I collapsed to the ground, hands lightly pressing my chest to calm my pounding heart. That Black Knight’s swordsmanship and speed were terrifying. A fraction slower, and I’d have been skewered.
With a shiver, I glanced at Sinan Xiao—no, at the thick book cradled in her arms.
It was massive, bound in brown leather etched with indecipherable symbols. Straps sealed its edges like a grimoire from fantasy novels. If I recalled right, the Black Knight had burst from its pages. Was this some legendary artifact? Or her Anomaly Power?
“I’m so sorry! I acted rashly!”
Sinan Xiao suddenly bowed deeply, ninety degrees, her long hair brushing the floor.
“Uh… it’s fine. I wasn’t blameless either.”
I stood to face her, but our eyes met for less than a second before both looked away. Silence thickened—awkward, heavy with things unsaid.
“…”
“…”
“Was that… your Anomaly Power earlier?” I broke the quiet.
“Yes.”
She answered. Progress! Time to bond—and pry.
“Can you summon characters from books? It seemed incredibly strong.”
“Not just any character. Only those I’ve poured emotion into.”
“Emotion? So… you liked that Black Knight?”
“No. He was a villain in his story. One I despised.”
“…So ‘emotion’ isn’t just love. Hate, jealousy, regret—all count?”
“Exactly.”
“But if you can summon any emotionally charged character… could you call gods from myths? Wouldn’t that make you invincible?”
“It’s not that simple. The number and strength of summoned beings are limited by my own power. Even a god would be severely weakened.”
“I see… still impressive.”
“Hmm…”
“…”
Silence again.
“What’s your Anomaly Power?” To my surprise, she spoke first this time.
“Mine? Simple. I manipulate my blood and solidify it into hard crystals.”
“Simple is best. Scholar Mendeleev once said the crudest Anomaly Powers are often the strongest.”
“Mendeleev? Who’s that?”
“You don’t know? He’s…”
And just like that, we talked. Effortlessly. From Anomaly Powers to tech, scholars to research, history to legends—she shared so much. Her knowledge stunned me. Her reading spanned realms I couldn’t match. She’d devoured books to fuel her power, surely… but more likely, for pure love. A true bookworm.
“By the way, where’s that Black Knight from?”
“The Song of the Nibelungs. A famous legend. Haven’t you read it?”
“Well… circumstances kept me from books.”
“That’s a shame…”
“You really love reading, don’t you?”
“Yes… I’ve never been good with people. Books were always my best friends.”
A shy smile touched her lips. Seeing it for the first time, I froze, captivated.
“Xiao… you’re beautiful.”
“Beautiful? You are. I’ve never seen anyone prettier at Central Union Academy… though I don’t get out much.”
“Central Union Academy? What’s it like?” My inner webnovel fan flared—dreaming of magic-warrior schools.
“Hard to sum up. Vast. Diverse. Everyone’s there, learning everything. I’m in the Literature Department.”
“…Literature Department?”
“Wait—you major in literature?”
“Yes. Not as popular as Economics, Chemistry, or Media, but still a major department.”
Economics? Chemistry? Media?
Hold on! In a world of Anomaly Powers, shouldn’t academies teach combat and power mastery? Why split into mundane departments? What’s the difference from a normal college?
“You don’t study Anomaly Powers?!”
“Ordinary people take regular classes. Anomaly users can elect power courses.”
“Electives?!” My worldview shattered again—right after learning dragons and phoenixes weren’t even top ten mythical beasts.
“Well, ‘elective’… every Anomaly user takes them. Power gives confidence. But core subjects matter most—for jobs.”
“I see…”
It sounded absurd at first. Then logical. If everyone only trained powers, graduates would be glorified thugs. Your world’s brutally practical…
*Dong—dong—*
Heavy bell chimes echoed through the library.
“That’s closing time,” Sinan Xiao said.
“Already? We’ve been talking that long?”
“Since dusk…” Her cheeks flushed faintly as she shifted. “Truthfully… this is the longest I’ve ever talked with someone. I’m… happy.”
“Ah… me too.” Her shyness made my own cheeks warm.
“Let’s head back. My family will worry.”
“No need. I’ll take you.”
She opened the massive book—and its pages blazed with golden light.
“Stand close.”
Another Anomaly Power? Hesitantly, I stepped beside her. She grabbed my arm. Golden radiance swallowed us whole. The glowing pages rushed toward me—then I was sucked inside.
Dizziness hit like a tidal wave. I tumbled through a swirling vortex of gold and gray, countless books flashing past. We veered sharply toward one volume—
More dizziness. I opened my eyes, sitting on a floor. Around me: a cozy room crammed with towering bookshelves. A desk and single bed squeezed the narrow space.
“My room,” Sinan Xiao pulled me up. “Advanced Anomaly Power: using books as portals to travel between them.”
“I prefer small spaces. Sorry it’s cramped… Ye?”
I stayed silent, head down. She leaned in, worried.
“Ye, are you—”
*Urghhhhhhh!*
I doubled over, heaving. My lifelong motion sickness—cars, boats, planes—couldn’t handle this “transport.” Everything I’d eaten that day splattered onto Sinan Xiao.
