Chương 221: Chapter 8: “Yu Goes to the Magic Library”

The boys' dormitory was a three-story building, looking considerably dirtier and shabbier than the girls' dormitory next door. It wasn't just my imagination; the difference was even more stark when the caretaker showed me inside. What is going on with this disparity? When I casually asked the caretaker, it seems that in recent years, they have been focusing on recruiting female students, so they created an environment where girls could study easily.

The girls' dormitory has perfect security with card keys, which the boys' dorm doesn't have. Inside, there's a sauna, a bathhouse with medicinal baths (the boys' dorm is just a public bath), and a relaxation room with massage chairs (the boys' dorm has no such thing). Talk about pampering. Ah. I feel like there was a similar initiative in Japan. Boys in tears. Well, it's much better than sleeping on the street. No problem.

Normally, students live two to a room in the dorm, but it seemed I was specially given a single room. Inea might have put in a word for me. Being able to do what I want without worrying about a roommate makes it easier, in a way. For now, I dropped off my luggage and headed to my destination, the Magic Library. On the way, I was stopped by the voice of a man walking nearby.

"You there. I haven't seen your face before. Are you a new student?" Turning around, a middle-aged man with blue hair, looking like an instructor, was smiling softly at me. He had a gentle face that seemed amiable. On the surface. But this guy...

"I'll be studying here starting now. I'm Yu."

"Yu-kun, huh— Ah, I thought I heard the name. Are you the child who was specially admitted?" He nodded as if convinced.

"Yeah."

"I am Tor Guief. I research magical archaeology. I'm in charge of Magic History lectures."

"Magic History."

"Yes. So, I heard you were exempted from exams. Is your academic ability okay? My lectures are strict, you know?" Being an actual instructor, he said so in a slightly teasing tone. Without responding to his friendly attitude, I replied curtly.

"No problem. I intend to study properly."

"Hoh. Is that so. Well, I have high expectations. Excuse me then." He bowed lightly and walked quickly through the main gate to somewhere. That guy is the Magic History teacher? What a shady bastard. A smile that looked pasted on. Behind it, I sense a pitch-black ugliness and something like malice. An honest person might be deceived, but it doesn't work on me, who can read minds to some extent. I shouldn't trust that type. Now, I arrived at the Magic Library.

I felt my mood rising at the collection of books lined up across the vast floor. As expected of the largest Magic Library in the city. I have perfect memory. If I can gain this enormous amount of magical knowledge, how much power will it become? For now, I'll read from one end to the other. Picking up a book from the edge, I quickly flipped through the pages. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Ever since my ability awakened, that was enough to memorize something.

Magic has eight representative attributes: Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind, Earth, Ice, Light, and Darkness. Adding Space-Time Magic to these, they are commonly called the Nine Great Attributes. Among them, Space-Time Magic and Light Magic are apparently the two major systems of Lost Magic, which are almost lost today. Both have a common difficulty in composition, and research is underway to restore them. I found out that Professor Tor Guief is quite a well-known researcher in Lost Magic research.

He has published several books.

"Let's go together. To the sky of freedom" was the catchphrase of his laboratory. Also, magic has levels, divided into four: Elementary, Intermediate, Advanced, and Super-Advanced. For example, for Fire Magic, it goes like Elementary 《Volk》, Intermediate 《Volkna》, and Advanced 《Volark》. Only Super-Advanced magic books haven't been found yet, but it is said that many existed in the lost magical superpower Edel.

By the time I memorized the contents of all the books on one row of shelves, I noticed the sun was setting. I shouldn't worry Alice, so I should head back soon. When I tried to return a book, my hand bumped into someone else's.

"Ah..."

"Oops. Sorry." Our eyes met. It was a silver-haired girl with a cute face. But what is it? She gives an impression of lacking confidence, or rather, being timid.

"Um, well..." She seemed to want to say something, her gaze wandering unsteadily between my face and chest. However, the words didn't seem to come out easily.

"What is it? Do you have something to say?"

