Monster Integration

Nearly three hours passed by, Professor is still sitting by the riverbed with her feet inside the river and her hands playing with water.

I avoided looking at such scenes instead focused on the natural beauty around me. The small valley is really picturesque. If it had been within my ability, I would have taken this valley back in the Academy and made my home in it.

"When I came to this valley last time, I appeared right in this valley, and a minute after that, the entrance to that place appeared in the water," Professor said suddenly.

Hearing that, I couldn't help but marvel at her luck, just to land near such an opportunity. "While the opportunity was great, it was not for me," She said with a sigh, "But I am very sure you will be able to utilize it." She said, and there is a hint of mischievous in it which I had decided to overlook.

"Are you sure it will appear?" I asked back; it had been few years since Professor had come to this Ruin, many things must have changed, a large number of Grimm Monsters for one thing. "Don't worry, the entrance will appear," She said with confidence.

Zinnn!

A second after Professor said that, the water on the river vibrated, and a complex runic circle appeared on it before it had transformed to the teleportation gate. For a moment, I wonder if it is professors doing, seeing the perfect timing.

"Let's enter; the gate will only remain opened for one minute only," Professor said and flew to the teleportation gate before entering inside it. Seeing her disappear, I also did not waste any time and flew toward the teleportation gate before entering inside.

Next moment, I appeared inside a huge building, and when I looked around, my eyes popped up. I am shocked, so shocked; ive not been this shocked in quite a while.

"This!" It is the only word that came out of my mouth. Seeing the Professor had talked so mysteriously about it, I had expected it would be amazing, but I had not expected it would be this amazing. 

I had not expected she would take me to the giant fucking Library!

I am in the Library, it is huge, no libraries of supremes could compare to it. Its shelves filled with thousands and thousands of scrolls, books, and tomes; there are millions of them, and I could already see the other halls and rooms, which have more books in them.

There is also a sitting arrangement for thousands of people to read the book; it looked like the Library of supremely powerful organization I had read about in books.

The Library is not only big but also very beautiful, every little part of the Library seemed to be made by a great artisan. It is beautiful, and also the Library had an aura that makes it feel like a sacred thing, and speaking loudly in this space would be sacrilege of this sacred space.

For a moment, I thought whether I am in some illusion, this Library is real, very real. I could not see even the faintest hint of illusion in it.

"Patrons, I welcome you to the Library of Hermes," A gentle voice said, and a very beautiful woman who seemed to be in her early fifties appeared in front of us. 

'Elf?' I asked myself. The beautiful woman in front of me did not seem like a human, with a beautiful angular face, radiant purple eyes, flowing green hair, and most importantly, long pointed ears, all referred to the mythical elves I had heard about.

"Patron Josephine, I hope you have not come here empty-handed as last time. If you did, I would have to throw you out." The women said. 

Her voice is gentle, and her expression is soft, but when Professor heard her sweet warning, she couldn't help but shudder visibly. It looks like Professor did not have much pleasant experience when she came here last time.

"Unfortunately yes, overseer, but I brought him; I am sure he has something that you will love to add to your library," Professor said, and she literally placed me with the front of her than now I am directly sight of gentle-looking terrifying elf and the worst thing is, I do not know what is happening.

"Ah, the host of Celestial Inheritance, The Clear Heart, visit by you fellows is always much welcome in the library," The elf said in a smile that is much brighter than before, but for some reason, I couldn't help but shudder seeing it.

"Thank you for the praise, my lady. Are you the Librarian?" I asked politely. "No, I am the spirit of Library, an overseer to be exact, but in the absence of the Librarian, I am taking some of the duties of the Librarian," She explained.

Her explanation had sent a huge shockwave in my heart. From what I heard, the artifacts which could create the spirit are crazily powerful and so powerful that people in a small world like ours should not mess with them; no wonder Professor is scared of this woman.

"Have this one has explained the rules of the Library to you?" The Library spirit asked. To that, I shook my head. "Not surprising. The foxes are always very naughty, never doing the things they should be doing," The Library spirit said as she cast a glance at the Professor before she turned to me.

"In the absence of a Librarian, we have an exchange system. "Under this system, you have to give something to the Library. It should not be something library possesses or contain the different view from the books Library had," 

"In exchange, you will be able to read the books of the Library. The time you could spend in the Library and sections you will read will depend upon the value of the thing you provide to the Library," 

The lady explained the rules, and they are quite surprising and held the true meaning of 'There is nothing free in the world,' 

I looked at the Professor accusingly, who smiled at me mischievously without a hint of an apology in her smile. It would have been better if she had warned me about the system of the Library, I would have been better prepared to deal with it.