Searching the Library

* * *

<This should ensure we remain out of sight, shouldnt it?>

Extra-sama and I were carrying the unconscious Karashia as we proceeded down the unnecessarily long hallway.

At one corner, there was a small door According to the plate attached, it seemed to be a library In any case, we found this room.

While knocking Karashia unconscious was unintended, this worked in our favor.

Our goal was to prevent Karashia from dying, after all.

Well have her rest in this library for now.

Still, to think she fainted just from a slight leak of my murderous aura

<Communication is difficult, isnt it?>

Kii

I slowly and carefully opened the door to avoid making noise.

The inside was indeed just an ordinary library, nothing out of the ordinary.

The shelves were packed with some kind of ledgers, with wooden boxes placed on the floor.

For now, I laid Karashia down on the floor and flipped through one of the ledgers.

While the contents used technical terminology and detailed numbers it seemed to be a record of Makaringis Ore yields.

Incidentally, Ill mention this in case it comes up I am literate.

Extra-sama taught me to read and write from a young age.

<Ah, Makaringis Ore!>

Hn?

You know about it, Extra-sama?

<Remember that faintly reddish ore fragment we found in the outer storehouse? That was likely Makaringis Ore! Based on these ledgers, it seems this family managed a mine that produced Makaringis Ore.>

I see.

For now, I returned the ledger I had picked up to the shelf.

Then I noticed something when looking at the spine labels.

These ledgers seemed compiled annually, with what looked like year information written on the spine labels!

Examining what appeared to be the newest ledger, it was inscribed with Chiltonia Year 4720.

Eh- um, Chiltonia Year?

<Its the widely used global calendar. If I recall, the current year in the Chiltonia calendar should be around 5020 or so.>

Hah?

<In other words, the loop this manor is trapped in may have been repeating for 300 years. The Sancolic architectural style this manor has was popular around that time too, so its likely no mistake.>

You mean that shitty tragedy has been repeating for 300 years?

I instinctively broke out in goosebumps.

<There was probably a human town around here 300 years ago. Maybe even a country. Ensnared in this loop, all traces of human civilization faded away except for this manor No, perhaps this loop itself is>

It was at that moment Extra-sama seemed to enter deduction mode over some realization when:

Nn Nnn?

!!!

A slight rustling sound came from behind me, followed by a faint voice.

Karashia had woken up.

Eh? Kyaa!!

Turning around, my eyes met Karashias as she slowly sat up.

Upon seeing me, her face paled as she let out a small scream, then

A monster! A monster, a monster! Stay away! Stay awaaay!!!

She started shouting as she freaked out!

No, not a monster, not.

Stay back! Stay back, you filthy monster! Someone, someone help meee!!!

I tried approaching to calm her down, but it backfired.

Karashia grabbed whatever was nearby like ledgers and flung them at me one after another.

Gon.

One of the books struck my forehead, making a dull sound.

These ledgers were heavier than I expected for mere stacks of paper.

The cover was made of rigid leather.

In other words, getting hit by one would hurt.

For an ordinary person, the impact area would likely bruise or bleed a little.

I felt a slight irritation.

Inadvertently, I let out another small leak of murderous aura.

Hyan!

Karashia let out a strange sound, her eyes rolling back as she foamed at the mouth and collapsed again.

Reallyyy!?

What is wrong with this person!?

To faint from just that slight irritation, isnt she too frail!?

We cant even communicate!?

<Communication really is difficult.>

In any case, I hastily pricked up my ears to check, but it didnt seem like anyone was approaching this room after that commotion.

The noise seemed to have gone unnoticed.

<For the size of this manor, it does seem to have an oddly small number of servants. I wonder whats going on?>

How should I know something like that?

Ah-, and she made such a mess too

Scattered around my feet were the ledgers Karashia had flung at me.

I picked one up, intending to return it to the shelves, when my gaze shifted and

<Ah?>

Extra-sama seemed to notice something.

<Emi, look at the bookshelf after Karashia threw those ledgers everywhere Theres something hidden behind it!?>

Ah, youre right.

Since the shelves were originally packed tightly with ledgers, I didnt notice, but theres a gap between this bookshelf and the wall, with something stuck inside.

Taking a closer look, that something was peeking out from the edge of the bookshelf, giving more the impression of being carelessly stuffed into the gap rather than intentionally hidden.

So then, this something

When I pulled it out, it was an oil painting taller than my height.

Depicted there was the bust portrait of a beautiful woman with pale purple hair.

While clearly a woman, she wore a sharp-angled jacket more suited for a man, smirking defiantly.

The portrait gave an impression of supreme self-confidence and arrogance.

What is this?

<It doesnt seem very dusty or faded in color. Probably not very old.>

And its quite large and splendid too.

The frames decorations are quite gaudy as well.

I wonder why such a painting was stuffed behind the bookshelves in this library?

The ledgers lined up on the shelves and wooden boxes on the floor were kept fairly organized in here.

Yet this painting alone seemed carelessly stuffed away, sticking out awkwardly.

Hmm, I dont get it!

No matter how much I think about it, I cant figure it out!

I crossed my arms, furrowed my brow, closed my eyes and hummed in thought, but no answers to my doubts came to mind.

<We simply lack enough information about this manor. If we could interview the people here, things would progress faster, but>

Trying to talk just makes them faint, though.

I never expected my poor communication skills to become such an obstacle here!

<Well, lets put aside the mysteries of this manor for now. The important thing is preventing the key Karashia from dying. Our goal is to escape from this manor, from this loop, after all.>

Thats true!

Ill shelve these difficult musings for later!

What I need to do now is guard Karashia.

If preventing her death allows us to escape the loop, then I just need to protect her and ensure her life isnt endangered.

Simple and easy to understand!

Though at this point, I feel like Im the biggest threat to her mental state!

Wrapping up the mental discussion with Extra-sama, our course of action was set.

All that remained was to act accordingly.

I opened my eyes that had been squeezed shut.

Then what entered my field of view was a manor with an outwardly strange appearance.

First, the roof was bright red. Bright crimson red. Additionally, the window frames and other key areas were also painted red.

The walls were coated yellow, with red polka dot patterns drawn here and there.

With only pure white snow piled up around it, its outward appearance stood out bizarrely.

Huh?

A reflexive voice escaped me.

Looking around in bewilderment.

This wasnt the library anymore.

It was outside the manor.

Karashias body that should have been lying unconscious nearby was nowhere to be seen.

This is

<We looped again, didnt we>

If Karashia doesnt die, the loop doesnt occur.

It seems that hypothesis was mistaken.