MENTIFERY

Part I — Valen House

Morning arrived quietly over Valen House.

The pale light of the northern sky settled across the estate with gentle patience, reflecting upon the still surface of the pond before the mansion. Every so often, a faint breeze drifted across the water, sending delicate ripples toward the stone embankment before disappearing among the rows of towering pine trees surrounding the property. Their branches swayed softly, producing only the faintest whisper, as though even the wind understood that this place preferred silence.

The mansion itself stood beyond the pond with restrained elegance. It was large enough to command attention, yet nothing about its appearance sought admiration. Long glass windows reflected the morning light across pale stone walls, while carefully maintained gardens stretched alongside pathways that curved naturally through patches of green. Everything had been designed with precision, but never excess. Wealth existed here without announcing itself.

Inside, the same quiet continued.

Sunlight poured through the tall windows lining the corridors, drawing warm patterns across polished wooden floors. House attendants moved through the halls with practiced composure, carrying out their duties without unnecessary conversation. The atmosphere felt neither tense nor lifeless. Instead, it carried the calm rhythm of a residence whose occupants had long grown accustomed to silence.

Near one of those windows, overlooking both the pond and the distant gardens, a small round wooden table had been prepared for a guest.

A porcelain teapot rested neatly beside a single cup, from which thin wisps of steam still rose into the morning air. Moments later, one of the attendants returned to adjust the arrangement with quiet care before stepping aside, satisfied that everything remained exactly as intended.

Only then did the guest take her seat.

Elena offered the attendant a polite smile as he poured tea into the waiting cup before excusing himself without another word. Left alone once more, she wrapped both hands around the warmth of the porcelain and allowed herself a slow breath as her gaze wandered beyond the glass toward the tranquil estate outside.

This was her first time setting foot inside Valen House.

Part II — Elena Lindholm

The warmth of the tea gradually spread through Elena's hands, easing the slight stiffness that had settled into her fingers during the journey. She took a careful sip before placing the porcelain cup back onto its saucer, her movements quiet enough that even the gentle clink seemed louder than it should have in the still corridor.

Waiting had never bothered her.

In truth, she had spent much of her life waiting—for opportunities, for better days, and for the small pieces of good fortune that rarely arrived without patience. Compared to the uncertainty of searching for work from one place to another, sitting comfortably inside one of the country's finest residences was hardly something worth complaining about.

Elena came from an ordinary middle-class family in a small town several hours away. Her father had passed away years earlier, leaving behind little more than memories and responsibilities that had arrived far sooner than anyone had expected. Her mother still lived there with Elena's younger brother, who had recently begun pursuing higher education. Much of Elena's earnings found their way home each month. It had never felt like a sacrifice. Looking after her family simply felt natural, as though it were another quiet rhythm of daily life.

When she had learned that Adrian Volker's household was searching for a live-in caretaker, she had almost dismissed the notice immediately. Positions within the homes of people as influential as the Volker family rarely found their way to someone with an ordinary background like hers. Even after receiving the interview invitation, part of her remained convinced that some mistake had been made.

Yet, somehow, here she was.

Her eyes wandered once more across the peaceful estate beyond the glass. The pond reflected the morning sky so clearly that it almost resembled polished glass, disturbed only occasionally by the breeze drifting through the surrounding pines. Everything about the mansion carried an effortless sense of order, from the carefully tended gardens to the silent professionalism of the attendants moving through its halls.

She wondered what kind of person Adrian Volker truly was.

Newspapers often described him as one of Aurelia's most influential businessmen, a man whose name carried weight not only throughout the country but also far beyond its borders. People spoke of his achievements with admiration, curiosity, and sometimes even envy. To Elena, however, those stories felt strangely distant. She had never imagined that someone like herself would one day be sitting inside his home, waiting quietly to meet him.

A faint glance at the elegant clock resting against the corridor wall told her only a few minutes had passed.

She smiled to herself.

Perhaps she was becoming a little impatient after all.

Just then, the soft sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Elena placed her cup gently upon its saucer and straightened her posture.

The owner of Valen House had arrived.

Part III — Adrian Volker

The footsteps drew closer at an unhurried pace before coming to a stop at the entrance of the corridor.

Elena rose from her seat almost instinctively.

A man dressed in a charcoal-grey suit stepped into view. He appeared to be in his early forties, carrying himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent years making decisions that shaped the lives of countless people. His neatly combed dark hair showed only the faintest traces of silver near the temples, while calm blue-grey eyes surveyed the room with effortless composure.

