Fractured Peace

The Library of Stormbane Estate was nothing like the ones I had seen on Earth. Towering wooden shelves stretched high, packed with tons of ancient knowledge, the books mostly worn with age. The atmosphere had scent of old papers mixed with the faint traces of burning candle wax, creating an oddly calming atmosphere. A massive chandelier hung above in the ceiling, its dim glow casted a long, flickering shadows across the marble floors. Dust particles floated in the air, disturbed only by the occasional rustle of turning pages.

I ran my fingers along the spines of the books, trailing over leather-bound volumes that whispered of forgotten eras. History, magic, war strategy—I skimmed through them, desperate to find anything that could help me overcome my doomed magic limit. But after over an hour of searching, my body ached from standing, and my patience had worn thin. Nothing useful. Just theory upon theory, none of which offered an actual solution.

Honestly I had hoped to find some kind of hidden items or cheats—like a book containing ancient magic hidden beneath the untouched shelves. I seemed luck angel have no eyes towards me.

'Haaa.....'

With a sigh, I pulled a book from the shelf at random and made my way to one of the long wooden tables at the center of the room. The chair creaked slightly as I sat, the library's peaceful silence wrapping around me like a comforting shroud. I flipped open the book, its pages crackling under my fingers as I immersed myself in a section on magical theory.

An hour passed, maybe more. I inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar, comforting scent of old books. Even back on earth I had loved this smell.

The calming atmosphere helped me to soothe my inner turmoil. I could see myself visiting this place more often. A perfect escape from the ever-looming stress of survival.

Just as that thought settled, an odd sensation prickled at the back of my neck.

Someone was watching me.

I sighed, already sensing my peace was about to be shattered. Because of course, peace never lasted long.

Turning my head slightly, I caught the sight of a young knight-in-training glaring at me from a few shelves away. His sharp eyes burned with a barely restrained intensity—like he wanted to set me on fire with just his gaze. His armor gleamed under the chandelier's light, polished to perfection, the emblem of Stormbane visible on his chest plate. His fists clenched at his sides, his jaw locked tight as if he was barely keeping himself from lunging at me.

What the hell? Can't a guy read in peace without someone throwing daggers at him with their eyes?

I ignored him. Probably some hot-headed trainee with more pride than patience. I moved to another table hiding from his eyes and turned my focus back to my book, flipping the page, only to sense his presence moving.

He was following me.

I tried shifting to another section, picking a different book, but every time I moved, he shadowed me. It wasn't unusual for knights to come here and study, but this guy, he is not even pretending to read, he just straight up stalking my face like I had personally insulted his ancestors.

Was he jealous of my devastatingly handsome face?

I sighed, dragging my fingers through my hair. This was getting ridiculous. Thanks to his constant stalking, I couldn't even focus on reading. With frustration, I grabbed a book on basic fire element training and mana circuit creation, tucked it under my arm, and made my way toward the exit. I was fed up with his stalking.

And then—bam.

A sharp, deliberate shoulder check slammed into me, knocking me off balance. I stumbled back, barely managing to keep a hold of my book. My patience, already thin, snapped.

"What the—" I turned to glare at him. "What's your problem?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he glanced left, then right, checking for witnesses. His expression twisted into something ugly. And then, without warning, his fist came flying toward my face.

Instinct kicked in—I raised my arm, but his fist crashed past my defence before I could brace. His knuckles slammed into my jaw with brutal force, sending me staggering. Pain exploded across my face. My ears rang, vision blurred, but I stayed on my feet.

Son of a—

Another punch flew at my face. This time, I dodged barely moving to the side, my balance staggered and my breath came ragged as I steadied myself. Using the chance he throwed another jab at my face. If he thought I'd roll over and take it, he was wrong.

I launched forward, aiming for his gut. He twisted away at the last second, my fingers stung as my punch glanced off his armor, sending a jolt of pain through my knuckles, and in that moment of hesitation, he struck again. A fist to my stomach—hard, precise. The air whooshed out of my lungs. I doubled over, gasping.

I barely had time to recover before he tackled me to the ground. My back hit the cold stone floor, my book slipped from my grasp and slammed on to the floor. I twisted, trying to shake him off, but he straddled my chest, pinning me down.

Bam bam bam bam.

And then the punches rained down.

One. Two. Three.

Each strike sent fresh waves of pain through my skull. My skin split, blood warm against my face. I tried to push him off, but he was stronger, fueled by whatever grudge he held against me.

"Wait—what the hell is wrong with you?!" I gasped, trying to regain my breath.

The knight above me seethed, his breath ragged. "You… bastard… you took everything from me! You ruined the only light in my life, and I won't forgive you!"

"What the— I don't even know who you are!" I shouted, my voice strained.

His fury ignited further, his face twisted in rage. "Don't act innocent!"

How much time had passed? Seconds? Minutes? It felt like hours.

The world spun as I struggled against him, but his grip was relentless. His anger roared like a volcano spewing molten rage, his knuckles striking like hammer blows.

Before he could turn my face into a crumbled piece of paper, several other trainees rushed in, yanking him off me.

"Evan! Have you lost your damn mind?!" one of them shouted, gripping his arms tightly.

"Let me go!" Evan snarled, struggling against them. "I'll kill this bastard! I'll accept whatever punishment comes after, but I won't let him live!"

"That's enough, you idiot!" another knight snapped. "Control yourself!"

Evan thrashed, fury unrelenting, but the others dragged him away. 

Slam

"Ptooey."

He kicked my on my chest and spat in my my face before walking away.

I wiped the spit off, my blood boiling. My face throbbed, my vision blurred from the swelling. Several knights approached hesitantly. "Young master, you're bleeding. Let us call a healer—"

"Get the fuck away from me." I shoved them off, staggering to my feet. My legs felt like jelly, my head pounded with every heartbeat. "Do I look like an idiot who'd trust any of you?"

Ignoring their stares, I forced myself to walk. My body burned with a mix of pain and rage, adrenaline still coursing through me. As I stepped outside, the midday sun slammed into my face, its heat stinging my wounds. Blood trickled from my chin down to my neck, staining my already-ruined clothes.

The servants and maids stopped in their tracks when they saw me, their eyes widening as they looked at my state. Some whispered. Others sneered.

But no one stepped forward to help.

I clenched my fists, swallowing the bitterness crawling up my throat. My head spun, my vision darkened, but I kept moving. I needed to get to Clara. That girl wouldn't know when to stop if I didn't tell her.

Each step felt heavier than the last. The world blurred at the edges, my body burning with pain and exhaustion.

When I made it near the training hall, my knees buckled and my body fell on the floor with my face slamming against the ground.

The scent of dust and soil attached my blood soaked face and filled my nose as I lay there, unmoving. Warm blood pooled beneath me, seeping into the hot ground. A hollow silence surrounded me, the loneliness in that moment was suffocating.

The last thing I saw was hurried footsteps rushing towards me in the distance before everything went black.