Octopath Traveler 0 Books Overdue Quest Guide & Book Locations

Books Overdue is one of the quests in Octopath Traveler 0 that offers no objective markers, leaving you to track down three missing tomes spread across Orsterra. The librarian who issues the request is patient enough, but your task depends entirely on observation, exploration, and a bit of deduction based on the book titles.

This guide walks through the quest from start to finish, covering where to begin, how to locate every book, and what you receive for returning all three.

Where to start the quest

You can pick up Books Overdue by speaking to Mercedes, the librarian in Atlasdam. She explains that three books have not been returned and asks you to locate them on her behalf:

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• Healing Hot Springs
• The King and the Golden Dust
• Adrift in the Vast River

None of these books show up on the map, so you must rely on exploration and the clues hidden in their names.

Book 1: Healing Hot Springs

This book points toward a place of heat and natural baths, and you will find it in Berecoain, a volcanic region deep in the south.

Once you arrive, look for the Hot Springs Enthusiast standing on an overlook near the save point.
Use your Path Action to access his inventory and acquire Healing Hot Springs.

Steps recap

1. Travel to Berecain.
2. Find the NPC overlooking the hot spring area.
3. Use Entreat (or your equivalent Path Action) to retrieve the book.

Book 2: The King and the Golden Dust

Your second objective leads you to a wealthy settlement in the desert. Head to Sufrataljah, then move toward the staircase beside the tavern.

At the top, you should spot a character known as the Kindly Millionaire. He carries The King and the Golden Dust, and you can obtain it directly from him — no negotiation, no fee.

Steps recap

1. Reach Sufrataljah.
2. Go to the stairs near the tavern.
3. Retrieve the book from the Kindly Millionaire’s inventory.

Book 3: Adrift in the Vast River

This final book requires extra work. Instead of simply claiming it from an NPC, you must follow the borrower’s trail.

Begin in Donescu. In the first house beyond the gate (two staircases down from the pub), speak to an elderly man who admits he once borrowed the book but lost it when he was attacked near Misty Falls.

To recover the book:

1. Travel from Donescu to Misty Falls.
2. Look for a blue shimmer or Collection Point near the cavern floor.
3. Interact with the glowing spot to automatically obtain Adrift in the Vast River.

This is the only book that requires exploration and combat readiness, as the path may involve enemy encounters.

Books Overdue Quest and Reward

With all three tomes collected, return to Mercedes in the Atlasdam Library to complete the request.
Handing everything back grants you a generous sum of money, and depending on your progress in the story, this quest may also contribute to character growth and equipment progression.

Reward summary:

• 16,000 Leaves (and additional rewards depending on your game progress)

Books Overdue feels simple once you know where to look, but the lack of quest guidance makes it easy to overlook. The key is to recognize the clues suggested in each title — heat, gold, rivers — and follow them into the world instead of waiting for an icon to appear.

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If you are building fame or strengthening your party before later chapters, this quest is a worthwhile stop that teaches you how to navigate side quests using observation rather than markers. Play Now!