Vol. 1 - Chapter 35 - Katariona Goes to the Royal Library Without Leon
Today is the day that I had promised to go to the Royal Library with Chris. After visiting the library, she promised to take me to a delicious cafe. I’m really looking forward to it.
Leon has a gods’ conference, I think? It seems that there is this conference with the gods, so he has to go to the divine world. The timing is just right. I was just thinking of secretly inquiring about the matter regarding Marion, but I didn’t want Leon to find out about it. But, now I’m stuck trying to figure out how to convince him to let me go without him.
“The Princess-kid and Marie will be with you. So, I don’t have to worry so much…mm.... No! I’m still worried. If anything should happen, call me immediately!”
“I’m here to pick you up- pinpororin.”
The Time God was here to pick him up, so Leon reluctantly left with him.
“Hey, Marie. What do you think a meeting of the gods is like?”
Chris and her perfect guardian……… are going to come pick me up at the townhouse, so I’m getting ready.
“What’s it like? Do you think they are having an important discussion regarding some big, important topics like the future of the country?”
Through my mirror, I could see Marie tilting her head as she brushes my hair.
A knock came from the door. Is that the butler coming to call me? It is about time for Chris to come and pick me up, isn’t it?
“Come in.”
“Hello! How are you, Rio? It’s been two days since we last met.”
The door opened with a bang, and Chris barged in cheerfully.
“Chris! How are you? I didn’t expect you to come into my room.”
“Fufu. I couldn’t wait!”
‘Ahem,’ It seems like someone is on the other side of the door, trying to get our attention.
“May I enter?”
That voice is!?
“Yes, you may come in. We’re ready.”
The person who came into the room was my Uncle Francis.
“How are you, my beloved niece?”
“How do you do? So, Uncle Francis was the perfect guardian you mentioned?”
“Yes. When I told him I was going on a date with Rio, he was more than happy to oblige.”
Be that as it may, isn’t the Prime Minister a key position? Aren’t you busy?
“I’m happy to hear that, but is your work going to be okay, Uncle?
“No need to worry about that. My aide is a very reliable person.”
………I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Assistant.
“At any rate,......Your Highness. Suddenly barging into a room isn’t something a lady would do.”
“But, it was because I was overjoyed to have an outing with Rio.”
Chris’s cheeks puff up in annoyance to my uncle’s chiding. She’s so cute.
“I was looking forward to it, too. I was excited all morning.”
“If Rio was looking forward to it, then it can’t be helped. I’ll let it pass today.”
My uncle’s stern face, till just a moment ago, went slack.
“The Prime Minister is also just a foolish uncle, isn’t he? By the way, I didn\'t see Fluffy today. Is he in another room?”
(*When she calls him foolish, she meant that he\'s one of those relatives who indulge their children. Sorta like a daughter-con, but in this case, it\'s a niece-con?)
“Ahh, Leon is....ehh… he’s with my father who took him along to boast about his holy beast to some friends…”
I can’t tell her that he went to the God’s Realm for a gods’ conference. After all, Chris only thinks that he’s a holy beast.
“Is that so? That’s too bad. I was hoping to fluff him…”
“Speaking of which, Ellie told me that she keeps a Holy Beast. I wish I could have met her, too.”
She would have met Leon if he hadn’t left.
“Is Sieg not here today?”
“Yes. My brother has been out since this morning to complete a test given by his master.”
It seems that Big Brother got a hold of information from a friend that the Sword Saint of the Wind happened to be in the royal capital and managed to find him and became his disciple.
“Hou-- He’s already found a teacher?”
My uncles nodded in admiration.
In my previous life, the Sword Saint of the Wind was living in the mountains north of our territory hidden from the public. My brother had sought him out, and after going to him many times, he finally became his disciple. But, it seems that history is changing.
“Yes! We’re wasting our time here, so let’s get going!”
Chris was growing impatient and put an end to our uncle-niece conversation.
“Yes, let’s go!”
Holding hands with Chris, we left the room.
Since we’re going to the Royal Library with Her Royal Highness, we are riding in an inconspicuous carriage.
