Assassins Pride - Volume 3 - Chapter 4

Assassin Pride Volume 3 Chapter 4
LESSON: IV ～The Sisters Covered in Angel’s Sweets～

(Unedited)

「Then, does Mule-san also take the certification exam in the library labyrinth?」

While the four of them were walking in a line, Melida who took the second position from the right ask the one on her left side, Mule. The beautiful black hair girl let out a chuckle, and directed that nostalgically bewitching smile.

「Yes. This stage isn’t limited to our training school, also, because the certification exam aims at the active knights-sama.──Naturally the schedule was shifted little by little, and since Bibliagort became unbelievably wide after leaving the starting point, it’s rare to come across other examinees inside」

“Kyuu”, she entwined their arms, Mule brought her face closer in close proximity.

「Surely we are tied by the threads of fate」

「Ehehe, it could be so!」

As Melida answered with a radiant smile, the black hair girl opened her eyes wide for an instant as if being surprised.

「……A, a surprise attack」

While muttering some incomprehensible things, she pressed her lips and stood still. Melida blankly tilted her head while turning back, her eyes were snatched by the figure of the sakura color girl who walked at the left side of the row.

As she was looking down with a faint expression which didn’t change compared to before, Melida herself came to entwine their arms.

「Salasha-san, nice to see you again!」

「Ah, Y, yes, Melida-san! It’s, it’s been a while……!」

Salasha raised her face in a hurry, and was in a state of bewilder over the arm that glued to her.

Having regain her senses, Mule let out a mischievous smile and pressed her mouth.

「Ufufu……Since Sala-chan is meek, so she should be bad against a briskly Melida-chan, don’t you think so?」

「Eeh!? Is that so!?」

「Mi, Miu-chan, stop! Don’t say such weird thing……!」

Toward Salasha who was having her cheeks reddened “kaa”, there was a girl inflated her cheeks without anyone’s notice.

It was Elise. When she approached the blonde cousin from the opposite side of Salasha, she grasped her other arm as if showing ownership. Then she stared at her rival across Melida “Ji～”. Being stared at to the point of having a hole open, Salasha’s eyes swelled up with tears「Hiu!?」

Just like acting, Mule put her hands on her cheek as if a royal court lady.

「Ara ara Melida-chan, you’re really popular」

「One side is about to right thoughー」

Melida and Mule looked at each other’s face for a short while, and laughed「「Ahaha!」」. Elise was still pulling Melida’s arm in a not joking way by any degree, Salasha who was being threatened trembled her body not knowing whether she should cry or laugh.

As if having collected herself she let go of Salasha’s arm, then Melida said.

「Be that as it may, you two should have told us that you are from the knight duke houses!」

「I thought that was something obvious. But if we told you, you wouldn’t come to us for socializing」

Being told so, the Angel sisters Melida and Elise averted their eyes awkwardly.

「Be, because I was restricted in social disposition. Furthermore high society is a bit……」

「Troublesome」

Elise simply said and Melida indirectly followed suit.

With a  chuckle, Mule smiled in a state like it was hard to restrain her emotions.

「That’s strange, really. Even though I have alwaysss wanted to see you two」

At that point, she lifted her face as if struck with an idea right about now「That’s right」

「Nee Melida-chan, Elise-chan. If possible why won’t we proceed with the library labyrinth’s certification exam together like this?」

「Eh, but is it alright……isn’t it cheating?」

「It’s fine. In the first place it’s their fault for leaving us first year without any guidance. Furthermore Melida-chan and Elise-chan are one unit, me and Sala-chan is also an unit, so I want us fellow small birds to support each other」

「U～n, it might be as you said」

In the time Melida tilted her neck, Mule embraced the arm of the nearby Salasha.

「Right, Salasha also think so right?」

「Eh, I , I……────」

After the cherry color little girl listlessly let her gaze swim around, she nodded with her face looking down a little.

Was it just her imagination, but she felt that there was a wordless pressure packed inside Mule’s eyes. However that unconformable feeling was blown and scattered by Mule’s shout of joy which she let out with a jump.

「That settles it! This will be the four daughters of three great knight duke houses──first joint mission (Quest)!!」

「Waa……Hear, hearing that I feel somewhat excited!」

「First group work with Lita……Drool」

「……」

While the other three girls rejoiced over their decision ──

Only one, the sakura color princess stared at the stone floor, a shadow cast in her eyes.

