NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12
Fortunately, I arrived at the library and clock tower without straying onto another path. If we’re just talking about height, isn’t this the tallest building in the Academy? As I gazed around in wonder, I noticed one thing.
Isn’t this a bit too cramped to be a library? While it was tall, it didn’t seem like there was much room inside for anything.
I considered if it was some sort of empty pillar structure, but that didn’t seem likely. If it were, it would have collapsed long ago due to shoddy construction. Still, seeing the windows on the outside suggested there was something inside.
Or maybe it’s just a fantasy story, so they used some solid and convenient materials that wouldn’t collapse even if built carelessly? But even so, it looked awfully cramped to establish a library inside.
Before I walked in.
In a fantastical way beyond my expectations, the tower housed a library. Inside was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside. The height was also far greater than it looked.
With about ten floors, staff members who looked like they worked there were efficiently managing books or sweeping the floors; it was evident that nobles funneled a lot of money into this place.
Stepping into the library caught me off guard as I felt there was no distinct smell of books. Perhaps they managed it so rigorously that the smell didn’t even linger.
There must have been people who found the smell of books unpleasant. Maybe there were quite a few of them here.
Although the air was more stifling than outside, perhaps due to distorted magic, I was too busy being amazed. It finally felt like I was truly seeing fantasy.
I momentarily thought that lifting the ground or conversing with God counted as fantasy too, but things we’ve seen since childhood aren’t that incredible.
After all, I had spent nearly 14 of my 19 years as the White Royal Family’s Eldest Daughter talking with Gods. Asking them to lift the ground was a trivial request compared to what I had previously asked.
To be honest, it was a bit uncomfortable having the Gods proactively offering help with every little thing, yet now I felt lonely with them gone.
Wait, no. I should be happy now. Fantasy, happy thoughts.
“Please present your student ID.”
Before I could feel gloomy again, someone who looked like a librarian approached me, asking for my student ID. Don’t they hand out student IDs collectively a month after the entrance ceremony for first-years? I thought lazily while responding.
“I’m a first-year.”
“First-year students received their IDs collectively on the day of the entrance ceremony. Did you perhaps lose your ID?”
Is this librarian even human? Even though they were surely made of flesh and blood, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they resembled a machine. By the way, they give out student IDs starting from the entrance ceremony here? Not the best news since I didn’t get one.
“…I’m a transfer student.”
I thought they might let it slide if I mentioned I was a transfer student, but it didn’t seem likely. Just from the attitude the teachers had towards me on my first day, it was apparent. Usually, when there’s a new student, teachers take care of them, but my homeroom teacher avoided me right from the start.
“Updating information… Reviewing administrative order number 342. I apologize. There are no exceptions even for transfer students.”
Well, of course. How could anything go smoothly for me? I imagined my homeroom teacher saying the student ID would be given to me during the second semester due to some issues, and that field trips or sports events would be complicated due to some regulations.
…It truly felt like I shouldn’t have left home.
What was I even doing? There were no toys to play with, no friends to chat with, and no Gods to converse with… well, not really, but essentially none.
Should I go find Dokan? I considered it, but declaring I was leaving and then going back inside would look odd. Maybe I’d seem like a kid with some mental issues.
Thinking about it made it seem like there was nothing to do outside.
I didn’t know where Anastasia was, and if I suddenly showed up, it would likely be a nuisance. Guess I’ll just have to go back to bed and sleep.
Yeah, I should act like a coward and just hole up in bed. I could unpack my things and write in my journal. It occurred to me that I actually had things I could do. There was no need to do everything at the Academy.
Just as I was about to leave the library, a voice called out to me from behind.
“Reviewing administrative order number 1453 from the principal… It has been confirmed to provide … to the White Royal Family’s Eldest Daughter. Confirmed. Cross-checking information. Confirmed. Welcome, White Royal Family’s Eldest Daughter. I apologize for the inconvenience. Feel free to use the library at your leisure.”
