No matter how reluctant they were, those who had to leave must leave, for the sound of the library beginning to collapse was already echoing from the distance.
The High-Circle witches did not need to pack their own luggage; with a mere wave of their hands, the belongings were automatically sorted into bags and then carried by Miss Drago, the apprentice.
The God sat before the campfire, and Shade stood up to see them off.
The four of them arrived before the massive doorframe of the library. Although Miss Samuel looked disappointed and seemed to want to discuss more things with Shade, she still extended her hand. Shade paused for a moment, then reached out and shook it.
"Mr. Hamilton, this journey has been very interesting for me. I hope there will be another opportunity for us to meet."
The bespectacled witch gripped Shade's hand tightly. After letting go, she looked at her palm and smiled happily.
"How fascinating. When I am old, I will surely be glad to have had such an experience in my youth."
She was likely the only person truly happy at the moment.
Seeing that her teacher had not spoken first, Miss Drago said softly to Shade
"Thank you for your help, Mr. Hamilton. I am only Mid-Circle; once I leave the valley, it may be difficult to remember these memories, but I am truly grateful to you..."
Unexpectedly, she kissed Shade on the cheek and then retreated behind Miss Olannord, her large crimson tail swaying slightly. Mia was curious about this and turned to look at her own short tail.
Shade looked at Miss Olannord. The two gazed at each other, and the pointed-eared witch wore an expression of melancholy on her face.
"Sometimes I feel that time truly flies."
She reached out and gave Shade a hug.
"I hope there is a chance to meet again. I hope that next time, it won't be you coming to help me again, but me helping you, like Teacher Felienna."
"There will be. There definitely will be."
Shade nodded.
Miss Samuel quietly nudged the pointed-eared witch, who then gave Shade a light kiss on the cheek.
"May the moon always shine upon you, Shade."
She took two steps back and then looked down at her boots.
"Do you want me to take off my boots and give them to you as a parting gift?"
Those ladies' laced long cloth boots did indeed suit her well, but Shade immediately shook his head, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Blaine Olannord, the first librarian of St. Byron's, tore off the black cloak she was wearing and placed it in Shade's hands.
"Until next time. We must meet next time."
Then, she raised the wooden staff in her hand and pointed it forward. A golden spiritual light cleaved through the crimson snowy night, carving a path forward for them.
"Farewell, Shade," Miss Samuel said softly, following after her.
"I hope we can meet again."
Fiona, carrying an exaggeratedly large backpack, was the last. She spoke softly, and as she brushed past him, the tip of her tail grazed the back of Shade's hand once more.
The party of witches walked into the deep night of the Silent Valley, their silhouettes illuminated by the red moon.
"Goodbye!"
Shade stood at the library entrance, waving his hand. This was the first time in his past lives that he had watched someone depart.
"Partings and stories are things no one can escape."
The old sage in the grey robe had appeared behind Shade at some unknown point. He stepped forward and, together with Shade—whose body was covered in golden cracks—looked at the receding backs of the witches.
"May I ask... what is it you wish to tell me?"
Shade asked softly, glancing at little Mia in his arms. The cat felt no discomfort from being in close proximity to a deity, likely protected by the lingering radiance on Shade's body.
"I simply wish to talk to you about my story."
Together, they watched the figures of the witches grow blurrier. Things were indeed rushing toward them in the darkness, but since all three of them could fight, they were safe for now.
"Please, go ahead."
"Once, there was a mortal who searched the library for the forbidden knowledge of the First Epoch. Naturally, he found nothing, so he prayed to me in the temple and questioned: 'You are the Guardian of the Library; can even you not protect us in our quest to understand that lost knowledge?'"
The deity took a puff from his pipe. Shade asked
"And how did you answer him?"
"The God said: 'Mortals are ignorant; knowledge is priceless. I am the Guardian of the Library, not the Guardian of all knowledge.'"
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course. The Guardian of the Library derives power from the [Silver Moon Sage]. Whereas knowledge and wisdom are the domain of that Ancient God, the [Mentor of Secrets]... do you understand now?"
The old sage in the grey robe even gave a somewhat playful wink.
Shade, however, closed his eyes, feeling liquid slide down his cheeks—they were tears of blood. The Old God's direct narration of the overlapping divine offices between Ancient Gods, and the sheer weight of knowledge and information, nearly caused him to lose consciousness in an instant.
Compared to those Old Gods who always hid half—or even ninety percent—of what they said, this old sage was far too direct.
【The Library of Old houses the stories of the beginning and the present. The Grey-Robed Sage who guards the knowledge will not proactively provide secrets, but he is happy to share those ancient collections with suitable mortals.】
【You have listened to the story of the Old God "Grey-Robed Sage"; you have learned one of the miracles of the Old God "Grey-Robed Sage."】
【Outlander, you have acquired the spell: Library Retrieval.】
Double visions still lingered before his eyes. In the deep night where crimson snow flew across the sky, the silhouettes of the three witches had grown even more distant.
