Chapter 5: The Price of Knowledge

‘One point five million… Gid?!’

Despite coming to an outlet store rather than a department store to save money, the silk handkerchiefs were far more expensive than he had imagined. In an age where synthetic and specialized fibers were commonplace, natural fibers had become luxury items, exclusively available from high-end brands.

This was true not only for silk but for materials like cotton as well.

If humans had embroidered or dyed them by hand, the price would have soared even higher. He had deliberately chosen plain, solid-colored swatches, yet the customer service robot’s cool, detached voice starkly revealed the harsh reality.

[Item SL4750: Solid-color natural silk handkerchiefs. You are purchasing one each of the five colors: Cool Mint, Light Brown, Indigo Blue, Linden Green, and Bloody Red. These items are half-price at 300,000 Gid each, making your total purchase amount 1,500,000 Gid.]

Three hundred thousand Gid, even after a half-price discount!

Ethan, who had budgeted around 150,000 Gid per item, suddenly felt a headache coming on and pressed a hand to his forehead. The polite robot attendant’s voice promptly continued.

[If you are experiencing dizziness or a headache, simple over-the-counter medication is available. Should you suffer a seizure or difficulty breathing, please press the green button. An emergency team will be dispatched.]

‘No. It’s not like that at all.’

With trembling hands, Ethan placed his card against the robot attendant’s reader.

[Payment complete.]

The voice that followed the authentication process made him feel as though a hole had been torn through his chest. Clasping his aching chest, he exited the outlet store.

He entered a nearby cafe and ordered a milk tea. He feared that pouring coffee into his already sore heart would ignite it completely.

****

“Did you hear? Enoch Cloud is at the center right now!”

“Oh, what nonsense. Why would someone so famous come to a rural town like this?”

“He awakened as an Esper.”

“…What?”

“The Esper Guide Center in Morapolio City is either the fifth or sixth largest research center. Enoch is such a celebrity, so he probably wanted to be quietly tested here.”

“Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

‘I don’t understand. I really don’t!’

Irritated by the conversation from the adjacent table, Ethan nervously ripped open the handkerchief packaging. He pulled out the necessary items and roughly stuffed them into his lucky pouch.

A sense of futility washed over him as he watched Chilbok’s belly bulge with the handkerchiefs, only to slim down again moments later, as if it weren’t a bottomless pit. After discarding the trash, Ethan took a calming sip of his smooth milk tea.

The pig-like pouch, which had devoured a month’s worth of his part-time earnings and Uncle Hans’s allowance, rustled, seemingly still discontent. He snorted, muttering to himself in a whisper.

“Hey, at least there were a couple of pretty colors. I’m broke, so I had to buy them at an outlet. If you want pretty fabric, go cling to someone else.”

Ethan suddenly lamented his fate, burdened by eight money-devouring gwi, and grumbled. It was useless to talk to them, though.

Chilbok was not an object but a gwi attached to objects; even if Ethan discarded the pouch he carried, Chilbok would simply cling to another pocket in his daily life, masquerading as a lucky pouch. Ethan, for his part, made sure to carry a specific pouch at all times to prevent Chilbok from attaching to his actual wallet.

If Chilbok were to unexpectedly cling to his wallet, the wallet itself would become ‘gwi-ified,’ and all its contents would vanish into Chilbok’s unfathomable depths.

After a few more grumbling rustles, Chilbok finally fell silent. ‘Still, where else would I find real silk?’

‘How long until Chilbok sees a lucky pouch made of that silk? I suppose I’ll have to pester Uncle Hans again to let me work at the grocery store.’

Uncle Hans always refused, insisting Ethan didn’t need to help at his shop, but he shook his head whenever he saw Ethan take on other part-time jobs. Ethan often boasted he’d become rich, yet with eight money-gwi to care for, he had accumulated very little actual savings.

‘Ah. I’m feeling sorry for myself again.’

Having finished his tea, Ethan rose from his seat.

Checking his watch, he saw there was still an hour left until his appointment. He had originally planned to go to a highly-rated restaurant with Scott, but an unexpected incident had occurred, leaving Scott’s availability uncertain and completely ruining Ethan’s appetite.

‘With my return to the Academy approaching, perhaps I should visit the library.’

Ethan, a student at the Morapolio City Academy, majored in history. The place where Ethan now resided had grown from Han Village, a once-hidden settlement of the vanished Nerean people, into a larger community through government-led resettlement.

The central village hall, where rituals had once been performed, was now a lake. That was precisely where Ethan had been discovered, having somehow spanned fifty years.

He had asked Samwol if there were any building remnants at the bottom of the lake, but Samwol had shaken their head. He was also curious why the Nesjito Federation Army, which had seemed on the verge of victory, had suddenly collapsed before the Aitoolian Imperial Army.

However, the academy’s curriculum was merely a diluted version presented from the Aitoolian Empire’s perspective. To delve deeper, he would need to complete his academy studies, enroll in a capital city’s graduate program, and endure yet another course in pedagogy.

‘And that would cost even more money.’

Ethan let out a long sigh and headed for the library. He couldn’t rely on Uncle Hans for his pedagogy courses.

He desperately needed to save for tuition, but those greedy devils kept nibbling away at his savings. No, not just nibbling—they were devouring it whole.

