Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage's Book

Chapter 2

Became the Unjust Contract Slave of the Archamage's Book - Chapter 2

A doubtful boy, considering himself unlucky, crossed the threshold of the library. As he blinked, the old books greeted him with an almond scent. This was Binaeril’s favorite place. This mysterious library guides its visitors to the last place they stayed.

The most frequent visitor to the library from the tower of magic wasn’t a professor. Nor was it a senior student fervently practicing magic. It was Binaeril, the perpetual underclassman whom people pointed fingers at.

He had ventured deep into the great library, to places even most professors couldn’t reach.

“The required textbooks were... ‘The History of Magic’ and ‘The Emergence and Ecology of Demons,’ right?”

There was no need to wander around to find the books in this great library. That’s because a capable librarian was always on duty.

“Eden, find ‘The History of Magic’ and ‘The Emergence and Ecology of Demons,’ please.”

After a brief wait, something suddenly emerged from the floor near Binaeril. The figure of a mud-colored girl, with her lower half buried in the ground, handed him the two books with a welcoming expression.

Binaeril patted her on the head.

“Thank you, Eden.”

The little girl nuzzled against his hand, seemingly pleased. She was a spirit, a newly discovered being alongside magic. ‘Eden’ was the name given to her by the people of Elfenbine. Normally shy and rarely showing herself, Eden was exceptionally friendly towards Binaeril. Watching the innocent Eden, his worries seemed to vanish.

In this vast tower of magic, Eden was the only one who welcomed him. Binaeril looked for a place to sit. The depths of the great library were truly desolate, with no furniture like chairs or desks, only books and bookshelves. He leaned against a creaking bookshelf, using his gathered knees as a reading stand. Once he opened a book, he quickly became engrossed. Most of the knowledge was already in his head. Unlike his stagnant magical skills, his knowledge had steadily accumulated over three years.

It took him less than an hour to go through the two comprehensive texts.

“Ugh...”

Binaeril stood up, massaging his stiff neck and shoulders from concentrating. “There’s nothing special.”

Eden looked up at Binaeril with bright eyes.

“You’re still here.”

When the library wasn’t busy, Eden would stay by Binaeril’s side, watching him.

“Do you want me to tell you what I read today?”

The library spirit nodded, bringing a smile to his face.

“So, this book discusses the birth of magic and its background...”

People often called the new millennium the Age of Magic. It was a time of righteous magicians vanquishing demons deemed evil. In this era, magic was order, justice, salvation, and power.

“Magic was humanity’s only weapon to balance against the demons.”

Most physical forces were ineffective against the suddenly appearing demons. Only highly trained knights and armies could barely handle a few demons. Naturally, that power was used to protect royalty, nobility, and the powerful.

“Archmage Dekypleio fought the demons in place of the nobles who fled to their fortresses to avoid the threat.”

It didn’t take long for the title ‘Savior’ to be attached to Dekypleio’s name.

Before he knew it, even the emperor of the Albrecht Empire, known as the empire where the sun never sets, could not rival Dekypleio’s fame.

“And Dekypleio created this place. The Tower of Magic, Elfenbine.”

“Elfenbine is both an educational institution teaching magic and a training ground for warriors to combat demons. All students learn the knowledge necessary to face demons.”

“The regions where these demons appear vary depending on the ecological environment, and here...”

Binaeril stopped and closed his mouth. Eden looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

“Eden, what did you just say?”

Eden couldn’t speak. Binaeril knew this, but he questioned his ears, feeling as though he had heard a faint voice in the silent library.

He listened carefully again in the stillness. From beyond the narrow space between two bookshelves, he thought he heard a whispering voice. Binaeril stood up. Hearing a human voice in the library wasn’t unusual; it could be another student or a staff member. However, his experience over the past few months told him otherwise — he hadn’t seen anyone here for a long time. He felt compelled to identify the source of the sound.

What did he mean by that, ‘what I am’? Looking at Binaeril’s confused expression, the self-proclaimed Book of Truth repeated his introduction with an excited tone, clearly enjoying Binaeril’s reaction.

“I am the chronicle of all histories, the encyclopedia of all existing magic, the diary of every researcher who has left records, the very embodiment of accumulated knowledge. I am the Book of Truth!”

At this point, Binaeril had a gut feeling. This person is insane. He must be a lunatic who got lost in this labyrinthine library and went mad, unable to find an exit.

Or am I seeing things? Is it me? Have I gone mad?

“Hey, how about a round of applause?”

Binaeril, wearing a dazed expression, clapped dryly. Just twice. Clap. Clap.

The boy was not satisfied with this reaction and approached Binaeril, almost skipping. A strong scent of sable leather wafted over. It was the boy’s scent. Binaeril wondered how a person’s body could smell like that.

“Binaeril Dalheim. A prodigal who ran away from home because you hated your brother so much. You resented your world-renowned knight brother and entered Elfenbine, hoping to become a more outstanding and famous magician than him.”

Unless Binaeril had turned into an idiot, he hadn’t introduced himself.

“You desperately pray to master magic. I can grant your wish.”

What kind of nonsense was this? Was he from a cult? A new evangelism method?

Despite his chaotic thoughts, Binaeril’s mouth reflexively voiced a rebuttal. “It’s useless. Do you know how long it’s been since I enrolled? Three years. I’ve been chasing all the professors at Elfenbine for three years, seeking their guidance. And look at me now.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Because none of them have faced the same problem as you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? How do you know about my problem and claim you can teach me?”

“Do you want to know?”

Binaeril didn’t answer, but his impatient expression betrayed him.

“The method is very simple. You just need to let go of your wretched doubt. The doubt that you can manifest the absurd power of magic through your imagination, will, soul, and body.”

It sounded easy. In words, at least.

‘Wait, how does he know my problem?’

Everything about this was inexplicable. The only thing Binaeril realized was that this mysterious boy might be his last lifeline.

“But there’s one condition.”

“What is it?” Binaeril asked, slightly anticipating the next words. What condition would this enigmatic boy, who felt like a midday nightmare, present?

The boy held out the book from before. It had somehow reappeared in his hand.

“Open it.”

Binaeril obediently took the book and flipped through the pages. It was still the same, a book with empty content. That was all.

“You need to find the missing parts of me. That’s my condition.”

“Are you telling me to write the remaining parts of the book?”

The boy smirked.

“That book is me. I am that book. The lost pages are scattered across the world. You need to retrieve them and complete me. If you promise, I will teach you magic.”

It was a bizarre condition. So bizarre that it felt impossible to refuse.

Binaeril steadied his trembling eyes and replied with a resolute gaze.

The mysterious boy smiled upon hearing his answer.