In the following day after lunch, I went straight to the library to relax from yesterday's event.

Half of the table in front of me remained illuminated by the sunlight. Once again, I was all alone in the same place where Einstein worked in.

But I was happy, a place filled with books; excluding this place, there was only one other house I could call home.

'A tale of four seasons,' I smiled at the title. It sounded light warming. With a slender touch of fingers, I got the book opened. It offered little to no resistance. Thus, word by word, I began to read.

Once upon a time, the world was a dull and empty place with nothing but rocks and a red glowing liquid that we came to entitle as lava. It was always either too hot or too cold, to the point that nothing could grow in it. But then four divine beings descended to the planet.

"This will be it," Luna the goddess of order stated, finding this world to be righteous for their endeavour. 

"It could host the greatest of challenges," the god of chaos added, amused, licking the tip of his middle finger.

"But at this rate, nothing will grow."

"Then we should add seasons to motivate the planet to bring change."

And then the god of evil entered the conversation, "it can be harsh to motivate its residents to live."

The other two narrowed their gazes, knowing he was right.

"We can divide it in four seasons. Each can become to our liking, and even receive a name from us."

Thus, each gave one, and our goddess, Aria, came to name the best season of all to our race. 

But alas that was not the only creation they made. Four types of spirits were summoned to give way for their wishes, each possessing a personality resembling the nature of how each season should be like. Thus, four clans of fairies came to be the first inhabitants of this world. 

With it, flowers came to bloom, animals came to life, beauty arose, and humans came to celebrate it every time. She called it flowering, the phase of the year where fruits are ripped, the residents the most healthy, where the rivers have the most fish. The time to mate, to expand one's kin, to show Aria that we are alive and wish to stay like that.

Truly, our goddess is the kindest, the protector of humanity.

Suddenly, a book slipped from the shelf and landed on the floor near me, catching me off-guard, causing me to close the book I was reading.

"What the?" With a quick gaze, I checked my surroundings, and then peeked above the table, only to find a familiar object resting on the wooden floor. I passed my hand on top of my heart, hearing its loud and fast beats, like a drum as it reverberated throughout my body.

I leaned lower to catch the object, placing it on top of the table, above the one that was already there. Then I got up and looked at the hole whence it fell. There should have been something there, but nothing. All the books were organized, each having its place on the shelf. Yet to my surprise, a book had fallen, and I couldn't quite understand from where or even the method.

'How odd. Was it on top of another?' I returned to my seat, content with my assumption. Then I adjusted my rear to the wood of the chair and took a deep breath before continuing my journey.

'You truly are a scared cat,' to myself, I complained in a simple undermined thought. The cowardly side of me didn't seem willing to let go of me. A part of me hoped it didn't, for it kept me safe from doing mistakes like losing my life again. Yet, another side of me didn't like it. It loathed such a weakness, to the point of wanting to remove it forcefully, if possible. It kept me from living, from looking as prideful and confident as my sister. She was the pinnacle of the role model I pursued to achieve. One day even surpass.

Still, I was far from even reaching her. If I could compare Aurora to the sky above, then she'd be the stars above the clouds that I could see. And I but a mere chick that hatched from its egg not too long ago, was still growing to the extent of learning how to use my wings.

'At least she believes in me,' I smiled with the little confidence I had in me. Her words I embraced with all of my heart, living and reliving them in my mind like the best compliment I had ever heard. 'You can become so much more.'

I wished to know more about her, the past that she dared not boast about, much less mention a single detail about. But that could've been my fault for not asking her anything. I couldn't help not asking given how sad her past life seemed to be. The how she got sealed in the mirror. The reason behind why she killed the ruler of a country.

'A king of all people!' Truly, a story worth writing a book about. The girl who slayed a evil monarch, causing her to be trapped in a mirror for all eternity. Due to my likeness for my sister, I presumed the ruler had to be a nasty one. I hoped for such to be true. However, that tale wouldn't have a bad ending, since Aurora didn't remain sealed forever. At that my fingers twitched a little creepily, 'because I saved her.'

It was my feat alone. From the few accomplishments I had on my personal list, this was the one I was most proud of. To have saved her allowed me to acquire a sister that I could treasure and live with.

