“Please ensure that you wear the bracelet at all times, even if it may be inconvenient. In the event of an emergency…”
The librarian from the grand library offered them a bracelet inscribed with magical symbols and proceeded to explain the necessary precautions for utilizing the library.
“Remarkable.”
After attentively listening to all the guidelines, Lewin secured the bracelet around his wrist, filled with wonder.
“It’s fascinating that they provide emergency items for library access.”
“Isn’t this the standard procedure?”
“Are you implying I’m foolish?”
“Who’s calling who a fool!”
As Laila launched a kick at Lewin, who had been teasing her, he effortlessly evaded her attack. Daisy, observing the scene, sighed audibly.
“Is it genuinely risky?” Daisy inquired, her concern evident in her voice.
“Don’t fret. This is a device designed to ease the workload of the grand library’s librarians.”
Despite the explanation that it was primarily meant to prevent people from getting lost, Daisy couldn’t shake her sense of unease.
“Are there really that many lost individuals?”
“From the outside, it might not be apparent due to the sheer size of the building, but the layout is rather unique.”
Daisy nodded, acknowledging that it must adhere to numerous regulations, given its location on the outskirts of the capital.
“I understand.”
“Yes. So, if you’re engaging in routine library activities, there should be no danger. Probably.”
Did that imply there might be danger if they weren’t engaged in routine library activities? Daisy wondered why she had to add “probably” at the end.
‘Why did she say that?’
She had many questions but decided to remain silent upon seeing Beriel’s smiling face.
“What’s going on?”
It felt peculiar.
Despite their relatively short acquaintance, it felt strangely familiar.
‘Yes, just like…?’
Incredibly whimsical, akin to a cherished young master.
“That’s not a good sign.”
A cold shiver ran down Daisy’s spine as she exchanged glances between Lewin and Beriel.
“Why do you say that?”
“It’s nothing.”
Daisy refrained from mentioning the uncanny resemblance between the two.
‘I hope it’s just a feeling.’
The thought of having two individuals like Lewin Dee Dryerf was almost unbearable.
“Daisy.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“What’s this?”
Daisy, who had been worrying about worst-case scenarios, turned her attention to Lewin and found him pushing aside a bookshelf, revealing a hidden door.
“Oh, you’ve already found it.”
“Excuse me?”
However, Beriel’s response was far from what she had anticipated.
‘Why is she admiring it at a time like this?’
Wasn’t it customary to provide an explanation when a door suddenly appeared between bookshelves in a library?
“Why is that?”
“A door has appeared between the bookshelves.”
“And?”
Daisy was left speechless as Beriel appeared nonchalant about the situation.
‘It’s absurd to have a door between bookshelves in a library!’
Daisy was convinced that if the world wasn’t mistaken, her common sense couldn’t be either.
With that conviction, Daisy pointed to Lewin and Laila, who were about to enter the door, and voiced her concerns.
“The young master and the lady are about to enter. Isn’t it dangerous?”
“It’s fine. This door connects to a secret passage used by the librarians for moving around, so it’s not particularly perilous.”
“Why do librarians need secret passages for moving around?”
“Because it’s noisy to run around.”
Daisy was at a loss for words at the response that made it sound perfectly normal.
“If you don’t know the way, it’s quite convoluted. Let’s hurry and follow them.”
“Yes.”
Despite having numerous questions, it was a priority to keep up with Lewin and Laila, so Daisy swiftly entered the door that had materialized between the bookshelves.
“What’s this?”
Seeing that the end of the passage was not in sight, despite the space initially appearing limited behind the bookshelf, Daisy felt as though she had been hit on the back of her head multiple times. Simultaneously, a shiver ran down her spine.
What kind of library had secret passages like this?
“Young master.”
Daisy, nursing her throbbing head, spoke earnestly to the motionless Lewin.
“Should we just turn back? There are far too many suspicious elements here.”
This facility didn’t belong in a library, nor in an academy. Her intuition and basic common sense urged her to make the prudent choice of avoiding it.
And then…
“Coming to Bersha Academy was the best decision!”
‘It’s a person who has nothing to do with common sense.’
Seeing the gleam in Lewin’s eyes, Daisy’s headache intensified.
“Lady, let’s abandon the young master and leave.”
Daisy swiftly redirected her efforts toward Laila, who appeared to be the more reasonable of the two, rather than attempting to converse with the eccentric Lewin.
“Why?”
But the response she received was far from what she had anticipated.
“Why indeed.”
She felt a profound sense of betrayal. She had thought Laila was the sensible one, unlike the young master. Had she been influenced by him? Did the Dryerf family commit some grave offense against the Reinhardt family?
“At that age, boys and girls often have fantasies about secret hideouts.”
“…Fantasies?”
“Yes, indeed. There are no children who can resist the allure of such a place.”
The tale of youngsters coming to study at the library, stumbling upon secret doors, exploring, and eventually becoming librarians due to their fascination with the library left Daisy at a loss for words.
‘Wasn’t this supposed to be a prestigious academy for nobles?’
Nobles volunteering to become librarians for such reasons. It was a concept that Daisy found difficult to comprehend, but nobles were, after all, just people.
“When you encounter something that isn’t easily experienced, it’s only natural to be drawn to it.”
Speaking from apparent experience, Beriel’s words left Daisy in silent contemplation.
“Daisy, you tend to overthink everything.”
“The person I serve is a complex individual.”
By now, just having Lewin in her line of sight could make Daisy sigh naturally. Advising her not to overthink things when dealing with such a person was a tall order.
