I became so comfortable in Lily’s embrace that I unconsciously fell into a deep sleep.
When I came to, it was almost past lunchtime.
“Sorry for dozing off, Lily.”
“No, don’t be. Watching you sleep was so cute that I lost track of time~”
“Urgh…”
Embarrassed, I felt Lily give me a quick peck on the lips.
“See you later.”
“Okay, I’ll be back after class.”
As I closed the door and left the dormitory, the separation from Lily made my chest feel heavy. However, the warmth lingering on my lips soothed it.
“…It really works.”
Using that warmth as motivation, I was able to return to class. Then, two hours later.
The last class of the day.
“Our teacher has to go on a sudden business trip, so we’ll have free reading in the library for this period.”
An unexpected opportunity to visit the forbidden section came sooner than anticipated. Reeti gave me a meaningful look since our schedules overlapped. When I stepped closer, she whispered.
“It’s a sign from above. Go, Arthur! Bring me the first edition of LoveLove Crepe!”
“Haa… I’ll try telling the librarian, but if that doesn’t work, there’s nothing more I can do?”
“Hehehe. Don’t worry! I’ve prepared Plans B, C, and even S!”
“…What exactly is Plan S?”
It’s impossible to gauge what’s genuine and what’s fabricated with her.
Muttering to herself, while sketching incomprehensible plans on a blank sheet, I left Reeti behind and approached the librarian.
“Teacher, I have a request.”
“Hm? Ah, Arthur. Are you looking for a book… no, probably not.”
“Could I possibly enter the forbidden section?”
The librarian was momentarily speechless.
She clearly didn’t expect me to bring this up.
“Hmm… May I ask why?”
Eh? I thought she’d flat-out reject me.
“Because I’m hoping to find a way to gain magic power there.”
“Hmm… Alright.”
“Yeah, okay. I was sure I’d be denied… Wait, what did you say?”
“You may enter.”
“???”
Is this something that can be discussed so casually?
Stunned, staring blankly at the librarian’s face, she handed me something.
It was a well-maintained, shiny key.
“The key to the forbidden section.”
“…Is this place really so easy to enter?”
“Ah, didn’t you know? It’s called the forbidden section, but with the teachers’ permission, anyone can enter. The truth is, the principal already sealed away those who were the main subjects of the frightening rumors about dark magic circulating among the students. All that’s left are high-level magic books unsuitable for students and other such things.”
“…That’s quite a letdown.”
“Isn’t it? I thought the same when I first entered.”
Despite expecting an eerie magical cave of sorts, it seemed like a rather normal place.
“However, there are some spells that are slightly dangerous if attempted at a student’s level. The rumors have been unexpectedly effective as safety measures. So they’ve been left alone deliberately.”
As the fantasy fades, it feels somewhat anticlimactic.
Though it’s fortunate to enter more easily than expected.
“Shall I go in then?”
“Of course. Come this way.”
A little past the library information desk where the teacher was, there was a door embedded in the floor.
“Here. You have an hour to read. Be sure to return before then. Oh, don’t even think about crossing the boundary deep in the shelves. It’s impossible to cross anyway because it’s created by the principal. Also, if there are books bound by chains, don’t open them. Bring them to me for supervision, okay? Do you understand?”
“One hour before coming back, don’t touch the boundary, bring the chained books to the teacher. Understood.”
As I inserted and turned the key, I heard the sound of magic being cast.
It must be a spell to prevent unauthorized keys.
The door on the floor slid open.
“Good luck in finding what you need.”
“Yes, thank you, teacher.”
“It’s nothing. Go on in.”
The descending staircase was wide, and due to overlapping many spells, it was bright and pleasant despite the absence of light.
“Ugh… I didn’t expect it to feel like a dungeon.”
Descending the stairs, I couldn’t help but marvel at the scene that unfolded.
“Wow… Though different from my expectations, this is pretty cool.”
The walls were made of a glossy, black material resembling obsidian. Bookshelves filled every side, and countless books lined them.
This space could drive any book lover to delirium.
“Even the humidity is controlled thanks to magic, it seems.”
While the academy library above is one of the top three in the empire, considering its entirety, it’s among the best even on the continent.
But this place was untouched by human hands, truly a space solely for books.
Just being amidst countless books made my heart race, but first, I had to focus on my goal.
