Chapter Text
Arc 2
Chapter 1
A Chat with The Librarian
Ritsuka Fujimaru
Waking up in the morning, it was about to be 7am if my Mystic Code was correct, like a wristwatch it can be of multiple uses, as a communication device too. Da Vinci really is amazing when making something with so many practical uses.
I peered at myself in the mirror, tying part of my hair in a side-ponytail with my yellow hairband. My feelings of extreme sickness are mostly gone now, though still strange, maybe it was also because I had not eaten anything for like half a day.
Putting on my black skirt as I had slept only with my black turtleneck t-shirt and my undies, as to not wrinkle everything else. I look at my Command Spells in the back of my hand, perhaps I could call in some other servant, but I feel that would be a waste and the people of the mansion might not be happy of someone randomly appearing when they already have three people to deal with.
I finished getting ready for the day. I really should ask them to lend me their baths since I did not get to take one last night, not that it was new to me considering I ended up running around very often in places where taking a shower was already considered as something of privilege.
I should go and get Alter, I was sure she could wake up by herself, but maybe she was exhausted after dealing with a crazy assassin and resorting to mostly using only her own mana. Perhaps leaving her alone to rest was better if that was the case.
I concluded letting her gain more energy from sleeping, thus I walked towards the door and opened it. The moment I walked outside the room I was met with a sight that was not there last night, it was a huge room with bookshelves filled to the brim. The bookshelves rose to the ceiling, not nearly as big as the underground library at Chaldea, but it is impressive nonetheless, it made me nostalgic.
“Truly there is an out-of-control plague of insects, I suppose.”
My eyes fell on the source of the voice, there was a young girl, perhaps around eleven at most. Sitting on top of a wooden footstool, she had a sweet face that one would want to cuddle up, her eyes were large and sky-blue with pink butterfly patterns as her irises, pale cream blonde hair which was worn long and tied into frilly vertical drill-shaped twin tails, said tips of her hair were dyed pink. Her attire was elegant and adorable, as she was wearing a pink frilly ornate dress with white trimmings, though her front was left exposed leaving her legs visible, her legs were covered by pink and purple horizontally striped tights.
Her appearance would be something odd for any normal person, but by then I was used to seeing many sorts of beings, be it humans, gods, even aliens, that it did not register as something out of place.
“Hello, I am Ritsuka Fujimaru.” I introduced myself to the young girl.
Her expression was uninterested as she held a huge book in her tiny hands.
“I see you are at the very least more well educated than that simpleton bug that invaded my chambers.” The girl turned the page in the book.
Approaching her and gazing down at her; she was very tiny, perhaps shorter than Jack the Ripper. I bend both my knees squatting making me lower than the young girl, now me being the one getting looked down on placing my hands on my knees.
“What is it that you are seeking from Betty, I wonder?” The glare of the girl pierced my very core, but I did not flinch much less yield to her.
Was her name Betty then? She had not really given me her name, so I should go with that.
“I am completely lost over here, I do not recall there being a library in the entrance to the room I am staying at. Would Betty know about it?” I questioned her with a tender smile on my face.
“Since when did I give you permission to call me that? Do people nowadays lack any tact?” Betty’s tone was not hiding any displeasure.
“Sorry, I thought that was your name. Can you tell me where I am then, Bethany?” I queried.
“Why am I suddenly being named something completely different now?! So, Betty was correct to think the library is being overrun by pesky bugs. Hmph!” closing the book in her hands Betty stood up from her stool. Walking towards the bookshelf on my right placing the book where it belonged.
I didn’t move from where I was only following Betty with my eyes.
“This is the Forbidden Library; I am the one in charge around here. My name is not to be used by some random human girl.” Finally answering my questions, the girl glanced at me from her position.
Wait if this place is forbidden, I shouldn’t even be there. But how the heck did I even end up there?!
“Am I going to be killed now that I have gotten to a secret room?” I felt the blood draining from my face.
“I could just do you the favor and end you here myself, I suppose?” there was a malicious smile now in Betty’s cute face. It was a strangely fitting contrast.
“And here I was hoping to get to talk about how wonderfully beautiful this library is.” I wanted to change the subject.
“Feigning ignorance now, I wonder? I shall indulge you in your game.”
“Could this library be something like the one in Chaldea? It already had one, but then Murasaki Shikibu made a new library with magecraft bending space around it, it was able to fit inside the storage area without getting in the way of the Magical Reactor and other support systems. This one was not here last night so I can assume you are doing something similar by bending the space in the manor?” I ranted about what this place might be like. I did not make a comment about the naming of that library being The Great and Terrible Yet Beautiful Murasaki Shikibu Library as it could be a mouthful.
Betty knitted her brows with a bewildered expression.
“I pegged you for just some fool, though a lot of what you say is pretty nonsensical at the very least you do seem to have a certain level of awareness.”
“Thanks, I guess? Well, goodbye.” Scratching the back of my head with my right hand and standing up walking towards the door.
“You are not that person, I suppose.” Murmured in a very low tone, I could barely make up what Betty stated right before I got out of the Forbidden Library.
Once out of the room I was in the corridor I had walked in the night before. There was sunlight shining brightly coming through the huge windows. Gazing to the backyard during the day, it was clear how massive it was. The garden was green, there were trees and bushes scattered around it and several paths for walking along, not to mention several rest areas.
Then I realized that I was no longer on the first floor, but perhaps a second or third? So, the room really changed position?
I crossed my arms and tilted my head pondering if all rooms in the mansion just change placement all the time. It can be a library thing only.
My eyes fell onto two figures in the garden; it was Subaru and Emilia. I found the stairway to make my way to the two of them.