Chapter 377

In fact, thinking about it, it was no big deal.

Roan naturally had the right to inherit the property and fief of the Darc family, and it was rather merely delayed for sixteen years.

…Besides, to Roan, who was a black mage, the Empire’s property had no value.

Delion managed to live as the family head somehow without getting caught by anyone, but hadn’t Roan already been exposed!

‘As expected, fleeing when the opportunity arises would be the best choice.’

Therefore, this inheritance was merely a deception targeted at the Empire.

However, to Sion’s ears, this seemed to feel like some great step toward rebuilding the Darc family.

“Uwaah! Roan! Congratulations, truly!!!”

Sion eventually couldn’t hold back her tears and burst into crying on the street.

Naturally, she couldn’t help but catch the eyes of the students passing by.

“What? Did Darc make the Saintess candidate cry?”

“Look at that blasphemy…”

“Even a black mage wouldn’t be that vicious…!”

For the listening black mage, it was a statement that made him feel uncomfortable.

No matter how much the reason Sion cried was because she was moved, it meant nothing if the public did not believe it.

Didn’t they call this a witch hunt on Earth!

“Stop crying and let’s go quickly.”

“Ah, yes… *hic*.”

Fortunately (?), Sion quickly quelled her tears at Roan’s prompting and left the spot.

Fortunately, it was during the evening when the number of students was low; otherwise, who knew what kind of rumors would spread tomorrow.

[Because of your master, our master is in trouble! Apologize quickly!]

*Meowww—*

When Bell scolded with a flap of his wing, Noeul-ie washed her face with her paws and cried.

To Roan, even that was worrying.

‘Those punks would surely spread rumors saying Bell was bullying Noeul-ie.’

By nature, right before fleeing, one had to watch out even for falling leaves!

“Look at that, Dragon-ie plays really well with Noeul-ie.”

“Darc doesn’t deserve him, as expected~”

…So he thought, but there was something Roan had overlooked.

Namely, the fact that the students were enthusiastic fans who harbored infinite affection specifically for Bell!

However, Roan clenched his teeth, ignored it, and strictly instructed Bell.

‘Once you enter the shelter, you must play well. Play well as if showing off to the other spiritual beasts.’

[I don’t think there’s a need to go that far…]

*Glare—!*

[O-Of course! Leave it to me!]

Looking at it lately, Bell was not particularly trustworthy either, but he was still better since there were so many people who were completely untrustworthy.

Roan and Sion arrived at the library not long after.

“Freshmen, I see. If it is your first time, please take the rules of use.”

“Ah, the rules of use are…”

“I’ll take one this time.”

Sion had been to the library a few times and tried to decline, but Roan stepped forward and received it.

Sion asked, her eyes widening,

“Do you not know the rules of use?”

“…Why say such harsh words.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Sion thought he must have his own reasons.

Roan’s fierce gaze raised the persuasiveness even further.

“Go play well with Dragon-ie and Pointy~”

*Meow— Flutter—*

“It’s Bell and Charlotte.”

“Ah, it’s just that they sound like adult names…”

After dropping by the divine spiritual beast shelter, Roan and Sion entered the library.

Sion spoke as she looked at the heavy rules of use in her hand,

“But why the rules of use?”

“It’s about time we start being careful.”

“Be careful?”

“Yes. Elront Grand Library is no different from a living organism.”

“…”

Hearing Roan’s words, Sion pouted slightly and fell into thought.

And then,

*Tap, tap—*

she lightly stomped on the floor with one foot.

“What are you doing?”

When Roan asked, Sion answered, her face flushing pink,

“Ah, you said it was a living organism, so I wondered if this hurts it…”

“…”

When Roan stopped walking and stared at her intently, Sion hurriedly waved her hands.

“I-It’s a joke, a joke!”

“Sure, let’s go with that.”

Roan continued.

“Anyway, this library has a certain rhythm with a cycle of one year. The activity gradually becomes livelier from the start of the school year, and becomes quiet again toward the end of the year.”

“Activity…”

What kind of activity did a library perform?

Roan pointed with his chin to Sion’s rules of use.

“It’s the same for those rules of use. Depending on the library’s activity cycle, rules are added or removed.”

“Heck! Really?”

Sion opened the rules of use in surprise.

However, there was no particular difference in the beginning section.

“Most of it is similar, but anyway, if something inexplicable happens in the library, you should refer to the rules of use, so it would be good to carry them with you in the future.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sion bound the rules of use tightly to her belt as if not wanting to lose them.

“The books regarding side jobs are on the first floor, Bookcase AC-222.”

“What about you, Roan?”

“I have to go up to the third floor.”

“Th-Then, I guess I’ll go with you.”

“Why?”

Roan asked as if he truly didn’t know the reason, but Sion only glossed over it and did not answer.

In fact, reading books about side jobs surely wouldn’t help in Uli’s class anyway.

“I will help you with your research!”

“Hmm. Do as you wish.”

She also strongly wished to willingly assist in the historical first step of rebuilding the Darc family.

‘Saying that strange things happen, hearing that makes me scared for no reason!’

…Of course, she was also slightly frightened by the warning Roan had given earlier.

As always, when scared, sticking close to Roan’s side was safe and good.

At any rate, since Roan had roamed the library even with Hector before, there was nothing uncomfortable about Sion.

At the very least, she wouldn’t look up an ominous book like “A Casebook of Cowardly Black Mages Hiding in Society” in front of a black mage.

After going up to the third floor, Roan looked for the bookcase where white papers on the geography of various parts of the Empire were gathered.

