* * *
[The Elder said it was a curse that took a considerable amount of time and effort to create. If it had been activated, it would have affected the forest too. Having no other way to stop it, they first dragged him away.]
“And threw him into the lake?”
[Threw him in?! That lake is a place infused with clear energy that purifies toxins.]
Could it mean they treated him in case he was contaminated by the curse?
Perhaps Klen was safe now thanks to them.
I cut a piece of cake onto the small plate and pushed it toward the creature.
This time, it was a sticky chocolate cake.
“Why was there a curse in such a place? Is that normal?”
[Hmph, what nonsense about a curse in a sacred place. It was an object deliberately placed there by someone. However, not just anyone could see it, and it was covered with layers of magic power, he said.]
“What did you say?”
A cursed character covered with layers of magic power.
If it was something like that, it was surely the work of the person drawing the teleportation spell.
Did they perhaps set a trap, knowing that we were looking for the spell?
But…
“Klen can see that?!”
That implies it was something ordinary people couldn’t interact with.
Does he have that much magic power?
[What nonsense are you talking about. Didn’t he use magic to save you?]
“When?”
[When you were fighting the crazy horse. Have you forgotten that a chunk of ice fell refreshingly right above its head?]
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten.
That was when we were dealing with the frantically rampaging Pegasus.
Since the magic suddenly fell and then the bird appeared, I naturally thought this creature had helped.
Was that Klen’s magic?
“That… wasn’t that you who used it?”
[Just because I have a blue color doesn’t mean I use ice-based magic.]
“I need to check.”
I abruptly stood up.
Thinking about it while sitting down would only lead to my own imagination.
The accurate facts could only be confirmed from the person himself.
Klen had certainly acted as if he would be pressured to inherit the title if he revealed all his abilities.
But unless Fabian Hyung-nim was severely injured, as per the flow of the novel, it was questionable whether the Count would give the title to him.
Hyung-nim wasn’t a violent or incompetent person.
But his words were neither a joke nor unfounded arrogance.
If he showed that kind of power, Klen’s supporters would increase, and the Count’s concerns would deepen.
Although Fabian Hyung-nim was a decent person, the Count would probably wish for a more outstanding person to govern the territory.
Perhaps a big dispute over the right of succession might break out.
And that, not by the will of the two of them, but by the people around them.
The bird was now sitting on my shoulder.
And as I strode out and opened the door, Vis, who was waiting outside, was startled and rushed toward me.
“Where are you going?”
“Where is Klen now?”
“He is probably in the…”
Bis checked the time, then rolled his eyes as if recalling something.
“He should be in the library.”
“Then, let’s go there.”
“Understood.”
Perhaps because the destination wasn’t the training ground, there was no objection this time.
So, I headed to the library for the first time in a long time.
The large library building still exuded a majestic aura that made one reluctant to approach.
“I will wait outside.”
“I’ll be out as soon as possible.”
Bis was waiting at the entrance again.
I hadn’t heard of a rule forbidding animals, but bringing the bird with me like this would still draw attention.
I carefully took the creature from my shoulder and put it in the inner pocket of my outer garment.
Was it because it was a Divine Beast and not a common bird?
It didn’t struggle, as if it understood my intention.
It merely shifted its body slightly and found a comfortable position.
Holding the bird in my arms, I entered the library.
The cool air circulated, but the unique smell of old paper brushed past my nose.
Standing near the entrance and looking around, I couldn’t see any red hair.
Vis had also said he knew Klen was here, but not exactly where.
I had no choice but to look for him myself.
“Lady Adrian. Are you looking for a specific book?”
Standing there blankly must have naturally drawn attention.
The librarian approached me again.
“Ah, it’s been a while.”
Perhaps because I wasn’t the type to enjoy reading, dealing with the librarian felt somewhat difficult.
Thanks to that, honorifics naturally flowed from my mouth again.
The librarian facing me offered a gentle smile.
“Yes. It’s been a while.”
“……”
And I soon realized I had chosen the wrong greeting.
This was the first time I had set foot in the library since the day I came to study spells.
It was only my second meeting with the librarian, so it truly had been a while.
“Do you happen to know where Klen is?”
I quickly decided to change the subject.
“Ah, Lord Klen, he seemed to be reading a book at the north end of the first floor.”
“What kind of books are there?”
“Things about the last war and how much the Count played an active role…”
The smoothly speaking librarian suddenly stopped and glanced at me.
Then, she cleared her throat lightly and slowly continued her sentence.
“There are books about how much the two Counts played an active role.”
“Thank you.”
I couldn’t help but offer a wry smile.
She must have hastily recalled that I was a Caldrich.
Weren’t the heroes of the last war the two Counts, Caldrich and Valuncio?
Although this was Valuncio’s castle, she must have thought it was impolite to only praise one side in front of me, a Caldrich.
I gave a bright nod to the visibly flustered librarian, signaling that it was okay, and then headed north.
I didn’t need to look for Klen in that area.
The eyes of the people passing by were fleetingly directed toward one spot.
Following the gazes that all briefly passed over and steadily stared, Klen soon came into view.
Klen was sitting at one of the long tables and chairs placed there for easy use of the library.
Of course, he wasn’t reading seriously.
The circulating air in the library gently rustled the pages, and Klen, who was sitting with his arms crossed, was severely bent at the neck and nodding off.
‘Doesn’t his neck hurt?’
It was a posture that made even the observer’s neck feel stiff.
And he was swaying precariously, about to fall to one side at any moment.
As I approached to wake him up, my eyes scanned the bookshelves behind him.
The shelves were filled with records of the last war.
As the librarian had been careful to mention, the titles mostly focusing on Count Valuncio’s exploits caught my eye.
I turned my eyes back and, as per my original plan, gently shook Klen’s shoulder.
“Klen.”
“……”
But not only did he not wake up, he didn’t even flinch.
I couldn’t raise my voice in the library.
So, I had no choice but to shake him a little harder this time.
His eyelids fluttered only after his head, which was bent to one side, shook enough to swim in the air.
“Klen.”
“……Adrian?”
Klen, who had only opened his eyes in that posture, rolled his eyes to look at me.
His voice was slightly hoarse, and he called my name in a quiet whisper.
“……”
Yet, I knew immediately that he hadn’t just woken up.
Klen lifted his head.
And then…
“Cough!”
* * *
