CHAPTER 19: OLIVIA

Richard returned to the library carrying the sack, a sight he himself could hardly put into words.

Fortunately, he had mentioned grapes earlier, so most people already knew what he was bringing.

"Please, take a look," he said, revealing the contents of the sack to the pink-haired woman.

She picked out a single grape.

Its purple, glossy hue immediately reflected in her eyes, the same color as her shimmering hair.

Click!

She placed it between her rosy lips, lips shaped faintly like a heart.

An expression of delight spread across her face as the juice touched her tongue.

"Delicious, like a cold night. With the amount you’ve brought, this will be enough payment for tonight. First, little brother, let’s introduce ourselves. I am Olivia Skylight. You’ve surely realized I am no ordinary person. Yes—I am the most gifted young magus in Apple Town. My talent is spoken of even in Night Valley City, envied by many young magi there. My background is extraordinary. The Skylight family is famous across the land. But by fate, I was born here in this city, thanks to my father’s charm. What is your name, little brother?"

"Richard," he answered, his voice trembling slightly.

"Your family name?" Olivia pressed curiously.

"I grew up in the orphanage since I was a baby. I have no family name," Richard replied.

"Then your fate is sadder than mine, for at least I know my origins. But from your face and the determination in your eyes, I can tell—you must have an unusual background, one you’ve yet to discover. Very well, don’t hesitate to ask me anything. Let’s sit over there."

She led him to a seat by the window.

Richard followed, feeling more intrigued by her.

They sat across from one another, a small table between them, just large enough for a book.

"By the way, don’t speak too loudly. People here don’t mind when I offer my services, but otherwise, they find noise disturbing," she whispered once they were seated.

Richard nodded.

"Tell me, what do you wish to know?" she asked.

"There’s a lot. I want to know everything about magic and this world," Richard said eagerly, his expression burning with curiosity.

From his Ancestor, he could learn magic—but there were things he couldn’t openly ask, especially about altering souls, since the old man believed he possessed a great soul.

If he revealed he had a Mortal Soul, the Ancestor might start to suspect something strange about how he could train in magic at such a young age. Suspicion from such an ancient being was dangerous.

More importantly, Richard needed to know about the world itself—the Land of Humans, its cities, its territories, and the ruling families.

Olivia was gradually astonished by his questions. He sounded less like a child from a village and more like someone from another world trying to gather basic knowledge.

Richard didn’t care what she thought. She had been paid, and whenever asked, Olivia answered with detail—sometimes so much that Richard had to ask her to summarize.

He even asked about the Dragon Knight, a legendary figure celebrated across the world, champion of the World Magic Aether in his era, and one of the most memorable heroes of humankind.

That night, Richard stayed awake entirely, absorbing knowledge from Olivia.

From nightfall to dawn, the sky brightened slowly.

Richard began to look exhausted, but Olivia remained lively.

She even granted him extra time, until finally, he fell asleep on the table.

His small body, with only a little Aether to sustain it, simply couldn’t stay awake any longer.

He slept through the entire day in the library, losing all track of time.

When he woke, the sky was already dark once more.

Drool dribbled from his mouth, but what greeted him brought joy instead—notifications from the System.

(Your Aether has increased from 864 to 865!)

(Your Aether has increased from 865 to 866!)

(Your Aether has increased from 866 to 867!)

(Your Aether has increased from 867 to 868!)

(Your Aether has increased from 868 to 869!)

(Your Aether has increased from 869 to 870!)

[Aether: 870/1000 Tier 3] +6

[Aether Accumulation: 870 Tier 3]

All his gains that day had gone into his Aether—yet the increase was six whole points.

Richard was stunned.

’Could this really be because of my increase in knowledge?’ he wondered.

Remembering that he had fallen asleep in the library, he quickly reached into his pocket to check for his Aether Bottle.

Thankfully, it was still there.

He quietly pulled it out to inspect it—only to be stunned again.

Inside was a small amount of violet liquid, nearly three times what he had ever managed to gather during training.

"How is this possible?" he whispered, hurriedly tucking the bottle back into his pocket.

He hadn’t done any training since his last session by the river, and he had already consumed all the Aether that had been inside before.

’Could this truly be connected to the System’s increase in my Aether?’

A strange expression crept across his face as he pondered.

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