Chapter Five: The Mystery of the Silent Shelves
Edward stood before the long mirror in the hallway, looking at his reflection. The young man who had been trembling yesterday now carried a strange gaze—a mixture of caution and determination. He felt the black silk of his eye patch and whispered to himself: "I must become better... not just for myself, but for the legacy that was almost lost."
Summoning his courage, he called for Tula, who appeared out of thin air as usual. Edward spoke in a commanding tone: "Tula... I am going into the library now. I do not want you to disturb me, and I do not want you to enter no matter what happens. Is that clear?"
Tula gave a deep, almost exaggeratedly submissive bow and replied in his smooth voice: "As you wish, Master... as you command."
Edward entered the library and locked the door firmly behind him. He went straight to the ancient wooden desk and pulled out his father's testament. He read the lines he had memorized: "I want you to learn everything...". Edward paused at this sentence. He remembered his father; he wasn't a cruel man. He had always wished for his son to have a peaceful life, far from conflict. "Why, then, did he put this sentence as a command? Why now?"
As he searched through the drawers for answers, he stumbled upon an old, yellowing paper hidden behind a secret hollow. He pulled it out slowly and began to read. The shock was profound; it was a testament from his grandfather addressed to his father. What was staggering was that it carried nearly the exact same words: "I want you to learn everything...".
Edward froze in his tracks. "Why is this testament repeated across generations? Why does everyone pass down the same command?" He looked around at the thousands of books covering the walls from floor to ceiling. In that moment, he realized that the library was not just a storehouse for knowledge; it was a grand puzzle, just like the ring had been.
He sat down, thinking deeply: "There is a secret hiding between these shelves. Something my father and grandfather wanted to protect... or perhaps, to reach." He stood up and began rearranging the scattered books—not just for organization, but to search for any thread that might lead him to the truth.
Edward realized then that he must become smarter and more precise. He decided that this library would remain his "forbidden zone." He would not allow Tula to enter; this demon's intelligence might lead him to discover the mystery first, and he might use it to deceive him once again. "This war, I will fight alone... in the silence of these shelves."