Chapter 41: Galahad
The fifth day of the week dawned calm and a little too bright. After a quick breakfast in the cafeteria, Noah slung his satchel over his shoulder and stood.
"I’ll see you later." He said to Arlo, who was still chewing a piece of bread, his new blindfold a shade of teal today.
"Good luck in the stacks." Arlo said, lifting his cup. "Try not to inhale too much dust. You’re still recovering from yesterday’s torture."
Noah gave a short wave, then made his way across campus toward the library.
It was much busier than usual. The free day meant that many students, especially those without training drills or lessons, had flooded into the building for various reasons. Studying, research, or just a quiet place to sit. The usual soft quiet was replaced by a gentle murmur of voices, footsteps on polished floors, and the occasional squeak of chairs.
He walked past the central desk and approached the head librarian, who looked up from her paperwork with practiced calm.
"Ah. You must be the punishment assignment." She said with a slight smile. "Professor Cecilia did say you were coming in today."
"Guess I’m famous." Noah muttered.
The librarian chuckled and motioned toward one of the side corridors. "You’re assigned to Miss Elira. She’s waiting inside. Third aisle to the left, then keep going straight until you see a desk tucked under a painting of a fox."
Noah nodded, thanking her, and followed the directions. He passed rows of thick bookshelves, the smell of old parchment and ink growing stronger as he moved deeper into the heart of the library.
At the end of the path, he spotted a tall, slim woman with her red hair pulled into a tight bun. She was seated behind a small desk, precisely where the librarian had described. She glanced up, gave him a brisk nod, and handed him a feather duster.
"Books on farming," she said without any preamble, pointing to a long, shadowy stretch of shelves. "All of them need dusting. Be careful with the older volumes. They fall apart if you sneeze near them. Don’t try to read anything. Just clean."