Book of first

Chores never ended, or perhaps they simply piled up faster than anyone could finish them. The long summer hours stretched lazily over the orphanage, leaving each child with work that seemed endless, a rhythm of repetition capable of draining not only the body, but the spirit as well. Today, a particularly unusual task awaited Hanabi. One chore had to be finished before nightfall, urgent enough that it could not be delayed. The laborers depended on the orphans to assist them, and failure was simply not an option.

Hanabi was not alone, though that offered little comfort. Others moved constantly around him, fetching water from the well and carrying heavy barrels and buckets usually kept inside the kitchen. Many of the containers were caked with dried mud, grimy reminders of the outside world, and each required careful cleaning. The sounds of splashing water, clattering metal, and muffled chatter filled the air endlessly, creating a dull rhythm that somehow made the day feel even longer.

On paper, Hanabi’s role seemed simple, almost trivial. In reality, his small body made every movement exhausting. The barrels barely reached his shoulders, yet their weight felt immense, the water inside sloshing heavily as though trying to drag him down with every step. Each time he dipped his arms into the cold water, his fingers stung painfully, a constant reminder that the task demanded not only strength, but patience and endurance. After the barrels came the dishes, still damp from morning use, stacked endlessly before him like another burden waiting to crush his small frame. Long ago, Hanabi had already learned not to argue and never complain. His opinions, much like the sweat lingering across his skin, were better left unnoticed.

He remembered returning late to the orphanage one evening, exhaustion dragging at his limbs as though the world itself refused to let him move forward. His lungs burned with every breath, and standing at the entrance was Mother Lilith, arms crossed while her sharp eyes watched him like a blade waiting to fall. Moments like those always tested him, even if she never openly spoke the rules aloud. Hanabi silently prayed for patience, mercy, or anything that would allow him to survive another encounter with her disappointment.

“Your excuse?”

Her voice carried delicate sarcasm, calm and refined, yet sharp enough to serve as a warning.

Hanabi knew better than to speak too much. Words had a dangerous habit of turning into punishment faster than he could defend himself. Steadying his breathing, he carefully explained what happened at the market, the confusion, the missing backpack, and the few coins he managed to salvage. Those coins remained his secret, a fragment of truth buried beneath lies, a small anchor hidden inside the storm swallowing his circumstances. Mother Lilith listened quietly, her expression impossible to read. Whether she believed him or not, the fact that he left without punishment already felt miraculous. In the end, she ordered him to remain inside the orphanage and focus on chores while the market was considered unsafe.

By afternoon, the last barrel finally gleamed beneath the weak summer sunlight entering through the windows. Now only the dishes remained, though their presence somehow felt heavier than the barrels he had already finished. Outside, the older orphans gradually returned from the forest carrying bundles of wood across their shoulders, their faces tired but unharmed. Hanabi quietly watched them, concern lingering beneath his expression. Even during daylight, the forest never truly felt safe. Shadows shifted strangely between the trees, and every rustling sound carried the possibility of danger. Relief slowly washed through him seeing them return safely, their survival becoming a small reassurance against the exhausting weight of his own responsibilities. Compared to the dangers of the forest, washing dishes should have felt trivial, yet to Hanabi, the task still seemed enormous.

His thoughts drifted back toward the market and the moment he locked eyes with the thief. Panic had rooted him completely in place before a blinding flash suddenly consumed the world in noise and chaos. Something slammed violently into the wall behind him, a harsh punctuation to the confusion. Then came the pouch. Ordinary in appearance, yet Hanabi instinctively understood its value the moment he saw it. He never questioned where it came from. Survival had already taught him that some gifts were too dangerous to reject and could only be accepted carefully.

After a week filled with chores and quiet observation, Mother Lilith finally deemed the market safe again. Hanabi immediately returned to his cave, the only sanctuary that truly felt like it belonged to him. Relief surged through his chest alongside a quiet happiness he struggled to explain. It was not satisfaction from finishing chores, but the comfort of reclaiming something that felt entirely his. Carefully, he searched through the items he had hidden away earlier, finding everything exactly where he left it. Even as a child, the pouch and everything connected to it weighed heavily on his thoughts.

He slowly tidied the cave, placing each object back into position. Beneath his feet rested the first book he had taken. Massive enough to nearly reach half his height and twice as wide as his small body, the object looked awkward and impossibly heavy, yet somehow became manageable whenever he focused on carrying it. Unease crept quietly across his skin. Mother Lilith had taught him how to read, but this book felt completely different from every story or lesson he had ever known.