What’s this administrative order, and why does my name come up? I couldn’t understand what information was being cross-checked, but it sounded like I had permission to enter. I awkwardly passed by the librarian-looking person, who didn’t stop me, claiming that they had no authority over me.
…Whatever they were going to provide me, I guess it’s some convenience because I’m a transfer student. It’s not like dwelling on it longer would spark any other thoughts, so I stepped inside.
I noticed a few students scattered around, either studying with piles of books or just reading for fun, but overall, the atmosphere was quite calm.
Most people, upon seeing someone enter, would glance briefly and then return to their reading, as if they only wanted to focus on their tasks.
One person who looked at me had such dark circles under their eyes, it’s a wonder they were even alive. I looked like that when preparing my graduation thesis.
I cheered silently; they wouldn’t hear me anyway, as I considered what to read.
It would likely be something educational. Perhaps about manners or common sense in this world or continent. But would they even have that in a place that looks this sophisticated? Surely, if someone got into the Academy, that level of knowledge would be considered ‘common sense’.
‘Loss-bearing etiquette of the Empire.’
There it was! On the sociology floor on the fourth level, among the books marked as this month’s recommendations. It had a bit of wear and tear, and the corners looked ragged as if many people had read it.
I had expected some short and heavy titles like “The Prince,” but it seemed the titles were designed to draw attention. Quite surprising.
It seems titles designed to catch attention existed throughout history. Chuckling internally, I flipped through the pages.
– – – –
“Get up.”
This was more akin to a cruel quest than a lesson. Not just Han Dokan, everyone remaining thought so too. Nobody could understand why they were made to run around the playground until they were exhausted to survive.
“Stand up. You chose to attend this class. Han Dokan, rise with your strength.”
The ordinary students had already collapsed, and even those skilled in mana breathing were crawling on the ground.
Only those with enough stamina were thinking, in their fading consciousness, about how this professor had not been dismissed yet.
“You didn’t think you’d uncover the secrets of a magician with such little resolve, did you?”
Dokan thought while lying on the floor. It was nice to be acknowledged, but he should have wondered what would happen to the main character afterward.
What he knew was uncovering the spell for kettlebells and the scene where Georg taught the main character with special care. But he had no idea about this kind of harsh training in between.
Regardless of how it played out, he was recognized, and he would receive teachings from the magician of the former Hero Party. Dokan’s plan was successful. Although his body was going to suffer, he thought that as long he got to learn magic from it, that was a win.
He tried to stretch out his arm to get up, but promptly fell back down. One of the advantages of being a reincarnate was a robust body, but enduring exercises that pushed humans to their limits wasn’t something anyone could withstand.
“…Return to your position.”
The students couldn’t grasp what had just happened. When they regained their senses, they found their stamina had returned as if they hadn’t run around the playground, and they realized they were standing in line as they had before.
Only Dokan barely understood what had transpired. In that brief moment, he had fully restored every student’s stamina and reorganized those who had been sprawled out.
While the method of sorting them out could be forgiven, restoring their health surely fell within the realm of a priest, right? Between their body and actions, Dokan couldn’t comprehend what made him a magician.
But it was reassuring. Learning magic directly from such a monster would surely yield solid results.
“I will speak to those who understand nothing about what happened. It’s fine not to know. But think on this one thing: Why did I have you run?”
With such a twisted personality, he might say anything and still be wrong. However, he felt relieved that this wasn’t the case with Ho Yeon.
Believing that he was the only one aware of the White Empire’s might on this continent, Dokan was tangled in the contradiction of excluding Ho Yeon from the story while simultaneously needing to ensure she didn’t face any strange mishaps. He worried that uninformed individuals might touch Ho Yeon, or if something harmful happened to her.
If her parents found out that anything had happened to their daughter for any reason, they wouldn’t remain passive.
So, he decided to bring forward any incident that could ruin her narrative before it could happen. Yet, he also vowed that she must not suffer any major harm. Dokan reaffirmed his resolve once again.