[The Little Knight]

Back in his room, Claude found himself pondering that tutoring session.

"A mute little girl and an annoyed young man... What a combination..." He muttered though it wasn't the oddity of their pairing that unsettled him.

'Her eyes... They don't seem like the eyes of a child.' He wasn't talking about maturity or anything so mundane. It was something deeper.

He saw fatigue in them, not just the weariness of a restless night, but a bone-deep exhaustion that didn't belong in someone so young.

But why would a child feel like that?

'Whatever... I'm probably overthinking it...' Claude dismissed the thought with a wave of his hand.

After all, what were the odds of something sinister lurking beneath a mere child's fatigue?

Shrugging his shoulders, Claude prepared to head out for dinner before turning in for the night.

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Time flicked by like a whimsical child, both uncertain and untamed.

Two months had passed since that tutoring session, and Claude's days had become a routine of library duties, research, tutoring, and mage practice. Each day bled into the next, a steady rhythm that brought a sense of normalcy.

He was back in the library, flicking through more books, his fingers tracing the worn spines. Over these weeks, he had gained a solid understanding of the history of Arta—not too in-depth, but enough to piece together a broader picture. And within that picture, he had finally found something that might be related to Elysium.

The Accord of Zagrashir.

It was a treaty between the nations of Marduk and Assur, mediated by Francia and the Xi Dynasty. The treaty established a neutral zone in the Zagros Mountains, a piece of land bordering Marduk and Assur.

To create this zone, both Francia and Xi had expended a large amount of resources, convincing Marduk and Assur to cede some of their territory.

And that was why Claude found the entire ordeal so utterly odd.

'What did Francia and Xi hope to gain from this? A neutral zone might help trade between Assur and Marduk, but that doesn't seem to benefit Francia or Xi… unless there's something more.' Claude pondered briefly before sarcastically thinking to himself, 'I mean, it can't be due to the kindness of their hearts, can it?'

Furthermore, the name of the zone stuck out to Claude like a sore thumb.

Haena.

It was a term from the now-forgotten Uru tongue, a word that, according to the few references he found in the library, had a very specific meaning.

Magic.

Or more precisely, 'magic and/or ritualistic practices'. 

Claude felt a twinge of excitement. Could this be the clue he was searching for? Or was he overthinking again?

Sighing, he put down the books and let his mind wander.

"I wonder what Mr. Pierre is doing? I haven't seen much of him recently..." he whispered, realising how little he had seen of the elderly gentleman lately.

Mr. Pierre had always been a somewhat elusive figure to him, constantly heading out on errands or some other business. "How he managed to run the library alone before I came along is beyond me..." Claude mused.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar book.

The Little Knight.

Its blue cover was emblazoned with its title in striking black letters.

It was a children's book, one Claude knew well—a tale about a boy of short stature named Tristan who embarks on a journey to defeat the evil sorceress Morgana.

But it wasn't the story that made it familiar.

"Third time this month...? Why does this darn book keep getting returned like this?" Claude muttered, perplexed.

The book had been returned frequently, yet no one ever handed it over directly; it just appeared on the desk as if by magic.

As a children's book, it was typically borrowed by parents teaching their young ones basic reading skills. There was no reason to return it so quickly, especially when they could keep it for up to two weeks.

Moreover, there was a fee to borrow books of 2 copper coins, a sum not insignificant to the average family. Why would someone waste their money only to return it so soon?

Claude glanced at the registry for the last borrower—a widow named Margaret.

"Well, I hope she doesn't regret wasting her money on something like that..." he shrugged.

His train of thought was interrupted by the creak of the library door as Mr. Pierre entered.

The elderly gentleman surveyed the pile of books on the desk before chuckling. "Ever the studious one, I see. Well, it doesn't matter as long as you've done your work for the day."

Claude smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem," Mr. Pierre waved dismissively, then checked the time on a rusty pocket watch. "Your shift is over. You can head out now." 

After placing the books back on their shelves and confirming the return of The Little Knight in the library ledger, Claude set out.

As he walked through the city streets, his thoughts turned to his savings.

He had managed to save around 25 silver coins from his wages, each silver coin worth 100 copper coins, with 100 silver coins equaling a single gold coin.

Thanks to his tutoring work covering most of his expenses, he had saved enough to consider traveling.

The sum wasn't immense, but it would be enough to cover the costs of a modest journey, hopefully bringing him closer to the ever-mysterious Elysium.

Claude soon arrived at a more secluded part of the city, where the hustle and bustle of the marketplace faded into the background. A smile crept onto his face as he reached his destination.

"Well... time to start."