Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Shoot Towards the Dawn (6)
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"...The third daughter of the Grancia family."
"Pardon?"
Ronan furrowed his brow. For a moment, he thought he'd misheard. If she was the third daughter of the Grancia family, that meant she was Schlieffen's little sister.
Suddenly, a conversation between Schlieffen and Asel at the club building flashed through his mind. Schlieffen had mentioned a mage sister who was undergoing training to enroll at Phileon. Was that training at the Dawn Magic Tower? Ronan tilted his head.
"What's that kid lacking that she'd do something like this?"
"I don't know the details either... It all just happened a little while ago."
"Damn it, what the hell is going on?"
"Ah, wait a second!"
He bolted off, leaving Aire behind. The murmurs were growing louder. Soon, a crowd gathered in the center of the library came into view. Most were mages clad in red robes.
"My goodness, Miss Sion. Why would you do such a thing..."
"This is outrageous. We must formally protest to the Grancia family... Huh?!"
"Let us through."
Ronan pushed past the chattering mages and moved forward. In the middle of the crowd stood a little girl. She looked no older than ten or eleven.
Her uncombed dark grayish-blue hair stuck out messily. Her baggy silk pajamas were embroidered with a simplified bear face.
"Heh."
Ronan let out a hollow chuckle upon seeing the girl named Sion's face. Even for siblings, she was uncannily similar. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was just a wide-eyed, long-haired version of Schlieffen with a bit more sparkle in her eyes.
"Confess honestly, Sion Sinivan de Grancia. What is the reason you attempted arson in this sacred hall of knowledge!"
"I-I told you already...! I don't know anything... I woke up and suddenly I was in the library...!"
"Playing innocent again? Was shooting down the airship not enough for you!"
"I-It's true... really...!"
But her personality seemed quite different. Her large eyes were welling up with tears. The mages pressing her were raising their voices louder.
"Hm?"
Then Ronan caught a familiar rose scent and turned his head. A girl with deep purple hair stood beside him, arms crossed, glaring at Sion. Ronan tapped her shoulder.
"Erzsebet."
"Eek, Lord Ronan?!"
Erzsebet whipped her head around, eyes widening. Comically, they'd been right next to each other without noticing. Her eyes were slightly puffy, as if she'd jumped out of bed too. Ronan raised an eyebrow and asked.
"What exactly happened? Know anything?"
"...That vile Grancia has finally revealed her true colors."
Erzsebet clicked her tongue. With her eyes narrowed like axes, she continued. Ronan frowned as he listened to her explanation of the situation.
"So... that little bean tried to fire a fireball at the airship? And just now, she tried to set the library on fire?"
"Yes. I saw them comparing the mana signatures myself a moment ago."
It was so absurd he could barely speak. The incident had broken out just thirty minutes ago. A guard had spotted Sion in her pajamas attempting to cast a fire spell in the library and stopped her.
Chaos naturally ensued, and suspicious mages had compared her mana to the signature detected during the airship incident.
The result was a shocking match. Caught red-handed, Sion denied both crimes, insisting she knew nothing. Erzsebet muttered through gritted teeth.
"I need to report to the family head as soon as I get back. This is clearly an attempted assassination."
"You think that kid was aiming for you?"
"What else could it be? Dragging a child into a power struggle... It's utterly despicable..."
Her voice boiled with rage, chilling to hear. It was a situation ripe for misunderstanding. The Grancias and Acalusias were sworn enemies, and in the past when relations were even worse, assassinations between them were commonplace.
'This is getting big.'
It could escalate into something that shakes the entire continent. Meanwhile, the mages' interrogation continued. Under the relentless pressure, Sion finally burst into tears.
"Waaah! I really didn't do it, please believe me!"
"Do you think tears will make us overlook this? If you don't explain properly, it will only hurt Lady Sion more!"
Still, the mages didn't stop. They didn't seem interested in hearing her out from the start. Ronan could understand their mindset, but it wasn't a pleasant sight.
'She doesn't remember.'
Ronan recalled the incident in the forbidden stacks earlier. Sion didn't seem to be lying no matter how he looked at her. After watching for a bit, he parted the crowd and stepped forward.
"Enough already."
"W-Who are you?"
"She's just a kid. You all need to calm down."
Ronan slowly approached Sion and stood in front of her, blocking the way. Sion, who had been sniffling with her head down, looked up at him.
"W-Who are you...?"
"Heh, you really do look alike."
It was amazing how this kid, who resembled that annoying guy, came off as cute. Suddenly, Ronan cupped his hands over her ears. Sion's eyes widened.
"W-What are you doing...?! Let go!"
Sion squirmed, but Ronan didn't loosen his grip. He addressed the stunned mages.
"You're shitting in the wrong place. The one you should be grilling right now isn't this kid."
"W-What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"The books underground are controlling people. I almost died to them just now. This girl probably got hit by those damn paper scraps too."
"I can't make heads or tails of this. Outsider, stay out of it!"
Ronan sighed heavily. Convincing these furious mages wouldn't be easy. As he opened his mouth to continue,
"Stop."
