Imagination Paralysis

There was still a bit of rice left in Booza's bowl. But his appetite was gone, all thanks to an annoying student who had just approached him. A peaceful life didn't seem to belong to someone from the slums like Booza.

The bulky man named Liam looked like he was leading a small army among the students. They surrounded Booza now—from the front, the back, and both sides—as if there was no escape route left.

Of course, Booza could read the minds of everyone around him. Most of them looked down on him; some even wanted to kill him right then and there.

"This scrawny guy is the one who killed Agril? I'll avenge him."

"Is this lowlife really that strong?"

"Look at how pathetic this guy is. Skinny, unkempt... just a slumdog."

Then the man named Liam stepped closer. It was clear from his mind—he was furious, and he wanted to attack Booza.

"Why do I have to fight again?"

Sure enough, Liam attacked. He kicked the table in front of Booza. Booza had braced it with both hands, but Liam's kick was too strong. Booza was shoved backward and fell to the floor. Still, he didn't feel pain. He just let out an annoyed snort.

All the students in the royal cafeteria laughed when they saw Booza lying on the ground. Now, Liam and his cronies approached Booza, who was still down and seemingly helpless.

"So, you're the one who killed my best friend!"

Booza slowly stood up and looked at Liam with a flat stare.

"That was a massacre. Anyone could've killed or been killed."

According to the rules, Booza was right. During the massacre, anyone could kill without facing punishment. If they wanted revenge, they'd have to wait for the next massacre or some other sanctioned event. But Liam and his friends didn't seem interested in waiting.

A man behind Liam suddenly rushed forward to attack Booza. As soon as the distance narrowed to a meter and a half, Booza had already read the man's intent. A sword was drawn in his right hand, swinging diagonally to slash Booza.

But Booza summoned his black axe—it appeared in his hand as if by magic. He immediately parried the sword. The clash of weapons echoed throughout the room, silencing everyone. Booza didn't stop there. He spun his body and kicked the man in the stomach with his left foot. The man was sent flying and collapsed to the floor.

"If you want revenge, do it a week from now. We'll kill each other then!"

Booza glared sharply at Liam, like he was declaring war—between the students from the slave class and those from the city and nobility. After a brief pause, Booza walked out of the royal cafeteria.

He exited calmly, heading toward the building where his room was. But suddenly, a desire stirred within him—to explore the Luzia Kingdom. After all, he hadn't taken a good look at the place the night before, and the architecture was stunning.

He turned away from the dorm building and walked in the opposite direction. Behind the royal palace, several buildings stood with nearly identical designs. Each had its own purpose—student dorms, the cafeteria, and the knights' quarters. But one building caught Booza's attention: the library.

He now stood before it, the word "Library" engraved above the entrance. The door was open, and from outside, shelves full of thousands of books could be seen. It was a breathtaking sight for Booza—like heaven on Earth.

He stepped in, greeted by an elderly woman, the librarian.

"You're a student, right? Want to read some books?"

Being asked that made Booza genuinely happy. He nodded, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"Go ahead and read whatever you want. You're free to read here, just don't take anything out."

Booza entered the library. It was grand, filled with classic ornaments. The design was rectangular: the front for librarian duties, the center for reading, and the back filled with rows upon rows of bookshelves.

The place was dead quiet. Only one other person was there—a young woman with orange hair, dressed like a noble, sitting by the window. Booza paid her no mind. His focus was on the vast sea of books before him.

He walked between the shelves, eyes scanning left, right, up, down—trying to take in every title. It was as if he wanted to read them all.

He moved from one aisle to another, over and over again, pacing like a lost soul. But after a long search, he finally spotted a book that piqued his interest. It sat on the top shelf, with a green cover, titled "The Glory of the Luzia Kingdom."

Interesting read! Did the glory of Luzia come from the oppression of the weak—people like Booza?

He grabbed the book and took it to a reading table. He chose to sit near the window, right across from the orange-haired girl.

Placing the book on the table, Booza gently brushed off the dust with both hands. Slowly, he opened it—first page, second page, third page... until he reached the first chapter, which told the story of the founding of the Luzia Kingdom. Booza began to read.

The Kingdom of Luzia was founded by King Theodore, who was deeply disturbed by the lack of peace in the world. There had been so much oppression, so much killing. With his swordsmanship, he fought against evil. That's when Luzia was born—and has grown ever since.

"If that's how it started, why is there oppression now? What a strange kingdom."

Booza continued reading.

The Kingdom of Luzia thrived under King Theodore's rule. For 80 years, peace reigned without conflict. The people lived in prosperity; poverty seemed nonexistent.

That peace continued under Queen Caterine I, the only child of King Theodore and Queen Scarlet. But in the 10th year of her reign, conflict and oppression returned. A rebellion erupted—triggered by the sudden emergence of magical powers among greedy humans.

Queen Caterine I was eventually killed during the uprising. Although Luzia did not fall into enemy hands, the life of its noble ruler could not be saved. The crown passed to her daughter, Caterine II.

Under her rule, Luzia transformed into a kingdom obsessed with war. Magic-wielding soldiers were raised in droves. Now, Luzia's military might was feared across the entire land.

"THIS IS THE SECOND GLORY OF THE LUZIA KINGDOM."

"THE GODDESS—QUEEN CATERINE II."