Aiden contemplated the options carefully. The "Energy Recovery Pool" particularly caught his attention. By touching the option, a detailed description appeared:
- "Drastically improves the Librarian's recovery capacity when returning to their personal space. Allows healing of serious injuries and restoration of vital energy even in case of critical return."
He instantly understood the crucial utility of this improvement. If he ever returned from a mission seriously injured or half-dead, this pool could literally save his life. But at 2000 points, it was a considerable investment.
Instinctively, his hand moved up to his scar. Since waking up in this world, this mark on his temple constantly reminded him of his fragility. The episode with Corvus had shown him how close death lurked with each mission.
After reflection, he decided to invest strategically in the immediate. He touched the "Intelligence +1" option and immediately felt a subtle change in his mind, as if a veil was lifting before his eyes.
[Remaining Narrative Essence: 400 points]
Encouraged, he then invested in endurance, then strength, balancing his basic physical capabilities.
[Remaining Narrative Essence: 200 points]
Satisfied with his choices, Aiden watched his status panel materialize before him:
[NOVICE LIBRARIAN]
[Name: Aiden Norask]
[Age: 16 years (Body) / 35 years (Mind)]
[Rank: Apprentice Librarian]
[PHYSICAL STATISTICS:]
├ Strength: 4 (+1) (Finally something decent!)
├─ Agility: 4 (My God even a snail would be faster)
├─ Endurance: 4 (+1) (I can last more than 5 minutes now)
└─ Intelligence: 8 (+1) (Not bad at all for a mortal)
[VITAL FLAME SKILLS:]
├─ Flame Level: 1 (Awakened - Weak)
├─ Usage Reserves: Limited (3-4 uses per mission)
├─ Intensity: Basic
└─ Progression: 35% toward level 2
├─ Blight Reading (Level 1) - New
[SKILLS:]
├─ Narrative Aura Perception (Level 1) - Improved
└─ Increased Fear Resistance (Level 2) - Retained
[COMPLETED MISSIONS:]
└─ "The Cursed Village of Greyhollow": RESOLVED (Grade: D)
[NARRATIVE ESSENCE: 200 points]
[STATUS: Satisfied but cautious]
Aiden smiled upon noting his progress. His Vital Flame was indeed awakened, contrary to what he might have initially believed. It was simply at a very basic level, with limited usage reserves. This explained why he had felt so exhausted after reading Corvus's essence.
A movement caught his attention toward the desk. The evaluation book had closed, but next to it another volume had appeared. Its cover was identical to the first book he had read - the one that had led him to Greyhollow - but something had changed. The colors seemed duller, and an aura of melancholy emanated from it.
Intrigued, Aiden approached and opened the book. The first pages were identical to those he had read, but turning the pages, he discovered a new section titled: "Original Version - Unresolved Story".
His heart tightened as he read. In this version, Thomas had never survived his first confrontation with Corvus. Harold had sunk into madness after his son's death, and Martha had eventually succumbed to despair. The other villagers, one by one, had become easy prey for the Puppeteer Blight.
Corvus, in this timeline, had ended up completely consuming the village's vital essence, transforming Greyhollow into a dead zone where only the shadows of what had once been human beings wandered.
- "My intervention really made a difference," Aiden murmured, touched by the realization of the impact of his actions.
He gently closed the book, a new understanding settling within him. His small personal studio suddenly seemed less cramped. It was his refuge, his anchor point between missions. And one day, when he had enough points, the Energy Recovery Pool would make it a true healing sanctuary.
His hand brushed his scar one last time, then he looked toward the small shelf in his personal space. He only had access to the Great Library during special summons, but here, in his domain, he could prepare and recover between missions.
The Energy Recovery Pool improvement remained his long-term priority objective. Two thousand points represented four missions like the one in Greyhollow, but he now understood that it was a vital investment. In this dangerous profession, having a place to heal completely could make the difference between life and death.