Chapter 6
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CHAPTER 6: “ABOMINATIONS”

 

Ai was still wowed by the sight of Pymule.

He really couldn't get over the very tall trees with the multicolor leaves that created a giant shade over all of the village but still let enough sunshine through, its light making little and big spotlights through the leaves.

Seeing views like this made Ai kind of jealous that the real world didn't have something like it. Sure it had rolling mountains, blue seas and dense forests and they were all beautiful of course, but it wasn't on the same level as what he was seeing in Pymule. The real world didn’t have gigantic trees with branches that curled into the heavens or big colorful leaves that created rainbow illusions.

Taking his eyes off the sky and more to the road, Ai continued to skip around, hoping that he would like a village library or archive building that he could study from.

In his experience in playing normal, non VRMMOs, he found that game devs loved to sneak in the game world lore in books. He supposed that was normal, not all players wanted to know lore and story, some of them just wanted gameplay.

Ai was probably somewhere in the middle. Though he liked gameplay, he also liked deep and rich stories. He was reminded of his childhood. Back then he loved to listen to complex fantasy stories read to him by -

He stopped when he reached the incredibly tall, cathedral like building in front of him, located in another secluded part of the village. Just like the village itself, though the sign said "Pymule Library", it didn't look like it at all. It had tall glass stained windows lined along the brick walls and beautiful rose bushes lined the pathway all the way to the steps in front. As with everything he had seen so far, it was incredibly beautiful and carried a certain aesthetic.

The inn and the library was located on the outer parts of the village, he wondered if the buildings at the city center had some use or not. Knowing [World Symphony], it probably did but Ai wasn't in a rush to find out.

Walking past the rose bushes and up the steps, he gently pushed open the door.

The inside was just as magnificent as the outside was.

The tall ceiling, wooden pillars, giant bookcases lining the walls, the stained glass walls casting a nice warm glow, and the seemingly never-ending number of books made for an incredibly spectacular sight. Being on the inside, Ai felt incredibly small.

Unlike the inn, there was no receptionist. He spotted some NPCs roaming about but he couldn't tell if they were library staff or a village resident doing part of their daily schedule.

Welcome to the Pymule Grand Library! Pick up books to read them, books cannot be taken outside of the building.

Ai didn't know what kind of library didn't allow their books to be borrowed, but he didn't mind too much. Reading a book in this kind of grand building was an opportunity he couldn't miss.

Though the library was big and spacious, the [Thought System] guided Ai into what he was looking for. Every time he walked past a section, there would be a notification telling him what sorts of books were in there.

Elf Biology, Elf Economy, Elf Domains, Elf War, Elf General History...

Ai picked up some books that contained general information and history of the elves as he moved from section to section. They were not that thick, but it should be enough for him to spend at least 24 hours and let it fly by.

After seemingly a long time of searching, Ai couldn't find even a single book not about elves. He understood race pride, but was it really so bad that they didn't even have any single book about other races or written by another race?

After another quick loop around the giant library, Ai gave up and settled down on one of the couches located near the windows. He wasn't going to stay long as an elf anyway, so he guessed it was no loss to him that he couldn't find any books about [World Symphony] as a world, he was just slightly disappointed that he couldn’t scratch his curiosity itch.

He set down his stack of books on his side and examined what he'd grabbed.

There were three books in total.

Elf General History was the thickest out of the tree. Its cover was also the one with the most craftsmanship. The font was etched in gold cursive, the leather covering was sturdy and glossy,  the pages were thick, heavy and smooth and the writing in the book was clean, elegant and structured. It was no doubt a book that contained information the elves found important, that was why it was so beautifully crafted. The more beautiful it was the more the elves would cherish it.

Elf Festivals was just a bit under the first book in terms of length. Though the craftsmanship on it wasn't as carefully done, Ai could tell that the book contained important stuff. The cover was still sturdy, the pages smooth and the writing elegant.

The third book was something Ai picked up on a whim. Keygiver was the most dilapidated book. The leather cover was worn out and ripped on some parts, the papers were stained and the writing looked like someone had written it in a hurry. Ai didn't really understand what this book was, but it stood out among the shining beautiful books. He had found it somewhat hidden at the deepest section of the library.

For now, he set the book down and went to read the other two books.

As expected, the contents of the books were incredibly detailed. From the birth of the first elves to the current age.

The elves started as any other race, slowly building their domain from the ground up. They didn't have many enemies, but ones that did rage war against them didn't come out looking any better. The elves weren't soldiers, they took pride in their art, their literature, their beauty. Over time, they found the construct of genders to be confusing and held them back in their pursuit of beauty. They threw it away and became what Athiel told him.

We do not trifle with matters such as genders. Elven society has passed the need for it. We simply love beautiful things whether it’s a beautiful dress or shiny jewels.

Ai still found that to be almost poetic.

Moving on the next book about festivals, there wasn't really much about it. Almost all the festivals the elves had had something to do with beauty. Whether it's a festival about flaunting their beauty, or festivals about who could make each other the most beautiful, there was no doubt that no other concept existed for the elves above beauty.

There was even a picture of a deity that the elves loved to worship named Tilvanette. Ai didn’t even know that there were other deities in [World Symphony]. They were a deity with long flowing locks and bright piercing eyes. As for their face, Ai really couldn't tell if it was beautiful or not. It was too perfect, too symmetrical, that it almost looked unreal.

Closing the book about festivals, Ai finally moved on to the last book.

The sun had already begun to set while he was reading, the sun dimming and the lights in the library slowly coming to life. He could leave right now and go to sleep mode for the night so the time would go by, but he couldn't put down the book in his hands. It was almost as if it was calling out to his instincts.

He stared at the book.

It was a relatively thin book, almost half the amount of Elven General History. Reading it wouldn't take so much time would it? The oddity of the book called out to Ai's curious side, begging him to give this book that stood out from the rest a read.

...

Slowly, he opened the first page of the book and began reading.

 

Keygivers.

They are people blessed by Aethera's knowledge and serve as a gateway between Aethera's envoy and their abilities. They do not serve under anyone, under any organization, government or constitution. They are independent elves who stand alone, tasked with the duty of deciding the worthiness of each envoy. If the envoy is not deemed worthy, the Keygiver shall not give the key to their powers.

The Keygivers are blessed with knowledge and a great responsibility, thus they must give up their most beautiful possession. Be it shining jewels, elegant clothes, a memento or even faces, it all must go. For their new task shall be the most important and beautiful thing in their life.

To the elven race who value beauty over their own life, Keygivers are abominations, as all things that have no appreciation for beauty are.

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