You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 79

"Where is Theodore? His desk... Sigh... And they said he was an organized person..."

Just like I did, the Duke asked about the scholar’s whereabouts. Taking a quick glance to look at the buried desk in the middle of the lower floor, he sighed at the mountain of books and papers covering, not only the desk but most of the floor surrounding it.

As I followed the Duke to take a glance, I also sighed at the sight and felt incredibly uncomfortable with anxiety about how disorganised everything looked.

’... It’s even worse than last time... What’s this guy doing with all those books anyway?’

"Dear, I will go look for Theodore. Is there anything you need? If they haven’t changed the arrangement of the books, I may be able to tell you where the books you need are."

’Right!... I almost forgot I also need to do the investigation on the date, the seasons and that Zate thing he mentioned before...’

Hmm... Let’s leave the date for later. I can’t ask him what day is today when it’s his birthday.

Then again... What type of books teach the seasons?.... Wouldn’t those be...

..... Children’s books... again...?

Oh! Or maybe a religious book? Or one that talks about the history of the world?

’I’ll go for the history category, they might mix the religious thing on it anyways.’

Taking the notes in my hand I began to write again.

[Father, I am quite intrigued by history. I would like to revise how our calendar was set since I seem to have forgotten a bit about the topic. The legend’s book did not mention anything about it, thus, I have grown curious about it.]

Wanting to sound interesting and also remarking the bit about me "revising" the theme, I directly asked for what I needed.

If I were to say that I want to read only about history without specifying, I may have to stay all day searching for the right book.

It’s better to go right to the point. The Duke also seems to know the books in this library so he might as well know of the perfect book to meet my expectations.

"Hmm... I see... You did learn that a long time ago... If it’s that... You could read that book... What was its name..."

"..." — watching how he struggled to remember, the following thought took form in me.

’Heh. I know that feeling. Trying to recall a book’s name is always a challenge for me too.’

"That’s right. It was ’Curiosity Per Yesterday’s Realm’! If I am not mistaken... It should be on the floor below this one, at the beginning of the row..."

"..." — With my usual silence, I nodded to his directions.

As I was about to turn around towards the place he had pointed, he asked in hesitation, halting my movements.

"Umm... Will you be alright on your own, Dear?"

Giving brief affirmations with my head, I told him I would be fine. However, even though I was truly alright, he seemed sorry to send me alone for some reason.

To my response, he added after a little pause.

"... Alright... Theodore should be around here. I will come back shortly, sweetie."

Giving a little pat on my shoulder, he excused himself and turned to the left side we entered, which led to the stairs to the upper floor. It was a bit tricky to consider them stairs since the design of the library was structured in resemblance to a spiral, and so, those "stairs" were divided into three pauses of three steps each. Therefore, the shift to the next floor wasn’t too striking since it was a gradual transition of elevations.

I watched him go up the first level and turned as he approached the next one. Heading to my right side, I went to the end of the row where the level below began. As I went down, I glanced at the organized and tight books on the wide bookshelves. There was almost no space between each book.

I had noticed that the shelf was quite full last time, but now that I’m roaming further... if I look at every shelf I’ve passed by... It gives off the vibe of an endless loop.

Finally arriving at the designated floor, a bit dizzy by the ton of books I observed on my way, I started to scan through the bookshelf right at the end of the stairs I’ve gone down just now.

If I had OCD... I would be in heaven.

Unlike last time, the books were arranged in alphabetical order and as I followed the order, I found a little plaque above the shelf, right in the middle. The books were also classified by genre. The fact that the cover colours were also similar and not very outstanding made it gratifying to see. If the books were colourful and more elaborate like the ones from my past, it would be a pain to decide whether I organise them by colour or title... But this is just perfect.

’Ugh.... If Four eyes did this... I might forgive him..... This is just... so satisfying...’

Looking up in delight, my eyes met the category plaque and focusing my sight on it, I read the name written on it.

[Children]

"..."

’Nope... I’ll kill him.’

Is this a joke? How come I’m looking for a Children’s book again? Is this my fate?

The worst of all is that although the legends book was for kids... It was interesting too.

If Marianne’s Father had never said anything about it being a children’s book, I would have never found out!

...

Right... It was quite... It didn’t seem like a kid’s book... Is that the difference in our time’s literature? So kids from earlier times get the good stuff I read when I was twenty??... 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I was sceptical about the path my mind was taking off. If it was like that, my rage is not really on the book but the classification such a book has. I mean, there were a pair of deaths from a few famous invaders and pirates executions described there... So, how is that apt for children??

Taking a random book out of the shelf, I tried seeing if every single one was like that.

’Maybe that’s why children were kind of mature in earlier years of the story...’ — I thought as I opened the chosen by luck book.

[And so, the tiny frog dived into the pond to meet his family.]

"...."

’Mature my a**.’

That little first line that entered my eyes made my tiny inclination to forgive Four eyes "dive into the pond".

’Let’s just do what brought me here.’

Putting back the book in its rightful place, I searched the titles starting with "C" from the Chaos I’ll make once I meet the scholar... and the Duke.

Because he also took part in this trap, although not intentionally.

’Alright... Curiosity.... Curiosity..... Coral.... Cultivation....Cu... Curiosity!... and goats.... Curiosity in my Town... The heck? So many curious books.... Oh! "Curiosity Per Yesterday’s Realm"!! Found you!’

The cover of the book was navy blue, and seeing its thickness... I knew I would need to take it back to my room and take my time to look through it to find what I want to know. Giving it a quick glance there were a few things about some gods and their representing seasons, how they created the world, archaic languages and so on. It seemed at first glance very promising since all that was only on the initial ten to twenty pages... Of what appears to be a book of around a thousand pages...

’Sigh... Does this..... This doesn’t have an index of contents? These guys haven’t thought of implementing those yet?... Or is this book too old?... Never mind, I’m taking it back with me anyways.’

Now that I’m done with it, I’ll look around for a bit. I won’t get anything by looking for more resources on my own since the titles seem misleading thanks to their genre classification.

’I might go look on the romance corner and find a thriller about a couple that in the end teaches a moral to young children. Yup, they most likely will teach children to know the dangers of romance.’ — I said sarcastically in my head.

Walking further into the floor, I arrived at the stairs that gave to the last floor below. This one was a true staircase, and it was also quite a long way down.

As I walked down, halfway through I regretted doing so. Just imagining going up those stairs on the way back made me whine in laziness.

’Sigh..... Too late now I guess...’

Continuing my path down the stairs, I observed the high bookshelves acting as wallpaper.

The first step I gave on the black and white squared floor, was on a loose paper that must have flown from the stockpile on the scholar’s desk. I took it from the floor and made my way as well as I could to the desk in the middle to leave it with the mountain of other papers there.

The closer I got... The better I heard a familiar mumble.

’Heh... Don’t tell me I found another thing I came here for?... Is fate showing me that it wants me to take revenge?... If so. I will fulfil fate’s expectations.’

Shoving a few papers with my feet, I arrived in front of the desk, and between the piled-up books, I saw a gap framing the much sought after purple worm.

’Mhmm~ Four eyes... You should say your prayers now~~’