Librarian

The Minister of Justice, Achilles, and the critically ill Mirabilis eventually agreed to heed the Emperor’s command after fighting each other. They loudly asserted their righteousness in the Imperial Court, but Emperor Abitus Augustus’s decision did not fully satisfy either side.

“I hereby order a joint investigation by the Ministry of Justice and Changwei (Information Bureau).”

Despite his dissatisfaction, the Minister of Justice could somewhat accept it. If he had remained still, the matter would have completely fallen into Changwei’s hands, but now he could reclaim at least half of it. On the other hand, Changwei was extremely dissatisfied. Changwei had never cooperated with another organization as an equal partner before, and they felt that they had been robbed of half of what they considered their due by the Minister of Justice.

However, the Emperor’s words were the supreme law. Having received the order to conduct a joint investigation, Changwei could not act unilaterally. The biggest problem was finding evidence that Serina had performed magic. Until now, Changwei could have ‘created’ evidence if they were desperate. But they couldn’t possibly do that with an official dispatched from the Ministry of Justice watching with sharp eyes.

Changwei and the Ministry of Justice requested the dispatch of magicians from the Naemawon (Inner Magic Division). The sorcerers of Naemawon generally disliked such dispatches, and they were even more reluctant to get involved in matters involving Changwei. However, since a formal request had been made, someone had to step forward. At this time, a low-ranking magician named Arion volunteered to go, which surprised his colleagues. In addition, Pallas, the son of a frontier lord, and others were also selected.

Their task was to search for magical tools and conduct magical examinations in places related to Serina. Whether or not the magic was effective due to innate magical power, those who tried to learn magic on their own usually possessed magic books and tools. Without magical tools, it was impossible to give direction to one’s magical power. And the only way to learn magic without becoming a magician’s apprentice was to obtain a magic book.

No matter how great a grand magician might be, without magical tools, they would be no different from a scarecrow standing in a field. The only difference would be that they could walk and talk. Therefore, no matter how talented someone might be, they could not learn magic entirely on their own without even a magic book.

However, in Serina’s room, no magical tools were found, except for the cursed doll found when she was first apprehended. And that was inevitable.

In the hypnosis magic created by Bingalsa, the magical tool is language itself. Language was used to give direction to magical power and affect the mind. But other magicians were unaware of this, so they searched for non-existent magical tools, believing that if Serina had attempted illegal magic, she must have magical tools.

Changwei suspected that the Rose Palace might have fabricated evidence, but Mirabilis flatly denied it. His voice, when answering those from Changwei, was full of hostility and sarcasm. They couldn’t possibly oppress those who were respectful towards the Princess. Failing to find any other evidence in the Rose Palace, Changwei gradually became impatient.

‘It’s fortunate that I had Lella Wellananda taken from Serina.’

Mirabilis was relieved, considering it a stroke of luck amidst misfortune. Of course, Lella Wellananda was a gift bestowed by the Empress, so they couldn’t accuse her of a crime, but such a precious item might disappear while being passed from hand to hand under the guise of evidence. The Princess did not want to see an item given by her Royal Mother fall into the hands of someone who was not its rightful owner.

They gained nothing from searching Serina’s room, and they found nothing they wanted even after searching her family’s residence. Then, Changwei and the Ministry of Justice happened to hear testimony that she used to frequent the Rose Palace Library. Perhaps there was something in the library. The investigation team, along with Arion and other magicians dispatched from Naemawon, went to the library.

“Do you know a maid named Serina?”

“I do not remember the names of the Rose Palace people who come to the library, -nim.”

Ivbrenos, the Librarian of the Rose Palace, who had worked for over 30 years, seemed troubled to face the agents of the Ministry of Justice and Changwei all at once. Such a thing had never happened in his library life. But as if he knew the Librarian would answer this way, the person facing him took out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out.

“This is what she looks like. We came here after hearing testimony that she frequented the library until last year.”

Although it was a drawing in pen on paper, it was detailed and accurate enough for anyone who knew Serina to recognize her. However, the depicted subject’s weary and distressed appearance was subtly conveyed in the brushstrokes.

“Ah, I know her. As you said, she often came to this library until last year. Though she’s been rare this year.”

Then, an investigator from Changwei pulled up a chair and sat down, whispering quietly. His voice, like a snake, seemed to hiss and coil around the listener’s heart.

