Chapter 204 - Imagination Is Power
"Hmm..." Alexander looked at Elysia once again, but the girl could only wait for the answer.
She began to wonder if that was being presumptuous, or maybe she accidentally upset the Pope. Despite that, Elysia just waited patiently without expressing much while discussing with Elena if something went wrong.
Thankfully, it was only her train of thought and worry. It was dismissed instantly because of the Pope's response.
"Ho ho-ho, I see that there are faith and curiosity in your eyes. On the fifth floor, some things can satisfy your curiosity about the knowledge you desire. However, there are only guidelines for high-level magic which generally can only be used by magic users at Spirit level or above." Alexander laughed in his trademark tone, then explained casually.
"May I? What needs to be done to establish the privilege? Is there a special procedure for assigning access rights to the fifth floor?" Elysia attentively requested because it was so important to her.
"The Holy Library in this capital city is not the same as the Holy Libraries in other big cities. Only in this city is the fifth floor available. Even so, not just anyone is allowed to access those high levels of knowledge." Alexander did not immediately answer the questions that came. He spoke calmly then sipped the herbal tea.
Nevertheless, he immediately continued before the girl could feel disappointed because it sounded like rejection. "Elysia girl, you are still in the early stages of the Apprentice level... What made you want to find out about magic and insight for a high level beyond yours? It can become dangerous if you try to practice it."
"I... I know my limits. Knowledge is power and treasure, but the judgment is the treasurer of the wise. It's fine even though it's still limited to knowledge, but it will be a strength in the future. All I'm looking for is world truths and advanced magic concepts." Elysia expressed her point of view about knowledge. She emphasized the importance of more wisdom and insight for herself at this time.
At least, she needed to learn from the knowledgeable before she would venture straight into the world with her eyes as her witness.
'Hehe... It's wrong, Ely. Your imagination is your power, and it is more important than knowledge.' Elena suddenly refuted while chuckling in amusement, albeit she was ignored by the inwardly bashful girl.
"I see... The truth of the world, lost history, and advanced magic, huh... You are quite hungry for knowledge, O Elysia girl. Well, the wise one will seek knowledge, and I understand that. For that, try reading this. What is written there?" Alexander took out a piece of paper from his Space Bag and made it land in front of Elysia.
Even though he already considered this lovely girl as his granddaughter, that didn't mean he would allow her to study at random. The wise were required to be fully aware and know what they were doing regarding their knowledge.
As soon as the paper came in front of Elysia, she immediately took it to see what was written. Evelyn, who was sitting next to her, also glanced at the paper out of curiosity.
What power would it be for Evelyn, who couldn't read the ancient language? She just looked at the complicated writing without knowing anything.
"The world is corrupted by the curses. Even the Gods are no exception?" Elysia frowned with a complicated expression. It was one sentence that existed as the Pope's test. Unbeknown to her, she spoke in the ancient language.
"Huh? You are fabulous, Elysia yo! You're so young, but you already know the ancient language? Since when did you learn it? No wonder something feels different from you. You are a genius!" Alexander was surprised with great enthusiasm. He even hit the table because of that.
A moment ago, he gave the paper just as a test, and he thought Elysia wouldn't be able to read it. That way, this young girl would hold herself back for the fifth floor for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, this granddaughter was more knowledgeable than he thought.
"Oh, wow, Ely! You are proficient in the ancient language and can read complex writing with ease. That's something that has to be studied over the years, you know? Have you studied ancient languages since you were a toddler?" Evelyn gaped in admiration. Her best friend never ceased to amaze herself.
"Ah, umm... Thank you." Elysia slightly scratched her head with an awkward smile.
"Hehe, you're the best, Ely. So, grandfather, is Ely allowed to go to the fifth floor of the Holy Library?" Ella conveyed her awe before suggesting it to the highest authority, namely her grandfather.
"That's guaranteed, but only Elysia is allowed onto the fifth floor of the Holy Library. You and Evelyn aren't wise enough for high-level knowledge." Alexander announced it with a smile, but he made two girls pouted.
