The flagstone-paved streets in the border city of South Vantina appeared quaint and serene under the soft glow of dawn. Lance strolled along at a leisurely pace with a bright, sunny smile on his face. With just a little effort, he had averted a future in which a murderous Talia came after him. It honestly wasn’t that challenging at all.
He now intended to head toward his planned destination for the day: the city library. His predecessor had never stepped foot in it, but to him, it was a treasure trove, a world of boundless knowledge and endless possibilities.
Although the library here paled in comparison to the ones found in major metropolises or the kingdom’s renowned Royal Library, it nonetheless housed a host of rare and precious books. Many of them actually couldn’t be found in private collections.
Lance had quite a few books he was interested in, and he needed to urgently consult them. He felt filled with anticipation at the mere thought of being able to resume a peaceful life. Of course, all of that depended on him not getting killed by Talia.
More importantly, if he could stop her from securing the crucial resources and funds needed for her Demon Kingdom restoration project, he’d be sparing the world a great deal of turmoil and, in his own way, making it a better place. At the paltry sum of three pounds a day, even if she stayed glued to his side until the day one of them died, it still wouldn’t be enough money to fund the restoration of her lost kingdom.
Once she had earned enough to cover her travel expenses and ensure she wasn’t sleeping on the streets, she’d likely grow bored of this unremarkable little city and head elsewhere. After all, they were cut from different cloths. He simply aspired to live a quiet, carefree life of an ordinary citizen, whereas she harbored ambitions grand enough to shake the heavens.
While lost in thought, Lance arrived at a bakery his maid had highly recommended. After purchasing breakfast, he cradled the wax paper bag in his arms and continued his stroll down the main street toward the library. Even walking at his current unhurried pace, he could reach his destination in about thirty minutes.
It was early morning, and the shops lining the street had long since opened their doors. Along the flagstone path, the air was filled with the enticing aromas of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee. The rosy glow of morning light and wisps of mist drifted past the buildings on either side, while vibrant green moss carpeted the far end of the winding road, hinting at the age and former glory of this city.
As he drew closer, the church bells began to ring, emitting a melody that was both sacred and devout. Every building he passed was magnificent. Lance took a bite of his black truffle and cheese croissant, breathing in the crisp, fresh air of the morning.
Before long, he was standing before the library. He knew he was going to become a regular patron over the next few days. Tall stone columns rose up, framing a broad staircase. The exterior stone walls of the building were clearly weathered and seasoned by the passage of time.
After stepping inside, he gazed at the long, arched windows. Their edges were inlaid with intricate, branching patterns that caught the light, casting a soft, gentle glow. He then headed straight for the front desk and quickly obtained a library card.
Lance made his way into the expansive reading hall, locating the section dedicated to legal literature with the help of the map. When he got to the bookshelves, his fingers lightly grazed the bookspines as he looked over them quickly.
Before long, Lance retrieved a hefty tome from the bookshelf: The Legal Codes of the Kingdom of Hutton. He took the book to the long table, sat down contentedly, and began to leaf through its pages.
Most people would undoubtedly be itching to discover their talents or explore the possibility of learning magic when they arrived in such a fantastical world. Or they might familiarize themselves with the geopolitical landscapes and the most recent news.
However, Lance was different. He intended to thoroughly study the law first. In this world, magic and power were undeniably important. For instance, enchanted cards could bestow unimaginable wealth and extraordinary abilities upon their owners.
Lance was reasonably certain that he possessed a promising talent for card making. However, becoming a truly exceptional card maker was not a feat accomplished overnight. It was a profession that demanded both deep, vast knowledge of magical engineering and years of dedicated practice. Consequently, he was in no particular rush, at least for the time being, to delve into the study of enchanted cards.
Whereas now, he needed to focus on the immediate present. In his opinion, having sufficient knowledge and wisdom was the only thing he could truly rely on at the moment. There were times when knowing the law could turn the tables entirely. Your opponent could lose and spend the rest of their life behind bars, but they could also win, and you would be executed where you stood.
He believed that, upon arriving in any new locale, the single most important priority was to gain a comprehensive understanding of that nation's laws, or, as one might call them, the "fundamental rules."
This was why he had gone to the library in the early morning to locate the latest revised edition of the legal codes and begin to study it earnestly. As someone who had always strictly adhered to the law, he would never do anything that the law forbade.
***
The sun was dipping below the western horizon, and its warm rays streamed through the windows into the library, filling the air with an atmosphere of tranquil serenity.
Lance lingered over the books before him. As he read, his fingers gently brushed across the delicate pages. The orange-red sunlight filtered through the glass panes and illuminated his face, which was etched with deep concentration. It gave him an air of gentle softness and refined elegance.
Behind the counter sat a few young women who whispered amongst themselves. Every now and then, they would steal furtive glances at Lance. His silky black hair and clear emerald eyes suited his natural air of a poet and artist perfectly. Ever since he shed his usual air of an idle fop, his entire demeanor had undergone a radical transformation.
"Don’t you think that scholarly young man is incredibly handsome?"
"I know, right? He looks so earnest and focused. He’s been sitting there reading that giant law book all day long. You can tell at a glance he’s some kind of genius."
"Wait a second, isn't he that notorious Wilford wastrel? You know, Lance Wilford, the one with the absolutely terrible reputation?"
"Er...well, you can certainly tell that he holds the law in genuine reverence. Maybe the rumors aren't quite as true as they seem!"
Lance seemed utterly oblivious to the passage of time, paying no heed whatsoever to anything else happening within the library. It wasn’t until the light streaming through the windows began to dim, growing ever fainter, that he finally realized that it was almost time for the library to close.
After looking away from the pages, he at last felt a familiar, long-absent ache in his eyes. He discovered that the library had grown quite empty. The patrons had dwindled to a scattered few.
"I suppose I’ll spend some time tomorrow brushing up on the fundamentals of magical engineering," Lance murmured to himself.
He slipped a bookmark into the tome, then closed it. It was time to head home. In addition to borrowing the book he had been reading, he had also compiled a stack of other books he intended to check out.
While searching for the tome of legal codes, he came across several others that caught his eye: The Fundamental Characteristics of Cults, How to Counteract Brainwashing Induced by Mental Magic, and Anti-Fraud Case Studies from the Hutton Kingdom’s Department of Magical Engineering.
Once he finished studying the kingdom’s laws and regulations, he planned on studying enchanted cards. As someone of impeccable moral character, it was absolutely vital that he understand exactly how to defend against those vile forms of magic, specifically, those involving mental manipulation and curses. The mere thought that someone could one day use such magic against him made his skin crawl.
Furthermore, there was also that "what if." What if, someday in the future, he found himself with no other choice but to use these highly potent yet disgusting forms of magic himself? In that scenario, he would need to know how to bypass the very defenses designed to guard against them.
As the old saying went: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles!"[1]
1. From The Art of War ☜