The library already has copies of the majority of them, especially the Spell Tomes, but a handful are new. In particular, one of the books seems to be an internal book by the Order of the Black Worm, a cult of necromancers formed by an elf called Mannimarco in the Second Era and which survives to this day despite his death at the end of the Third Era*.

"Ah, now this is an interesting one," says gro-Shub when they reach a certain book with a brown cover, a bas-relief engraving, and no name. "The Monomyth. You have no memories, yes? This might be a useful book for you. It's one of the most well-known academic treatises on the creation of the universe and the nature of the Divine. If you have not yet read it, I would urge you to. It is, in my view, fundamental to the understanding of Tamrielic culture and in particular the sociological divide between human and elf cultures."

(* The Tamrielic Calendar is divided into several eras, with varying lengths, marked by significant events. The First Era lasted nearly three thousand years, the Second Era approximately nine hundred, the Third Era a bit over four hundred, and this story takes place in the year 201 of the Fourth Era.)

"...the religious aspect is that important?"

"Yes, of course. You will understand the world much better once you make sense of it, and of the pervasive fact that human culture is based around the idea that being alive is good and elf culture surrounds the notion that being alive means being separated from the Divine. Ironic, given how long-lived elves are, compared to men."

"Shouldn't that philosophy drive all elves to commit suicide, then, if taken seriously?"

"Death does little to help; rather than being separated from the Divine in Mundus, we are separated from the Divine in Aetherius. What brings us closer to the Divine is magic, and powerful mages have a measure of control over their own existence rivalled by nothing. This may also explain why so many elves are mages, even beyond the fact that we have stronger affinity for it."

"It seems... surprising, to me, that people take these things into account to that extent in their lives."

"Individually? They don't. This is a lens for the analysis of culture, not of the actions of any given elf. But that said, elves are very long-lived, and in our hundreds of years we will eventually be faced with what it means to be mortal. Most mer do, eventually, decide to die."

"Decide?"

"It is not easy to achieve much longer lifespans than those imposed on us by nature, but not so hard that a two hundred year old elf cannot do it if they are motivated to do so. But most... aren't."

"You are."

"I am," he agrees easily. "I do not know when I will be ready to depart from Mundus, but I do not think it will be anytime soon. There are, after all, too many books I have not read, and many more yet to be written."

...Ruby likes this guy. He's very sensible.

"Now, let's see, what's next... Oh, this one I am unfamiliar with. 'The Aetherium Wars', is it?

"The library would be happy to purchase the tomes it does not currently have from you. You don't need to accept, of course, and if you do sell them to us you will naturally be permitted to check these books out whenever you wish."

—ooh, money. Yeah, Ruby is perfectly willing to sell these books.

Then after discussing prices Urag writes Ruby a note to present to Mirabelle so that she can pay him for them.

"Now, speaking of library books, I believe you also borrowed a Spell Tome of Conjure Ethereal Horse a few weeks ago?"

"Ah, yes, ah... I'm done with it but I don't actually have it on me, right now. Some... things happened... and I had to leave it with someone in Whiterun as collateral. I'm going to send them a courier to get it back, though."

"Very well.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually. Do you have anything on the, uh, Civil War?"

"Ah, I'm afraid not. Those are events a bit too recent to have made it to any books yet, at least any books that aren't outdated by the following month. I would suggest speaking to that fellow Apprentice of yours, the Nord? He would probably have the necessary context, being a Skyrim native."

"Fair enough. Then no, that was all, thank you."

"You are most welcome, young man."

It's about lunch time, so Ruby decides he'll have lunch with the others, catch up and such. When he steps out of Elements he has to pull his hood up—the snow seems to have picked up since he walked out—and he makes a beeline to Acumen.

"You have returned," says J'zargo to him when he and the other two Apprentices—plus someone Ruby hasn't met yet, another Dunmer* like Brelyna—have grabbed their food and joined him at the table. "J'zargo had begun to wonder if you had fled once it became clear to you that J'zargo would surpass you in all things."

(* Also known as dark elf, one of the many types of mer/elf.)

"Not everything is a competition, you know," Brelyna says, taking a seat next to him.

"Ah, but you are wrong. The only reason you could disagree is because you are losing so badly you cannot see it."