There was nothing imposing about his expression.

Nothing unnecessarily stern.

Yet his mere presence naturally commanded attention.

"Miss Elena."

His voice was even, neither distant nor particularly warm.

"Thank you for waiting."

Elena offered a respectful bow.

"Not at all, Mr. Volker."

Adrian took the seat opposite her, folding his hands upon the table as one of the attendants approached to refill the teapot. Once the cup before him had been prepared, the attendant quietly excused himself, leaving the corridor to its familiar silence once more.

For a brief while, neither of them spoke.

Adrian lifted the cup, taking a small sip before placing it back upon its saucer.

"I've already reviewed your background."

The words were spoken as a simple statement.

"You've worked as a caretaker for three years. Before that, you assisted at a children's learning centre. Your previous employers described you as patient, dependable, and discreet."

Elena nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"I also understand your family situation."

She lowered her eyes slightly.

"My mother and younger brother still live in our hometown."

"And your income supports them."

"...Yes."

Adrian acknowledged her answer with a slight inclination of his head.

"Responsibility is not a quality that can be taught. It is one of the reasons you are here today."

The unexpected compliment left Elena momentarily unsure how to respond.

"Thank you."

He reached into a leather document case resting beside his chair and placed a neatly prepared folder on the table between them.

"Before you make your final decision, there are several conditions you should understand."

Elena carefully opened the folder.

The first page described the position.

Live-in caretaker.

She continued reading.

Accommodation would be provided within Valen House.

Meals and daily necessities would be fully covered.

Working hours were not fixed in the conventional sense. Her primary responsibility was simply to remain available whenever needed.

Then her eyes reached the final page.

She stopped.

The offered salary was far beyond anything she had imagined.

For an instant, she wondered whether she had misunderstood the number.

Slowly, she looked back up.

"...Mr. Volker."

"Yes?"

"I apologise if this sounds inappropriate, but..."

She hesitated.

"This salary... is considerably higher than what someone in my profession would normally receive."

"It is."

His answer came without hesitation.

"And yet..."

She glanced down at the document once more.

"The responsibilities seem surprisingly simple."

"I am asking you to care for one person."

Nothing more followed.

That answer only deepened her confusion.

She gathered her thoughts before speaking again.

"If I may ask..."

"What kind of person will I be looking after?"

Adrian remained silent for several seconds.

Not because he was considering whether to answer.

Rather, because he seemed to be deciding how much needed to be said.

"A sixteen-year-old boy."

"...Your son?"

There was no change in Adrian's expression.

"No."

The reply was calm.

"He simply lives here."

Elena blinked.

She had expected many possible answers.

That was not one of them.

Adrian continued before she could ask another question.

"He requires no medical attention. He is fully capable of looking after himself."

"Then... why does he need a caretaker?"

"He doesn't."

The quiet certainty of the answer lingered between them.

"I am simply choosing to give him one."

For the first time since arriving at Valen House, Elena found herself genuinely unable to understand the situation before her.

A young boy.

No illness.

No special care.

No household responsibilities.

An extraordinary salary.

None of it fit together.

As though noticing her confusion, Adrian rose from his chair and buttoned his suit jacket.

"It will be easier to explain after you've met him

."

He looked toward the far end of the corridor.

"Come with me."

Elena closed the folder and stood.

Whatever she had imagined this job to be...

She was beginning to realise

that she had understood almost nothing at all.

Part IV — The Walk

Adrian turned without another word, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished wooden floor.

Elena followed a respectful distance behind, carrying the folder lightly against her chest. For several moments, neither of them spoke. The silence between them felt natural rather than uncomfortable, as though conversation was unnecessary while walking through a place so accustomed to quiet.

The corridor they had been sitting in gradually gave way to another, broader passage lined with tall windows overlooking the estate. Beyond the glass, the pond shimmered beneath the late morning sunlight, while the surrounding pine trees continued their gentle dance with the breeze. From here, Valen House appeared almost peaceful enough to be mistaken for a countryside retreat rather than the residence of one of Aurelia's most influential businessmen.

As they continued deeper into the mansion, the atmosphere began to change almost imperceptibly. The sound of attendants became less frequent, and the occasional clink of porcelain gradually faded behind them. Even the carefully maintained scent of tea and polished wood gave way to the faint fragrance of old timber and paper carried upon still air.

