Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Dragon Tamer: Peria Alperatz (2)
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Cluck-a-doodle-doo.
Peria woke up to the sound of a rooster crowing outside the window.
Her morning routine was always the same, even as she rose with her tousled hair hanging down.
Staring blankly out the window for a few seconds.
Staring at the mirror with a slightly calmer expression for a few seconds.
Recalling the tasks for the day.
Calling for a maid to wash her face.
However, today's Peria was showing a different side from her usual morning routine.
"Dragon... that was definitely a dragon."
It was because of the dragon she had seen in her dream the night before.
The dragon hidden in the dream library.
It had taken the form of a truly magnificent and beautiful, ideal dragon.
She had finally come face-to-face with the dragon her only sibling, Philip, had so desperately wanted to see.
"Dragon... it was unmistakably a dragon."
It was too vivid a scene to dismiss as merely a dream.
So real that she could believe it had been reality.
"Phantasm Library... Celestia..."
The name of the library she had encountered in the dream slipped from Peria's lips.
She began recalling the scenes from the library she had faced the night before, one by one.
A beautiful library as if sculpted by a great artist.
In that massive library, countless magic tomes were preserved, each one carefully stored.
Dream. Or reality.
She still didn't know which was true.
However, the mage she had met had clearly spoken to Peria.
—Outrageous luck.
He had said she now had permission to visit Celestia every day.
"Craiton Lukbart... that was the mage's name. If I send a letter passing on my regards, maybe I can confirm if last night's dream was real."
Of course, it would be best not to mention anything about Celestia in the letter.
Even a simple letter with just greetings would surely prompt a kind reply from Craiton.
And if it turned out that the library in the dream was real...
What should she do next?
"Hmm... Even if the library is real, I can't tell Philip I saw a dragon in a dream."
Peria's worried voice echoed through the room.
The place where she had encountered the dragon was a library only she could access.
There was no way she could tell such a story to Philip.
Moreover, showing him the sight of a dragon being battered by magic—as Craiton had described, a target for magic trials—would be problematic.
Was there no good solution?
Peria, lost in thought, quietly gripped the blanket.
"I'll ask the Archmage directly. He might even create a spell to control dragons for me."
A spell to control dragons.
If Peria learned that spell herself and could use it in reality, wouldn't that be fine?
The thought suddenly crossed Peria's mind.
She was confident she could offer any jewel or gold he desired.
And if Peria could learn a spell to handle dragons.
And if she succeeded in showing Philip a magnificent dragon.
Then, there was only one thing left for Peria to do.
"And when the Archmage's seal is broken... I'll wish for him to cure Philip."
Helping the library's master descend.
Peria smiled at the corners of her mouth as she devised this hopeful plan.
It was the moment her blueprint for the future took shape in her mind.
* * * * * *
Several days had passed since the new long-term guests arrived at the Phantasm Library Celestia.
During that time, I observed Begerton Antares and Peria, gathering information on them.
I had been pondering how these new guests could be of use to me.
And as a result, I reached one conclusion.
"Great One. If it pleases you, please call this humble body 'Doctor.'"
"Very well, Doctor."
Begerton Antares— in other words, the 'Doctor' who had come to our library— was an extremely capable individual.
He was already at a level where he could join research efforts outside immediately.
Knowledge amassed without regard for means or methods.
A brain brilliant enough to be called genius.
On top of that, exceptional analytical skills.
The Doctor possessed abilities more suited to research than any mage in the library.
Moreover, he showed an oddly strong loyalty toward me.
To the point where I accepted Begerton's request and called him by the title 'Doctor' as he wished.
"Great One, I have my own scheme for your resurrection."
And this Doctor was now standing beside me, proposing ideas for escaping the library.
Of course, in the Doctor's phrasing, it was a 'method to resurrect you upon the earth.'
Scratch, scratch.
The Doctor was scribbling something in the notebook he held.
I told him to share his thoughts.
"Let's hear it."
"Yes, I shall explain my plan now."
Click.
The Doctor adjusted his monocle once and began conveying his ideas as he looked at me.
"From the data of the previous experiments alone, the possibility of summoning this library or your true body to the earth without restrictions seems low."
"I know."
"But if we limit it to simply existing on the earth, I do have some leads from my perspective."
"......"
"Specifically, it reminds me of the ancient texts I stole from the White Order. It was the one we obtained by ambushing the procession passing through Seterglu because Alandorf needed priest puppets."
White Order.
He mentioned the name of a group I was hearing for the first time.
From the name alone, it seemed like some religious organization.
Apparently, it was fairly well-known among the mages outside.
"I've never seen records of the entity they serve manifesting on earth. However, there are records of it descending long ago in the form of 'possession' into a holy knight's body."
"Possession, huh..."
"From my view, I suspect it operates via a mechanism similar to necromancy. A loophole for transcendental beings to exert influence on earth."
