At the end of the winding mountain road lay a small plaza, where a statue of someone Shade did not recognize stood. Behind it, people were coming and going up and down more than twenty white stone steps. At the top stood a towering palace-like building with white walls, more than half of its bulk embedded directly into the mountain rock.
The library alone had eight doors, and it looked to be at least twelve meters tall. At its highest point was a triangular rooftop, its front engraved with the relief inscription: "Knowledge, wealth; creation, source."
The building was exceedingly grand. Since its main structure was embedded in the mountainside, even standing at the entrance with his head raised, Shade could not tell how large the library truly was.
For a time, he wondered whether, like the Golden Music Hall in Vesta Woodland, it had been converted from an ancient temple left behind from a bygone era. But historical records clearly documented the library's construction. This building had truly been built during the Sixth Epoch:
"By the standards of the Sixth Epoch, this library could have been considered a 'wonder' when it was completed."
After climbing the steps and passing through the doors, he officially entered the library. The air carried the distinctive scent of ink and writing. The polished marble floor reminded Shade of banks in large cities, while the Shadow Wall directly opposite the entrance bore a sentence carved in Common Language: "Innovation is the primary driving force of development."
Judging by the surname beneath it, the sentence had likely been left by one of Margaret's ancestors.
There were no problems paying the membership fee and annual fee. Proof of membership came in the form of a bronze badge bearing a candle design. A star was engraved beneath