Chapter 283: Old Hands
The Villainess Is An SS+ Rank Adventurer
- Thread starter kayenano
- Start date
- Original
Chapter 284: Late Fees
- Location
- Argentina
Well, great.
Did she open a portal to someone taking a bath?
Did she open a portal to someone taking a bath?
Book 7 is now available on Amazon!!
Hi there!
Baroness Arisa Sandholt, famed painter and bar owner, now graces the world of eBooks! If you'd like to admire the Rose Princess's works once again, you can now do so with a newly edited Book 7! Featuring a health dose of a certain maid and a sprinkling of the fae, it's also the longest book by far.
Thank you so much for your support! If you'd like to help out more than you already do, feel free to drop a rating. It helps so much!
Book 7: eBook
(Yes, there is also a chapter tonight!)
Chapter 285: Where The Fabled Winds Blow
- Location
- Argentina
Coppelia: I got a Rank A adventurer to help me rescue the Boss for free!
Coppelia comes with a free princess!
- Location
- Canada
So Juliette agreed to leave her kingdom with Coppelia for possibly decades, all so Coppelia will stay by her side... does this count as eloping?
You know, if Coppella's boss is indeed a dragon, there is a potential extra benefit to this endeavor.
She can negotiate to have him be her kidnapper! That way, if any other dragon shows up to kidnap her (they haven't yet since they have to be working their way up to her) then she can direct them to Coppella's boss rather than bothering her.
Everyone (only Juliette) wins!
She can negotiate to have him be her kidnapper! That way, if any other dragon shows up to kidnap her (they haven't yet since they have to be working their way up to her) then she can direct them to Coppella's boss rather than bothering her.
Everyone (only Juliette) wins!
Chapter 286: Through The Looking Glass
- Location
- Argentina
Well rescuing a dragon doesn't count to rise to S rank at least.
- Pronouns
- He/him
What are the chances the snow dancers quest to slay a dragon isn't involved with these shenanigans?
Chapter 287: The Hidden Library
The Fabled Realm of Ouzelia.
Snow and meadows. Mountains and lakes. Glimmering rivers coursing through valleyed forests teeming with life and treasure. Under each stone and log, it was said that enough hidden riches could be found that even adventurers would grow bored of it.
Nestled in the north of the continent, it was a land of beauty and plenty, famed as much for its vast berry farms as it was for the lack of soldiers to defend it.
A disparate union of counties, city-states, duchies and petty kingdoms of self-raised kings. Ouzelia was characterised by both its lack of unified governance and thus any significant army, its inner borders seemingly shifting or trading without issue on a whim.
Despite this, it was a land unseen by the watchful eyes of the south.
Whenever the Grand Duchess schemed from upon her perch, or the newest upstart in Rozinthe sought to reinvigorate the old empire, it was never towards this land of abundance.
The reason was simple.
Invading Ouzelia would mean having to deal with its people, and nobody wanted to do that.
But there was also a lesser reason as well.
Dragons.
Lots and lots of dragons.
Ancient, noble and deadly. The most powerful beings known to exist.
Armoured in scales as hard as the mountains they laired in and wreathed in magic as old as the first breath.With claws able to tear the earth asunder and flame that could melt a castle, it would take only a single irate dragon to quell an army marching through the narrow valleys.
Any invaders would have to deal with whoever they were socialsing with as well.
More dragons held their gatherings in Ouzelia than all the other realms put together. Nobody knew how many existed or how tea production kept up with demand. But nobody needed to know.
As creatures hatched as much from eggs as they were from magic, the very beat of their wings left tales of destruction in their wake.
And that begged a serious question.
"... why … do I … have to … rescchhueee … a dragon …"
My words came out as a tired yawn.
Yes, it was a truly ridiculous prospect.
Princesses did not rescue dragons. There was a well-established triangle.
1: Dragon kidnaps princess.
2: Knight tries to slay dragon and is eaten.
3: The princess escapes anyway.
That was the way it worked. No buts and no ifs.
That this sacred order of events could be twisted enough that a princess was somehow required to rescue a dragon was not only absurd, it was a danger to the social fabric.
If knights didn't continuously get themselves eaten by dragons, there would be nothing to stop them spreading. As a princess constantly at the end of their compliments, I stood to suffer the most.
… Fortunately, I didn't need to worry about this!
After all, there was no world in which I, Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea, would brazenly agree to rescue a dragon from horrors unknown!
Why, that would just be silly!
Thus, as I woke from my slumber, it was with a tired smile as I looked forward to the day of mundanity ahead. Raising my face from the pillow of my arms, I blinked through the starch gathering in my bleary eyes.
Then, I sought to stretch … and almost toppled over in my chair.
"–Hiee?!"
My hands reached out and grabbed a desk for all the world as if it was a life raft.
I sat for a moment, floating in an endless ocean of confusion.
No thoughts reached me there. The endless theories on geometry and the meaning of life no longer made themselves known. Only emptiness. And then somewhere I began to paddle, following a giant question mark in my mind as I blinked again and again … before finally scrunching my eyes and opening them anew.
Bright colours rewarded me for my perseverance.
A heap of books, each more colourful than the last, lay around me at my desk. I leaned down and studied the closest one.
A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3.
The familiar red cover swept the cloudiness from my eyes.
Why, it was the book I was currently reading! But not only that … there was also the next book in the series as well!
Oh … Oh my!
But of course! How silly of me! I must have fallen asleep while studying again!
Chastising myself for my lack of care, I sat up straight and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. There was no reason I did that, of course. And anybody who might have said otherwise was guaranteed to coincidentally be looking in the opposite direction.
"... Would you like a marmalade scone, ma'am?"
Yes, even if they were holding a platter towards me.
Smiling amicably while professionally eyeing something on the other side of the world, a maid presented a selection of scones doused in lemon and orange marmalade.
"Oh, yes please."
Without hesitation, I nodded to accept them all, then sat back as the maid placed the platter down on the desk. She'd barely bowed and turned before another maid appeared beside me, a tea set held aloft on a tray.
"I've prepared bergamot tea, ma'am. There's also a choice of darjeeling, golden black and a breakfast blend if it's not to your liking."
"Ah. Thank you. The bergamot will do."
I waited as she duly prepared a warm cup of tea for me.
I noted the precise angle of the pour with a nod. She would not be fired today.
Offering a short bow, she then left me to enjoy my studying in peace. I began by assessing the orange marmalade scone, delighting at once in the savoury tartness of the slightly bitter oranges paired with the subtle sweetness of the tea.
Then, I picked up A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3, and began to read.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Somewhere, a clock was ticking away.
The only disturbance as I munched away on a heap of scones still warm from the kitchens. Sipping through the bergamot, I wore a purely ironic smile as I continued my earnest studies in what a princess should most definitely not enjoy, thereby ensuring the virtue of my future reading habits.
X amount of minutes later–
"W-Where am I … ?!"
Hands slamming down on the desk, I immediately stood up.
A loud thud filled the air as my chair went crashing backwards, joined by the clattering of a mysteriously emptied scone tray flinging off to the side.
I paused, then brushed away the crumbs for good measure.
This …
This wasn't my bedroom!
At once, the memories came like one of Clarise's experiments at dawn. Except that instead of flames, what I saw was darkness. Pure darkness. A makeshift portal which had grabbed me by the ankles and swung me to my destination so fast that my nausea had no time to catch up!
I had stepped through a veritable door to the abyss! … Except this was even worse than that!
This … This was Ouzelia!
And this … was a library.
I instantly whipped around. And what I saw made me question if I'd made it to Ouzelia at all.
For one thing, nothing was on fire.
For another, there were scarcely enough books to make a fire. Certainly not the type to cause a scene worthy enough for our stewards to write out a letter of condolence in our name.
It was a modest library by all royal definition, complete with unvarnished panelled floors and streams of window light which only succeeded in blinding half my face.
Inoffensive and quaint. Not the words I'd use for a magical library.
Had I been forced to tour through a lord's residence, here is where I would have wrinkled my nose before proceeding outside to mock the design of the patio tiles.
I turned to the nearest bookshelf in confusion.
Perhaps the titles were more interesting, at least?
As I stepped away from my little alcove in the wall, I approached the column of books. I sent a quick peek around, then tipped the brightest spine towards me.
"Whatcha dooooing~?"
"–Hieee!"
I swung around to see the familiar face of my loyal handmaiden.
Leaning slightly forwards, Coppelia assessed me with a feigned look of suspicion compromised as much by the mischievous smile she wore as the plate of blueberry shortcakes she held.
Behind me, a book came tumbling down. She scooped it in the air with her free hand, then gracefully slid it back into its slot. I caught the name of the title as she did so.
Encyclopaedia Of Noble Lineage. Kingdom Of Tirea. A-E.
Gratitude filled me at once. She'd just saved me from wiping my hands.
"C-Coppelia!" I gestured all around me. "Where is … where are we?! How did I get here, surrounded by the crumbs someone else left behind?!"
Coppelia raised her arms and spun, blueberry shortcakes twirling along with her as she danced like a princess in her bedroom after escaping 2 entire minutes of planned social activity.
"Me is how~" she said with a bright smile. "This is where I carried you."
"This? … I don't even know where this is!"
"A place of wonders to help along the dream you were having after maybe passing out during the punt across time and space. And that includes snacks. Want a shortcake? It's just been made. The blueberry is practically melting into a sauce."
I groaned at the idea that my first introduction to Ouzelia was with my unconscious face. That was what I usually reserved for when the Holy Church's delegation visited the Royal Villa.
And then all I saw was the golden hue of sponge and a glistening blueberry garnish.
"A shortcake? … In that case, I suppose I can sample one, thank you …"
I accepted the offered treat, then took a small bite. And then another … and another. Shock filled me at once. While the shortcake itself was far too crumbly, the famed berries of Ouzelia did not disappoint. They were practically a melting glaze and … wait, no!
"I am not here to eat shortcake!" I said while eating shortcake. "I … wait, yes, I am here for the matter of your employer! This curator of yours, this … this dragon!"
I paused.
"... You did say dragon, yes?"
"Mmh, I did~"
I directed my groan towards the window.
In the end, I had nobody to fault but everybody else in the world. And then me last.