“I’m here to apply for a paper book loan.”

In a world where one could access ample information on a tablet, paper books were a luxury. Though paper books were once ubiquitous, they had been rare even during the Nerean era, when Ethan was born and raised.

While paper books were still published, the government limited the number of copies that could be printed each year. It was only natural that paper books had proudly joined the ranks of luxury goods.

However, there was one place where paper books could be freely accessed: the library. Academy students, who constantly needed to compare multiple sources simultaneously, vied with each other to secure paper books first.

Unless they were wealthy enough to operate multiple tablets or monitors, they knew how exhausting it was to constantly switch between just a few screens on a single tablet.

However, their limited number meant that one had to apply for a paper book loan well in advance. Fortunately, the books Ethan sought were not popular, so he casually scanned the catalog.

“Let’s see… ‘History of War, Changes in Modern Human Distribution, History of the Aitoolian Empire’… What? They’re all gone?”

Ethan frowned for a moment, then clicked on the lists of similar books, his face twisting in dismay. Someone had borrowed every single book in the category of modern Esper war history.

And it had happened just an hour ago.

“What is going on?! There’s a waiting period between applying for paper book loans and getting approval. How could so many books be checked out all at once?!”

As Ethan stomped up to the loan kiosk and loudly demanded an explanation, the librarian, who had been busy checking the monitor and seemingly ignoring him, finally looked up with a regretful, sympathetic expression.

“Of course, that’s right. I didn’t realize Mr. Ethan Prescott would want books from such an unpopular category, but the loan was already approved; they’re just being moved today. The applicant’s proxy submitted the request in advance.”

“A proxy, not the applicant themselves?”

“Yes. The loan period is one month.”

“…A month isn’t even a valid loan period!”

“Are they still far from being moved?”

The librarian, who had just offered Ethan information he hadn’t even thought to check, smiled brightly and rose abruptly upon seeing the man approaching behind the dumbfounded Ethan.

“Mr. Philip Wyman, just a moment. The requested books are quite voluminous, so I’ve called a robot to assist. Please wait a moment, and they will be safely delivered to your estate.”

“I see. In that case, could you set aside a few books related to Nerean for me? My superior wishes to read them at the hotel before heading to the estate.”

Ethan’s head shot up.

“Hey! Are you the one who borrowed all the modern war history books related to this region?”

“Mr. Ethan Prescott!”

The librarian called out to Ethan, her face paling, but he did not stop.

“How can you do something so ridiculous? I don’t know how much money you have, but the library’s books are provided for the citizens of the Empire. If you’re so rich, you should buy paper books! Don’t act so cheap; search the network or whatever! The library is a public facility, not a place for you to flaunt your power!”

“Since this is indeed a public facility for the Empire’s citizens, that applies to me as well.”

Philip and the librarian, momentarily stunned by the relentless verbal assault, snapped to attention at the sudden sound of a low voice. Simultaneously, Ethan’s breathless tirade, as if he’d been competing in a long-sentence-speaking contest, abruptly ceased.

A tall man with neatly combed, bright platinum blonde hair looked down at him with an arrogant expression. His chiseled features and firm physique showcased his meticulous self-care, but it was the man’s eyes that utterly captivated Ethan, leaving him speechless.

Clear blue and gray. Odd eyes.

Ethan, who had Scott, an Esper Guide enthusiast, by his side, recognized him. This was the man who, despite only appearing once in government Esper Guide promotional material after being commissioned as the youngest youth officer, had his subsequent appearances blocked by the Marquis Moore family’s influence.

Yet, that single appearance, combined with his striking looks, had been enough to ignite a frenzy among those interested in Esper Guides. The man before him, though now lacking the youthful innocence of that time, was indeed Bliss Moore.

“…Even so, a month is excessive.”

Of course, Ethan, who valued a single coin more than a handsome face, had not fallen in love at first sight or anything of the sort. Bliss looked at Ethan with amusement. He seemed to recognize him, yet it was peculiar how he continued to talk back.

“A maximum loan period of one week applies only to the general public. If there’s a special purpose that aids in research, long-term loans are possible depending on the applicant.”

“What kind of circumstances?”

“Well, that’s classified.”

Damn it. He was blocked by ‘classified.’ Ethan subtly bit his lip.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be paper books, does it? And you probably already have this many books at your estate anyway.”

“If you’re referring to my main residence in the capital, then of course I own them, but I pity my secretary, who would have to carry several books back and forth every day. And personally, I prefer paper books.”

The secretary, surprised that his superior was tolerating the unfamiliar young man’s every word, had been too stunned to intervene. He only snapped back to attention when his wrist vibrated.

“…Lord Bliss, Enoch Cloud has requested to stay at the estate for a few days.”

“Refuse him. It was an enjoyable conversation. I must be going now.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he coldly cut off the conversation and averted his gaze from Ethan.

“The air-raid shelter security company?”

“They are preparing.”

“Let’s go.”

The librarian scrambled after them as they walked away, conversing softly.

“…What kind of day is this?”

Ethan muttered in a deflated voice, heading to the center’s parking lot where he was supposed to meet Uncle Hans. He’d have to tell Scott to just go on without him, as it seemed he’d be delayed much longer.