“Well? To tell you the truth, this is a secret, but I might be changing jobs next year.”

“Professor, they say nobody who goes around announcing they’re quitting ever really quits....”

“Hm hm, you know all sorts of things, don’t you?”

“I meant you shouldn’t change jobs!”

Yuliope only let out a small laugh.

“Then shall we look at the hand-copied texts?”

“Yes!”

Beaming, I eagerly flipped through the hand-copied texts.

I asked questions about the curly letters, ate more of the leftover sandwich and strawberry soda, and watched the clouds floating in the sky.

And just like that, the short lunch break passed.

*****

The next day.

I snapped awake at dawn that morning and went straight to Professor Yuliope’s research office.

I did not forget to run to the student dining hall and request breakfast baskets for two, either. Since the Academy was generous when it came to feeding students, it was not especially difficult.

I packed up a delicious chicken sandwich and dessert and took them with me to look at Yuliope’s hand-copied texts.

Yuliope seemed to find me admirable, but she still did not readily give me permission to enter the Rare Books Archive.

I still didn’t get the key to the Rare Books Archive....

On the way back.

I trudged down the stairs of the administration building, thinking.

Liam said professors hand over library keys immediately if you show any interest in their field of study....

Apparently that only applied to Liam.

What do I do? Do I really have no choice but to sneak in again?

I furrowed my brows deeply as I thought.

But the library at night was surprisingly well guarded. The professors on duty kept coming and going, and there were plenty of guards as well....

It’s almost a miracle I succeeded on the first night.

Mmmmmm. I cannot go around throwing magic everywhere, either. And time just keeps passing.

My brows drew together even tighter.

“Rubiaaan!”

On the way back to the dormitory, I spotted Sortie in the distance.

“Did you get to meet the professor?”

“Yeah! I went to ask about the ancient language. But she looked incredibly tired.”

“Are all professors just that overworked and exhausted?”

“Hmm, maybe Professor Yuliope’s situation is unusual.”

“Ahh. I guess you really do have to be careful when choosing a career.”

Just then, Sortie, who had been staring at me, leaned her face closer.

“But Rubian, do you have something you’re worried about? Your expression was super serious when you were coming down the stairs.”

Sortie asked as she swung our clasped hands. Pursing my lips a little, I only told her the parts I could say.

“Ah. No.... It’s just that I want to go to the library.”

“It’s free time now, so you can just go!”

She answered lightly.

“Mmm. That’s true, but where I want to go is farther inside....”

“Then just go!”

“No, it’s somewhere I can’t go without permission.”

“...Then just go?”

“...Titi, this is just my impression, but I feel like you’ve gotten a lot less afraid lately....”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

Huh? When I turned my head in confusion, Sortie was the one looking at me as if I were the strange one.

“Isn’t there someone in your family?”

“Someone who...?”

“Someone who reaaally likes places like libraries.”

I blinked for a moment.

“If you ask that person for help... wouldn’t you be able to go?”

“......”

“Ah, right! But you were playing hide-and-seek, weren’t you? That’s why you were worried!”

My eyelids, which had been moving slowly, suddenly fluttered like hummingbird wings. My mouth fell wide open.

“That’s right!”

“Huh?”

Why had I kept thinking only about avoiding them until now?

There was a way to get help secretly, too!

“Sorry, Titi! Eat lunch with the others! I’m going to go see my brother—. No, no. I’m going to the library!”

“Okaaay!”

Sortie bounced in place with an innocent face as she saw me off.

*****

“......”

“......”

Liam was locked in a staring contest.

“...Ah! I lost!”

The head librarian blinked resentfully. Scrubbing at her eyes, she let out a deep sigh.

“Again, Liam Zebbert?”

She jerked her chin in displeasure at Liam’s back.

“I told you not to bring things like sleeping bags into the library.”