The angles dancing around were completely ignorant of the uneasiness helplessly stirred inside her heart.

──Miu-chan. Is this really, fine?

「The  exam we will be taking is the sixth grade right? If four of us united it wouldn’t be scary anymore. We might finish this in a lickety-split」

She said full of confident, Mule took out a book from the pochette hanging on her shoulder. When she opened it from around the middle pages, a blank page reflected in Melida’s and Elise’s eyes.

As the sisters tilted their heads, Mule chanted the magic word with the book still opened.

「《Once upon a time》!」

What happened after she did that was ink oozing out on the blank page. It automatically and rapidly drew a dense map from one page corner to the other, filling up all the space.

Mule pulled the book closer and stared at the map intensely. Even though she was thinking that she shouldn’t interrupt, but Melida couldn’t hold her question anymore.

「Ju, just what is that book!?」

「It’s the magical book《Maeterlinck’s observation map》. When we use it in Bibliagort, it will tell us the layer’s map and our present location. Just wait for a bit, since there is a time limit I have to remember all I can……────Aa, it disappeared」

When looking at time, it shouldn’t have been even one minute. The page on which the map was drawn blackened abruptly, then got blown by the wind and scattered. After that, again only a blank page remained.

Putting the book with one page less back to her bag, Mule smiled at her friends.

「It seems we are at the 《Second layer》. I also generally remember the lower layers too」

“Let’s go”, Mule stepped forward without hesitation. To not become a lost child in this massive and mysterious library, the other three people looked at each other, then followed the black quartz hair in a hurry.

Melida had become very interested in the content of the pochette hanging on the girl’s shoulder.

「What was that just now? Does something like a magical book exist!?」

「It’s one of Bibliagort’s legacy. Because there is a count on usage time I can’t use it in lavish though.──Don’t the lecturers from St. Frideswide teach you those things?」

“Ugu”, Melida’s throat was clogged, Elise pulled her lips together showily.

「Bringing a map is cheating」

「From how I see it, telling us to explore this vast labyrinth without a map is most unreasonable.──That’s right, since this is a rare chance let me teach you lots of things」

Suddenly Mule stood still and looked around. Four people right now were walking in the long and thin passage surrounded by tall bookshelves. Even if looking up, the shelves’ top couldn’t be seen and the passage stretched far to the front and the back with the end couldn’t be seen.

It was a feeling as if they were locked up in the gap of the book’s page. Even though the girls felt nervous of the narrow field of vision, at the same time the ghosts’ presences since a while ago couldn’t be felt at all, as if they hated being found by the girls.

The moment she felt just a little helpless, Mule’s urged with a bright voice.

「Melida-chan, you roughly know that this Bibliagort is a treasury of precious books right? Each and every book on these shelves that are as far as the eyes can see is the fruit of knowledge that the scholars of Flandre desperately want」

「You mean all of this? It feels so overwhelming……」

「Of course fake ones are also many. Hey, why don’t you try to pick out one for a test?」

Although it was something told very plainly, thinking about it, in the first place bringing back the spoil of war from this dungeon was exactly the meaning of this labyrinth library.

To not make it awkward, Melida aimed at a suitable note and extended her fingers.

And then, her eyes opened wide.

「Hea, heavy……!? What is this, it complete won’t move at all!」

She gripped the sturdy book spine, but no matter how much she pulled with all her might, that thing didn’t move an inch as if it were glued to the shelf. Mule seemed like amused and chuckled.

「Isn’t that obvious? Because Melida-chan has yet to receive the qualification from the labyrinth library」

“Muu”, Melida inflated her cheeks, Mule raised the tips of her lips looking all the more happy.

「Sorry sorry. But you get it now, right? In order to take out the《olden book》from Bibliagort’s bookshelves, a suitable level of qualification from the labyrinth library is needed. In fear of the knowledge being leaked out, the people at that time cast a monstrous curse upon this labyrinth」

「Indeed, they can’t just let anyone roaming around this place」

Mule slowly nodded and further adding in more words.

「Exactly, this is the treasury of forbidden wisdom. However laying a hand on this book with half baked resolves will have too many risks. At any rate because in here, a trap to lead astray and corrupt the tomb robbers had been set.──It’s what I’ve shown you a bit ago, the many kinds of《Magical books》」

「Magical books……」

As Melida was pondering in a small voice, Mule restlessly looked around the bookshelves on the left and right.

