"Do you like reading?"
"Yeah, I like it very much."
"You can find many things here. The main manor is just a facade; this place is much safer, so Professor Reiner brings all the valuable books and items here. He also works here most of the time."
He pointed to a door hidden between the bookshelves and piles of books, one that Arsh hadn't noticed
"The professor works in that room. I advise you not to go in there or touch anything. He works with various herbs and poisons, so it can be quite dangerous to touch things without knowing what they are."
Then he pointed to a table that was also nearly lost among stacks of books and papers.
"And this table… please try not to touch it either. The professor sometimes works there… and he's quite messy. He says he has his own sense of order."
Arsh looked around the library thoroughly. Not only the professor's study table, but the entire place was quite messy.
"This place just needs a bit of cleaning and organization, but other than that, it's perfect."
"You're right, but I'm the only one who takes care of it. Whenever I mention the library, Bera and Walter run away."
"I can help you," Arsh said. Taking care of this place would definitely be fun.
"Really? Please don't trick me and run away later… Anyway, what kind of books do you like—history, geography, metaphysics, medicine… anything you like. Some of them are really rare, or even the only existing copy. If you're careful, you can read them too. Ah, but not all of them are written in Symranesee. Still, there are plenty of options you could read."
Arsh remembered Will and found it interesting that he knew six languages.
"I am pretty good at learning language. What will I be studying?"
"Oh, simple. Your Symraniese is already perfect. Professor asked me to learn if you heve any dreams, any job you wanted to do in the future. We will find teachers or schools if you want. But I think you should stay with us…You have a siuni. You can work in police department and earn decent amount of money."
"I don't have any plan to have a job right now. I have my own plans. But history will be good. Or I'd like to learn more about geography. One day, maybe one day I can have the chance travel around"
"It is nice. I wish I also could do that someday. But my body won't let me"
Mes was smiling all the time. But he was upset with his body. When Arsh thought he is younger than him he also smiled but he was certainly upset about that.
"I don't want to be rude. But is there no way to get rid of the siuni you have or make it work. So you can be better"
"The Professor has been working on it for a while. But we are not sure about how to erase it. Maybe I should just chop my arm off." he laughed again
"But I don't think it will work either. Because a siuni mark not only the body, but the soul as well. If we could grasp the true power of the siuni, maybe it would work—but it seems my siuni is incomplete or incorrect, which is why it never fully activates. Maybe one day, if I'm lucky, we'll find the answer. Then everything will be alright."
Arsh didn't say anything anymore.
They started to lookt through the books. Mes was really impressed by Arsh's knowledge and talent towards languages. Mes was also so good with languages. He could speak and read all the languages and more than Arsh. They read some old text together. It was fun. But they lost their main purpose. It was only when they started feeling hungry that they realized it is already night time. After they eat they get back to library.
While they were there Professor also come to library to study.
"How is your new student Mes?"
"He is pretty impressive, Bera says he is good in physical condition and he is already self-educated well. I believe he is better academically than Walter… But it is not a good way to explain. Everyone is better than Walter"
"Hahah don't let him hear you."
Profesoor also impressed by Arsh. Juan really sent him a treasure. They don't have to expend too much energy for this child education. He was ready to go.
"We don't have enough man right now. So in a week get Arsh ready. I will give you a task. Bera and Walter will accompany you."
"Are you sending me, too?" Mes asked in surprise.
"Yes, I will find a task that you can handle. If sitituation turns difficult you will stop. You always wanted to attend something like that so … let 's give it a try"
Mes was extremely happy. On the other hand Arsh was curious.
…
A week passed like that. He spent his days studying with Mes and training with Bera.
He described his own siuni to the others and, in return, learned about theirs. Apparently, they had designed a system in which specific titles were used to classify and record siunis.
According to this system, Professor Reiner was a Healer, Mr. Herman a Puppeteer, Juan a Shadow, Flora a Five-Sense, Bera a Reader, and Walter a Phantom. Even though he hadn't learned the full details of Bera's and Walter's abilities yet, he had a fairly clear understanding of the others. As a result, his own siuni was classified as a Guide.
As he had promised, he gave Professor Reiner Will's notebook. Aside from a few siuni symbols—other than his own—and several pages of personal notes, there was nothing else in it. The professor said he would investigate the symbols and look into the connections of the organization Will had mentioned.
