A World Called Atlas - Library

The following day, Yasuline informed the royal guards that she would be staying in the Royal Library for the day. It did catch them off-guard, but they agreed to the arrangement. What was absent from the ruling as they repeated the ruleset to Yasuline as she first headed to the kitchen to request snacks and drinks was the lack of a guard standing idly inside the library with her. Even sounding like they would bring up the old rule made Yasuline glared and likely to avoid a headache of an argument, they avoided bringing it up altogether.

The castle's library was an expansive space, rivaling even the grandeur of the throne room. With two-story high shelves and a second floor, it was a wonderland for young Yasuline to explore. Despite its size, the library was impeccably maintained by a dedicated cleaning maid. However, when the maid was reassigned and new staff was hired, her expertise was sorely missed, and the castle was unable to find a suitable replacement to keep the library in pristine condition.

The library, with its stunning architecture, exuded an air of grandeur and sophistication. However, upon closer inspection, one could see that it lacked proper maintenance. Dust particles were visible, floating in the air, illuminated by the sun's rays that shone through the windows on the second floor. Despite this, the colored bindings of the books added a touch of character to the room, complementing the old-fashioned furnishings. A cozy sitting area was located near the first-floor windows, where Yasuline had fond memories of sitting on her father's lap as he regaled her with tales of his adventurous past. She also recalled her mother's vivid descriptions of Garden Hill. The rest of the library was dedicated to housing books, with multiple shelves that filled the room. Many of these books were gifts from other nations, while others were popular reads that the public enjoyed to entertain themselves.

"Like always princess, should you need us, simply call us out or knock on the door. We must stay vigilant when against the White Reaper." The guard states, but Yasuline simply waves him off as he shuts the door behind him.

"Oh my goodness!" she exclaims in a playful tone that could be likened to a mischievous sprite, "You won't believe it, but the White Reaper has been right here in front of you all along!" She punctuates her announcement with a familiar "Oh Ho Ho!" Even striking a unique pose that went along with it.

Right on time, one of the windows on the second floor pops open and the White Reaper gracefully descends.

"You always know when to show up on time, don't you?" He responds with a shrug. With a curious look, the White Reaper imitates her pose.

"I got that from the Princess of Glacia. She always had this attitude where she thinks everyone is beneath her because she is so amazing at magic." Yasuline explained herself as she spotted the quick stare from his direction as he went to retrieve the tray of sweets and began to set them on the table in the sitting area.

As Yasuline strolled among the shelves of books, she couldn't help but feel intrigued. The lack of titles on the spines compelled her to randomly pick out a book and peruse it to discover if it would capture her interest.

"Nope." She says as he managed to pick one that was about the first discovery of Orichalcum and the historic weapons that were made of it. The mineral was a prized mineral for all due to how powerful it was. Even capable of handling multiple enchantments and doubling their effectiveness. Thus, making the mineral even more valuable.

The next one was the life within Finnoe, the Land of Darkness. Lumines and Finnoe are two sister nations that share a land bridge connecting them. However, the land of Finnoe is barren and desolate, with scarce vegetation that struggles to survive and ultimately withers away, leaving behind mere dead wood. Despite these harsh conditions, people have established their homes in Finnoe, relying on mining as their source of livelihood. Over time, numerous caverns and mines have been excavated, unearthing a multitude of minerals that are crucial for the world's technological advancements. Among these minerals are the Bloodstones, which are instrumental in the evolution of Dark Magic, and the Aqua Stones, which are used for Water Magic, and so on.

"Not it either," Yasuline says as he places the book back into its place.

Going to the next aisle didn't help by much, it was more interesting to her. It was an aisle she remembers having been the one her mother tended to pick her books out from when she was small. Even remembering which ones she did select.

Pulling out a white-bound book, it is revealed to be a re-telling of the beginning of the world.

The White Reaper approaches Yasuline as she reads the title aloud, with some cookies in hand for the both of them.

"Genesis of Atlas: Legend of the Godbeasts. The way my mom told it, she always made it seem epic like stories of my dad. So it was kinda surprising to hear how it was a real event I ended up learning something from it." She says, not keeping her eyes off the cover, recalling those sweet and quiet evenings with her.

"Oh, that cookie looks delicious!" She takes a bite and then playfully pulls him over to sit with her. She sits in the chair with her book, ready to start telling a story. "Alrighty then! Today, I want to tell you a story from a long time ago, even before life on Atlas began."