Chapter: 19. Ancient Characters
The starry layout was chaotic yet orderly; the design of the Demon Race Forbidden Library was less like an ancient library and more like an underground maze.
Books from a thousand years ago were not neatly arranged on shelves; with every few steps, yellowed pages lay scattered between the stone walls and spring waters.
The spring water seemed poised to wet the pages but was diverted at the last moment by some mechanical magic, drawing a water arc in midair at an impossible angle, avoiding all the precious pages and dripping onto the puddles flanking the stone path.
“Tsk… this damn place is just as humid as before; if we brought a Fire Slime here for a day, it would definitely mutate into a Water Slime.”
“Queen Sister, this place must not be suitable for long-term habitation… after all, it’s beneath a lake, and managing to stay this dry is already a miracle. Plus, I’ve heard… that these old books have survived to this day, partially due to the humid environment?”
“Won’t they mold?”
“In theory, yes, but they remain well-preserved. Modern magic can achieve this too, but to maintain it for this long would be nonsense. It seems the ancestors of the Demon Race accomplished this not with magic, but rather through clever craftsmanship.”
Truly, in any world
and in every generation, there exists a marvelous thing called—wisdom of the ancestors.
Let alone the well-preserved books quietly lying against the humid stone walls for a millennium.
Just look at the candles on either side of the stone wall, still burning after all these years; even onlookers can’t help but be amazed.
【With the Demon Race’s prestige, ignite the lamp of all ages; flames will never extinguish, eternally shining for descendants.】
The words left by the ancestors of the Demon Race were merely myths and legends among the common people, and no one believed that there were truly unquenchable candles in this world.
Only the Demon Royal Family could witness the truth of the legends firsthand.
As Princess Belis led the way, she sensed the footsteps behind her coming to a halt.
She also stopped, and upon turning back, she saw…
Her Queen Sister tiptoeing to blow on the candlelight, causing the flames to sway uncontrollably.
After admiring her cute puffy cheeks while blowing, Belis intentionally delayed for a while before patiently asking with a smile.
“What is Queen Sister doing?”
“Ha…! Blowing! I just find it curious; this thing doesn’t seem to have any magical traces, so how can it be unextinguishable? Ha…!”
“So adorable… cough! Queen Sister, don’t do such a pointless experiment; since it’s recorded like this, a candle flame that even water can’t extinguish represents the endless prosperity of the Demon Race. How could blowing on it possibly… Ah! Queen Sister!! You blew out the candle!!”
“Huh?!”
No… she really did!
That originally burning blue flame flickered a couple of times before extinguishing, emitting a puff of white smoke.
Oh no, oh no, I can’t let the thousand-year glory of the Demon Race be extinguished by me like this!
Just as Princess Xue Fei was contemplating whether to use Flame Magic to relight it.
This candle showed its tenacity.
The white smoke swirled back to the top of the candle, and after a brief moment, the blue flame actually reappeared amidst the swirling white smoke.
—Whoa!
With a sound of flames reigniting, the windless blue flame returned to its original state, continuing to burn unwaveringly.
Both Xue Fei and Belis watched tensely for a while; the flame stabilized and showed no signs of extinguishing again.
Phew… thank goodness.
Looks like Princess Xue Fei wouldn’t have to be a historical criminal after all!
“Hah… although I don’t understand the principle, it’s best that it didn’t go out; otherwise, I definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep… Ah! Queen Sister! Don’t blow on it again!”
“I’m not…! I’m just curious why it doesn’t extinguish and can relight itself?! Huh? Belis.”
“What is it, Queen Sister?”
“Your hand.”
“My hand? What do you mean?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, okay?”
When you came from behind to hug me, I could understand that.
But why are you putting your hand on my poor little chest instead of my waist?
Did you feel something? No, right, just coldness and conscience.
Xue Fei knew she was doing it on purpose; after a sigh, she closed her left eye and activated a type of telekinetic magic.
Belis’s hands were forcefully moved away from the inappropriate position.
Belis’s whole body was reluctantly pulled back by the force, forced to maintain a two-meter distance from Xue Fei.
“… Queen Sister, I had no ill intentions… Damn, your reaction is too fast…!”
“Wow, you really dare to say that?”
Xue Fei patted her black dress, noticing that the upper part of her waist belt had been wrinkled, indicating how skillfully Belis had maneuvered during the commotion.
In Belis’s room, there was a life-sized pillow of Xue Fei; she had practiced countless times how to maximize benefits in a short time upon any contact with her Queen Sister.
Watching her younger sister spread her arms in front of her with fingers bending in a pinching motion, her sickly smile giggling uncontrollably, Xue Fei truly didn’t know how to save her.
Sigh…
What a misfortune at home.
And what can you pinch? With my level, you’d only be able to pinch air.
Xue Fei snapped her fingers,解除 the telekinetic spell binding Belis’s movements.
