One-Eyed Monster

Not long after Governor Rostov left, Stim and the others had also finished organizing the interconnections of those four tomes of travelogue.

Dean Hoffman raised his sleepy face, only to see Stim’s excited expression, while Jiggs and Skol were also contently wiping the sweat from their foreheads. It was clear that the conclusion they reached was the eighty-nine percent that Stim had mentioned...

”So, how is it? Is it finished?”

”Yes, it’s finally completed.” Stim said excitedly. What he discovered was finally verified in this Basic Spirit Book.

”Though this organizational work seems dull, the moment we completed it, we felt this effort was truly meaningful.” Jiggs and Skol had been assisting Stim with organizing these four Spirit Books, and they too felt a sense of accomplishment at the moment of completion.

The expressions of these scholars made Igor very expectant. He always felt that Stim could discover some connections on these books, and seeing the scholars so excited clearly indicated that the speculation was validated. Next, these scholars should uncover and decode these enigmatic things.

Now, only the Sol Brothers, Igor, and Hustace were left here. While Stim and the others were organizing the Spirit Books, the Sol Brothers and Igor had been touring the library. They found that the Spirit Books would mostly fall asleep by midnight, and the library was incredibly quiet, with only the sound of Stim and the others flipping through books. As for Hustace, he didn’t miss this learning opportunity. While Stim and the others were organizing, he had been helping out, and now he also felt a sense of accomplishment, having learned a lot.

Hustace discovered that there was such a method to read books. Previously, he only knew to read them front to back, but today he learned that many times books could be read from back to front, focusing not only on the content but also on the book’s binding and stitching. Everything relating to books shouldn’t be neglected.

”Alright, alright, since you all finished organizing, you should explain it to us clueless ones now.” Dean Hoffman stood up from his chair and suddenly noticed that the sky outside was already brightening.

”Unknowingly, an entire night has passed!” Dean Hoffman stretched with a sigh.

”Indeed, I didn’t even feel it. When truly engrossed in reading, time flies by without notice!” Hustace was also shocked. The sky was bright, and he didn’t feel like it had been so long.

”Do you want to take a nap before discussing?” Dean Hoffman suggested.

”No, no.” Igor swiftly waved his hand. He didn’t want to rest. At this exciting moment, Stim and the others were thrilled, and he himself was excited too. If they rested and then returned, the whole atmosphere would be lost, and by then, he might forget what he wanted to hear. They mustn’t slacken now.

”Strike while the iron is hot, Dean, let’s start now and have the scholars interpret for us.” Tobin Sol suggested.

”No problem, but we can’t discuss here; firstly, all the books are asleep, and secondly, there isn’t enough space for them to perform.” Dean Hoffman glanced around and shrugged.

”Well...” Igor scratched his head, ”Where is suitable for them to perform?”

”That’s not hard, of course, it should be in the big lecture hall!” Hustace immediately exclaimed, ”That place is big and has many teaching aids, explaining there would be vivid!”

”True!” reminded by Hustace, Igor also felt a bit eager to go to the big lecture hall.

”No need, we just need to go outside!” Stim suggested.

”Uh...” Igor felt a bit disappointed.

”The big lecture hall is a bit far, we must seize the time!” Stim explained.

”Let’s all listen to Stim, he is the protagonist now.” Dean Hoffman remarked.

”We have no choice.” Igor smiled a little, realizing he overlooked some aspects.

”Actually, it’s nothing much. I just found some secrets hidden in the books; the truly remarkable one is Lord Soron.” Stim glanced at the four Spirit Books, feeling that what he discovered was something Lord Soron secretly concealed, but for what reason he had no idea.

The group thus walked outside the library. Since Skol and Jiggs had to take care of the Spirit Books in the library, they stayed inside, taking turns resting and organizing. All students were on holiday, and several library staff had gone home, leaving the two of them without homes to stay behind. Jiggs and Skol’s hometown was by the Star River, now no longer existing, as the Vero People had burned everything, taking all the timber and food...

Igor hadn’t had much time to reminisce Skol and Jiggs’s stories because he wanted to hear Stim’s explanation and see what connections there truly were among Lord Soron’s travelogues!

The sun hadn’t fully come out; the twilight had already brightened the sky. Although it was between winter and summer, winter’s tail still hadn’t fully retreated, and this dawn was still chilly.

Hustace couldn’t help but shiver.

”Alright, here we shouldn’t affect the Spirit Books inside.” Stim set down the bench from his shoulder and neatly arranged the four Spirit Books.

”What have you discovered!” Igor couldn’t wait anymore, feeling that perhaps his questions would be answered now, making him excited and anxious.

”I discovered many things, but before that, I must explain the process.”

”Keep it simple; if it’s too complex, I won’t understand.” Igor suggested.

”Previously I mentioned that there are some passages in these books that are always abrupt; without careful reading, they seem like complaints or reflections, but upon closer inspection, the various interconnections are uncovered.”

”These are things we cannot possibly discern.” Sol remarked, ”It’s like a code, readable only by you scholars.”

”Your analogy is quite apt; for scholars, it’s indeed a language, but for you, it’s truly an unreadable code.” Dean Hoffman nodded in agreement.

”Let’s hear what Stim says.”

”We organized the interconnected passages, and then I discovered they mention a common point.”

”Oh? What’s the common point.” Everyone asked, curious.

”It’s the Wilderness!”