The afternoon light streamed through the nearby window, warming the quiet atmosphere of the library.
Evan, still resting his head on his crossed arms at the table, heard the faint sound of approaching footsteps.
He ignored the noise until a voice, accompanied by a light tap on the table, interrupted his calm.
"Hey, you there!"
The voice was firm, laced with controlled irritation.
Evan slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light. Without lifting his head, he saw the silhouette of someone standing next to him.
"Are you deaf, or just pretending? I'm talking to you."
He raised his head slowly, shaking off the remnants of sleep.
When he finally looked up, he saw a girl with long, light-blue hair and bright yellow eyes staring at him impatiently. Her expression regarded him as if he were something out of place.
"This is my spot. Move."
Evan blinked, momentarily confused, before realizing what was happening.
He glanced around at the pile of books he had gathered, the quiet surroundings, and then back at her.
"Your spot? Since when does the library have reserved seating?"
Elis crossed her arms, leaning slightly forward.
"It doesn't. But whoever gets here first takes the spot. And this has always been my spot."
Evan let out a short chuckle, still groggy but already finding the situation amusing.
"So... whoever gets here first takes the spot?"
He gestured broadly to the pile of books on the table.
"Well, I guess that would be me today."
Elis frowned, irritated, and tapped the table with her fingertips.
"Doesn't matter. I always come here early and take this spot. You should leave!"
"Oh, I see. It's a matter of seniority, then?"
He propped his chin on his hand, feigning interest.
"If that's the case, do you have some sort of document to prove it? Maybe an exclusive-use contract?"
"Contract? What kind of idiot would do that?"
"Exactly. What kind of idiot would ask someone to leave a spot that isn't reserved?"
"It's a matter of principle. Everyone knows this is my spot."
"Well, I'm not everyone."
The small argument was almost comical, but Evan maintained it as a facade.
Behind his relaxed demeanor, he observed Elis carefully.
From the start, he knew this interaction would be useful. No matter what she said, he had already achieved something: creating his first interaction with Elis.
She huffed, crossing her arms again, as if she wouldn't give up so easily.
"So that's how it is? You're not leaving?"
"Well, if you're going to keep insisting, how about we share the table? Seems like a fair compromise."
Elis hesitated, as if considering the idea was tantamount to defeat. But the pile of books in front of him caught her attention, and she picked up one of the volumes.
"Is this a Codex Maledictum? That's not a title you see every day. You read about curses?"
At that moment, Evan froze. His relaxed smile faltered for a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. He didn't recall picking up that book. It was as if someone had placed it there.
'What an idiot I am.'
The Spectra library was known for its peculiar magic, offering visitors exactly what they sought most, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Evan knew this but had underestimated how much his curse affected him. No matter how much he pretended indifference or tried to ignore the burden, it clearly still haunted him like a shadow he couldn't escape.
Elis noticed Evan's hesitation, narrowing her eyes as she studied his reaction.
"That's interesting. People who read about curses usually have something on their mind."
Evan tried to regain control of the situation, leaning slightly forward and calmly taking the book from her hands.
"It's just an academic interest. You know, you never know when something like this might come in handy in combat or... a conversation."
He smirked slightly, but inside, he was on high alert. How had that book ended up there? He had no idea. It left him feeling uncomfortably exposed.
"Really? So you're reading this just for fun?"
"Well, I'd say it's more out of curiosity..."
Before she could press further, he stood, holding the book firmly.
"Actually, I just remembered I have something important to do. So you can have the spot."
Elis raised an eyebrow, surprised by Evan's sudden change in behavior. She didn't respond, simply watching as he gathered the remaining books and began walking away with firm steps.
The girl kept her eyes fixed on the direction Evan had gone. Something about the way he reacted to the book caught her attention. He seemed uneasy, almost... unsettled.
'Why did he get so worked up over this? Could it have something to do with him?'
The thought bothered her, but it also piqued her curiosity. After all, curses weren't a foreign subject to her.
Since her brother's death, Elis had learned that these things were rarely just superstition.
As she idly flipped through one of the books Evan had left behind, an idea began forming in her mind.
Maybe, just maybe, there was a reason fate had placed Evan in her path.
When Evan reached the return area, he frowned as he realized there was no shelf or designated spot for that particular book.
'Of course, why would a book about curses need an easy return process…'
The labels seemed to vanish the moment his eyes sought anything useful. He sighed and glanced around until he noticed a small door beside a worn-out bookshelf.
Pushing it open, Evan found a space smaller and cozier than he had expected.
The room was lit by a soft glow emanating from a peculiar plant in a clay pot on the desk. Beside it, a small gargoyle figurine stared at him with a grin that seemed more lifelike than it should have been.
Behind the counter, a calm-looking man sat reading a book, a steaming cup of tea by his side. His slightly messy black hair, round glasses, and relaxed posture gave the impression that nothing in the world could disturb him.
Evan cleared his throat.
"I'm trying to return some books, but it seems this one doesn't have a spot."
The librarian looked up slowly, closing his book with deliberate calm before giving Evan a smile.
For a moment, Evan thought he was imagining things, but he could have sworn the man's mouth had... more teeth than it should have.
"Ah, you must be talking about the Codex Maledictum."
The librarian took the book from Evan's hands with a casual motion, examining it as though it were a priceless relic.
