Mozlan's work ethic was fast.
"Keke, I am... the great magician... huh? Who are you...?"
"This is him. Take him away." After lifting Dwalkie's head by the hair to check his face, the gentlemen quickly restrained his arms.
"Um, excuse me, is there a problem...?" Only then did the drunken dwarf regain his senses and try to understand the situation, but it was in vain.
"You don't need to know."
"B-but..."
"Are you dissatisfied with our handling?"
It seemed that if he nodded, they would take Hikurod away too. I covered his mouth and answered for him. "No."
"…Are you Little Balkan? You're wise for a barbarian." The knight's tone of voice and gaze made it difficult to hear that as a compliment.
As soon as they left the tavern with the drunken Dwalkie, the dwarf started to get agitated. "Bjorn! They must have misunderstood something. T-that guy would never do something like that!"
It definitely wasn't wrong. Contempt for the nobility? Maybe identity theft, but contempt? That was hard to accept, even for me.
"We have to help!"
What should I do to save a comrade who had been kidnapped by the public authorities? I closed my eyes.
"Hikurod, c-calm down. When Bjorrrn gets like this, it means he has a solution!"
Ugh, and I thought I was finally going to get some rest today. Why did something like this always happen? Before I could do anything, I needed to get a clear picture of the situation. We still had no information. I didn't even know if Dwalkie had actually insulted a nobleman, or if he'd simply been misunderstood, or if he'd been set up. So I left the tavern and headed to Mozlan's headquarters.
"Wait until the investigation is officially closed."
Even within the game, the closed-off and arrogant Mozlan wouldn't give anything away. So I turned to Shavin.
"Did Mozlan take it? I'll look into it. Although I can't guarantee I'll learn anything..."
"That's enough, thanks."
"It's no big deal."
Since Shavin was a civil servant, I decided she would have easier access to information than an explorer on the ground.
"He'll still be alive, right?"
"Hikurod! I understand your concern, but stop saying things that will bring bad luck and stay still."
"OK."
We were all waiting for news from Shavin and spent the whole day outside Mozlan's headquarters.
"Huh? Isn't that Dwalkie?"
"It seems so."
Dwalkie walked out the front door, his shoulders slumped. Contrary to the dwarf's fears, there appeared to be no signs of torture, not even wounds.
Hikurod lunged at him. "You! Are you alright? How's the investigation going? If they let you go, it means there was a misunderstanding, right? I knew it!"
«Ah, well...» For some reason, Dwalkie just bowed his head without even being happy to see us. «...Let's go somewhere else. There I will tell you everything». For now, we moved as Dwalkie wished to a tavern that we often visited when holding meetings related to the Labyrinth. After some snacks and the beer we had ordered arrived, Dwalkie began in a sad voice. «Looks like I'll have to leave the team...».
After Erwen and Ainar, it was the third time I had heard something like this. The dwarf gasped. «No, what are you talking about?! Explain it in detail!»
«Well...» Dwalkie started, and then let out a long sigh. «It would be ridiculous to try to hide it now. To be honest, there is something I have hidden from all of you».
«¿Hidden?»
«My older brother... is Baron Martoin».
«What?» Missha jadeó.
«So you're saying you're really from the nobility?».
Everyone opened their mouths in surprise, but Dwalkie closed his eyes and continued talking. «That's half true. I am the son of former Baron Martoin and one of his maids».
An illegitimate son of a noble family. It was not a story unknown to me, which had been exposed to many modern soap operas. The story that followed wasn't much different either.
«As I was the humiliation of the family, as soon as I was born I was adopted by the baroness's third younger brother, my adoptive father Tirva. Of course, it was just a formality, and it was my mother who really raised me». Even so, the baron sent him money regularly and thanks to this he was able to learn magic and grow comfortably. It was a complicated family story just to hear.
However, the dwarf did not seem to have time to wait patiently. «And what does that have to do with leaving the team?».
«A year ago, my father, Baron Martoin, passed away. And my second brother took his place».