Although information about the Darc family could not be found, quite a few records regarding the Ehadan fief where the family resided remained.

Roughly how many people lived there, what the terrain of the fief was like, what animals lived there, and what the famous attractions were.

If he inherited it but did not even know such things, he might raise the suspicion of the Empire.

‘He doesn’t even know the total population of his fief? Could he be a black mage who took the inheritance just to disguise himself?’

Especially now, although things had quieted down a bit, since Lucia was showing interest in him, he had to be careful, and careful again.

Straight away, Sion also asked Roan about the related content.

“But what are you trying to look up regarding the Ehadan fief?”

‘As expected of a Saintess candidate of the Empire!’

Such insidious intent to subtly sound out the opponent!

Roan was sometimes surprised by his own excellent judgment.

*Hum—*

“Can’t she ask that much as a friend? She even offered to help…”

The False Divinity vibrated as if flustered.

“It feels like an extremely ordinary and everyday question rather than suspicion…”

‘Right, do you think Demona and Hector, who call themselves friends, would ask such a thing.’

*Rumble—*

“Th-That’s true. Those guys are fools.”

The False Divinity had no choice but to acknowledge Roan’s words.

Roan thought for a moment and then told her, appropriately mixing his real purpose and his disguised purpose.

“First, I need to grasp the terrain of the fief and think about how to utilize it.”

Naturally, he was trying to find remote areas where he could evacuate in case of emergency.

“Although it is an ownerless land, I should also find out if any famous figures reside there.”

Of course, he had absolutely no intention of going anywhere near where named characters appeared.

“Although it is unlikely, it would be good to find out in advance if there are places suspected of housing black mages or heretics.”

Perhaps he could receive help from them.

Having heard all of Roan’s explanation, Sion nodded heavily.

“Indeed, Roan, you really have a plan for everything.”

Just as she said, Roan had a plan.

The only problem was that he had not told her the real plan.

Completely unaware of such things, Sion clenched both fists and raised her enthusiasm.

“Then I will start now too!”

“…Do as you wish.”

Roan also readily nodded.

Since there would be no problem at all in looking at the materials about the Ehadan fief together anyway.

Information was all about how it was utilized!

* * *

“Ah! They say there are still villages remaining in various places in the Ehadan fief!”

“Hmm, that would be correct. Are there about thirty-six places?”

“Ah? Yes, yes. Around that number. No, how…?”

Just as she declared, Sion enthusiastically helped Roan with his research.

Pulling out all books from the shelves if their titles were related to ‘Ehadan’ or the eastern part of the Empire, she searched through them and told Roan what she found.

“They say there is a place called ‘Iarn Primeval Forest’ in the Ehadan fief, and many people have gone missing after entering it. Heck, a whole company of the knights also went missing ten years ago…”

“Ah, that is nothing much. It was probably because they were sucked into the spirit realm. They must have returned.”

“Ah? That’s true? They should have written that down first…”

Seeing her sweating as she told him information that was quite hard to find, one could know how hard she was working.

“In the remaining villages of the Ehadan fief, they collect a special low tax rate, and that is said to still remain in the form of a fund. Even if it’s a low rate, the amount must be enormous.”

“Hmm. Right now it should be roughly three million gold.”

“Pardon?”

However, even if the information was found so diligently, they were ultimately things Roan already roughly knew.

‘Then why did he come to the library?’

Sion, as always, expressed her pure curiosity in the form of a question.

“Roan, how do you know all of those things? You are amazing!”

At this, Roan spoke with a feigned hurt expression.

“Still, it is my family, so saying ‘how do you know’ is a bit…”

“Ah…”

Sion, who possessed very high empathy, could quickly realize how hurtful the question she threw without thinking must have been.

Just because Roan hadn’t received the inheritance yet didn’t mean he was not a Darc.

For instance, Sion’s words just now would sound like, ‘A guy who lived while neglecting and ignoring his family until now, yet it is admirable to see you studying to take the inheritance now.’

…Actually, Roan did not think so spitefully either.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Well, that could happen. I did some studying during my days living in the Holy Emperor’s Palace.”

Now, Roan had no hesitation in referring to his life on Earth as ‘the Holy Emperor’s Palace days.’

“Even so…”

In any case, as Sion, who had deeply reflected on her fault, became teary-eyed again, Roan let out a sigh and said,

“If you keep crying, the boogeyman will come.”

“The b-boogeyman?”

Sion blinked her large eyes and looked around.

But indeed, someone was standing next to them before they knew it, without a sound!

Sion, seeing that alien appearance, let out a scream.

“Kyaaaaaaaah───!!!!”

“Li… braaa…”

“We apologize for making a scene in the library. I will give her a strict warning.”

*Whoosh—*

Strictly speaking, he was not standing but floating on a giant book.

The librarian of the library, Morlay, had come to find them.

Since even Morlay wouldn’t have the ability to appear the instant she screamed, he simply seemed to have some business with them.

Roan spoke to Sion seriously,

“Are you a child, shouting in the library like that.”

“Ah, no, that’s…”

Sion wanted to say, ‘Wouldn’t anyone be surprised if a burning sloth suddenly appeared next to them?’ but she couldn’t bring herself to do so because of Morlay.

Sion also knew very well from rumors how fierce of a personality Morlay possessed.

In any case, Morlay also had business, so he let this matter slide.

“Boooook…”

“Hmm?”

Although Morlay seemed to speak only a single syllable, Roan reacted as if he understood everything.

“By any chance, has a book thief appeared?”