Academy’s New Guard is Unusual - Chapter 22

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 22
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
I opened my eyes slowly at the shrill scream.
Mailo was thrashing about. I gave him a light kick.
“……Huh?!”
Only after being kicked in the backside did Mailo come to his senses and survey the situation.
The surroundings were filled with walls made of books and armed books.
A world made of books—the Central Library.
Ding! A cheerful sound rang out. A Quest alert.
You have cleared the sudden Quest “Demon Knight Order”! New record for fastest completion! You have achieved a remarkable feat! Rewards are being distributed!
Warning! Growth has reached its limit! Stats cannot be distributed!
Additional stats are being unlocked! Please select the stat you wish to receive!
Strength
Agility
Intelligence
Vitality
Lifespan
Charisma
Appearance
Luck
Thankfully, “Glory” didn’t appear this time.
I made my selection immediately.
You have selected Luck. Rewards are being distributed.
‘A Fragment of Foreign God and Luck on top of that. Nearly a double event.’
As expected, Rifts paid out proportionally to their difficulty. It was the reason I couldn’t surrender them.
I intended to monopolize Rifts from here on.
The method for monopolizing Rifts was simple.
‘Just follow Evangeline around.’
Turning my gaze to Evangeline, I let out a small sigh.
Evangeline and Andy were tangled together in a messy heap.
“Get off! You’re heavy!”
“Heavy, you say! How dare you!”
“I said move!”
“Gaaah!”
Andy kicked Evangeline away. She tumbled across the floor like something out of a cheap comedy sketch.
Just then, the books drew near.
“How dare you, mere books—”
As if to vent his frustration, Mailo rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.
“Mailo.”
“Leave it to me. I’ll handle them.”
Mailo rolled his shoulders and grinned confidently.
Foolish words. The Central Library itself is half a Rift. It’s existed so long that it’s half merged with reality, but it’s unquestionably an A-rank Rift.
I can’t even guarantee handling an A-rank Rift myself, and he wants me to leave it to him—
Then, an aura rose from the sword made of bookshelves. Mailo’s confident face turned pale.
“What—what book is producing an aura!”
“If it’s just producing an aura, that’s the lucky part. There’s also a Sword Master.”
“A book being a Sword Master? What kind of ridiculous joke is that?”
“A joke?”
I laughed softly.
The Central Library has the setting that an ancient kingdom was cursed and transformed entirely into books. Deep within it, there was even a Sword Master.
“Is it really true that a book is a Sword Master?”
“To be precise, it’s a Sword Master who was cursed and transformed into books.”
Of course, being cursed made them weaker than a true Sword Master, but a Sword Master is still a Sword Master.
That was why the Central Library was classified as an A-rank Rift.
“Ugh, um—”
Mailo cleared his throat nervously and slipped behind me.
I clicked my tongue and turned my gaze toward Evangeline.
A brilliant Crown had appeared on Evangeline’s head.
“Evangeline, wear the Crown properly.”
“Huh? It appeared again!”
Evangeline grabbed the Crown and shook it. She seemed to treat it like a toy.
I spoke urgently again.
“Evangeline, wear the Crown properly.”
“I don’t want to!”
Evangeline replied curtly. When I frowned, Mailo suddenly shouted.
“Put it on properly, damn it!!”
Startled, Evangeline quickly placed the Crown properly on her head.
“Why are you shouting! And I was going to wear it anyway! Not because you told me to! I’m a Queen!”
Evangeline, wearing the Crown, lifted her chin proudly. Thanks to her unparalleled beauty across the continent, the ornate Crown suited her perfectly.
Radiant light poured from the Crown. The approaching books halted abruptly.
The books lowered their bookshelves and bowed toward Evangeline as if paying homage to a monarch. Soon books from all directions prostrated themselves.
“I am a Queen. Hehehehe—”
Evangeline let out a sinister laugh. It was her usual trashy demeanor.
“You’re no Queen. You’re just a Librarian at this facility.”
“That’s not true! I’m a Queen!”
“A Librarian. And a lowly Grade-2 Librarian at that.”
“But I’m wearing a Crown like this?! Such a magnificent, splendid Crown!”
“If you don’t believe me, ask directly.”
I gestured toward the largest book. Though it was a book, I could somehow sense it wore a relieved expression.
“The book that gave me the Crown!”
“Yes, ask it.”
“Excuse me! Is it really true that I’m a Librarian?!”
The book opened from left to right.
“Phew! See, it says no!”
“Books are read from left to right. That means yes.”
“What do you mean! It says no, right? I’m a Queen, right?”
Whoosh. This time the book opened from right to left.
“Opening in reverse means no.”
“So I’m not a Queen but a Librarian?”
Whoosh.
“Left to right means yes.”
“Stop explaining! I understand now!”
“Oh, you’re smarter than I thought.”
“……What exactly do you take me for?!”
Blockhead? I swallowed the word that had risen to my lips.
Evangeline’s face was full of confusion. She seemed genuinely disappointed at not being a Queen.
“A Librarian gains access to books within the Central Library depending on their grade. Merely think of the book you need, and it will come to you. It will be especially helpful for assignments and exams.”
I emphasized “especially helpful.”
Elysium Academy was famous for its numerous tests and assignments. At such an institution, a Librarian’s ability to find books was a kind of cheat.
It was an ability Evangeline desperately needed to graduate.
“Think of the book you want and reach out your hand.”
“The book I want—? Oh!”
Realizing the value of being a Librarian, Evangeline’s eyes lit up.