«Hmm, not the first?» brown interrupted with a question.
Dwalkie continued in a frank voice: «That's right. The second son. That's the problem».
«I don't understand, why is it a problem?».
«After the death of the former baron, many people died, from the first brother to many others in the line of succession...». Those words were sufficient explanation to determine that Baron Martoin's bloody power struggle was the cause of this incident. «It was the second brother who sent the Mozlan».
«That's right. Maybe a warning: live as peacefully as ever», I suggested.
«But why now?»
«I think my conversion into an explorer bothered him. I've also been learning a lot of magic lately... You must have been worried because there's even a famous person on my team».
Ah, uh ... um ... Are you blaming me now?
Honestly, it was a bit of a stretch, but I briefly summed up Dwalkie's words. «Anyway, does that mean you can't enter the maze anymore because you're afraid of your second brother?».
«You really... you don't know how to beat around the bush. You are not wrong. But whatever my will, it would be the same either way».
«What do you mean?»
«They took away my access to the labyrinth instead of punishing me for insulting a nobleman». Simply put, it meant that even if he wanted to work with us, there was no way to do it anymore.
«Bjorn, isn't there another way?» Hikurod and Missha's serious eyes turned to me.
I closed my eyes in silence. Instead of looking for the answer to a problem that had no solution, I thought about what day it was today.
What a headache.
There were nine days left until the labyrinth opened again. Would I be able to find a new partner before that? Honestly, nothing in my life was easy. «For now, we will think about this matter individually, and then we will meet again tomorrow and talk about it».
«Yes, I'm sure not even you will be able to come up with an action plan right away. Let's do it».
After setting the next appointment, we separated. Hikurod and Dwalkie decided to have a drink somewhere quiet, and Rotmiller went home. I decided to go to the library.
«Eh? Do you go to the library?», Missha question.
«I have unfinished business with the librarian from before».
«... At this time so late?»
«If I hurry, I'll get there before it closes».
«I see... Do you want me to go with you?»
What was this boy talking about? «Alright. Go rest».
«It's not like I have anything to do at home...»
«What do you mean? If you have time, swing your sword once more. Today you played all day».
After saying goodbye to Missha, who tried to insist on following me, I hurried to the library. Originally, I was going to rest well today and go tomorrow, but there had been a change of plans.
***
«Parsytiev-» When I got to the library, the librarian was about to charm me mechanically when she shuddered. «You are...»
«Come to think of it, I never formally introduced myself. I am Bjorn, son of Yandel».
«...Of course I know your name.»
That was true. Anyway, after that conversation, there was silence. I always felt uncomfortable with this one.
«…Let's close it ready. Are you going in?»
«No, I didn't come to read today».
«So...?»
How should I describe my situation? After thinking about it for a while, like a barbarian, I got straight to the point. «Ragna Litaniel Peprok.»
«You don't need to call me by my full name».
«Ragna, what rank do you have as a mage?». I asked coldly, but there was no answer for a while.
His face seemed to ask: «What kind of rude bastard is this?». True, Raven was also angry at this question.
«Let me ask you this first. Why are you suddenly curious about that?» Ragna, who looked like a softer guy than Raven, asked calmly.
I answered honestly. «Something has happened and the magician on my team cannot enter the maze. I want to ask you if you can pause your work here and enter the maze together...»
«Me him.»
Uh huh, so it's a rejection. At the resolute voice, I clarified my regrets. «I see. If your range is so low that you can't enter the maze, there is nothing you can do about it.»
«... When did I say that?»
«Then you have enough skills».
Realizing that he was probing her, Ragna stopped half-angry and made a expressionless expression. «Because... are you curious about that?».
«... What are you talking about? Anyway, this conversation ends here. If you don't want to, I can't do anything». I changed the subject. «So what is it about? Shavin Emoor told me you would have something prepared for me».
«... How do you say? Anything prepared for you?» Ragna furrowed her eyebrows as if it were the first time she had heard it, then grabbed her forehead as she understood. «Ha... Is that what you said?».