"This is quite the curious book."
Evan crossed his arms, eyeing the plant beside the man. It seemed to shift slightly, as if alive.
"Curious or not, I don't plan on reading it."
The librarian smiled again, and Evan averted his gaze from those unsettling rows of teeth.
"When the library offers a book, it's always for a reason. Did you know that?"
"I've heard something about that, but I honestly don't think that's the case here."
The man tilted his head, toying with the cover of the Codex Maledictum.
"The library has a peculiar way of showing people what they need most, even if they don't realize it yet."
Evan narrowed his eyes, trying to discern whether the man was being serious or just teasing him.
"Maybe the library made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
The man chuckled softly, though the sound sent a shiver down Evan's spine. The gargoyle on the desk seemed to be laughing along with him, and the plant nearby tilted slightly, as if listening in.
"Right. Let's hope it doesn't pick me again."
The librarian offered one last enigmatic smile, placing the Codex Maledictum in a pile beside him.
"Books always find their readers. No matter how long it takes."
As Evan walked away, he felt as if the gargoyle's eyes were fixed on his back, and the faint rustling of leaves in the air seemed to follow him.
'What the hell just happened?'
————————————————————————————————
The Next Day - Spectra – Testing Hall, 9:00 AM
The Spectra testing hall was the kind of place that, to Seraphina, felt far too grand for something so mundane.
Rows of wide desks descended in a semicircle toward the center of the room, where the main podium was bathed in a soft magical glow.
Tall windows let in the morning light, bathing the space in warm tones.
Seraphina entered with steady steps, her arms crossed and an expression that mixed boredom and irritation. The cautious silence, the faint whispers of nervous voices… It was all unnecessary for something she already considered a waste of time.
She found her desk on the right side, where Luna was already seated, carefully arranging her notes and writing materials.
"I thought you were going to leave me alone in this."
"And give you an excuse to mock me later? Not a chance."
Seraphina slid into the seat next to Luna, leaning back with an audible sigh.
Her gaze swept quickly across the room. Derek, seated a few rows above, was waving his pen dramatically, clearly trying to distract someone. She rolled her eyes.
"He never gets tired, does he?"
Luna chuckled softly but quickly returned her focus to her desk. Seraphina, however, let her gaze wander again until it landed on Evan.
He was seated a few tables below, near the aisle. His posture was relaxed, his eyes distant, as if his mind was elsewhere.
'He always looks so calm. It's almost irritating.'
"You know, if you keep staring at him like that, he's going to notice."
"Focus on your notes."
Before the conversation could continue, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room.
The instructors had arrived, carrying stacks of papers. As they began distributing the tests, the faint murmurs in the hall ceased entirely.
One of the professors stood at the center podium and spoke in a firm, clear tone.
"You have 90 minutes to complete this test. At the end of the material, you'll find an additional sheet."
He paused, holding up one of the sheets for emphasis, then gestured toward the envelopes each student had received.
"If you choose to respond, place the sheet in the provided envelope and deposit it in the central box when you finish. Even if you leave the sheet blank, it must still be placed in the envelope and submitted. You may begin."
The sound of pens meeting paper began almost immediately.
Seraphina opened her test with a sigh, her eyes scanning the first questions.
As expected, they were straightforward, covering fundamentals she already knew well.
'This will be quick.'
"..."
"...."
She answered the initial questions swiftly until she reached the additional sheet mentioned earlier. The large title at the top caught her attention:
"Proposal for Improving the World We Live In."
Below, the text was simple:
"This is an open-ended question. It will not be graded and does not require identification. Write your idea or proposal to solve a problem faced by our world today. Use your creativity and knowledge."
Seraphina stared at the sheet for a few seconds, incredulous.
'Do they really think anyone's going to solve anything like this? What kind of brilliant idea could someone come up with in 90 minutes?'
She glanced discreetly at Luna, who seemed deeply focused on her test, then turned back to the sheet.
'Ridiculous. Even if someone writes something, it'll just be an obvious solution, based on ideas that already exist. As if anyone could truly change the world with a few words.'
She set the sheet aside, deciding it wasn't worth her time. She would finish the main test and leave as quickly as possible.
As she wrote, she cast one last glance at Evan. He appeared to be writing something on the additional sheet. His movements were quick but precise, as if he knew exactly what he wanted to say.
'What is he doing?'
Seraphina shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away and focus on what was in front of her.
'Let him waste time on that. I just want to get out of here.'
And with that, she returned to her test, ignoring the additional sheet that had piqued the curiosity of many other students in the room.
====
Evan sat silently, his gaze fixed on the additional sheet in front of him.
Unlike many others, he didn't hesitate or seem intimidated by the words at the top of the page.
"Proposal for Improving the World We Live In."
The pen in his hand glided across the paper with a fluency that suggested he knew exactly what he wanted to say. Each line was written with precision, as if every word had been carefully considered beforehand.
'This should be enough.'
He set the pen aside for a moment, reviewing the text with care.
With a slight motion, Evan folded the sheet and placed it carefully inside the provided envelope.
He left the name field blank, maintaining the anonymity he preferred.
As he walked toward the central box to submit his proposal, he briefly caught the attention of a few students around him.
Perhaps because he had finished his response too quickly, he sparked curiosity among them.
But what difference would it make? After all, it was anonymous.