DTBTHS Chapter 25

"Someone's library?"

"I mean, are the other rooms also filled with things that other people read throughout their lifetimes?"

Pie's face became confused. The child-spirit seemed unable to understand what she meant.

"Other rooms, other people? No other people."

"No, that's not what I mean—"

"Phantom Library, only Aria. Aria, only person. Only visitor. Only resident."

"...So there's really no one else who comes here besides me?"

"Every day, waiting, searching, investigating. None. Humans, absent."

Pie looked dejected for a moment, then pushed the book toward her again.

"Aria request, interesting! Searched hard! Big discovery! Big success! Big victory!"

"Hm? Something I asked for?"

She accepted the book that Pie thrust at her with such urgency. The moment she opened it and saw the first page, she was struck speechless.

'El script.'

Unlike the books in her library written in Hangeul, this was written in El script—the continent's common language.

The first line read:

Raaratschua Labyrinth Subjugation Report.

'Raaratschua?'

Wasn't Raaratschua the name of the mountain behind Snowstorm Castle? The place where the eternal snow crown rested.

There's going to be a labyrinth there?

'No, wait—this must be about a labyrinth that existed there before. But where on earth did this book come from? A book that someone in this world read? Are there libraries belonging to people from this world somewhere here too?'

"From here! Aria, read from here!"

Pie interrupted, flipping several pages. The child's finger pressed firmly on one spot.

Due to the failure of the first subjugation and the monsters that poured forth, defensive lines collapsed, causing massive damage within the castle. (List of casualties attached below)

"Aria request, asked for, Veronica, here!"

Veronica Brante (24 years old, female, Snow Leopard Knights member): Devoured while protecting Young Count Erich Weaver from a monster mimic. Deceased.

'This isn't the past...it isn't.'

Her eyes wavered.

Pie, completely unaware of Ariadne's shock, smiled brightly and chattered on.

"Novel, 10 volumes, searched all! Name Veronica, none. No results. So looked at other books! Search range expanded, retry, re-expand, re-search. Found!"

Ariadne looked down at the child whose eyes sparkled, seeking praise.

The fact that Pie had found this report was more astonishing than its contents.

So—Pie had searched through all the other libraries in the Phantom Library and found this because the information about 'Veronica Brante's death' she'd requested wasn't in the original work.

From a library somewhere in the Phantom Library belonging to someone who lived in this world.

And moreover, content about a future that hasn't occurred yet in the current timeline of this world.

'Books read by other people. From different time periods, too.'

The first thing that came to mind was the utility of this ability.

If she could find records from other worlds and different time periods, Pie might be able to access nearly all existing information and knowledge.

'This is a complete cheat code.'

Goosebumps rose on her skin.

Ariadne washed her face dry to calm herself. Her legs trembled so much that she set down the report, sat down, and took deep breaths.

'...In a way, is this like a search engine from my past life? If the other rooms are like my library, it wouldn't be able to find materials that someone hasn't recorded.'

But no search engine could search records from the future. This was clearly a power beyond that.

"Aria? Hurt?"

"No."

"This, wrong? Error? Incorrect result? Failure?"

Pie asked dejectedly. Ariadne quickly shook her head.

"No, it's accurate. You did well, Pie. Thank you."

"Success! Correct! Solved! Happy!"

Pie smiled innocently and bounced around. She stared blankly at the child—this unidentified being, presumably the grand spirit of the Phantom Library.

"Pie."

"Yes?"

"Could you find other things too? Even content that isn't in my library?"

"Yes! Bored! Tedious, idle, leisurely. What does Aria want to know?"

Innocent golden eyes turned toward her. Ariadne pulled out the question sitting at the very top of the many that surged up.

"...Information about the death of Gloria Weaver, Duchess of Eldier."

Whether Duke Franz Eldier truly killed the Duchess.

If he did, whether there was evidence.

She had circumstantial evidence but no physical proof. The Archmage and the Margrave were probably in the same situation.

In the original work, there were hardly any mentions of Ariadne Eldier, so there would be absolutely no information about the Duchess's death.

'It could just be an accident, but...'

If it wasn't an accident, and if evidence existed.

She looked at Pie anxiously. Pie tilted her head, then nodded readily.

"Gloria Weaver? Yes, okay! Received, confirmed. Will search!"

"Thank you!"

Ariadne suddenly embraced the child. Pie also laughed cheerfully and burrowed into her arms.

"Aria, like."

"Yes, I like Pie too. Oh, this is a gift."

She took out the Elixir bottle she'd brought. Pie's eyes widened at the sight of the small glass bottle.

"Elixir?"

"Yeah, it's the first one I made."

"Ribbon has letters. My name."

"Because it's a gift for you."

Pie, who had been touching the yellow ribbon with her fingertips, suddenly dashed to one side of the bookshelf.