«Speaks in a way you can understand».
«I tell you in advance so you don't misunderstand me». Ragna only confessed her heartfelt circumstances after hearing my assurance that I promised not to misunderstand her. «Shavin said his position in the department has risen because of you. So he asked me for my opinion for a way to reward you, and.... I told him you like reading books».
«¿Y?»
«That was it, and suddenly he mentioned something he owed him and asked me to return it to you instead. So this is not coming from me, but from Shavin. You understand?»
«…Understood.»
Simply put, she had something in store for me, although I didn't know why she tried so hard to emphasize that it wasn't coming from her. If it were me, I'd give myself more credit.
«Have you really understood me correctly?»
«Yeah. So what's the gift?»
«Is a book.»
«... ¿One book?»
When I tilted my head, Ragna closed her eyes and recited a spell. «Bierdo Parsytiev».
When the spell was completed, a dazzling golden light flashed on my body. The singing was even a little different than usual. «What is this?»
When asked, Ragna explained it to me in detail, unlike usual. «There are high security books in this library that do not respond to the normal magic of Book Recognition».
«...I didn't know something like that was hidden here».
«Originally, it was a privilege granted only to nobles or a select few with permission».
A kind of secret library for the establishment. I felt like I had received an unexpected gift, and I was stunned. «Is it okay for you to grant me something like that?».
«As long as you don't tell everyone, there won't be a problem. Since I took over as librarian, I've only used this magic a handful of times, anyway». Ragna continued in a slightly gloomy voice: «Who could be interested in this place?».
I was also starting to get curious about his story.
***
Click, clack.
In the empty library, with only the clicking of shoes echoing in the silence, he was reading a book thanks to Ragna's careful consideration.
«Why did you come so late? Ugh, okay. Then I will especially allow you just for today».
When it was time to close, all the visitors were kicked out, but Ragna allowed me to stay until all the books were organized. I felt a little strange, like I had entered an area exclusively for authorized people.
Click, clack.
I put down the book I was reading for a moment and looked at Ragna.
I was wondering how he organized this place, I guess it's all done by magic.
The books fell into place on the empty shelves every time she waved her wand the slightest. I suddenly wondered if they were going to the right places, but... Now that I think about it, the books in this library didn't need to be in a particular place since magic allowed you to find the books you wanted.
Hesperates. «What's the Spider?»
«Dime.»
«When we met, didn't you tell me to put all the books I read in their original place?»
«I usually say that when I'm too lazy to explain it in detail. Since it's magic, there are a lot of people who ask questions unnecessarily».
«...Ya veo.»
They were very hurtful words for a barbarian, but I didn't let it show and continued reading. Was it because these books had a high level of security? It was obvious in the content.
Rafdonia Organization Chart
There were books that dealt with the public institutions of this city, which talked about groups that included the Ministry of Security, that is, hunters of evil spirits.
The world of evil spirits
Some books even dealt in depth with Ghostbusters. In this book, an agent who entered his spirit world returned half dead.
With such a system, you would not be in any danger.
Thanks to this, I was convinced that I could take the pill I had in my possession when the time was right. I was still focused on another book. Just as I finished one and was about to read the next, my hands stiffened as I read the title.
The Complete Book of Cracks II
Wasn't this the name of the book Raven had mentioned? I quickly opened the first page and checked the content, and soon understood why he acted the way he did.
...I see why she was so obsessive.
It was a kind of strategy book. All the hidden elements he had discovered through countless experiments and tricks were written, although there were only four cracks in the description due to the physical limitations of the book.
It must be a treasure for the people here.
The contents were so perfectly organized that not even I saw gaps to fill. Because it was so well maintained, contrary to what Raven said that the book had been written by a stranger, the author's name was also written on the last page.
«Auril Gavis...?» I read the name aloud without realizing it and was paralyzed like a statue.
Shit, why is this bastard's name here?
Auril Gavis was the name of the creator of Dungeon and Stone.