The final room in the Veiled Library wasn’t anywhere near as vast as the main chamber, but it still held an imposing presence. Its design echoed that of the main chamber with rows of stone shelves, but the aisles were wider, and the eerie librarians were conspicuously absent.

Instead, however, there was a lone, towering figure in front of them, commanding their immediate attention. Dressed in grey robes similar to those of the librarians, it was significantly taller and had a gangly build. A hood obscured its face in shadow, and its robes concealed its limbs, but its presence didn’t feel quite as ephemeral as the librarians’.

Fynn squinted, scrutinising the figure. “This one is different from the others.”

“Yeah, I think we got that,” Rosa said with a hint of sarcasm. Meanwhile, Allyssa and Shin readied themselves for another potential conflict, their stances tense. The figure remained motionless, gazing into empty air.

Next to Scarlett, Yamina seemed deep in thought. “I believe this may be the entity that oversaw those librarians. Unlike them, I can detect a faint flow of mana from it, though it is rather…peculiar.”

“It’s not alive.” Fynn frowned slightly. “...I think.”

“So it’s like one of those undead Zuver we’ve encountered before?” Allyssa asked.

Fynn shook his head. “No. Those smell different.”

“Then what is it?”

“It might be that this is supposed to be the custodian of this library,” Yamina suggested, pulling out her spellbook. She cast a series of diagnostic spells, her brows furrowing in concentration. “Its nature is unlike any construct known to me, but I cannot discern what else it might be.”

Allyssa, holding a vial with a radiant silver liquid inside, eyed the ‘custodian’. “Could it be like one of those infused Aurenthials used by the Followers?”

“I do not think the comparison is that straightforward,” Yamina said.

The towering figure shifted slightly, its hooded head turning towards them. It made no other movement, merely observing them.

“What’s it doing?” Rosa asked, her voice now hushed.

“I believe it is simply observing us,” Scarlett answered calmly.

“Is that a good or a bad thing? If it’s the one that’s been controlling those librarian fellows we fought on our way here, I don’t think it’s the most welcoming.”

“Perhaps.” Scarlett studied the custodian, then stepped into the chamber, eliciting surprised looks from the others. The custodian, however, remained unmoved.

There was a brief period of silence among them.

“…Okay, is that a good or a bad thing?” Rosa repeated.

“I do not know,” Scarlett replied, though she did have an idea. She turned to Fynn. “Fynn, if you would.”

At her cue, the young man advanced into the room, his stance lowered as if ready for any sudden attack. The custodian remained passive, its hooded gaze following Fynn until he stood directly before it, receiving nothing but a silent stare.

Rosa edged closer to Scarlett, her face a mix of curiosity and concern. “Any idea why it’s not attacking?”

“It might no longer perceive us as intruders,” Scarlett said.

“…Alright, not quite sure I follow the logic in that.”

Yamina turned towards Scarlett, her expression thoughtful. “Are you suggesting that its role might be to ward off intruders, but consider those who reach this point as guests?”

Scarlett nodded. “It is a possibility. The Zuver’s methods do not always align with what we would consider conventional logic.”

Their incessant obsession with puzzles showed that much. She also knew for a fact that, in the game, this custodian only retaliated if provoked or if any of the works here were damaged. While it was supposed to be the Veiled Library’s boss, facing it in combat was optional.

Yamina seemed to consider it. “That’s an intriguing thought. I think you may at least partially be correct.”

Scarlett led the group cautiously across the room towards Fynn and the tall figure. As they stopped in front of it, the custodian’s head tilted slightly to regard them.

Up close, Scarlett could detect hints of a face beneath the dark hood — pale grey skin etched with sharp features and a pair of eerie green eyes that studied her intently. Somehow, despite its lifelike appearance, one look was enough for her to know that this being wasn’t truly alive. But it didn’t feel entirely artificial either.

It was something in between.

Scarlett’s attention was drawn to a flicker of movement from the Orrery on her wrist. She adjusted it slightly to point at the custodian, observing the short pointer rotate about a quarter around the bezel.

“That’s kinda creepy,” she overheard Allyssa murmur to Shin, though the custodian hardly cared, its focus remaining on Scarlett.

With a puzzled frown, she examined the Orrery more closely. She hadn’t been expecting it to react to the custodian. What did that mean?

“Some of its features appear to resemble those of the Zuver, but not quite,” Yamina said. “If it predates The Severance, it’s likely artificial in some fashion. It could be a relic of experimentation left behind by one of the diviniarchs, which would explain why it’s unlike anything we have encountered before.”

The wizard moved closer to the tall figure, runes floating around her. By this point, she seemed unconcerned about a potential attack.

“So, are we just going to stand here gawking at it?” Rosa asked, glancing around the room. “Do you think it’d get mad if we started exploring some of the books here?”

