I will change this so-called fate

---

The moment Karli and Kaelir stepped through the glowing passage under the ancient tree, the world changed.

Soft blue light lined the hidden path, and soon it opened up into a breathtaking sight.

Above them, huge trees rose like towers, their branches forming archways and bridges between homes that clung to the trunks like elegant lantern-lit nests. Glowing flowers bloomed from the bark, and spiraling staircases wrapped around the wood like vines. Water flowed gently through floating channels, weaving around the village like a silver ribbon.

Children of the elves ran laughing through the open square, chasing glowing orbs that floated like fireflies. Merchants called out from tree-stall shops selling crystal fruits, enchanted trinkets, and silky robes that shimmered like starlight.

It felt same no different from a human village. Yet,

Different.

And strangely familiar.

Karli's breath caught. She stood there, eyes wide, trying to take it all in — the soft hum of magic in the air, the calm rhythm of leaves dancing in unseen wind.

There was power here.

Magic that pulsed softly through the trees, the ground, even the sky above.

She could feel it.

Not like a mage sensing mana.

This was something else — something that stirred faintly inside her chest.

"…It feels like I've been here before," she whispered under her breath, placing a hand on the nearest tree. Its surface was warm. Alive.

Kaelir, floating near her shoulder in invisible stealth, tilted his head.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Karli didn't answer right away.

She was lost in thought, her gaze distant.

Then—

Thump!

Something — or someone — bumped into her.

She stumbled back slightly, blinking in surprise.

On the ground, an elf boy with leafy green hair and pale golden eyes sat, rubbing his forehead. He looked about ten, and a glowing fruit rolled from his bag.

"Renny!" another child ran over, helping him up.

"I'm fine…" the boy mumbled, confused. He looked around, squinting into the air. "Did someone just—?"

Karli had already slipped away, melting into the crowd.

He turned to his friend, eyes narrowed.

"Someone's here."

---

As Karli and Kaelir melted deeper into the crowd, passing stalls of floating crystals and flower-woven cloaks, Kaelir whispered sharply near her ear:

"So... where exactly is the treasure?"

Karli, eyes casually scanning the elven village, replied without looking at him, "I don't know."

Kaelir nearly choked on thin air. "Excuse me?"

Karli smiled, hands behind her back. "I mean, I did say it's in the elf village…"

Kaelir squinted. "Right."

"But I didn't say I knew the exact spot."

"…You're joking."

"I'm not."

"So let me get this straight," Kaelir said slowly, dragging out every word like it personally offended him. "You dragged us into a secret elf village — where you could be roasted like marshmallows for just being human — based on… what, a hunch?"

Karli cleared her throat and adjusted her collar. "Not a hunch. A book."

"What book?"

She scratched her cheek innocently. "Uhh... one I read once. Somewhere. In a library. Maybe?"

Kaelir blinked. "You don't even remember the title?"

"Details," she said, waving him off. "Not important."

Kaelir gave her a long, blank stare. "So this entire life-threatening mission is based on a book you can't even remember the name of ?"

Karli beamed. "Yep!"

"…You are terrifyingly calm for someone who has entered a tiger's den with zero idea what she's doing."

"Well," she said with a wink, "maybe I'm the type who figures things out after jumping into danger."

"That's not brave. That's called 'chaotic unhinged optimism.'"

Kaelir sighed so hard it sounded like wind leaving a broken flute.

Just then, Karli perked up and pointed at a group of elves nearby — a couple of scholarly types chatting while carrying stacks of scrolls and old books.

"See those elves?" she said brightly.

Kaelir looked. "Yes?"

"They just said they're submitting books to the elf library."

"…Okay? And?"

Karli turned to him, a grin blooming on her face.

"We're going to the library!"

Kaelir blinked twice. "Wait—what?"

"You heard me."

"Karli, no offense, but I don't think they store divine artifacts next to fiction and fairy tales."

"Well," she shrugged, "you never know. Maybe the artifact's hidden behind some dusty bookshelf."

"Oh, so now it's a scavenger hunt?"

"With magic!"

Kaelir groaned, flapping after her as she walked toward the library like she owned the place.

"Why do I feel like you're winging this entire journey one chaotic decision at a time?"

Karli gave him a proud smile.

"Because I am."

---

As Karli cheerfully followed the scholars, Kaelir gave a faint smile. The truth was, when Karli first entered the village, she had a distant look — a mixture of thoughtfulness and something heavier. Kaelir didn't like that look. That's why he brought up the treasure — to distract her.

They finally arrived in front of the library.

The towering building loomed in front of them like a scene straight out of a dream.

Karli's jaw dropped.

Her eyes sparkled with disbelief. "Is that… the library?"

It looked more like a castle than a place for books — tall spires kissed the clouds, ivy crept across its stone walls, and glowing crystals floated above the grand entrance like protective guard. The heavy wooden doors were carved with ancient runes and swirling vines, humming faintly with magic.

Kaelir hovered beside her, unimpressed. "Why do elves always have to be so dramatic?"

Karli was already walking forward with stars in her eyes. "This is a library, Kaelir. A literal castle of knowledge. Do you see this place?"

"I see a pretentious building that probably charges rent to every book inside."

