The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 54

On a weekend morning bathed in clear sunlight, I grabbed Toureina’s book and headed out.

I considered researching Toureina’s abilities, but as someone almost completely ignorant about magic, it felt like an area I couldn’t even begin to understand.

The wound from the dark poison still throbbed and ached, but I needed to deliver this book to Karen.

‘That guy is going to be busy now…’

He’ll have to forge the loan certificate and stamp the library seal on the book.

As I hurried out of the dormitory’s main gate, I collided with someone who suddenly appeared, and I dropped the book.

“Ouch….”

Normally, I would have just been bumped a little, but because of the injury I sustained in , I ended up falling ungracefully on my butt.

“Are you alright?”

The other person asked politely, offering a hand. I took it without thinking and stood up… and in that moment, my heart and breath hitched.

It was the student council president, Valencidi.

Valencidi, who had helped me up, picked up the dust-covered book and brushed it off. I was so nervous that my palms were drenched in cold sweat.

“『Lin and Friede’s Disciple, the Life and Achievements of Toureina, the Witch of Cigarette Ash』…?”

Ah, crap….

Come to think of it, this guy was a black magician too. Was he waiting for me? To recover the book? No, that can’t be.

‘Then, revenge for his comrades?’

That’s unlikely. Not all black magicians belong to the same faction… and since I defeated both of them, my involvement shouldn’t have leaked out.

“Unlike your glib appearance, you actually read books like this?”

A strange light flickered in Valencidi’s eyes.

I need to stay calm.

If Valencidi is really part of the same group, then the one who shows their emotions first loses.

“There’s no reason why I shouldn’t read it.”

I tried to brush it off with a cocky expression, but my mouth was already parched.

In my current condition, fighting this guy, who is definitely several times stronger than Libeni, would mean dying in 5 seconds, without exaggeration.

Valencidi gave a cynical sneer, as if he was dumbfounded.

“Amazing, don’t you know this is a banned book?”

“A banned book?”

“Currently, all books about Toureina are banned. Did you borrow this from the library?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s a big problem. The ‘Children of Gold’ [a religious order known for hunting down heretics] are at the central library right now.”

Is this what it feels like to be in an impossible situation?

I could feel myself suffocating. There’s a black magician in front of me, and inquisitors behind me….

My pupils were shaking uncontrollably, but Valencidi unexpectedly turned around and started walking away.

‘Whew…’

Just as I was about to let out a sigh of relief, Valencidi glanced back over his shoulder.

“What are you doing? Are you not following me?”

“……?”

“Why are you so flustered? Do I look like someone who would hand over a junior to the Inquisition?”

He’s not that kind of person. He’s the kind of black magician who would kill you so brutally that being interrogated would be a happier fate.

Looking into his empty, dark eyes, my heart trembled.

But I couldn’t show it, so I responded with a playful expression.

“I doubt it. Unless you’re the type to use this as leverage to make me do more work.”

Valencidi snorted and turned to walk in another direction.

“I was going to guide you to the back door of the library, but never mind if you don’t need it.”

Immediately, I grabbed Valencidi’s sleeve in a hurry.

“You know how much I respect you, President, right? I was just joking around because I wanted to talk to you longer.”

This is a high-stakes psychological warfare. I must never reveal that I am wary of Valencidi, the black magician.

If I refuse a request that he has no reason to refuse, he will surely suspect me.

Let’s act under the assumption that this guy is in cahoots with Libeni….

“…….”

Valencidi stared straight at me as if gauging something, then sighed, shook his head, and gestured for me to follow.

As we crossed the campus, students who were out for a weekend stroll greeted Valencidi warmly.

Some students asked him math questions, and others complained that the club’s funding was too short, but he answered them all sincerely.

‘He’s really an enigmatic guy.’

Looking at him like this, I couldn’t even imagine that he was in cahoots with Libeni. He seems to belong to a different faction….

“Do I look like a good person because I’m doing good deeds?”

As we passed through the campus and entered the garden that led to the back of the library, Valencidi suddenly asked when we were in a secluded spot.

“No.”

“Good. Don’t judge people rashly. Tone, expression, and even words… all can easily disguise a good person. The most dangerous people are those who hide their true intentions.”

Valencidi said that, and my heart was pounding. What does he want to say? Why is he saying that?

“Are you perhaps talking about Toureina?”

I tried to play dumb.

However, Valencidi’s voice sank ominously, and he gave an ambiguous answer.

“Maybe.”

My eyes wavered. Does this guy know about Toureina? If Toureina really devoted herself to black magic, it’s not impossible.

But should I ask him about it?

Wouldn’t he suspect that I know his true identity at that moment?

Maybe this is bait. Was this a high-stakes psychological warfare? I was desperately racking my brain when.

“—No, I didn’t borrow it!”

Then, a voice echoed through the rustling forest. It was from the end of the garden maze, where the back door of the library was located around the corner.

“But the loan certificate has Professor Elin Ludwig’s name on it?”

“Ah, I really didn’t!”

This voice was definitely my Aunt Elin’s.

What’s going on…?