"... Very well!" I said as the last of the shortcake mysteriously vanished. "Then we have no time to waste! As … well, somewhat ordinary as this library is, I'm afraid I cannot afford to dally! I came here to perform a charitable service! … One which I hope to immediately squeeze for leverage, yes, but also charity!"
Coppelia pointedly tossed her emptied plate of shortcakes onto a desk where a copy of A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3 was currently bookmarked for future studying.
Her playful smile filled my vision.
"Are you sure? It looks like you've just woken up. Don't you need to find your feet first?"
"It's not my feet I need to find. It's a dragon … also, just to confirm–"
"Yes, I did say dragon."
I nodded.
Very well. I'd try again later.
"... Fine. A dragon." I briefly closed my eyes. "That's … That's fine! I can rescue a dragon!"
Indeed, why not?
What was a dragon but just a very large flying lizard?
Wherever he was stuck, I was certain I could engineer a way to pry him free!
Yes, carrying a dragon would be somewhat of an issue. But where there was a will, there was a way. Especially when that will was Coppelia's shoulders.
"Nooope~"
"E-Excuse me! I didn't even say anything … yet!"
"You're looking at me in the way children look at fruit slimes."
"That's ridiculous. Children only want to play with fruit slimes. I want to exploit your enchanted arms."
Coppelia pushed a book spine slightly in. It wasn't even jutting out. I tugged it back.
"So does the library," she said, wiping away an invisible bead of sweat from her brows. "You wouldn't believe the work I've had to do. I had to pretend to blow dust away from a book. And then I showed a guest to the wrong bookshelf and made them feel awkward because they couldn't find what they were looking for. And then I repeated that once more until they felt too bad to ask for any more help."
I gasped.
"H-How dare they! … You are not here as a librarian–"
"Assistant librarian."
"–assistant librarian, but as part of my personal retinue! Nobody is allowed to distract you from your important duties! … Where is everyone? Who do I direct my complaints to? Why, for a mysterious library, I'm rather surprised it's not at least bigger than a bookstore!"
Coppelia's less than innocent smile was all I needed to want to go home.
"Hmm … well, everyone else is probably doing their own thing. Although it might not seem like it, you really need to call out if you need anyone. The library is surprisingly big."
I looked around once more, still able to count the number of bookshelves.
"... Really? How big?"
"This big."
Coppelia leaned forwards and pushed another spine in.
This time, it slotted deep within its row.
Crank.
All of a sudden, I heard a noise so ominous it sent a tremor through the ground. The wooden panels began to shake. And so did I.
It was like two heavy cogs colliding beneath me. And I was skipping on top.
"C-Coppelia?!"
The ground trembled. I instinctively reached out and balanced myself against the nearest row of spines. The words Elementary Mathematics, Books 1 - 6 shone back at me. I slapped them away.
Crank. Crank. Crank.
And then–
The very wall beside us groaned as it began to part.
And the Hidden Library revealed itself at last.
A wide doorway opened up to me. I blinked as fresh light streamed through innumerable windows, for what revealed itself was a dome of criss-crossing wooden beams rising higher than my neck could comfortably crane. Peering upwards, I found chandeliers of moss and vines dangling as though from an enormous pergola.
My little alcove in the wall, apparently, was itself an alcove in a greater chamber.
One big enough to host a dragon.
And then I saw the rest of it.
Bookshelves which didn't just line the walls. They were the walls. Stacked in great columns like endless blocks, they rose almost to the top of the domed ceiling.
A daunting task for those not blessed with a mountain giant's height.
But not for those wielding magic.
Eschewing the need for ladders, librarians in fetching uniforms and guests in mage's attire walked to and fro, conjuring what they required with a flick of a wrist.
They were spoiled for choice.
However many books had ever been written, they could be enjoyed here. And with the only distraction being the heavy stomping in the near distance, the random scream of terror, the scuttling of a crab and the aggressive bleating of a goat.
A hundred questions tickled my curious mind.
All of them where the exit was.
"Welcome to the Hidden Library," said Coppelia with a tidy clap of her hands. "I, Coppelia, #1 ranked assistant librarian by nationwide popularity poll, will be your guide today. Please mind your step, watch out for falling books and follow me. If you get lost, raise both arms and yell wildly."
My face found my palms.
Even so, it wasn't enough to stop the sight of a smile bright enough to peek past my fingertips. She leaned in and easily pried them apart regardless.
"Our first stop–the scene of the crime."
Snow and meadows. Mountains and lakes. Glimmering rivers coursing through valleyed forests teeming with life and treasure. Under each stone and log, it was said that enough hidden riches could be found that even adventurers would grow bored of it.
Nestled in the north of the continent, it was a land of beauty and plenty, famed as much for its vast berry farms as it was for the lack of soldiers to defend it.
A disparate union of counties, city-states, duchies and petty kingdoms of self-raised kings. Ouzelia was characterised by both its lack of unified governance and thus any significant army, its inner borders seemingly shifting or trading without issue on a whim.
Despite this, it was a land unseen by the watchful eyes of the south.
Whenever the Grand Duchess schemed from upon her perch, or the newest upstart in Rozinthe sought to reinvigorate the old empire, it was never towards this land of abundance.
The reason was simple.
Invading Ouzelia would mean having to deal with its people, and nobody wanted to do that.
But there was also a lesser reason as well.
Dragons.
Lots and lots of dragons.
Ancient, noble and deadly. The most powerful beings known to exist.
Armoured in scales as hard as the mountains they laired in and wreathed in magic as old as the first breath.With claws able to tear the earth asunder and flame that could melt a castle, it would take only a single irate dragon to quell an army marching through the narrow valleys.
Any invaders would have to deal with whoever they were socialsing with as well.
More dragons held their gatherings in Ouzelia than all the other realms put together. Nobody knew how many existed or how tea production kept up with demand. But nobody needed to know.
As creatures hatched as much from eggs as they were from magic, the very beat of their wings left tales of destruction in their wake.
And that begged a serious question.
"... why … do I … have to … rescchhueee … a dragon …"
My words came out as a tired yawn.
Yes, it was a truly ridiculous prospect.
Princesses did not rescue dragons. There was a well-established triangle.
1: Dragon kidnaps princess.
2: Knight tries to slay dragon and is eaten.
3: The princess escapes anyway.
That was the way it worked. No buts and no ifs.
That this sacred order of events could be twisted enough that a princess was somehow required to rescue a dragon was not only absurd, it was a danger to the social fabric.
If knights didn't continuously get themselves eaten by dragons, there would be nothing to stop them spreading. As a princess constantly at the end of their compliments, I stood to suffer the most.
… Fortunately, I didn't need to worry about this!
After all, there was no world in which I, Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea, would brazenly agree to rescue a dragon from horrors unknown!
Why, that would just be silly!
Thus, as I woke from my slumber, it was with a tired smile as I looked forward to the day of mundanity ahead. Raising my face from the pillow of my arms, I blinked through the starch gathering in my bleary eyes.
Then, I sought to stretch … and almost toppled over in my chair.
"–Hiee?!"
My hands reached out and grabbed a desk for all the world as if it was a life raft.
I sat for a moment, floating in an endless ocean of confusion.
No thoughts reached me there. The endless theories on geometry and the meaning of life no longer made themselves known. Only emptiness. And then somewhere I began to paddle, following a giant question mark in my mind as I blinked again and again … before finally scrunching my eyes and opening them anew.
Bright colours rewarded me for my perseverance.
A heap of books, each more colourful than the last, lay around me at my desk. I leaned down and studied the closest one.
A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3.
The familiar red cover swept the cloudiness from my eyes.
Why, it was the book I was currently reading! But not only that … there was also the next book in the series as well!
Oh … Oh my!
But of course! How silly of me! I must have fallen asleep while studying again!
Chastising myself for my lack of care, I sat up straight and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. There was no reason I did that, of course. And anybody who might have said otherwise was guaranteed to coincidentally be looking in the opposite direction.
"... Would you like a marmalade scone, ma'am?"
Yes, even if they were holding a platter towards me.
Smiling amicably while professionally eyeing something on the other side of the world, a maid presented a selection of scones doused in lemon and orange marmalade.
"Oh, yes please."
Without hesitation, I nodded to accept them all, then sat back as the maid placed the platter down on the desk. She'd barely bowed and turned before another maid appeared beside me, a tea set held aloft on a tray.
"I've prepared bergamot tea, ma'am. There's also a choice of darjeeling, golden black and a breakfast blend if it's not to your liking."
"Ah. Thank you. The bergamot will do."
I waited as she duly prepared a warm cup of tea for me.
I noted the precise angle of the pour with a nod. She would not be fired today.
Offering a short bow, she then left me to enjoy my studying in peace. I began by assessing the orange marmalade scone, delighting at once in the savoury tartness of the slightly bitter oranges paired with the subtle sweetness of the tea.
Then, I picked up A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3, and began to read.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Somewhere, a clock was ticking away.
The only disturbance as I munched away on a heap of scones still warm from the kitchens. Sipping through the bergamot, I wore a purely ironic smile as I continued my earnest studies in what a princess should most definitely not enjoy, thereby ensuring the virtue of my future reading habits.
X amount of minutes later–
"W-Where am I … ?!"
Hands slamming down on the desk, I immediately stood up.
A loud thud filled the air as my chair went crashing backwards, joined by the clattering of a mysteriously emptied scone tray flinging off to the side.
I paused, then brushed away the crumbs for good measure.
This …
This wasn't my bedroom!
At once, the memories came like one of Clarise's experiments at dawn. Except that instead of flames, what I saw was darkness. Pure darkness. A makeshift portal which had grabbed me by the ankles and swung me to my destination so fast that my nausea had no time to catch up!
I had stepped through a veritable door to the abyss! … Except this was even worse than that!
This … This was Ouzelia!
And this … was a library.
I instantly whipped around. And what I saw made me question if I'd made it to Ouzelia at all.
For one thing, nothing was on fire.
For another, there were scarcely enough books to make a fire. Certainly not the type to cause a scene worthy enough for our stewards to write out a letter of condolence in our name.
It was a modest library by all royal definition, complete with unvarnished panelled floors and streams of window light which only succeeded in blinding half my face.
Inoffensive and quaint. Not the words I'd use for a magical library.
Had I been forced to tour through a lord's residence, here is where I would have wrinkled my nose before proceeding outside to mock the design of the patio tiles.