Allyssa looked at her, then down one of the nearest aisles. “Even if it didn’t mind, there are a lot of books here. How do we find what’s useful? And if this really is the library’s forbidden section, maybe we should be careful with the texts here.”

“True. You never know if you might open a manual on impressionist gardening only to get turned into a frog,” Rosa joked, eye scanning the rows of ancient tomes.

“Although that particular scenario is unlikely, we could perhaps simplify matters by asking for guidance,” Scarlett said, her eyes still on the custodian. She wanted to understand why the Orrery was reacting to it, but she wasn’t sure how.

“Yeah? And how do you propose we do that?”

Scarlett finally looked away from the custodian to briefly meet the bard’s gaze. “…We have the Library’s custodian at our disposal, do we not?” She turned back to the figure and addressed it directly. “Does this section contain any works related to the Forgotten Tower?”Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

The custodian’s stare seemed to pierce through Scarlett for a moment before it turned and glided down an aisle, its robes trailing behind it like wisps of smoke. The others in the group exchanged surprised looks, but Scarlett motioned for them to follow.

Stopping before one of the shelves lined with numerous dark volumes, the custodian lifted its gangly arm to gesture towards a specific cluster of books.

“These pertain to the Forgotten Tower?” Scarlett asked, eyeing the titles on the spines.

It had indicated five tomes in all, each bearing the marks of age. Yamina stepped forward, selecting one and flipping it open, her eyes lighting up with keen interest as she scanned its pages. “…This appears to be a compendium on the Stormheart anomaly centered on the Forgotten Tower. Although it doesn’t speak of its origins, it does seem to relate a method to replicate a similar effect.”

“Really?” Allyssa leaned in, peering at the book with a blend of wariness and curiosity. “Isn’t that supposed to be responsible for catching most storms in the western empire? Replicating that would be scary.”

Yamina nodded soberly, examining the tome’s contents. “Indeed it would.”

“I imagine this must be of particular interest to you, Miss Ward, given you have already visited the Forgotten Tower,” Scarlett said.

“Wait, what?” Allyssa and the others all looked at Yamina.

The wizard met Scarlett’s eyes. “…You’re not wrong. However, this type of magic is beyond my usual practice. Many of my fellow wizards would be thrilled by the chance to study it, though.” Her focus shifted to the custodian, who watched them silently. “Now, I wonder what other secrets this place holds.”

“Why not ask?” Scarlett suggested.

Her request for materials on the Forgotten Tower was more of a test than anything. Although the Tower did interest her, she wouldn’t be able to go there anytime soon, and her current priorities lay elsewhere.

That said, she was also curious about what Yamina was looking for here. She assumed the woman was searching for something in particular, after all.

After a moment’s thought, Yamina carefully replaced the book on the shelf and pushed her gold-rimmed glasses higher up on the bridge of her nose. She then turned to address the custodian. “Could you show me any documents related to the Tribute of Dominion?”

Scarlett considered her. Yamina was investigating the Tribute of Dominion?

That was…somewhat unexpected. While perhaps not entirely unforeseeable, Scarlett wondered what had drawn the wizard’s attention to that particular subject. As far as she knew, few in the empire were even aware of the Tribute, let alone its significance.

The custodian started moving, leading the group through the forbidden section’s tiny maze of aisles. Eventually, they stopped before another shelf, where the custodian pointed out several titles.

Yamina approached the indicated books, carefully selecting the first title to examine. Scarlett and the others stood to the side, watching as the woman’s expression grew focused.

“Is there a particular reason why you are seeking information on the Tribute of Dominion?” Scarlett asked after a while.

“There are several,” Yamina responded, without looking up.

“Such as?”

“Scholarly curiosity.” The woman offered Scarlett a single glance. “And the other reasons are quite personal.”

Scarlett arched a brow. Personal? The Tribute of Dominion had been hidden away in Beld Thylelion since The Severance. How did its existence relate to Yamina personally?

“…Very well.” She observed Yamina for a moment longer, then turned her attention to the custodian. “While she studies that, there are topics I would also like to investigate. Show me what you have on the Divinarch Thainnith.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that the name seemed to catch Yamina’s interest, though the wizard quickly returned to her book.

Wordlessly, the custodian led the way down another aisle. Scarlett turned to her companions. “Miss Hale and Fynn, accompany me. Miss Thornthon and Miss Astrey, stay here with Miss Ward in case of any unforeseen events.”

With that, she followed the custodian, its path winding through several turns before reaching the end of the chamber. There, a single stone shelf stood against the wall, entirely devoid of texts.

The custodian stopped before that vacant shelf, gesturing towards it.

Scarlett stared at it. “…That is empty.”

The custodian continued pointing.

“Wait, I think I know this one,” Rosa said, moving closer to the shelf. “We’re dealing with invisible books.”