‘It’s a challenging task.’
Nonetheless, Daisy couldn’t disregard Beriel’s counsel. While their current roles were that of Students, Daisy, in essence, remained a servant.
“In life, challenges are ever-present.”
“Indeed.”
With a nod, Daisy resolved to accept the reality before her.
“So, where are we going? It doesn’t seem overly complicated.”
“Correct. This passage was constructed by former librarians, so the way is relatively straightforward. There are markings left by librarians throughout, so even if you get lost, you can easily find your way.”
Daisy nodded in agreement, understanding that it could be easy to lose one’s way in the library, with its similar-looking bookshelves.
“It certainly appears that way. But some people enjoy exploring the library.”
“Yes. Apart from this passage, there are areas that remain uncharted.”
This statement hinted at sections of the library yet to be explored. To Daisy, it seemed entirely reasonable.
‘The history of Bersha Academy is just over 200 years.’
In fact, she was more impressed by the dedication of the librarians who had built such a facility in that time frame, and the students who voluntarily braved its potential dangers.
“Hasn’t the academy conducted its own investigation?”
“They did attempt to assemble an investigation team, but I heard the students vehemently objected.”
“The students?”
“Yes. They insisted on handling it themselves if there was no danger.”
So, the struggle between the academy and its students persisted, with the students ultimately prevailing.
“Is it acceptable for the academy to allow that?”
“At that time, the student council president who supported the librarians was the youngest son of the Marquis family.”
Currently, Bersha Academy boasted two dukes and a prince among its students, but a Marquis of the Empire held significant sway within the Academy.
‘It’s truly precarious.’
In essence, Bersha Academy was a place where even the youngest son of a Marquis family could exert significant influence. If a Duke’s youngest son acted out, there would be no one to rein him in.
“The current student council president is the eldest son of the Count family.”
“Yes. He enjoys the trust of students, faculty, and imperial officials alike.”
Daisy couldn’t help but feel apprehensive upon learning that the student council president had held his position for three years, a testament to the trust placed in him.
‘I’ll need to meet him later,’ she resolved, as she had connections with Tera Tarte, another student council officer. She considered that it might not be impossible to arrange a meeting. In fact, considering Tera’s behavior, Daisy thought he might already be anticipating such a meeting.
‘They seem like individuals dedicated to averting danger,’ she mused. Alternatively, she could categorize them as stressed workers grappling with ongoing troubles.
‘First, I need to find a way out and prepare,’ Daisy decided, her thoughts now organized. She approached Laila, who was gazing at a door on the wall, her head tilted in curiosity.
“Miss, what are you looking at…”
As Daisy turned her head to see what had captured Laila’s attention, her eyes fell upon a skull-shaped sign suspended above the door. It was a clear warning sign that indicated entry was prohibited for anyone who saw it. Beneath it, a message in Imperial Common kindly conveyed, ‘This is an unverified area, entry is prohibited for anyone below a senior librarian.’
“Isn’t it?”
Daisy questioned, her voice trembling, as she looked at Laila.
“It’s alright, Miss Daisy.”
Beriel, with a gentle smile, spoke as if trying to reassure Daisy.
“Even though Bersha Academy didn’t send an investigation team, they have implemented safety measures.”
Among these measures was the hierarchy of library librarians, starting with entry-level, intermediate, senior, and highest ranks.
“Upon becoming a library librarian, you undergo various tests and are assigned a rank. Your access to different areas is determined by that rank.”
Beriel explained, and then she grasped the door handle.
“Unless you possess a librarian’s card of the corresponding rank, the door won’t open like this.”
Daisy felt a sense of relief at the notion that this place had remained secure, even when the magic hall was under challenge.
“But?”
However, her relief was short-lived, as Laila’s inquiry shattered it.
“Lewin went in here?”
“Miss Beriel?”
Daisy’s head snapped around at Laila’s words. She couldn’t believe it.
“That can’t be.”
Beriel still wore a smile, but her pupils were trembling noticeably. Even this composed person was thrown into confusion.
‘Should I be impressed that he managed to perplex someone like her?’ Daisy wondered. Should she admire it, or perhaps express her frustration? But before that…
“So, what do we do now?”
Daisy cursed silently; her young master was inside. How could they retrieve him?
She looked to Beriel for answers, but all she received was a cold sweat.
“First, I suppose we need to find a senior librarian, right?”
Daisy sighed heavily at Beriel’s response, realizing the complications of the situation.
‘There’s no other way.’
As Beriel hurried out to seek a librarian, Daisy stood at the door that refused to open, gripping the handle tightly, and sent out a heartfelt prayer.
‘Please, don’t cause any accidents.’
Meanwhile, in that very moment…
“What’s this?”
People often feel compelled to enter when they’re told not to. And so, Lewin, who had easily bypassed the magical security device, ventured further into the secret room.
“What could this be?”
As he strolled through the space, almost like a leisurely walk, he couldn’t help but experience a peculiar sense of déjà vu.
“Why does this all seem so familiar?”
The chamber resembled a labyrinth, yet Lewin’s steps seemed to effortlessly navigate it as if he knew it by heart.
“Hmm.”
Finally, he arrived at a particular room.
On the massive stone wall were inscriptions of short, sturdy characters.
<Demon tribe?>
It was a brief phrase.
Upon seeing those words, Lewin muttered as if possessed, his hand gently touching the stone surface.
“We must annihilate them.”
His words, imbued with mana, caused the stone wall to shake and crumble.
Cliche Novel 