I turned to the nearest bookshelf in confusion.
Perhaps the titles were more interesting, at least?
As I stepped away from my little alcove in the wall, I approached the column of books. I sent a quick peek around, then tipped the brightest spine towards me.
"Whatcha dooooing~?"
"–Hieee!"
I swung around to see the familiar face of my loyal handmaiden.
Leaning slightly forwards, Coppelia assessed me with a feigned look of suspicion compromised as much by the mischievous smile she wore as the plate of blueberry shortcakes she held.
Behind me, a book came tumbling down. She scooped it in the air with her free hand, then gracefully slid it back into its slot. I caught the name of the title as she did so.
Encyclopaedia Of Noble Lineage. Kingdom Of Tirea. A-E.
Gratitude filled me at once. She'd just saved me from wiping my hands.
"C-Coppelia!" I gestured all around me. "Where is … where are we?! How did I get here, surrounded by the crumbs someone else left behind?!"
Coppelia raised her arms and spun, blueberry shortcakes twirling along with her as she danced like a princess in her bedroom after escaping 2 entire minutes of planned social activity.
"Me is how~" she said with a bright smile. "This is where I carried you."
"This? … I don't even know where this is!"
"A place of wonders to help along the dream you were having after maybe passing out during the punt across time and space. And that includes snacks. Want a shortcake? It's just been made. The blueberry is practically melting into a sauce."
I groaned at the idea that my first introduction to Ouzelia was with my unconscious face. That was what I usually reserved for when the Holy Church's delegation visited the Royal Villa.
And then all I saw was the golden hue of sponge and a glistening blueberry garnish.
"A shortcake? … In that case, I suppose I can sample one, thank you …"
I accepted the offered treat, then took a small bite. And then another … and another. Shock filled me at once. While the shortcake itself was far too crumbly, the famed berries of Ouzelia did not disappoint. They were practically a melting glaze and … wait, no!
"I am not here to eat shortcake!" I said while eating shortcake. "I … wait, yes, I am here for the matter of your employer! This curator of yours, this … this dragon!"
I paused.
"... You did say dragon, yes?"
"Mmh, I did~"
I directed my groan towards the window.
In the end, I had nobody to fault but everybody else in the world. And then me last.
"... Very well!" I said as the last of the shortcake mysteriously vanished. "Then we have no time to waste! As … well, somewhat ordinary as this library is, I'm afraid I cannot afford to dally! I came here to perform a charitable service! … One which I hope to immediately squeeze for leverage, yes, but also charity!"
Coppelia pointedly tossed her emptied plate of shortcakes onto a desk where a copy of A Court Lady's Indiscretion, Vol. 3 was currently bookmarked for future studying.
Her playful smile filled my vision.
"Are you sure? It looks like you've just woken up. Don't you need to find your feet first?"
"It's not my feet I need to find. It's a dragon … also, just to confirm–"
"Yes, I did say dragon."
I nodded.
Very well. I'd try again later.
"... Fine. A dragon." I briefly closed my eyes. "That's … That's fine! I can rescue a dragon!"
Indeed, why not?
What was a dragon but just a very large flying lizard?
Wherever he was stuck, I was certain I could engineer a way to pry him free!
Yes, carrying a dragon would be somewhat of an issue. But where there was a will, there was a way. Especially when that will was Coppelia's shoulders.
"Nooope~"
"E-Excuse me! I didn't even say anything … yet!"
"You're looking at me in the way children look at fruit slimes."
"That's ridiculous. Children only want to play with fruit slimes. I want to exploit your enchanted arms."
Coppelia pushed a book spine slightly in. It wasn't even jutting out. I tugged it back.
"So does the library," she said, wiping away an invisible bead of sweat from her brows. "You wouldn't believe the work I've had to do. I had to pretend to blow dust away from a book. And then I showed a guest to the wrong bookshelf and made them feel awkward because they couldn't find what they were looking for. And then I repeated that once more until they felt too bad to ask for any more help."
I gasped.
"H-How dare they! … You are not here as a librarian–"
"Assistant librarian."
"–assistant librarian, but as part of my personal retinue! Nobody is allowed to distract you from your important duties! … Where is everyone? Who do I direct my complaints to? Why, for a mysterious library, I'm rather surprised it's not at least bigger than a bookstore!"
Coppelia's less than innocent smile was all I needed to want to go home.
"Hmm … well, everyone else is probably doing their own thing. Although it might not seem like it, you really need to call out if you need anyone. The library is surprisingly big."
I looked around once more, still able to count the number of bookshelves.
"... Really? How big?"
"This big."
Coppelia leaned forwards and pushed another spine in.
This time, it slotted deep within its row.
Crank.
All of a sudden, I heard a noise so ominous it sent a tremor through the ground. The wooden panels began to shake. And so did I.
It was like two heavy cogs colliding beneath me. And I was skipping on top.
"C-Coppelia?!"
The ground trembled. I instinctively reached out and balanced myself against the nearest row of spines. The words Elementary Mathematics, Books 1 - 6 shone back at me. I slapped them away.
Crank. Crank. Crank.
And then–
The very wall beside us groaned as it began to part.
And the Hidden Library revealed itself at last.
A wide doorway opened up to me. I blinked as fresh light streamed through innumerable windows, for what revealed itself was a dome of criss-crossing wooden beams rising higher than my neck could comfortably crane. Peering upwards, I found chandeliers of moss and vines dangling as though from an enormous pergola.
My little alcove in the wall, apparently, was itself an alcove in a greater chamber.
One big enough to host a dragon.
And then I saw the rest of it.
Bookshelves which didn't just line the walls. They were the walls. Stacked in great columns like endless blocks, they rose almost to the top of the domed ceiling.
A daunting task for those not blessed with a mountain giant's height.
But not for those wielding magic.
Eschewing the need for ladders, librarians in fetching uniforms and guests in mage's attire walked to and fro, conjuring what they required with a flick of a wrist.
They were spoiled for choice.
However many books had ever been written, they could be enjoyed here. And with the only distraction being the heavy stomping in the near distance, the random scream of terror, the scuttling of a crab and the aggressive bleating of a goat.
A hundred questions tickled my curious mind.
All of them where the exit was.
"Welcome to the Hidden Library," said Coppelia with a tidy clap of her hands. "I, Coppelia, #1 ranked assistant librarian by nationwide popularity poll, will be your guide today. Please mind your step, watch out for falling books and follow me. If you get lost, raise both arms and yell wildly."
My face found my palms.
Even so, it wasn't enough to stop the sight of a smile bright enough to peek past my fingertips. She leaned in and easily pried them apart regardless.
"Our first stop–the scene of the crime."
I'm heading to Japan for 2 weeks! The story resumes on the 19th!
If you'd like to read while I'm absorbing villainess stories into my soul, be sure to check out A Part-Time Heroine's Guide to Dragonslaying (complete) as well as my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead! A vote is currently ongoing for a bonus story on Patreon too between various heroines!
If you'd like to read while I'm absorbing villainess stories into my soul, be sure to check out A Part-Time Heroine's Guide to Dragonslaying (complete) as well as my Patreon to read 20+ chapters ahead! A vote is currently ongoing for a bonus story on Patreon too between various heroines!
- Location
- Argentina
Also a bunch of stay at home mama boys, with the maturity of toddlers and the personality of a cat.
Someone should draw fan art of the princess rescuing a dragon from a tree.
Mama boy? Oh no. You don't think that his mother showed up and is now forcing our librarian meet dragon to socialize do you?
- Location
- Argentina
Momma wants her boy to finally start dating so she gets grandchildren!
Chapter 288: A Curtain Unfalling
I was no stranger to vast corridors.
Granted, a magical library was a quaint sight. But having yawned my way through the halls of lordly estates and the great vestibule of Reitzlake Cathedral, it would take more than endless corridors to earn my acknowledgement.
And so it proved as I brushed my fingertip against a row of spines.
I briefly paused as a spine jutted 2 millimetres from its section … and smiled.
Sloppy.
Ohohoho!
Yet again, the Royal Villa was a beacon of standards. For as frightful as a dragon was, it was little against the demands of my family!
I glowed with pride.
Our library was somewhat smaller, yes … in fact, it clearly needed expanding. But that didn't detract from the care and diligence it took to ensure our own books were immaculately presented.
Why, even when I accidentally knocked over the poetry anthologies I'd written when I was 7, they remained resolutely stuck in place. Those that I did manage to accidentally remove with a pair of kitchen tongs would magically reappear the next day, rescued from the burning hearths they also accidentally fell in while carried in the diligent arms of my father.
Thus, I held my head high as Coppelia led me through the corridors.
And then I was forced to hold it higher … and higher … and higher.
"Okay!" she said, stopping before a vast door of white marble fit enough to swallow a temple. "We're here now! This is where the big guy snores."
I raised an eyebrow … just as I also raised myself to my toes.
Here, the bookshelves no longer made up the walls.
It was carved stone, etched with words in a script I had no knowledge of. And the greatest was on a door so high I had to crane my neck like an ostrich just to judge it. Pure marble with just a hint of natural weatheredness, somewhat spoiled by a great gash splitting the centre.
"The entrance to a dragon's lair," I mused as I studied the damage. "And it seems someone was too eager to rescue me."
"That's our fault. I don't think we had a sign saying no princess was inside."
Coppelia pondered for a moment, then looked at me.
"Want me to … ?"
"No, thank you." I shook my head. "A time will come where I'm forced to visit a dragon's lair against my will. Or rather, more against my will. Until then, I refuse to accept that my first experience is so lackadaisical. I haven't even screamed once. That's almost disappointing."
I paused.
"But not because I practised my gentle screaming or anything," I said, idly shooing a nearby crab away.
Coppelia giggled–just as she reached for the doors.
"You never know, there's still time~"
Brumumumum.
The doors rumbled as she pushed the doors open.
And then–I promptly held my hair in place as a draft instantly struck me.
Whatever I expected, it wasn't quite this.
Great shafts of sunlight poured through a chasm in the ceiling, highlighting a cavern as wide as a quarry. One that hadn't been chiselled, but clawed and melted. Dark spots covered the walls where they had been met with flames so great many of the surfaces still emitted smoke.