"What? Grandfather, you're not fair... That's favoritism. I want to come with Ely to the fifth floor too..." Ella whined to her grandfather with a pitiful expression. She rarely did that, but this time it was necessary.
"Un, un! I want to too. Having more knowledge doesn't hurt, right? I will ask permission before reading the book of high-level magic. I'm a good obedient girl." Evelyn also enlivened the atmosphere with her whimper. She didn't want to be left behind like that. She didn't want to be left behind like that and excluded so clearly.
"What's with this whining? But, I don't think you're reckless. Okay, you two silly girls can go to the fifth floor, but that's if you're with me. I'll be there watching you. Acceptable?" Alexander stroked his beard with another thought. He gave his permission but with a condition.
"Yay! Sure."
"Deal, thank you!"
Ella and Evelyn suddenly smiled as if the whining had never happened before. While Elysia just rolled her eyes at the rapid change in their expressions.
"Grandpa, does what is written on this paper have any other meaning? What does it mean by curses and Gods?" Elysia tried to probe into things that made her somewhat astonished. It was slightly similar to what Nell, the Goddess of Blessings, said.
"As for that question, the secret research team and I are still investigating. In all likelihood, it was a catastrophic event long ago. Perhaps, over a hundred thousand years ago or so." Alexander stared towards the front with a distant gaze but didn't look at anyone. He tried to remember the important things he knew about this.
"Hmm? Is this the thing you handle in your den, grandfather? I remember there was a lot of paper in the ancient language, but regrettably, I can't read it..." Ella tugged slightly at her grandfather's sleeve for attention.
"D-den? That's my private study, Ella girl." Alexander replied helplessly.
"Hehe... Yes, that. Why do you know it's been over a hundred thousand years, grandfather? Have you lived that long? You never told me your age." Ella tweeted again like a curious little bird.
"Age is just a number to me. It's meaningless. Maybe I'm a thousand years old?" Alexander shook his head and guessed his own age. He could remember many things but not with his age.
At that moment, Elysia glanced at the Pope with a confused and strange look. But, it was only for a moment before she changed her gaze to an ordinary one.
'What? Has he forgotten his age? A thousand years? That was 204 years ago... I suspected this happy grandfather had gone senile.' Elena commented with a provisional guess.
'Uhh, I thought so too. Grandpa is 1204 years old, after all.' Elysia couldn't agree more than that.
'Hmm... But, whenever this grandfather talks or tells a story, he is always knowledgeable. Is this what is called remembering a lot but forgetting a lot?' Elena guessed what she thought would be most suitable.
'Who knows, but it's possible.' Elysia responded to that, and Elena nodded her head.
"You're researching something in your private room, Grandpa? Does it have anything to do with lost history?" Elysia asked because of the realization she knew implicitly from the conversation a moment ago.
"Yes, what you read in the ancient language a moment ago is a fragment of an ancient book that was found because of the Goddess of Blessing's guide." Alexander didn't hesitate to tell that. He knew better to whom he had leaked information that was not yet allowed to be made public.
"The ancient book? Is that what your secret research team is researching, Grandpa? Am I allowed to see it?" Elysia was increasingly convinced. It was the same thing Nell said about an important thing that was immortalized in historical records for her people.
"Well, the secret research team of the Holy Church is only researching artifacts, relics, and the like. Do you want to know more about that? Can you keep what you will know to yourself and not let outsiders know? Especially the public." Alexander questioned this not only to Elysia but to two other girls as well. Even the white cat lazing around the table was no exception.
Ella and Evelyn looked at each other, then they looked at Elysia. They nodded together as if they had found agreement in silence, then spoke in unison. "We promise."
"Meow." Vanessa said the same thing but in cat language.
"That's great. I believe you girls are smart enough to know the cause and effect if the public finds out and the rumors of panic explode. All right, let's go to my private study. I might as well make a fifth-floor access privilege card for you there, Elysia." Alexander nodded as the girls nodded their heads repeatedly at his words.
"Thank you, Grandpa. It means a lot to me." Elysia expressed her gratitude. It was not just an utterance, but really from the heart.
After that, the Pope got up from the chair and walked away casually. The girls also immediately followed suit.