Vol 3 Chapter 1 (1/2)
HAPTER 1: RED WARNING LIGHT – PART 1
May 5, 2016Tgurneu
Bantorra Library was co Archives and five Labyrinths All of it was located underground, and besides the large gate on the surface, there was no other way to intrude inside
The Sixth Archive was the closest to the surface From the fact that it wasn’t sealed and even Librarians with no combat capabilities were allowed to enter, it was known as the Open Archive
About four fifths of all Books were housed there This here ordinary people who led ordinary lives would arrive at after their death
By opening the door at the back of the Sixth Archive, the true form of the Library – the Books Labyrinth – would be revealed No one had ever measured it precisely, but there was about a kilometer from the surface to the deepest parts It was said to be easily larger than a town
The Labyrinth was further divided to six Levels, and naturally, it grew more complex as one went deeper inside
The Books that were designated for sealing would be scattered a to their ier held within them
Those who challenged this Labyrinth as well as protected it – were called Armed Librarians
The Fifth Book Labyrinth was silent After Minth left her, Noloty walked there alone She cautiously surveyed her surroundings When she descended about fifty stairs down, as it became suddenly colder, she felt the hair at the back of her neck stand up Noloty gently lowered the knapsack on her back Soed beast colored black as ink that looked similar to a horse
These kinds of beasts who confronted intruders were called Guardian Beasts They were created by the Overseer of the Past Bantorra to indiscri inside the Labyrinth Those who didn’t have the strength to defeat them were not allowed to head inside
“Alright, here we go”
Noloty readied her fist
In the blink of an eye, the upper body of a ht clad in black arht hand held a spear while his left hand held a muzzleloader-style revolver
“So it’s a Cavalryman”
Noloty muttered
The Cavalry At the same ti the rope on her fist While evading the thrust spear by a hair’s breadth, she kicked the horse’s legs Noloty’s flank bled a little
The Cavalry lost its balance, collapsed to the side While tra to kick the Cavalryman’s head
As his head was knocked off his neck, the Cavalryht’s torso burrowed into the horse’s flesh The Cavalryman stood unsteadily, turned its back to Noloty and went away
“Whew…”
Noloty sighed and relaxed her body Even with her power, it wasn’t difficult beating the Guardian Beasts of the Fifth Level
Noloty picked up luggage and started walking again
Frohts of stairs, she turned around the 58thcorner When she arrived there, she passed several Ar set of stairs, there was a copper-colored door in the e wall Noloty extended her hand towards this double door which was three ti
“Whew”
Noloty held her breath and pressed at the heavy door It , and the door slowly opened War inside – the fresh air of a place inhabited by the living
Noloty cae spiral staircase at the very bottom of the Sixth Archive
“Noloty Malche, safely returned!”
“Welcome back, Noloty”
A voice called to her Mirepoc Finedell put her hands on the railing and talked to her
“Good job You were quick this time”
While saying so, she handed a cup of tea to Noloty The sweet, hot tea permeated her cold body
“You’ve grown a little, Noloty”
Mirepoc spoke in a friendly tone Starting froo, Mirepoc seehtly better opinion of Noloty
“No, I don’t really feel so”
“But you did Feeling that will come later”
After Noloty finished drinking and returned the cup to Mirepoc, she s been approved by her superior that was of the sae
“After delivering the Books, even if it see to have you work more tomorrow, so you have to stay sharp”
“What about you, Mirepoc-san?”
“I was entrusted with the control roo After that’s over I’ll sleep a little and then go and help Mattalast-san”
“I see…”
Mirepoc went back to the control room Noloty also wanted to head up, but just as she put her feet to the stairs, a wo from above
“Oh, Noloty”
Noloty’s legs stopped Her body shook with ht the Guardian Beasts
Accompanied by footsteps of sandal-covered feet, the one who ca Director of Bantorra Library, Hamyuts Meseta
“So you ca hard”
Ha from her waist
Only a handful of Armed Librarians knehat really happened the other day in Bujui during the fight against the Monster
Hamyuts manipulated Noloty in order to revive the Monster nobody talked about the fact that she wanted to fight Enlike afterwards Minth told her to forget it all Noloty also thought she should do so, but she couldn’t forget the fear of facing Hamyuts Meseta no matter how much she wanted to
“E-even you’re shelving Books, Director?”