A truly dangerous place. And not just for intruders. For the treasures held here were not beds of gold, gemstones or armoires filled with everyday attire for a princess.
It was books.
An enormous quantity lay before me, almost rivalling the amount found in the main library chamber.
A veritable hoard in its own right, books littered every inch of the cavern like the socks which didn't exist in my bedroom. Amidst them were fallen bookshelves, lying like open chests buried beneath piles of gold. And claiming it all was a single treasure hunter.
A pretty girl with long, wavy pink hair and bright emerald eyes.
Wading through the disorganisation, she was valiantly making an effort at collecting the strewn books.
No older than I was, she wore a frilled pinafore dress, its appearance halfway between a book vendor and a maid's uniform. Yet despite the wildly luminous nature of her hair and the uniqueness of her attire, it was the large golden key at her back which first drew the eye.
The second would be the bundle of books she carried like a circus performer wielding a stack of plates. A skill my couriers could learn to adopt.
"Ow ow ow ow owow."
At least until the heap collapsed, sending her buried amidst a fresh wave of invaluable tomes.
Coppelia smiled brightly.
"That's Fleur," she said, pointing and not helping as the girl's hand pitifully broke through the layer of books. "She's the librarian you heard through my thingy."
I watched as the girl struggled to crawl out as if buried in sand.
For a moment, she almost seemed to break free … only for the books to give way beneath her knees. Then, all I saw was the pink outline representing the top of her freshly buried head.
"She has rather colourful hair," I said simply.
"Yeah."
"... Would that be the reason she's a librarian and you're an assistant librarian?"
"Nah, she's a librarian because she does stuff like look after the big guy's books while he's been kidnapped. You might think it's a mess. And that's because it is. But it's his mess. He'll be grumpy when he gets back. Oh boy, you don't want to see what a grumpy dragon looks like."
"Please. I'm a princess. It's impossible for me to see a grumpy dragon. Either they're overwhelmed at my company or they're overwhelmed that I've rescued them. Your dragon may experience both."
Coppelia giggled, then pointed at the quivering bed of pink hair.
"In that case, you need to ask Fleur for the details."
"She looks like she's busy being in distress … could you not simply relay the details to me instead?"
"If I knew the details, sure."
"Excuse me? Have you not already spoken with this girl?"
"Hey, I've been busy! I had to forage for those blueberries, you know!"
I paused … and then nodded.
"Understandable. Let's see to this dragon business, then."
"Yay~"
Coppelia's enthusiasm prodded me towards the other clockwork doll. One who was now gasping as she finally broke free of her parchment prison.
I sincerely hoped I wouldn't replace her.
My stride became a wade as tomes larger than my arms could carry reached up to my knees. I used them as steps instead, helped occasionally by Coppelia's palms as she kept me upright. As I hopped across the slabs, the pink haired girl finally regained enough of her balance to find her footing.
She looked up as I approached, her eyes widening appropriately … even if it was mostly towards Coppelia. I caught her attention with a final skip towards her. And also a cough.
"Salutations, clockwork doll." I placed my hand upon my chest, offering a gentle smile in the name of first impressions. "My loyal handmaiden and not your assistant librarian informs me that you can be useful. I require information to ensure my visit is as brief and painless as possible. I believe you have a missing dragon. Please point me the correct way so I can extort him after rescuing him."
The girl stared at me.
Then, she turned her attention to Coppelia, who responded with a typical smile and a wave.
"Hi there! I'm back! And look, I brought a–"
"Cooppeeeliiiaaaa!"
The pink haired girl promptly assaulted my handmaiden with a wild lunge at her legs.
Like a fruit slime tackling a shin, she threw her arms around Coppelia's ankles and anchored herself squarely down upon her knees. Globs of fat tears fell down her cheeks as she peered up, all the while ignoring the gathering hole of books slowly collapsing under their combined weight.
I was horrified.
Why … there was a clear social hierarchy here! Before one could throw themselves pitifully at the feet of my retainers, they first had to do it with me!
"E-Excuse me!" I said, trying to catch the bawling girl's attention with a wave. "Please remove yourself from my loyal handmaiden's ankles at once! It is extremely inappropriate to–"
"Coopppeeeliiiaaa!! It's awful!! It's been absolutely awful!!"
"Ahahaha~ I know, I know. Everything's awful when I'm not there. Do you know why that is? It's because I'm amazing."
"No, you don't understand! The master has only been gone for one night and everything is already falling apart!"
"Now that's just exaggerating. I did a quick look just now. Nobody is murdering each other, the books haven't grown sentient and started eating us and I only saw one mysteriously unidentified charred figure. How many hours has it been? 4? 5? … That's great!"
"It only looks that way! Without the master here, we've no way to conjure more cheese!"
Suddenly, Coppelia's expression turned serious.
I, on the other hand, tapped at my ears.
I was going to be doing that a lot, wasn't I?
"Really?" asked Coppelia, her tone earnest. "Is it all the cheese?"
"No, not yet … but the gorgonzola was already low, and now it's almost run out! Even if we stop issuing new visitor passes, we don't have enough for the mages still due to visit!"
"Hmm, that's bad. It's the ones who like gorgonzola you need to watch out for. They're always the most defensive about it. But no worries! I'll make sure to bring all the wedges back!"
Then, Coppelia gestured towards me with a beaming smile.
"Or rather, she will~"
Hearing my cue, I took to the stage.
Standing with a posture that could look down on more heads than existed in my kingdom, I offered a proud smile as I permitted my angelic aura to flick away the darkness enshrouding this bawling girl's clockwork heart.
"Indeed, I have heard the echoing of your woe. The dragon who presides over this mysterious library … and apparently, dairy as well, has been cruelly abducted in the night. Although I do not know the details, I wish for you to understand that I will strive to ensure he is returned safe and sound, drawing from him the maximum compensation for my time as possible."
The girl blinked.
The next moment, she ceased to cling around Coppelia's ankles. Jumping to her feet, she immediately bowed several times.
Such was the depth of the hole she was in, her forehead almost reached my boots.
"That's … That's wonderful! Thank you, both of you, for coming at such short notice! Coppelia, I can't believe you returned! And with a guest as well!"
Her bows turned to nods as she looked up, her eyes practically glittering.
"You must truly be talented. Excuse me for asking, but do you have experience in rescuing dragons?"
"No, but I have experience in fixing everything. And this falls under everything."
"In that case, I knew it was right to tell Coppelia what happened! To arrive so fast and already find the services of a heroine! No matter what the master says, she is not slovenly at all!"
"–Ahaha, he doesn't actually say that … does he?"
The pink haired librarian looked me up and down, assessing me in a way few eyes could.
After a moment, her excitement turned to puzzlement as she realised that no heroine boasted an aura as regal as mine. I might be able to hide my identity, but not my calling.
"... My apologies, but my information regarding Ouzelia's heroines are 74 hours out of date. May I ask whose jurisdiction you fall under?"
"None."
"Excuse me?"
"I am no heroine. In fact, please never call me that. No amount of soap can wash such an accusation away. I am a visitor from afar and an angel from even farther. And while lacking my wings, I shall find this missing dragon of yours nonetheless."
Forgetting to turn her puzzlement back into excitement, the girl turned to Coppelia.
As did I.
Expertly communicating with my eyes, I blinked repeatedly to caution her against giving away my royal identity in this foreign land. She clapped her hands in understanding.
"... She's an adventurer! I brought her with me!"
I let out a wince as the jab cleanly struck.
Seeing my reaction, Coppelia tilted her head quizzically. She then turned to her fellow clockwork doll with a renewed smile.
"She's an A-rank adventurer!"
I took a step back, almost falling over against the weight of the mental strike.
"An A-rank adventurer?" queried the librarian, her eyes as uncertain as they should be. "One that you brought with you?"
"Mmh~ all the way from the Kingdom of Tirea. She offered to help find the big guy."
The other librarian merely blinked.
For a moment, she did nothing but join me in wondering why Coppelia would call me an adventurer and not simply a mysterious, delicate and beautiful maiden from afar. Her cogs spun so loud I could practically hear them.
And then–
"I … I see!" she said with a clap of her hands. "That is … well, that is a bit unorthodox. Ouzelia doesn't have adventurers in the formalised sense that exists elsewhere. But … But if you've answered the call for help, the library will happily accept any and all assistance!"
I held back a groan as I reminded myself why I was here.
Tragic as it was that my first impression was as anything less than a princess, this was no formal excursion. I needed to rescue a dragon, exploit him for it and then return to my kingdom where I could pretend every moment I spent here wasn't a diplomatic faux pas.
It was time to go straight to the heart of the matter.
"The dragon, if you would. Please explain in five words or fewer how he came to be kidnapped, who took him and where he is now."
The librarian blinked.
"I don't know."
Hmm.
Maybe I needed to request she use the entire 5 word allotment. Even with my famed powers of deduction, this was something lacking in clues.
"Is … Is that it?"
"That's it."
"Were the … mandrake alarms not triggered?"
The librarian nodded.
"They were. But it wasn't until later that we realised it was a ploy. We were so focused on defending our books from theft that we didn't imagine the target was not the library, but rather its curator."
She gave a sigh, her shoulders drooping as she looked forlornly around her.
"Virudaax the Learned. An ancient green dragon whose heart lies not in gold, but in wisdom. Before dawn came, the door to his chamber was split. And then he was gone, leaving not even a bookmark behind in his most recent book. He will be most aggrieved by that."
I frowned as I peered up at the chasm above.
"Frankly, unless this dragon was hoisted by an even bigger dragon, I see little that could kidnap him."
"That's because it's true. As an ancient green dragon, the master is not only very large, but shielded in potent magic. An extremely powerful adversary must be responsible. And as of now, we've little idea who. The golems didn't see anyone in the night."
"I see … and so where am I to find this mysteriously vanished dragon, then?"
"You don't."
"Excuse me?"
"You need to find an official hero or heroine."
"Why? I have no luggage that needs carrying."
"Um … it's not to carry luggage. But to find the master. Our heroes are gifted with senses, guidance and luck that the rest of us don't have. Once you find one, they will do the rest."
Ugh.
And so the eye rolling began. Of course I wouldn't survive this ordeal without groaning at least a dozen times in succession.
"An insufferable hero as a dragon hound. Fine. But what do you mean by … do the rest?"
The librarian blinked.
