FwoOoooOoOoOo~~
The moist wind hits my ears as I look out towards the giant tower that is The Grand Archive, obscured from all the fog.
"Ah..ACHOO!Sniff."
I should start moving out. If I continue staying on this roof in this rain, I'll catch a cold. And it doesn't help that it's early in the morning.
It's cold as balls out.
I figured going in the early morning was a smart move. Because there will be less people on the streets and less knights patrolling.
I jump onto another rooftop, and then another as I inch closer to the Grand Archive.
Maybe I should have gone a different day. One that wasn't so dang wet and slippery.
One wrong step and I'll slip and fall onto the fog below.
I can't tell just how high I am, I can't even see the streets. I'm pretty sure I'm high enough to break my cankles.
I need to make this trip quick; I have school in like two hours.
I check my pocket to make sure I didn't forget the key and nearly have a heart attack until I feel a solid object and breathe a sigh of relief.
"Oh god damn it." It turns out it's just that badge the headmaster gave me yesterday when he gave me an official title and rank.
"Why me?" I'll just have to forcefully let myself in.
Operation start.
I latch onto the side of the tower wall and begin cautiously running upwards.
It is very slippery.
I then reach a balcony that's near the top with an open window.
To whoever forgot to close and lock it, I thank you.
I let myself in, rubbing my boots onto the carpet to dry them off. I'm sure they won't mind if I rough up a carpet a bit.
They won't even know it was me, which is why I decide to just violate the carpet harder against my boots.
TCHHHCK
"Whoops."
It ripped.
I start to look around the small room, and it's very dark. The candles and torches along the walls aren't even lit up. And it's very dusty.
I guess no one's been in this room recently to clean it. It's probably some room everyone forgot about.
I walk towards the only door in the room before opening it.
"Holy moly."
The sight is huge.
it's a dimly lit, large circular room with rows and rows of bookshelves circling along the walls. And I can see many books strewn about the floor.
I'm really glad I'm not one of the librarians that have to maintain this place. You couldn't pay me five platinum coins an hour to watch over this ginormous library.
I notice a section to the left and decide to check it out, maybe I'll find a book that shows me how to bring my pillow wife to life.
I miss her.
I make my way to the small section and cough from all the dust before stopping.
RaAaAahhhh...
I hear the sound of ghostly groaning as I look down at my feet and realize my foot is being grabbed by a glowing hand coming out of a book.
"Just what kind of library is this?"
I wiggle my foot around in an attempt to get this thing off my foot. But it is very persistent, and I can feel the blood in my foot being sucked away.
I then kick my foot with a forceful thrust, freeing my foot and sending the book flying off the small balcony behind me and down into the library.
"Now then... oh, come on..." I notice the entire floor in front of me is littered with books, blocking my path to the small corner of the room I'm trying to reach.
Ghostly hands start to reach out from the books, clawing at the floor as they try to reach for me.
"Who's the butthead that let these books fall off their shelves anyway??"
I carefully tiptoe and weave around the books as I make my way down the section, till I eventually reach the back of the small section and navigate through the shelves.
RaAaAahh...
More ghostly hands reach out from the many books on the shelves to my right as they try to grip onto me, causing me to stammer and bump against the bookshelf to my left, which causes a small gray shiny book with silver and gold engravings to fall onto the floor.
I decide to pick it up.
I like how shiny it is.
I make my way down the section and away from those pesky hands as I start to study the small shiny book.
It's the size of a wallet, and it has a single blue jewel etched on the cover.
There's a black leather strap with a gold lock around it, locking it from being opened.
("Uaawaaah... good morning..")
I stop and jump as I hear a voice damn nearly scaring me half to death.
Seriously, try being in a dark quiet place and then suddenly hearing a voice out of nowhere, you'd jump too if you were in my boots.
Which are still soaked by the way.
"Who the hell?" I look around the room like a paranoid man high on something.
("Pfft.. pffthahaha!" ) I hear chuckling, and I notice the jewel on the book glowing.
("Nice reaction, you're so jumpy!" ) I pinch onto the small thin chain from the side of the book and start to study it as it hangs in front of my face.
("Owwie..! that hurts!")
As I thought, the book is talking to me.
"My bad."
("It's okay... Soo are you my knight in shining armor ready to rescue me from my princess tower?")
"Huh?"