Elena found herself glancing around more often. The architecture remained elegant, yet it felt older here. The walls displayed fewer paintings, while decorative pieces became increasingly rare, replaced instead by plain wooden panels and long corridors that seemed to stretch farther than the rest of the mansion.

Almost instinctively, she lowered her voice.

"...Does anyone else live in this part of the house?"

Adrian continued walking without slowing.

"No."

"The attendants?"

"They rarely come here."

His answer was neither secretive nor dismissive.

It was simply factual.

Elena nodded.

She wasn't frightened. Only curious. The deeper they walked, the more it felt as though they were leaving behind the mansion she had first entered. The luxurious residence with its servants, gardens, and quiet elegance slowly faded into memory, replaced by an almost monastery-like stillness.

Eventually, they reached a staircase unlike the others she had passed.

It was built entirely from dark oak. Its polished handrails bore the subtle marks of age rather than wear. Sunlight streamed through a tall window beside it, filling the stairwell with warm golden light that contrasted beautifully against the dark wood.

Without hesitation, Adrian began climbing.

Elena followed.

The higher they ascended, the quieter the world became. By the time they reached the upper floor, she could no longer hear the distant activity of the household below. Only their footsteps remained, echoing gently through the stillness.

After crossing one final corridor, Adrian stopped before a pair of tall wooden doors.

Unlike the grand entrances elsewhere within Valen House, these doors possessed no elaborate carvings or expensive ornamentation. Their design was remarkably simple, almost modest, as though whatever lay beyond required no decoration to announce its importance.

Adrian rested one hand upon the brass handle.

He looked toward Elena for the first time since they had begun walking.

"The person you'll be caring for..."

His voice remained as calm as ever.

"...is inside."

For reasons she couldn't explain, Elena found herself holding her breath.

Adrian slowly turned the handle.

The doors began to open.

Part V — The Endless Library

The doors opened without a sound.

At first, Elena saw nothing unusual.

Warm sunlight streamed through the narrow opening, carrying with it the familiar scent of old paper and polished wood. It was the unmistakable fragrance of books—comforting, quiet, and strangely nostalgic.

Then the doors opened wider.

Her eyes instinctively searched for the opposite wall.

There wasn't one.

The room continued far beyond where any room should have ended.

Rows upon rows of towering bookshelves stretched endlessly into the distance, rising like silent monuments beneath a ceiling so high that it gradually disappeared into pale light. Countless wooden staircases wound between them, crossing through the air before vanishing among the shelves. Narrow bridges connected one towering aisle to another, suspended so naturally that they seemed less like architecture than a part of the library itself.

Elena remained standing at the doorway, her breathing catching almost without her noticing.

"...What..."

The word escaped before she realised she had spoken.

She had entered libraries before—public libraries, university libraries, even historical libraries preserved for generations. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

Every direction she looked revealed another endless corridor of books. Shelf after shelf. Floor after floor. The collection appeared immeasurable, as though the concept of distance itself had quietly surrendered within these walls.

The silence felt unlike any she had ever experienced. It wasn't empty. It was alive. Pages occasionally turned somewhere far beyond her sight. A ladder shifted almost imperceptibly in the distance. The faint rustle of paper drifted through the still air before fading once more into complete tranquillity.

Sunlight poured through impossibly tall windows high above, illuminating floating dust particles that shimmered like tiny stars suspended throughout the vast space. The golden light softened everything it touched, transforming the endless sea of books into something almost dreamlike.

Elena found herself taking a single step forward.

Then another.

She had forgotten why she had come.

Forgotten the interview.

Forgotten the extraordinary salary.

Forgotten even Adrian walking beside her.

The only thing that existed before her was this impossible world.

It was beautiful.

Not because of its size.

Not because it defied reason.

But because it possessed a quiet serenity that words somehow failed to capture.

Almost without thinking, Elena looked back toward Adrian.

"...How..."

She searched for an explanation.

"...How is this possible?"

Adrian's gaze remained upon the endless shelves before him.

"I don't know."

His answer came without hesitation.

"I stopped trying to answer that question many years ago."

Elena slowly turned back toward the library.

For the first time in her life, she had encountered something her understanding simply refused to accept.

Yet, strangely, she felt no fear.

Only wonder.

Then her eyes caught the smallest movement.

Far within the golden silence, beside a tall window overlooking an endless landscape of books, a lone figure sat upon a simple wooden chair.

