Chatper 16: Assistance before the Interduchy Tournament
The last chance for passing exams in proper time, before the reputation damage, was upon us. Or, more precisely, upon all the poor souls who were frenetically cramming for their unfinished classes. All carrels in the library were occupied, and a bunch of books and study guides lent out.
Thankfully, we had already finished this year’s transcription work. For weeks, I had been quite stressed about this deadline, as I had dreaded the possible conflict over reading materials, but everyone had managed on time.
As such, coming to the library was quite a pleasant experience. I only had to distribute payments to the expecting students, who were all regarding me with big smiles. Not a bad job to have.
Afterwards, Marianne and I headed for the underground archive, which, by this point, felt like our personal study room.
“Nobody clashed with us for any translations of ancient texts,” I remarked with a smirk as we reached the door to the underground. “All those students must have passed that class before the socializing.”
“Is it even taught? I heard quite a lot of subjects were scrapped after the civil war,” Marianne mused.
Right, is it even taught? I wasn’t sure at all.
As I grabbed my bags to put them over me, I kept thinking. However, I couldn’t recall Veneria mentioning such a specialty. Maybe it is more about individual study? The researchers studied old texts and ancient magic circles, so they definitely needed at least some competence to read those.
“Maybe a few years down the line we can open our own class,” I replied jokingly.
“As if…” Marianne sighed heavily, grabbing my wrist seemingly on reflex.
She wasn’t even looking my way as she stepped forward.
Wait! I came to the sudden realization just as I lost my balance and stepped forward as well.
Huh?!
“Oh… I…” Marianne turned hastily.
The two bags were still in my hands; I hadn’t managed to put them on. And yet, I was behind the barrier.
We kept staring at each other for a few seconds.
This is awkward. “I guess the bag is not necessary.” I smiled wryly.
Marianne covered her mouth with her hand, trying to keep her noble facade, but it was pretty obvious she was laughing.
At least, she gained experience in brewing, I guess. I widened my smile, trying to overcome the embarrassment. Had I seriously been crossing this door in an orange bag for nothing? It was hard for me to even look at Marianne.
Well, besides her, only Natalie and Estelle had seen my ghost impersonation. And Estelle had also been stuffed in those bags, so she couldn’t tease me about it. Ideally, no one else would find out. Though, I still felt like an idiot.
The injury to my wrist had scared me so much that I hadn’t even considered testing a lesser cover for crossing.
We already established that this barrier sucks. I shook my head and descended into the archive.
I wonder if the other barrier can also be crossed just by hand-holding, I mused as we positioned the next batch of tablets.
The first one gave access to a mere parlor, where one could, at best, watch those who had the real access. So it stood to reason that its restrictions wouldn’t be as selective as with the second one. Though, it would be funny if Rozemyne could literally just bring me there. I looked through the barrier, towards the reading desks that were currently empty.
It would have been much more convenient to sit behind those and have the original and copy placed side by side. With our current arrangement, the original text was obviously behind the barrier, and my piece of paper in front of it.
Such a placement was fine if one transcribed a language they understood because they could keep multiple words in memory after each glance. Here, the words were foreign, so it was necessary to focus on each individual letter to write them down correctly; it wasn’t exactly ideal. My head was constantly nodding between the texts.
We were transcribing a few more tablets from yet another shelf. It was important to try different spots in case important stuff was located in a specific section. Though, my tablet contained only a simple story.
I mean, I understand keeping moral lessons for future generations, but what about cool magic?
I was a little impatient. Just like the students above us, I wanted to return home with some results. Coming here during spring wasn’t exactly a viable option.
“I think this one is a poem or a song,” Marianne remarked with a disappointed voice.
Her words piqued my interest, so I immediately stood up and went to check her portion. Estelle seemed just as intrigued, as she leaned over Marianne’s shoulder.
Yep, it is written in verses. Marianne’s assertion seemed very likely, but what really made me grin was the inclusion of gods’ names. A song invoking gods? That definitely had to do something.
“Finally, a breakthrough!” I exclaimed happily.
“A song?” Marianne raised her eyebrow. “That seems even less valuable than all those ancient documents on the country’s administration.”
“Songs and prayers dedicated to the gods can produce much more powerful effects than spells. This is definitely our way forward to gain credit for Lady Charlotte.” I smiled, clenching my fist.
“Songs and prayers are more powerful than spells?” Marianne blinked at me.
“Did we not have all that discussion about prayers’ value in gaining divine protections? Do you know of any spell that can permanently increase one’s power? Or any spell capable of reinvigorating our gathering spot? Or one that increases the fighting strength of multiple knights?” I kept pointing at all the examples that were already proven.
“I have to admit, even when I understand your point, it’s still hard for me to think about it in such a way.” Marianne produced an uncertain smile.
Natalie had a similar expression on her face. Unlike them, Estelle was completely on my side. She had much more experience with prayers than spells. And by the looks of it, she was already trying to memorize the words on the tablet.
“Estelle, could you move the retrieval tool forward? I want to check the very next tablet.”
Call it a hunch.
“Sure.” She nodded and turned towards her wolf.
The violet highbeast pushed against the lever on my shumil and began circling. Estelle didn’t have to lift a finger. It was much more convenient than when poor Natalie had to physically sit on her highbeast and walk back and forth through the hall.
After a few seconds, the tablet landed on the table in front of us.
“Any more doubts?” I grinned.