("Oh nothinng... I've just been sitting on that shelf for two hundred years. It got sooo boring!!")
"Have you seriously been counting for that long?" I ask as I scratch the back of my head.
("It's the only thing you can do when you have time. And when you're a soul infused with a magic book.")
"You're a magic book?"
("Uh-huh! I'm very magical~♪") it says with a smug tone I'm too familiar in noticing.
"Does that mean you can bring a pillow to life?" I ask with excited anticipation.
Shut your mouth. This is a very important question. A million-dollar question even.
("Oh I can do more than that. But you'll have to get me out of here first. And wipe my cover from all the dust please!") It suddenly demands.
"The hell?" When did I become a bratty book's lap dog?
I place the book in some shelf dipped in spiderwebs and start walking down the section.
("No! Wait!")
I turn back around.
To humor it or to satiate my crippling curiosity, I don't know.
"Yes?"
("I'm sorry...! I'm just happy I have a chance of getting out of here after so long. Please comeback!")
I go back and pick it up by the thin chain. To be a douche, or just because I'm too lazy to hold it properly, I don't know. Stop with the questions, if you'd be so kind.
"And what's in it for me?" I ask as I narrow my eyes.
("W..what?")
"Yeah, what's in it for me?"
("I don't know! What do you want?? Just tell me and I'll do it!")
"Can you bring a pillow to life?"
("The pillow again? I told you I can do more than that! Just get me out of here! Please don't make me beg anymore! It makes me sound like a little girl!!")
"You do sound like a little girl."
("What?")
"Prove it."
("Huh..??")
"Prove that you're magical."
("You're jokingright..?")
"No, now prove that you're magical, go on."
("Haah!? I'm literally a talking book dang it! I'm telling you I'm magical!)
"But there's also the chance that's all you are. In fact, you're probably just a ghost within a book. And judging by the way you want to really get out of this place, you're probably just using me to see the sunlight and that's probably your way out of the afterlife." I nod to myself unconsciously with pride.
That would make a lot of sense.
I should join the detective faction.
("HAAAAH!? ARE YOU BEING FOR REAL? YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S ALL I AM?! REALLY? JUST A HAUNTED BOOK? DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? GO ON, CALL ME A HAUNTED BOOK ONE MORE TIME. DOIT.")
"I'm not seeing that magic."
("YOU FAT. STUPID. IDIOT. MILKTOAST. TRASH. PIG. BRAINROTTED. SACK OF-")
"You talk too much."
("YOU WANT MAGIC? I'LL SHOW YOU MAGIC.")
zzzzzSHHHWOOOOOOOOOPFFFFTTTTTTTTTTT
A giant, bright, blue beam erupts from the book in my hand and shoots off into the ceiling before piercing the clouds.
The light was so radiant, it lit up the surrounding rainy clouds in a shade of blue for several seconds, before they eventually went back to their original gray color.
"Hmm..." I look up at the clouds and the rain dripping onto my hair from the hole that was punctured on the roof, then back on the small book in my hand, watching as the pages flip before closing, locking itself. "Alright I believe you."
("Hmph! >︿< Don't talk to me!")
"Okay."
I wasn't expecting that to happen.
It was actually pretty radical. I wonder what else this book can do.
I'll hang on to it for now.
I'll need to get along with it though.
WAM!
Suddenly I hear a loud impact.
I dodge the scattered books and ghostly hands as I make my way back to the spot I was before, peeking over the balcony.
The big doors are wide open, and there are several knights storming inside to investigate what just occurred within the library.
"Uh oh."
I turn around and head towards the room I initially came in from, reaching for the door before twisting the doorknob.
It won't turn.
It's jammed.
"Son." This is unreal.
Just how old is that room? Has it really not received any maintenance for the past what, two hundred years?
I don't have any way of sneaking back out; I can't afford to be caught here. And since I'm the only one in here, I'll be the prime suspect to what just happened. And I really don't want to see this get added to my criminal record or whatever.
I'll just have to get some help.
"Heey..." I hold out the little book by its thin chain again. The lazy way.
("Ew! What do you want? I told you not to talk to me!")
"I was uhh... just thinking about you."
("Oh really? Brainrotted trash like you knows how to think?Hmph!")
"Ok I deserve that. Anyway, I'm ready to bust you out of here, but you'll have to help both of us bust out of here."
("Hmmm?...What's in it for me?")
