Wow… Just how many books are there?
The library of the Grand Duchy is briefly mentioned in the original work.
There’s a scene where Lumia’s maid returns and borrows books from this place.
It was a book regarding magical studies that Lumia had requested, and the maid also borrowed some ‘personal’ books.
Specifically, romantic novels.
That’s why I came to check it out.
If there are romance novels, surely there must be fantasy novels too, like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ or ‘Game of Thrones.’
It’s only natural to read romance-filled fantasy novels in a world brimming with romance, just as it’s natural to find a needle if there’s a thread.
The problem is…
It’s just too complicated.
Rendler has already disappeared somewhere.
Since he mumbled something about ‘nourishing the mind,’ I had instructed him to find books related to ‘magic theory.’
This was so I could study the theory through books while engaging in practical training with Rachel starting this evening.
By the looks of it, he seemed to have visited the library before, so I should have asked him for directions.
Hmm…
The endless shelves of books stood so tall I had to crane my neck to see the tops.
Just looking at the densely packed books made me feel dizzy.
There were signs above the shelves indicating major categories, but there were just too many types for me to identify anything.
It was truly a case of being on the verge of being buried by books.
Yet, what put me in a good mood was the comforting, musty scent of the library, the calming tranquility that felt like being severed from the world, and the sheer fun of shopping for knowledge.
Anyway…
I need someone to help me… Ah.
Just then, my eye caught a librarian wearing a hat adorned with the library’s emblem.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes? How may I assist you?”
The librarian, busy organizing some books, turned to look at me.
“Uh, Lord Elden? Wh-What brings you here…?”
It seemed like the librarian was filled with awe and bewilderment, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Considering that it takes three days of horseback riding to reach Raphelion County from here, I guess even this librarian has heard tales of my exploits.
Looks like Elden Raphelion is quite a character.
A familiar gaze.
In the librarian’s eyes, I must look like an arsonist looking for kindling.
Instead of explaining myself, I decided to go with a straightforward approach.
“I’m looking for the novel section.”
“W-What? Why? N-No, I mean, what kind of novels are you looking for, My Lord?”
“Hmm.”
As previously mentioned, my memories of Elden Raphelion weren’t flawless.
They were as fragmented as the recollections of the day after a big drinking bash.
Especially when it came to categories that Elden had no interest in, my thoughts would go completely blank.
Therefore, I hesitated to define the kind of novels I wanted.
Fantasy? It feels awkward to ask for that genre when I’m already in a fantasy world. It’s like entering a library and asking where the ‘modern’ section is.
Genre literature? But would there even be such classifications in the medieval period?
“……!”
The longer the silence lingered, the whiter the librarian’s face became, as if he were on the verge of tears.
Eventually, I blurted out,
“……Novels a grown man would find entertaining.”
Even saying it felt embarrassingly vague.
Since I couldn’t define it with a single word, I had no choice but to explain it like that.
It was the best answer I could muster. Fortunately, it seemed to be an answer fitting for Elden Raphelion, as the librarian’s complexion visibly brightened.
“Ah, I see! Please follow me!”
Right.
Thank goodness we managed to communicate; I thought as I followed the librarian, who began walking briskly.
For about five minutes, we maneuvered through the maze-like shelves of the library.
Then the librarian suddenly stopped.
“Here it is, My Lord! Enjoy your reading~!”
…Enjoy my reading?
That felt like an odd farewell from a library staff member, but perhaps to them, selecting books could be as enjoyable as playing a game.
With those thoughts in mind, I approached the shelf.
[The Dragoness’s Pleasure Journey]
[How the Virtuous Lady Cools Her Body]
[The Brothel Keeper]
[Taming the Heroic Beastly Lady]
…
It seems he misunderstood my request.
“Eek! I… have committed a grave sin!”
I returned to the librarian to clarify my intentions, and this time successfully reached my destination.
I couldn’t help but wonder if there might be a reference like “How to Live as a Scoundrel – Elden Raphelion.”
With such pointless thoughts, I entered the [Pure Literature] section.
After all, in a fantasy world, fantasy novels are indeed pure literature.
To me, they are still fantasy novels.
As expected, this Pure Literature section was brimming with alluring novels.
[The Red Wolves]
[Chronicles of Lion King Radahn]
[Chronicles of Rania]
[The Dark Emperor]
Of course, even if they were fantasy novels, they were written against the backdrop of ancient medieval times, which might make them seem like fermented soybean paste to a modern person; but thankfully, I was that type of child.
I wasn’t just an ordinary reader but a true bookworm, devouring everything from web novels to classical fantasy works.
“Hmmm~ Which one should I start with?”
First, I decided to take a stroll around the Pure Literature section.
If I borrowed every book that caught my eye, it would easily amount to over 100 books.
To choose the most interesting ones among them, I needed to deliberate thoroughly.
No matter what you embark upon, the first step is always crucial.
A successful first step is a herald of future accomplishments.
Thus, I strolled through the Pure Literature section with my hands clasped behind my back, taking my time.
This was harder than I thought it would be.
There were far too many tempting novels that made me salivate.
Oh, how I wish there was a search function right now.
