Not Quite Book Eating

I have half-expected Grover to remain an obstacle or that someone else decides to take his place and pisses me off. But since none of that happens, I request some reading materials from Grover and then direct Serene to wheel me into an empty booth for much needed peace and quiet.

There are dozens of booths available in the Library, and almost all of them are vacant. Not only that, I think some of them have not been used in a very, very long time.

Aside from the fact that most of the servants are illiterate and not allowed to use the Library for their own purpose, none of my brothers enjoy reading, and the Guests are not here for the books.

Even I do not like to read myself, but sometimes, knowledges can only be acquired through reading.

"Close the blinds, as I do not want others to see what I am doing," I tell Serene, and she does so. I then eye her. "You can wait for me outside if you wish, but I might be here for a while. Perhaps, you should go and prepare some refreshments for me?"

"Yes, Seventh Master," Serene responses with a bow and heads off, but not before looking back while thinking something to herself. "Something is different."

Once Serene is gone, Grover brings me the books that I had requested.

"You can return to whatever you were doing before I had intruded," I tell him. "If I need any assistance, you will surely know."

"Ah, yes, Seventh Master. Please enjoy your reading," Grover responses respectfully even if the looks in his eyes tell me otherwise. He does not think much of me or any of my siblings, actually.

And that is fine, as I do not hold him in high regard either.

When I am finally alone, I pick up a book from the neatly aligned pile to have a look. Since I have all of Kilian's memories and experiences, I can read Minasian Scriptures perfectly. But of course, reading the normal way will take way too long.

There are methods to absorb all the information within a book very quickly, and one of them is doable with my current Magical Power.

But before doing anything, I sell the book to the Shop System for a measly GP, and I buy it back for the same price since it is almost worthless to the Shop System. But since it is not completely worthless, it does improve my Prestige with the Shop System somewhat.

I repeat for the rest of the books, and once I am done, I channel some mana from my Mana Sea, letting to flow towards my index finger. As an aura coats it, I press my index finger against the wooden table in front of me and start carving.

One a small Magical Array is carved out, I fill it with some mana and then place a book inside it. Several books actually. When I am finished, I activate the Magical Array, causing those books resting within to burst to flames.

I stare at the flames, and within a moment, I have read thousands upon thousands of words. And after a handful of seconds, the flames die down, and I have remembered everything within those books.

This method allows me to Speed Read at an insane speed, but it also destroys the books in the process, so it is a good thing that I can always buy a copy from the Shop System. No one will know it is a copy.