There was a magic circle drawn on its surface, no doubt connected to the song. Even Marianne and Natalie had to nod in approval.
“With us confirming the value of this place, and more importantly, securing our credit, we can now bring the retainers of the other archduke candidates,” I declared.
By this point, Estelle more or less qualified as Rozemyne’s retainer, though, officially, only Cornelius and Angelica were the properly enlisted ones. And when it came to theoretical scholarly work, probably just Cornelius. Angelica can guard the door to the archive, I guess.
“Isn’t it a bit premature?” Marianne wondered.
Her expression was quite clear in that she didn’t want to bring anyone yet.
“We want to cooperate on this, not come across as the ones who kept it secret.” I shrugged.
Informing everyone on the last day of school would have sent a pretty bad message. The sooner we would share it, the more goodwill we would garner.
“I guess you are right.” Marianne nodded dejectedly. “It just feels like I progress too slowly.”
“Nonsense. My sister and I are just familiar with the older texts from the temple.” I shook my head resolutely. And Estelle has an unfair advantage with her memory.
“You are actually learning this vernacular,” Natalie tried to cheer her up as well. “I am the only one who merely transcribes the original.”
Though, she was a knight, so even that was outside of her job description. Then again, she hadn’t protested yet, so it was probably fine.
After we finished for the day, I asked Solange for permission to bring the other retainers underground. She was nice enough to allow them access as well. The way we frequented the place, it kind of no longer felt like a restricted archive inside a restricted archive.
The very next morning, we brought Ignaz and Kieland, who served as scholars under Wilfried, and Cornelius with Angelica, because Rozemyne didn’t have anyone else.
“So this barrier allows entrance only to the archnobles?” Cornelius narrowed his eyes, as Angelica placed her palm on the invisible wall. “Yet you managed to get inside as well?” He turned my way.
“One can cross if they are physically led inside by someone with requisite status,” I replied with a complete poker face.
Let’s not mention any orange bags. I glanced at the girls who had previously visited the archive with me.
Cornelius shrugged. “Alright, let’s see it. Though, unlike Lord Ignaz and Lord Kieland, I am not a scholar, so I won’t be much help in this endeavor.”
Kieland nodded with a confident look. He was in Angelica’s year, so by this time, his experience was substantial. Ignaz merely kept a weak smile and tried to look invisible. He was a first-year, just like me.
At our age, the distinction between a knight and a scholar was quite small. Besides some training at home, everyone had the same curriculum, and everyone had very little experience with their job.
“I don’t know, the knights can be quite helpful. Estelle worked really hard,” I remarked to give her some credit.
Was Cornelius already informed about her becoming his colleague? He didn’t react to my words.
On the other hand, Angelica tensed. “I think I should stay here and guard the entrance.”
I knew it! I suppressed a grin.
Cornelius sighed with a weak smile. “Sure.” It seemed that he had expected this as well.
Angelica had heightened senses against any threat, and the possibility of knights getting assigned work in an archive was definitely threatening to her.
The rest of us moved downstairs, where Estelle and I produced our highbeasts and demonstrated the retrieval process by acquiring a new tablet and placing it on the prepared table.
Ignaz and Kieland stared at us with wide eyes, but Cornelius seemed unperturbed. Well, he did serve Rozemyne, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.
“When you said you gained access, I didn’t exactly imagine this.” Cornelius sighed again. “Are we even allowed to enter this place? We might be breaking some kind of rule.”
“It’s an archive in the library, and we asked the librarian whether we could enter.” I shrugged.
What else was there to do?
“But you suspect that only the archduke candidates can cross the second barrier. Aren’t you worried that there might be some materials intended for the archduke candidate course?” Cornelius complained.
Worried? No. More like hoping. Eh, I can’t say that out loud. I refocused. “So far, we have found mostly historical documents, and a ritual that might be on par with already known rituals from the temple,” I tried to sound impartial, like an actual researcher, rather than someone who merely sought forbidden magic.
“Something like the ritual that restored the gathering spot?” Cornelius wondered.
“Yes. Actually, it should be pretty similar. It is dedicated to the replenishment of the riches in the land.” Or, at least, the lines I was able to read fully were celebrating that. We would have to test it to be sure.
“I guess it might be valuable,” Cornelius relented and looked at the tablet. “Though, I can’t read this. Lord Kieland, what about you?”
Now, even Kieland was copying Ignaz’s previous “I’m not here” look, which was quite a clear no.
Cornelius shrugged. “We can at least copy a few pages and forgo the translation for now. There isn’t much time before the Interduchy Tournament, and Lady Rozemyne might appreciate new reading material.”
On that note. “Ehm, Lord Cornelius, I would like to suggest not sharing the origin of these texts with Lady Rozemyne. She seemed already quite frustrated about her inability to visit the library; another hidden archive on top would cause her just more anguish.”
“True.” He nodded knowingly. “It would be for the best if she found out only after being allowed to enter the library herself.”
I was glad that we were on the same page in this regard. His grimace was showing quite clearly that he understood what kind of problem this could cause.
With that settled, we began our work at full. It was great to have actual full rotations for the transcribing. Though, since my highbeast was necessary for the retrieval, my “free time” meant studying ancient language in the corner.
Though, like Cornelius had said, our new working regime was quite short-lived. After a few days, preparations for the Interduchy Tournament took precedence, and I lost my additional workers. Everyone had their own duties to attend to.