Chapter 21
I Was a Homebody, But I Possessed a Dark Captivity Novel
Episode 21
The Grand Duke paused for a moment, perhaps at the unexpected words, but soon offered his hand obediently.
I grabbed his outstretched fingers.
“If you press here like this….”
Press, press.
His large hand was rough and firm. As I pressed his calloused fingertips, the Grand Duke's hand visibly flinched.
“It might feel a bit unfamiliar, but if you keep doing it, the fatigue will lessen, even if only temporarily. How is it?”
“It does feel that way. How did you know about this?”
“Well….”
He withdrew his hand as if snatching it back and asked.
K-office workers suffering from overwork will try anything to stay awake under their boss's watchful eye.
Isn't this the vibe that comes from experience?
I felt a pang of sadness as I recalled my days of constantly living on coffee and energy drinks.
But I couldn't tell him the truth.
I quickly came up with a plausible excuse.
“It’s a folk remedy passed down among commoners.”
“It’s useful. I am indebted to the Princess.”
“What? It’s not really an indebtedness…”
“Then I must repay you accordingly.”
“Repay me with what?”
A sense of foreboding washed over me.
“Do you know that the Bleil family possesses a collection of books comparable to the Imperial Palace’s?”
“Ah…”
“I don’t know what the Princess wants, but it will take considerable time to find what you need.”
I hadn’t thought of that.
But was he bringing this up because he might actually help me?
This person?
This terrifying person?
However, my absurd thought actually became reality.
“I studied there from childhood, so I’ve read most of the books.”
“So, Your Highness the Grand Duke, you are saying… you will bestow upon me a grace as vast as the ocean?”
When my words fell, he didn't immediately affirm but slightly furrowed his brow.
‘What’s displeasing him now?’
Well, what does it matter?
As the saying goes, you can’t spit in the face of a smile, so I relaxed my expression and offered a foolish, vacant grin.
“Thank you.”
And this time, thankfully, his expression softened slightly.
“Then, since we’re on the topic, let’s go now.”
“What? Weren’t you working on something?”
“I was just wanting to clear my head for a moment.”
Well, if that’s the case.
It was better for me the sooner, the better.
The Grand Duke's residence's library, where we arrived, truly held an immense number of books, just as he had said.
To exaggerate slightly, bookshelves reaching the ceiling stretched endlessly, packed with all sorts of books.
If I had come alone, I might have gotten lost before even finding the book I needed.
Overwhelmed by the grand scale, I gaped and looked around.
“There are so many…”
“We’ve been collecting them since the first Grand Duke. And many of our ancestors were avid readers.”
“I can imagine.”
If I had seen it without knowing, I would have thought it was a museum.
“By the way, what book is the Princess looking for?”
The Grand Duke stepped forward and asked.
Looking closer, I saw a tiny chart attached to the wall of the first bookshelf.
It seemed to divide books with similar classifications into sections.
“Um, I’m looking for something about minerals. For example… a mineral powerful enough to break through magic stones.”
“Minerals related to magic stones, you say…”
Fortunately, the Grand Duke moved ahead without much suspicion as I vaguely explained.
The interior of the library was darker than the outside where people frequently passed, but it was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight.
Lost in thought, I stared curiously at the thick carpet that muffled even the sound of my small footsteps, and didn't notice the Grand Duke had stopped. I ended up bumping my nose into his back.
“Oof!”
My nose throbbed from the impact against his back, which felt as hard as a stone.
“S-sorry.”
To my apology, he replied in a calm tone.
“Watch where you’re going.”
“Ah, yes…”
I stepped back awkwardly, covering my nose, and the Grand Duke pointed to a bookshelf not far away.
“Information about magic stones is scarce. So, to find anything, it’s best to review all the books here.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, it won’t be too difficult for the Princess, will it?”
Am I… am I going crazy?
Looking up at the colossal bookshelf crammed with thick books, I let out an involuntary, hollow laugh.
