The Secrets of Magic

The next day, the first-year students from the magic training class were heading towards the Vakenholt Academy library to find spell books that they would use during their practice later. All the students were given two hours to read the books and understand the spells. The Vakenholt Academy Library was a maze of knowledge, with thousands of books neatly arranged on towering wooden shelves. The smell of old paper mixed with fine dust filled the room, creating a calm yet mysterious atmosphere.

All the students began to rush to find the books they wanted to study. Daliana and Seraphine had already found the books they were hoping for. They were the most beautiful girls and the most outstanding new students among both noble and common students. Additionally, Aurelia also started looking for magic books related to her family's affinity with water and wind magic, so she took two books to study. Several other students had also found the books they desired and began studying them before the two hours given by Instructor Magnus were up.

However, unlike the others, Aria—who was walking slowly between the neatly arranged books—gazed at the rows of wood and began searching for a book that could help him understand magic and its elements, as per the instructions given by Instructor Magnus. After walking around and looking at some books, Aria's steps suddenly stopped when his eyes landed on an old book with a pitch-black cover and no title. Aria assumed that this was a book on dark magic because of its pitch-black cover.

Curious, Aria began to take the book, but as he touched it, he felt that the book seemed somewhat familiar. He then tried reading it, but strangely, the book was filled with blank pages. Aria was a little annoyed.

"What is this? Damn, why are all the pages empty?" Aria muttered, slightly annoyed and surprised.

However, before Aria could close the book, black ink suddenly began to appear slowly on the first page, as though being written by an invisible hand.

"Ars Eternia."

A phrase that was very familiar to Aria. He remembered when he bought an old book at a bookstore, and the first page of that book also had "Ars Eternia" written on it. However, back then, something happened that made the book he bought suddenly vanish, and his body changed, becoming more muscular and handsome.

Then the words on the page began to glow faintly before disappearing. Aria's heartbeat quickened, and he was eager to see the next page.

"O chosen one, you have found a fragment of knowledge buried by time. If you wish to understand the hidden truth, then follow the path of the predecessors—the kings who once ruled this world."

"Before the age when humans relied on spells, our ancestors called upon the elements with their will and understanding. They did not need to utter spells, either verbally or non-verbally, for the universe was bound to their souls."

"However, those who understood this truth were hunted and feared. Even creatures from the dimensional rifts trembled before this power."

As Aria read the book, he felt a chill from the magic described within. What he knew was that magic in this world required spells to be created, but some people could cast spells without verbal incantations because they had reached a higher level, like Adept or beyond—people who no longer needed to speak the spells because they had already understood them. But in this book, it explained that in ancient times, there were kings who did not need spells; their magic came purely from a true sorcerer whose soul was bound to the universe.

Page after page, Aria read. Suddenly, strange symbols began to spin as if alive. The symbols formed patterns that Aria didn't recognize, and then words appeared in ancient script.

"From nothingness, all things are created. From emptiness, all elements bow. Yet, will is the key, and that will demands a price."

"If you wish to understand, then release the shackles of the spell and feel the flow of mana with your soul."

A magical ability that could be controlled according to the will. Aria became more curious and wanted to continue reading.

"These magical techniques can create anything from nothing. You who can control all elements, even create magic that has never existed. However, this power has certain limits—the mana flowing within the body will determine everything. Without perfect control, this magic will consume the user, or the will that creates it."

"However, excessive use will drain mana to zero, and when that happens— the user's body will disintegrate into emptiness."

When Aria turned to the next page, a sentence appeared:

"For you who are chosen—seek and uncover the puzzles or secrets that remain throughout this world. I, the creator of this magic, leave this secret to be buried forever in ancient ruins."

"However, you must remember! Guard this secret, so no one learns the truth of this power. If the truth is revealed, you will become an enemy of the entire world, even the gods themselves."

"Quickly uncover the secret of this great power, and the truth of this world. Find it before the mysterious creatures from the dimensional rift find it."

"For that, I— the creator— will give you a gift."

Suddenly, the book slowly faded or vanished like light, and that light entered Aria's body. Because of this, Aria seemed to have gained incredibly sharp eyesight. Aria could now distinguish the strength levels of both sorcerers and swordsmen. His blue eyes gleamed like light. This vision was a technique given by the book Aria had read. The name of this eye technique was Divine Visio, an eye that could see everything, including energy, emotions, lies, and right from wrong. Moreover, this eye could mimic abilities with just a single glance. However, the full potential of this ability was yet to be understood, and Aria needed to learn more to truly grasp its power.

After two hours, the time for studying the magic books ended— and the voice of Instructor Magnus echoed throughout the library, calling the first-year students back to the magic training room. Aria, still confused by what had happened to him and the disappearance of the magic book he read, felt as though this had all been a strange dream. But Aria didn't think much about it and hurriedly made his way to the training room to test the magic he had learned in the library.