“I find that unlikely,” Scarlett replied, though she watched as Rosa waved a hand through the empty shelf. She then looked at the custodian. “Is there another area with materials on Thainnith? If not, is there anything related to the Seal of Thainnith or the ‘Anomalous One’?”

It regarded her for a few seconds, then turned back to the shelf, lifting its arm to reveal a grey, bony hand that seemed to grasp at books that weren’t there. Finding nothing, it repeated the motion along the next section, as if searching through an unseen catalog.

“…Enough,” Scarlett eventually commanded when its hand showed no signs of stopping. The custodian's empty gaze turned back to her.

“It looks confused to me,” Rosa said, leaning casually against the shelf with arms folded. “Maybe someone removed the books, and it never got the news?”

Scarlett frowned deeply. Why would that be the case? And why would these specific texts be missing? Was there a reason it had to be the exact topic she was trying to find information on?

Maybe she could still find something relevant back where Yamina was. The Tribute of Dominion was also related to Thainnith, so it wasn’t impossible that mentions of him or the ‘Anomalous One’ might be found there.

Just as she was about to head back, Fynn’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“What’s that?” he asked.

Scarlett turned to see him pointing towards an unusual glow emanating from a part of the empty shelf, a faint light etched into the stone. Her brows furrowed in light puzzlement. Had that been there before?

She approached for a closer look, and the glow intensified slightly. She glanced at the custodian for any reaction, but it remained as impassive as ever.

Drawing nearer, the shining mark on the stone became clearer, resembling a sigil with a globe encased in an intricate frame. It looked somewhat familiar…

Suddenly, Amy’s breath caught, her focus narrowing on the sigil in a glare. From somewhere within, a strong urge rose up. A certainty, a conviction, that she should annihilate this. That she could annihilate this, along with everything around them and this gods-forsaken Isle—

“—Scarlett.”

The voice snapped her back to reality. Her hand was raised, as if to destroy the sigil. Rosa stood by her side, the bard’s expression laden with worry, while Fynn watched with a frown.

A surge of raging indignation flooded through Scarlett as she realised what had happened.

“Are you okay, Scarlett?” Rosa asked carefully.

Rather than answer, Scarlett posed her own question, the anger tinging her voice. “How long was I distracted?”

Rosa hesitated, clearly taken aback by the sharpness in Scarlett’s tone. “…About a minute.”

Scarlett clenched her jaw, staring at the still-glowing sigil before her.

Something had just tried to influence her. Tried commandeering her will. And it had nearly succeeded.

As for the culprit, she had a strong suspicion.

Turning her head slightly, she prompted a system window to appear and display her status.

[Name: Scarlett Hartford][Skills:[Superior Mana Control][Superior Pyromancy][Major Pyrokinesis][Greater Hydromancy][Major Hydrokinesis][̼̭̬̋̈́̒͜ ̧̘̜́ͣ͛͛ͅ ͚̜̓͜ͅ ̢̰͚̾̏ͅ ̮̿͆̒͠ ̢̾̏ͅ ̢̰̾̏ͅ]][Traits:[Dignified August][Supercilious][Cavalier][Callous][Overbearing][Conceited][Third-rate Mana Veins]][Mana: 8532/12334][Points: 28]

Her eyes settled on the glitched skill that had been there ever since her visit to Crowcairn. The feeling just now had been reminiscent of back then, but far more invasive. It carried with it an unnatural confidence, whispering that she could do basically anything she wanted — including destroying the sigil and the secrets it guarded.

For some reason, the Anomalous One wanted her out of here.

She had to fight the urge to outright curse the damn entity aloud.

“…Scarlett, talk to us, please. What’s going on?”

Looking back at Rosa, she met the woman’s uneasy gaze briefly before holding up a hand. “Allow me a moment to myself.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, centering herself and pushing aside the tiny voice that called for her to burn something to the ground. When she opened her eyes again, the sigil seemed to pulse with a strange energy.

The alien urge beckoning her to erase the sigil from existence still lingered at the back of her mind, but she dismissed it, stepping closer to examine the sigil more closely.

Then, she realized why it seemed familiar.

Scarlett looked down at her left wrist, where the [Orrery of Dissonant Convergence] rested. The dark iron bracelet’s origin and function remained enigmatic, as did the exact purpose of the dual pointers on its face. At its core, it held a tiny globe nestled within a copper frame, strikingly similar to the depiction on that sigil.

Aligning the Orrery’s long pointer with the sigil caused the shorter pointer to sweep across the bezel’s rim, stopping just shy of halfway.

Carefully, she extended her right hand towards the sigil, but nothing happened. She then tried her left, positioning the Orrery just above.

The sigil suddenly flickered out.

Before her, the stone shelf dissolved into blue light, revealing a room bathed in a soft, ethereal sheen. The walls were lined with ancient symbols, and various strange contraptions were scattered about.

Scarlett stared at it for several seconds.

She definitely had no memory of this from the game.