"Are you serious."
("Yeah? Doesn't feel too good? Huh?")
I palm my face in frustration. And I feel a bruise forming.
"What's it going to take for you to look past everything and be a good little ghost book?"
("Wha- You did it again! I really will get angry! Take it back now!")
"L-Listen just help us get out of here quietly..."
I hear the many loud footsteps coming up the long stairs.
They're loud enough to be mistaken for someone getting trampled over at an overcrowded concert.
("First, I want you to apologize for being a big JERK! Sniff..")
"Wh-.. Are you crying?"
("Apologize, now!")
"Alright alright I'm sorry, you're not a ghost book. You're a very magical book, okay?"
This is the same talking object that called me trash. Asking ME to apologize.
I pray I never have to stoop so low for something so 'Magical' yet Shabby.
("Sniff...Now call yourself a blockhead!")
"Are you ser-"
("DO IT!")
"I'm a blockhead."
("Tee-hee-hee..Sniff...Okay, I forgive you.")
"Revolutionary."
("Okay, here." ) The jewel on the cover starts glowing, slowly enveloping me in pretty little sparkles.
fwoOo
I look down at my hands, I can't see them. It must have given me invisibility.
"Whoa, magical."
("Sparkle~!☆")
"UP HERE! GO GO!" The group of knights come up the stairs and start looking around the aisles, and some of them fall and trip on the books on the ground.
I hold back the urge to laugh as I sneak past and head down the stairs.
("You really are human trash though.")
"Sometimes." I reach the bottom and walk out the door, soaking myself in rain again.
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Soo... what's next for you? Are you gonna grow wings and fly away wherever the wind takes you or something?" I look at the engravings along the cover of the small book.
There's some fancy, weirdly drawn hieroglyphic looking symbols on it.
I can make out some stars, and it is very glittery.
("A life of traveling alone as a book across a world I haven't seen in so long sounds so.. empty.")
"Wait can you really grow wings? I was just messing around, I didn't know you could actually do that."
("I'm kidding... If I could do that, I wouldn't have been stuck in that dusty place, remember?")
"..Uh."
(Should I start calling you master now?")
"When and who decided that."
("Me.")
"Ok just please don't hurt me."
("Good boy.")
The gem on the little book's cover glows bright as it takes on the shape of a black necklace with a single blue jewel, before it encircles around my neck.
Well at least I won't have to walk around with a book in my pocket.
"Shit, I have school."
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-----------------------------
"So? Would you like to go ahead and take a guess at just how long I've waited in the library yesterday?" Says Rin with some sharp edge to her tone, her hand in its usual spot to the wall next to my head, trapping me as I am pinned against the hallway wall.
"Uh.. can I get a hint?
She narrows her eyes and moves her hand on my neck, giving it a light squeeze.
"And who gave this to you?" She pulls on the necklace, looking at the blue jewel.
"Found it."
"You are lying to me." She says as she looks at my eyes, which are drifted off to the side.
"I would never."
"Silence!" She demands as she pulls on the necklace and brings my face closer. "You went off on a little date, didn't you? You decided you couldn't be bothered with me and decided on bailing for someone actually worth your time, am I wrong? Answer me."
"Yeahh you couldn't be farther from the truth."
"Tell me."
"Huh."
"Tell me who you dismissed our time together for. Give me her name. Now."
How can someone give me this much of the cold sweats?
Did I really offend her to this capacity?
No time to think and wonder, my chest is feeling tighter and tighter by the second, and I might throw up any second now. And doing that would be a major disaster. I need to get the fuck on out of here.
"Dude I didn't go out on a date in the rain, are you serious? That would just be reta-ACHOO!..sniff.."
Damn, I think I stayed out in the rain too long today.
"Hmph." She lets me go and turns away. "So, have you given thought to our little discussion?"
"What discussion?"
She instantly turns around and narrows her red eyes at me.
"Ohhh yeah that discussion.." I don't know what she's talking about.
"Ahh Alek, just the one I'm looking for. Come with me, if you will." Says the headmaster as he walks into the hall. "I've prepared an assignment for you."
"Sure." I say as I quickly walk past Rin and follow behind him as he starts leading the way to his office.
I can feel her sharp piercing gaze on my back. And something tells me I'll be seeing her again soon.
"Hiya Alek!" Says Yukki who just walks past me, and I look over my shoulder to see her now talking to Rin.