"Hii... I-I'm sorry...!" She turned her back on me.

"Ah, hey." Without looking back, she walked away quickly as if escaping.... What was that? Seriously. When I returned home, Alice welcomed me with a bright smile.

"Welcome back. How was it?"

"So-so. The girls' dorm looked much more magnificent than the boys' dorm."

"Oh my. That's something to look forward to." Hearing that, she seemed to be in a good mood.

"Oh right. Dinner is ready. Ms. Inea is eating with us too."

"From the looks of it, you two got along pretty well."

"Ehehe. Well, yeah." It seems her aunt's work is late tonight, so only the three of us—Alice, Inea, and I—sat at the dinner table. Alice and Inea sat next to each other, and I sat opposite them across the table. During the meal, Inea asked.

"How was the Magic Library? Yu."

"It was quite wonderful. I'll probably be frequenting it for a while."

"I see. You'll probably master it in no time."

"Maybe. However, there is a limit to knowledge written in books." There was little information on Super-Advanced magic and Lost Magic. The books there are merely a collection of hackneyed general knowledge. For things not there, I have to learn them separately from individuals. For example.

"That's right. Teacher Inea. Could you teach me Teleportation Magic sometime? I saw in a book that such a thing exists."

"Hmm. So such a thing exists." Interested, Alice took the bait. Teleportation Magic is a powerful Space-Time magic that connects two distant points with a special magical marking and allows instantaneous movement. There is no doubt it's a magic that will definitely be useful if learned.

"That is a unique magic of us Nesla, and for you... I wanted to say that, but you might learn it immediately."

"Teach me."

"... Even if I say no, you'll try to make me use it one way or another, won't you?" Inea narrowed her eyes with a fed-up face. When I stared back without changing my expression, she sighed as if exasperated.

"Haa. Fine. I'll show you sometime."

"I appreciate it."

"However. I want to ask one thing. Why are you so greedily obsessed with strength?"

"Isn't it obvious? Without power, I can't live freely properly. I can't protect precious things or people."

"Precious people?" Alice asked with a serious face. I shook my head.

"They're gone. It's a past story."

"What do you mean by that?" Alice's face was dyed with anxiety. I answered.

"I killed them."

"Eh...?"

"My parents, relatives, best friends, everyone—I killed them." Because I lacked power. Because I couldn't control my power. All by these hands. I ended up killing them. Alice and Inea seemed to have lost their words at the enormity of it. They were staring at me with pale faces. Well, that's natural. Anyone would react like that if told such a story suddenly.

"Sorry. The food must taste bad now. I'll excuse myself. You two eat slowly."

"Wait a minute! You..."

"If it's the circumstances, I'll listen. Speak."

"I told you. It's a past story. Time once passed never returns." No matter how much I wish, the dead won't come back to life. I can't live with them on Earth again. I stood up from my seat. As I left, I said.

"It's better not to get involved in my circumstances. Nothing good will come of it." It's been like that since long ago. The closer people get to me. The more precious they are, the more abruptly they die. Misfortune happens. I'm starting to think I might have been born under such a fate. You guys are good-natured people. I know. The warmth of the hearts you possess. People who think so kindly of me, almost a stranger, are rare. Humans on Earth were all the same.

They were a bunch who tried to use me, feared me, or mocked me. So, don't get involved too much. Don't get deeply involved with someone like me. That's happier. Surely.

"Yu..." Glancing at their gloomy faces, I left the living room. I felt somewhat depressed. I left the house as it was and headed to the outskirts. In a deserted place, I devoted myself to training the magic I learned until late at night. Knowing it as knowledge and actually using it are different things after all. It was training to grasp the feeling of use. That was the excuse; I just wanted to move my body and clear my mind. —I recalled something unpleasant again. That day I will never forget.

It was a day of heavy rain.

'Mom, why...?' My mother and I were facing each other. On a highway. I don't even know myself why we were in such a place. Mom was covered in wounds. Covered in blood.

'Why... are you pointing a gun at me...?' And I killed my mother.