Chapter 31 Library (1)
The Library (1)
"Ugh..."
The faint ticking of a clock echoes in my ears before fading away.
A groan escapes my lips before I can stop it. My breathing turns ragged, and cold sweat trickles down my forehead, dripping onto the floor.
No matter how many times I experience this sensation of dying, I can never grow accustomed to it. In fact, becoming accustomed to something like this would be far stranger.
It would mean losing the fear of death that every human should possess.
I take deep breaths, struggling to calm my rapidly pounding heart.
"Hah... hah..."
I hadn't let my guard down.
Even after deploying my Shield Magic and remaining vigilant, I died in an instant. Not sensing any presence could be excused—my realm of perception must still be lacking.
But even then, the Shield Magic I had cast remained unbroken. I couldn't even begin to grasp how the situation had turned out this way.
Lifting my head, the resplendent library comes into view.
'Before entering the library...'
Which means if I retreat now, I can avoid that death. Part of me wants to turn and flee without a second thought.
After all, isn't running from death the most natural human instinct?
'...Let's go in.'
I have to go in.
The death I just experienced was clearly unnatural. A young noblewoman of a count's family being assassinated inside the Imperial Library?
Even I, the victim, would have dismissed such a thing as baseless rumor if I'd heard it in passing.
'There must be a clue.'
That assassin must have some lead connected to Abel's betrayal—to the secrets the Imperial House is hiding.
I need to find out why he chose to rebel, no matter what.
Creak.
The large wooden door groans as it moves on its rusted hinges. I push harder, and the same scene as before unfolds before me.
The musty scent of aged paper fills the air inside. Countless bookshelves stand in precise, almost militaristic formations—an unusual layout.
At first, I hadn't thought much of it, but now I wonder if this structure was designed to aid an assassin's concealment.
It might sound like baseless nonsense, but...
"History... the history section..."
The keyword is history.
Wasn't the reason that assassin killed me because I was reading a book about the Imperial House?
Otherwise, how could an assassin possibly run rampant in the Imperial precincts in broad daylight?
'Seven o'clock.'
A reaction comes immediately.
I bite my lip, hiding my trembling hands. Maintaining the guise of an innocent young girl, I walk toward the history section.
Goosebumps rise as I feel a presence trailing me, but I force myself not to show it. The moment I stand before the shelf labeled "History," a chilling killing intent grazes my spine.
Whoosh.
Black strands of hair scatter into the air. Had I been even a fraction slower, my shoulder would have ended up like that. Before my thoughts can wander, I thrust out my right hand.
"Shield."
A brief incantation, and three layers of shields materialize. The assassin, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden magic, is pushed back by the barrier.
Yet, without a trace of panic, the assassin hurls the dagger in hand.
'...No way.'
A foreboding sensation makes me jerk my head aside. The feeling of warm blood trickling down my cheek makes me grit my teeth. I had suspected, but I hadn't thought it would really be...
This blade—it ignores Shield Magic.
It passed through the shields effortlessly, without even breaking them. Now I understand why I died despite having Shield Magic active the first time.
"Damn it—"
Before I can even finish the thought, the shield shatters under a single punch from the assassin.
I never expected it to last long, but I didn't think it would break like fragile glass.
Thud.
Before I know it, the blade pierces my abdomen.
Behind the mask, emotionless eyes meet mine. Crimson pupils devoid of any feeling, consumed only by killing intent.
Eyes so hollow, I wonder if they even belong to a human.
'I've... seen eyes like that before.'
The faint, ticking sound of a clock echoes in my ears.
As searing heat spreads through my organs, my consciousness sinks once more.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
The now-familiar sound of the clock accompanies my vision flipping upside down. This time, fortunately, death came swiftly, so the pain wasn't as severe.
But because of this, I couldn't bring myself to step away from the library.
Normally, I'd regress to a point where escaping danger was still uncertain, but this regression was different.
As if giving me permission to walk away, the save point was set before entering the library.
An ordinary person might have given up and turned back. Unfortunately, I've always had a rebellious streak.
Grit.
'Let's keep going until it works.'
Before the history section's bookshelf—once again, the blade comes flying. I roll aside, dodging, then thrust out my right hand.
I had no intention of relying on the same Shield Magic as always.
"Ice Spear."
