Walking down the street in this black robe and mask was definitely eye-catching, especially with a stunningly beautiful girl like Emily clinging to my arm. People kept whispering and pointing at us as we passed.

"Hehe, Sister Rylin," Emily giggled. "If you took off your mask here, I bet it’d blow everyone’s minds."

"Nah, I don’t like drawing attention," I replied. "Emily, are you really okay with sticking to me like this?"

Truth was, she’d been pressed against me the whole way like a love-struck couple. Her sweet scent and soft warmth made it hard not to get distracted.

"Huh? Is Sister Rylin abandoning me?" Emily stopped abruptly, giving me a sorrowful look. "You just swore solemnly I was your woman!"

"Alright, alright, do as you please," I sighed. "Hmm? Is this the bookstore you meant?"

"Yep! Let’s hurry in—I want to buy some books too!"

The bookstore was huge, split across two floors. Noon sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the space with customers. Some sat right on the steps, absorbed in their books. Emily darted straight to the fiction section while I headed for history and culture. I needed to learn more about this world fast.

My weird outfit probably made people keep their distance. Honestly, I didn’t mind the quiet.

After browsing, I noticed two odd things. First, geography books only covered the so-called Western Continent. Maps of the fallen Eastern Continent were rare and vague—no world map like I remembered existed. Second, there weren’t any professional books on magic or alchemy. Just novels or biographies starring mages and alchemists. Given how revered mages were here, why wouldn’t a big store carry serious magic texts?

Curious, I stopped a clerk. "Excuse me, do you have any books on magic? Even the history of its origins would work."

The clerk stayed professional, not avoiding me. "Sir, all professional magic books are extremely rare. They’re not sold in places like this."

"Where can I find them then?"

"The Mages Association has a dedicated library. Some nobles and mages keep private collections too. That’s all I know."

"I see. What about a world map?"

"A world map? What’s that?"

I let the confused clerk go. Suddenly, Emily popped out from nowhere, whispering in my ear, "Sister Rylin, he called you ‘sir’! What a dummy."

My voice was naturally neutral, and the plastic mask muffled it into a deep, masculine tone. I didn’t care about that. Seeing her arms full of books, I asked, "Done shopping already?"

"More or less. These for now—I’ll buy more later."

"Novels?"

"Yep! This one’s the annual bestseller." She held up a book. "It’s about an ordinary girl who accidentally crashes a noble banquet and meets the Third Prince on business. He falls for her instantly, and they overcome every obstacle to be together."

Ugh, a medieval Mary Sue story.

"And this one!" She thrust another forward. "A boy suffers bullying after his family’s downfall. But he stumbles upon a magic inheritance from a mysterious ancient sage in the mountains. He then embarks on an overpowered journey, slaying the supreme Demon Emperor to restore peace!"

Ugh, a medieval overpowered protagonist trope. Guess popular fiction’s the same everywhere.

"And this one, this one!" Emily beamed, hugging a book like treasure. "Lord Ulysses’ biography! Just published last week!"

The cover showed a golden-haired man with a sunshine-bright smile. Below it read: *The Biography of Sentimental Sword Saint Ulysses*.

"Such a young guy is a Sword Saint?" I handed it back, stunned.

Combat professions here weren’t just mages—there were assassins, swordsmen, knights, all with ranks. Sword Saint stood alongside Archmage, Holy Knight, and Elder Assassin. They were all called Transcendent Masters.

Reaching that power wasn’t easy. Otherwise, the Association wouldn’t have only twelve Archmages, and known human Transcendent Masters wouldn’t number under fifty—most were old men with white beards. Yet this guy on the cover looked barely twenty. Achieving that rank so young was terrifying.

"Because he’s Lord Ulysses!" Emily hugged the book, stars in her eyes. "When he advanced to Sword Saint last year, the whole continent trembled. He’s only 22—the youngest Transcendent Master since the Fourth Era! Some even say he’s the Child of Humanity from ancient prophecies, destined to wipe out the Demonkin!"

"Uh, sounds impressive. Do you like him a lot?"

"Well, I’m just a fan," she sighed. "A man that amazing is like the sun—untouchable for me. But with your beauty and strength, Sister, you might have a chance!"

Yeah, right. Though this golden-haired guy radiated main character energy, I wasn’t into guys. But "Child of Humanity" was a cool title. If I ever mastered magic, I’d call myself Child of Earth or Child of Sun.

After showing her books, Emily snatched mine. Her face fell. "Why are these all history and culture? Only stuffy academy professors read this!"

"Don’t forget—I’m a mage."

"Yeah, yeah. They say mages are reclusive with weird tastes. Guess it’s true."

We checked out and left the bookstore, strolling leisurely down the bustling street. Bright sunlight warmed the air, crowds flowed around us, and Emily’s golden hair brushed my arm. My mood lifted. Life in this new world was pretty sweet.

Then, a fat figure appeared ahead, instantly ruining everything.