Chapter 39: A Chance Encounter
1140 Words
The moment the announcement echoed across the Central Plaza, the crowd surged toward the Hall of Harmony.
Scholars gathered their notes.
Young apprentices hurried after their masters.
Travellers from distant kingdoms whispered excitedly among themselves.
Echo barely had time to react before the book slipped from the girl's towering stack.
"Oh!"
The thick leather-bound volume spun through the air.
Without thinking...
Echo lunged forward.
The book landed neatly in his hands just before it struck the stone pavement.
"...Got it."
The girl froze for a moment before quickly turning around.
She had long silver-blonde hair tied into a simple braid, with a few loose strands framing her face. Round spectacles rested neatly on her nose, and despite the festival around her, she looked far more interested in the books she carried than the crowds surrounding her.
She let out a small sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness..."
Echo smiled and held out the book.
"I think this belongs to you."
She accepted it carefully with both hands.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was calm and gentle.
Almost... musical.
Echo noticed the title engraved in silver letters.
Ancient Harmonic Magic – Volume III
His curiosity immediately took over.
"Harmonic Magic?"
The girl looked at him with mild surprise.
"You've heard of it?"
Echo scratched the back of his head.
"...Not really."
"I just thought the title sounded interesting."
She smiled faintly.
"It usually doesn't."
Echo blinked.
"What?"
"Interest people."
She looked at the cover.
"Most people prefer books about fire dragons or legendary spells."
Echo laughed.
"...I guess I'm not most people."
For the first time...
A small smile appeared on her face.
"No..."
"I don't think you are."
---
Behind them...
Dorothy quietly watched the conversation.
Edric leaned closer.
"Do you know her?"
Dorothy slowly shook her head.
"No."
"But I have a feeling..."
"...this meeting isn't ordinary."
---
The girl adjusted the stack of books in her arms.
"I'm Lyra."
Echo smiled.
"Echo."
She nodded politely.
"It's nice to meet you."
Echo pointed toward the remaining books.
"...Need some help?"
Lyra immediately shook her head.
"I've carried heavier."
Echo looked doubtful.
"...I'm not convinced."
She hesitated.
Then...
"...One book."
Echo grinned.
"I'll consider that progress."
He picked up the thickest volume from the top.
It was surprisingly heavy.
"...How many pages does this thing have?"
"Approximately eighteen hundred."
Echo nearly dropped it.
"Eighteen hundred?!"
Lyra tilted her head.
"...Is that a problem?"
"No."
"...I'm just questioning your arm strength."
She laughed softly.
"Books are lighter than swords."
Echo thought for a second.
"...Fair point."
---
The two began walking toward the Hall of Harmony.
Mira and Kodie soon caught up.
Edric and Dorothy followed a short distance behind.
Mira greeted Lyra politely.
"I'm Mira."
"Kodie."
The quiet boy gave a simple nod.
Lyra returned the greeting.
"Nice to meet you."
Echo looked between them.
"So..."
"You're here for the demonstrations too?"
Lyra nodded.
"I'm assisting one of the researchers."
"You?"
Echo's eyes sparkled.
"It's my first festival."
Lyra looked genuinely surprised.
"Really?"
"You've never been to Astraea before?"
"Nope."
"I grew up in a forest."
She blinked.
"...That explains a lot."
Echo laughed.
"I'm not sure whether that was a compliment."
"It wasn't an insult."
"I'll accept that."
---
The Hall of Harmony was breathtaking.
Tall marble pillars supported a crystal ceiling through which sunlight poured like liquid gold.
Hundreds of seats surrounded a circular stage.
Runes glowed softly beneath the polished floor.
At the centre stood a single crystal pedestal.
Scholars filled the front rows.
Master mages quietly discussed theories.
Young apprentices whispered excitedly.
Echo looked around in amazement.
"...This is bigger than some villages."
Edric smiled.
"The Hall was built nearly four hundred years ago."
"It's where discoveries are shared before they're taught across the kingdom."
---
An elderly mage stepped onto the stage.
His long white robes shimmered with embroidered silver runes.
The conversations slowly faded.
"Welcome..."
"...to the Grand Exhibition of Rare Magical Arts."
Polite applause echoed throughout the hall.
"Today..."
"...you will witness branches of magic rarely seen outside ancient records."
A large crystal behind him lit up.
Symbols began appearing one after another.
Spirit Magic.
Rune Weaving.
Astral Projection.
Metal Transmutation.
Gravity Manipulation.
Echo's eyes widened with every new symbol.
"...There are this many?"
Dorothy smiled.
"And countless more."
---
The demonstrations began.
One mage used runes to repair a shattered stone vase without touching it.
Another altered the weight of massive boulders until children could lift them with one hand.
A third projected glowing constellations into the air, explaining how ancient navigators travelled by magical stars.
The audience applauded after each presentation.
Echo leaned forward like an excited child.
"I don't even know where to look."
Lyra quietly answered,
"Everywhere."
---
After several demonstrations, the elderly host smiled.
"Our next presentation..."
"...concerns a branch of magic that has nearly disappeared."
The hall immediately grew quiet.
Echo noticed Lyra straighten in her seat.
The crystal displayed a single symbol.
A beautifully curved spiral surrounded by seven tiny waves.
"Resonant Harmonics."
The elderly mage sighed.
"Sadly..."
"...very little remains of this discipline."
"Our records are incomplete."
"Our understanding..."
"...even more so."
Several assistants attempted a small demonstration.
One played an enchanted flute.
Another struck a crystal bell.
The mana responded...
But only weakly.
The old mage smiled politely.
"As you can see..."
"...our progress remains limited."
Most of the audience applauded respectfully.
A few scholars quietly returned to their notes.
To them...
It was simply another forgotten branch of history.
Echo, however...
Couldn't stop staring.
Something felt...
Wrong.
Not because the demonstration had failed.
But because...
The sounds didn't feel alive.
They felt...
Forced.
Lyra slowly turned toward him.
She noticed the expression on his face.
"...You felt it too."
Echo looked surprised.
"...What?"
She lowered her voice.
"The resonance."
Echo couldn't explain it.
"I don't know..."
"...It just doesn't sound right."
For the first time...
Lyra looked at him with genuine curiosity.
Not because he had spoken.
But because...
He had understood something that almost nobody else in the hall seemed to notice.
She whispered so quietly that only Echo could hear.
"...Perhaps..."
"...these books weren't waiting for me after all."
Echo blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Before she could answer—
A loud voice echoed from the entrance.
"The Royal Evaluation Ceremony will begin shortly!"
Excited murmurs swept through the audience.
Edric stood.
"That's the Mana Affinity Examination."
Dorothy calmly rose beside him.
"I suppose it's time."
Echo looked confused.
"...Mana Affinity?"
Lyra quietly closed her oldest book.
Her expression had become unusually serious.
"...This should be interesting."
Echo had no idea why.
But somehow...
He felt the next event would change far more than just the rest of the festival.
---
End of Chapter 39
«Some people search for forgotten knowledge.
Others become the reason that forgotten knowledge is remembered once again.»
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