Chapter Text
In the midst of her feverish delirium, Myne's consciousness wavered, a flickering light in a sea of shadows. The fever burned within her, yet there was something else—a presence, unfamiliar yet strangely calming. Her thoughts seemed to spin, caught between the feverish haze of her body and the faint whisper of something else beyond her reach.
"Are you sure you're prepared to leave this world?" The voice was soft, smooth, but edged with a playful curiosity. "To step into a world of books and ideas, to become something more than just a dreamer?"
Myne blinked, trying to focus, but the room spun around her. Her breath was shallow, her heart racing, but her desire for knowledge remained unshaken.
"I just... I want... a book," she murmured, her words weak but filled with an unyielding longing. "I need... to read."
A soft chuckle filled the air, as though the voice was both amused and indulgent. "Books, eh? Well, if you insist..."
Suddenly, a book appeared before her, glowing faintly in the murky darkness. Its cover was weathered and ancient, the title inscribed with intricate letters: The Name of the Rose. It was a work of mystery, of knowledge, and of deep secrets—a perfect companion for someone who wished to delve into the truths hidden in the world.
"Here," the voice continued, a touch of amusement lingering in the air, "Take this. It might help you understand more than you think. And as for being an apprentice... I suppose I can give you that chance too. You may call me Lin Jie."
Myne, overwhelmed by emotion, felt tears well up in her eyes. She couldn’t quite grasp what was happening, but the book in her hands felt like a promise, like a gateway to a new world. Without thinking, she dropped to her knees, the weight of gratitude pressing down on her.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Myne cried, her voice trembling. "I’ll be the best apprentice, I swear! I won’t let you down, Mister Lin Jie!"
The voice chuckled once more, distant and warm. "We’ll see, little one. We’ll see."
And just like that, everything shifted. The feverish haze cleared, replaced by a strange clarity. When Myne opened her eyes again, she wasn’t in her home. She was in a different place entirely—a dimly lit room filled with towering bookshelves, all crammed with books. The scent of paper and ink hung in the air, thick and comforting.
"Myne’s Book’s," she read aloud, blinking as she took in the sight of the name etched on a sign hanging above the room. This place—it was hers.
The shelves stretched high into the air, five massive towers of knowledge, each filled with books that seemed to shimmer with life. But it was the small shelf in the corner that caught her eye. A single book rested there, untouched, and she knew instinctively that it was the one.
She didn’t hesitate. Myne rushed toward the shelf, reaching for the book, her heart pounding with excitement. She could feel it—the pull of something greater, a world made of stories and knowledge waiting to be discovered.
Without even thinking about her parents, about the world outside, or the mystery of the place she found herself in, Myne opened the book. She had found what she was meant to do. She had found her world.