A thick voice suddenly came from behind. Everyone at the scene turned simultaneously.
Aown Phila was striding down the corridor from afar. Beside him, a pale Aire floated in the air, following.
"T-Tower Master?"
The mages backed away in panic. Fierce mana, like that seen in battle, rose over his shoulders. Aown Phila scanned the scene and spoke.
"Everyone, disperse. Miss Sion is innocent."
"P-Pardon...?"
"However, she could be controlled again, so have two mages of 4th circle or higher escort her as guardians. I'll explain the details at the emergency meeting I'll convene soon, so please follow without questions."
Aown Phila issued orders again. The mages, overawed by his wartime-like solemn tone, scattered without rebuttal. He looked at Ronan and said.
"And Ronan, would you come with me for a moment? I got a brief from the librarian, but... I still don't understand what's happening."
Aown Phila's face was more serious than usual. Ronan removed his hands from Sion's ears and nodded.
"Perfect timing. I have questions too."
****
Instead of detention or interrogation, protective measures were taken for Sion Sinivan de Grancia. Aown Phila issued a temporary lockdown on the library.
Ronan, Aown Phila, and Aire headed straight to the entrance of the forbidden section. Aown Phila, who had been groaning, finally spoke.
"...First, thank you for saving Miss Partei. The mental corruption had progressed quite far; a little later and it would have been dangerous."
"Good thing."
Partei was the missing person Ronan had rescued. Hearing she was safe, Ronan let out a sigh of relief. Aown Phila asked again in an uneasy voice.
"I heard earlier, but let me confirm once more. You really found her in the forbidden section?"
"Yeah. Got attacked by some talking book too."
"How could that... Could you explain the details?"
Ronan nodded. He began recounting the shitty events from earlier. Waking up in a daze and spotting the missing woman by chance. Following her into the forbidden section. Being attacked by the woman controlled by a book that spoke in his mind. Aire spoke in disbelief after hearing it.
"No way. We confirmed security was fine just yesterday...! Did you not see any barriers or alarm spells while passing through the passage?"
"Nothing like that."
Ronan shrugged. The maze-like corridor had been completely open. Aire's face turned pale. Aown Phila twisted his lips.
"...This is bad."
His expression was grave. Something in the forbidden section had even a 7th circle mage on edge. Ronan tilted his head.
"Is this that serious?"
"Yes. There's... something in the forbidden section that should never come out."
"That Bajura book or whatever?"
"Bajura is dangerous too. But..."
Aown Phila trailed off. No one spoke for a long while, so only their footsteps echoed in the library. Eventually, they reached the entrance to the forbidden stacks in silence.
"Don't wanna talk? Fine, later. Let's go in."
Ronan pulled out a book without hesitation. It was the entrance-opener, Backstep. Aire muttered in astonishment at the casual motion, like opening one's own door.
"...We need to change the books."
The three entered the now-empty bookshelf. After descending the long stairs for a while, they arrived at the labyrinthine forbidden section. Ronan's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
Dozens of thick mana shields blocked the passage. So many translucent barriers overlapped that the other side was invisible.
Warning magic circles were etched evenly on the walls, ceiling, and floor. Step on them, and alarms would blare or you'd be flung elsewhere. Aire tilted her head.
"What? It looks fine?"
"...This can't be."
It was completely different from when Ronan had passed through. Unless he'd had a bout of amnesia, there definitely hadn't been any defensive magic. Then, their earlier conversation flashed in his mind.
'No way...?'
During the airship incident, the fireball that hadn't been visible until he swung his sword. A wide-area perception hindrance spell. Ronan's sword strike that cut mana.
Suddenly, Ronan gripped his hilt and slashed at the empty air. Slash! With the feel of cutting wind, the layered mana shields began dissipating like smoke. The two's eyes went wide.
"Th-This is...!"
"As I thought."
The warning magic circles also faded slowly. It seemed to be some kind of illusion magic. For even Aire and Aown Phila to miss it, it was no ordinary spell.
When he'd entered first, drawing Lamancha to light the way must have dispelled it. Aire covered her mouth with both hands.
"No way, since when...!"
"Doesn't look good."
Aire nodded. The defensive spells being undone meant the special seals on particularly dangerous forbidden books might be released too. Ronan continued, hand on his hilt.
"The same bastard who cast the perception hindrance did this, right?"
"...Seems like it."
"And it's active again means the caster's still around here. Damn it."
Ronan spat curses. There had to be someone messing around nearby. Aown Phila, silent until now, spoke.
"...I have sinned against everyone."
"What's that out of nowhere?"
"I mentioned there's something in the forbidden section that must not come out. It's Tower Master Lardan."
Ronan's eyes widened. That was exactly what he'd been about to ask about the tower master. He hadn't expected Aown Phila to bring it up first. Aire asked in a flustered voice.
"Tower Master...? What do you mean?"
"I'm sorry for deceiving you, Aire. The tower master didn't leave for training."
"Then...?"
Aown Phila squeezed his eyes shut. A voice of utter despair, like announcing the death of a parent or spouse, leaked from his lips.
"...The tower master was devoured by Bajura last winter."