DTBTHS Chapter 22

'I can't understand how a world inside a book actually exists. How can a world that was merely something an author imagined actually exist for real?'

It might be possible if this world originally existed and the author somehow learned about this world and wrote it as a novel.

Or if the author was a god.

'That's absurd.'

She let out a hollow laugh, then shook her head.

'Well, if I really scrutinize it, the Phantom Library is problematic from the start, and recalling my previous life's memories is also absurd.'

She just had to accept it as how things were and be done with it. What could she do when these were all things that had actually happened?

The question of why these things happened was far less important than what she would do going forward. That alone was overwhelming enough.

'Let's stop with useless worries. This is also a habit.'

The golden liquid had completely cooled. Ariadne stopped her stray thoughts and scooped the liquid into a bottle.

'It looks successful on the outside... I should check.'

She left the room and headed to the back garden behind the western tower. In the Archmage's garden behind the western tower was a corner.

In an isolated space in that garden corner were a few contaminated plants—more precisely, things that had transformed into demon realm plants after being contaminated. They were ones the Archmage was growing for research.

Ariadne stood before a dark purple plant that had sprouted octopus-tentacle-like things instead of leaves.

'This used to be a daffodil before it was contaminated.'

She stared at the writhing tentacle-leaves with a disgusted expression, then opened the glass bottle's lid.

When she tilted the bottle, the golden liquid poured out in a stream.

If it was proper Elixir, the contaminated plant should return to being a daffodil.

Ariadne crouched down, held her breath, and watched the plant. The grass that absorbed the Elixir began to glow faintly.

'...!'

The tentacles' movement stopped. They trembled, then the shell scattered into pieces.

Through the gaps where the dark purple shell disappeared, a yellow, delicate flower appeared. It was a daffodil.

"It worked!"

Ariadne exclaimed excitedly. That was when a sharp voice flew at the back of her head.

"You, what are you doing here?"

Startled, she turned to see a silver-haired boy standing crookedly, looking at her.

It was Erich, who had been punished with three months of confinement in the western tower.

'I was planning to find him anyway.'

Ariadne quickly grabbed her skirt and curtsied.

"Hello, Brother Erich."

"Who's your brother?"

"Didn't Uncle tell you about me?"

"He did, so what?"

"Did you think I'd be adorable just because I'm your cousin? I have no intention of being your brother or anything, so don't call me that familiarly. It's irritating."

Erich retorted irritably. Ariadne stared at him steadily.

'Why is he so hostile?'

Of course, if a stranger cousin suddenly came to live with you, you might feel reluctant.

Still, if that cousin was about twice your age difference and even a different gender, most reasonable people wouldn't go out of their way to pick a fight.

"What are you staring at? Going to tell Father? Go ahead and tell, skeleton."

Erich sneered.

'He's definitely not reasonable. The fact that he's not being careful at all even though he got thoroughly scolded and confined for treating me rudely.'

Ariadne stared at him, then asked outright.

"Do you dislike me?"

"Yeah, I dislike you."

"Why?"

"What good does knowing do? Just get out of here."

Erich jerked his chin toward outside the garden.

"This isn't a place for kids to play. It's Grandfather's garden. Do you know how valuable the plants here are? Leave right now."

"Grandfather gave me permission."

"What?"

"The Archmage personally gave me permission to enter this garden."

Erich's face crumpled.

"You, are you learning magic? From Grandfather?"

"No."

"Did Grandfather bring you here to make you his disciple?"

"No."

"If you're lying, I won't let it slide."

"I have no reason to lie. I really didn't."

"Well, Grandfather did say I'm his last disciple."

Muttering as if somewhat relieved, Erich scowled again.

"You're here to study abroad to learn spirit techniques from my parents, right?"

"What?"

"You're trying to become a spirit knight."

"I'm not."

"Then what, why are you here? You're not even an orphan."

Apparently Erich didn't know what circumstances had led to her living at Snowstorm Castle.

'It's not something to speak of carelessly.'

"I have my reasons."

"What reasons?"

"What good does knowing do? You said you have no intention of being my brother or anything."

When Ariadne smiled brightly and asked back, Erich made an incredulous expression.

"How insolent, what are you saying? To the heir of Weaver!"

"Indeed. You were the Young Count of Weaver, weren't you?"

Ariadne withdrew her smile and added calmly.