"It seems plausible enough."
"And if my idea is correct... couldn't the Great One's resurrection be achieved through a similar method?"
Heh heh.
The Doctor said this while flashing a chilling smile.
His attitude brimmed with an oddly confident air.
From that, I got a sense of what Begerton was thinking.
"You're thinking of creating a body?"
"Yes, exactly! We'll carve out a fragment of the Great One and perform direct incarnation on earth."
Doctor Begerton Antares's plan.
It was to create my body on earth.
The idea was to craft a body for me directly and repeatedly experiment by implanting a part of me into it.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
The Doctor's pen moved even more busily.
He spoke to me with a voice heated with more fervor than before.
"We'll need to conduct experiments by performance of the body to know the details, but even so, I believe this is a suitable method for the Great One to exert influence."
His eyes, steeped in madness, gleamed.
The Doctor's gaze alternated between the notebook in his hand and me.
He was utterly immersed in this experiment.
"I, Begerton Antares, shall prepare the vessel for the Great One myself."
"Not a bad plan, Doctor."
"However, it will require considerable budget and materials. I'd like to receive as much assistance as possible from within Celestia."
Nod.
I agreed to the Doctor's proposal directed at me.
Because his story seemed to have some viability.
There was no reason not to support it if there was even a sliver of possibility.
Closing the magic tome in my hand, I spoke to Begerton, who had laid out such a plausible plan.
"I'll arrange for you to receive whatever help you need from the Academy."
"Thank you. And if... my experiment achieves some progress..."
Swish.
The Doctor, grasping my hand with eyes that seemed modestly humble, looked at me and opened his mouth.
"Would it be alright if I selected one magic tome from the Third Repository?"
"...The Third Repository, eh."
"Yes. I wish to peruse the magic tomes in the Third Repository."
The Doctor was asking if, upon achieving some results, he could check out a magic tome from the Third Repository.
Celestia's Third Repository.
Hearing this, I pondered for a moment.
The Third Repository was a place in Celestia where particularly special magics were isolated.
While the incantations themselves were highly difficult, it was more about being separated due to their unique nature.
"The magics in the Third Repository are special items. I wouldn't recommend them unless you're confident in handling them."
"No need for concern. I have experience handling Forbidden Wisdoms several times."
In the end, I decided to accept Begerton's proposal.
"Understood. If you show results worthy of it, I'll permit it."
If the Doctor truly produced such results, I would allow him to check out a magic from the Third Repository.
There was no chance of checkout without such achievements anyway.
"Thank you. I'm quite looking forward to what magics the Third Repository holds."
He reacted with great delight.
The tomes housed in the Third Repository—
He was already anticipating handling those special magics.
"......"
While I was conversing with the Doctor like this.
Before I knew it, the golden hair that had been at a distance had drawn near.
Hmm.
The owner of the shimmering golden locks, Peria, was hesitating slightly away from me and the Doctor.
"Oh, it seems another guest has arrived."
"......"
Step.
Seeing Peria like that, the Doctor quietly stepped back one pace.
He had yielded the space so Peria and I could talk.
With that, I looked at Peria before me and asked.
"Do you have some business?"
The girl with cascading sparkling blonde hair—
Peria glanced back and forth between me and the Doctor, hesitating for a moment.
Soon, she approached me.
And then opened her mouth to state her business.
"Would you be able to grant me a favor?"
Peria Alperatz.
Now it was time to hear her story.
* * * * * *
Imperial North. Rozers Margrave Territory.
There, Cardinal Matthias was gazing up at the sky with a sweat-drenched face.
"......"
Cardinal Matthias and five holy knights including himself.
The saintly investigation team dispatched to probe the mana disaster in the Empire had now taken position atop a steep mountain range.
Normally, Cardinal Matthias wouldn't have come all the way here himself.
He could have sent the investigation team under him and received reports.
However, Cardinal Matthias had decided to personally lead the investigation.
First, because this was a direct order from the church's leader, Saintess Arianne—
And second, because this incident was important enough to warrant a divine oracle.
Hoo.
Cardinal Matthias exhaled a coldly sunken breath and looked up at the sky.
Then, he gestured to the holy knight behind him.
"Sir Maron. Come here."
"Yes, Your Eminence, Cardinal."
"It seems you'll need to return to the Holy City first."
The holy knight called by Cardinal Matthias approached and stood at attention.
The Cardinal didn't even glance at him, still staring at the sky.
Matthias Bartias.
The church's cardinal spoke to the holy knight standing behind him in a serious and heavy voice.
"Convey that malevolent forces have already conducted a dangerous experiment. Also report that something extraordinary attempted to descend here and failed."
"......"
"I must stay here and investigate a few more days."
The scene reflected in Cardinal Matthias's eyes as he looked up at the sky.
It was the sky cracking and splitting apart.