During this time, Arsh also grew closer to the rest of the group.
Mes was a talkative person. But not the kind who gives you a headache or wears you down. It was pleasant to talk to him. He was curious and knowledgeable, and in just a few days, Arsh learned many things and found countless books he could read thanks to him. He was delicate, good-looking in a fragile way. Yet, almost unconsciously, Arsh couldn't help but see him as a younger brother. He thought the reason for this was Mes's frail body and his bright, shining eyes.
Bera, on the other hand, was calm… as calm as a desert. He was tall and had a slender, yet muscular build. Sometimes, when Arsh caught a glimpse of his gray eyes shining beneath his black hair, he felt a shiver would run down his spine. Bera didn't speak much in general, but when he returned from missions, he would usually sit with them and quietly listen to their conversations.
At first, Arsh found him strange, but seeing how naturally Mes talked with him, he gradually grew used to Bera's presence as well. He was also a good teacher. Every day, they trained for a couple of hours. It was tiring, but Arsh could feel that he was improving under Bera's guidance.
Professor Reiner was a nice person. Most of the time he tried to act like a relaxed and cool person. But he wasn't at all. He was messy both in his thoughts and his surroundings. Mes was always around him trying to fix things for him. Except for the days he went to the university to give lectures, he spent his time either in the glasshouse or in his study room at the library. According to what Mes had told him, the Professor's father had once been a senator. But they hadn't been on good terms. Still, after his father's death, the professor had inherited all his wealth and used it to build this sanctuary for them, as well as facilities like an orphanage and a health center.
Mr. Herman was married and he was working at the police station so he saw him only one more time after he came. Although he appeared stern toward those around him, he actually carried a fatherly demeanor. The only thing that distinguished this clean-shaven man with brown hair and brown eyes apart from the crowds rushing to work through the streets of Tirsit each morning was his fit physique.
Since everyone addressed him as Herman, Arsh had asked Mes about Mr. Herman's real name. Apparently, his real name was Clarence Herman. However, because Juan used to tease him a lot about his name in his youth, he had asked those around him to call him Herman instead, and the name had stuck ever since.
Arsh didn't have the chance to meet other person. Walter. But he had an idea about him based on what he had heard from others. He was lazy, not too smart, he was cunning and the way the way he ended up with a siuni was total coincidence. His father was a friend of professor. They used to work together. After he heard his fathers talk about siunis he sneaked into his study and tried one of them he found in his notes. He was just lucky. He didn't die and end up with a pretty good siuni.
One evening, while they were all having dinner together, the professor said that a task had come up in which Mes and Arsh could help.
"After dinner, Herman will join us to explain the details. Wait in the library."
They did as he said and went down to the library together. When they arrived, Herman was already sitting at the table, sifting through the documents spread out before him.
"Hm… you're here. Let's start. Mes, you're quite familiar with the Tirsit Public Library, aren't you?"
"I haven't been there for the past two weeks. Why?"
"That's good. It's believed that some paranormal incidents have been occurring in the old city library. Several people have gone missing after entering it—as if they vanished into thin air, without a trace. A night guard, a cleaner, a librarian, and most recently, a student. Our assumption is that they disappeared the moment they were left alone. Their coworkers never saw them again. As for the student, a few classmates from the same school said that after they left, he continued studying there alone. They were the last ones to see him," Herman said.
"Be careful about this. Mes, never stay alone. I'm sending you there to conduct the research. And you too, Arsh—don't try to act on your own."
"I will be careful," Mes said.
"According to Herman's research, the disappearances began after an exhibition in the library's main hall. However, inspections suggest that there's nothing wrong with the objects on display. Arsh, I'm counting on you for this. We have photographs of the missing individuals. I want you to try your luck."
With that, Herman took a few documents from the pile in front of him and handed them to Arsh. The documents, which contained information about the missing people, had their photographs attached.
"Alright. I'll try," Arsh said. He was focused on the photograph attached to the top document. It belonged to a library staff member. After studying the man's face for a moment, Arsh closed his eyes and concentrated.
Just then, the door of the library on the upper floor opened. Bera leaned over the railing and called down.
"I brought him. He's waiting in the hall."
At that, the professor quickly went upstairs. Herman and Mes followed him, and Arsh went after them as well.
Arsh had no idea whom Bera had brought.