There was no title written on its cover.

Hanabi carefully opened it, hoping to find some clue, only to discover blank pages.

“What is this book for?” he muttered quietly, frustration pulling at his small shoulders.

He intended to close it and return it to the pouch, but before he could, a sudden glow spread across the pages.

Soft rainbow colored light shimmered around the book, wrapping it in gentle warmth as letters slowly appeared across the first page.

“WELCOME: to AKASHIC LIBRARY.”

Hanabi blinked repeatedly while reading each word carefully. More text gradually appeared beneath it, precise and deliberate.

Designation: Arcane Archive Interface.

Primary Function: To acquire, preserve, and analyze information derived from existing written sources within immediate proximity. Eligible materials include bound texts, manuscripts, inscribed artifacts, and encoded magical documents. All retained knowledge remains contingent upon the continued existence of the original source. Destruction of the source results in immediate revocation of corresponding data.

Service Scope: Analytical and Instructional Support.

This volume provides structured responses, comparative evaluations, strategic consultation, and systematic instruction based solely on accessible archives. Direct offensive spell deployment is restricted due to established magical limitations. Continued operation requires physical integrity. Severe water exposure or structural damage may impair functionality.

Expansion Protocol: Archive Dependency.

Cognitive capacity expands in proportion to the quantity and complexity of accessible written materials. Increased archival exposure enhances analytical precision and instructional depth.

Hanabi stared silently at the pages, understanding slowly forming piece by piece inside his mind. The book could answer questions, preserve knowledge, and even teach magic, though much of its meaning still remained beyond him. Even so, partial understanding alone already felt like discovering treasure beyond imagination.

The next page revealed only a single word.

“INQUIRE.”

No explanation followed.

Hanabi frowned slightly before cautiously speaking aloud.

“Magic.”

The book immediately responded, new words forming after the glow faded.

Learn magic

Study magic

Discover magic

Curiosity stirred inside him. He tried pressing one of the choices with his finger, but nothing happened. After several failed attempts, he realized the book only reacted to spoken commands.

“The third one,” he whispered quietly, anticipation rising inside him.

The page shifted again, revealing a simple circle alongside a short instruction.

“Put the palm inside the circle.”

Hanabi hesitated briefly, uncertainty creeping beneath his skin. Slowly, he placed his hand within the circle. Light immediately surrounded it as though the book itself was scanning him. The sensation felt strange, unnatural, yet oddly alive. Remaining still, Hanabi allowed the process to continue, sensing a quiet intelligence behind the book’s actions.

After several moments, the glow disappeared and the page changed once more.

Name: Hanabi

Age: 5

Gender: Male

Potential for magic: High

Magic output: High

Potential for mana: High

Magic input: High

Arch potential: Low

Medium potential: High

Elemental affinity: All, main: Water

Overall potential: Inconsistent

Questions immediately flooded his mind. What exactly did “arch” and “medium” potential mean? Why was his overall potential considered inconsistent despite the overwhelming number of high ratings?

A sudden sound outside the cave, the sharp snap of a twig, caused Hanabi to instinctively duck down in fear. Strong winds had been knocking dead branches loose all day, yet his heart still pounded violently against his chest. Relief eventually followed once he realized nothing dangerous was there, though the interruption shattered the fragile sense of security surrounding him.

Part of him considered leaving the cave entirely, yet it remained the only place he trusted enough to hide the pouch safely.

Resolving himself, Hanabi spoke the only command he could think of.

“Hide the cave.”

The book reacted instantly.

It floated upward while glowing brighter than before, rainbow colored light swirling wildly around it. Moments later, a luminous barrier spread throughout the cave, wrapping everything inside a shimmering bubble as though the sanctuary itself had become hidden from the world.

Hanabi slowly exhaled, awe and cautious relief mixing together inside him.

His sanctuary was safe.

And so were its secrets.

Quietly, he sat down against the cave floor and stared at the scattered objects around him while the glow of the book reflected softly against the walls. Every cloth, tool, and piece of parchment suddenly felt important now, valuable not only because of their use, but because of what they might become. For the first time in his life, Hanabi truly felt the weight of responsibility, not as punishment, not as another chore forced upon him, but as someone standing before knowledge and power far beyond his understanding. Inside the stillness of the cave, surrounded by silence and hidden light, even a small child could stand before wonders greater than himself.

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