Finally, she found a book with its spine glowing faintly which emphasized its own existence and pointed her finger.

「Just who was it that made and replaced these thing, because on the bookshelves of Bibliagort, once in a while the magical books like that one will be mixed in.──This time for sure you should be able take it」

Timidly she stretched her fingers out, although at a glance the book spine was massive, it smoothly slipped off from the bookshelf and settled in her palm. Seeing the obvious phenomenal, she felt an excitement.

「You’re right, I can take it!」

She opened the book that was prompted to her, and fell into despair because of a different reason.

「Wh, what is this alien language!? No way I can read this!」

「Right? It’s one of the curse placed on the magical books. Different from the olden books, anyone can take the magical books from shelves. However for those too, without suitable certification level I don’t know what effect they will show……although it’s possible to use them」

“Hoee”, Melida admired, opposite to her, the silver hair cousin’s pupils doubtfully shun.

「That’s pretty detailed. Even though this is your first time taking the exam like us」

「Because Miu-chan’s family are Bibliagort’s researchers」

The one who made that remark with bell-like voice was Salasha. Feeling happy at what the girl had said, Melida’s face sparkled.

「So that’s why!」

「For generation to generation, the house La Moore is one of the family of scholars who have set up research facility at the top layer of Bibliagort. All the olden books and magical books that are brought back from the labyrinth library are under the rule managed by Miu-chan’s mother.……I’ll only say it here, but the many magical books inside Miu-chan bag are also pilfered from aunt La Moore-sama……」

「As expected, you’re sly」

Being stared at intensely by Elise, Mule swayed her hands in panic.

「A, ara, there should be no rule that says《No carrying》 right? Better than that, look here everyone!　Since we finally got our hands on a magical book, we have to try its effect out!」

「Eh, even when you don’t know what kind of effect it will have?」

Unconsciously Melida hesitated, however Mule completely had a joyous face like a gambler.

「Exactly because we don’t know its effect that we have to confirm its usage right. C’mon now, think of it as trying your luck. The magical word is──《Once upon a time》」

「Okay, this is somehow exciting……On,《Once upon a time》!!」

The moment Melida let out those words, the magical book in her hand returned a clear-sighted response. The rows of words on the opened pages dazzlingly shun ── “Powan!”

「Wappu!?」

A fierce white flame which nobody could stay calm seeing it gushed out, and wrapped all their surroundings.

「What is this!? I can’t see anything!」

「Lita! Lita! Where are you……?」

「Arara? Is this some sort of smoke screen from a magical book?」

「Miu-chan, something cool──is coming to me though!?」

Kyaa Kyaa Kyaa, in the midst of great chaos, the smoke lasted and disappeared after only ten seconds. However when their vision had finally became cleared again, Melida and others, all four opened their eyes wide.

「Our, our clothes are changed!? Since when!?」

Even though they didn’t see any changing actions, the feeling of fabric on their skin had already changed. The four girls had transformed into four different types of fancy clothes.

They weren’t the battle training dress (Battle dress) that used for fighting. Rather, Melida’s clothes had the absolute opposite design. The area around the shoulders were opened wide, and the dress had many layer, it was a party dress.

Courteously on her hair, there was a tiara as if belonging to a ohime-sama, her feet were wearing a high heel glass shoes. Melida frankly stated her feelings.

「This is hard to move!」

「Ara, this is wonderful. Melida-chan, the influence is strong. That just now is the《poetry anthology of Diva》」

「The, then what kind of effect does it have?」

「It’s the magic system that grants enhancement by《the power harbored by people appeared in the story》. The role that was assigned to Melida-chan should be,……《Cinderella》」

Towards the indeed fitting name, Melida secretly dropped her shoulders.

Mule’s voice pleasantly echoed.

「Ara, isn’t it a perfectly fitting happy story for Melida-chan? The effect of the magic should be《until the limit time comes, all the divine protection will keep you safe》──I think?」

「Lita, are you fine?」

Hearing the voice of her cousin who were calm and different from herself, Melida changed her attention toward the girl.

And then she was captivated for an instant.