"Well, your part would be done. Once you inform a hero of this issue, they will see it solved."
I nodded in understanding.
"Unacceptable."
"Huh?"
"I did not come all this way from the fair fields of my kingdom just to act as an errand girl. If a hero wishes to assist me with directions, then I may consider it. But I require this Vir …"
"Virudaax the Learned."
"–The big guy."
"Yes, him. I require the big guy to be in my debt. It's not necessary, but it will make the process of extortion smoother. I shall be the one to rescue this dragon."
The librarian stared at me.
She turned to Coppelia, who only whistled in support.
"I … see? Your enthusiasm is really quite … something! And I do really appreciate it! But it really isn't necessary to do more. When it comes to the tales of heroes, the rest of us are simply background pieces."
A moment of silence passed.
And then–
"Ohoho …"
The librarian leaned slightly away. She should be appreciating every moment.
After all, this was my first laugh beyond my kingdom's borders. And she was my first recipient.
"Ohohoho … ohhohohohohoho … ohhohohohohohohoho!!"
I raised my hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
As two clockwork dolls exchanged vastly differing expressions, it was all I could do to keep my amusement in check. A poor way to shape my first impressions.
But then again, I could hardly allow a jest to go unrewarded.
A background piece?
Me?
Please. That would imply that Ouzelia was even a new play. It wasn't. Until the Royal Treasury was overflowing with taxable income and I was rolling in my orchard, this was still the same act.
And I was more than just its leading figure.
I was a princess. And where I went, I took the very stage with me.
My role never changed. Only the scenery did. And that included the props along the way.
Thus, I offered a beautiful smile as I turned on the spot.
"Very well … let's find us a hero, shall we?"
I began to walk away, basking in the quiet admiration that followed.
Then, I paused and peeked behind.
"... Where is the exit?"
Granted, a magical library was a quaint sight. But having yawned my way through the halls of lordly estates and the great vestibule of Reitzlake Cathedral, it would take more than endless corridors to earn my acknowledgement.
And so it proved as I brushed my fingertip against a row of spines.
I briefly paused as a spine jutted 2 millimetres from its section … and smiled.
Sloppy.
Ohohoho!
Yet again, the Royal Villa was a beacon of standards. For as frightful as a dragon was, it was little against the demands of my family!
I glowed with pride.
Our library was somewhat smaller, yes … in fact, it clearly needed expanding. But that didn't detract from the care and diligence it took to ensure our own books were immaculately presented.
Why, even when I accidentally knocked over the poetry anthologies I'd written when I was 7, they remained resolutely stuck in place. Those that I did manage to accidentally remove with a pair of kitchen tongs would magically reappear the next day, rescued from the burning hearths they also accidentally fell in while carried in the diligent arms of my father.
Thus, I held my head high as Coppelia led me through the corridors.
And then I was forced to hold it higher … and higher … and higher.
"Okay!" she said, stopping before a vast door of white marble fit enough to swallow a temple. "We're here now! This is where the big guy snores."
I raised an eyebrow … just as I also raised myself to my toes.
Here, the bookshelves no longer made up the walls.
It was carved stone, etched with words in a script I had no knowledge of. And the greatest was on a door so high I had to crane my neck like an ostrich just to judge it. Pure marble with just a hint of natural weatheredness, somewhat spoiled by a great gash splitting the centre.
"The entrance to a dragon's lair," I mused as I studied the damage. "And it seems someone was too eager to rescue me."
"That's our fault. I don't think we had a sign saying no princess was inside."
Coppelia pondered for a moment, then looked at me.
"Want me to … ?"
"No, thank you." I shook my head. "A time will come where I'm forced to visit a dragon's lair against my will. Or rather, more against my will. Until then, I refuse to accept that my first experience is so lackadaisical. I haven't even screamed once. That's almost disappointing."
I paused.
"But not because I practised my gentle screaming or anything," I said, idly shooing a nearby crab away.
Coppelia giggled–just as she reached for the doors.
"You never know, there's still time~"
Brumumumum.
The doors rumbled as she pushed the doors open.
And then–I promptly held my hair in place as a draft instantly struck me.
Whatever I expected, it wasn't quite this.
Great shafts of sunlight poured through a chasm in the ceiling, highlighting a cavern as wide as a quarry. One that hadn't been chiselled, but clawed and melted. Dark spots covered the walls where they had been met with flames so great many of the surfaces still emitted smoke.
A truly dangerous place. And not just for intruders. For the treasures held here were not beds of gold, gemstones or armoires filled with everyday attire for a princess.
It was books.
An enormous quantity lay before me, almost rivalling the amount found in the main library chamber.
A veritable hoard in its own right, books littered every inch of the cavern like the socks which didn't exist in my bedroom. Amidst them were fallen bookshelves, lying like open chests buried beneath piles of gold. And claiming it all was a single treasure hunter.
A pretty girl with long, wavy pink hair and bright emerald eyes.
Wading through the disorganisation, she was valiantly making an effort at collecting the strewn books.
No older than I was, she wore a frilled pinafore dress, its appearance halfway between a book vendor and a maid's uniform. Yet despite the wildly luminous nature of her hair and the uniqueness of her attire, it was the large golden key at her back which first drew the eye.
The second would be the bundle of books she carried like a circus performer wielding a stack of plates. A skill my couriers could learn to adopt.
"Ow ow ow ow owow."
At least until the heap collapsed, sending her buried amidst a fresh wave of invaluable tomes.
Coppelia smiled brightly.
"That's Fleur," she said, pointing and not helping as the girl's hand pitifully broke through the layer of books. "She's the librarian you heard through my thingy."
I watched as the girl struggled to crawl out as if buried in sand.
For a moment, she almost seemed to break free … only for the books to give way beneath her knees. Then, all I saw was the pink outline representing the top of her freshly buried head.
"She has rather colourful hair," I said simply.
"Yeah."
"... Would that be the reason she's a librarian and you're an assistant librarian?"
"Nah, she's a librarian because she does stuff like look after the big guy's books while he's been kidnapped. You might think it's a mess. And that's because it is. But it's his mess. He'll be grumpy when he gets back. Oh boy, you don't want to see what a grumpy dragon looks like."
"Please. I'm a princess. It's impossible for me to see a grumpy dragon. Either they're overwhelmed at my company or they're overwhelmed that I've rescued them. Your dragon may experience both."
Coppelia giggled, then pointed at the quivering bed of pink hair.
"In that case, you need to ask Fleur for the details."
"She looks like she's busy being in distress … could you not simply relay the details to me instead?"
"If I knew the details, sure."
"Excuse me? Have you not already spoken with this girl?"
"Hey, I've been busy! I had to forage for those blueberries, you know!"
I paused … and then nodded.
"Understandable. Let's see to this dragon business, then."
"Yay~"
Coppelia's enthusiasm prodded me towards the other clockwork doll. One who was now gasping as she finally broke free of her parchment prison.
I sincerely hoped I wouldn't replace her.
My stride became a wade as tomes larger than my arms could carry reached up to my knees. I used them as steps instead, helped occasionally by Coppelia's palms as she kept me upright. As I hopped across the slabs, the pink haired girl finally regained enough of her balance to find her footing.
She looked up as I approached, her eyes widening appropriately … even if it was mostly towards Coppelia. I caught her attention with a final skip towards her. And also a cough.
"Salutations, clockwork doll." I placed my hand upon my chest, offering a gentle smile in the name of first impressions. "My loyal handmaiden and not your assistant librarian informs me that you can be useful. I require information to ensure my visit is as brief and painless as possible. I believe you have a missing dragon. Please point me the correct way so I can extort him after rescuing him."
The girl stared at me.
Then, she turned her attention to Coppelia, who responded with a typical smile and a wave.
"Hi there! I'm back! And look, I brought a–"
"Cooppeeeliiiaaaa!"
The pink haired girl promptly assaulted my handmaiden with a wild lunge at her legs.
Like a fruit slime tackling a shin, she threw her arms around Coppelia's ankles and anchored herself squarely down upon her knees. Globs of fat tears fell down her cheeks as she peered up, all the while ignoring the gathering hole of books slowly collapsing under their combined weight.
I was horrified.
Why … there was a clear social hierarchy here! Before one could throw themselves pitifully at the feet of my retainers, they first had to do it with me!
"E-Excuse me!" I said, trying to catch the bawling girl's attention with a wave. "Please remove yourself from my loyal handmaiden's ankles at once! It is extremely inappropriate to–"
"Coopppeeeliiiaaa!! It's awful!! It's been absolutely awful!!"
"Ahahaha~ I know, I know. Everything's awful when I'm not there. Do you know why that is? It's because I'm amazing."
"No, you don't understand! The master has only been gone for one night and everything is already falling apart!"
"Now that's just exaggerating. I did a quick look just now. Nobody is murdering each other, the books haven't grown sentient and started eating us and I only saw one mysteriously unidentified charred figure. How many hours has it been? 4? 5? … That's great!"
"It only looks that way! Without the master here, we've no way to conjure more cheese!"
Suddenly, Coppelia's expression turned serious.
I, on the other hand, tapped at my ears.
I was going to be doing that a lot, wasn't I?
"Really?" asked Coppelia, her tone earnest. "Is it all the cheese?"
"No, not yet … but the gorgonzola was already low, and now it's almost run out! Even if we stop issuing new visitor passes, we don't have enough for the mages still due to visit!"
"Hmm, that's bad. It's the ones who like gorgonzola you need to watch out for. They're always the most defensive about it. But no worries! I'll make sure to bring all the wedges back!"
Then, Coppelia gestured towards me with a beaming smile.
"Or rather, she will~"
Hearing my cue, I took to the stage.
Standing with a posture that could look down on more heads than existed in my kingdom, I offered a proud smile as I permitted my angelic aura to flick away the darkness enshrouding this bawling girl's clockwork heart.
"Indeed, I have heard the echoing of your woe. The dragon who presides over this mysterious library … and apparently, dairy as well, has been cruelly abducted in the night. Although I do not know the details, I wish for you to understand that I will strive to ensure he is returned safe and sound, drawing from him the maximum compensation for my time as possible."
The girl blinked.
The next moment, she ceased to cling around Coppelia's ankles. Jumping to her feet, she immediately bowed several times.
Such was the depth of the hole she was in, her forehead almost reached my boots.
