Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats-Chapter 112 : Personal Library
[VOLUME 4 START]
Ambrose materialized in the academy hallway with a soft displacement of air, causing several passing students to stumble back in surprise. He ignored their shocked expressions as he surveyed his surroundings with satisfaction. The Spatial Displacement ability had performed beyond expectations, transporting him across a considerable distance while barely tapping his mental reserves.
This evolved skill is truly remarkable, he thought, appreciating how efficiently he'd traversed the distance. Despite the temptation to continue using his spatial abilities, Ambrose decided against depleting his mental strength further. The remaining journey to the estate would be completed the old-fashioned way—on foot.
Upon reaching his residence, fatigue finally caught up with him. Without ceremony, he made his way to his bedroom, collapsed onto the plush mattress, and surrendered to sleep's embrace.
Morning light filtered through the curtains when he awoke, bringing with it clarity of purpose. The academic classes held little appeal—merely boring lectures covering fundamentals he had long since studied. He decided to skip class altogether. He thought to himself that he would probably visit the principal later and ask for permission to skip classes whenever he wanted as they really didn't do anything much for him and he'd much rather spent that time doing something productive.
"Go on without me," he instructed Hualing and the others as they prepared for classes.
Hualing's expression tightened with concern. "Master…"
"I won't be leaving the estate," Ambrose assured her, noting her reluctance. "I'll remain within these walls for the entire day. There's no need for a bodyguard when I'm safely at home."
After several moments of visible internal debate, Hualing was finally convinced. As the group prepared to depart, Ambrose observed the easy conversation flowing between the young women. Their relaxed postures and occasional laughter spoke of growing bonds. His decision to give them space to develop their own dynamics had proven wise.
Once alone, Ambrose summoned Claire from his mindscape. The ghostly librarian materialized beside him, her form glowing softly in the morning light. They both walked to the center of the estate. Ambrose wanted to find a dedicated space to store all the books he had stolen–borrowed.
Despite having received the estate from the principal a while back, Ambrose had never properly explored its full extent. This presented the perfect opportunity to test his newly evolved spatial awareness kill.
He focused inward, calling forth the skill:
[Spatial Omniscience](SS) - A dramatic evolution of spatial awareness that grants comprehensive understanding of all matter and energy within the user's domain. The range has expanded significantly (typically 100-150 meters) and scales with mental strength. Within this sphere, the user perceives everything with perfect clarity: every movement, position, and the subtle fabric of space itself. The user can instantly detect spatial anomalies, dimensional distortions, and even cloaked or phase-shifted entities. Most notably, the user can now "remember" the spatial arrangement of areas they've previously observed, allowing them to sense major changes when returning to familiar locations.
Rather than activating the skill at full capacity—which would drain his mental reserves instantly—Ambrose engaged a modified version, focusing solely on visual information while filtering out the myriad other metrics. With deliberate control, he extended his awareness outward in expanding ripples.
Mental energy coursed through him as his consciousness spread across the estate. The half-mile radius became an open book to his perception, every room and corridor unfolding in his mind simultaneously. The mental strain was considerable, but vastly preferable to physically traversing the entire property. A fleeting thought crossed his mind—he could have simply requested the estate's layout from the principal—but he dismissed it with a mental shrug. This exercise served as excellent practice for his evolving abilities.
As his awareness blanketed the final corners of the estate, Ambrose's extraordinary mental processing capabilities engaged automatically. His brain cataloged and mapped every wall, every passage, every chamber. Within seconds, a perfect three-dimensional model of the entire property crystallized in his mind, rendered with architectural precision. Despite the overwhelming volume of information flowing into his consciousness, his enhanced cognitive abilities processed it effortlessly, storing each detail with perfect clarity that could be instantly recalled when needed.
When he had captured everything, Ambrose gradually retracted his awareness, relieving the pressure on his mental reserves. Even with the limitations he had imposed, utilizing the skill across such an extensive area had proven taxing. I should reserve wide-range scanning for critical situations, he noted to himself. The mental strain is significant, even with my enhanced processing capabilities.
With a slight gesture to Claire, he started walking purposefully through the corridors. "I've found the perfect location for our library," he announced. He now moved with absolute confidence through the estate, navigating its layout as if he'd lived there for years rather than days.