As I dashed past Valencidi, I soon saw Elin Ludwig arguing in front of the back door.

“Aunt, um….”

And in front of her, a pair of men and women wearing plate armor with the emblem of the Holy Dragon Haraderi [a powerful religious order] engraved in gold, holding shields and maces, stood facing her.

They were the ‘Children of Gold,’ the Inquisition directly under the Pope.

The man turned to look at me with a stern expression, and the woman who had been politely talking to Elin whistled.

“…….”

My suddenly appearing nephew, the expression on his face showing dismay and embarrassment… and the book in his hand was a banned book.

In a very brief moment, Elin Ludwig finished grasping the entire situation, crossed her arms, and pretended not to know anything.

“Look, I was planning to return it today, so I didn’t borrow it.”

“?”

“If that dim-witted nephew of mine had carried out my instructions just a little faster, I wouldn’t be in the state of borrowing the book right now, would I?”

Then, she strode over to me and snatched the book roughly. *Don’t say anything*, she mouthed.

The inquisitors exchanged glances as if they were dumbfounded by Elin’s behavior. But I was the most dumbfounded….

The female inquisitor asked with a smile, without even sighing once.

“I understand. So, you’re not borrowing the book now, but you admit that you borrowed it, right?”

“That’s right. But why is that a banned book?”

It will be a bit annoying for a while, but Elin herself wouldn’t lose much even if she was harassed by the inquisitors.

She didn’t use black magic to commit taboos, nor did she become a follower of Toureina, she just read a biography.

The same goes for me, but I’m a student.

This is a time when every second is more precious than ever in his life… I just thought it would be better to protect that.

“It’s a bit difficult to say here. So, could you spare some time for us?”

“Of course. But you know I’m busy, right? The genius professor of is none other than yours truly.”

“We know. And will you hand over that book to us? The confiscation order has already been submitted to the central library.”

Even while being taken away by the inquisitors, Elin stood tall and remained arrogant….

Staring blankly at that sight, I quickly ran into the library and took the librarian Karen out to the back door.

Karen, who had been worried about the appearance of the inquisitors, looked pale.

“I just found out about this myself… I’ve been so out of it lately, I’m really sorry.”

Karen explained how the situation had been created where Elin had borrowed Toureina’s book instead of me.

I see….

I guess we were both out of it back then. Forgetting that a freshman borrowed it in the first semester and putting my name on the loan record. I have no face to see my aunt who got caught up in this.

“Karen, as a librarian, you know a lot about banned books, right?”

“Yes?”

“Do you also know the punishment for reading banned books?”

Banned books are classified into three grades.

The first type is Ang (殃) [Disaster], these are books that everyone knows are banned, typically books about the ‘Forgotten Kings,’ the lords of the abyss.

“The second type is Gwi (鬼) [Ghost]… these refer to books that compile black magic. There are no officially published books, and most are manuscripts or ancient editions.”

The third type is Heom (玁) [Barbarian], these are books that could become dangerous.

In this case, the Papal Office quietly moves to confiscate the books scattered across the continent rather than making a public announcement.

Most owners do not know that the book is banned, and only find out when bookstore owners or library librarians tell them.

“Here, Toureina’s book is Heom. Unless you have a colorful record or are a suspect, you’ll only be subject to a few investigations.”

Hearing this, I felt a little relieved. I don’t really like causing trouble for others, and Elin is family.

“But how did you get it? is in an uproar……”

Instead of saying that I got it from that very … I just shrugged as if it was a trade secret. And as I turned to leave, Karen suddenly bowed deeply.

“Thank you, Young Master. I will never forget this favor for the rest of my life.”

I hesitated for a moment.

It was a trip that brought me considerable benefits… except for being targeted by black magicians.

It’s nothing much, but it seems to be a huge deal for this person.

“No need for thanks. I only did it as a side job.”

“Do you know how many people wouldn’t even do that side job?”

“Enough… just manage the books well in the future.”

I felt a warmth in my body, but I didn’t show it. I waved my hand to hide my embarrassment and quickly left the scene.

* * *

‘His expressions are too honest…’

Valencidi’s eyes narrowed as he watched all the events unfold, hidden in the darkness of the garden.

‘His talent as a magician is outstanding, but his talent as a spy is terrible.’

Rain Ludwig, I was sure when that guy pulled up his magic power in preparation for my killing intent.

Just from the musty smell of the sewer on the book cover, I could be sure that it was a book brought from .

‘So, that guy really dealt with Libeni and Milleke…’

Valencidi let out a sigh close to a lament, and a dark blue flame rose from his hand, burning the book he was holding without a trace.

The leather binding, turning black and turning to ashes, had these words written on it.

[Lin and Friede’s Disciple, the Life and Achievements of Toureina, the Witch of Cigarette Ash]

He had switched it when he deliberately bumped into me earlier.

The book that the inquisitors took will have the library seal properly stamped on it. So, there will be no problem. Because it was the book that Valencidi had taken from the central library before.

Valencidi watched indifferently as Toureina’s biography scattered into ashes, and then his body silently disappeared into the darkness.