"That's … That's wonderful! Thank you, both of you, for coming at such short notice! Coppelia, I can't believe you returned! And with a guest as well!"
Her bows turned to nods as she looked up, her eyes practically glittering.
"You must truly be talented. Excuse me for asking, but do you have experience in rescuing dragons?"
"No, but I have experience in fixing everything. And this falls under everything."
"In that case, I knew it was right to tell Coppelia what happened! To arrive so fast and already find the services of a heroine! No matter what the master says, she is not slovenly at all!"
"–Ahaha, he doesn't actually say that … does he?"
The pink haired librarian looked me up and down, assessing me in a way few eyes could.
After a moment, her excitement turned to puzzlement as she realised that no heroine boasted an aura as regal as mine. I might be able to hide my identity, but not my calling.
"... My apologies, but my information regarding Ouzelia's heroines are 74 hours out of date. May I ask whose jurisdiction you fall under?"
"None."
"Excuse me?"
"I am no heroine. In fact, please never call me that. No amount of soap can wash such an accusation away. I am a visitor from afar and an angel from even farther. And while lacking my wings, I shall find this missing dragon of yours nonetheless."
Forgetting to turn her puzzlement back into excitement, the girl turned to Coppelia.
As did I.
Expertly communicating with my eyes, I blinked repeatedly to caution her against giving away my royal identity in this foreign land. She clapped her hands in understanding.
"... She's an adventurer! I brought her with me!"
I let out a wince as the jab cleanly struck.
Seeing my reaction, Coppelia tilted her head quizzically. She then turned to her fellow clockwork doll with a renewed smile.
"She's an A-rank adventurer!"
I took a step back, almost falling over against the weight of the mental strike.
"An A-rank adventurer?" queried the librarian, her eyes as uncertain as they should be. "One that you brought with you?"
"Mmh~ all the way from the Kingdom of Tirea. She offered to help find the big guy."
The other librarian merely blinked.
For a moment, she did nothing but join me in wondering why Coppelia would call me an adventurer and not simply a mysterious, delicate and beautiful maiden from afar. Her cogs spun so loud I could practically hear them.
And then–
"I … I see!" she said with a clap of her hands. "That is … well, that is a bit unorthodox. Ouzelia doesn't have adventurers in the formalised sense that exists elsewhere. But … But if you've answered the call for help, the library will happily accept any and all assistance!"
I held back a groan as I reminded myself why I was here.
Tragic as it was that my first impression was as anything less than a princess, this was no formal excursion. I needed to rescue a dragon, exploit him for it and then return to my kingdom where I could pretend every moment I spent here wasn't a diplomatic faux pas.
It was time to go straight to the heart of the matter.
"The dragon, if you would. Please explain in five words or fewer how he came to be kidnapped, who took him and where he is now."
The librarian blinked.
"I don't know."
Hmm.
Maybe I needed to request she use the entire 5 word allotment. Even with my famed powers of deduction, this was something lacking in clues.
"Is … Is that it?"
"That's it."
"Were the … mandrake alarms not triggered?"
The librarian nodded.
"They were. But it wasn't until later that we realised it was a ploy. We were so focused on defending our books from theft that we didn't imagine the target was not the library, but rather its curator."
She gave a sigh, her shoulders drooping as she looked forlornly around her.
"Virudaax the Learned. An ancient green dragon whose heart lies not in gold, but in wisdom. Before dawn came, the door to his chamber was split. And then he was gone, leaving not even a bookmark behind in his most recent book. He will be most aggrieved by that."
I frowned as I peered up at the chasm above.
"Frankly, unless this dragon was hoisted by an even bigger dragon, I see little that could kidnap him."
"That's because it's true. As an ancient green dragon, the master is not only very large, but shielded in potent magic. An extremely powerful adversary must be responsible. And as of now, we've little idea who. The golems didn't see anyone in the night."
"I see … and so where am I to find this mysteriously vanished dragon, then?"
"You don't."
"Excuse me?"
"You need to find an official hero or heroine."
"Why? I have no luggage that needs carrying."
"Um … it's not to carry luggage. But to find the master. Our heroes are gifted with senses, guidance and luck that the rest of us don't have. Once you find one, they will do the rest."
Ugh.
And so the eye rolling began. Of course I wouldn't survive this ordeal without groaning at least a dozen times in succession.
"An insufferable hero as a dragon hound. Fine. But what do you mean by … do the rest?"
The librarian blinked.
"Well, your part would be done. Once you inform a hero of this issue, they will see it solved."
I nodded in understanding.
"Unacceptable."
"Huh?"
"I did not come all this way from the fair fields of my kingdom just to act as an errand girl. If a hero wishes to assist me with directions, then I may consider it. But I require this Vir …"
"Virudaax the Learned."
"–The big guy."
"Yes, him. I require the big guy to be in my debt. It's not necessary, but it will make the process of extortion smoother. I shall be the one to rescue this dragon."
The librarian stared at me.
She turned to Coppelia, who only whistled in support.
"I … see? Your enthusiasm is really quite … something! And I do really appreciate it! But it really isn't necessary to do more. When it comes to the tales of heroes, the rest of us are simply background pieces."
A moment of silence passed.
And then–
"Ohoho …"
The librarian leaned slightly away. She should be appreciating every moment.
After all, this was my first laugh beyond my kingdom's borders. And she was my first recipient.
"Ohohoho … ohhohohohohoho … ohhohohohohohohoho!!"
I raised my hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
As two clockwork dolls exchanged vastly differing expressions, it was all I could do to keep my amusement in check. A poor way to shape my first impressions.
But then again, I could hardly allow a jest to go unrewarded.
A background piece?
Me?
Please. That would imply that Ouzelia was even a new play. It wasn't. Until the Royal Treasury was overflowing with taxable income and I was rolling in my orchard, this was still the same act.
And I was more than just its leading figure.
I was a princess. And where I went, I took the very stage with me.
My role never changed. Only the scenery did. And that included the props along the way.
Thus, I offered a beautiful smile as I turned on the spot.
"Very well … let's find us a hero, shall we?"
I began to walk away, basking in the quiet admiration that followed.
Then, I paused and peeked behind.
"... Where is the exit?"
- Location
- Argentina
I wonder if it is the dragon mother or his girlfriend who kidnapped him.
If it's not in her own kingdom, then it's okay ... probably ...
Chapter 289: The Last Stop
Coppelia skipped merrily ahead, her hair bouncing behind her as she went.
"This is the emergency binding department," she said, gesturing to the left without stopping. "It's where we repair books which have specifically broken at the spines. Don't mind the buzzing. Those are from the killer bee hives. We use a special honey as adhesive to repair the binding."
I leaned away from my left.
"I … I see …"
"This is the review department," she said, gesturing to the right. "We have a panel of expert judges who issue feedback when requested by publishers. You need to skip over the ash and soot spilling out. We have a fire elemental as our head critic. His reviews are always a bit heated."
I leaned away from the right.
"I see …"
"This is the ethics department," she said, gesturing above. "It's where our pelican lives. He watches over the guests and makes sure they're abiding by the rule of never skipping ahead to the ending. If anyone breaks it, he'll squawk in their ear until they write a 1,500 word apology."
I cautiously sent my gaze upwards.
There, peeking out from a hole in the ceiling, was the orange beak of a very large pelican.
I paused … and then gave the pelican an approving nod as I passed.
The only member of staff not to horrify me in some shape or fashion. Yet none of them came quite as close as my tour guide. Her smile was the most alarming thing here.
But the next most alarming thing?
Why, that was everything else.
All at the same time.
The more I was led through these corridors, the less I saw a library and the more a workshop. And I wasn't wholly certain everything was to do with books.
Left, right, backwards and under. No matter where I went, I found myself careening so much that were the nobility to see it, it would instantly become the most vogue dance in my father's court.
Sadly for her and happily for me, all impromptu tours came to an end.
I knew it the moment we stopped before a door so plain it simply had to contain the showpiece horror behind it. And I especially knew it when my other chaperone began fidgeting like a poodle moments before diving for the porcelain.
"This is the last stop," said Flo … Fiore … Fleur. "From here, you can make your way out of the Hidden Library … but before you do so, there's something important we have to discuss."
She swallowed a deep breath.
Suddenly, her smile wore a serious hue. A sombre expression to clash with her vibrant pink hair
"Despite the nobleness of your cause, none who enter the Hidden Library are exempt from the obligations they carry for having walked these halls. And so before you leave, we must ensure that–"
"Stop."
I held out my hand, drawing a puzzled look.
Indeed, I knew well what she wished to broach.
This was no common library. In fact, it wasn't like a library at all, but a menagerie where everything within was something which had escaped from somewhere else.
Regardless, it's clear that only the most purposeful, curious and academically minded like myself were ever permitted to lean away from its walls. It was natural that they wished to ensure those leaving promised not to spill the secrets of their hallowed shelves.
"You've little to fear," I said with a reassuring smile. "After all, I'm hardly some freshly raised baroness from a barn. I would never be so tactless as to reveal this library's existence or the killer bee hives you keep within. Indeed, I've no intention of speaking about Ouzelia at all. Ever. Even under heavy duress and threat of life and limb, I swear that I will ensure nobody under any circumstances knows that I have any connection to this place whatsoever."
The girl blinked at me.
"Oh no! That's absolutely fine. You can speak about the Hidden Library."
"Excuse me?"
"A library is not a vault. Our books are housed to be read."
"... I see? But is it not a hidden library?"
"Yes. But we still need readers. Just not too many. If you just accidentally mention the Hidden Library without ever providing context, that's all we need. Passing rumours ensures that only the most curious ever reach here. And that is why–"
She stepped past me, before gently placing her hand upon the plain door.
"–here is where we ensure the greatest of our secrets are kept, to leave a lasting impression on those who leave. The final hall. Although you've not come for our books or our knowledge, I ask still that you take due consideration to what you are about to see."
I raised a brow, my curiosity piqued.
Not only by the thought of a treasure saved to the very last, but at Coppelia's rare look of seriousness. That in itself was rarer than any lost tome.
"Very well," I said, steeling my resolve. "Then you may show me."
"... Are you certain?"
"Yes. I am ready."
"Good."
The librarian nodded … just as she slowly pushed the door open.
