Chapter 169 - 164: An Unexpected Proposal
The office remained silent after Aldric folded the letter.
Five days.
The words lingered in John’s mind.
An expedition to the Ashen Peaks.
The same mountains that had appeared again and again throughout the ancient records.
The same place where one of the oldest surviving dragon scrolls had been recovered.
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
John looked at Aldric.
"Who’s organizing it?"
"The Royal Exploration Guild."
Aldric placed the letter on his desk.
"They’re partnering with the Royal Library and the Academy."
"They intend to survey several ruins discovered after a recent landslide."
Miriam adjusted her spectacles.
"So they’ve finally decided to investigate."
"It seems so."
John’s curiosity grew.
"Have they found something?"
"Not exactly."
Aldric replied.
"A merchant caravan reported seeing carved stone structures high in the mountains after part of a cliff collapsed."
"They couldn’t reach them."
"But the report was considered credible enough to warrant an expedition."
John nodded slowly.
It sounded reasonable.
In a world where unexplored ruins often hid relics, ancient records, or dangerous creatures, the kingdom couldn’t simply ignore such a discovery.
---
Aldric handed the letter to John.
"Read it."
John carefully scanned the document.
It contained the proposed route, estimated travel time, and the list of organizations involved.
The expedition would consist of nearly forty people.
Scholars.
Cartographers.
Engineers.
Guards.
He noticed something else.
"There aren’t many adventurers."
"They’re trying to avoid attracting attention."
Aldric explained.
"If word spreads that ancient ruins have been discovered, treasure hunters will arrive before the expedition does."
John understood immediately.
Knowledge was valuable.
Ancient artifacts were even more valuable.
---
Miriam crossed her arms.
"The mountains won’t make it easy."
John looked toward her.
"You’ve been there?"
"Once."
"Many years ago."
"I was barely older than you."
She smiled faintly at the memory.
"I accompanied my teacher to recover several damaged records from an abandoned monastery."
"How was it?"
"The mountains were beautiful."
She paused.
"And unforgiving."
"The weather changed without warning."
"Loose rocks made every climb dangerous."
"There were monsters as well."
"Nothing overwhelming."
"But enough to keep us alert."
John listened carefully.
This wouldn’t be a simple sightseeing trip.
---
Aldric folded his hands.
"The Guild has requested that I recommend one representative from the Royal Library."
John blinked.
"You?"
The old scholar chuckled.
"I doubt I’d survive the first day’s climb."
John smiled.
"I wasn’t going to say it."
"I know."
Aldric laughed.
"My knees remind me often enough."
Even Miriam smiled.
---
The room grew quiet once more.
John noticed Aldric studying him.
The old scholar seemed deep in thought.
Finally...
He spoke.
"I have someone in mind."
John’s heartbeat quickened.
"You do?"
"I do."
Miriam looked at Aldric but remained silent.
She seemed to already know what he was about to say.
The Chief Archivist looked directly at John.
"I would like to recommend you."
John froze.
"...Me?"
"You’ve only known me for three days."
"Four."
Aldric corrected with a smile.
"Four days."
"That doesn’t make much difference."
"It doesn’t."
The old scholar admitted.
"But time isn’t the only measure of trust."
---
John lowered his gaze.
"I appreciate the confidence."
"But..."
"I don’t know enough."
"I’ve barely begun learning."
"I’ve never participated in a scholarly expedition."
"I don’t even know Old Valenic properly yet."
Every concern was genuine.
He wasn’t trying to be humble.
He truly believed there were people far more qualified.
Aldric listened without interrupting.
When John finished, the old scholar nodded approvingly.
"Good."
John looked confused.
"...Good?"
"The fact that you recognize your own limitations is precisely why I considered you."
John remained silent.
"I’ve met brilliant scholars ruined by arrogance."
Aldric continued.
"They stopped asking questions because they believed they already had the answers."
"You..."
He smiled warmly.
"...are still willing to learn."
---
Miriam walked over to one of the windows.
"There will be experienced researchers on the expedition."
"You won’t be expected to lead."
"You’ll observe."
"Take notes."
"Help preserve whatever is discovered."
She turned toward him.
"And..."
"If we truly are dealing with Dragon King records..."
Her expression grew more serious.
"You’ve shown more genuine interest than anyone I’ve met in years."
John wasn’t sure how to respond.
---
A knock interrupted the conversation.
Elena entered with another stack of documents.
She immediately noticed the serious atmosphere.
"Did I come at a bad time?"
"Not at all."
Aldric replied.
He accepted the papers before looking back at John.
"I won’t ask for your answer today."
John looked relieved.
"I’d like you to think carefully."
"This isn’t a simple journey."
"It could take weeks."
"Perhaps longer."
"There will be danger."
"And once the expedition begins..."
"There will be no turning back halfway."
John nodded slowly.
"I understand."
---
After organizing the new documents, Elena glanced at John.
"I’ve never been to the Ashen Peaks."
She admitted.
"But my father has."
John looked toward her.
"He was a ranger."
"He always said the mountains rewarded patience."
"And punished carelessness."
John smiled.
"That sounds like something Master Aldric would say."
Aldric chuckled.
"Your father sounds like a wise man."
"He is."
---
The afternoon gradually drew to a close.
John spent the remaining hours continuing his training.
He practiced identifying differences between copies of historical records.
He learned how to seal fragile scrolls inside protective tubes.
Miriam even taught him how to repair a tiny tear in a relatively modern manuscript.
His hands were nervous at first.
But by the third attempt...
His movements became steadier.
"Better."
Miriam said.
"Not perfect."
"But better."
John smiled.
"I’ll take that."
---
As the library prepared to close for the evening, Aldric walked John to the entrance of the archive wing.
The halls were quieter now.
Most scholars had already gone home.
"You don’t need to decide immediately."
Aldric said.
"I know."
John replied.
"I’ll think about it."
The old scholar nodded.
"Talk with your companions."
"The decision will affect all of you."
John appreciated that advice.
He had never intended to leave without discussing it with Lythriel, Sylvara, and Aerion.
They had traveled together through every hardship so far.
This decision should be shared with them.
---
As John stepped outside the Royal Library, the setting sun bathed Valenor in warm shades of gold and orange.
Students filled the streets, laughing as they returned to their dormitories.
Merchants packed away their goods for the evening.
The city felt peaceful.
Normal.
Yet John’s thoughts remained on the mountains far beyond the horizon.
The Ashen Peaks.
Five days.
A hidden ruin.
Ancient records.
And a question that had no easy answer.
Was he ready to leave the safety of the library...
And begin searching for history where it had actually been made?
Far away, from the upper floor of a quiet inn overlooking the Scholar’s District, a lone figure closed the curtains after watching John leave the library.
Darius Voss set a leather-bound notebook on his desk.
Across an open page was a single line.
**The expedition is moving sooner than expected.**
Below it, he calmly wrote another.
**The young assistant will likely be involved.**
He closed the notebook with a soft thud.
The game had begun.
---
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