Elise’s appearance was what is called simple village girl. Was this the motif of a little girl from a childhood school, the flower pattern badges sew on the skirt were lovely. And little red hood that wrapped round her silver hair had a feeling as if it was a wrapping of a homemade sweet.

Melida who admired her from the head to toes had her mouth loosened unavoidably with “Hawawa”.

「Ely, you’re so cute!!」

「……No way. Lita is much cuter」

「Can I hug you?」

「……I don’t mind」

「Don’t show me those love bird exchanges, now will you listen to my opinion?」

Mule’s voice which was a little dejected analyzed Elise’s transformation.

「Elise-chan has the role of《Luvi》. The effect is《harboring the untamed wolf》」

From the mouth of the silver hair girl, fangs were peeking out, Melida who looked at it closely was surprised 「Wa」. Elise embraced Melida’s neck who still was in that position, and started play-biting on her bare shoulders.

「Nom nom……. Lita, delixious」

「Kyahahahaha. It, it’s ticklish!」

As Melida was being troubled by the clinging cousin, “Katsu”, a loud boost sound echoed.

The one who majestically stepped in was Mule La Moore. She was in an appearance full of lascivious and liberation. On her upper body, there was only a band covering her smooth chest, both her shoulders and belly button could be seen. Her lower body was wearing a skirt like some rolling fabrics. Her thighs that were peeking from the slit were charming as ever.

Toward the figure fluttering the thin and transparent veil, Melida and Elise was unknowingly captivated.

「Wha, what is that role? Such a strange looking clothes……!」

「Isn’t this《Abracadabra》? Its effect is《being able to ask for the assistance of a genie》」

「Magical books are so interesting!」

Toward Melida’s face which was honestly glittering, Mule chuckled under the veil.

「That’s right. But this is also a double edged sword, therefore we have to use the unknown effect carefully──」

「Mi, Miu-chaa～～n……!」

At that moment, an extremely pitiful crying voice could be heard. “Drip”, sound of water came again and again.

《Cinderella》and《Luvi》and《Abracadabra》turned around to see what happened. They finally noticed that the figure of the fourth girl, the daughter of the knight duke house, couldn’t be found. The girl who should be at the same sightline had disappeared.

Certainly so, since the source of the voice came from Melida group’s feet. Salasha herself couldn’t stand on her feet either, she was lying on the floor. Her two feet that originally should be stepping on the ground were ── somehow, transformed into vivid scales of fish. Her upper body was naked and two seashells were attached to her chest area. In a state of trying her best to raise her body, Salasha was having tear swelling up in her eyes.

「I, I can’t stand up……! What, in the world is this magic……??」

Instantly, just like having discovered a hidden treasure from thousands years ago Mule’s cheek blushed.

「This, this is wonderful, Sala-chan!《The Mermaid Princess》is a very rare role you know!? Its effect is 《being able to freely dance underwater》……This is also the first time I see this too!」

「Waa, Salasha-san is so incredible! This means you’re invincible under water!」

「If it’s underwater……as long as it’s water……」

「That’s right, if it’s underwater……! Underwater……」

「…………Underwater?」

“Splash”, her tail fin slapped the stone floor. The other three people looked at each other, and kept silent with unspeakably mysterious expressions. As if taking in consideration they turned their back toward her, and confirmed with each other in small whispers.

「Etto, that means, right now that magic is……」

「There’s no place to use it」

「It’s failure ne」

「Uwaaaa～～～n!! Why only me get this kind of treatment～～～!?」

She had started to cry out loud greatly, unable to just stand watching Mule comforted her close friend.

「C’mon Sala-chan, don’t start crying right away. Because you’ll return to normal once the limit time reached」

「Sob, sob……but it’s hard to move……!」

Was she trying to somehow take a human-like posture, the mermaid princess was in dire stress of pushing both her hand against the floor. And what happened when she did that, her greatly shaking naked upper body and two fruits were waving “furun”.

When those aggressive motions which she didn’t see once with her own chest enter her eyes, a shudder pierced Melida’s spine.

「I, I’ve been thinking this since the selection matches……but Salasha-san is the same first year as us, right?」

「Well noticed, Melida-chan. That’s right, there is one betrayer among us. Disrupting the bonds between the four daughters of the knight duke house, this girl is carrying the fruits of betrayal」

While pressing her flat tube top, Mule announced with a serious face. Elise who was famed as《Just like her cousin》also looked at Salasha with cold as ice gaze.

