TYHL 143

~Chapter 143~

“Wow! The old library is amazing!”

I stretched out both arms and spoke in an excited voice.

To be honest, I was already used to this place, so nothing here really surprised me anymore…

Let’s do well, Rubian!

“Cough, cough. The bookshelves are a bit messy, aren’t they?”

Yuliophe opened a recovery drink and spoke in a quietly excited voice. It looked like he liked my big reaction.

“Yes! It’s like a maze!”

“Be careful, you might get lost. If there’s a book you want to take out, please tell me first.”

“Yes!”

I acted just like a kid who finally got to visit a place they always wanted to go, and quickly ran between the library shelves.

“Wow, wow! This is so cool!”

“Ru—Rubian! Isn’t that a bit too much running?! What if you crash into the shelves and my precious books all come tumbling down—!”

I stopped suddenly and looked up at the worried and scared professor.

“Professor… Are you saying your books are more precious than me?”

“Ahem, of course, Rubian, you are more precious. I was just worried, that’s all.”

“That’s right? They’re just things, after all.”

“Yes, of course. If you fall and bump into the shelf, my delicate books would be more hurt—no, I mean, the other way around.”

I giggled and ran off again.

“Professor’s salary, falling down from the sky! Wow!”

“Noooo!”

But I already knew all the paths through these maze-like shelves, so I wasn’t going to crash into anything.

‘If he just said not to run in the library, I would have walked quietly!’

He made it too fun to tease him.

Maybe it was because of the magic in this place, but I felt more excited than usual. I looked around everywhere and totally wore Yuliophe out.

But in the end, I was the only one who got tired (unfair!), so I sat at a desk in a corner of the old library, breathing hard.

“Whew, I’m tired. Huh? Professor, the desks are even more like a maze!”

Yuliophe brought me some water and stacked up some papers.

“We’re doing restoration work here. It’s a bit messy, right?”

“I thought it was a garbage dump!”

“Hahaha. Sharp eyes. That hurts.”

I sat down and fixed my messy clothes after running around.
I tied my shoelaces again, and fixed my name tag that was hanging crooked.

Yuliophe watched me quietly, then spoke with a slightly awkward voice. He stared at my name tag.

“But Rubian… it’s strange to ask now, but…”

“Yes?”

“Were you pretending to be a commoner because you felt burdened by being a Zebbert?”

Really, he’s asking now?

Well, he was probably too busy with old books until now.

Sometimes, other professors would ask me this quietly. I always answered the same way.

“Well, yes? I don’t like standing out…”

That’s the fate of someone on the run…

Actually, I was just being careful because of the suspicious maid at the entrance ceremony, but somehow, I ended up hiding my identity completely.

“I keep remembering when I was kidnapped by bad men in Ipsen.”

Yuliophe frowned seriously, thinking I had a trauma from that kidnapping.

“I see. Sorry for bringing it up.”

He patted my head to comfort me and went back to organizing his papers.

I swung my legs and thought quietly.

‘Come to think of it, that maid never showed up again. And Khalid didn’t say anything…’

Maybe she was just a lost maid, and Khalid overreacted?

But thanks to that, I finished my library research more easily. Now, I just had to figure out how to break the mark…

‘Will it work?’

I thought of the stone under the big seal.

Just then,

I saw something interesting in the papers Yuliophe was sorting.

<Restoration Worker Application Form>

That…

“Professor, didn’t you already hire all the restoration workers?”

I pointed to the papers, and Yuliophe shrugged lightly.

“Only some. We’re still doing interviews. There are very few scholars who can read the ancient language.”

“I see.”

“And it’s not just about reading—it’s about understanding the meaning to restore things. It’s harder to hire.”

“Oh wow.”

Even here, there aren’t enough people…

I stared at one application, thinking.

‘If it was me…’

What would I do?

If I were a tracker looking for a chance to sneak into the academy…

‘I wouldn’t miss this chance.’

I’d steal the ID of someone who passed as a restoration worker and sneak in…

‘Wait, did I sound like a villain just now?’

That was scary. It was really sneaky and mean!

I quickly shook my head, but even thinking again, that way made the most sense.

After camp started, the academy’s security became much tighter. It was impossible to sneak in as a maid again.

‘I heard some noble family sent a lot of knights for security.’

That’s why Principal Odelli is always walking around with a huge smile…

I don’t know which family, but they are really overprotective.

Thanks to them, I’m safer too!

‘If I was a real tracker, though…’

I was deep in thought when Yuliophe stood up after finishing the papers.

“Rubian, I have an interview to do. I should go now.”

“Huh? A job interview?”

“That would be sweet and exciting, but it’s a restoration worker interview. I’m the interviewer.”

“Oh…”

Then I wondered,

“But do you interview outside?”

“Yes. Actually, it’s tomorrow morning, but I thought I’d stop by home. So I’ll meet the person outside, too.”

“Wow, Professor! You finally get to go home!”

“Hehehe. I’m just going to get some clothes. I’ll have to live here for a while again… Aren’t you excited? Hehehe.”

Oh no, Professor is going crazy…

But I just quietly patted his arm.

“Haha! The weather’s great! Do you have any spare alcohol? My throat’s dry.”

Allen spat on the ground and shouted.

Leon couldn’t take it anymore and spoke to Leviathan.

“Sir. How long do we have to drag this guy around?”

“……”

Leviathan glanced at the rough-looking mercenary. He tapped the side of his horse and sped up.

“Ugh.”

Allen, who had both hands tied and was walking beside the horse, stumbled.

“S-Sir! Please don’t go any faster! I can’t keep up!”

His annoying voice rang out.

“Then either be quiet or start talking.”

“How can I talk if I’m quiet? You’re funnier than the rumors said…”

Suddenly, there was a whack sound.

Sir Yujen, the knight, hit Allen on the back of the head.

“You’re being rude in front of the Duke. Are you crazy?”

“Huh? You’re hitting me? Do you do that to younger knights too? Are you hazing them?”

What is he even saying?

Leviathan kicked his horse again and sped up.

“Ugh.”

Allen stumbled again.

“You know what I want you to talk about.”

Allen’s mouth stuck out.

“The one who hired you to watch the Magic Kingdom.”

“……”

“Tell me who it is.”

Darn it.

Allen cursed inside. He acted like he didn’t care, but Leviathan’s cold eyes were terrifying.

‘Why did I have to get caught by the Duke?’

He remembered when he was captured.

“Please spare me!”

“You’re a mercenary. Who told you to spy on the Magic Kingdom?”

“I—I can’t say that.”

It was true.

Because of the stupid magic vow that kid Khalid put on him.

His empty eye socket ached.

‘If I say the wrong thing about that brat or the princess, my blood will explode like fireworks!’

Just thinking about it was awful.

“You’re just a rat, but you want to protect your client’s secret? Loyal in the weirdest places.”

“Haha. I guess I have some loyalty and I’m a decent person…”

“Congratulations. Your parents would be proud. But too bad—I didn’t grow up to be a decent person.”

Leviathan threatened him with his sword.

“If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you.”

Allen had been through all kinds of terrible things as a mercenary.

But in front of a man called a hero, he was just nothing.

He mumbled every curse word in the world, wondering if it would hurt less to have his head cut off or to have his veins explode.

At that moment,

Leviathan stared at Allen and, for some reason, put his sword away.