Chương 50: The Temple Library

It was the end of the yard outside the city's back gate, where supply carts went in and out. On one side, the treatment center wall continued, and on the other, an old temple wall stood against it. The sounds from the main gate were far away, but the footsteps following him were close. The white owl neither ran nor flew. It slowly walked ahead toward the old road outside the city, as if an old temple emblem had gained a body. Each time its thick claws touched the stone floor, a small sound came. Tap. Tap.

Kichan watched it from behind, then looked at Ren.

"A bird is guiding the way." Ren could not answer. He only pressed his lips together once. Instead, he looked around. A palace watcher, someone from the queen's side, temple people, and even a treatment center clerk were all moving in the same direction while pretending not to know one another. Kichan saw them too.

"Why are they all following?" No one answered. The white owl did not fully leave the city gate. It entered a narrow door beside the old temple wall. The main gate, where people lined up to pray, was elsewhere. Old stone steps led inward along a mossy handrail, and an owl emblem was deeply carved into the doorknob. Kichan stopped before the door.

"Another door." The fragment inside his clothes grew faintly hot. The inside of his throat was dry too. The white owl stood before the door and looked at Kichan. It did not move its beak or spread its wings. It simply waited. From inside the door came an old man in priest's robes with a gentle face. In his hands were dusty gloves and a ring of old keys. Deep wrinkles lined the corners of his eyes, and his gaze stopped not at Kichan's throat, but at his face. He bowed to Kichan.

"Would you like to come in?" Ren paused briefly before saying,"He is asking whether you will enter." Kichan looked at the old priest.

"What if I don't?" The old priest did not close the door.

"Then you may go." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Ren's mouth opened slightly. His eyes moved between the priest and the open door. Kichan also said nothing for a moment. His hand tightened enough to dampen the letter he held. The old priest continued. His voice was low. He did not hurry him.

"However, the letter has reached your hand, and records open to those people." Kichan looked at the letter in his hand. The owl emblem stamped on the seal shone very slightly.

"Those people?" The old priest looked at the seal.

"Those who received the letter." Kichan looked down at the letter in his hand once more. Then he looked back. The people following him had stopped before the door. The palace watcher tried to enter and was blocked by a temple person. The person from the queen's side stood with a smile, but his foot could not cross the threshold. Kichan asked,"What about them?" The old priest answered,"They have not been permitted."

"And me?" The old priest looked at the white owl. The owl closed and opened its eyes once. The old priest bowed briefly to the owl as well.

"You have been invited." Kichan clicked his tongue.

"This neighborhood has a lot of invitations." Still, he went in. Inside the temple library, the smell of old paper came before the smell of medicine. It was not fresh ink, but ink long dried. Dried wood, dust, and candle wax mixed with it. High near the ceiling, small lights swayed slowly. Kichan found that quiet more uncomfortable. Dust flattened itself on his shoulder. The water drop at the end of his sleeve was quiet. The old priest stood before a record desk. He wiped away dust with one finger.

A thick board was revealed. He still could not read ordinary letters well. But a few title lines caught inside his throat. `Testimony of Priest Lauren, who returned after ten years of disappearance. ` Kichan narrowed his eyes. Another line. `He said he saw lamps without fire and iron carriages in the market of another world. ` His fingertips went cold.

"What?" Ren looked at Kichan. Kichan looked at the writing on the board again. `What, then, is the other world like? ` Kichan said low,"Another world?" The old priest did not answer. Instead, he took out one more record board. This record was older. Its corners were cracked, and small seals were embedded between the letters. Kichan did not touch it.

"If I touch it, something happens again, right?" The old priest pushed the record board with his gloved hand.

"Nothing happens merely by reading." Kichan did not believe him. Still, he looked. A few letters caught in his throat again. `Witness of night. ` `Nameless returnee. ` `One who opens doors with the voice. ` Kichan immediately pulled his eyes away. The inside of his throat grew hot.

"Not yet." The old priest nodded.

"Then I will cover it." He truly covered the record board. Kichan looked at his hand. Footsteps sounded outside. Someone lowered their voice in protest before the door. A temple person's answer returned shortly. Not permitted. Kichan let out a very small breath. Then Ren looked toward the door. A person from the queen's side had appeared again. He did not cross the threshold. Instead, he bowed and said,"Her Majesty the Queen wishes to share tea with you."

Without taking his eyes from the record board, Kichan muttered,"Tea? We haven't even met." Then he added a little more quietly,"Give me something real to eat instead." Kichan did not go because he wanted to go. The watchers stuck outside the door had not withdrawn, and the old priest stood with his hand on the covered record board without saying more. The person sent by the queen waited, and the temple door did not quietly close. In the end, Kichan chose the path that was less blocked than the open door.