"Why tell me this story?"
"One day, you will understand," the deity smiled, the wrinkles on his face making him look even more benevolent. And the final minute of Shade's time here had arrived.
"Since you did not make a wish to me to obtain the mysteries of time, I will not give you that information. However, I will entrust this knowledge to my believers. If you still wish to pursue it, then seek it out; seek it in your own time. Perhaps you truly will find the knowledge you desire."
In the Sixth Epoch, the Old God [Grey-Robed Sage] had departed, and his cult had long since collapsed. However, the portion of the cult that helped establish the St. Byron's Library had merged into the academy—a point Mr. Edmund of the [Light-Guiding Hermitage] had mentioned...
Shade nodded hesitantly.
He still had questions he wanted to ask, but at this moment, white mist began to surge up from the surroundings. It was time for him to leave.
Thus, he formally handed the [Nameless Ritual Book] stone tablet to the old sage before him, who nodded.
"Good luck, child. The road ahead may not be easy to walk."
His figure vanished from Shade's side.
Shade held Mia in one arm and used his coat to turn her into a "toy," tucking her back into his pocket. He looked up, wanting to catch one last glimpse of the witches' backs, only to find that further in the valley, space had appeared to shatter like glass, forming spiderweb-like cracks.
Then, those cracks burst with a loud sound of breaking glass, a noise so piercing that Shade, standing at the library entrance, found it jarring.
"Hmm? Who shattered space? Is there someone that powerful in the valley?"
A golden spiritual light emanated from behind the hole in space. Miss Olannord, Miss Samuel, and Miss Drago looked in surprise at the figure behind the golden glow, hearing the noisy commotion from the other side.
A red high-heeled shoe stepped out from the shattered space, followed by a black skirt. A tall witch, holding down the pointed hat on her head and dressed in a white top and black skirt, stepped out of the hole, her long golden hair fluttering in the wind amidst the crimson snow.
"Blaine, what are you and Fiona doing? Do you realize that half a month has already passed outside..."
She first saw her troublesome students and was about to scold them, but she suddenly looked into the distance and saw that blurred figure at the library entrance.
The two gazed at each other across the drifting red snowflakes; the snow could not block the meeting of their eyes. Shade's heart seemed to stop beating for a moment. His mouth opened slightly, unable to believe that in the very end, he had actually seen her.
"Shade?!"
The witch abandoned her students and turned into a streak of light, rushing into the snowy night, but it was already too late.
"This is for..."
At the final moment, Shade reached into his pocket, took out a somewhat withered rose, and extended it forward.
The flower fell through the snow because its holder had already departed. But before the white rose could land on the crimson snow, it was caught by another hand.
Mana Felienna straightened her back.
The witch twirled the stem of the flower, gazing at the place where Shade had vanished, remaining silent for a long time.
Within the white mist, a giant tree appeared before Shade's eyes, as if this tree supported heaven and earth. He extended his right hand, preparing to catch two leaves spiraling down from above.
A voice in his ear chuckled
【Outlander, of the flowers you bought from the flower girl on the street, only one remains. To whom will you give it?】
Feeling a sense of loss, Shade did not answer and turned to leave the [Time Corridor].
【Outlander, you have returned to the present time.】
【A message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree":】
【Infinite time protects you.】
When Shade opened his eyes, he was back by the campfire surrounded by Priest Augustus, Sister Daphne, and Iluna, still maintaining the posture of sitting before the fire.
He extended his palm slightly; two emerald-green leaves lay in his hand, possessing almost no tactile feel.
Everyone was looking at him. Iluna frowned slightly.
"Why is there such a dense aura of life on you?"
As a Chosen of Balance, her perception of different forms of power was extremely sensitive.
"That's not important."
Having lost the critical occult art [Moon-Shadow Illusion] but gained the [Power of the Red Dragon], the [Library Retrieval] spell, and that black ladies' cloak from the old era, it was hard to say what this journey truly meant. Shade pushed himself off the ground and stood up, breathing deeply. Though he felt melancholy, he knew what he needed to do now.
There would always be a chance to meet again; he believed this firmly.
Hanging the witch's necklace around his neck, his expression gradually became serious.
"I should set off."
Standing by the campfire, he turned to look at Joey Barton upon that dark, silent body of water. After three seconds of not seeing him, he was still calling out to the soul of his beloved.
This place was so serene that Shade's mood calmed down under the influence of death. Regardless, Joey Barton's story should end today.
(End of Chapter)