Volume 8 Chapter 3 Part1 (1/2)

Ha through the Fifth Labyrinth Their bodies covered in wounds, the pair pushed through the Labyrinth’s path

Noring course for theainst the Decay Wave

However, this time it was different The powerful Guardian Beasts fros’ path

“Don’t falter, Yuri! Keep running!”

“Yes, brother!”

Obstructing them was a powerful Guardian Beast that protected the Second Level: the five-headed large snake known as the Jail King Snake Yukizona intercepted its acidic breath using his Decay Wave Yuri was protecting herself behind her brother using the power he had transferred to her

Five heads were raised to attack from all sides simultaneously Yukizona released his Wave in the shape of a belt to defend himself

The opening ca Snake Yukizona shot his Decay Wave straight ahead

“Break through! Don’t lag behind!”

“Yes!”

He shouted to Yuri at his back and ran straight ahead The Decay Wave caused a part of the twisting snake’s body to wither It became a luth Piercing through the luh the enemy’s body

Going through their ene ahead Although they kneas quote rash, the pair took this decisive action

“Uu…!”

Jail King Snake spit acid at Yuri from behind Yukizona turned around Some of her defense didn’t make it in time

“Don’t stop! Run!”

“Yes!”

They ran for their lives as Jail King Snake came from behind There was no need to defeat it; If they defeated every one of the Beasts, they would only reach half the Labyrinth before exhausting theht noas just to proceed And to finally reach the bottommost level

Next to block their as the Guardian Beast froh that even someone like Noloty or Minth wouldn’t be able to defeat it one on one

Without using his Decay Wave, Yukizona dodged the spear’s attack with only his body Yuri, who cut in fro

Using the opening of its collapse, they ran ahead

For several minutes after that, they had no contact with any enemy

“Just as I thought”

Yukizona said

“Almost all Guardian Beasts… no, Beasts of the Final Chapter have gathered in the Fifth Level Once we enter the Fourth we should have a s”

“Yes”

“Hurry up We s no matter what happens”

“…Yes”

Yukizona ran ahead deter softly

Yuri was thinking about her co in the entrance of the Labyrinth They were probably fighting even noithout grasping the situation nor knowing the reason for it all

When Yukizona was asked for an explanation he said nothing He told them only to follow his orders This wasn’t an appropriate attitude as a leader

Yuri also knew the reason for this

In order to explain the situation they would have to reveal secrets that have been concealed until now Namely, the true history of Bantorra Library and the existence of Heaven slu in the Second Sealed Archive

Concealing this was Yukizona and Yuri’s mission

However, did they really need to be fixated on that mission in this situation?

Was it not ier?

Did they have to continue concealing it despite the fact that in front of the the secrets leak?

“…Brother”

Yet Yuri wasn’t able to voice these doubts She also never thought of defying Yukizona

“Brother”

“…What is it, Yuri?”

Yukizona stopped and turned around

“No, it is nothing Let us hurry”

Yuri kept running without stopping Yukizona quickly overtook her

How pitiful, she thought

My brother still thinks of protecting the secrets andto preserve the Library the same as it was yesterday

It is ih… Even if we overcome this crisis, there is no ould be able to conceal the secret from all of our comrades

He is probably the only person to think the Library can keep going as it was Without a shred of doubts, both Bantorra Library and the Armed Librarians are finished today

Brother is the only one to not acknowledge this Yuri watched her brother’s back with sorrow

Just as Yukizona had expected there were almost no Guardian Beasts in the Fourth Level They realized a feere left by hearing their footsteps, yet they didn’t meet them even once

“Now it becomes easier”

He said to Yuri behind him

“Yes, brother More importantly, is your body fine?”

