episode_0062

“Ouch, I feel like I had a nightmare… . Was the bed not that good?”

I woke up feeling quite groggy. I don’t remember much, but I think I had a bad dream.

I think it was because of carriage sickness.

I deliberately chose a carriage because I had to change trains a few times, but I guess I’ll just take the train back. Reading a book in a carriage was simply not something a person could do. Even though the empire has good roads, the unique rattling was unbearable.

“… But, what did I come here for?”

Oh right. I came here because I heard there was an old library at the official residence of the Duchy of Carpeter.

From what I heard, it was a library that existed before the era when the empire was called ’empire’. A historic library that has been renovated from the era of heroes and philosophers. I heard that there are numerous books written in ancient and religious languages lying dormant.

So, as a translator and reader, we can’t just pass by.

I proudly declared like a boy who discovered an old abandoned house in the forest.

“It’s adventure time!”

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“We will give you a ticket to the library. Please wait a moment.”

“Yes, yes.”

“There is a list of books and a layout map written at the entrance, so if there is a book you are looking for, you can check at the entrance first.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Unfortunately, the ‘adventure of exploring a forgotten library’ did not happen.

The duchy seemed to be managing the library, which could be said to be an ancient heritage, with great care. The entrance was well-organized and clean, and ventilation was done regularly so I didn’t feel stuffy from book dust. The layout of the collection was also well organized so that even first-time visitors could easily recognize it.

Seeing that there was no smell of mold on the book, I could guess that the book was in very good condition.

In many ways, it was a bibliophile’s dream place. Since there is no automatic ventilation system installed, it is probably maintained by someone periodically. Or maybe there’s some magic at work. I do not know.

The important thing is that there was a book in front of my eyes.

“You can borrow up to two books from the library. If a book is damaged, you must submit a copy of the book as well.”

“Ah, yes. are you okay. I’m going to keep reading here.”

“Yes. Here is your pass. When leaving, please show this pass to the manager and sign the list.”

“Yes, yes.”

So I received a pass and entered the library.

There were relatively recently acquired books laid out at the entrance, and if you went deeper inside, there were older books. My goal, of course, was the collection of old books that remain in this duchy. Since I’m here in the duchy, shouldn’t I read a book that can only be read here?

Of course, among the recent books, if there is one I haven’t read yet, I plan to read it first.

There were a lot of books and a lot of time.

I went inside, found a book, brought it to my seat and started reading.

A few days passed like that.

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As I closed the book, I suddenly realized that my eyes were stinging. My throat was very dry and I wanted to drink at least a glass of water.

If Zion had been there, he would have taken care of me before I spoke, but I found it difficult to do other things while reading books alone.

I guess I’ll just read the next book, drink some water, and then come back.

I piled the books I had read next to me and picked up an unread book that was piled on the other side. And as I was about to open the book, a hand suddenly came out from the side and grabbed my wrist.

I was startled and looked at the person holding my wrist. Is it time to get out of the library?

“Now you’re finally seeing this… .”

“Hmm? who… Are you there?”

Contrary to expectations, it was not the librarian or the janitor who grabbed my wrist.

A woman wearing a neat white frilly dress was looking at me and sighing.

“It’s me. Isolet Reinhardt. Your cousin.”

“Ah!”

I belatedly took a closer look at her face.

Certainly, a lot of what I saw when I was young still remained. She also resembled her aunt when she was young.

As I nodded with admiration, Isolette opened her eyes and sighed again.

“I waited because my mother said you were going to come here, but even though it’s been a while since the date I heard about, I haven’t heard anything? But then again, there was a ghost story going around that the library was haunted by a ghost who didn’t eat or drink and only read books… Anyone who heard it thought it was you. How come you haven’t changed since you were young?”

“Oh, now that I think about it, I forgot to eat.”

“You shouldn’t forget that… ? If you don’t eat, you’ll die… .”

Isolette laughed and touched her forehead. It seemed like he didn’t quite understand the idea of forgetting to eat.

In fact, when you read a book, you often miss mealtimes. At Frieden Mansion, Sion provided meals, and in Haren Kingdom, the lodging staff also brought meals when the time was right. So it was a little difficult to prepare my own meals.

If you get immersed in reading in the first place, you will read the book without even noticing the passage of time.

“For a few days, well, I won’t die.”

“I don’t know if I’m talking to a book ghost or a cousin… .”