"Young Count of Weaver, I'm the heir of Eldier. Show proper respect to the Young Duchess of Eldier."

Erich's mouth fell open. He looked Ariadne up and down as if dumbfounded.

"What did you just say?"

"I showed you courtesy because you're my cousin, but if you're not, then the Young Count should show me courtesy. Isn't that right?"

"...You're not eight years old, are you?"

"I am. But you keep using informal speech, Young Count."

"What, what? Informal speech...?"

"Isn't it too rude toward a Young Duchess? The Young Count emphasizes his own status so much, yet doesn't know how to consider the other party's status."

Erich's mouth opened even wider.

"You, you... you really..."

Apparently quite flustered, he just pointed at her before bursting out.

"This is what's cute? A good and gentle child? How much were you putting on an act? Does Father know you're like this? I'll tell Father the truth..."

"Hmm, you asked me out of nowhere earlier whether I'd tattle to the Margrave, but it was because it's your own habit. Going to tell Father whenever something happens."

When she spoke with a smile, Erich closed his mouth. The boy's face flushed red and purple.

'If I go further, he'll really get angry. I just need to not be looked down on, so let's stop.'

While reviewing the original work centered on Erich Weaver, she'd realized three things.

First, Erich Weaver harbored an inferiority complex inside.

Though he was a magic prodigy of the century, he had a complex about lacking the qualifications to become a spirit knight.

Because of the Weaver family's tradition where most heirs inherited Snowstorm as their spirit beast and became spirit knights, and because both his parents were excellent spirit knights, he'd dreamed of becoming a spirit knight when he was young.

Then he'd been crushed around age seven or eight.

Erich Weaver had no talent for swordsmanship, his spirit affinity was rock bottom, and he couldn't understand spirit techniques at all.

Afterward, he soared the moment his grandfather led him by the hand to learn magic, but the childhood setback had taken root deeper inside him than expected.

He had wanted to become a spirit knight rather than a mage.

'Seeing me riding Snowstorm probably irritated him because of that.'

The cousin who appeared out of nowhere might have looked like a future spirit knight who would inherit his father's Snowstorm.

'He's probably still suspecting that now.'

For Erich, the only reason he could guess for why a Duke's daughter with a perfectly fine father would come live at Weaver was that.

That his father had brought her here while searching for a successor to replace him.

If that was why he was being so hostile.

"...Let me say it again, I didn't come here to become a spirit knight, and I didn't come to become a mage either."

Ariadne looked straight up at Erich's green eyes and said once more.

I didn't come to inherit your father's spirit beast, nor did I come to compete for your grandfather's position as chief disciple, which is the one thing you maintain your pride in.

When she emphasized that point, Erich's momentum clearly softened. Yet he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Then why exactly are you here? Why are you living at our house when you have a perfectly fine ducal family?"

"I don't really need to tell you my private circumstances when you're not even my brother."

"This is really! Hey, skeleton, you..."

"Are we done talking? Now I'll withdraw as you wanted. I finished my experiment anyway."

She deliberately stressed the word "experiment."

It was a word she loathed and wanted to forget, but a word mages were very interested in.

Erich reacted to that word like a mage.

"Experiment? What experiment? What kind of experiment could a little kid like you do here?"

"Don't worry. It's an experiment Grandfather also permitted."

"Grandfather permitted you to experiment here? Even though you're not learning magic?"

That can't be. The boy muttered in bewilderment, then looked down at her as if seeing something bizarre.

It was far from friendly, but that gaze was clearly mixed with curiosity.

'This is easier than expected.'

The second thing she'd learned was that no matter how Erich acted outwardly, he was fundamentally a born mage.

Though he dreamed of being a spirit knight, he was a mage through and through in nature and thinking.

The type who couldn't control their curiosity in fields of interest, whose curiosity preceded all else. The kind who had to dig into and interpret anything they wondered about to be satisfied.

'I thought I could at least stimulate his curiosity even if I couldn't win his favor, and it's actually working.'

"He permitted it, so I experimented. You don't think I did it without permission, do you?"

"What kind of experiment was it?"

"Well then, goodbye."

"Hey! I said what kind of experiment!"

Ariadne ignored the agitated Erich and walked away.

'I don't need to make a good impression.'

The last thing she'd realized was that she didn't need to make a good impression on her future comrades.

Favorability and trust were separate things.

'The protagonist led his comrades around just fine with that personality.'