Chapter 117. Seems Like You’ve Never Seen a Real Beast
“Hmm, but the Infinite Chain…….”
I set aside the light mood that only I had and faced the situation seriously.
Certainly, if Deculan got their hands on the Infinite Chain, things would become complicated.
Like I said, the Scarlet Flame Vision or the Thousand Origin Art could be dealt with by burning them, but the paper couldn’t.
‘So in the end, it’ll flow the same way as history again.’
Just like in my past life, Paharen would become the strongest mage in history.
This problem was pretty serious.
But wait.
“Would Lortel cooperate that easily?”
“Why do you think that?”
Ah. So it hasn’t become known yet.
‘No. That’s not it.’
I calculated the timeline for a moment and corrected myself.
In my past life, the Head of House of Lortel was a vicious martial supremacist.
- Only martial prowess is the supreme study under heaven, and all other secret arts are nothing but petty tricks.
Only the body and the sword. Two arms and two legs. Only weaponry that lies on that extension is the true path, and other secret arts—including magic—are nothing but side shows!
Yeah. A lunatic.
It’s rare to find a lunatic that far gone.
A man who wouldn’t even glance at Artifacts that any knight would crave, and who pursued only pure martial strength.
And that guy would make a deal with the greatest magecraft noble house of the Eastern Continent?
What a joke.
But—
‘There’s still some time before he becomes Head of House.’
If so, it was possible that Lortel could trade with Deculan.
Once that thought reached me, my mouth tasted bitter. It was obvious how Deculan would act once they got the Infinite Chain.
“……Do you know something? If you do, share it.”
“No, nothing. Anyway, things got complicated—how much have you grasped about the situation?”
At Parun’s voice, I set my thoughts aside for the moment and asked.
Parun stared at me as if suspicious for a brief moment, then answered.
“For now, the situation isn’t urgent. The negotiations between Deculan and Lortel are still in the early stages. Deculan just made a one-sided proposal.”
“Even Deculan won’t have that many things worth trading for the Infinite Chain.”
“Even so, it’s not like they have none. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be barter.”
“So they could borrow it.”
“Right. If they do that, Deculan has more cards they can play.”
If they traded outright for the Infinite Chain, Deculan would need to prepare something equivalent, which would be a burden even for them.
The Infinite Chain’s value was significant, sure—but once this was over, it was basically a shiny but useless prize.
But if they rented it with something of lesser value, then it would be an arrangement both Deculan and Lortel could be satisfied with.
“Then that means the deal going through is almost certain……”
“The probability is high.”
“So what’s the plan?”
I fixed my eyes on Parun, sitting in the seat of honor.
I figured he must have some plan, since he called me.
There’s no way Parun got this information and just sat on his hands. He must have set up some kind of strategy to break the situation open.
But Parun’s answer shattered my expectations.
“I don’t know.”
“……What?”
“We have to make it from here. That’s why I called you. For this kind of shady business, you’re better at it.”
“…….”
Fair point. It was fair, but…….
Even in Parun’s brazenly confident attitude, there was one strong impression I couldn’t shake. Like—what was it. In crude terms……
“Dumping the grunt work?”
Yeah. It felt like I was being stuck with the crap job.
But Parun was still confident in response to my question.
“Call it division of labor. I do the research, you create a comfortable research environment. That’s all. Don’t tell me you were thinking of doing nothing and freeloading off the paper?”
“Ugh.”
When he puts it like that, I have nothing to say.
Because honestly, I really was planning to freeload off the paper.
Originally, the tastiest way to eat anything is raw. Meat is best cooked, sure, but for stuff like this, raw is the best.
But now that things had turned out like this, what could I do?
I had no choice but to jump in.
“First…… brief me on the information. What route did you get it from, and how are Deculan and Lortel moving?”
“Good thinking. People are meant to work.”
Work makes you a person?
Then giving up being a person was something worth seriously considering.
After my conversation with Parun ended, I returned straight to the Academy and hurried along.
‘There’s still quite a bit of time.’
For how urgently Parun had summoned me, the negotiations between Deculan and Lortel still had time.
A noble house and a noble house.
A deal between two massive groups had many things to worry about beyond simple profit and loss.
From the transaction date to the location. And not just the negotiation method and the responsible parties, but even all kinds of tiny details—adjusted with the petty meticulousness befitting noble houses.
Anyway, based on the information I heard from Parun, I drew the board in my head.
‘The ones who are pressed are Deculan, and Lortel isn’t in any hurry.’
If so, it felt like I might be able to pull this off without lifting a finger…….
Everything should be done with minimum effort for maximum gain. I had to find a method that required as little hands-on work as possible.
Not just because it was annoying, but because that way was safer.
As I organized my thoughts, I arrived at Lapiter.
“…….”
I stood blankly in the Academy, now blanketed in darkness, and took in the scenery of Lapiter.
So it really was the greatest library in the East? Its scale was quite overwhelming.
It only had three floors, but the area was so vast that the word “immense” fit it perfectly.
The faint silhouette hidden by the settled darkness gave off an indescribable pressure, like some giant monster coiled up.
And above its main gate, above the ornamentation, a pair of eyes were gazing down over the ground like gatekeepers.
Piiiik, piik—
It was Breakfast No. 1.
Why is it suddenly Breakfast No. 1—well, we have to go back to yesterday.
