Magic corruption

Changing into her dress to sleep, Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that magic was the key to everything. If there was a way to get back home, surely it had to involve some form of magic. After all, that was the only explanation she could think of for how she ended up in this world in the first place. If she could understand magic, how it worked, how to learn it, maybe she could manipulate it somehow to return to her own world.

The problem was, she had no idea where to start. The next day she got up, changed into her work clothes and helped serving food at the tavern.

The tavern had been useful for gathering basic information, but it hadn't yielded much about magic. She had overheard snippets of conversations that mentioned magic, but no one ever seemed willing to explain anything in detail.

That's why, after a long day of feeling lost and out of place, Sophie decided to visit the library. 

They always have ancient and arcane stuff at libraries

The library was even more impressive in the daylight. Tall, ancient stone walls loomed over her as she approached. Ivy crawled up the sides of the building like it was a living thing, and the heavy wooden door creaked open with a push from Sophie's hand.

Inside, it was quiet. The smell of old books and ink filled the air, and the shelves seemed to stretch on forever. There were so many books. Thick, dusty tomes stacked high on shelves that seemed to go beyond her reach. A few patrons were scattered around, sitting at wooden desks and flipping through thick volumes.

Sophie stepped into the vast hall, her footsteps muffled by the thick rugs beneath her feet. She didn't know where to begin. Magic, she had consumed too much media, and thought about some methods of acquiring magic, nevertheless, this was the safest.

She wandered through the aisles, scanning the titles of books, some in languages she didn't recognize. Her eyes caught on one title "The Fundamentals of Magic". It was written in a flowing script, but there was no mistaking the word "magic" in the title. She reached for the book, her heart quickening. This was it.

As her fingers brushed the spine of the book, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"You seek knowledge of magic?" The voice was soft but carrying, coming from a figure who had emerged from the shadows between the shelves. A woman, dressed in a simple blouse, a black tie, pencil skirt, opaque tights, with silver-gray hair tied back in a bun glanced at Sophia. Her eyes were sharp, as if she had seen many things in her time.

Sophie stiffened but tried to hide her surprise. "Yes," she said, carefully keeping her voice steady. "I'm... I'm looking for information about magic. I've seen much in my lands, but never something this fantastic..." Sophie said in a coarse voice and mysterious tone.

The woman's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "I see." She took a step closer, her eyes flicking from Sophie to the book in her hands. "Magic is not a simple thing to learn, child. It requires not just knowledge, but discipline. And even then, only some can wield it."

Sophia swallowed, her fingers tightening around the book. She wasn't about to back down now. "I don't care about the difficulty... I will learn it..."

The woman studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. If you are determined, then you must understand that magic does not come easily. It requires years of study, practice, and most importantly, a connection to the world around you. The energy that flows through all things.

Sophia gathered the information with a blank face, not letting the librarian read her thoughts.

"Let me show you," the woman said, stepping back toward one of the rows of shelves. She pulled a dusty tome from a shelf and handed it to Sophia. It was thick, bound in dark leather, and exuded an air of ancient power.

"This book will teach you the foundations of magic," the woman said. "But beware, learning magic is dangerous. It can change you. It can consume you if you're not careful." The librarian was only trying to scare Sophia.

Sophie nodded, her mind racing. She didn't care about the risks. If magic was the key to returning home, she was willing to do whatever it took.

The woman's gaze softened. "You must understand that magic is not simply power. It is a force. It is a part of the fabric of the world. A thread that binds all things together. It's... Natural."

Sophie took the book, her fingers brushing the cold cover. "What's the first step?"

The woman paused for a moment, then spoke in a hushed voice. "Read." She put on black rimmed glasses and adjusted her tie, her expression thoughtful. "Magic is elusive, especially for those who are new to it. But that is the beginning. The first step is awareness. Once you can understand how to carve a path, the water will flow through it.

Sophia looked down at the book in her hands, her heart beating faster. The journey to learning magic was going to be hard, much harder than she had imagined, but now she knew she was on the right path.

"If you truly wish to learn," the woman said, turning to leave, "you must return here every day. The library will show you the way, but you must walk it yourself."

Sophia watched her go, the weight of the book in her hands grounding her. She wasn't sure what came next, but for the first time since arriving in this strange world, Sophie felt a glimmer of hope. She had found something important. And she wasn't going to stop until she learned everything she could.

Magic was her key to returning home.

Working from 5am to 1pm, going to the library from 2pm to 5pm, then returning to the tavern to eat, sleep repeat became her routine. 3 Days passed, Sophia hadn't learned anything from the library yet.

All these words are just noise, i don't se anything of substance in this book. That librarian lady must had fooled me into buying the book, but no, i won't waste a single coin, my days as a student have taught me how to survive on sunlight.

As she clasped her fist, she instinctively recited a passage from the book.

During the darkness era, scholars found simpler ways to pass down messages. Concepts were condensed into simple icons. Capable scholars used this visual system to turn known information into signs or actions that represented said concept. These signs were called Somatic Elements.

So it's like sign language? No... Much more condensed, packed with... Some kind of vessel. It's like cereal. I just need to find a bowl to make use of it.

Sophia rapidly turned pages in search of whatever was lacking on her definition of magic. "A bowl, a bowl, a bowl." Muttered as she flipped the pages. Something grabbed Sophia by her shoulder, making her turn her head towards it.

"I think that's enough for you." Said Miss librarian.

"B-But... I'm almost there, i just need an answer!" Miss librarian pointed at the book with a stern look. "You've already finished it." There was about 4 pages left on the big tome Sophia was researching. 

B-But how?...

"As i said, it's dangerous. You've been poisoned with magic corruption. Rest for a week and you can come back to study after that." She fixed her glasses.

"If i could read the next entry... Maybe it has the information i need to finally learn magic!" Sophia stood up with gleaming eyes before seeing that outside it had become dark. "...How much time have i been reading?"

Miss librarian fixed her glasses and responded with cold demeanor. "It's been 8 hours."