“By the power of the Librarian, I command! Come forth! Kyaaaaah!”
“You don’t need to shout. Just think of it.”
“But then it won’t have any flavor!”
“An interesting perspective.”
“Kyaaaaah!”
Books flew toward Evangeline.
The sight was mystical, but the problem lay in the titles of the books.
‘The Prince’s Secret Thoughts, What Did the Emperor Swallow? What in the—’
They were openly indecent titles.
“This is amazing! Even better than being a Queen!”
Evangeline’s eyes sparkled as if she’d discovered treasure. Andy had a similar expression, which was an even bigger problem. I pressed my temples.
“In any case, as a Librarian, you can find any book you want. But there are duties in return.”
“Duties?”
“Rights come with obligations.”
“I don’t like obligations!”
She spoke such shameless words with utter confidence. I clicked my tongue.
“Since you’re a Librarian, you must do a Librarian’s work.”
“What is a Librarian’s work?”
“Periodically organizing books and handling problems that arise within the Central Library.”
“Just hearing about it sounds troublesome. What if I don’t do it?”
I was genuinely amazed at Evangeline’s attitude—planning not to do something before she’d even started. She was trash of the highest order.
“You’ll become a book.”
“Become a book?”
“Yes, like these.”
I gestured toward the surrounding books. Following my finger, Evangeline’s face turned pale.
“So these were originally—”
“Yes.”
I nodded lightly, and Evangeline bit her lip tightly. Deep pity appeared in her eyes.
But soon Evangeline wore her usual foolish smile. It looked like she was putting on a mask.
“Then at least they won’t be lonely!”
Evangeline curled up the corners of her mouth. I nodded again.
“Now go.”
“Wait a moment. Let’s make a deal.”
Evangeline spoke with a shrewd expression.
“A deal?”
“Yes, exchanging one thing each of us wants.”
“You have something you want, then.”
“Yes, please keep it secret that Andy came into the Central Library. Andy was dragged in because of me.”
Evangeline spoke with an unusually firm tone.
In truth, I’d already planned to keep it secret. Rather, I would have had to force it to remain secret.
My goal was Evangeline’s graduation. I needed to make sure she gained extra credit instead.
“Fine. I’ll keep it secret that both of you entered.”
“……Really?”
“Yes, but there’s a condition.”
Evangeline’s mouth tightened.
“What—what is it?”
“Study hard.”
“Huh?”
“Study hard.”
“……Wait! That’s too difficult a condition!”
I deliberately ignored Evangeline’s shrill protest.
“Time to go. They’ll be looking for us.”
“Looking for whom?”
“Two freshmen who escaped during the opening ceremony and vanished.”
“Who escaped—. Oh!”
Evangeline and Andy’s faces went pale.
“Hurry! Let’s go!”
Evangeline gestured urgently. A carriage made of books came rushing.
“Quickly! Quickly!” both Andy and Evangeline shouted at once.
“Go out the back gate.”
“Why?!”
“The main gate will be swarming with flies.”
The principal, vice-principal, and director who absorbed the Fragment of Foreign God would have noticed the Rift opening by now. Especially the vice-principal—there was a chance he’d already moved Karel.
Of course, since we speedran through, we shouldn’t encounter anyone, but it’s better to be safe.
“Are you afraid of flies?”
At Evangeline’s raised eyebrow, I let out an involuntary sigh.
Andy nodded as if he understood completely.
* * *
‘Hurry, hurry.’
Karel muttered, staring at the tightly closed front gate of the Central Library.
“There’s no need to be anxious.”
Then a gentle voice came from beside him. It was Professor Elena.
“Only the principal or the director can sense that a Rift has opened. The principal is in no condition to move, and the director won’t, so we’ll be the fastest.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Karel tried to calm himself.
“It’s opened!!”
The tightly closed front gate of the Central Library slowly opened.
“We’ll enter immediately. Since we’re fastest, don’t move hastily. In the name of the Divine—”
“In the name of the Divine—”
Everyone made the sign of the cross. Pure white light blazed brilliantly. They entered the Central Library, enveloped in Divine Power.
The Central Library was filled with books from floor to ceiling. It was easy to lose one’s way.
“Check the Rift Compass.”
At Elena’s command, Karel confirmed the compass in his hand.
It was covered in pure white and gold, but the needle at its center was grotesquely made of flesh. It was crafted from the Fragment of Foreign God.
“This way.”
Karel guided them along the path the Rift Compass indicated. They hurried forward.
Soon they arrived at the location the Rift Compass was pointing to.
The problem was that there was nothing there.
“The Rift Compass is pointing here. There was definitely a Rift in this location.”
Karel spoke in a shaking voice, bewildered. Elena’s eyebrows rose.
“Are you saying someone closed the Rift in the meantime? A Rift cannot simply be broken with raw power alone. For a low-rank Rift to be closed in that short span—even a strong figure like Bandero couldn’t accomplish such a thing.”
Confronted with Elena’s point, Karel examined the Rift Compass in his hand again. It was still spinning round and round.
“The Rift Compass seems to be malfunctioning.”
“Malfunctioning? A Rift Compass doesn’t malfunction. You seem inexperienced at reading it and lost your way. Let me check.”
Elena clicked her tongue and took Karel’s Rift Compass.
“The Rift Compass needle points toward where a Rift is. When you reach the Rift’s location, the needle spins like this. ……Huh?”
The needle in the Rift Compass in Elena’s hand continued to spin.
Continuously—
“……It—it’s malfunctioning?”
Elena turned away from Karel’s gaze.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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