Ignoring him completely,

Karli ducked low and blended into a group of robed elf scholars walking through the entrance. With her hood pulled low and a gentle veil of stealth magic shimmering around her like a second shadow, she moved like a whisper. The cloaked human in their midst went unnoticed — her steps light, presence carefully veiled.

Kaelir, of course, floated behind her invisibly with an audible sigh.

Once inside, Karli let out a soft gasp.

The interior was even more unbelievable.

Bookshelves towered like skyscrapers, lined wall to wall in spiraling patterns that stretched into the upper floors. Glowing vines wrapped around pillars of crystal, and floating platforms moved slowly between the levels. Ancient scrolls, artifacts sealed in glass, magical relics hovering mid-air — it was a treasure trove of knowledge and power.

Karli spun in place, eyes wide like a kid inside a candy factory.

"This place…" she whispered. "It's like a magical museum married a royal library and had an overachieving child."

She blinked at a wall of sparkling tomes. "Just how rich are these elves?!"

Kaelir raised an invisible brow. "You're worried about how rich they are? Seriously?"

He gestured to the endless aisles of magical relics. "Maybe — just maybe — focus on finding the treasure instead of mentally robbing the place."

Karli grinned sheepishly. "Multitasking."

Kaelir sighed dramatically. "I'm out."

"What?"

"I haven't visited the elves in over a century," he said, floating backward. "And since you've decided to swim in a sea of books, I'll go look around. Maybe peek at the new architecture, admire the trees, you know, things that don't involve chasing myths."

Karli waved him off, already nose-deep in the first bookshelf. "Go. Be old and nostalgic. If I find something shiny, I'll scream."

Kaelir faded out with a faint mutter about "chaotic children with no plans."

Left to herself, Karli moved through the first floor slowly, scanning books and titles, looking for anything that hinted at the Divine Treasures — ancient stories, hidden maps, even random footnotes.

"Hmmm…" she murmured, running her fingers across spines. "Something has to be here."

And so the treasure hunt began… one shelf at a time.

Karli wandered among the rows of ancient books, her eyes wide with wonder. Every shelf held something new — books about demons and their forgotten realms, records of mystical creatures long vanished from the human world, scrolls about elusive spirits, enchanted relics, and forgotten histories.

She skimmed through illustrations of phoenixes wrapped in golden fire, dragons sleeping beneath crystal caverns, and forests said to shift their shape overnight.

Of course, there were countless tales — some clearly bedtime stories, others that felt a bit too real to be fiction.

But two books in particular stopped her in her tracks.

One, bound in deep emerald leather with golden roots etched into its cover, was titled "The World Tree: Origins and Secrets."

The other, aged and wrapped in weathered black cloth, bore no title — only a silver-inked symbol of a changing blade.

Karli's eyes twinkle a little.

"Jackpot."

---

Karli brushed the dust off the cloth-wrapped book and opened it slowly, the pages yellowed and crinkling at the edges like old parchment.

No title. No introduction. Just a quiet weight to the words written inside.

Her eyes scanned the elegant Elven script, quickly switching to the translated version with the help of a charm she wore around her wrist.

The first few pages were vague — poetic ramblings about legends, chosen wielders, and the will of ancient weapons.

But then, her gaze caught familiar names.

The Sword of Light.

The Sword of Darkness.

The Bow of Wind.

Weapons she had seen before.

(In the manga… those were in the hands of supporting characters.)

Karli's heart skipped.

This was it — proof that the weapons existed. That they weren't just pretty illustrations or throwaway story points.

Page after page listed names and brief descriptions of powerful weapons — some able to cut through dimensions, others whispering to their wielders.

Karli leaned in, flipping faster.

But… something was off.

Where's the location?

The history?

Any clue, any, that could lead her to the treasures?

She flipped to the final page.

Blank.

Karli stared. Then slumped back with a sigh so dramatic even Kaelir would've given her a slow blink of pity.

"Seriously?" she muttered. "All that buildup and nothing?"

She held the book open over her head and groaned.

"I thought this was the moment," she mumbled. "Whenever I read manga or novels, the crucial info is always hidden in something unexpected. But nooo… turns out it's just a catalog. A very mysterious, vague, absolutely useless catalog."

Her mood crashed.

And as if fate decided to make things worse — a sudden crackle of static tingled across her skin.

Her stealth magic shimmered… and then, poof — vanished like mist.

"Uh-oh."

The magic had faded — too long in use, and she hadn't practiced enough lately to maintain it for so long.

Voices echoed from the hallway.

She froze, eyes widening.

Two elves were approaching — light footsteps and the rustle of scrolls in hand.

Karli's instincts kicked in.

She grabbed the books in her arms — not even realizing she was still holding both — and bolted toward the open window.

Without a second thought, she slipped through it.

The breeze hit her face, the air cooler outside.

Branches greeted her, and she climbed quickly into the thick leaves of a massive tree beside the library, settling into its shadowy canopy just as the door to the room creaked open behind her.

Below, she heard the elves enter.

"Strange," one of them said. "I thought I sensed a shift in mana."

"Probably just the old enchantments flickering again," the other replied. "These archives are ancient."

Karli held her breath, pressed against the bark, the two books still clutched tightly in her hands.

She glanced down at them.

"…Great," she whispered. "Now I'm accidentally a book thief too."

---