“Let’s see. The title was definitely… ‘A Childhood Friend I Haven’t Seen in Years Turns Out to Be a Girl?!’… What, is this really a book?”
It’s unlikely Reeti gave me the wrong information, so let’s search first.
However, a title caught my attention.
– ‘Methods of Magical Power Enhancement’ 2.152 Revised Edition by Mustigh Linehts.
“Huh? Linehts… the great mage whose name is in the recent magical journals? His books are notoriously hard to find but here it is?”
A name I came across by researching various papers while seeking magical power.
Mesmerized, I approached and took the book in one hand before moving further.
“Will read this if I have time… Hm? ‘About Magical Power’, revised edition by Mustigh Linehts. This is also a rare one, and… this one too… this one too…?”
Before I knew it, I had lost focus on my original goal and became absorbed in the rare theses and memoirs of renowned great mages. When I finally came to my senses, towers of books were in my arms.
“Heavy… In the end, I couldn’t find the book Reeti mentioned. Was the information wrong?”
Straining my neck to see beyond the books and wobbling forward,
“AAHHH!”
I stumbled, and the tower of books wobbled precariously.
“No way!!”
Despite my cries, the books scattered everywhere. Desperately, I lunged to grab a few, but several were pushed away in the chaos.
“Hmm… How am I going to clean this up?”
Hastily, I began piling the books up when something caught my eye.
“What’s that?”
At the end of the shelves, there was a narrow passageway.
Defined by a red line that split the floor, beyond it stretched another space.
And beyond it lay two misplaced books.
“Can I really cross over?”
The red line gave me an ominous vibe, but what if I get caught by the librarian for neglecting to retrieve the books? Her wrath would be far more terrifying.
When the teacher gets mad, she’s really scary…
I had no choice but to retrieve them.
First, extending my hand cautiously, crossing the red line with just my fingertips.
“Hmm? Nothing happens?”
There was no resistance whatsoever.
Could this be a boundary unrelated to the principal’s barrier mentioned by the teacher?
“Just a demarcation line for organization, perhaps?”
Tilting my head, I fully crossed the line, yet still felt no abnormal sensation.
“Hurry up and go back—”
As I ventured a few steps to retrieve the books, I noticed something.
A single, separate bookshelf.
Only then did the significance of the red line come to mind.
Precisely, the meaning of the ‘red’ line. Red often evokes ominous images, but it can have another context.
Which is…
“Perhaps… adult use?”
Surely, this must be where the books for grown-ups truly are.
“Shall I take a quick peek? It might have the book Reeti mentioned. Yeah, yeah. This is solely for Reeti. Absolutely nothing to do with me having any personal desires or motivations.”
Muttering this unconvincing excuse to no one, I approached the bookshelf.
“Since when do I think of Lily?”
Leaving this unsettling thought aside, I began perusing the spines.
Most books, excluding those in an unknown language, were old but readable.
“The Book of R’lyeh”
“The Book of Eibon”
“The Song of Azathoth”
“What’s all this? These titles don’t seem like adult novels…”
Among them, the first book I saw was “The Book of R’lyeh”.
“What is this? The cover isn’t plain leather… What is this material?”
It was a book with a slightly eerie cover.
Inspecting closely, sketches on the surface hinted at its contents.
Upon closer study, the image depicted what appeared to be a bizarre lifeform.
“An octopus…? Or is it a human with an octopus’s head? Why is this even a thing?”
This strange lifeform was beyond comprehension… Ah, could it be?
A sudden thought struck me. If this is an adult bookshelf with octopus-human hybrids…
“Ah, so it’s targeted at odd sexual preferences. Yes, this makes sense. Unusual desires exist.”
Perhaps it’s separated for others’ comfort.
Everyone has different preferences, after all.
Someone might find excitement in something as bizarre as this.
Out of respect for those with such tastes, I returned the book to its place.
Continuing to browse the shelf, a conspicuously unusual book caught my eye.
All the other books looked weathered by time, but this one gleamed brand new at the very end of the shelf, with its black cover exuding a peculiar vibe.
“There’s no title on the spine? What is this?”
Curiosity overruled my apprehension.
Extracting the book and inspecting the cover revealed nothing. However, flipping a page showed a title written in a sharp font, using characters I couldn’t decipher.