Despite her care, it creaked like the dislocated jaws of some wounded leviathan, grinding and pained.
A dark premonition of what awaited. Yet as I cautiously stepped through, it wasn't to the sight of some cursed relic, tortured magic or peasant with a pitchfork.
No, not at all.
This was far worse.
A cramped hall barely enough to host the attendants to a soirée. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in shamelessness. All of it spelled out by a wooden sign haphazardly balancing against a stool.
I covered my mouth with both hands.
It was so … tacky!
Ensuring no opportunity for the eye to escape, every inch of this hall was filled … with junk!
To my left … junk!
To my right … junk!
Right before me … more junk!
Gone was the carefully curated library, lined with columns of gleaming spines with the organised façade of a brick wall! In its place were waist high tables, pyramid displays and shelves laden with cutlery, tableware, hats and scarves!
I was appalled.
Why, even a glance was too much. The dullness of the ceramics and the threads of the loose knitting was blinding. Yet no matter where I turned, my innocent eyes were waylaid from almost all angles.
Almost.
Because as it was … only a single thing on offer boasted even the slightest bit of use.
A horse.
In defiance of the surrounding barrier of worthless trinkets, this most out-of-place of horses was chewing on his own sale sign in the corner.
Specifically, a draft horse with a very shaggy mane and equipped with both a saddle and a dedicated bakery bag. He looked up as I entered the gift shop, gave a familiar snort, then idly returned to nibbling on his sale sign.
I pursed my lips.
And then–
"... Why is Apple being sold?!"
I paused, then leaned in to study the sign.
"Why is Apple being sold at 97% off?!"
This … This was outrageous!
It was one thing to pretend that a gift shop was a hall of secrets! But to sell my own horse at such a heavy discount was the height of egregiousness!
"Ah, I see you're already interested in the horse!" said the pink haired librarian, her smile changing so rapidly that even trolls would nod in respect. "That's quite the unique memento!"
"A memento?!"
"Yes, we don't often stock horses–oh, but before that, I'd like to formally welcome you to the exclusive gift shop! Here is where the true magic of the library happens!"
I was aghast. Nor was I the only one.
Why, even Coppelia's shock at seeing my loyal steed being illegally fenced at 97% off was so great she couldn't even look!
In fact, she was simply making weird noises with her back turned!
"Heeeeeeeeeeee~"
I threw up my arms in outrage.
"What is the meaning of this?! This is so brazen that even Coppelia can only make strange wheezing sounds! Why is Apple being sold?! … Furthermore, why is he being sold at such a low price?!"
"Apple?" The librarian blinked in puzzlement, then clapped her hands together. "Ah! You've already named the horse? That's good. What made you decide that?"
"Decide?! Apple is my horse!"
"Yes, of course. And all for the low price of … ah, only 8 copper crowns!"
"8 copper crowns?! That is patently absurd! My crêpes cost less than that!"
"Quite the bargain, isn't it?"
"No! It is an unacceptable insult! Does this look like a horse whose cost can be measured in coppers?!"
"Well–"
"Exactly! This is a loyal steed who has braved the heart of common towns and all the odour they gather! Such loyalty means he won't go for anything less than … however much horses usually cost! I demand you sell him at a higher price immediately!"
The librarian gasped.
"Gosh, that's very generous … however, it'd be inappropriate to raise the price. Especially since the horse is large and takes up inventory space. In truth, I was actually considering lowering the price."
I could scarcely believe it.
Here was Apple, a horse who had willingly braved darkness and peasants … and he was being practically given away! … Again!
"You have no right to lower the price! Furthermore, you have no right to even sell him! I am already his owner! This is my horse!"
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes!"
The girl regarded Apple with a look of puzzlement. One she should have displayed before immediately seeking to hoist him away.
"Goodness, how strange! I was told by a staff member that the horse was found wandering in one of the corridors. The mandrakes were trying to hide from him."
"So they should! He has followed me through even the darkness to be here! That is deserving of the respect and fear of all shrieking plants!"
"Oh, goodness, in that case, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. We don't usually permit horses to roam the library."
A look of apology met me. It should have been aimed towards Apple.
Even so, I magnanimously allowed my ire to ebb away … if only because Apple had likely licked half the gifts in this shop.
"Yes, well, I can fix that. If you would kindly show me the exit, I can immediately take Apple away."
"Ah, of course!"
The pink haired librarian nodded.
All while gesturing towards a shelf of cups.
"But before I do–"
"No."
"A commemorative, special edition cup! Only 2 silver crowns!"
"... Why is the cup more expensive than a horse?!"
"These cups are more limited than a horse!"
She duly scooped up a cup before me. I bemoaned that even when giving away my help, those I tried to lift from the throes of despair were my greatest obstacles.
"Excuse me! While it's only appropriate to try to profiteer off my obvious wealth, there is a time and a place! That is not when I'm trying to rescue a dragon! Your dragon!"
The girl looked crestfallen. Coppelia patted her on the shoulder, then sent a pout my way.
I wasn't the least bit moved. Not least because she was supposed to be defending our finances, not encouraging it all away.
"You're right, of course," said the pink haired girl, recalling a more appreciative expression. "I apologise. I can be too excited with the shop. But as wonderful as our range of seasonal, limited edition merchandise is, it's in poor taste to offer them when there are more pressing concerns. I can do it when you return."
"You certainly may," I said with no intention to return.
I received an enthusiastic smile. One which had little to do with rescuing her employer.
Still, the clockwork doll remembered her role enough to walk over to one of the curtained windows.
With a flourish, she swept it aside. Yet rather than sunlight streaming through, it was a door even less impressive than the one to this hidden gift shop. I feared for the worse. And not because some three-headed hellhound was lying in wait.
No … it was something far worse instead.
Ouzelia.
"This is the employee entrance," she said, nodding as she creaked the door ajar. "Our local staff from Witschblume use it to hike to work each morning. It's not necessarily a gentle path, but it's considerably easier than the one used by our guests. That one twists and turns so much that most find themselves stumbling back to the beginning while thinking it's the end."
"Witschblume?"
I was startled. And surprisingly, not because anything exploded.
While I endeavoured to know as little about Ouzelia as possible, the fruits grown by the town of Witschblume were such a popular export that Reitzlake's nobility practically used it as currency.
Why, had I known that this library was so close to it, I would have … well, no, I would still never have come. But I'd at least groan less. Maybe.
"Witschblume," repeated the librarian. "One of our central towns under the purview of Duchess Cadence Loventeidt. I've sent a letter to the local heroine amongst others, but I expect she's very busy. If you could directly petition for her assistance, it might be enough to earn her immediate attention."
Hmm.
A trip to Witschblume. Hardly the visit I was expecting. But considering that I believed I'd be trudging through a succession of bear caves, it was a morsel of reprieve.
Indeed, as the librarian pulled aside the door to reveal a spray of sunlight and the whistling of songbirds amidst the rustling of leaves, I even dared to have a single hope.
That maybe, just maybe, this trip wouldn't be so–
BrruMmumUmmuMmuMmuMmmm.
Suddenly, I was almost thrown off my feet.
A noise like the end of the world shook the very ground. Dust fell from the ceiling as plates, cups and scarves dropped from their tables and shelves, sending tableware rolling in every direction. A snort came from Apple as the sign he was chewing on collapsed.
And then just like that–it was over.
A few, brief seconds of pandemonium.
I steadied myself for a few moments, bracing for the next bout. Seeing that it didn't come, I brushed down my shoulders and nodded towards the open door.
"Very well," I said idly. "To the town of Witschblume, then. To requisition a heroine."
Two clockwork dolls regarded my unflustered state with shared looks of admiration.
"Huh, that's new," said Coppelia. "Most fresh arrivals usually get jumpy after their first earthquake."
"Hm? And why should an earthquake concern me?"
"Well, they are pretty rough. And this one was definitely bigger than average."
"... Is that so? Good."
"Eh?"
I made my way past the exit, all the while gifting the sunlight with my smile.
"After all, it just proves that no matter how much I fear to be in Ouzelia, Ouzelia fears me more."
"This is the emergency binding department," she said, gesturing to the left without stopping. "It's where we repair books which have specifically broken at the spines. Don't mind the buzzing. Those are from the killer bee hives. We use a special honey as adhesive to repair the binding."
I leaned away from my left.
"I … I see …"
"This is the review department," she said, gesturing to the right. "We have a panel of expert judges who issue feedback when requested by publishers. You need to skip over the ash and soot spilling out. We have a fire elemental as our head critic. His reviews are always a bit heated."
I leaned away from the right.
"I see …"
"This is the ethics department," she said, gesturing above. "It's where our pelican lives. He watches over the guests and makes sure they're abiding by the rule of never skipping ahead to the ending. If anyone breaks it, he'll squawk in their ear until they write a 1,500 word apology."
I cautiously sent my gaze upwards.
There, peeking out from a hole in the ceiling, was the orange beak of a very large pelican.
I paused … and then gave the pelican an approving nod as I passed.
The only member of staff not to horrify me in some shape or fashion. Yet none of them came quite as close as my tour guide. Her smile was the most alarming thing here.
But the next most alarming thing?
Why, that was everything else.
All at the same time.
The more I was led through these corridors, the less I saw a library and the more a workshop. And I wasn't wholly certain everything was to do with books.
Left, right, backwards and under. No matter where I went, I found myself careening so much that were the nobility to see it, it would instantly become the most vogue dance in my father's court.
Sadly for her and happily for me, all impromptu tours came to an end.
I knew it the moment we stopped before a door so plain it simply had to contain the showpiece horror behind it. And I especially knew it when my other chaperone began fidgeting like a poodle moments before diving for the porcelain.
"This is the last stop," said Flo … Fiore … Fleur. "From here, you can make your way out of the Hidden Library … but before you do so, there's something important we have to discuss."
She swallowed a deep breath.
Suddenly, her smile wore a serious hue. A sombre expression to clash with her vibrant pink hair
"Despite the nobleness of your cause, none who enter the Hidden Library are exempt from the obligations they carry for having walked these halls. And so before you leave, we must ensure that–"
"Stop."
I held out my hand, drawing a puzzled look.
Indeed, I knew well what she wished to broach.
This was no common library. In fact, it wasn't like a library at all, but a menagerie where everything within was something which had escaped from somewhere else.
