Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The short-haired woman understood immediately, a flicker of comprehension and sympathy in her eyes. She stood up, walked to the shelf, opened the glass door, and took out three small bottles of red potion. The liquid shimmered with a mysterious glow under the light. She placed the bottles on the desk and succinctly explained how to use them. "Apply once in the morning and once before bed, then massage for ten minutes. You can apply it now, of course." Her slender eyebrows raised slightly as she extended her left hand. "One Silver Keren per bottle."

That's so expensive! The thought flashed through all three of their minds simultaneously. Yet, swallowing their dismay, they each handed over a Silver Keren and bought the tiny bottles, each no bigger than half the size of a palm. They knew this small price was worth paying to recover quickly.

Ista, the most impatient, opened the stopper before even leaving the room. Immediately, a pungent, acrid smell hit him. It wasn't foul, but intensely irritating, so sharp it made his eyes water.

Evan immediately snatched the stopper from Ista's hand and sealed the bottle, his movements swift and decisive. Being close to the door, the smell dissipated quickly.

"Let's apply it when we get back. If we go to the next class reeking of this, the professor will probably throw us out," Louis said, pocketing his bottle and deciding to endure a little longer. His eyes held helpless concern, knowing they had to maintain a proper image and condition in class.

The three quickly left the infirmary. They felt a mix of excitement and dread for the future. They didn't know what challenges and difficulties the upcoming classes would bring, but they knew they had to face them bravely, studying and training diligently.

Watching the three lively students walk away, the short-haired school doctor pulled a pack of cigarettes from a drawer, took one out, and lit it. She took a deep drag and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke, which drifted through the air, creating a hazy, mysterious feel.

"Such vibrant lives, don't you think, sweetheart?" Her voice was tinged with wistfulness and envy.

A black cat emerged from under the desk and leaped onto its surface in one fluid, graceful motion. It licked its paw and then actually spoke.

It spoke in a slightly magnetic, masculine baritone.

"Remember, you're playing a doctor! At the Imperial Knight Academy, just be a proper doctor and heal your wounds! If you lose control, or lead your pursuers here, the one in the library will definitely tear you apart." The black cat's voice was full of warning and threat.

The short-haired school doctor flicked her cigarette ash dismissively, utterly unconcerned. A hint of scorn crossed her face, as if mocking the cat's timidity and caution. "Relax, I'm not that easy to lose control. Don't worry about my cleanup work; no one will think to look for me at the Imperial Knight Academy."

The black cat rolled its eyes, swished its tail, jumped off the desk, and ran out of the infirmary, tossing back only one sentence: "No smoking in the infirmary!" Its voice was filled with displeasure and reproach.

In the afternoon, there was fortunately only one swordsmanship class. During the lesson, despite giving it his all, Evan was beaten so badly by the Intermediate Knight instructor that he nearly lost all confidence. The sense of defeat hung over him like a heavy cloud, plunging his mood into a deep low. Yet, even so, Evan hurriedly took a hot shower. The hot water sprayed from the showerhead, gently washing over his weary body, washing away the gloom brought by his failure. He quickly changed into clean, neat clothes and, with a heart full of anticipation and longing, headed for the place he had yearned for so much—the library.

The library stood quietly at the center of the academy, like a solemn and mysterious repository of knowledge. It was the tallest building in the entire academy, its unique Gothic style lending it a distinct charm. The towering spire seemed to pierce the heavens, reaching for the mysterious sky. The windows were adorned with enormous, colorful stained glass that shimmered with brilliant, dazzling light under the sun. The pointed rib vaults, flying buttresses, and slender clustered columns together created a strong religious atmosphere, making one feel as if they had stepped into a sacred, ancient world upon entering. However, once truly inside, one would be pleasantly surprised to find a scene completely different from the exterior. Three-story-high black steel bookshelves were arranged in neat rows, stretching from the floor all the way to the stone arches at the top, like a great wall of knowledge forged from steel. Many staircases were set between the shelves, cleverly designed both for students to access books and to add a unique sense of three-dimensionality to the whole library. Long reading tables were also placed between the bookshelves, with small bookshelves in the center neatly displaying various newspapers, providing students with the latest information.

The first floor of the library was the only area Evan could currently access. Although confined to this level, Evan felt no sense of deprivation. For the number of books on this floor alone was already beyond his imagination. The neatly arranged volumes were like mysterious treasures waiting to be explored, exuding an alluring aura of knowledge.

Following the signs, Evan slowly made his way to the Knight section. With a curious heart, he casually pulled a book titled "Blazing Breath Method" from a shelf. This breathing technique had been quite famous a century ago. However, it had a specific target audience. Only those with a fire-attribute physique could practice it with twice the result for half the effort; for others with different constitutions, progress would be painfully slow. Over the changing times, this limitation led to its gradual obsolescence. Evan shook his head slightly and returned the book to its place. Taking a few more steps forward, he pulled out another book titled "A Brief Analysis of the First Edition Sunrise Breathing Method." Next to it were analyses of the second, third, and fourth editions of the Sunrise Breathing Method, and even various commentaries written by different people. Evan flipped through it carefully and realized this wasn't what he needed. He was currently practicing the fifth edition of the Sunrise Breathing Method, and there was no analysis of that version here. So, he placed the book back as well.

Evan slowly let his gaze sweep over the other shelves, seeing many books on Knight combat techniques. In the past, Evan would have been overjoyed. For him, who craved strength, these Knight techniques would have been precious treasures. However, in this era, guns had appeared. The formidable killing power of guns showed people a new kind of strength. In comparison, those combat techniques that required day and night of arduous training to master seemed somewhat outdated. Evan understood that in the tide of this era's development, probably very few would be willing to learn these traditional Knight techniques. After all, the lethality of a single gun far surpassed that of techniques requiring constant training.

The first floor of this library had a unique design. Its height was equivalent to three floors of other buildings, giving a sense of spaciousness and grandeur. In the rear half of the first floor, there was a very wide staircase, wide enough for ten people to walk abreast. Evan's gaze was involuntarily drawn to this staircase, his eyes filled with curiosity and longing. He merely took a quiet look at the mysterious second floor, his heart brimming with desire for the unknown. Yet, he also clearly knew he couldn't enter that mysterious area yet. So, somewhat reluctantly, he turned his attention to the shelf labeled "Mysterious Events." On this shelf, Evan carefully browsed the books. Finally, he pulled out a handwritten journal. The journal was somewhat tattered, clearly having weathered the passage of time. But one could see it had been carefully repaired. On the cover, the title, "Records of Mysterious Tales," was visible, having been patched a second time.