8. The damaged compass
Molter listened to my words, and wore a bitter smirk as an expression of bewilderment crossed his face.
“My uncle has always enjoyed communicating with people and enjoying life, more than focusing on science. I also wonder why he borrowed magic books that he cannot even read.”
Carlex stared silently at the empty bookshelves, then addressed Molter in a dry, lifeless voice:
“I'm tired from the long carriage ride, and I'm thirsty, Baron Hamilton. Can you offer me a cup of tea?”
“I apologize! I was remiss in receiving a guest of this stature. I will take you immediately to the reception hall.”
The moment Baron Moulter left the library to summon the servants, Carlex immediately asked me:
“Library Security Erica, is the book compass still working?”
"Hmm? I'll check that out."
She took out the compass and stood in front of the bookshelf.
Carlex moved closer to me until he was very close to my back.
His confident breathing, the heat emanating from his powerful body, and his strong masculine scent reached me clearly.
But…why does it seem like it's getting closer and closer?
As the distance narrowed little by little, I found myself sandwiched between the bookshelf and Carlex.
“Your Highness, this is disturbing my concentration. Can you please move away for a moment?”
“Don’t be afraid, aren’t you misunderstanding, Librarian Erica?”
Carlex raised the corner of his mouth slightly, smiling slightly sarcastic.
“I'm just preventing any outsider from seeing how the Book Compass works.”
“Why?”
“The existence of the ‘Book Reader’ and the ‘Book Compass’ is a closely held secret that only the library staff knows. Didn’t William even tell you the basic rules?”
“No… but what about Librarian Rose, or His Highness Little Prince Michael?”
I asked in a low voice.
I thought everyone knew, I didn't know it was such a secret.
“Miss Rose Madison is an employee selected after a special test to be responsible for lending magic books. As for Michael, he is my brother and has been granted permission to share the information. It seems that you have a long way to go.”
“We were in the process of handing over assignments, and I did not receive adequate training because of the haste of a hot-tempered VIP.”
Before Carlex's sharp eyes rose, I quickly pointed the name of the book at the compass:
“An Introduction to Lion Magic.”
The needle shot out a beam and turned quickly... Then suddenly the light went out and the compass gave a slight tremor before it stopped.
"Uh? What's this? Did it break down?"
I shook the compass in every direction, and called the name of the book repeatedly, but the needle did not move.
Carlex looked at the compass with a serious expression.
Michael seemed to notice something, as he opened his eyes in surprise.
“Brother, does the Book Compass stop working mean that someone has untracked the location of the magical book?”
“It seems so.”
What's going on here? I just looked at Carlex and Michael in confusion.
“Someone saw the Book Compass interact with the magic book, and belatedly realized there was a location tracker and canceled it.”
Carlex said, furrowing his brow with cold sarcasm:
“إذاً فالكتاب السحري لم يُستَعَر، بل سُرق.”
At that moment, Molter entered the library smiling:
“Have tea prepared in the parlor from here, please...”
Before he could finish speaking, what was before his eyes split with a bright brilliance.
It was a blink of an eye moment.
As he pointed Karlex's sword with silent speed at Molter's neck.
“A…brother!”
“Your Highness the Duke!”
Michael and I screamed in surprise at the same time.
“Ah…why…why are you doing this, Your Highness?”
Carlex's cold eyes filled with anger sparkled with the sword blade.
“Baron Hamilton is dead, so I must hold you, his heir, accountable for the crime. You know very well the punishment for stealing the magic book according to the law of the land. Where did you hide the magic book that should be here?”
“I...I don’t know anything. I didn’t even know that my uncle borrowed a magic book. I’m innocent. Please believe me.”
Moulter froze, so overcome with fear that he couldn't breathe properly.
Carlex raised his eyes just slightly, and began to slowly press the sword aimed at Moltre's neck.
Drops of blood began to flow from his neck and drip onto the sword blade drop by drop.
Molter was so suppressed by terror that he could not scream.
I remembered a fact that I had forgotten for some time: Duke Carlix of the North is also called the bloodthirsty lion of the battlefield.