Noloty raised a nervous voice and tried talking norhtened, let alone her mouth
“Yeah Because we don’t have enough manpower”
While saying so, Hamyuts caressed Noloty’s head
“You’re also working hard, huh? You’re almost fully qualified now”
Hairl’s hair
“What’s wrong, Noloty? You’re pale”
“It’s nothing”
“Oh well, see ya”
After saying so, Hamyuts left for the Labyrinth
Noloty couldn’t understand Hamyuts at all She was competent, but was also known as an extreht so However, she had the feeling that soerous hid in her true nature
“She’s scary but… I can’t do anything about her”
Nolotythe spiral staircase
Normal librarians hurriedly went up and down the stair while holding baskets full of Books Crossing paths with therew closer to the surface
Entering a side path that was close to the top room made for the normal visitors It was filled by the shs of people ere tired of waiting They werewaiting times so they could view certain Books
“Ah, Noloty-san I’ve been waiting for you”
“Let me read it already I can’t take it anymore”
Those anted to read Books as well as the nor to Noloty
“Noloty-san, here’s some water”
A librarian passed Noloty a bottle
“Ah, thanks But I’m not thirsty Rather than that, let’s hand out the Books”
Noloty took a small wooden box from within the rucksack on her back
“…I see”
The librarian who held out the water bottle replied in a s Books out
“Umm, who requested the Book of the hunter Goul Baroque?”
“I did”
The one who raised his hand was a bespectacled old man with a hunched back Noloty heard that he was an expert in the research of ancient civilizations She then began the obligatory explanation
“I’m sure you are well aware of this, but I’ll explain it for a second tinated under the Fifth Seal You are strictly forbidden fro it to other people In the case of violation, your ax and you will be forbidden fro infor the Book will also incur punishn here”
“Yes yes, give it to me Now I’ll be able to understand the lifestyle of people in the southern frontier during the year 800!”
Noloty checked the signatures on the docu room
“And noho requested the Book of the sea adventurer Bleuney Stamp?”
“I did”
Noloty passed the Book to the man who held his hand He was probably an adventurer just like the Book’s owner He was a burly man with a scar on his face
After explaining and confir room
“The Book of the astronomer Honney Mashea”
“I’ve been waiting for this forever! The Astrono is next month!”
The scholarly wo room in the middle of Noloty’s explanation
“The Book of the coal mine owner Colt Moari”
A oal was the reclamation of the coal mine, his true aim was to locate the whereabouts of an enormous inheritance He received the Book, barely able to suppress his joy However, Noloty read the Book before, so she knew – there wasn’t any inheritance
“Next is the Book of the Magician Mill Moomiton”
And thus Noloty handed over all Books A third of the people in the waiting roo room
Noork for today is over – just as Noloty thought so, a voice called to her
“Umm…”
It was a wo clothes
“How can I help you?”
“Uet the Book of my husband Bleuney Stamp, but…”
“Oh, that one Earlier I gave it to another person, so you can get it once he finishes viewing it”
“But my husband wasn’t a sea adventurer…”
Thewoman said in hesitation Behind Noloty, a librarian looked at the Book list and then said to her,
“Noloty-san, that was another person with the same name”
It seeht for a second they were tricking her However, the librarian stared at her frorabbed her handkerchief
“…I’ll go bring it now!”
Noloty fled fro room
“I haven’t grown at all”
As she muttered this, Noloty went down the spiral staircase of the Sixth Archive
Before she dived in the Book Labyrinth again, she wanted to eat The cold inside it ry
“You there, please wait”
When Noloty turned around, she saw the adventurer ave the Book to before
“What is it?”
“I’d like to ask you if I can go retrieve the Book myself?”
Noloty hed Once in a while there were these kinds of people Newspaper reporters that wanted to see the interior or warriors that wanted to test their own skills – there was no end to people anted to enter the Labyrinth
“I have confidence in my abilities Don’t worry about me”
The adventurer rolled up his sleeve He certainly seemed to be well-trained, and could be a splendid warrior if he had some discipline But that wasn’t the issue here
“I appreciate the offer, but you can’t do that No one can enter except Armed Librarians or trainees”
“I see Thank you”
“Yeah Unfortunately, we have such rules”
When Noloty said so, the adventurer h for some reason Then, he went further down the staircase
“Good grief”
Half a month passed since the Monster incident What awaited Noloty who resolved that incident was her unchanging usual daily life
Carrying a bag full of Books on her shoulders, going back and forth inside the Labyrinth – that same kind of daily life She cah her mountain-load of work
“I wonder how you’re doing now, Enlike-san”
Noloty recalled the face of the young man she met in battle He was supposed to have stayed at Bantorra Library However, ever since the incident ended, she hadn’t seen him at all
Around the same time…
It was in the part of Bantorra Library above ground Inside a huge room in the castle there were two men
Once of them was the Armed Librarian Mattalast And the other was the ex-Monster, Enlike Bishi+le He left the Indulging God Cult and started cooperating with the Armed Librarians
Enlike closed his eyes while sitting on a chair Mattalast stood next to hi his pipe The two didn’tinside himself, and Mattalast held his breath as if to not disturb him
“…It’s no good”
Enlike opened his eyes
“Is it impossible?”