“No problem”

Having said that, it was true that he had exhausted his stamina The cause was not the battles but rather the cold Ever since he was born he was extreainst the cold It was because of a heart disease

Yukizona started slightly coughing as he ran The cold air of the underground was like poison to his lungs Because of this he had never participated in regular shelving This was the first time he entered the Labyrinth ever since his promotion test to a First Grade Armed Librarian

It was a normal situation this hen Yuri would have paled Yukizona shot a glance behind hinaled with his eyes that she didn’t have to worry This cough was not one that would lead to a fithim unable to move

“…”

While running, Yukizona suddenly recalled an old memory

It was the first memory left in his mind It was from before Yuri, two years his junior, had been born

His mother and the maid employed in their house clapped their hands and applauded him

Yukizona, having gotten better at crawling, grabbed the edge of the table and rose up

At thatfit and collapsed Hisblack came out of his , started crying

That was his first memory

Yukizona spent all of his life he could remember with the disease in his chest

It was a rare, natural-born disease It was neither hereditary nor contagious, but no way to treat it either by Magic or medicine existed The doctors said that even for those with talent in Magic it would be extremely difficult to acquire one that could treat it

There was nothing to be done but keeping his chest war hi the rest of the tiarden on warm days or read books in the library

His faentle, and their house’s servants all sympathized with him and liked him He had no inconveniences in life There weren’t many people who suffered from the same disease, but without any doubt Yukizona was thethem

However - or to be more precise, because of it…

In accordance with his growth to adulthood, a dark rage started burning inside Yukizona’s heart

After reaching the age of ten, an to question their oays of life

What if he, just like this, spends all his ti for death If his life just end like that, then…

What have I been born for? If I was born only to wait for death, it was the sa born at all

That was quite the first-world proble it first-hand he couldn’t realize that

Yet he couldn’t vent out his worries The people surrounding hientle, and his days were far too peaceful for that

“What’s the matter, brother?”

Yukizona, who grew froest Armed Librarians, had been asked by Yuri

“It’s nothing”

Yukizona asked hi to what he’s heard, people saw their lives flash before their eyes before dying

Did that explain it?

There certainly was a dreadful crisis loo towards their deaths

“…”

Another scene of the past floated to his mind

It happened when he was a boy

The one who disturbed Yukizona’s heart the most was his little sister, Yuri It’s not that he hated her He liked her She was even his most beloved person But that hy her existence was unpleasant to hi Yukizona froot a knack for it, and when she passed 10 years old she already did most of the work

This was an act of her dearly loving her brother, but probably not all there was to it She also clearly took care of her brother for her a acre of Yukizona was an extension of playing house as a kid

‘Am I your toy?’

He once wanted to say this to Yuri while she put a pocket warmer on his chest

What was so fun about this? Youyourself, but I can’t

I see So you can have fun Have as much fun as you want until I die

His emotions were a mix of envy of his healthy sister and a sense of helplessness

He had never voiced it or even let it show on his face

That was how Yukizona originally was

Their relationshi+p changed when Yuri became 12 and Yukizona 14 On that wintry day, no s they burned in the fireplace, the outside cold still penetrated the walls

Yukizona had a fit of his lung disease It was the first time in a month As always it was difficult for him

He felt as if his lungs were clogged by coal No hed, that coal would not come out

“Young master!”

“Bring a doctor, quickly!”

The servants frantically rubbed Yukizona’s back They replaced a toith ater every five minutes It didn’t even relieve him temporarily

The frequency of his fits has increased lately They also became more severe as time went on

Everything ht be over today If not today then at the next fit Or perhaps the next one? There wasn’t much difference anyway

Was the worsening of his condition due to his age? Or was it because Yukizona had given up? Even he couldn’t tell

His vision darkened by the lack of oxygen Even when the doctor finally ca he could do

Suddenly, Yuri thrust the doctor away Then, she ripped the pocket warmer and warm toay from him by force

Is she trying to kill me? wondered Yukizona as his consciousness sank into darkness

“What are you doing, Yuri!”

“Be quiet, mother!”

Yuri put her hand on Yukizona’s bare chest Then, she closed her eyes and started exhaling deeply

The nextit up was burned and melted away The doctor and histo her brother’s body and kept her hand on his chest

A few seconds later, Yukizona opened his mouth

“…What’re you doing, Yuri?”

Everyone was surprised He had difficulties even breathing during a fit Even after it settled down, he wasn’t able to speak for an entire day

“Yukizona, you can talk?”

“Yeah, I can talk I suddenly feel better”

Of all the people in the room, only Yuri was not surprised She was concentrated on closing her eyes and keeping her contact with him

“Yuri, what are you doing?”