The mermaid princess bathed in everyone’s gazes hugged her chest that was only being covered by seashells, “bah!”

「Wha, wha ,what is it!? Everyone is having scary eyes!?」

「Salasha-san, nee, just a little is fine, so……could you let me touch it?」

「If Lita wants to do it then I will too. This might be the key to defeat that fiendish sensei……」

「I don’t really get it but, that’s a big no!──What the, Miu-chan!?」

The black hair close friend got around her back without a moment’s delay, and pinned down both of Salasha’s arms. She placed her chin on the girl’s bare shoulder from behind, Mule raised the edge of her mouth with a complacent smile.

「Genuinely this is the privilege of mine alone, but no helping it, in order to deepen our friendship I’ll allow it. Then, please freely enjoy it!!」

「Don’t, don’t, don’t just give permission on your own! Hey, hyaaaaaaa!?」

(illu)

Then Angel sisters who squatted down from both sides salvaged the two fruits of the mermaid princess. From the right, Melida stroke it as if it was fragile, and from the left, Elise tightly grabbed without reservation.

As they felt the existence which they couldn’t feel with their own bodies, the flat chest sisters opened their eyes wide.

「Ex, extraordinary……! My fingers can sink into it like this and even being wrapped ……!?」

「Melon break……? Pancake……? Elastic and soft……」

「Fuya, a! Me, Melida-san pleas, e, wait ……!」

「It shook, it shook……! If I go “furu furu”, then it shook like jelly……」

「Such overwhelming battle strength……this will be the collapse of the fiendish Vanpir army……driving them all back……」

「Hau! Au au……Yan! Don, don’t do it anymoreeeee……!」

The sisters, who was amazed to the point their language capability got hindered, was being absorbed in harvesting the fruits while continuously leaning forward. While still being rubbed thoroughly from both side without any reservation, the mermaid princess’s both arms which couldn’t retaliate were wriggling as she shouted with teary eyes.

「This, this is no big deal, I’m only a little bigger than everyone in class!!」

「「A little?」」

“Gusa gusa”, the spirits of the Angel sisters were stabbed in a combo.

Finally Melida pulled her body away and suddenly looked down at her own chest. 「There is a little」she self-supported herself, but she was made to realize that it was nothing more than easily blown deception.

「I had believed that once we went to higher school everyone’s chest would become bigger……However, reality isn’t that simple……」

「Li, Lita, we are still first year. It’s not good to abandon hope」

「That’s right. Especially everyone’s interest is different these days」

Mule said quite indifferently as she bent her body to show off her smooth line. While having a smile that could even make the same sex go doki doki, she continued.

「Isn’t the important thing is how close you can get to your loved one’s ideal?」

「Loved one……」

Being told so, the opposite sex that appeared in Melida’s mind was solely no more than one.

When she thought that without a doubt he wanted to use the medical exam as a pretext to touch her, she feigned ignorance. However the moment he opened his eyes and realized the current situation, he unconsciously shouted with his own voice.

──Please forgive me, I completely didn’t notice I was touching your chest──

──I absolutely didn’t know it was your your your chest──…………

In Melida’s mind, indescribable feeling was seething. At any rate, comparing to the one mouthful size pudding  which he didn’t know existed or not, he surely loved the jelly muskmelon like those of Salasha’s. As she thought that, she could no longer remain silent.

「──Mou, stupid sensei!」

The moment Melida was seethed with anger, once again a grand white smoke wrapped around the four girls. After a few second, their visions were cleared, and the girls returned to their respective school’s battle training attire (battle dress).

Mule took her step lightly as if having seen something interesting.

「Well, with that said condition, the magical books are convenient, however for those that are not qualified they also serve as traps. Use them carefully as well as boldly, as they said」

「Miu-chan……」

While finally being able to stand on the floor with her own two feet, Salasha said as if half crying.

「I, already want to go back……」

「Ara, you can’t do that yet」

She put her index finger on her lip, Mule chuckled cruelly.

「Because the fun will start now」

†　†　†

Long had passed since the four girls’ showy exploration. Mule went ahead serving as the guide, they went through the hall way, and passed through many door as well as up and down the stairs, they advanced deeper and deeper in this endless maze.

The black hair beautiful girl sometimes took out the book from her pochette and chanted the magical words. While she sacrificed one page at a time to grasp their current situation, she steadily guided them to the target location.

