A Bug In Fate

Alden carefully pulled the book from the shelf.

Unlike the other volumes surrounding it, this one showed signs of being read countless times. Its dark leather cover was worn at the edges, and the once-golden lettering had faded with age.

The World of Umbersoul

A simple title.

Exactly what he was looking for.

Carrying the book to a nearby table, Alden settled into a chair and slowly opened the first page.

Written beneath the title in neat, elegant script was a single sentence.

"To understand the world is to understand one’s place within it."

His eyes drifted to the page below.

---

Chapter One

The World of Umbersoul

No scholar has ever claimed to know every corner of Umbersoul.

For thousands of years, explorers have ventured beyond the borders of civilization in search of forgotten lands, ancient ruins, and the remnants of lost ages. Some returned bearing discoveries that changed the course of history. Many more vanished without a trace, their names preserved only within fading records.

What is written within this volume is not the entirety of the world, but merely the knowledge accepted by scholars in the present age.

---

Alden turned the page.

Then another.

And another.

Occasionally, he paused, his eyes lingering on a paragraph before moving on.

Without realizing it, nearly an hour slipped by.

When he finally reached the end of the Chapter, he gently closed the book and leaned back in his chair.

"...What a world."

The words escaped him almost unconsciously.

The book had answered many of the questions that had been weighing on his mind ever since arriving here.

The world was called Umbersoul.

Far larger than Earth, it was a land so immense that even after thousands of years of exploration, vast regions remained uncharted.

Above it shone a single sun accompanied by two moons—one blue and one crimson.

"So those weren’t just for decoration..." Alden muttered to himself.

According to the book, the known world was divided into five great continents.

He was currently on the Northern Continent, the homeland of humanity, ruled by the Human Emperor.

To the east lay the Eastern Empire, where the descendants of dragons had established their dominion under the Dragon Emperor. They were said to possess extraordinary physical strength from birth and were widely respected as one of the world’s mightiest races.

To the west stood the Western Empire, ruled by vampires. While their individual strength was well known, what truly distinguished them was their wealth. The empire controlled an enormous portion of the world’s commerce, making it the richest nation on Umbersoul.

"The richest nation ruled by vampires..."

Alden couldn’t help but picture elegant nobles sipping wine in luxurious mansions.

"...Yeah, that somehow fits."

A faint chuckle escaped him before he continued.

The Southern Continent was unlike the other three. Rather than being united beneath a single emperor, it was divided among several kingdoms ruled by different races, including elves, dwarves, catkin, wolfkin, and many others.

Each kingdom governed its own territory while sharing the same continent.

But the Chapter that held his attention the longest wasn’t about any of those places.

It was about the Central Continent.

Unlike every other great power, it wasn’t ruled by an emperor.

Instead, a Central Government governed the continent according to its own laws and policies.

It possessed the highest concentration of mana in the known world, housed the most prestigious academy ever established, and had developed technology far beyond the other continents after uncovering ruins left behind by an ancient civilization.

Just reading the descriptions was enough to make it sound like the center of the world.

The final section explained that settling there wasn’t as simple as buying a house or crossing the border.

Only those acknowledged by the Central Government were permitted to reside on the continent. Exceptional cultivators, scholars, inventors, and individuals capable of contributing to its future could earn that privilege. Others required official recommendations or acceptance into its world-renowned academy.

"So even getting in is difficult..."

Alden tapped the cover of the book thoughtfully.

A small smile slowly spread across his face.

"...Now that’s a place worth visiting."

Alden stretched before closing the book.

After carefully returning it to its place on the shelf, he made his way toward the exit.

There were still plenty of books he wanted to read, but he remembered what Vish had told him before they parted ways.

"Go to the Adventurers’ Guild first."

Stepping out of the library, Alden looked around.

"I don’t know where it is..."

Then he shrugged.

"It can’t be that hard to find."

The Adventurers’ Guild had to be one of the largest buildings in the city.

As he walked through the lively streets, he took in the sights around him. Vendors loudly advertised fresh herbs and medicines while customers haggled over prices. Blacksmiths hammered glowing pieces of metal atop their anvils, sparks flying with every strike as sweat dripped from their brows.

Before long, Alden found himself standing in front of the same massive building he had noticed earlier.

He looked around for a sign.

Nothing.

"...Maybe I should ask someone."

Nearby, an elderly dwarf was busy forging a sword, completely focused on the glowing steel before him.

Alden wasn’t surprised.

Guess forging really is in their blood.

That dwarf from the bandit group must’ve been the unusual one.

Walking over, Alden politely spoke.

"Excuse me, sir. Could you tell me where the Adventurers’ Guild is?"

"..."

Only the rhythmic sound of hammer striking steel answered him.

Clang!

Clang!

Alden waited a moment.

"Um... sir?"

The old dwarf didn’t even look up.

After another heavy strike of the hammer, he finally spoke.

"You blind, kid?"

"...Huh?"

The dwarf clicked his tongue.

"The building you’re standing next to."

He pointed with his hammer.

"That’s the Adventurers’ Guild."

Alden blinked.

"...What?"

He looked at the enormous stone building, then back at the dwarf.

"But... where’s the sign?"

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"...Don’t tell me they’re too broke to afford one."

The dwarf finally stopped hammering.

He slowly turned his head and stared at Alden as though questioning how he’d survived this long.

"...You’re standing behind the building."

Alden froze.

"..."

"...Oh."

He looked around again.

Sure enough, he was facing the rear wall.

"So that’s why..."

An awkward laugh escaped him as he scratched the back of his head.

"Thanks, sir."

The dwarf merely grunted before returning to his work.

Clang!

Clang!

Watching the glowing blade gradually take shape beneath the dwarf’s hammer, Alden couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship.

Then, shaking his head, he circled around the massive building in search of the main entrance.