Chapter : 11
“If you mean the content… no. It’s not that… um.”
Finally, Wiz’s gaze settled on him.
Elsier, taken aback by her sudden action and unable to fully grasp its meaning, raised his eyebrows. In response, Wiz shook the book again.
“It’s ridiculous that this kind of trash is in the royal library.”
Her tone wasn’t much different from before. Yet what emanated from her was malice.
Elsier’s eyebrows rose slightly.
He had never met anyone who could speak of malice so calmly. Even some of the top political figures in the country and the monarch, Valombrosa, weren’t this serene when showing displeasure.
Wiz shrugged and pushed the book into the empty space on the shelf.
Elsier watched her for a moment before speaking.
“I understand Elaine is quite a formidable person.”
She was also a moderate mage who didn’t play cruel tricks with artifacts. Elaine wasn’t the type of mage to install mischievous artifacts; she was closer to a mage who restrained other mages.
Moreover, she was affiliated with the Central Tower and had published papers through it. These were read not only by researchers studying poisons but also by anyone studying magic and mages, including Elsier himself.
Her activities had stopped about two years ago, and now her whereabouts were unknown. But this wasn’t particularly suspicious, as was the case with many mages.
Elsier’s words drew a bright agreement from Wiz.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“She published many useful papers, and what you’re holding is the original of one of her more deeply researched works.”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
They gave the same response.
A faint, awkward smile appeared on Elsier’s face.
By now, Wiz had turned to face him directly.
Neither avoided the other’s gaze.
She wasn’t just looking at him; it felt as if she were scrutinizing every detail. Her pale gray eyes were piercing in that moment. Despite the social gap that should have made this improper, Elsier silently allowed it, smiling gently.
In that strange silence, the two of them seemed like statues.
After a while, Wiz’s eyes contorted as if filled with tears. Her head drooped, and her slightly pursed lips began to move.
“Just thinking about that silver hair makes me angry.”
Elsier didn’t immediately understand what she meant.
It was inevitable—her silence had been extremely peculiar. Wiz in that silence had been very strange.
After a brief pause, he realized she was about to speak properly about Elaine.
He asked, hesitantly,
“So you’ve met her?”
“Yes. That woman had a book I wanted to read, but she burned it right in front of me and ran away. ‘Moderate,’ my foot. I’ve rarely been dealt with like that in my life.”
“……”
Wiz may not have been the type to be victimized, but did she realize that others were being victimized by her?
He recalled the lonely figure of the tower master he’d seen earlier. It was a natural association.
“But honestly, even without considering my personal feelings, this paper is terrible.”
“Why is that?”
These were words from a scholar who had been the deputy tower master. Even if the speaker was Wiz, such remarks couldn’t be dismissed lightly.
Wiz moved her head slightly, then spoke clearly.
“To complete this, she killed several people.”
Death. Even when speaking of murder rather than natural death, Wiz remained calm. Only her downward gaze showed a slight change.
She felt no fear in accusing someone who had long been known as a moderate mage.
The accusation continued.
“Do you think she killed someone from another country just because they were from Ario? No. She killed only those from Ario.”
“……”
“Her achievements were so cruelly attained that I can’t feel at ease regarding that mage.”
“……”
“Anyway, this is a book someone discarded, and I never expected it would end up in the Ario royal library. Since it’s an artifact, it’s better not to leave it here.”
“Y-yes…?”
Her casual way of saying that made Elsier’s reaction slightly delayed.
Artifact?
Startled, Wiz gently lifted the long hem of her dress with both hands. A gem wrapped around her fingertips shone momentarily.
Even though he had been looking at her opulence all along, it now struck him in detail.
Finally, she lifted her head. Like a child unable to wink, she awkwardly gave a little smile, then bent and straightened her knees.
“I suppose I’ll be going now. I don’t think there’s any book I need.”
“No, wait. Wiz, this is really an artifact?”
He couldn’t help but ask again.
Wiz smiled confidently.
“Yes. I’ve experienced it firsthand. Be careful—the poison needles come out.”
“……”
“I don’t know how it ended up here. The person who had it left it next to Elaine.”
Arriving at the bookstore and changing clothes, Wiz immediately welcomed a customer.
It was a hero.
Wiz stared at Shory for a while, and Shory felt as if he could anticipate what she was about to say.
Wiz slowly spoke.
“Are you a customer? I don’t sell books.”
“……Now memorize it! How can you not remember someone you’ve seen hundreds of times?!”
Ignoring the outburst, Wiz yawned and wiped her eyes with her index finger.
When his gaze became clear again, Shory calmly continued.