He became famous for his evil and cruelty, to the point that everyone who heard his name trembled in fear.
In the original story, I thought he was a cold-blooded and elegant duke, but when I saw him in reality, he was just a corrupt character!
Regardless of the importance of the book, the immediate threat of the sword was exaggerated!
I quietly walked towards Carlex and placed my hand on the back of his sword.
The blade was cold as ice, so sharp that if you touched it you might get cut or fall.
Blue-tinged anger flared in his eyes.
“You dare to block the knight's sword? That's rude, Miss Erica.”
“Your Highness, you are overacting.”
I looked directly into his eyes and said softly:
“You can conduct the investigation according to official procedures, you can issue an order to search the palace with soldiers, and most importantly…”
I turned my gaze to Michael.
I felt pity for the little prince, who was trembling in fear more than Moltre.
“His Highness Prince Michael is watching, please have mercy on him.”
Carlex's harsh facial expression vanished in a flash.
Fear was evident on Michael, who may have seen for the first time his brother pointing a sword at someone.
Carlex slowly drew his sword.
When the sword that was pointed at his neck disappeared, Moltre relaxed as if the tension had lifted from him, and collapsed into a sitting position.
“I will send soldiers to search the palace if you escape, I will pursue you to the end, and I will punish you according to the law of the land. Do you have an objection, Count?”
“For the honor of the Hamilton family, I will actively cooperate. Please trust in our family’s innocence.”
Molter's face was pale, but he answered steadily.
There was still fear and panic towards the Duke, but his appearance was not that of one who was lying.
Carlex stared at Moltre with a cold, piercing stare, then turned coldly and fluttered the hem of his cloak.
“Anyone who claims innocence, we will consider that we have had tea.”
I snuck up behind the advancing Duke and took Michael with me.
As soon as he left the palace, Carlex gave an order to his waiting driver:
“Go immediately to the Royal Library! Hurry!”
The coachman was repairing the carriage wheel with the gatekeeper, and when he heard the Duke's order, he quickly arranged and took the reins of the horses.
When Michael and I got into the carriage, it started moving as fast as it could.
Because of the very high speed, I held Michael tightly for fear that he would fall.
“Your Highness the Little Prince, are you okay? It seems that you were very frightened a while ago.”
Michael took a deep breath to calm himself.
“I'm fine, sister. My brother works for the kingdom. I understand.”
“But it was so exaggerated a little while ago that he didn’t even listen to the other party’s explanation, and immediately drew his sword.”
“My brother told me that you cannot always be nice to everyone, and sometimes you have to show an example with the sword to maintain order. My brother is the sword that protects Ruberia.”
Michael defended Carlex's actions in a small but calm voice.
Carlex has always lived a subversive life in which he advances only by bringing down his opponents.
For him, the sword is order and justice.
Maybe his justice is right.
History is always ruled by whoever owns the sword.
Behind the many historical turning points, the victories of wars, the prosperity and decline of states, there has always been someone with strong military power.
But I do not want to agree to this justice.
I looked in silence into Michael's clear, pure eyes.
“However, I believe that it is people with good hearts like you, Your Highness Prince Michael, who will make a better world.”
Michael just smiled silently.
When I felt that the atmosphere was becoming heavy, I turned the conversation to “The Compass of Books.”
“In the end, we didn't get the magic book back. Where did it go?”
Michael's face was filled with deep thought.
“I also found it strange. There is a magic that tracks locations on magical books, and the Book Compass can find it, but the needle stopped just before.”
“Did it break down?”
Michael shook his head firmly.
“The ‘Book Compass’ was made by a high-ranking wizard. It is a magical tool. If the needle does not work, it means that someone destroyed the location-tracking magic on the magical book.”
“He even removed the tracking device so the magic book wouldn't be found? Was the book that important?”
Michael also sighed, as if feeling frustrated.
“This is the strange thing. The ‘Introduction to Magic’ book does not contain magic power. Even if the magic book is stolen, it is useless.”
