~Chapter 127~
It looked like my foot had barely touched the tip of his shoe.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Oh, sorry? Sorr-ryyy?”
Haven caught onto my words and wouldn’t let go.
“You step on a noble’s shoe and just say sorry? Do you know how much these shoes cost?!”
“…Uh? Then what should I say besides sorry?”
I was honestly curious. I didn’t even really step on him—why was he making such a big deal?
“Wow, unbelievable.”
“I don’t really get it either…”
“Why you—!”
Haven finally lost his temper and raised his hand.
I moved away, but my foot got tangled, and I bumped lightly into the wall.
“Ugh…”
My back hurt…
“Pfft, serves you right.”
That jerk, really.
“Ugh, come on!”
Just then, I heard Void’s voice right next to us.
“Hurry and borrow your books. I’m not the type to skip sword class!”
“Ah!”
They’re getting closer!
My shoulders jumped.
There was a wall behind me, Haven in front, and a gap next to the pillar!
I squeezed myself into the gap like a pressed pancake.
“What are you doing?”
“Um, h-h-how do I say this? I didn’t step on your foot, just brushed against it. But if your glass-like foot felt hurt, I’m really sorry! Okay? So can you let me go now?”
Even though I explained it clearly, Haven’s face just turned red and blue with anger.
What’s with him?!
“Void, as your older brother, let me give you some advice—if you’re going to hold something, pick up a pen.”
“No way! But what happened to your sword? I haven’t seen it lately.”
“Who knows, maybe I lost it.”
At that moment, Liam slowly raised his head from his book.
“By the way, since a while ago…”
He closed his book and strode over.
Haven turned his head, feeling the bad mood coming from beside him.
‘Now’s my chance!’
I didn’t miss the moment and slipped through the gap.
“W-what? Ah, Prince Zebbert…”
Liam grabbed Haven’s shoulder and turned him around just then.
“Huh…”
Liam’s deep purple eyes searched behind the pillar.
“Brother, what’s wrong?”
“Why am I suddenly so annoyed?”
Liam tilted his head.
“There’s nothing here… That’s strange.”
There was nothing under the decorations.
“Hey, you weren’t bullying or bothering someone just now, were you?”
Liam gripped Haven’s shoulder tightly. For someone who looked like he only held a pen, he was surprisingly strong.
“Ow, that hurts! I-I didn’t do anything! Huh? But where did she go…?”
“What?”
Haven seemed to remember me and looked around at the empty space, but when he saw the dark figure in front of him, he quickly shook his head.
“No, no! I wasn’t!”
“Something’s fishy.”
Liam finally let go of him.
Void, looking excited, jumped in.
“By the way, are you a camp student?”
“Huh? Yes, yes…”
“Then have you seen my little sister?”
“Huh? Sister?”
Haven blinked and shook his head.
“I thought the young lady didn’t come?”
Liam and Void both looked shocked.
“Huh?”
“No way…”
“If she was here, I’d take good care of her! I’m the second son of the Abellus family…”
Haven said whatever came to mind, just trying to get out of the situation.
But somehow, the mood around them turned cold.
“What are you talking about?”
Liam and Void stepped closer, surrounding him. Haven, startled, even hiccuped.
“Why would you take care of our Ruby?”
“I-I’m the second son of Count Abellus…”
“Worry about your own clothes.”
Liam adjusted his glasses and pointed his chin at him.
“Don’t get interested in someone else’s fairy.”
“That’s right. Only brothers are allowed to care about Ruby. Got it?”
“Y-yes… okay…”
She’s not even here anyway.
Haven just mumbled and nodded like crazy because the two boys’ words stung his ears.
“If you even look at our fairy or talk to her, you’re in trouble. You just make people angry for some reason.”
“But she’s not here…”
“Whatever. Just nod. And don’t pick fights with people. You just seem like someone who needs to hear that.”
“Ugh… Okay… just go…”
Who do they think they are…?
But Haven could only keep nodding wildly.
And I, crawling behind the pillar, heard everything.
‘Wow, that was close.’
I had almost been caught.
Now I was in some random reading room.
I brushed the dust off my clothes and thought,
‘It’s not like I did anything wrong…’
But I guess seeing my brothers just made me hide out of habit.
That’s what hide-and-seek does to you.
‘Wait, isn’t it class time?’
What were those two doing, wandering around?
I promised myself to tell Mom and Dad everything about this.
They really should know about their sons’ study habits.
“But… where am I?”
I let out a small sigh and looked around.
This place was very quiet, unlike the children’s reading room.
There were endless bookshelves that reached the ceiling.
Dust floated in the sunlight from the windows.
The smell of old paper filled the air.
It felt like time had stopped.
“This is the biggest library in the empire. It’s the exact center, the heart of our Academy.”
I realized what the professor meant earlier.
‘Maybe there’s something hidden in this library.’
But then I felt a little silly.
‘Isn’t it strange to think there’s a magic secret in the Babilon Academy library…?’
Especially in a country with almost no magic.
‘But I don’t have any other clues.’
I rolled up my sleeves. I couldn’t just sit and think—I had to do something.
First, I needed to figure out what kind of reading room this was.
Just then—
“Who’s there?”
The door opened and footsteps came closer.
It sounded like the reading room manager.
‘Oh no.’
I couldn’t get caught yet!
While I was looking for a place to hide, suddenly, a hand shot out from between the bookshelves.
“…!”
“Shh.”
A finger pressed lightly on my lips.
I froze and held my breath.
Messy, dark blue hair. Eyes scanning sharply. Two dots under his eye, really close together.
At the same time, a squirrel ran out with a squeak.
“Oh my. Must have come in from outside.”
The manager called the squirrel and shut the open window, then left the reading room.
There was a moment of silence.
I gently bit my upper and lower lip.
I tapped Khalid’s shoulder and he finally turned to look at me.
“Phew, that was close…”
Save… me…
“Ah.”
He quickly pulled his hand away, startled.
“Why are you holding your breath like that?”
“Ugh. Hah, hah.”
I put my hands on the ground and gasped for air.
“You told me to shush!”
“I just meant to be quiet, not stop breathing…”
But for some reason, it was hard to breathe!
I couldn’t say that part out loud, so I just relaxed my body. Khalid looked a bit wronged and moved back a little.
“Anyway, what are you doing here?”
I shrunk myself behind the bookshelf and asked.
“Investigating.”
“Huh? Doesn’t your class have afternoon activities?”
“I said I was sick and skipped.”
Wow, that’s one way to do it.
‘He’s got some skills.’
I looked at Khalid with a new sense of respect.
Wearing the Academy uniform, Khalid looked just like a regular student my age, not a mercenary or a knight.
‘I never imagined this.’
We used to be on the battlefield, always traveling. Now we were sitting together in a school library.
Of course, we weren’t really here to study…
Life is full of surprises.
“But Ruby, how did you end up here? You scared me.”
He looked at me, leaning against the bookshelf. I suddenly felt embarrassed, like I’d been caught staring at him.
“Oh? Ah… I was exploring the library, but when I saw my brothers, I ran away.”
“Ah.”
Khalid nodded like he understood.
“So? Did you find out anything?”
“No. I don’t think there’s anything special in this room—it’s just full of history books.”
I thought for a moment, then remembered something.
“Hey, Khalid. There’s a special restricted area in this library.”
“Restricted area?”
“Yeah. Doesn’t it sound like there might be something there?”
He thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“Let’s go.”