Or at least a friend with a knack for books to recommend some.
As I lamented my lack of modern conveniences and a fellow book-lover, I started another round of browsing, ultimately picking up seven first volumes that looked delicious.
Wow… I had to pick up seven volumes of novels.
They were books with only the title and author awkwardly scribbled on the cover, without any introductions, so I thought I might get a feel for them by sampling.
With a tower of seven books in my arms, I began to move to a place where I could read.
But…
“This is getting annoying.”
There was something skirting around the edges of my vision for a while now.
It appeared to be a woman around my age, dressed as if she were a noble lady.
I took a quick glance at her face, but I couldn’t find any memory of her.
A wastrel and a library.
These two words didn’t seem to fit together, but I thought she was being a nuisance, so I decided to ignore her.
Thud.
Click, clack.
Thud.
Click, clack.
…
…
Thud.
Click, clack.
I couldn’t ignore her any longer when her footsteps began to sync with mine.
First, I decided to put down the tower of seven books.
Thud. Arriving at the designated reading area, I placed the books on the table.
She followed me.
It felt as though some annoying salesman had decided to latch onto me, making me frown.
At times like this, my infamy comes in handy.
So, I glared at her, the source of my annoyance.
“I’d appreciate it if you would get straight to the point.”
The reason she was lurking around me, following silently, must have been due to her lower rank than that of a count’s.
There was no reason to put up with such irritations during my reading time, so I issued a cold warning, but…
“Wow! Are you really Elden Raphelion?”
The young lady with her hair curled into twin buns, holding two books in her arms, spoke with a bright smile on her face.
“Hehe~”
A cheerful hum escaped her lips.
Light and bubbly steps.
And amidst the musty aroma of the library, she seemed to be looking for her next read.
“Hmm~ What shall I read today~?”
The count’s daughter, whose reason for entering the Royal Academy was her love of books.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to call her an authentic “bookworm.”
Driven by that passion, the lady traveled all the way to the distant Grand Duchy of Winterfell to access its library.
Not even the harsh cold of the north could dampen her enthusiasm for reading.
“Ohh~ This one looks interesting, right?”
It had been more than four days since she arrived in Winterfell, and ever since that day, she had been delightfully indulging in the reading of books she had only heard about.
“Ah! A novel written by Ront? This one is a must-read!”
Today was just like any other.
Her smile was so broad it almost split her face, standing amidst thousands of novels.
Her skirts fluttered as she excitedly roamed the library halls.
But then, her bright smile faltered, clouded by confusion.
Huh…?
A familiar figure caught her eye.
A man sporting rare jet-black hair in these northern lands, and eyes as red as rubies.
She was particularly familiar with such a figure, as she used to sit behind him.
The young lady attempted to draw near to greet him, but then her steps halted.
Right.
“There’s no way Elden would be in a library. Silly me.”
Though they were classmates, they hardly interacted or got close.
Still, she knew well that calm places like libraries were the exact opposite of where he would usually be found.
It was far more common to see him socializing with Deron, Kyle, and Blund, indulging in drinks or physical activities.
So she rationalized that she must have been mistaken and was about to look away when a stray thought crossed her mind.
“Come to think of it, weren’t those four the finalists for the Third Northern Duchess Betrothal Contest?”
The maid’s conversation from the other day flashed in her mind.
Being classmates with those finalists, her maid had asked her whom she thought would win.
However, she had never been interested in such idle chatter. Her only passion lay with the novels she read, which likely contributed to her lack of friends and disappointing grades at the Academy.
The Betrothal Contest was just another topic that held little to no interest for her.
Her sudden curiosity stemmed from the striking resemblance of the man to Elden and the surprise of encountering him in such an unexpected location.
Hmm, the more I look, the more he looks like Elden.
No matter how she viewed him, he was undoubtedly Elden Raphelion.
As a finalist in the Betrothal Contest, it made perfect sense for him to be in the Grand Duchy.
But what on earth was he doing in the Pure Literature section of the library?
Had he finally discovered the joy of reading?
With such queries swirling in her mind, she lingered around Elden.
Then, noticing the tower of seven books he was stacking, she sighed.
Oh, those books must be incredibly boring.
All of them seemed to be terrible works, likely written with the sole purpose of displeasing the readers.
As Elden piled up such atrocious books that she certainly wouldn’t recommend to anyone, she found herself following him nonetheless.
And then,
“I’d appreciate it if you would get straight to the point.”
She came face to face with him.
It was truly Elden.
“Wow! Are you really Elden Raphelion?”
“…I am.”
“What are you doing here?”
“As you can see, I’m just trying to read some novels. But who are you…?”
“Huh?”
Even though they hadn’t interacted much throughout their years of studying, how could he not recognize a fellow classmate?
Although she had kept a distance due to their differing interests, being treated like a total stranger felt a bit sad. So she introduced herself.
“Don’t you remember me? I used to sit behind you in our final year?”
The young lady who always read novels in the back seat was none other than the second daughter of Count Elrond – Ariel Elrond.
“Hmm.”
“Do you remember me now?”
“I can’t say I do.”
“……”
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