Episode Seven: The Brothers Galdin and Vilda
After Vilda finally solved the riddle and discovered the target location, the tables and books suddenly began swirling into a dangerous whirlwind, as if forming an armored barrier to protect the target vase.
When Vilda approached it, one of the tables struck him hard, sending him flying. He cried out in pain from the impact, and his shout reached both Galdin and Thomas, who rushed to him immediately. Upon arrival, they saw a whirlwind bristling with books, tables, and chairs, while Vilda sat at a distance, watching.
Galdin: What happened here?!
Vilda: That whirlwind isn't random—it's guarding Amy's core. All we have to do is break through it and get to the vase inside.
Galdin: But how do we break through?
Thomas: With force, of course! We only have fifteen minutes left!
Thomas tossed his staff into the air and shouted:
"Transform—First Form: Sword!"
The staff turned into a sword. Thomas gripped it tightly and charged toward the whirlwind, attempting to slash it. But the whirlwind was relentless, with no clear openings, defending itself fiercely. Thomas tried multiple times, yet its defenses remained unbroken.
Galdin decided to help by using his only spell:
"Shashoki Magic – Electric Surge!"
Electrical currents crackled from his raised hand before he hurled a massive bolt of lightning at the whirlwind. However, since the whirlwind was formed of tables with metal legs, the iron absorbed the electricity, transforming the whirlwind into a massive electrical storm. As a result, the electric charge rebounded onto both Thomas and Galdin, knocking them down and leaving them temporarily stunned.
Vilda (worried): Damn it! Only ten minutes left! What now?
Then Vilda noticed something crucial—the whirlwind wasn't just made of tables and chairs; one side consisted of books and papers. That, he realized, was the only possible entry point. But with the whirlwind spinning at such high speed, getting in was impossible unless they could stop it.
Once Thomas and Galdin got back to their feet, Vilda explained:
Vilda: Listen closely… there's a side of the whirlwind made of books and papers—that's our only entry. But it's spinning too fast. I have a plan.
Galdin & Thomas: What is it?
Vilda: Thomas, you'll strike one of the tables from the side opposite its rotation.
Thomas: Heh! But it's a whirlwind. Even if I hit one table, the rest won't stop.
Vilda: That's where Galdin comes in. When you fired your lightning earlier, the whole whirlwind became a single connected mass. Do it again—then when Thomas strikes, it might stop for a moment. I'll use that moment to slip in from the book side.
Thomas: Hmph… No other choice. Only five minutes left!
The three of them prepared, counted to three… and the plan was set in motion.
Galdin: Shashoki Magic – Electric Surge!
Lightning surged again, merging into the whirlwind. Thomas dashed forward and struck one of the tables in the opposite direction with all his strength. The whirlwind stopped for a split second, though Thomas endured a painful electric shock from the contact.
Vilda seized the chance, leaping toward the side of books and papers, throwing himself into the whirlwind. A chair slammed into him mid-air, nearly knocking him out, but he pushed through and forced his way inside. Only two minutes remained.
The next problem was the vase—it was perched high above. Thinking quickly, Vilda leapt toward the whirlwind's inner wall, which rotated in a circular path. Using its movement, he climbed upward bit by bit. A minute passed. When he reached the highest point, he planted his feet on one of the tables and propelled himself toward the vase.
He caught hold of it, clinging tightly despite the sharp blades concealed inside. Ignoring the pain and blood, he shoved his hand inside and grasped the vase's green core. At the very last moment—precisely as time ran out—the whirlwind stopped and vanished.
Vilda fell from above, but Galdin caught him just in time, landing them both safely.
Amy, the girl in charge of this library section, appeared before them.
Amy: You've passed the test! And here's your reward—the document you came for.
Galdin took the document at last, and Amy escorted them out of the Legal Works section.
Amy: I'm impressed… you're the first to pass my trial.
Galdin (smiling): When you have a clever brother, defeat isn't an option.
The three left the library.
Thomas: Well, that's step one done—we've got the document. Now we need to take it to the notary to have it certified.
And so ends Episode Seven… with the trio heading to the notary to begin the second step of their mission in Episode Eight.