“This is not an ordinary sleeping bag. When you unfold it like this, it becomes a specially made model with a separate space secured for reading—”

“Yes. I suppose I’ll have to add it to the library’s prohibited-items list.”

“My explanation must have been lacking. It also comes in a dark color, so if it stays still, it can pretend to be a shadow—”

“You do know that is not the problem, right?”

The librarian furiously scribbled something onto the papers tucked under one arm, then thrust them forward.

“Here, look!”

Bedding of all kinds (including beds)A custom table engraved with magical beast patternsAn assembly-type study.

.

Sleeping bag with added reading and concealment functions – NEW!Anything that can simply solve the problems of clothing, food, and shelter – NEW!“At this point, I’m genuinely curious how far this list is going to go.”

The rolled-up scroll slipped from her hand, dropped to the floor, and stretched out across it.

Liam calmly looked over # Nоvеlight # the sight. Then he carefully pushed up his glasses.

“No, but then how exactly am I supposed to read?”

“There is also the perfectly comfortable and ordinary method of sitting in a reading-room chair and reading, you know?”

“...This is serious.”

Liam muttered, looking stricken.

“The weather is starting to get cold. If I fall asleep and wake up with my mouth twisted, wouldn’t the youngest fairy be sad?”

“Now you believe in fairies too? And I keep telling you, sleeping over in the library is forbidden!”

In the end, the sleeping bag Liam had brought was shoved away somewhere inside the caretaker’s office.

“Whew, anyway, let’s go. I’ll take you to the biology stacks.”

The librarian beckoned for him to follow.

“Hmm....”

Liam stood there for a moment, staring quietly at the librarian, then picked up the < Customer Feedback > card sitting right beside the information desk.

< The librarian is kind and the rules taste bad. >

Anyone guiding the way is always welcome.

“Ahem, well, I suppose I am rather kind.”

After clearing her throat, the librarian led Liam to his primary habitat, the < Biology Stacks >.

“Oh, and just so you know, there’s already a student in the biology stacks today.”

“A student already there?”

“Surprising, right? And an incoming student, at that. They absolutely must not grow up to be like you, Liam.”

“Hmm.”

“Here. The key to the biology stacks.”

A gold key dropped into Liam’s hand with a tap.

The library’s official closing time was seven o’clock. But Liam, exceptionally, was allowed to stay until ten.

If they did not at least do this much, he looked fully capable of eating, sleeping, and living here all three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, so Headmaster Odelly had granted special permission, and the professors eager to claim him had supported it.

“If you’re going to stop by any archive other than the biology stacks after closing time.... You know the procedure, right?”

“Yes. I’ll borrow the key from the second drawer of the oak desk right beside the magical-beast-patterned table near the window and write down my name.”

“Shhh! That permission is only for you, Liam, so don’t say it so openly!”

The librarian pressed an index finger to her lips, then soon gave up and sighed.

“Well, the other students don’t want to stay in the library that badly in the first place.”

Turning around in front of the biology stacks, the librarian repeated herself one more time.

“Don’t forget to lock the door when you leave. I know you’re good about that without me saying it.... And I’ll say it again, sleeping over is forbidden! If the guards catch you again after ten, then this time....”

“Thank you for guiding me.”

With an intelligent-looking push of his glasses, Liam slipped into the library.

With familiar movements, he moved through the shelves here and there.

Just as he pulled out dozens of books and cradled them in both arms, about to head for a sunny spot—

“Ah, right. I forgot one.”

His steps turned toward the innermost bookshelf. If there was any comfort to be found, it was that although Liam could lose his way anywhere else, he never lost his way among bookshelves.

That was when it happened.

“Huh? We have this book at home.”

At the small voice that drifted over, Liam stopped short.

“Mmm? That one’s at home too.... No, this one too. Then why do you even live in the library...?”

A cheerful voice murmuring in front of the shelf. A round, familiar little head seen from behind.

Sparkling blue eyes turned toward him.

“Don’t you think so, Brother?”