Tatakau Shisho

Volume 3, Fragment: Napping in the Hospital?Room

“Whatever you say, the Director’s also a Librarian. Even though she fought so hard, so didn’t destroy even a single Book. But just in case, we should re-examine everything.”

Minth said to Mirepoc who was walking next to him. The two of them were on their way back after checking the damage to the Archives and Labyrinths. They were walking together in the collapsed Fourth Labyrinth.

“Right…”

Mirepoc’s voice was glum.

“With this our job’s done. There are still some worrying matters, though.”

It is true that they were able to fight off the Indulging God Cult. However, the damage they received wasn’t small.

Due to the collapse, all routes from 22 to 45 became inaccessible. Although the Labyrinth was able to repair itself, it will take several years until it returns to normal.

The Labyrinth will be eventually restored. However, their two comrades will never return. They will never be able to fight alongside Mokkania and Feekiee again. Both of them were valuable combat assets, and they were both important comrades. Although Mokkania betrayed them, he was still important to them nonetheless.

The man called Winkeny was born so he could defeat Mokkania. In short, it meant that their side lost from the very beginning.

Once again I wasn’t able to do anything, Mirepoc thought.

“Minth-san, why do you think the Cult wanted Haiza’s Book?”

“I dunno. We’re investigating it right now.”

“I never knew him, what kind of a person was he?”

“I never met him either. It was about ten years ago.”

I see, Mirepoc thought.

Although he was Mirepoc’s senior, his career only started about three years ago. He wasn’t a veteran at all.

“Did he belong to the Indulging God Cult?”

“…If it was so, we would have known before putting him in the Archive. Since she found no important information inside, the Director decided to shelve him.”

“But they aimed for his Book…”

“I have no idea about that, but perhaps there was something important written inside.”

It will need to be investigated from hereafter. How closer were they getting to the Cult’s truth?

“What kind of a job did this Haiza have?”

“Same as me. He was a second-grade Armed Librarian and not really strong.”

“More specifically, what did he do?”

Minth smiled as if telling her ‘look for yourself if you want to know’.

“Probably the regular stuff – shelving Books and managing the mines. Also… what was it? I can’t remember the name…”

Minth started thinking.

“Ah right. He investigated the Book-seller called Lascall Othello.”

Mirepoc stopped in her tracks.

“Lascall Othello?”

“What’s wrong, Mirepoc?”

It was a name that rose during Mirepoc’s reasoning once before. A name that she gave up on investigating once she was unable to find any clues or relevance to matters on hand. It was unbelievable that she would hear it again.

“Lascall Othello…”

Mirepoc had a premonition – that name could become a turning point in the long battle.

At Bantorra Library’s downtown hospital, Hamyuts was breathing as she slept. She was in a room where one could see the sea dyed by the setting sun from the window.

Even her robust body needed some time to recover. Even compared to the various generations of Acting Directors, she bore grievous wounds many times.

“Mm…”

Hamyuts opened her eyes. At the same time the door to the room opened and Mattalast peeked inside.

“Were you sleeping?”

“A little.”

Hamyuts rubbed her eyes as she said that.

“I had a good dream, Mattalast.”

“Was it about Mokkania?”

Hamyuts nodded. Mattalast knew about it – her good dreams were mostly the same. She would dream of someone she had fought before killing her.

She often dreamed about the bombs, Cigal, or Enlike killing her.

“I wasn’t able to find Shlamuffen and my sling was also lost somewhere. I was at my wits’ end.”

She said while smiling. How many times had she dreamed about Mokkania killing her so far?

Hamyuts turned around in bed. Her laughter suddenly became a worried voice.

“Hey, Matt. I’m really worried. I defeated the one who is the world’s strongest in the Labyrinth while fighting him there.”

“You did.”

“Will I be even able to meet others like him from now on? I feel like there aren’t any other people in this world that can kill me.”

Hamyuts spoke anxiously. It was a tone Mattalast didn’t hear in a long time. He smiled as if thinking it was cute.

“One will definitely come. There are a lot of men. You will be able to meet a splendid one.”

While raising her body, Hamyuts looked at Mattalast’s face.

“Like you?”

Mattalast shrugged.

“Stop.”

Hamyuts giggled.

“I just came to see you today. The Library’s hectic, so I have to return soon.”

“Yeah, do that. I’ll feel bad if you have a mountain of work to do when I return.”

Despite her saying this, Mattalast stayed there for a while and watched the sea from the window. They didn’t talk. Before long, he started speaking again.

“Hey, Hammy.”

Hamyuts didn’t reply.

“You’re strange. You desire a battle more than anyone else, but never initiate that battle yourself. You are always, always patiently waiting for someone to kill you.”

No reply.

“It’s as if…”

Hamyuts seemed to already fall asleep again. Mattalast smiled wryly.

Without continuing his words, he left the hospital room.

“As if… what?”

Listening to the sound of the door being closed, Hamyuts quietly muttered.

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