“You said you were looking for a particular book in the Royal Library. What kind of book is it? Is it a rare book?”
My uncle questions me, and I wasn’t sure if I should tell him the truth. Perhaps the history of 200 years ago is treated as a closed book. And, children need to have a parent or guardian’s signature to view the closed stack of books.
“It’s about the history of our family. To be precise, I want to know what happened 200 years ago. The library in the territory’s mansion didn’t have much detailed information regarding it, so I thought that I might find it in the Royal Library.”
At the time of the founding of the country, a law was passed that stated that all books published in the country were to be delivered and stored in the Royal Library. If you go to the Royal Library, you may browse through any of the rare books. However, closed books are prohibited from being lent out. There is an automatic writing that comes in handy, which is also why there are many users who visit the library. I hear that some people come all the way from afar. However, the service is limited to the people of Findalia.
Automatic writing is a useful magical tool with the skill of “copying,” which makes it convenient for copying books.
“The castle of the Marquis of Grandeur was lost 200 years ago. So, there will be few books left from that time.”
“There was a description in the history book that my brother showed me. So, the current lord’s mansion isn’t the ancestral mansion after all?”
The castle ruins in the forest may have originally been the castle of the Marquis de Grandeur.
“200 years ago, in that period of time, the national situation was unstable. I learned in history class that there were skirmishes with neighboring countries. It wouldn’t be strange if the Marquis de Grandeur, living near the border, got involved.”
As expected of Chris. She knows a lot.
“I don’t know the details either, but it seems that the owner who built the current lord’s house two hundred years ago escaped before the castle fell. I heard that he rebuilt his house when the national situation became stable.”
That’s the exact story my brother told me. I wish I could find a book in the Royal Library that would tell me about that time.
When we arrived at the Royal Library, my uncle handed me a document.
“If you find a book you want in the closed section, show them this document. It’s a reading permit with my signature.”
My uncle is well prepared. After all, the Prime Minister is different. Even though he left his work to his aide to go out with his niece, my uncle’s skills as the Prime Minister are excellent. He is well known not only in Findalia but also in the neighboring countries as well.
“I’m going to talk to the head librarian, so you three go on ahead. Don’t follow any strangers.”
He warned me, treating me like a small child…… but, I’m eight-years old now.
“Thank you, uncle. Let’s go, Chris, Marie.”
“Yes. Let’s go and inquire about it from the librarian, first.”
I turned around to find the receptionist,but when I looked back Marie wasn’t there!
She smiled and walked over to me. “There’s also a librarian in the closed stacks, so you’ll have to go there to show your permission slip.”
Marie had already asked at the reception desk. That was fast!
“......Marie works fast. She’s so talented that I want her to work for me in the palace.”
“I’m not giving you Marie.”
The closed stacked books are in the basement. The librarian was shocked when I showed him my permission slip. It’s probably because it has the Prime Minister’s signature on it.
“Miss, the history books are in the back.”
“Thank you.”
Once inside the room, I could smell the unique scent of old books. In the back, I found many books, which seemed to be history books. There\'s just one problem…….I couldn’t read the words.
“What language is this in? I don’t recognize any of the characters.”
“Hmmm. It looks similar to the language of the Eschen Empire; however, it’s slightly different.”
Eschen empire? That’s the same place that the seeds Chris gave me originated from. It’s to the far east…….
“Chris. Can you recognize any of the words?”
“The country… was founded… by....ehh, I can’t decipher these strange, worm-like scribbles.”
“That’s the language of Hinoshima. It reads, ‘The formation of the rise and fall of the country’.”
I turned around at the sound of the voice coming from behind me and saw a man with a very familiar appearance.
“Ah! You’re Tojurou, the Sword Saint of the Wind!”
“Eh--! He’s the Sword Saint of the Wind!? Isn’t he an uncle?”
When Chris and I pointed at him, he made a pouting expression, looking very sullen.
“We just met, and you’re using such an informal way of addressing me? Moreover, I’m not an uncle. I’m not even 18-years old yet.”
Stroking his unkempt, black beard, the Sword Saint of the Wind, Tojurou, looked very dejected.
TL: Hope you guys enjoy the chapter~!
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