Maintaining a safe distance, she walked past her, continuing towards the direction of the candlelight.
“Hurry up, I don’t want to be searching for a book while guarding against ‘thieves from within’. If you don’t want to follow, then go back by yourself; I can find the book alone.”
“Wuw… I was wrong, wrong! Wait, Queen Sister, wait for me!”
……………………….
In the depths of the Demon Race Forbidden Library, where Forbidden Spell Magic was stored.
Upon arriving here, Xue Fei’s mood was somewhat delicate.
The number of books here was clearly more dense than before, and the quantity of candles had decreased by half, making the light dim.
Xue Fei conjured a 【Light Magic】 for illumination, allowing it to rise and float, illuminating the space in place of the candles.
Her peripheral vision subtly focused on Belis.
Belis was fluttering her wings, moving gracefully between the towering stone racks, searching for books with a curious look, visibly unfamiliar with this place.
“Is the book you’re looking for in this area, Queen Sister? Huh… I didn’t know the Forbidden Library had such deep areas; this is my first time here. Have you been here before?”
“I have. Are you sure you’ve never been here?”
“No? I have no recollection; I remember the only time I went to the Forbidden Library was to help Mother Queen find a cookbook; I’ve never been this deep. Why do you ask that, Queen Sister?”
“It’s nothing, just keep looking.”
“Hmm?”
“The cookbook, I also need that.”
“Okay!”
Belis casually responded and then got serious about looking for books, quite naturally.
—As if it was truly her first time in this place.
Xue Fei retracted her gaze, scanning the cold stone slabs on the ground.
Not far beneath her feet, there was a charred mark.
Seeing that dark spot… Xue Fei’s heart skipped a beat, and a bead of cold sweat formed on her forehead.
For Xue Fei, this place was a land of lingering terror.
Years ago, when Belis sought power and suffered backlash from a Forbidden Spell, she was nearly burned to death by demonic flames. At that time, Xue Fei had just attained her Eight Wings; she was still inexperienced in using her power. In the face of a relative begging for help from the burning flames, if Xue Fei said she wasn’t panicked or heartbroken, that she didn’t feel apprehensive or regretful, that would surely be bragging.
Belis’s character had indeed changed, and she had become more open-minded about many things.
Xue Fei speculated that she might have recalled how, in the Forbidden Library, she had saved her during a life-and-death situation.
But this was ultimately just Xue Fei’s conjecture.
Belis had never mentioned that she remembered these things.
The aftereffects of the Forbidden Spell Magic 【Origin】 included not remembering the memories related to casting this magic.
Could it be… that Belis’s change was merely her understanding and realization? It didn’t necessarily mean she genuinely recalled these events?
In fact, the answer to that question wasn’t even very important; what mattered was that Belis’s life had returned to the right path, and she was no longer so extreme.
Moreover, if she truly didn’t remember, it should be considered a good thing.
Being burned by indestructible white flames to the brink of death… that kind of experience would surely give anyone nightmares just thinking about it.
While thinking about this, Xue Fei was interrupted by a voice coming from the direction of the stone wall ceiling.
“Queen Sister! The characters written on these books—I can interpret some of them, but the majority I can’t understand! There are too many ancient characters that haven’t been deciphered. If you want to find information about that kingdom princess’s abilities, I think we should first go ask Jeffrey!”
“Ah? Isn’t that too much trouble? Uncle Jeffrey might not even be at the Demon Territory right now. Besides, I don’t think he would know anything—asking would be pointless.”
“That’s true…”
The Six-Winged Demon Jeffrey had lived for hundreds of years; his strength was extraordinary, and he wielded great influence, leading the nobility in a region.
Moreover, he had also always conducted research on ancient characters.
In addition to serving as the captain of the Fourth Legion of the Demon King’s Army, Uncle Jeffrey was also quite the archaeologist!
But just as Xue Fei mentioned, archaeology is one thing; truly starting from scratch to study an entire book of ancient characters, who knows how long that would take.
Fortunately.
Xue Fei was prepared!
She pulled out a small notebook decorated with delicate feathers from her pocket.
Comparing the scribbled handwriting in the notebook, Xue Fei began to peruse the book she took from the stone rack.
Belis gracefully glided down beside Xue Fei with her five wings, gently resting against her shoulder, the scent of violet flowers wafting into Xue Fei’s senses.
“What is this, Queen Sister?”
“A little notebook; can’t you see?”
“Wuw… Queen Sister, your words are still so harsh! I know it’s a small notebook; I meant… what is written in it? Ancient characters? And there’s a translation…! Where did this come from, Queen Sister?”
“It’s what Xial wrote for me; I heard she stayed up for several nights to write it… Sigh, this girl, has she done something good for once? I won’t call her a pervert today.”
Although Jeffrey had lived for hundreds of years and was well-informed.
He still couldn’t compare to a certain blue-haired loli.
Xial had used ancient characters when she learned to read!
