Chapter 143 : Chapter 143
Chapter 143. Study Is a Habit (2)
Whenever the Young Lady attended class, I read books in the Academy Library.
This place was, quite literally, a treasure house of knowledge. Not only the history of the Continent, but various other techniques and forms of knowledge were well organized in books, so it was helpful.
The library of House Adeline was also quite large, but naturally, it could not compare to the library of this place, which was the academic institution representing the Kingdom.
That was why I tended to come to the Library whenever I had time.
“You came again today?”
A woman who had been organizing books showed interest in me. I was wearing a fine tailcoat and had a treasured sword equipped at one side. From other people’s perspective, it was a somewhat strange combination.
Even when butlers were armed, they usually did not equip treasured swords with such a dignified elegance. It was possible that I would draw attention.
I took my eyes off the book for a moment and smiled at the young woman who had spoken to me. She was wearing the Royal Academy uniform. She seemed to be a Librarian.
Wherever one went, there was absolutely no harm in becoming friendly with the person responsible for that place.
“I like books. Whenever I have time, I tend to come here and read whatever my hand happens to reach. Have I disturbed your organizing?”
“No, that is not it…… It is just that such a handsome gentleman comes here at the same fixed time every time, so I could not help noticing you. That is why I wanted to speak to you once.”
“I see. It is an honor.”
When I greeted her politely, the woman showed clear goodwill. As expected of a city woman. She was cool and poised.
There was no reason to reject goodwill, but I still needed to remain cautious. Even if someone smiled so charmingly and then drew a dagger from her breast, it would not be a strange situation.
I would only be able to sleep with my legs stretched out once I wiped the Delfino bastards off the map.
I was certain that the ones targeting me were the Delfino Family. Their five-hundred-year-old, long-festering vengeance had come all the way to me.
“You may comfortably call me Dilen. I work as a Butler in House Adeline. I am also the person who governs the Metis region.”
“Lord Metis. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Lua. I am a Librarian. Sir Dilen, if there is any book you need, I will find it for you.”
Once I revealed my status, her gaze showed even more obvious goodwill.
“Does this place perhaps have something like a Preservation Archive?”
“It does. There is a separate place where books that are several hundred years old or older are preserved.”
“May I read them?”
“I am sorry to say this, but it is impossible without permission.”
So she would not open her heart easily. A pointless competitive spirit rose within me.
“Who grants that permission?”
“Unless the professors take them out for research purposes, they are not disclosed. In principle, that is.”
The words “in principle” also meant that the Preservation Archive was opened even in situations that did not follow principle.
Recently, I had gained more reasons to obsess over old books.
It was partly to obtain knowledge about Ancient Magic, and partly because I wanted to confirm what had happened between House Adeline and the Delfino Family five hundred years ago.
“I may have to ask for your help next time. Would you be willing to assist me?”
“If it is within my power.”
“I will visit often.”
The smiling Librarian left. I opened the book again and began engraving the section I had been reading into my mind.
After being hit by the Reincarnation Truck, I had become capable of Speed Reading. Also, if I used mana, I could remember an entire page as an image, as though leaving behind a screenshot, even without reading the book.
By adding an index to that, I had learned a way to pull out and use the knowledge I needed.
In other words, I had created a living encyclopedia.
Therefore, from now on, it was important to read many books. That was why I came to the Library whenever I had time and turned every book I could get my hands on into images.
The book I was reading was a book of magic theory.
To be precise, it was a book describing how to operate mana. Learning magic was important as well, but increasing the quantity and quality of the mana that served as the raw material for magic was even more important.
“It may be good to change my Mana Mental Cultivation Method a little. According to this book, rotating mana faster in the Dantian and then sending it through the circuit is reflected in its power. Hm, that is persuasive.”
My Mana Circle was located not in my Dantian but in my heart. Because of that, sending mana through the circuit was relatively easier.
After finding a decent method, I stored it in my mind. I planned to try practicing it during training time this evening.
How much time had passed?
A bell rang outside. Three hours had already passed. I hurriedly put the book back in order and left the Library.
Fortunately, class had not ended yet. When I arrived in front of the building, Sir Cassiopeia was standing in the exact same posture she had been in when I left this place.
Would her body not stiffen like that?
That was enough to make me think such a thing.
“Have you been waiting here the entire time?”
“It is an ordinary matter for a Guard Knight. Where did you go?”
“I was reading at the Library for a while.”
“So the butlers of House Adeline do other things even during work hours.”
At that point, she might as well ask me to fight her. There was no need to display her dissatisfaction so openly.
“It was something I received permission for from the Young Lady. There is no need to waste time standing around blankly. If I am studying to increase my professionalism, would that not be an even better thing?”
Perhaps because she was left speechless by that proper principle, Sir Cassiopeia did not answer. So I asked her instead.
“How long has it been since you first held a sword, Sir?”
“I first held a sword when I was three, so it has been about seventeen years.”
So she was twenty years old. Asking indirectly like this was more effective than asking her age directly. All one had to do was make a simple calculation.
“What about you, Sir Dilen?”
“It has only been a few years for me. What I learned from my father back in my hometown was all I had. I was lucky enough to make a friend among the Apprentice Knights, and these days, I am learning Swordsmanship from that friend.”