It was the section where she'd gathered things she liked among what Ariadne had brought her—candy wrappers, teaspoons, and such.

Pie carefully placed the Elixir bottle in the center of that spot, then cautiously untied the attached ribbon.

Then she ran over holding the yellow ribbon and held it out to Ariadne.

"Ribbon!"

"Hm?"

"Ribbon, in hair, like Aria. Teach me, ribbon tying!"

"You want to tie your hair with a ribbon? Then I'll bring you some of my ribbons next time."

Pie shook her head vigorously and held up the yellow ribbon string with her name written on it.

"Don't want other ribbon. Like this ribbon."

"That's not that kind of ribbon. I just attached it as a name tag. I'll bring you prettier ones."

"No! Against, dislike, reject. Pie wants this ribbon."

Pie held up the ribbon string resolutely.

Ariadne eventually gave up persuading her and tied the child's white hair with the yellow ribbon. Pie blushed and smiled broadly.

After leaving the Phantom Library, Ariadne came out of the laboratory carrying the glass bottles.

Veronica was leaning against the wall in the corridor outside the laboratory, nodding off.

'Pretty carefree for a guard knight.'

Ariadne approached with a quiet laugh.

The moment she entered a certain distance, Veronica's eyes opened soundlessly.

Her jet-black eyes rolled toward Ariadne, and only after confirming who she was did her gaze soften smoothly.

"So cute...no, Miss. Are you...yawn...finished?"

Veronica, who rose slowly, stretched and yawned.

Ariadne, who had been startled when she'd been glared at, regained her composure and held out a glass bottle.

"Yes. This is a gift."

"What is this...?"

Since it was before revealing the existence of Elixir to the world, she couldn't explain in detail. She gave a vague answer.

"Keep it with you and use it if you're injured with no other means available. You can drink it or apply it."

"A potion...? For recovery? Did you make this yourself, Miss?"

"Yes, I made it with Grandfather's help. It's the first one I've made, but its performance should be fine."

"To think you made it yourself, Miss...that's amazing. Thank you!"

Veronica examined the small glass bottle with her name tag attached with fascination, then tucked it into her waist.

'According to the records Pie found, Veronica dies at age 24—eight years from now. There's plenty of time left, so I don't need to worry for a while.'

"By the way, do you know where Brother Erich is right now?"

"Why that petty young master?"

Veronica frowned. Ariadne took out another glass bottle.

"I want to give him this too."

"He...won't even know to be grateful. The sincerity of your first personally-made potion...he won't even properly understand. It's a waste."

Veronica criticized Erich relentlessly in her slow, quiet voice.

'Like when I first met her, she treats Young Count Erich very casually. Though the Margrave treated him quite casually too.'

If you thought of her as a commoner orphan rescued by the Countess, the attitude was hard to understand.

'Oh, no—she said she was already a Spirit Knight when they met, right? And she immediately participated in actual combat. Then it's closer to being scouted than rescued. If that's the case, it's different.'

In Elysium, which had been fighting holy wars for over a century, Spirit Knights—especially skilled Spirit Knights—were extremely precious talent.

Such people were treated at nobility level regardless of their origins, and if they achieved merit, they could obtain titles and become true nobles.

Therefore, Spirit Knights affiliated with noble houses didn't have lord-vassal relationships based on oaths of loyalty like knights before the labyrinths appeared.

'It's closer to the relationship between a salaried boss and professional employees from my past life. Now I understand a bit better.'

Ariadne answered with a smile.

"It's fine since I want to give it. It's not a gift expecting something in return."

"You're truly kind, Miss..."

Veronica, who sighed, led the way. Ariadne was left speechless.

'Kind, me?'

The reason she was giving Erich a gift was to appease him, since he was apparently reflecting again because of her.

It was also part of her plan to build a foundation for trust by showing him the Elixir and piquing his interest.

'If I were truly kind, I would have already returned the blank contract Uncle gave me.'

And I'd immediately make the Elixir public to save people instead of thinking about making money with it.

Having memories of a past life was, in a way, no different from deceiving everyone around her.

'...I'm already rotten from the point where I calculate gains versus effort when dealing with people.'

Reflecting on herself brought self-loathing. She thought she was truly selfish and suspicious.

'From now on...I'll use information the protagonist discovered in the original work to recruit the protagonist's companions myself, and I'll achieve what the protagonist accomplished instead.'

Wouldn't that be no different from stealing the protagonist's position? She felt guilty.

Even the Elixir in her hand was an item made by simply following the recipe that the protagonist had obtained after painstakingly bringing down the strengthened Duke Eldier.

Of course, this potion itself was essentially made using 'Ariadne's' blood and life as ingredients.

'...By now the protagonist must be crossing death's threshold, risking his life.'