The Extra is a Genius!?
Chapter 198: The Light of Elarin

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: The Light of Elarin

The library was silent, cloaked in the stillness of night. Only a few faint crystal lights hovered above, casting soft glows between the towering shelves. The usual murmur of students or civilians had long faded — they were the only ones left.

Charlotte sat beside Noel at a corner table, her eyes shining with excitement. A thick tome rested between them, its cover marked with worn lettering:

"Elarin the First: The One Who Touched Mana."

"This one’s my favorite," she whispered, almost reverently. "It’s where everything began."

Noel leaned forward, elbows on the table. His eyes scanned the title, unmoving. ’The One Who Touched Mana...’

Charlotte opened the book carefully. The aged pages let out a faint rustle as she turned them, revealing an illustration of a lone figure standing before a cave, bathed in radiant light.

"It’s said that Elarin was just a lonely traveler at the time," she began, her voice soft in the quiet. "He found a hidden cave in the far north of Elarith. No one had ever entered it before. And there, he felt it — mana, pure and alive."

Noel’s gaze didn’t leave the image. His thoughts stirred.

’That doesn’t line up. The book claims he was alone... but the diary mentioned two. Not one.’

He remembered the worn, angry handwriting from the Diary of the Forgotten Son.

’He was light. I was shadow.’

Charlotte continued, flipping another page. The next image showed Elarin emerging from the cave, radiant, with his hands glowing.

"It says that once he left the cave, everything changed. He could heal with a touch. Monsters fled from him. Even wild beasts calmed in his presence. People began to follow him, believing he was chosen by the heavens."

Noel’s fingers tapped absently against the wooden table. ’So Elarin became the legend... and the other one? Just a footnote lost in time?’

Charlotte looked at him with a hopeful smile. "He was the first. The first human to connect with mana. Everything we know began with him."

Noel nodded slowly. His voice was calm when he finally spoke.

"Right... the first."

But in his mind, another truth echoed louder:

’History picks its heroes. But it never tells the whole story.’

Charlotte turned another page, this one showing early sketches of villages forming around places Elarin had passed through — crude temples, open gatherings, people bowing before him.

"He didn’t just bring power," Charlotte said, her voice full of admiration. "He brought hope. After he returned from the cave, he traveled across Elarith, then to the south of Valor, and even parts of Velmora. Wherever he went, he taught people to use mana — gently, carefully. He healed the sick, protected the weak, and blessed the land."

Noel leaned back slightly in his chair. The gentle crackle of a nearby crystal lamp echoed in the silence. Outside the tall windows, the city of Valon slumbered under moonlight.

’He sounds too perfect,’ Noel thought. ’Like a legend smoothed over by time. No flaws, no mistakes. But no one’s like that. Not even heroes.’

Charlotte traced a finger over a line of text. "This is where he first created a Blessing. It’s said he crafted it not just with magic, but with prayer. The Blessing of Vitalis — a gift that could purify poisons and restore strength."

Noel gave a slow nod, glancing at the parchment.

"And people started following him just because of that?" he asked.

Charlotte shook her head. "Not only that. He... he inspired them. His presence made people believe they could be more. That they weren’t at the mercy of monsters or fate anymore. And from that belief... the First Sanctuary was built."

Noel’s gaze drifted back to the image: Elarin standing atop a stone altar, arms open, bathed in sunlight.

’But what about the other one?’

’The shadow he left behind.’

He closed his eyes for a second. The silence pressed gently around them, like the weight of forgotten truth.

"Charlotte," he said quietly, "do any of the old texts mention anyone who traveled with him?"

Charlotte blinked. "Hmm? Not really. Most of the stories say he wandered alone. Some myths mention voices or signs guiding him, but... never another person. Why?"

Noel shrugged, playing it off. "Just curious. Seems strange that someone so important wouldn’t have crossed paths with anyone back then."

Charlotte smiled. "Maybe he did. But maybe those people just weren’t remembered."

Noel met her eyes, and for a moment, neither said anything.

’Exactly,’ he thought. ’That’s the problem.’

Charlotte turned the last page with a mix of reverence and awe. Her voice softened as she read the final passage of the book:

"And then, Elarin stood face to face with a creature unknown to all. A being of pure shadow, known only as The Hollow One. Their battle shook the skies, scorched the earth, and in the end... both vanished."

A heavy silence settled between them. The air inside the library felt denser, as if even the walls were paying respect to the tale.

"No one ever saw Elarin again," Charlotte continued in a quieter tone. "But... the blessings kept manifesting. That was when people with an affinity for them began to be born... the first Saints."

Noel didn’t respond right away. His eyes were locked on the illustration on the last page: a figure of light clashing against a shadowy humanoid shape.

’Two entered the cave. One was remembered. The other... forgotten.’ Correct content is on NovelFire

He remained silent, the information from the Diary of the Forgotten Son echoing in his mind like a truth sealed by time.

Noel leaned back slightly, glancing toward the tall arched windows. The soft glow of the moon filtered through the glass, painting pale lines across the floor.

"Don’t you think it’s gotten pretty dark already?" he asked.

Charlotte blinked and followed his gaze. "Yeah... it really has."

"We had about an hour or so, right?"

"Uh-huh. The librarian said they’d stay open an extra hour since tomorrow’s a non-working day."

"Hm," Noel stood up, stretching a bit. "Let’s take a look around before we go. I want to see if they have anything else about Elarin’s last battle."

Charlotte began gathering the books carefully. "Wait, I’ll put these back where they were. Give me a second."

She hurried off between the shelves, humming lightly to herself as she returned each book to its spot. When she came back, Noel was already heading toward the exit because he couldn’t find nothing about Elarin’s last battle.

Together, they walked down the quiet aisle to the main hall. The library, once filled with warm whispers and faint footsteps, now felt completely still.

But when Noel reached the main doors and pulled—nothing happened.

He pulled again. Then harder.

"...Locked."

Charlotte blinked. "Huh?"

He glanced at her, then back at the door. "They locked it. We’re stuck."

Charlotte took a step forward and tried it herself. No response.

"Oops," she said, her tone light.

Noel raised an eyebrow. "Oops? Seriously?"

She gave a sheepish smile. "I guess we lost track of time..."

Noel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Of course we did."