What is the relationship? I couldn't follow up, so I asked:
“Wait a minute, aren’t magic books supposed to contain magic power?”
Michael looked at me with a look that said, “Don’t you know that too?”
“Of course, when using high-level magic, or drawing a large magic circle, we need a magic book that originally contains magic power. Magic books cannot be loaned abroad. They can only be read inside the library. ‘The Book of Introduction to Lion Magic’ does not contain magic power, so it can be loaned. However, because it is a magic book, the conditions for lending it are strict.”
Ah, that's why magic books are so strictly managed in the Royal Library to prevent leakage.
“Now, where do we find that book? Even the Book Compass is powerless.”
Michael smiled reassuringly as if to say don't worry.
“If we tell Director William, he will give us the solution. He is the strongest wizard in Ruberia.”
We are back to square one.
Count Hamilton, who borrowed the book, has died, and the book that should have been in the library has disappeared.
Who took that book?
As a librarian, it's a mission that motivates me: the unrecovered book must be recovered.
I took out the ink pen that William gave me, and recorded the information of the magic book in my notebook.
Michael stared at the fountain pen curiously.
“Sister, this fountain pen, isn’t it Director William’s?”
“How did you know?”
“I always saw him using it. I heard it was a magical tool.”
Michael looked at him like he was a child looking at a new toy with envy.
“How lucky you are, sister. Magic tools are rare and precious, their value equivalent to a large palace.”
“A...really?”
Cold sweat poured down.
I was fiddling with a palazzo's worth of expensive fountain pen in my bag.
I ask your forgiveness, manager.
I will carry it with me as a talisman from now on.
A loud and powerful bird's voice was heard in the distance.
Michael looked at the sky outside the window happily.
“It's my brother's message bird. It seems the 'Shadow Knights' are near here.”
In the blue sky, a large hawk was circling overhead.
Michael Carlex, who was riding beside the carriage, asked:
“Brother, shall we stop the car?”
“No, it's urgent. Keep going. I'll check on the message bird and follow you soon.”
“Yes, my brother quickly caught up with us.”
From behind the carriage window, the sight of Carlex stopping his horse grew further and further away.
When he whistled, a large beautiful falcon descended from the sky as if to greet his great master.
The sight of the knight standing with his black hair flying, and the falcon landing on his arm, was majestic.
I found myself staring at this scene, transfixed, when Michael asked me in a proud voice:
“Isn’t my brother really cool?”
“Yes, it's… huh?”
With Michael's sudden question, my hidden thoughts unintentionally sparked.
“I also think my brother is at his most amazing when he is with his falcon.”
I was afraid that the smart, intelligent boy would discover my thoughts, so I quickly turned the conversation around.
“I was wondering a while ago, what are ‘Shadow Knights’?”
“They are knights who protect my brother, and they are always near him. They have probably been following us since we left the library.”
"Really? I didn't notice them at all."
This is amazing.
I thought Carlex had been protecting us alone since we left the library, so where were the 'Shadow Knights'?
They must be very skilled to hide so perfectly.
“There are many enemies targeting my brother. Thanks to the Shadow Knights, he has survived many assassination attempts and surprise attacks as well...”
Collision! click!
It was a moment.
There was a loud crashing sound from the cart wheel, and a cracking sound.
At the same time, the cart lost its balance and began to shake violently.
‘What… what is this…’
I tried to see what was happening outside the window, when the cart began to lean sharply to one side.
One of the wheels had been smashed into splinters.
The driver screamed, jumped out of the car and fell to the ground.
I heard the neighing of terrified horses as they raged.
The cart continued to advance at a frightening speed, tilting more and more until it almost hit the ground and crashed.
Really, am I going to die like this?
I thought I was going to die by the guillotine, but I was going to die in a car accident.
I saw Michael trembling and tears streaming from his eyes in fear.
Instinctively, I hugged the boy with all my strength.
no. I don't want to die like this!
[To be continued in the next chapter]
You can find the advanced chapters and leaks in the Telegram channel, link in the pinned comment