Chapter 8: Beginner's Reward
The world around Raven twisted suddenly, as if some unseen force had seized him. He felt himself being pulled away, the sensation like falling through an endless void.
Then—darkness.
When Raven opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his room. Instead, he stood within a vast, mysterious library. Towering shelves stretched in every direction, crammed with countless ancient tomes and glowing manuscripts. A subtle golden mist lingered in the air, and the scent of aged paper hung like a ghost of time.
[Welcome to the Memory Library, Raven.]
A calm, elegant voice echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once, making him flinch.
"W-What? Who are you? Where am I?" Raven turned sharply, heart thudding, eyes darting in every direction.
Before him stood a woman.
Her silver hair cascaded down her back like a stream of moonlight. Her features were both regal and hauntingly beautiful, her gem-like blue eyes glowing with a serene power. She wore a red floral gown that shimmered subtly with arcane energy, and around her neck hung a gem-studded necklace that pulsed faintly in rhythm with the air.
But what caught Raven's breath most of all were her ears—long and pointed like those of an elf from bedtime stories.
She smiled, as if amused by his wide-eyed gaze, and stepped forward.
[I am Zera, the Tower Spirit. The one you've been communicating with until now. Once more—welcome to the Memory Library, Raven.]
Her voice felt like warm wind brushing against his thoughts. Before he could respond, she spoke again.
[You're currently within a dimension hidden deep inside your soul—a place that stores the life memories of a powerful mage and a vast compendium of knowledge about the Eclipse World.]
Zera extended her hand, revealing a black-bound book etched with glowing silver glyphs.
[If you study the memories related to a specific skill—like Instant Memorize—there's a high chance you'll learn it, even without having the required affinity. This path is built not on talent, but on experience. Not your own, but his.]
She paused, her expression darkening slightly.
[But be warned. At most, this method will help you grasp the very foundation of a skill. True mastery still demands effort, struggle, and time. If you want to escape your current fate... you'll have to work harder than anyone else.]
Raven stood frozen, the weight of her words sinking deep into his bones. After a long moment, he asked quietly, "Why are you helping me?"
Though young, he had been taught caution by his sister. Help, especially from strangers, always came with strings.
[That's a question I cannot answer right now, Raven. But know this—I mean you and your family no harm.]
She then pressed the book gently to his chest. Instead of falling, it dissolved into a golden streak of light and surged into his body.
His vision blurred.
In the next instant, a flood of memories struck him.
He saw glimpses of a young man—faceless but familiar—learning the Instant Memorize skill, reading at incredible speed, absorbing pages in seconds. He felt what the mage felt: the concentration, the frustration, the triumph. He watched how the skill was even used in battle—recalling complex spells in a blink.
The images crashed into him like waves, reorganizing the chaotic fragments within his own memory. Something ancient stirred within.
Then—agony.
His hands clutched his head as a sharp pain lanced through his skull. He gasped and staggered, collapsing to his knees.
The book—now ejected—thudded softly onto the floor beside him.
[Just as I feared. It's impossible to absorb all of this in one day,] Zera said calmly, her voice echoing across the hall. > [Return to your room and rest. Your soul needs time.]
Another invisible pull seized him.
And in the blink of an eye, Raven was back in his bed, staring up at the darkened ceiling. His limbs ached, and his head throbbed as if something inside were being forcibly reshaped.
[The pain will last an hour. Endure it.]
He gritted his teeth, nodding stiffly.
"But I think… I did learn something. My head feels clearer. Even those 13 equations from the Logic Calculation class—they're so clear now…"
[You're still far from mastering the skill.]
As Zera spoke, a blue panel appeared before him:
[Name]: Raven Sillalus Jorvot
[Age]: 5
[Nationality]: Zenith Empire
[Title]: 66th Prince of the Zenith Empire
[Level]: 0
[Class]: None
[Current Rank]: Mortal (Soul damage: 85%)
[Life Pathway]: Undecided
[Attributes]:
Strength: 0.3Agility: 0.4Vitality: 0.3Luck: 1.0Spirit: 1.4
[Additional Skills]:
Instant Memorize (Progress: 2.4%)
"Only 2.4%?!" Raven groaned. "If this pace continues, it'll take forty days just to learn it!"
[You're taking this too lightly. And remember—this is just a basic skill. As you climb further, it only gets harder.]
Zera's tone grew more serious. Then, her voice softened.
[Before you rest, check the Beginner's Reward.]
Suddenly, a golden chest shimmered into existence beside the bed. It was nearly two meters long and half a meter wide—more coffin than chest.
Raven stared at it. "W-What is this?"
[This is the basic reward granted to you by the creator of the system... and myself. Open it.]
With hesitation, Raven knelt and opened the chest.
To his surprise, there were no coins or sparkling gems inside. Instead, three ordinary-looking items lay within: a 1.5-meter iron spear, a vial filled with crystalline water, and a monocle.
He blinked in confusion.
"A spear… water… and a monocle?" He furrowed his brow. "These don't look... special."
[They are. Each item is far more useful than it appears. You'll understand in time.]
Raven let out a small sigh and nodded.
[Rest now. We'll discuss their uses later.]
The chest and its contents shimmered and vanished into faint particles of light.
[They're stored safely in your inventory. Sleep.]
Fatigued beyond words, Raven leaned back and closed his eyes. Though the throbbing in his skull persisted, it slowly ebbed. Sleep soon followed.
When Raven woke, soft morning light spilled through the window. The clock on the wall read 8 A.M.
To his shock, both Athena and Shirley sat beside his bed, eyes full of concern.
As soon as he stirred, their faces lit up with relief.
"How are you feeling, Raven?" Shirley asked gently.
"Aah... W-What happened?" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "I had a weird dream..."
"Oh? What kind of dream did my cute little brother have?" Athena teased with a smile.
"It was a strange library—" Raven froze mid-sentence as a red notification flashed before his eyes.
"Then? What happened?" Athena leaned forward curiously.
"N-Nothing! I just need to use the restroom!"
Without waiting for a response, he slipped out of bed and hurried across the room.
Athena watched him with a soft laugh. "It seems that potion really helped."
Shirley nodded, then asked quietly, "How much did you sell the necklace for? I heard Goren's a petty man. He doesn't like being bargained with."
Athena's smile tightened into something bitter.
"He tried lowballing me. When I refused, he got aggressive and said no one else would dare buy it if I offended him. In the end… I sold it for 23 gold and 30 silvers."
Her hands curled into fists.
Even now, the memory of that man made her blood simmer.