But the smaller text beneath it was readable.
I tried pronouncing it aloud.
“Necronomicon? So this is the title. Is this a translated version?”
Flipping another page, a small note was attached. The paper was different from the book, and the neatly written note appeared to be a table of contents prepared by the translator.
As I scanned through it, I recognized a familiar keyword.
1. The Great Old Ones and the Outer Gods
“Hmm? “Outer Gods”… wasn’t that something Lily mentioned?”
I remembered the contract in a dream where Lily, appearing as a cat, introduced herself.
“This dreamland’s Great One.”
“The daughter of chaos, leaning towards the ignorant father of all.”
“I, Outer God Lily—”
“So, she really called herself an Outer God!”
Why is this here, then? This is not the adult section…
Upon recalling Lily during dinner, an inexplicable sense of probability arose.
“So the subject is Outer Gods, meaning Outsiders? Even though Lily’s involved, can Outsiders really be viewed in a sexual context?”
Every description of Outsiders I’ve heard speaks of terrifying forms,
like beings with dozens of reproductive organs. How can some truly see them in such a way?
I’m confused whether to respect or disdain such perspectives. Perhaps the familiar keyword stirs my interest,
leading me to nearly open the book when a call interrupts me.
“Arthur, where are you?”
The librarian’s voice. Instinctively realizing the discovery of my location would be unwise, I quickly gathered the book and exited the section.
“Here!”
“You went rather deep… what are all those books?”
Seeing the towering stack of books, the librarian looked astounded.
“Surely not aiming to read all of this?”
“Um… Is it not allowed?”
“…”
The librarian scrutinized each book, showing a sign of relief though it vanished quickly.
“The loan is impossible. You can only read them here.”
“Yes, that’s more than enough for me.”
“Normally I’d say read at leisure, but it’s best you return today. The Dean is coming.”
“Eh? But there’s still plenty of time before the hour is up.”
“Not a good idea. The Dean already dislikes you. If they find out you’ve been here, it’ll be troublesome for me too.”
“In that case, I’ll leave now.”
“Sorry for troubling you, Arthur.”
“Not at all. I am grateful just for being allowed in.”
“I’ll organize these books separately. They’ll be ready the next time you visit.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
I bowed to the librarian and turned to leave, but she called out.
“Arthur, wait a moment. Isn’t this yours?”
“…Mine?”
Turning around, the book the librarian held was…
‘Necronomicon?’
I sneaked it into the stack… What exactly did she say?
“Um… Is it mine?”
“Yes. All books in this library have tracking magic placed by the Principal to prevent loss or theft. As a librarian, I can access it, but this book lacks that magic. Could it be yours?”
But if it came from the shelf…
There’s no way our esteemed Chancellor would make a mistake. Our Academy’s Chancellor is acclaimed as the most remarkable magician in history yet simultaneously known for being incredibly meticulous. The idea that such a person erred is improbable.
“Is it lost property? No title?”
As the librarian was about to open the book,
“It’s mine.”
“Eh?”
Caught off guard by my spontaneous response, I stammered on.
“This book, it’s mine.”
“Are you sure? But you said earlier…”
“Books like this are common. I thought I had it but… after checking my pockets, it wasn’t there.”
The librarian hesitated, alternately glancing between me and the Necronomicon.
“I see. Mistakes happen. Here you go.”
Apparently, my explanation was deemed plausible.
“To remind you, all forbidden section books have transcription prohibitions. The Chancellor has blocked it, so don’t even attempt it.”
“Naturally. Where’s my shame? Why would I do that~”
Joking around, I shoved the Necronomicon into my magical school uniform pocket.
“In that case, I’ll take my leave.”
“Alright. Be careful not to meet the Dean on the way.”
“Roger.”
Leaving the librarian, I slowly made my way up while trying to appear unperturbed.
Just as I tried sneaking out of the library, someone stopped me.
“Arthur! Did you go to the forbidden section?”
Reeti.
“Was ‘A Childhood Friend I Haven’t Seen in Years Turns Out to Be a Girl?!’ there?”
Ah, right—forgot something.
“Reeti.”
“Hmm?”
“Sorry, I forgot.”
“…”
Reeti dramatically collapsed to her knees, devastated.
“Ah… You’re dead to me~!!”
