I learned of the existence of the Chieftain from the information magazine Nina was reading.
I had obtained a map to the library, but the city was vast. It would take a considerable amount of time to walk there. Since my physical condition wasn’t perfect, I decided to take a taxi. Of course, I wasn’t alone; Sharin accompanied me. We arrived at a rotary where many horse-drawn carriages were parked.
I approached a young Centaur pulling a small carriage.
“Excuse me, I’d like to go to the library.”
“Yes, please get in then.”
As soon as we got in, the taxi departed. We both looked out the window at the unusual sight.
“Speaking of which, is the library at the university okay? Not the other one?”
“There’s one at the university too?”
“Huh? You don’t know? Shindo Medical University, I believe it was called. It’s where people who want to become doctors go, and it has a hospital attached. Many people go to its library.”
So, there was a university like that too. I supposed one would have to be quite studious to get in. While thinking such things and spacing out, the taxi stopped in front of a large building. After paying the fare and getting out, I was greeted by a long staircase and an imposing door. I couldn’t help but swallow.
“Ah, you, could it be?”
Just as I was about to step onto the stairs, someone called out to me from behind. When I turned around, it was Marcos, the son of the Jarrot couple. I wondered why he was here.
“It is indeed, Arisugawa-kun. I heard you were heading to Shindo and was worried. It seems there was some commotion in a nearby town.”
So, that disturbance really made the news. The Elves might want to hide it, but it would spread quickly.
“Thank you for your concern regarding that matter. Well, I managed to get here somehow. By the way, what about you?”
“I had a presentation for a conference. But I didn’t get any notifications at all. I heard the hospital where my parents work was attacked. They said they were both safe, but I wonder if they’re truly alright.”
He must have been so worried. I felt a pang of guilt. As we were talking, a Dark Harpy appeared unsteadily from behind Marcos. She wasn’t wearing a lab coat, but I recognized her instantly – Eia, that delinquent pharmacist. She walked along, smoking a cigarette unsteadily. Huh? Didn’t Dark Harpies have to avoid sunlight? Yet, she was out in the sunlight quite boldly. She was wearing sunglasses, but she didn’t seem to be suffering at all.
“Um, aren’t Dark Harpies supposed to be alright even in sunlight?”
“Hm? Oh, are you talking about Eia? Hmm, well, it’s not really good for them. Dark Harpies are originally a race weak to sunlight, and their skin turns red easily. But people with little magic power seem to be fine. It’s strange for a doctor like me to say this, but…”
I remembered her saying before that the amount of magic power one wielded influenced how much damage they took from sunlight. Veronica, being strong, also evaporated a lot of magic. Thinking about it, the opposite must be true: if one had no magic at all, the damage would be almost zero. But could it really differ this much?
“Is that so? It varies so much from person to person. Is it something you’re born with?”
“It seems to be partly innate, but acquired factors play a larger role. It’s similar to how you can get stronger if you train.”
Was that the case? If asked which was better, it was hard to say. Would you choose the sun or strength?
“Speaking of which, were you two heading to the library? You need an entry permit to get in, do you have one?”
I’d completely forgotten. For such a large facility, they probably wouldn’t want just anyone wandering in. I shook my head.
“Hahaha, I see. In that case, would you like to come with me? I happened to have some business there. Hey Eia, put out that cigarette and don’t drop it on the ground.”
She grudgingly put her cigarette into her portable ashtray. Once again, I was being helped. Following Marcos, I passed through the heavy doors to find countless shelves packed with books stretching endlessly into the interior. It was so vast, I couldn’t see the end from here. It stretched on forever, which was a chilling thought. There weren’t many other patrons besides us, and in contrast to the bustling city, this place felt like a different world.
After finishing his conversation at the reception, Marcos let us inside. A man standing behind the counter, who was the administrator, walked towards us. He was an elderly Satyr. Though his back was bent, he wore glasses and a neat suit, giving him an intelligent appearance.
“Welcome to the Shindo Library. Please, take your time and enjoy your visit.”