“This is important. This person is a serious criminal under joint investigation by Changwei and the Ministry of Justice. Did she perhaps ask about anything related to magic while visiting the library?”

It was a very polite tone compared to the initially abrupt and commanding manner. Ivbrenos suddenly remembered Serina asking about a magician who had worked in the Rose Palace Library 70 years ago.

“Is there anything you remember? If you answer well, I will surely reward you.”

He subtly asked, noticing the slight change in the Librarian’s expression. Ivbrenos looked up and saw an official from the Ministry of Justice staring intently at his mouth.

“That maid did ask if there were any magic books here, since there are so many books in the library. But I told her to forget about it, since I would know if there were such books.”

Ivbrenos lied. The word ‘reward’ was indeed a tempting lure. However, even fish, especially the old ones, do not easily bite the bait cast by fishermen. If you want to catch a big fish, the fishing rod and bait must also be appropriate.

That was the case. The distrust that they would properly keep their promises to the weak like him had already become a conviction ingrained in the Librarian’s marrow. Although not widely known, Ivbrenos was also a living ghost who had spent decades in the Rose Palace, like Mullaba. The bait thrown by Changwei was too vague to catch an old fish.

Moreover, he had a personal grudge against Changwei. Why was he forced to become a Librarian, so far removed from success? It was because Ivbrenos’s family had also suffered greatly when Changwei cracked down on various places while catching criminals. When he was desperately struggling to make ends meet, the previous Librarian reached out and asked if he would become his successor. It had been a long time, but the resentment, like a fist-sized lump, seemed to rise up his throat whenever he thought of his family.

Since they had seen his expression change, he couldn’t simply dismiss it as nothing. So, he falsely claimed that he had heard about magic books, not a magician. Changwei was an untrustworthy bunch.

His heart became muddy, as if soaked in earth rain. If he could make Changwei, who wielded power that could make even flying birds fall, even slightly troubled, it would be as if he was being repaid even a speck for the years he had spent suppressing his anger, forced to endure a reality where he could not even dream of wealth and glory.

If Changwei had come 20 years, or even 10 years, earlier and asked the same question, the Librarian’s answer would have been different. If Changwei really helped, it would have been entirely possible to escape this damn Librarian position, and he would have clung to that hope and cooperated wholeheartedly. He would have been willing to make an effort to forget the grudges of the past if he could only overcome the current situation.

But it was too late. Whether there was a joyous occasion to celebrate or a sad occasion to mourn in the Rose Palace, he came to the library every day and consistently dusted and managed the bookshelves. In the lonely space filled with books, while reflecting on his solitude, his youth disappeared like midday dew, and he was already an old man on the verge of handing over his duties to his successor.

He had already given up on Changwei, who, as in the past in the Rose Palace and elsewhere, made promises they had no intention of keeping. He had no obligation to protect Serina. But rather than helping the Changwei in front of him, he would rather side with the maid who had sobbed in the library. With the feeling that even a worm squirms when stepped on, the Librarian lied for the first time in the public sphere. Once the words left his mouth, he could no longer stop.

‘Even if something goes wrong, I have plenty of excuses.’

The Librarian of the Rose Palace feigned innocence with a straight face. The official from the Ministry of Justice smiled slightly, and the official from Changwei lowered his head with a grave expression.

“Even so, just in case, check if there are any magic books here. Search everything, even the Librarian’s personal belongings.”

The magicians from Naemawon, who were mobilized for the investigation, grumbled and took out wooden rods from their pockets. Bizarre magical symbols were intricately engraved on them, making them look chaotic. When an item imbued with magic came into contact with the rod, the rod would react, allowing the person holding it to realize.

‘Logically, what crazy bastard would put a magic book in a library where any palace person can come? Maybe a private library, but not here.’

While grumbling inwardly, they had no choice but to do as they were told, given their position as dispatched personnel. The process of bringing the rods to each spine of the books on the shelves was tedious and time-consuming.

At first, they diligently brought the rods to each book, but as time passed, they roughly skipped over books that they could tell were not magic books just by looking at them. They were already annoyed, and they were even more reluctant to investigate the books stuck in the second-to-last row, so they did it carelessly.

In the meantime, Bingalsa’s book was too thin and small to properly come into contact with the magician’s rod that was checking for magic books, and it passed by without being detected. Even the person investigating didn’t know what book they had skipped over. Even Bingalsa had not intended it, but his book had overcome the crisis in this way.