Hell knows what kind of discussion those two are getting themselves into this time.
But somehow, I'm feeling grateful to both the headmaster and Yukki today.
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Two girls are sitting at a coffee table, the purple curtains swaying as the wind flows into the room from the open window behind the desk.
"Well? What is the purpose of your little visit, Yukki? Asks a girl with long black hair and red eyes. Her piercing gaze looking into the eyes of the girl in twin tails.
"Oh y'know.. just wanted to see what you were up to is all.." She replies, smiling brightly.
"We both know that isn't why. Cut to the chase." She says, crossing her legs and adding a block of sugar to her coffee.
This girl has been a big source of irritation for her. She's known her for as long as she can remember. They have worked together numerous times before. But one thing that will always remain true is the competitive nature of their alliance.
"It's about Alek~"
She stops bringing the cup to her mouth, then sets it back down on her lap before speaking. "Alek? What about him?" Her fingers grip her cup tightly on her lap.
The mention of the boy that has interested her since their first meeting has her drawn. She's felt herself fascinated and engrossed in the peculiar presence he emitted. And yet, she's never met someone so laidback and idiotic while keeping a strong presence.
She was always used to everyone and everything around her treating her time like it was something to never make light of.
She was used to everyone giving her the respect and recognition she's worked hard to maintain.
But not this boy, he treated her like she was any other human. He spoke to her without restraint. And she was new to the feeling.
"Welll... I'm sure you're aware that he became a Paladin yesterday! Riiight~?" She winked.
"What?" She knew there was something about him, but it was this overwhelming? A newcomer as him, achieving the rank of Paladin? The rank just before that of Grandmaster? And in the span of one day no less.
"Oh but it's true~! I hope you weren't planning on having him join the student council... It would be a waste if he's gonna be so busy outside the Kingdom all the time~"
She could feel herself shaking in frustration and anger.
The coffee vibrates against the cup in her lap.
"But that's all I wanted to say, Rin-Rin! Talk to ya later!" She says as she stood up before walking out the door and closing it behind her.
An audible, piercing CLACK against the door and glass breaking is the last thing she hears as she walks down the hallway.
With a wide smirk.
-
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"What in the actual heckling heck do you mean the King is missing? Shouldn't you guys send out some guy in the King's Will or something?" I say as I take a sip of my coffee.
It's good.
"Well, the thing is... the King's last wish was to keep the Kingdom in order during his absence. And the King's Will never goes against his wishes, as they all have their hands full in their respective roles within the Kingdom. And as such, there are no available candidates to send out to the Isolated Kingdom. Until now, that is."
"Hmm..." Wow this coffee is really good, I didn't even know they had it in this world.
So good I have to give props, and a bit of a head nod.
"I can see you understand the situation. So, Alek, you will be heading out to the Isolated Kingdom of Ragnav tomorrow morning. You will be boarding a ship and sail across the dark seas for about two days. Pack some things and report here first thing tomorrow for the location. The rest of the details will be given to you tomorrow, understand?"
"Ayup."
"The Kingdom is counting on you, Alek. Along with its people."
"Ayup."
"Get some rest and enjoy the rest of your time within the Kingdom. We will eagerly await your return."
"Ayup."
I stand up and head out into the hallway.
"....."
I take this moment of solitude to charge up a scream of outrage.
That gets cancelled though.
"You."
Yup, there she is. "Come withme." I'm dragged away by the wrist forcefully.
.
.
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"What is the meaning of this? You've reached Paladin status? Why have you not told me so sooner?" Asks Rin as I am once again pinned in the exact same way she does when she's pissed.
"Well I was going to but-"
"But? Butwhat? I have trouble believing you. You were going to just keep it to yourself so you didn't have to go through the trouble of speaking to me, is that right? You've been plotting on keeping your distance from me. You were going to keep this little secret of yours from me. You weren't going to tell me at all were you? Tell me right now. Tell me. Tell me now. NOW."
"But I wassssss-uhh...! I just didn't have the chance to..! A lot's been going on...! I'm just as surprised as you are...!! I didn't even ask for whatever the hell this role is for..!? It's all just a big pain in the DI- ACHOO!..
"Bless you."
"Sniff..."
"Continue."
"I'm actually planning on ditching it after doing the task I just got. It's all just a massive pain in the di- ACCHOOO!.."