Isolet showed amazing insight and saw right through my identity.

Because it was true that I had died once. In a way, you could say he was a book ghost.

“Anyway, it’s been a while. Isolette.”

“If it weren’t for the situation where I found you in the library after being caught in the wind for a few days, I would have been very happy to hear that greeting… .”

“Haha… . Sorry.”

“Well, anyway, it’s nice to know for sure that you are the person I knew.”

Princess Isolette smiled brightly and finally let go of my wrist.

Then he put his hand on his chest, bowed his head slightly, and bowed politely.

“This is Viscount Reinhardt’s daughter, Isolette. Take care over the next few days, Mr. Ed.”

“Uh, huh?”

And he added with a slight smile.

“My mother really doesn’t have a plan. Right?”

“Ah, that’s right. Um.”

“Don’t worry too much and just relax. The Carpeter estate is quite chaotic these days… So there’s something about being able to live more freely. Don’t just read too many books. How many things to see in the Cafeter Estate?”

“… … .”

Princess Isolet, whom I met after a long time, was quite… He was a mature kind of person.

A tone of speech that is considerate of the other person, simple jokes mixed in so that the other person can take it lightly, and a stereotypically healthy and popular topic and conversation style. It exuded a unique aristocratic elegance without being too heavy or old-fashioned.

It’s probably something I learned from social circles. His personality did not suit me well.

However, to me, who knew Isolet from my childhood, it seemed quite interesting.

“Isolette, you’ve become so mature… ?”

“Hehe, thank you for the compliment.”

This is because his personality was so different from what I remember.

“It seems like just yesterday that when I was little, I was crying and asking if I didn’t want to play with him… .”

“Because I was young back then.”

No, of course this is natural. I was a child then and I am an adult now, so of course my personality and way of speaking will be different.

Just a little bit of the passage of time… It feels so real.

That little girl has grown so much back then. I felt a little like an old man. I think it’s because I read books all day, so I often don’t feel the passage of time.

“Didn’t I write a fairy tale to appease you back then?”

“To appease you… ?”

“Huh?”

“Puut, my memory is a little different? Ed, you didn’t have that kind of personality. Would you care that the child was crying?”

like that.

My ‘old story’ that Isolette remembers has begun.

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– “What book are you reading?”

– “… … .”

– “I shouldn’t read the same book Ed is reading… ?”

– “… Do whatever you want.”

– “Hehe.”

Princess Isolette in her childhood… I was just like a child. A child who pretends to be an adult, is overflowing with curiosity about various things, tries to grasp everything, and quickly gets bored.

Even if he cried because he wouldn’t play, he had enough energy to quickly stop crying and come back smiling brightly.

and.

– “Ed!”

– “… … .”

– “The book that Ed said was interesting is really boring… !”

It was honest.

Like all children, he had a knack for scratching people without malice.

– “… That’s right, it’s because you don’t understand.”

– “I can read all the handwriting?!”

– “Children’s books would be more suitable for you than article literature. No, well, all the fairy tales in this world are cruel fairy tales… .”

and.

Because I was an ordinary reader who could endure torture but could not endure people saying, ‘That book you said was fun, that was so fucking boring.’

The next day, I wrote a fairy tale that even a young child would enjoy reading and gave it to her as a gift.

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“Ah. I remember. At that time, Isolet, you didn’t know how to read cursive, so I taught you, right?”

“Puh, you remember that well, right?”

” As I listen to it, memories come back to me… .”

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– “I don’t know how to read cursive yet… .”

– “… I’ll teach you.”

– “Hehe. Thank you!”

I taught Isolette how to read cursive.

Like passionate fans preaching idols, they spread literature. That doesn’t mean I really thought Isolet would fall in love with literature.

It was just a duty. The duty of someone who loves literature.

It didn’t matter whether the other person was a child or an old person.

and.

– “The Little Mermaid knew that her love would be difficult to achieve, but she chose to cut off her tongue and become a human. She had a chance to turn everything back, but she chose to throw herself into the sea instead of stabbing the prince with a sword. Then, wouldn’t it be the heart itself that is important, not the result? ?”

Isolet was talented.

I saw through the essence of the story without any prejudice. Because it’s something I’m very happy about.

Me, it’s been a very long time.

– “… Haha!”

I think I laughed.

Yes, it was like that.

– “Woong?”

– “You were a great guy!”

-“?”