With a faint incantation, ice gathered and formed a spear that shot forward. The assassin simply tilted his head to dodge it.
He had been clenching his fist toward me when he suddenly staggered and collapsed. The version of Ice Spear I had modified wasn't like the standard one.
Rather than being an offensive spell, I had altered it to bind the opponent's feet.
No one else around...
I pulled a blade embedded in the bookshelf and lunged at the assassin, who was already rising from the floor.
In a proper fight, he might have had the upper hand, but in a dirty brawl like this, I was confident.
Hmm...
A vibration pulsed from the sword in my hand. Before I could even question it, the blade slipped from my grip.
Before I knew it, the sword was in the assassin's hand. Without hesitation, he hurled it straight at me. My body barely had time to react before the tip of the blade was inches from my face.
Thunk.
The sensation of something piercing through my skull, and then—my vision flipped again.
The familiar ticking of a clock echoed in my ears as the vast library came into view.
"Gah—!"
I gasped for air.
The raw, visceral sound of flesh being torn and the sudden blackout of consciousness were far more nauseating than I'd imagined. If I'd eaten anything for lunch, I probably would've vomited right then.
"Hah... haa..."
No matter how many deep breaths I took, my racing heart refused to calm down. I'd died plenty of times before, but having my head blown apart was a first.
Pull yourself together...
Staying upright, refusing to collapse or kneel despite the pain, was more out of sheer stubbornness than anything else. If my body gave in now, my mind would follow.
That's how terrifying the sensation of death was.
I lifted my head and stared at the library.
Clenching my trembling hand, I stepped inside. A fear like thrusting my own hand into the jaws of a beast crept over my entire body.
I'd faced assassins before, but this was the first time I'd encountered one so blindly fixated on killing.
Five o'clock.
My senses, sharpened by death, locked onto his position. I sharpened my hearing as I moved between the bookshelves.
He was following me, closing in slowly from behind.
Had I really failed to notice such an obvious presence before? His stealth was so poor it made me question whether he'd even intended to hide in the first place.
Whoosh.
A blade embedding itself into a bookshelf. Crimson eyes locking onto me. Movements so fluid they seemed designed solely for murder.
I didn't blink, keeping my gaze fixed on him as I tightened my grip and swung.
"Shield."
I didn't envelop my whole body—just my fist. The smaller the area, the more layers of shield I could stack.
Using that principle, I unleashed a shield-enhanced punch, sending him flying.
Thud!
The sensation of ribs shattering reverberated through the shield. It was an idea I'd gotten from the first regression, when he'd been briefly staggered by a shield.
"Ghk—!"
The assassin let out a guttural, almost monstrous sound before immediately rising again. Of course, I had no intention of letting him recover.
"Ice Spear."
The ice spear shot out, coiling around his ankles. His balance faltered, and he staggered.
Catching my breath, I yanked the blade from the bookshelf.
Hmm...
The sword struggled to escape my grip, vibrating violently, but I wasn't foolish enough to let go this time.
Clutching the thrashing blade with both hands, I closed the distance between us.
"It's over."
I tightened my grip. His left ribs must have been broken, because he swung at me with his right fist. I ducked and drove forward.
Squelch.
A disgusting sensation ran through my fingertips—ripping through flesh, churning innards. So this was what it felt like to kill someone in cold blood.
I'd taken lives before, but this was the first time I'd consciously chosen to murder someone while in full control of my mind.
...Well, honestly, I wasn't even sure if I was in full control right now.
The assassin's body trembled before going limp. As he collapsed to his knees and then slumped over, my grip on the blade loosened on its own.
Even though the situation was resolved, my hands still shook uncontrollably.
Whether it was the sensation of losing life or taking it, I doubted I'd ever grow accustomed to this feeling.
"Ha... haa..."
The realization that it was over made my legs give out.
Hmm...
The blade vibrated again. And then—those crimson eyes turned toward me.
Oh, shit—
Before I could react, the assassin twitched like a puppet with its strings cut, letting out a creaking noise as he rose once more.
But before he could move, a familiar black blade pierced through his chest from behind.
Turning my head, I saw a woman smiling at me.
Blonde hair, golden eyes—a face I knew well.
The Imperial Princess, Aria von Shpenheim.
"You've worked hard."
With those words, my consciousness faded.