“Hahahaha.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah, no. It… it seems like the right thing to say…”
The right thing to get hit with.
As if sensing my thoughts, he added one more sentence.
“However, if you are looking for a mineral with high magic resistance, I can recommend this book.”
He pulled down a book from a high shelf I couldn’t reach even on tiptoe and handed it to me.
I Shall Defy Magic
By Nostradamurides.
“Ugh!”
The book was damn thick and heavy.
I forced strength into my arms, which sagged under its considerable weight, and managed an awkward smile.
“Thank you for the recommendation. Then I’ll borrow this and…”
“Books are prohibited from being taken out. You must read them in the library.”
“Ah, I see. Then…”
“You will have to come here often from now on.”
Those words shattered my fantasy of leisurely reading with delicious snacks in a cozy room.
“R-really? You mean there’s no lending service…?”
“Lending service?”
His reaction, as if hearing the term for the first time, made me shake my head.
…Right, it’s not a public library, so such a civilized system wouldn't exist.
“No, haha.”
After saying that, I trudged over and leaned my back against a bookshelf, sitting down.
Unbeknownst to me, the corners of the Grand Duke’s lips slowly turned upwards as he watched me.
I Shall Defy Magic*, written by Mr. Nostradamurides, dealt with quite professional content, contrary to the cheap vibe suggested by its title.
Of course, being ancient knowledge, much of it was outdated by current standards, but magic itself was so unpredictable that even the old information was worth careful consideration.
Rustle, rustle.
‘Magic nullification, implantation… Ah, I found it.’
<Magic Resistance>
Hurriedly turning to the relevant page, I began to read the dense text intently.
And soon after, I cheered inwardly.
“……!”
Woohoo! Yes!
Barely suppressing the urge to shout out loud, I focused my eyes on the content before me again.
[The mysterious ore, known today as Partanium, possesses great resistance to mana, the pure power of nature.
Therefore, blacksmiths of the Dwip tribe, who existed in ancient times, forged magic tools using this Partanium.]
Fortunately, Partanium was a mineral I was already familiar with.
It had briefly gained attention as a novel material, but it was now almost forgotten.
Partanium had high resistance not only to magic power but also to temperature and corrosion. As such, it required an extremely difficult processing method.
I recalled hearing that someone tried to forge it into a weapon but gave up because the cost-effectiveness didn't match…
Even the Magic Tower Lord, who owned the Partanium mine, had given up on it for decades, so that says it all.
‘I almost got into big trouble if I hadn’t received help from the wicked employer!’
I gently stroked the book resting on my lap.
Without any clues, I would have had to take a very long detour to get this far.
Moreover, it was uncertain if I could even find the book in this library, given my low vantage point.
In that regard, I felt a certain degree of gratitude. But…
“…Your Highness the Grand Duke?”
“What is it?”
“You don’t have any work today either, it seems.”
“No, I’m handling it here.”
Why, when you have a perfectly good office?
I swallowed the question that rose to my throat.
Kayan Bleil. This man, whose thoughts were impossible to fathom, had come to the library with me every day for the past few days while I devoured books.
I still couldn't figure out the reason.
Was it just to tease me?
His presence made every single one of my fine hairs stand on end, and I couldn't even cough loudly, making it a great ordeal for me.
‘That ends today.’
I offered the Grand Duke an awkward smile and walked towards the bookshelf, book in hand.
‘It’s high….’
But the shelf where the book was placed was dizzyingly high.
Fortunately, I found a low footstool nearby and stepped on it, standing on my tiptoes.
My body swayed precariously as I tried to support the heavy book with only one arm, but I steadfastly focused on engaging my non-existent core.
But then…?
“Huh?”
That’s strange.
Why does the bookshelf seem to be getting closer to me?
As the world seemed to slow down, the tall bookshelf began to tilt.
“Wh-what!?”
I wish it were just my imagination.
I really wish it were…!
It was the very moment I squeezed my eyes shut.