A white page turned.

The soft sound echoed gently through the library.

Only then did Elena truly notice him.

A boy.

Perhaps sixteen years old.

His snow-white hair reflected the sunlight with such softness that it almost seemed woven from light itself. His pale skin carried no sign of frailty despite the countless hours he appeared to spend surrounded by books. Dressed in simple white clothing, he rested with a thick volume open across his lap, his complete attention devoted to the words before him.

He neither hurried nor lingered.

He simply turned another page.

For a brief moment, Elena wondered whether he had noticed them at all.

The library felt impossibly vast.

Yet somehow, everything within it seemed to revolve around the quiet existence of that single boy.

Without lifting his eyes from the book, he spoke.

"...You're late."

His calm voice travelled effortlessly through the endless silence.

Only then did Adrian allow himself the faintest smile.

"Good morning, Mentifery."

The boy finally lifted his gaze.

His clear eyes met Adrian's first before settling quietly upon Elena.

For several silent seconds, he simply looked at her.

As though she were the first page of a book he had never read.

Part VI — The First Meeting

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence that settled between them felt strangely natural, as though the library itself had gently asked them to lower their voices. The boy's gaze rested upon Elena without curiosity, caution, or judgment. He simply observed her with quiet attention before lowering his eyes once more to the book resting upon his lap. Another page turned, its soft rustle drifting through the endless library before disappearing once again into the stillness.

Adrian stepped forward.

"Mentifery."

"I've brought the person I mentioned."

The boy closed the book with unhurried care. His fingers remained resting lightly upon its worn cover for a brief moment before he rose from the chair. Only then did Elena realise he was taller than she had expected. His movements carried no hesitation, yet neither did they possess the confidence people usually gained from meeting others. Every step felt uncomplicated, as though walking toward another person held no particular meaning beyond the act itself.

He stopped a comfortable distance before them.

Adrian turned toward Elena.

"From today onward, Miss Elena will be staying at Valen House."

"She'll be looking after your daily life."

The boy listened quietly. After several seconds, he gave a small nod.

"I understand."

He asked no questions, showed no surprise, and offered no resistance. His acceptance was so immediate that Elena found herself uncertain whether he had truly understood what Adrian had just said.

She offered a polite smile.

"...It's nice to meet you."

The boy looked at her again.

After a moment, he replied with complete sincerity.

"I've never met you before."

Elena blinked.

"...Yes."

A brief silence settled between them before, despite herself, the corner of her lips lifted into a faint smile.

"I suppose that's exactly why we're meeting now."

The boy remained thoughtful for several quiet seconds.

"...I see."

His answer carried no embarrassment. He had simply corrected what seemed inaccurate before accepting her explanation. Elena couldn't decide whether the exchange had been amusing or unusual. Perhaps it was a little of both.

Adrian watched the brief conversation without interruption. Seemingly satisfied, he spoke once more.

"Miss Elena."

She turned toward him.

"From this moment onward, the library is your responsibility as much as his."

She nodded immediately.

"I understand."

"If he requires anything, see that it's prepared."

"...Yes."

"If you don't understand something..."

For the first time during their meeting, Adrian's expression softened ever so slightly.

"...ask him."

Elena instinctively glanced back toward the white-haired boy. For reasons she couldn't explain, those words felt strangely backwards.

Before she could ask what Adrian meant, Adrian calmly turned toward the door.

"I have a meeting this afternoon."

His gaze settled briefly upon the boy.

"I'll return this evening."

Mentifery gave a quiet nod.

"Very well."

Without another word, Adrian stepped through the doorway. The heavy wooden doors closed behind him with gentle finality, and silence returned once more to the Endless Library.

For the first time since Elena had entered its impossible halls, only two people remained within its vast stillness.

She let out a small breath she hadn't realised she had been holding before offering another gentle smile.

"It seems..."

"...we'll be spending quite a lot of time together."

The boy looked at her quietly.

Then, after a brief pause, he asked in the same calm voice as before,

"...Who are you?"

Elena opened her mouth to answer.

Then stopped.

He already knew her name.

Which meant that wasn't the question he had asked.

Somewhere among the endless shelves, another page turned before the sound quietly dissolved into silence.

The library waited without impatience, as though it had witnessed questions like this long before either of them had arrived.

The question remained gently between them.

It was not asking for a name.

It was asking for something Elena had never before thought to define.