Aen's eyes widened as he spotted me.
His feet, which had been heading towards the Duke, turned in my direction.
He immediately knelt in front of me and asked urgently, "Why are you here, Miss? Did you get caught up in this? Are you hurt anywhere? Huh?"
Without giving me time to answer, Aen hurriedly checked my condition.
It suddenly occurred to me that... somehow, Ligrin and Aen's behavior patterns were becoming more and more similar.
Instead of me, who was out of it, Ligrin answered.
"She discovered an anomaly while taking a walk near the library and came all the way here 'alone'."
"What, that's... dangerous! In situations like this, you should run away as far as possible without looking back!"
Was it just my imagination, or was Ligrin... snitching on me to Aen?
Ligrin nodded in agreement with Aen's words.
"I agree with the Commander's words. Miss, this time the situation turned out this way, but if a similar incident occurs in the future, you must immediately evacuate to the farthest place. The most important thing is the safety of the Miss, which must never be overlooked."
"The Head Butler is right. The most important thing is the Miss."
"......"
A barrage of nagging flew in from both sides.
These two... were they always so in sync?
They seemed to have gotten much closer while I wasn't looking.
But I knew that all of this was being poured out of concern for me, so I readily gave them the answer they wanted most.
"Yes, I'm sorry. I'll make sure to run away next time."
When I lowered my head with a dejected expression, the momentum of the two subsided considerably.
Then, a bewildered voice flew from a little distance away.
"What... what are you all doing?"
Peeking out slightly from between Ligrin and Aen, Elbert, who was standing next to the Duke, was looking at us with a visibly displeased expression.
To be precise, he seemed very flustered by the sight of Aen and Ligrin, who occupied both sides of me.
"Hello."
When I gave a moderate greeting, he covered his mouth with his fist and coughed, "Ahem!"
Then, he admonished in a somewhat solemn voice.
"You are in front of the Head of the House. Such rude and frivolous behavior-"
Or rather, he was about to.
"Commander Elbert Beden."
Elbert was startled by the low voice that cut off his words and looked at the Duke.
"Yes, yes! Did you call for me, Head of the House!"
Staring at him indifferently, the Duke asked.
"Situation assessment?"
"Ah......!"
Only then realizing his role, he hastily reported.
"Yes, after checking, it is determined to be a side effect caused by the collision of massive magic power."
"Collision of magic power."
The Duke sneered coldly.
Elbert continued to explain, sweating profusely.
"It seems that the ancient magic power did not disappear and remained..."
"Ancient magic power, you say?"
"...It is presumed to be the magic power of the Founder."
"The magic power of the Founder. And that collided with our magic power?"
"That's highly likely, but there's a possibility that another magic power intervened in the process..."
I blankly watched the conversation between the two.
'It's similar.'
The content of the conversation was slightly different, but the flow was clearly the same as before.
And after this...
"Solution?"
"As of now, there is no suitable method... There must be a medium inside the building that caused the magic power collision. Unless that is found and removed..."
Elbert avoided eye contact, sweating profusely.
Behind him, mages and knights were being flung out by the storm, rolling on the floor.
In the end, Elbert murmured heavily, as if delivering a death sentence.
"No one can enter. As it is..."
"So we have to stand by and watch?"
"......"
"I see."
In contrast to Elbert's heavy words, the Duke was too neat.
He looked at the library, enveloped in the violet storm, with indifferent eyes.
He murmured quietly.
"If there's no other way, then it can't be helped."
"Yes. Yes?"
Elbert's eyes widened at his clean abandonment.
"Head of the House...!"
Ligrin, who was next to me, quickly approached the Duke.
"The library is the most important legacy of Rodbel. If it is lost, Rodbel's status will-"
However, the Duke was still calm.
"If our reputation will fall just because a single legacy disappears."
He smiled coldly.
"It's better to just disappear."
"But Head of the House...!"
Even Ligrin, who usually obeyed the Duke's orders absolutely, seemed to find it difficult to accept this time.
That's right. He's saying he'll give up the library.
By the way, why, why!
'Why isn't he showing up yet!'
No matter how long I waited, Giles Smore was nowhere to be seen.
I can't let this go on.
I clenched my fist tightly and approached Ligrin, pulling at his sleeve.
Ligrin, who was persuading the Duke, flinched and looked down at me.
"Miss?"
"Head Butler, have you perhaps seen Sir Giles Smore?"
"Yes?"
He made a face as if wondering what I was suddenly talking about.
'If he doesn't show up, I'll have to go find him myself.'
Ligrin knows everything in the Duke's residence, so he'll know where Giles Smore is.
"Why suddenly..."
Ligrin couldn't hide his bewildered expression.
I guess so.
He must be thinking I'm suddenly looking for someone out of the blue in this urgent situation.
But there's no time to explain.
I have to find him as soon as possible.
I gripped his sleeve even more tightly and asked.
"I really need to know. Do you know where Sir Giles Smore is?"
There's no way you don't know. You know, don't you?
No, you have to know. You have to!
Without realizing it, I clung to him desperately.
"I don't know why you're looking for him, but..."
Ligrin's expression became troubled.
"Sir Giles Smore is currently out of the house."
"......Yes?"
What? What did he do? Out of the house?
My mind went blank for a moment, as if I had been hit in the back of the head.
Out of the house... what does that mean!
"What, what do you mean Giles Smore went somewhere?"
He was just talking to me a while ago, where did he go in the meantime!
"I heard he said he was going back to the main house for a while to clear his head. I believe he left right away... Miss? Are you alright?"
"Alright......"
No, I'm not.
My legs gave out and I collapsed.
My vision was spinning. It felt like something was collapsing.
I looked at the building trapped in the violet storm with trembling eyes.
Why. Why.
'Why now of all times!'
I clenched my fist tightly and squeezed my eyes shut.
My heart was pounding.
I felt like I knew why Giles Smore had suddenly done something so unlike him...
'It's because of me.'
The conversation I had with him changed him.
'He said he would help me next time...'
But he's not here when I need him the most.
A resentful feeling welled up.
In fact... I know it's not Giles Smore's fault.
It's not like he deliberately avoided this situation, and in a way, he doesn't have an obligation to quell the magic storm.
I also know very well that it's all just my personal circumstances.
But, but...
'Let's calm down.'
Dwelling on right and wrong and focusing on pessimistic thoughts won't help at all.
'What should I do now?'
Giles Smore, who was my only hope, isn't coming.
But I can't just stand by and let the things inside disappear.
Then suddenly, a question flashed through my mind.
'Why Giles Smore of all people?'
Elbert Beden, the mages and magic knights, even Aen couldn't break through the storm.
But how was it that only Giles Smore, who was just an ordinary librarian, could break through the storm and go inside?
What was special about Giles Smore?
I remembered the time long ago when the magic storm raged.
Specifically, the words the Duke had said as he passed by.
'One who has been permitted.'
The Duke had clearly said 'one who has been permitted' at that time.
That must have been referring to Giles Smore, who was the only one who had broken through the storm and gone inside.
One who has been permitted... One who has been permitted to enter the library beyond the storm.
By whom?
Probably, the owner of that magic power.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and lifted my head.
The swirling violet storm was strongly imprinted in my vision.
"......The Founder of the House."
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