- Right, I’ll cut you an entry pass, but it won’t do you any good for it to become known that you’re entering Lapiter.
Even if it were just the mid-to-lower levels, you might be able to let it pass quietly, but the upper levels would be enough to cause controversy.
That was true.
‘A vagrant from the Black and White Zone in a place only royals, noble houses, and grand nobles are allowed? That’s ridiculous.’
If that became publicly known, it would deal a significant blow not only to me, but also to Headmaster sunbae’s position.
That was why I chose this evening, specifically.
And what did he say?
- I’ll introduce you to a bookworm. Going forward, he’ll be of no small help in coming and going through Lapiter.
Right. He said he’d introduce someone.
In other words, since contact with librarians would be unavoidable if I were going to come and go through Lapiter, he’d rather introduce me to a librarian with a tight mouth.
Anyway.
Piiik, piik!
With Breakfast No. 1 perched on my head like it had made a nest there, I headed deeper into Lapiter.
Thud, thud.
In a building emptied of people, my footsteps echoed through the silence. Passing through the antique lobby, how far did I walk?
I stopped in front of a certain door.
“Here?”
Pii, pii.
Breakfast No. 1 chirped softly as if to say yes. Ever since getting flicked on the forehead, it had become well-behaved.
Anyway.
Creeeak—
With a faint hinge sound, the inside was revealed.
Headmaster sunbae was in conversation with some old man, and it wasn’t long before he noticed me.
“So that insolent brat—ah, you’re here? You’re late.”
Insolent? It sounded like he’d been talking about me. Was I being sensitive? No—it wasn’t that.
“Ahem. Anyway, close the door and come in. The air’s pretty cold.”
“It’s hot, though.”
“……When you get old, your bones get cold.”
What’s cold isn’t his bones, it’s his conscience. Or maybe it’s that his time is coming.
But I didn’t say it out loud. There was an old man I’d just met, after all. First impressions are important, aren’t they?
Anyway, when I entered the modest office.
Headmaster sunbae offered me a seat and introduced me to the old man.
“Say hello. This is the insol—no, Aster. You say hello too. This is Lapiter’s library director, Teheman. The bookworm I said I’d introduce you to.”
“…….”
What the hell— the bookworm he was introducing was Lapiter’s library director?
The way he talked, like he was calling the neighbor’s dog’s name, I thought he’d attach some slick librarian like Raileigh to me……
Stunned by the unexpected situation only for a moment, I put on my kindest eyes and offered a polite greeting.
“Hello, Director. I’m Aster from the Jenion Academy Magic Department, Class M3.”
“……Hah.”
Was he dumbfounded by the sight? Headmaster sunbae let out a hollow breath like he couldn’t believe it.
It looked like he had a lot he wanted to say, but for some reason, he couldn’t continue.
But why?
The library director’s vibe was strange.
“…….”
Eyes that looked at me like he’d seen something he wasn’t supposed to see. His pupils trembled finely, and on his stiff face was an inexplicable discomfort.
No—should I call it discomfort? It was a complicated expression, like he couldn’t understand something.
Under that gaze boring into me, just when I thought my face might get pierced through, Headmaster sunbae noticed the vibe and stepped forward.
“What is it? Is there some problem?”
“…….”
The library director didn’t answer.
An awkward, uncomfortable atmosphere. Even Breakfast No. 1 went piiik? and tilted its head, while the library director stared straight at me as if he couldn’t hear Headmaster sunbae’s voice.
No—saying he “stared” was wrong.
‘His eyes…….’
The library director’s eyes were somehow dull. If you didn’t look closely, it was subtle enough to be almost unnoticeable, but once you knew, it was certain.
‘……Blind?’
Yes. The library director was blind.
Just as I grasped that, the library director’s tightly closed mouth opened.
“……Schwartz. Is what stands before me truly a person?”
“…….”
Out of nowhere? An insult? But I guarantee you, I was a person. Because I work.
But why? Headmaster sunbae nodded as if the library director’s first strike made sense.
“He’s a guy who sometimes is worse than a beast, but he’s definitely a person.”
This guy?
Seems like you’ve never seen a real beast. In that case, what should I do? Expanding a senior’s horizons is also a junior’s duty.
I was making a vow that one day, I would absolutely show him a real beast—
“……No, no. That’s not what I mean.”
The library director shook his head with a serious expression. Then, in a grave voice, he continued.
“Schwartz, could you step out for a moment? There is something I…… must say separately to that thing called Aster.”
Now he’s calling me “that thing.” Straight-up treating me like an object.
‘Back-to-back hits?’
For the record, my fist doesn’t discriminate between strong and weak, male and female, young and old. Strong ones get it strong. Weak ones also get it strong. If someone attacks, I hit back as much as I get.
I was starting to draw up the aggression inside me.
“……Hmm, I can ask, but you probably won’t tell me what this is about, will you?”
“Don’t ask. For me, and even more so for that thing. That will be for the best.”
“I don’t know what it is, but fine. Then when you’re done talking, I’ll come back.”
……Creeeak, thud.
Headmaster sunbae stepped out, as if encouraging a fistfight of the soul.
I subtly clenched and unclenched my fist. Still, he was Headmaster sunbae’s acquaintance—and a library director with social standing—so I was planning to give him a few more chances.
But then.
The library director spoke.
“Are you…… a grimoire? How can a grimoire put on a human shell?”
