Chapter 248 : Chapter 248

Chapter 248: Ilyss’s Great Adventure

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍light was soft.

That ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was Ilyss’s first impression as she descended from the spiral staircase hidden behind the giant tree above.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍cool, gentle radiance like moonstone emanated from the walls and the vaulted ceiling themselves, spreading evenly through the entire space and illuminating every speck of dust, as though even the passage of time had grown quiet and slow here.

Ilyss ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stood just inside the rotating stone doorway at the entrance. Reflected in her jewel-like violet eyes was the sight before her, and for a moment even her breathing stopped.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was actually a library.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍real ancient elven library of unimaginable scale.

She lifted her head.

The curved dome rose so high that its end could not be seen, stretching upward into what looked like an eternity of light.

Countless enormous dark-brown wooden bookshelves, like the cells of a honeycomb or silent giants standing shoulder to shoulder, rose layer upon layer in spiraling tiers along the curved wall until they vanished at the limits of her sight.

The wood, after such an immeasurable span of years, had not decayed. Instead, beneath the soft light, it gave off a warm, restrained sheen. Only the faint wear along the corners spoke of the weight of time.

The floor beneath her feet was smooth dark stone, polished like a mirror, reflecting the soft glow of the dome above and the deep shadows cast by the countless shelves.

She stepped forward a few paces.

Her boots made almost no sound on the ground.

With a touch of hesitation and reverence, her fingers brushed the edge of the nearest shelf. The wood was smooth, cool, and faintly warm to the spirit. The instant her fingertips touched it, a faint resonance from deep within her bloodline, one that crossed time and space, made even her soul tremble slightly before a warm ache rose in her chest.

She had found it.

She had truly found it.

The legacy of the elves. A treasury of knowledge. The dying embers of a civilization.

And she had found it so easily, so smoothly.

Her violet eyes moved rapidly over the shelves. Most of the books had been preserved far better than she had ever dared hope. Their spines were engraved in elegant, intricate ancient elven script, marking their titles, authors, and classifications.

Her gaze swept over one title after another, and her heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

Principles of Advanced Rune Structures.

Advanced Communication with Elemental Essences (Complete in Three Volumes).

Avalon Atlas of Nature Magic (Illustrated Hand-Colored Edition).

Chronicles of the Ancient Dragons: Fragment.

Introduction to Astrology and Prophetic Magic.

Secret Elven Forging Arts (Enchantment Volume)...

Every one of them was a lost treasure, a rare work long erased by war, exile, and time.

Any single volume that found its way into the human world outside would be enough to shake the entire magical academic world to its core, perhaps even spark bloody struggles between major powers and nations.

And here, there was an entire library.

Ilyss drew in a deep breath and forced herself to calm down from that first overwhelming wave of shock and exhilaration.

She took down the nearest volume, Advanced Communication with Elemental Essences, Volume One. The parchment cover was soft yet durable, with silver thread edging the borders.

She carefully opened it.

The pages were touched by the pale yellow of age, yet the ink upon them remained as clear as if it had only just dried. The complex diagrams of magic circles and the annotations in elven script were meticulous and rigorous.

She skimmed through several pages at speed.

The techniques and deeper theories recorded inside for resonating with elemental essences and establishing channels of two-way communication were far more complete, profound, and systematic than the mutilated remnants passed down among the scattered descendants of the elves after generations of copying and loss.

Many theoretical bottlenecks that had troubled the elders of her people for years seemed, here, to be clearly explained, with workable paths laid out before them.

She took down the heavy Atlas of Avalon Nature Magic from the next shelf.

Inside were vivid, brilliantly colored magical illustrations depicting many legendary magical plants that had long since vanished from the world—Moonlight Vine, Bloodweeping Rose, Soul-Guiding Wood capable of bearing a soul, Lightweave Grass that could weave dreams...

Beside every illustration were detailed notes in elven script explaining their habitat, magical properties, modes of resonance with natural elements, and the taboos and methods of harvesting, processing, and use.

This knowledge was the foundation of the elves’ harmony with nature, the basis of many powerful nature spells and alchemical arts. In the present world, however, only fragments and broken scraps of it remained.

Ilyss’s heart pounded faster and faster, and an irrepressible light shone in her violet eyes.

This was the place.

This had to be the place.

The true crystallization of elven wisdom had not been entirely erased by the wars of the Great Silence, nor by the long exile that followed.

It had been sealed here, waiting.

Waiting for descendants like her to reclaim the glory of their ancestors.

She did not hesitate any longer.

Swiftly, she removed from the Storage Magic Tool at her waist the specially made preservation case that Cecilia had given her in advance.

The interior of this case maintained a constant temperature and humidity, protected by complex light-, dark-, and time-stasis magic, isolating the contents from outside influence as completely as possible and preserving these fragile ancient books.

She began carefully and methodically collecting the books from the shelves, her movements as gentle as though she were touching the skin of an infant.

She chose first those that appeared to have the greatest theoretical value, were best preserved, or were clearly part of the core inheritance.

Construction and Optimization of Advanced Mana Circuits.

Complete Collection of Elven Alchemical Formulae (Including the Index of the Forbidden Volume).

Theory of Ancient Elven Pronunciation and Resonance in Magical Chanting.

Elven Architecture and the Harmonization of Mana Fields.

Biography of the Great Sage Serandil, Volume One.

Secret Elven Forging Arts (Enchantment Volume)...

When her fingers touched that last title, her movement paused for a moment.

The Great Sage Serandil.

She knew that name.

Among all the scattered descendants of the elves, in the tales passed down by word of mouth, in the broken songs and the crude surviving records, his name still shone like the brightest star in the night sky.

He was a hero of the race, a great pioneer of magical reform, one of the most beloved scholars, leaders, and guardians of the late golden age of the elves.

Legend said his wisdom was as deep as the sea and his mercy as boundless. In his later years, in order to seek the essence of the world and find a way to resist catastrophe and the decline of his people, he established many hidden observation stations and research institutes, only to vanish in the end, becoming one of the most legendary and mourned figures in elven history.

A trace of reverence passed through Ilyss’s eyes as she gently drew the biography from the shelf.

It was a thick and beautifully bound volume. Its dark-green leather cover was stamped with golden ivy and star patterns.

When she opened the heavy title page, she found a vivid magical illustration.

An elder elf with long silver hair and eyes bright as molten gold stood before the window of a tall ivory-white tower, half-turned as he gazed into the distance, toward the Avalon forest bathed in glorious dawnlight and drifting mist.

The lines of his profile were clear and serene. His gaze was deep, filled with wisdom, age, and an endless love and sense of responsibility for the people beneath his feet and the knowledge in his hands.

Below the illustration, in beautiful flowing elven script, was written a single line:

“To guide the lost road with wisdom, and to defend immortal glory with one’s life.”

—To the great guide and guardian, Serandil.

Ilyss looked silently at the portrait and the inscription, and a sense of remembrance surged in her chest.

This was the hero she, and all elves, had heard of since childhood—the beacon that showed the way in darkness.

She carefully placed the biography into the preservation case as well.

This was not merely knowledge.

It was hard proof of her people’s history, and one of the crucial sparks needed to gather the confidence of the scattered elves once more and reignite the flame of revival.