Mattalast sat down on a chair next to him
“The Ie However, I cannot touch or read it”
“That’s a problem”
Mattalast blew out smoke
“So it’s just like the Magic Agency thought You can possess Zatoh’s body, Enlike-kun, but you can’t go as far as control his Magic Right”
Mattalast gazed towards the report sent by the researchers froency Inside ritten the research results of the Book-Eating ability conducted by the Magic Agency as well as several researchers’ opinions on the matter As Enlike became a collaborator with the Ar he knew about the Indulging God Cult to Mattalast However, since he was a s Enlike could tell him were about the shi+p, about the island, and about how he overtook Zatoh
The one who should have deep knowledge about the Indulging God Cult was the Monster Zatoh Rondohone Just now, Enlike tried pulling out his inary Entrails
“Most probably, both the act of using the abilities of eaten Books as well as accessing their ht now I can’t eat any Books, nor can I control cloth”
Enlike said while eers
“But you still have your regeneration, don’t you?”
“That seeht be because it’s an auto me use it”
Enlike said with a downcast gaze He was probably reminded of his comrade that would never return
“Well then, Enlike-kun What are you going to do from now on?”
“I’ll undergo Magic Deliberation and acquire a new Right I’ll get one that’ll allow me to retrieve Zatoh’s memories”
That would be difficult, Mattalast thought Acquiring an inborn ability such as Book-Eating through normal means is next to impossible However, Mattalast couldn’t tell him to quit
Enlike was sincere more than Mattalast expected He couldn’t tread upon his efforts like that
“…Sorry, Mattalast I can’t offer much cooperation after all”
“Don’t mind it We once tried to kill each other after all”
Mattalast sh, he added in his mind
“Also, you can still be plenty of use even in your current state For exaoods on the island you caress”
Then, the door opened without even a knock
“Mattalast A report caovernment”
The one who careen ht, with a physique that didn’t stand out at all His hair was slicked backwards as if he attempted to erase any and all of his features
His symbol as an Armed Librarian was on a medal attached to the chest of his uniform He had several documents in his hand
“From Guinbex? Why?”
“This is about theGod Cult’s island That was unmistakably food made for the use of the Guinbex army”
“As we thought Where did the manufacturer lead us to?”
“I don’t know I’ to issue instructions on that matter now”
The man put the documents on the table He turned his eyes to Enlike, and then snorted
“I am First Class Armed Librarian Feekiee Quinn”
He introduced himself in a cold voice
“We’ve met once before, so I know you I also heard your name at that time”
Feekiee averted his gaze from Enlike
“I see I don’t have ti God Cult one-by-one”
“Hey, Feekiee Try to get along with him”
Mattalast chided in while s his pipe
“Mattalast, be careful around him”
Feekiee left those words and then left Mattalast shrugged as if giving up Enlike saw Feekiee off with a discouraged expression
“Sorry, Enlike-kun Don’t be offended He’s just a bit too serious”
“Yeah I don’t mind”
“Good grief, everyone fro”
Mattalast removed the ashes from his pipe He put another leaf, lit it with a ed the topic
“Hey, Enlike-kun Do you knohy I’ve been assigned to you?”
Enlike raised an eyebrow
“I don’t”
“It’s because I’ainst surprise attacks”
“What do you mean?”
“If I were in the Indulging God Cult, I would, without any doubt, want to erase you”
“…Really?”
“The biggest strength of the Indulging God Cult is the fact that nothing is known about it They should be afraid of infor?”
“That ht be true, but…”
“To tell you the truth, I’ you to play the role of bait”
Mattalast brought the index finger on his right hand close to Enlike’s face