I picked the tale of four seasons and spent the rest of the day reading it, eventually finishing it. 

'Written by an admirer,' such was my conclusion. Without a doubt, it was written by one of Aria's followers.

'They undermine every other god when the races beneath them are superior.'

I facepalmed with little strength, unable to resist the discontent growing within me. How futile all of this adoration was if everyone could end up killed at any opportune moment.

'A matter of time...' till all the races come on our way, till the human kingdom falls and everyone meets their fated death. All because no one moved. Everything thanks to those prosperous nobles and priests, willingly hide the truth from its residents.

'The nerve,' it annoyed me incessantly, all of it. And everything bursted a piece of me that I didn't know I had. I hit the top of the table causing the books to shake slightly momentarily. If I was stronger, perhaps they would've float for a bit.

Something within me kept changing ever since my encounter with Aurora, almost as if the world revealed itself before me, but that was not right and I knew it. She hadn't had a saying in this. It was all thanks to my efforts to become an adventurer and gaining access to a pile of information. Even more so now with this library. My favourite thing could easily become the one I hated the most if every single book was written by one of her followers.

With a hint of disdain, I took the tale of four seasons with me, placing it whence I removed it from, returning to the table with short steps.

"How about you? Will you also betray my expectations?" With an icy gaze, I fixated its cover, finding no title to it. Instead, an author's name remained at the bottom.

"William III," I knew by now that this meant a third volume, but if it was in front of a name, it meant the times in which they repeated this name through generations. Thus, this man was the third of his family's legacy.

'What do you have to show me?' The first page after the cover was of a dirty yellow and contents blank. It made me willing to rip it off as it contributed to nothing, but I held my hatred in for books were precious and rare.

Once again, I took a deep breath, then another, before finally flipping the page carefully to not damage its contents, much less bring pain to the object. I used to have a deep caring for such tiny items. However, such willingness had grown within me as my sister was one, a special grimoire. This made me even more aware not to hurt them. Perhaps the day would come where I'd meet another one. 'Likely not, but a girl can dream.'

I waved my head to the sides to halt my thoughts, attempting to find some hidden concentration to go through another book despite being tired from reading.

'It's harder to get it going in this world,' perhaps it was the fault of my parameters, how it made me not have a good and lasting focus. How the letters and numbers rambled by themselves. They waltz like the nobles do in their fancy grand parties.

I sighed, "let's see..."

There can only be as much despair as there can be hope until you tilt one side of the balance.

Gods are such entities. If they so wish, they can retrieve one of the two and make you meet an uncalled fate.

Go against one and you'll have to pray to another to balance the outcome.

Even to this day, it is quite rare to find individuals who manage to provoke one of the four enlightened beings.

But can someone really change the world without going against them?

Abruptly, I jumped out of the chair as einstein voice reached out for me. "Iris, the library is closing."

"I'm coming!" In a flash, I closed the book, rereading the author's name. He didn't sound like a follower of Aria and if he was, something distinguished his words from the rest. They didn't sugarcoat the truth and even enabled the reader to think beyond what's supposed to be right, to avoid being set in a single meaning.

Once I passed through the entrance, the old man's voice reached out for me from behind.

"Did you have a good time?"

"Yes. I think I found something interesting to read next time!"

"Oh? I'm truly glad this small library befits your taste."

At his elegant words I smiled, his speech far more beautiful than any I could hope to pull.

"I'll be sure to come visit again soon!"

"Your going back to questing, aren't you?"

"Yes. I promised my parents to help them with money."

At my words he rubbed his chin, "if you'd like... you could take my place in the library when I retire."

"That'd be an honor," my gaze lowered at his feet and then at my own. And then swiftly I looked at him in the eyes. "But I have a promise I must fulfil at all costs!"

"Is that so? Hum..."

I shrugged at his words.

"I'll be praying for your safe travels, young lady."

I could tell how saddened his tone sounded, however, despite wanting to have a peaceful life, the one he had. I wanted more, far more.

"Thank you! See you soon Einstein!" I waved him goodbye, unwilling to spend another second near him as his proposal caused my heart to ache. With hasty steps, I made my way home to rest.