Regardless, it's clear that only the most purposeful, curious and academically minded like myself were ever permitted to lean away from its walls. It was natural that they wished to ensure those leaving promised not to spill the secrets of their hallowed shelves.
"You've little to fear," I said with a reassuring smile. "After all, I'm hardly some freshly raised baroness from a barn. I would never be so tactless as to reveal this library's existence or the killer bee hives you keep within. Indeed, I've no intention of speaking about Ouzelia at all. Ever. Even under heavy duress and threat of life and limb, I swear that I will ensure nobody under any circumstances knows that I have any connection to this place whatsoever."
The girl blinked at me.
"Oh no! That's absolutely fine. You can speak about the Hidden Library."
"Excuse me?"
"A library is not a vault. Our books are housed to be read."
"... I see? But is it not a hidden library?"
"Yes. But we still need readers. Just not too many. If you just accidentally mention the Hidden Library without ever providing context, that's all we need. Passing rumours ensures that only the most curious ever reach here. And that is why–"
She stepped past me, before gently placing her hand upon the plain door.
"–here is where we ensure the greatest of our secrets are kept, to leave a lasting impression on those who leave. The final hall. Although you've not come for our books or our knowledge, I ask still that you take due consideration to what you are about to see."
I raised a brow, my curiosity piqued.
Not only by the thought of a treasure saved to the very last, but at Coppelia's rare look of seriousness. That in itself was rarer than any lost tome.
"Very well," I said, steeling my resolve. "Then you may show me."
"... Are you certain?"
"Yes. I am ready."
"Good."
The librarian nodded … just as she slowly pushed the door open.
Despite her care, it creaked like the dislocated jaws of some wounded leviathan, grinding and pained.
A dark premonition of what awaited. Yet as I cautiously stepped through, it wasn't to the sight of some cursed relic, tortured magic or peasant with a pitchfork.
No, not at all.
This was far worse.
A cramped hall barely enough to host the attendants to a soirée. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in shamelessness. All of it spelled out by a wooden sign haphazardly balancing against a stool.
The Hidden Library Gift Shop!
NOW OPEN!
Last chance to commemorate your visit!
Limited edition cups, door mats and scarves! 50%-75% discounts year round!
Exclusive memorabilia not sold elsewhere!
(ITEMS SOLD AS IS. NO REFUNDS.)
NOW OPEN!
Last chance to commemorate your visit!
Limited edition cups, door mats and scarves! 50%-75% discounts year round!
Exclusive memorabilia not sold elsewhere!
(ITEMS SOLD AS IS. NO REFUNDS.)
I covered my mouth with both hands.
It was so … tacky!
Ensuring no opportunity for the eye to escape, every inch of this hall was filled … with junk!
To my left … junk!
To my right … junk!
Right before me … more junk!
Gone was the carefully curated library, lined with columns of gleaming spines with the organised façade of a brick wall! In its place were waist high tables, pyramid displays and shelves laden with cutlery, tableware, hats and scarves!
I was appalled.
Why, even a glance was too much. The dullness of the ceramics and the threads of the loose knitting was blinding. Yet no matter where I turned, my innocent eyes were waylaid from almost all angles.
Almost.
Because as it was … only a single thing on offer boasted even the slightest bit of use.
A horse.
In defiance of the surrounding barrier of worthless trinkets, this most out-of-place of horses was chewing on his own sale sign in the corner.
Specifically, a draft horse with a very shaggy mane and equipped with both a saddle and a dedicated bakery bag. He looked up as I entered the gift shop, gave a familiar snort, then idly returned to nibbling on his sale sign.
I pursed my lips.
And then–
"... Why is Apple being sold?!"
I paused, then leaned in to study the sign.
"Why is Apple being sold at 97% off?!"
This … This was outrageous!
It was one thing to pretend that a gift shop was a hall of secrets! But to sell my own horse at such a heavy discount was the height of egregiousness!
"Ah, I see you're already interested in the horse!" said the pink haired librarian, her smile changing so rapidly that even trolls would nod in respect. "That's quite the unique memento!"
"A memento?!"
"Yes, we don't often stock horses–oh, but before that, I'd like to formally welcome you to the exclusive gift shop! Here is where the true magic of the library happens!"
I was aghast. Nor was I the only one.
Why, even Coppelia's shock at seeing my loyal steed being illegally fenced at 97% off was so great she couldn't even look!
In fact, she was simply making weird noises with her back turned!
"Heeeeeeeeeeee~"
I threw up my arms in outrage.
"What is the meaning of this?! This is so brazen that even Coppelia can only make strange wheezing sounds! Why is Apple being sold?! … Furthermore, why is he being sold at such a low price?!"
"Apple?" The librarian blinked in puzzlement, then clapped her hands together. "Ah! You've already named the horse? That's good. What made you decide that?"
"Decide?! Apple is my horse!"
"Yes, of course. And all for the low price of … ah, only 8 copper crowns!"
"8 copper crowns?! That is patently absurd! My crêpes cost less than that!"
"Quite the bargain, isn't it?"
"No! It is an unacceptable insult! Does this look like a horse whose cost can be measured in coppers?!"
"Well–"
"Exactly! This is a loyal steed who has braved the heart of common towns and all the odour they gather! Such loyalty means he won't go for anything less than … however much horses usually cost! I demand you sell him at a higher price immediately!"
The librarian gasped.
"Gosh, that's very generous … however, it'd be inappropriate to raise the price. Especially since the horse is large and takes up inventory space. In truth, I was actually considering lowering the price."
I could scarcely believe it.
Here was Apple, a horse who had willingly braved darkness and peasants … and he was being practically given away! … Again!
"You have no right to lower the price! Furthermore, you have no right to even sell him! I am already his owner! This is my horse!"
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes!"
The girl regarded Apple with a look of puzzlement. One she should have displayed before immediately seeking to hoist him away.
"Goodness, how strange! I was told by a staff member that the horse was found wandering in one of the corridors. The mandrakes were trying to hide from him."
"So they should! He has followed me through even the darkness to be here! That is deserving of the respect and fear of all shrieking plants!"
"Oh, goodness, in that case, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. We don't usually permit horses to roam the library."
A look of apology met me. It should have been aimed towards Apple.
Even so, I magnanimously allowed my ire to ebb away … if only because Apple had likely licked half the gifts in this shop.
"Yes, well, I can fix that. If you would kindly show me the exit, I can immediately take Apple away."
"Ah, of course!"
The pink haired librarian nodded.
All while gesturing towards a shelf of cups.
"But before I do–"
"No."
"A commemorative, special edition cup! Only 2 silver crowns!"
"... Why is the cup more expensive than a horse?!"
"These cups are more limited than a horse!"
She duly scooped up a cup before me. I bemoaned that even when giving away my help, those I tried to lift from the throes of despair were my greatest obstacles.
"Excuse me! While it's only appropriate to try to profiteer off my obvious wealth, there is a time and a place! That is not when I'm trying to rescue a dragon! Your dragon!"
The girl looked crestfallen. Coppelia patted her on the shoulder, then sent a pout my way.
I wasn't the least bit moved. Not least because she was supposed to be defending our finances, not encouraging it all away.
"You're right, of course," said the pink haired girl, recalling a more appreciative expression. "I apologise. I can be too excited with the shop. But as wonderful as our range of seasonal, limited edition merchandise is, it's in poor taste to offer them when there are more pressing concerns. I can do it when you return."
"You certainly may," I said with no intention to return.
I received an enthusiastic smile. One which had little to do with rescuing her employer.
Still, the clockwork doll remembered her role enough to walk over to one of the curtained windows.
With a flourish, she swept it aside. Yet rather than sunlight streaming through, it was a door even less impressive than the one to this hidden gift shop. I feared for the worse. And not because some three-headed hellhound was lying in wait.
No … it was something far worse instead.
Ouzelia.
"This is the employee entrance," she said, nodding as she creaked the door ajar. "Our local staff from Witschblume use it to hike to work each morning. It's not necessarily a gentle path, but it's considerably easier than the one used by our guests. That one twists and turns so much that most find themselves stumbling back to the beginning while thinking it's the end."
"Witschblume?"
I was startled. And surprisingly, not because anything exploded.
While I endeavoured to know as little about Ouzelia as possible, the fruits grown by the town of Witschblume were such a popular export that Reitzlake's nobility practically used it as currency.
Why, had I known that this library was so close to it, I would have … well, no, I would still never have come. But I'd at least groan less. Maybe.
"Witschblume," repeated the librarian. "One of our central towns under the purview of Duchess Cadence Loventeidt. I've sent a letter to the local heroine amongst others, but I expect she's very busy. If you could directly petition for her assistance, it might be enough to earn her immediate attention."
Hmm.
A trip to Witschblume. Hardly the visit I was expecting. But considering that I believed I'd be trudging through a succession of bear caves, it was a morsel of reprieve.
Indeed, as the librarian pulled aside the door to reveal a spray of sunlight and the whistling of songbirds amidst the rustling of leaves, I even dared to have a single hope.
That maybe, just maybe, this trip wouldn't be so–
BrruMmumUmmuMmuMmuMmmm.
Suddenly, I was almost thrown off my feet.
A noise like the end of the world shook the very ground. Dust fell from the ceiling as plates, cups and scarves dropped from their tables and shelves, sending tableware rolling in every direction. A snort came from Apple as the sign he was chewing on collapsed.
And then just like that–it was over.
A few, brief seconds of pandemonium.
I steadied myself for a few moments, bracing for the next bout. Seeing that it didn't come, I brushed down my shoulders and nodded towards the open door.
"Very well," I said idly. "To the town of Witschblume, then. To requisition a heroine."
Two clockwork dolls regarded my unflustered state with shared looks of admiration.
"Huh, that's new," said Coppelia. "Most fresh arrivals usually get jumpy after their first earthquake."
"Hm? And why should an earthquake concern me?"
"Well, they are pretty rough. And this one was definitely bigger than average."
"... Is that so? Good."
"Eh?"
I made my way past the exit, all the while gifting the sunlight with my smile.
"After all, it just proves that no matter how much I fear to be in Ouzelia, Ouzelia fears me more."
You know what....
Yeah if the escalation so far remain true It may as Well be fear or laughter Cuz for all i know Ouzelia could be like Elmore