…
Ambrose and Claire entered the chosen room with measured steps, their footfalls echoing in the empty space. The chamber was impressively spacious, with high ceilings that invited soft natural light through tall windows along one wall. A fine layer of dust covered the wooden floor, suggesting the room had gone unused for some time.
"A storage room, by the looks of it," Ambrose thought, but it didn't matter as the room was perfect for their purpose.
Claire drifted forward, her spectral form gliding across the floor without disturbing the dust. She turned in a slow circle, her eyes taking in every corner, every possibility.
"The positioning is ideal," she observed, her voice carrying that peculiar ethereal quality. "Removed enough from the estate's main activities to ensure quiet, yet still accessible. With proper shelving and furnishings…"
Ambrose nodded in agreement. Though the room was there, it still needed some renovations to be used properly. He traced invisible lines through the air, mentally placing bookshelves, reading tables, and comfortable seating. He decided to talk to Adelaide about the renovations later.
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That evening, when his companions returned from their classes, Ambrose pulled Adelaide aside to discuss his vision for the space.
"I have a task for you," he explained, leading her to the empty room. "I intend to convert this chamber into a private library. Could you locate suitable craftsmen to install proper shelving, reading furniture, and appropriate lighting?"
Adelaide's eyes lit with understanding and purpose. "Consider it done master. I know a few master carpenters who specialize in such work. They can begin immediately." Ambrose was pleased to hear this, it was really nice having someone like Adelaide around. With her around, he could leave all the annoying tasks to her, Ambrose thought but he didn't say it aloud.
True to her word, Adelaide's efficiency proved remarkable. Within hours, a small army of craftsmen descended upon the estate. Ambrose observed with satisfaction as the empty room underwent its transformation. Master carpenters installed floor-to-ceiling bookshelves of rich mahogany along the walls. Artisans polished the hardwood floors to a warm glow. Others arranged comfortable reading chairs and sturdy oak tables, positioned strategically to catch the natural light.
By sunset, the space had metamorphosed from an abandoned storage room into a distinguished private library that would not have looked out of place in a noble's manor. The air now carried the pleasant scent of polished wood and fresh beeswax.
Once Adelaide assured him the work was complete, Ambrose went into the newly furnished room and accessed his pocket dimension. With a subtle manipulation of spatial forces, he extracted the collection of ancient texts—several hundred volumes that represented Claire's former sanctuary beneath the academy. The books materialized in the center of the newly renovated library, forming an impressive mound upon the floor.
Claire materialized beside him, her eyes widening with undisguised delight at the sight of her treasured collection. Without prompting, she extended her hands, and the books began to rise from the floor. They hovered in the air, suspended by her telekinetic abilities, drifting like autumn leaves caught in a gentle breeze.
Ambrose watched with quiet appreciation as Claire orchestrated the collection. Books floated to their designated places, arranging themselves by subject, era, and sometimes by author. Her expression held the peaceful contentment of a curator reunited with precious artifacts.
Later, Ambrose gathered his companions in the newly established library. "I've created this space for our party's exclusive use," he announced, gesturing to the impressive shelves now lined with ancient volumes. "These texts contain knowledge dating back centuries—insights and wisdom that could prove invaluable to our advancement."
He deliberately omitted any mention of Claire, who had already returned inside him. Ambrose had explained to her that since she was a ghost, it was better if she remained inside him whenever there were other people around.
In the days that followed, the library became a frequent gathering place for the party members. Each gravitated toward their particular interests—Adelaide to economic texts, Marcus—when he wasn't out training with the sword—to combat manuals, as for Hualing she didn't seem to have much interest in the books. But that was to be expected, after all, she was a berserker-type. Ambrose had decided to make the books accessible to the members of his party mostly because of the intelligence-types within his party (Adelaide, Meihua, and himself). Seeing how Marcus and Hualing were advancing, he didn't want the others to fall behind.
Meihua, however, displayed the most curious behavior. While she appeared engrossed in mathematical treatises, Ambrose frequently caught her casting furtive glances in his direction.
Ambrose wondered if she knew something, maybe about the book's origin or even about Claire's existence. But he chose not to confront her on the matter. Meihua's knowledge might eventually prove useful—or dangerous. For now, he would simply watch and wait.