"Bless you."
"Sniff.."
"Continue."
"Anyways I would quit now but apparently, I leave tomorrow, and I don't want to offend the Kingdom by quitting while I'm being expected to do something so large. You agree right?"
"I see. So you're going to request you get your status revoked then?"
"..Pfftttshiiiit.... I mig- AA... I might jus- AAAA.... I think I'll- AAAAA..!!
"SPEAK."
"AACHOoOooOo..!!"
"You are pathetic."
"...L-Leave me alone..."
"You dare make me wait?"
This is dragging. I have stuff to do. Need to piss off as fast as humanly possible to my upmost and full capabilities. "Listen, it's all just a massive pain in the neck. I'd rather join the student council."
Oh..
Oh no.
What have I done.
Her grip loosened. In an instant.
It unnerves me. "You wish to join the student council instead. I see."
"Uh, actually.."
"Very well, as soon as you return from your little trip, you will be a member of the student council."
I may be mistaken, but I think I can see a smile forming on her lips.
Nah, I don't think she's capable of smiling.
"Yeah.." I reply. I don't have a way out of this one.
I really don't want to offend her in any way right now.
The risk and ambiguity that this girl brings is something that will haunt me in this world for as long as I continue converting oxygen into carbon whatever. Shut up.
"And? Where exactly will you be going?"
"To the Ragnav Kingdom."
Her crimson eyes widen. "What?"
"Yeah it's a load of baloney, but I'll do it I guess."
In hindsight, a trip away from this Kingdom might be just what I need.
Maybe it's different over there.
Because it won't have Rin.
And I'd sure like so see what those loners are up to.
She crosses her arms, looking at me expectantly, like a mother waiting for her son to read their report card out loud. "And when will you return?"
"Not sure, I'll get all the details tomorrow."
"I see. Then I bid you farewell, there are thing I need to get back to."
"Sure." I say as I turn to walk away, but my wrist gets grabbed again.
She is glaring at me, piercing. "And don't forget your promise."
"I won't.."
She doesn't follow up with anything.
She just zooms in to my eyes with her own red ones, waiting for... something.
"...Christ." I feel my chest slowly begin to relax as I watch her walk away.
("Master, that girl is scary..")
"No kidding." I turn away and walk down the opposite hallway. "And don't call me that."
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---------------------------------
"So, you're the one I've heard so much about. Alek, was it?" Asks a baldie with a monocle.
"That's me." I place my bag down on the wooden planks of the dock.
The headmaster instructed me to head out to the dock within the outer wall of the Luthran Kingdom I didn't even know was there.
Which is what I did after saying goodbye to Akane and Himari. And he told me I would be meeting with a bald man in catholic robes who would see me off.
I take a little moment to look up at the giant pirate ship that's blocking the sun.
Am I really going to be sailing on this for two days?
I'm a little nervous, I hope we don't encounter any sirens that want to feast on my essence.
"Then Alek, this is the ship that will take you straight to the Ragnav Kingdom. You are to arrive there within two days and gather any sort of evidence that suggests the Luthran King is being held there. Take as much time as you need, but not too long. If you've determined the King is being held captive, you are to return immediately. Do not act on your own and do not get discovered. You cannot have your identity as one that hails from this Kingdom known. Do you understand?"
"Ayup."
"Very well. Now off you go." He says sternly, walking off along the dock, joined by 2 black Knights.
This whole thing may or may not suck big time, no in between.
I board the giant ship as the various men load it with barrels and cargo.
"You must be Alek." Says a woman with red hair, green eyes and an eye patch.
Her chest is pretty big.
"Hey how's it going."
"We're just about ready to sail off, ya ever sailed the dark seas before?"
"No not really,"
"Bahaha! You're gonna be fine don't ya worry your little head!" She pats my back over and over.
She's got some strong hands.
She then walks over to the middle before yelling.
"ALLRIGHT! ARE YA MEATHEADS READY TO GET BACK TO THE WATERS?" The men give a loud cheer. They look like they're ready to kick ass.
The pirate life must be quite the life. "THEN LETS SET SAIL!"
The men raise their muskets, the sails drop, and the anchor is pulled out.
Becoming a pirate in my new life wasn't on my bingo card, but what the hell.
I think I'll go take a nap now.
"ACHOOO..! Sniff.. damn it."
("Bless you, master~")
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