The Scream of A Thousand Libraries Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Back to Basics (I).

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POV: RENATA SILVEIRA Those first days of school were simple and the same routine as always. There were no assignments yet, and everything was just a big review of the last topics and some brief comments about the base material for future tests. Eventually, the first week passed quickly, and then the second would have something useful to help us organize our ideas. One of Professor Francisco's classes, one of the most repeated topics in the entire school…. ‘If you can believe it, it is even more repeated than the damned verb 'to be'... Public school is complicated’ The first class on domination reviews was about to start. The professor was known not only for teaching but for turning every explanation into a veritable conference, always filled with historical comparisons and examples that made even the driest content come alive. On that day, he intended to review the aspects of magical energy, the so-called QP. "The QP," began Professor Francisco, with the firmness of someone carrying decades of study, "is the abbreviation for 'Quantity of Papyri.' It is an ancient measure, originally conceived to quantify a user's magical energy, a kind of personal collection that can be consumed throughout a lifetime" As he spoke, I thought about how that definition seemed simple, but at the same time, carried a frightening depth. Magical energy was extremely important, and its definition was strangely simple. "This energy," he continued, walking slowly in front of the board, "is estimated based on the number of pages or books read by an individual. At first glance, it's a simple calculation, but when delving into its biomechanical nature, it reveals itself to be infinitely more complex" It was impossible not to reflect. How many books had I read? How many literary marks had I missed the chance to get? I tried to do mental calculations but soon gave up. The feeling was that it accumulated chaotically; the numbers were never easy to tally. "There are two ways to measure QPs," Francisco explained, raising two fingers to emphasize the difference. "Active represents temporary QPs, those that the user currently carries. They are linked to short- and medium-term memory, functioning as an immediate reflection of recent readings" I thought of my last readings. Some works were still vivid to me, their words, concepts, and ideas still clear in my mind… My memory, along with my oneiric reservoir, always gave me a base quantity of these QPs. "Passive, on the other hand," he continued, "It's something much more profound. It relates to long-term memory, accounting for all readings done since the beginning of a person's life. Measuring this amount is difficult, almost always imprecise, because the storage occurs in areas of the brain nearly inaccessible to consciousness" The room remained in absolute silence. I felt that everyone shared the same doubt: how many passive QPs did we carry within us without knowing? "The center of this energy is the human brain" he clarified. "More specifically, the endocrine system. This system, in addition to controlling hormones and feelings, also regulates and stores permanent QPs" It was strange to think that something so physical and biological sustained something as ethereal as magic. "For centuries, it was believed in the existence of a subconscious, understood as a secondary instance of the mind, formed by repressed experiences and memories. It was thought to indirectly influence our decisions. But…" the professor paused, looking at the whole class. "Today we know that this subconscious is, in fact, the energy core that enables the materialization of thoughts, feelings, and reflections into enchantments" I felt a shiver. ‘So every book read is a seed… And every seed can germinate into magical power’ "When we read," he explained, resuming his walk in front of the board "We are directly feeding our subconscious. This energy core charges with QPs, formed between brain synapses, which release intense electrical discharges.