“My name is Shory.”
“Ah, Showcase?”
“Shory.”
“Yes, Shopping.”
“……I’m Shory, wanting to confess to Abigail.”
“Ah, the hopelessly daring Shopping trying anyway?”
“……”
He wanted to kill her.
Shory had nothing in hand to throw at Wiz’s teasing. If only there were no customers, he could have gone and smashed something on her head.
He pulled himself together, washed his face roughly, and steadied his breathing. Slowly, he spoke after a long sigh.
“I brought someone looking for your bookstore.”
“A customer?”
An old man appeared behind Shory. Wiz’s eyes widened.
His reaction wasn’t ordinary. Shory, unusually worried, asked gently,
“Shall I stay?”
“Eh? No, he’s someone I know. Thank you.”
“No need for greetings. Let’s go.”
“Please have a look. That hopelessly daring Shopping wanting to confess anyway.”
“……”
Should he kill her?
Shory clenched his teeth, staring at her with a trembling gaze. Anger would only tire and exhaust him. He left the bookstore silently.
It wasn’t Wiz, but the tower master who felt pity for Shory. The old man, at a loss for words, asked as he looked back at the store.
“……Do you live like this?”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
It wasn’t a compliment, but she replied in Onnevaler, which was fortunate. Both were more comfortable with Onnevaler.
The old man said nothing more about Shory.
“Please, sit.”
Wiz offered a chair by the counter and went into the kitchen. But the tower master had no time to sit, scanning the ridiculous bookstore. He could only linger in front of the counter. Still, he got a sense of things.
The countless rare books Wiz owned.
The books in this store were far fewer than the number he knew about.
Much fewer.
Way fewer.
And this woman would discard or burn unnecessary books without hesitation. Rarity or historical value didn’t matter to her. The old man, trembling, asked Wiz, who had come out in simpler clothes,
“Where are all the books? Why are there only these?”
“Ah, um…”
Why hesitate nervously?!
“Burned them? Threw them away? Did someone spill water on them? Sell them?”
“Um. They’re well kept.”
“None disposed of?”
“Among the books you know about?”
His imagination raced to the worst-case scenario. He shouted urgently.
“I mean including books I don’t know about!”
“They’re all fine. Probably. Here, since you’re here.”
He received the paper bag awkwardly, but there was a strange word in the middle: probably.
Probably?
Probablyyyy?
The precious scholarly books were clearly in danger.
He was rightly horrified.
“‘Probably’?!”
“They’re not within reach right now, but they’re fine. I’ll take care of my books.”
“You selfish human!”
He’d lost composure briefly, and his arrogance surged—coming like wind, leaving like a storm. The old man regained his senses. Fear was natural.
“……I see.”
His words suddenly sounded odd. Wiz looked at him with a cold gaze, making him embarrassed.
He opened the paper bag as if nothing happened. The thick bundle was tied with black string, and the cover had a neat title in fine script. The papers were still in Onnevaler. He nodded with satisfaction.
He was sure the content would be excellent.
He was curious but could wait; their research fields were different.
Wiz looked at his face leisurely and asked,
“Why aren’t you leaving right away?”
“I came to hear about how the world is turning.”
She said it casually while tidying the bag. Wiz took a short breath.
“You don’t know that saying, Tower Master?”
“Eh?”
“It’s fine if life is easier without it.”
“……”
He stared at her, almost glaring.
With enough money, he could hear about the world. Maybe she genuinely didn’t care, or maybe her composure came from knowing more than she let on.
Wiz was among the coldest people he had met. At least in the past, she was. Even living like this, that rationality hadn’t disappeared.
Lowering her hand from her tied hair, Wiz asked,
“Why? Did something happen in Onnevaler?”
“It’s less about Onnevaler and more about someone’s safety. The Ario prince who was held hostage returned, didn’t he?”
“Yes. There was even a festival recently.”
“Do you know how he returned?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Ario used some influence, but the main reason is likely to investigate the death of a former duke.”
“I see. Oh, marvelous. High-ranking people do interesting things.”
She looked like someone in love, pressing her cheeks with both hands, which annoyed the tower master greatly.
His expression darkened instantly.
But the matter at hand remained. He had to finish quickly to protect his peace. He cleared his throat a few times and spoke cautiously.
“And it’s not just the prince.”
“Oh.”
“That person.”
Wiz didn’t react much.
She seemed focused on the playful touch of her hands on her cheeks. After a moment, the tower master continued.
“The long-time friend of the former duke is searching for him.”
“……”
“Specifically, for the living former duke.”
(To be continued in the next part)
