Chapter 13: The Hunt

Kvothe, anxious to make a strong start in Elodin’s class, asks Wilem to guide him through the Archives. At the desk, Fela confirms his reinstatement, though the ledger contains a slur beside his description. Welcomed back, Kvothe and Wilem proceed into the Stacks.

In a private reading room, they find Simmon. The three discuss the Archives’ vastness and chaotic cataloging history. Wilem explains the many conflicting systems, the difficulties caused by students hiding books, and the limits of Tolem’s current ledgers. They agree to begin with Tolem and then dig deeper.

After hours of searching, they locate only seven titles from Elodin’s list. Kvothe continues alone over several days, learning Archive byways and procedures and pestering scrivs for access and locations. He reads an array of works—travelogue, clumsy poetry, philosophy, botany, fencing, more poetry, a near-illegible journal, Modegan texts, agricultural essays, mosaics—and eventually skims the least relevant items.

Despite nearly fifty hours of effort, Kvothe finds nineteen of the twenty books; the elusive En Temerant Voistra remains unfound by anyone. He arrives early to class, notes in hand, ready to impress.

All seven students gather; the door seems stuck but opens to reveal an empty hall. On the slate, Elodin has written only “Discuss.” Irritated after their extensive efforts, the students wait two hours. Elodin never appears, underscoring his enigmatic teaching style and setting a tone of uncertainty for the course.