The library of the Band of the Eagle was quieter than I expected.
Dustless shelves, polished floors, and the faint smell of parchment filled the air. Sunlight leaked through narrow windows, scattering gold across the spines of hundreds of books.
There were chalkboards in one corner, a few old maps of the empire pinned to the wall, and several tables arranged for study. It felt… oddly peaceful here, in the middle of a mercenary base.
Samantha walked beside me, her boots echoing softly against the wooden floor.
"Over here, Caelus,"
she said, motioning to a table near the back.
We both sat down, the creak of the chair breaking the silence.
"So,"
she began with a smile,
"what kind of questions are swimming in that little head of yours?"
There were too many. Questions about mana, about this world, about why I was even here.
But I couldn't ask everything, not yet. So I chose carefully.
"I want to ask about… magic, Miss Samantha."
"Magic, huh?"
Her smile turned gentle.
"I can answer, but only the basics."
"Why only the basics?"
"Because of 'the Regulation of Magic',"
she said, lowering her tone slightly.
"It's one of 'the Crown Edicts'. You remember those, right?"
I nodded.
"The forbidden arts."
"Exactly. Sharing advanced magical knowledge outside official institutions is forbidden. Only certified teachers may do so."
"So… who's allowed to teach it?"
"Only the Empire's sanctioned academies or guilds. There are three main ones."
She raised her fingers, one by one.
"The Royal Magic Academy in the capital, where nobles and scholars learn the higher arts.
Then the Arcane Guild of Valdria, a public guild meant for commoners who earn their place through service and study.
And lastly, the Imperial Institute of Vocemantica, where ability alone determines rank, noble or not."
She paused.
"Your father once told Darius that you wanted to apply there someday."
"I see…"
I muttered.
"So that's why magic books here are limited to fundamentals."
"Exactly. What you read here is just theory of the theory, the surface of what magic really is."
I looked at her seriously.
"Then please, explain to me something I couldn't understand from the book, Harmony and Dissonance."
Samantha's lips curved in a faint smile, her blue eyes softening.
"Alright. I'll assume you already know about Soul Resonance and Soul Notes."
I nodded again.
"Good. When two individuals with compatible Soul Notes combine their mana, they create Harmony, a resonance that amplifies their power. For example, Fire and Wind create Firestorm. Earth and Water might create Clay Surge. It's about cooperation and balance."
"And how about Dissonance?"
"Dissonance happens when two Soul Notes clash. Their mana rejects each other, sometimes violently. Fire and Water, for example, the result is a failure in the form of smoke, or even explosion."
"So it's like music,"
I said quietly.
"Notes that sound beautiful together… or notes that ruin the melody."
Her eyes brightened.
"Exactly! You're quick, Caelus."
I smiled faintly.
"I just… understand it better when I think about sound."
She chuckled softly.
"Then perhaps your resonance leans toward Aether, the note of understanding."
That word lingered in my head. Aether.
Samantha leaned back, crossing her arms.
"You're sharper than you look. Most kids your age just want to throw fireballs."
"I prefer to know how the fireball works first,"
I said.
She laughed, warm, genuine.
"Now that's a magician's heart."
After a pause, I changed the subject.
"Miss Samantha, could you also tell me about the Empire's history?"
"Oh? You're interested in history too?"
"I need to understand the place I live in,"
I said honestly.
"and if not, I might be considered an outsider."
Samantha looked at me for a moment, surprised, maybe even proud, before nodding.
"Alright, then listen carefully."
She opened a thick blue-covered book and flipped through its yellowed pages.
"The Empire of the Four Crowns was founded after centuries of war. Four kingdoms united to end an endless bloodshed, they are Solynthera, Valdria, Thalassandra, and Qianyao."
Her tone turned almost rhythmic, as if reciting an old tale.
"Solynthera,"
she began,
"was a theocratic monarchy led by the Solarch, said to be chosen by the Sun God himself. They believed the Sun is the soul of creation, the light that gives meaning to existence, and we live around it, and that's why there is a sunrise and sunset."
"Valdria,"
she continued,
"was the kingdom of warriors, ruled by a War Chief. They believed strength defines justice, that conflict is the truest form of truth."
"Thalassandra,"
she smiled faintly,
"was ruled by Queens. A matrilineal realm where wisdom, intuition, and diplomacy shaped every law. They followed the Sea Goddess, who represents renewal and life, and the sources of life."
"And lastly,"
her tone softened,
"Qianyao, the Sacred Kingdom of balance. They believed the world stands only when Yin and Yang, Heaven and Earth, ruler and people, are in harmony. Its leader, the Tianzi, ruled not by fear, but moral virtue. they came from the west in search of a more hidden place."
I listened in silence.
"So these four crowns united,"
I said slowly,
"to form the Empire."
"Yes,"
Samantha nodded.
"They forged peace by sharing power. Each crown became a pillar, faith, strength, wisdom, and balance."
"The Crown Edicts were written afterward,"
she added.
"Twelve laws that keep the Empire from falling apart again."
That last line hit me.
Twelve laws that kept peace through control.
"So magic, history, and even education, all of it is shaped by those Edicts,"
I said.
"Exactly,"
Samantha replied.
"Everything in this Empire, from the highest nobles to us mercenaries, lives under their light."
I leaned back, processing her words.
Knowledge here wasn't just power, it was a privilege, granted only to those the Empire deemed worthy.
Samantha noticed my silence and smiled gently.
"Don't think too much about it, Caelus. You're still young. Enjoy learning before it becomes duty."
Her words struck deeper than she realized.
'Enjoy learning before it becomes duty.'
If only she knew, I wasn't a child trying to learn the world. I was a man trying to survive it.
"Thank you, Miss Samantha,"
I said sincerely.
"You're welcome,"
she replied, resting her chin on her palm.
"Next time, I'll show you a little trick, something harmless. Arithmetic."
Her tone was teasing, but her eyes sparkled with a kind of mentorship I hadn't felt in a long time.
I smiled, for real this time.
"I'll look forward to it."
Just after that conversation, my father came to pick me up.
"Had fun?"
he asked, his tone casual but warm.
"Yes, I did,"
I replied, smiling faintly.
"That's good to hear."
"Yeah."
After waving goodbye to Samantha, I followed my father out of the Band of the Eagle's hall.
The sun had already begun to set, painting the city in shades of gold and crimson. The chatter of mercenaries faded behind us as our footsteps echoed along the stone road.
"Let's go home,"
Father said, his hand resting gently on my shoulder.
"Yes, father"
And together, we walked back, side by side, toward the familiar light waiting at home.