Chapter 68 The Librarian III
Constantine took one of them and opened them, reading a few words.
'Amazing, I don't know what this language is, but I can read it...' He imagined Aurelianne or the trial had something to do with this.
[It was your goddess, she achieved it by transforming you into a hybrid elf... the trial doesn't have such a capacity.] Zebellia interjected.
...
"I see, so these are magic spells..." Constantine read the book that was mostly focused on the element of wind, basic spells such as gales were shown in there, arrays too and how to create catalysts it was a useful basic piece of information.
"Yes, they're basic spells, some say those books were written by apprentices hundreds of years ago, they said that most magus is born without any knowledge, taken advantage of before they can fully exploit their talent, and hence they made these free books... the manuscripts created by adepts and advanced spells are only available in the capital for the academies." Sarah explained the knowledge she had gotten from her father before his passing.
"Father always said that we had to be extra careful with these books even if no one read them, the magus is extremely helpful for humans and we have to nurture them as much as we can, he said that someday another magus might come to the town of loup or even be born here and need them, hence we had to secure them appropriately, I was supposed to clean them, all of them..." She said dejectedly after her long discourse.
He understood that there was an underlying depression there.
"I believe your work is very important as was your father's, Sarah."
"Ever since father passed away... I have stopped taking care of the library... I come here as he told me, but it is always alone... nobody comes here, is it even worth being careful with these books?" Tears welled in the girl's eyes, it was no longer the same.
Zamira and Raki looked at one another, they didn't know what to say, to an extent all of the citizens of this town carry demons or penitences inside, they didn't expect the girl to just cry, but they understood that was one of Constantine's effects.
He always knew what to say, it was like standing in front of a grandpa, an odd feeling considering he was a rather 'feeble pretty boy'.
"I think it is worth it, Sarah, you see... books are the source of knowledge, without books, there would be nothing in the past that couldn't be moved onwards to the future... moreover, your father was right, someone did come for these books, right?~"
"Yes... M-Mr Constantine, are you perhaps..." She didn't want to believe it, after so long, someone had finally come for those books.
He placed a finger on his lips in a sign of silence, "Don't tell anyone or yell..."
A gust of small fire appeared in his hand and she gasped before placing both of her hands on her mouth before her yells came out.
"Magus!" Her eyes flickered between him and the flame that soon disappeared.
'I told you to not yell...'
Even Raki who hadn't seen his magic yet was struck, this incident came too impromptu for er as well.
"Do you think I can borrow these books?" He requested and she was placed in a troubling situation, books couldn't be taken away, but he's a magus, her father always said that the books should be kept for them to use.
"Huh... I-I don't know... even if nobody takes them..." Sarah was placed in a dilemma, she wanted to lend them but didn't know if she could trust Constantine to take them back.
"I promise that I'll give them back to you in a week, I can pay you~" He tried his old trusty and took out some coins.
'Corruption for the win!'
"T-That... sorry, I can't accept your money, but you can take them for a week or two, those books are for you to use, no one can use them except for you! but please, return them... they were my father's treasure." The girl sighed, her father always said that they couldn't charge and she intended to follow this to the end, she was paid by the town's city lord indirectly to maintain this establishment.
[Corruption failed!~] Zebellia smirked playfully.
'...' Constantine ignored the horse and rather settled his gaze on Sarah, smiling afterwards.
"Thank you, I won't forget this..." Then he proceeded to take every single book of magic!
"E-Eh!? Are you taking all of them!?" She thought he was going to take just one or two!
"Yes."
"But it is impossible that you can read all of them in a week!"
'Well, that's because I'm going to replicate them...' That's not something he'd say out loud.
"You don't need to worry about that, I'm a fast learner~ here, have this, I don't like owing people things..." He threw some coins on her desk before taking Zamira and Raki's wrists!
!!!
"N-No sir, this is too much!" She saw that there were at least thirty silver coins in there, that's perhaps what she gets in a year of work.
By the time she finished, the books had disappeared and Constantine was on his way together with the rest of the girls who simply waved at her with troubled expressions like 'don't mind him, he's always like this!' kind of expression.
'I hope he comes back...' Sarah said, looking at the coins in complication.
'Father, I haven't cleaned this place in such a long time, perhaps... it is time for me to start doing my job properly, someone came for the books as you said...' She ended up smiling and recalling some memories.
'How curious...' She thought, taking the broom with tears in her eyes, ever since her father died, she had lost all interest in following along this 'legacy'.
But the more she thought about her responses as the soft brush undusted the floor, she realised that her depression was well justified.
The moments when she cleaned the library together with her father... those were her happiest moments, the memories she had deprived herself of.
...
With renewed enthusiasm, Sarah began to swipe, this time with a smile, keeping her father and even her own legacy, perhaps, one day she'd have a child and that boy or girl would also feel prideful of her mother.
Her singing hums coloured the atmosphere.