Cassiopeia showed interest when I said I was learning Swordsmanship.
“What kind of Swordsmanship is it?”
“They said it is called the Merdiang Sword Art.”
“The Merdiang Sword Art…… Is your friend perhaps Arthas?”
“That is correct.”
It seemed they had a connection. A good connection, at that. The proof was that much of the wariness in Cassiopeia’s expression softened at once.
“Our family has interacted with House Merdiang for a long time. Our fathers are friends as well. After I heard that Arthas entered House Adeline, I have not received any news about him.”
“How fascinating. I did not know I would come to know someone through such a connection.”
“The world is strangely wide and narrow at the same time. So, what is Arthas doing these days? It has not been long since he entered, so he should still be an apprentice.”
“He is in the Royal Capital right now. He is working as my Lieutenant.”
“What did you say?”
Then Cassiopeia’s expression crumpled. It seemed she was openly expressing her dissatisfaction, and she was someone who could not manage her expression very well. In another sense, she was honest.
“House Adeline is peculiar. An Apprentice Knight is attached as a butler’s Lieutenant? Is that how poor the treatment of knights is there?”
“Is being an apprentice a title of privilege? As the word itself says, he is in the stage of learning, so he should carry out whatever duty he is given. And the treatment is not poor. What is poor is the knights’ skill.”
I also mocked her openly.
“At the time, I was a Butler Apprentice as well, so if they lost to a Butler Apprentice, should they not consider looking for another line of work?”
“Sir Dilen must be a special case. In general terms, it is a waste. What do butlers even do?”
I let out a sigh. Knights like this were more common than one might think. Since this was an era that revered martial prowess, it was not that I could not understand her, but even so, surely her head was not merely a decoration.
“There were certain circumstances. Arthas also lost to me in an official Sparring match. Since it was a role accompanying the Young Lady, it was not a bad order for Arthas either.”
“Lost? What do you mean by that?”
Cassiopeia strode toward me. I was truly pressed by her force and unconsciously took a step back.
“Are you saying Arthas really lost to you? He should not be such an easy opponent.”
“A witness happens to be coming out, so why not ask her?”
I pointed to one side of the corridor. Just then, Young Lady Sapiela and Princess Ophelia, who had finished class, were coming out while talking together in friendly conversation.
Cassiopeia suppressed her anger and straightened her expression. Then she gave the Princess a Military Salute.
“You have worked hard attending class, Your Highness. I will escort you to the royal palace now.”
Princess Ophelia stuck out her lower lip.
“Ah~ Let us not do that. Let us play for a while before going back. Once I go in, it is hard to come back out. I have to go to the Adeline mansion for dinner tonight anyway, do I not? Do you not know how troublesome it is to go in and come back out?”
“Even so, would it not be best to inform His Majesty the King first before you go?”
“You really do not have even a speck of flexibility.”
I agree. Not only did she lack flexibility, but her temperament also seemed rather hasty and rough. It was impressive that she had entered the Royal Guard. Please raise the cutoff line a little.
Sapiela smiled and said,
“I will go back and prepare. I will see you this evening.”
“Yes! See you later, Ella.”
The two masters exchanged farewells, and we also climbed into the carriage to return to the mansion. At that moment, Sir Cassiopeia approached.
“Sir Dilen. About that Sparring you mentioned earlier, may I hear about it in detail next time?”
“Of course. I will see you this evening. However, if you speak disparagingly of butlers again next time, I will no longer exchange words with you. It is unpleasant.”
“That…… I am sorry.”
Cassiopeia frowned once and abruptly turned away. Was that the posture of someone apologizing?
I clicked my tongue and climbed into the carriage as well. The Princess’s carriage departed first, and our carriage followed after it. Then, at the Academy entrance, the two carriages split in different directions.
The direction in which Ophelia’s carriage disappeared was toward the royal palace. It seemed she intended to stop by there before coming.
“By the way, what did Sir Cassiopeia mean earlier? She mentioned Sparring.”
“It turned out that she knows Arthas.”
“She does?”
The Young Lady showed interest.
Recently, the Young Lady had been showing interest not only in Arthas but in all the people close to me. She also talked with Arthas from time to time.
I slowly explained the situation up to just before she had come out after finishing class.
“When I told her that I had sparred with him before, she started asking this and that, saying there was no way Arthas would lose to a butler. That was when you came out, my lady.”
“She must have been someone who learned Swordsmanship with him.”
“I will have to ask him when we return to the mansion. I need to know what kind of relationship they specifically have. It seemed their houses have known each other.”
However, I had no opportunity to call Arthas.
When we arrived at the Branch Residence, high-end carriages and baggage carriages were lined up in rows. Had some distinguished guest come from afar? Knights and butlers had come out and were moving busily.
“It seems someone has arrived.”
Sapiela and I got out of the carriage. And then we welcomed unexpected guests. Not one, but two of them.
“Ella. Are you enjoying studying in the Royal Capital while living so comfortably?”
“Brother!”
The Young Lady was so surprised that she could not continue speaking. The distinguished guest was none other than the Third Young Master of House Adeline, Hamel.