「Right now we’re at《Fifth layer》. According to the observation map behind that door is……」

While saying that, Mule pushed open the solemnly shinning door as if emerald.

Beyond it was a dead end. The space was a hexagonal prism surrounded by book shelves from all direction. With a first look up, it were thirty meters high. The fact that they felt relief at the seeable roof should be a clear indicate that their senses were paralyzed.

On the mosaic tile floor numerous books were piled into a huge mound, and the book shelves around had holes stood out. Wasn’t this the trace of someone sloppily read books and then neglected them?

Furthermore at the room’s center, a small podium supported by a slender prop was set up. On it, a worn out book was placed. As Melida group of four approached it, the book’s pages opened on its own. On the blank page, the ink oozed out and then disappeared.

『Welcome to the forty seven reading room』

『Will you take the librarian exam?』

『　Yes　No　』

The feather pen that was place standing in the ink bottle was shaking waiting for an answer. The four girls looked at each other, and as the representative Melida picked up the pen and drew a big circle around the word 『Yes』.

The worn out book was immediately filled with vitality, then floated up by itself. After turning over numerous pages, ink oozed out on the blank page once again.

『Then Bibli ……agort librarian……test level…… shall commence』

『Your……test……is…………』

Melida frowned, she leaned her body wondering what happened. But the ink was blurred and the content wasn’t clear. When that happened, as if unable to bare seeing it the feather pen in Melida’s hand flew out. It flew into the ink bottle by itself, and soaked the tip like a woodpecker.

After that it soared to the position of the worn out book, it started to move the pen’s tip with frightful force.

『The test for you are,《repairing》and《tidying》books』

『Please look at the books on the floor and on the shelves』

As they were urged, Melida groups turned their eyes around. <Mountains of messy books and blank holes on the book shelves entered their eyes. At the same time when she felt like she could read the flow of event, the feather pen once again freely danced.

『Please put the books scatter on the floor back to the shelves without leaving even one』

『Once you have put all the book back on the shelves, you pass the exam』

「What does it mean《Repairing》?」

Elise said the thing that everyone was thinking, at that moment.

“Ban!” with a force as if being shot off, a book which was lying on the floor opened. Furthermore, the thing they should be surprise at was that something creepily crawled out of the gap of the pages of that book.

Naturally the young girls were startled and took two, three steps back.

「Wha, wha, what is that!?」

「They……move like bugs to me though」

Exactly as Mule’s analyses, those were bugs. However, they were made of paper. The pages which had turned yellow, torn papers, and the writings which the ink had blurred were unreadable …… Those things formed legs and carapaces, rustling they different multi ensemble of paper.

Whether there was someone reading or not, the magical feather pen once again drew a light trace.

『Those are《book eater》. They are seriously troublesome book eating waste laying demon beast』

『Exterminate the book eating bugs and tidy up the book back to the shelves』

『Making a space in which everyone could read book with high spirit could be said to be the librarian significance──

“Jaraan!” the loud sound of sword drawing covered the pen’s movement.

Following Melida who drew her katana first, Elise with her great sword, Salasha used her spear, and finally Mule and her claymore, each of them took their respective battle stance. The reason was clear as day light, right after that the《book eaters》squirm their legs rattling and “Shuba!” sprung at the girls.

「──Yaa!!」

The four girls dashed forward all at once with four weapons followed them. The four color mana burned and charred the air, then bisected some book eaters. “Za!” A great amount of paper pieces whirled up.

One on one they were not formidable at all. However, their number was very great. The book scattering on the floor continuously jumped as the paper-made beasts gushed forward from the opened pages in rattle.

「Everyone! More important than defeating these bugs, let’s tidy up those books quickly!」

Melida quickly sent out instruction and the other three girls moved like bullets. As each of them picked up the books, they put them on the shelves in a hurry.

Melida also cut down any bugs that got in the way when she picked up the book at her feet. She charged aiming at the empty space on the book shelves. Riding on that force she grasped the book, and put it back with a slam──Although she tried to do that.

“Gachin!” The book itself refused the storage. It wasn’t that the width was not enough. Just like there was something invisible obstructing it, even if she pushed them in with great force the book wouldn’t stay still.

「What’s the meaning of this!? It won’t stay ……!」

「Mine, mine doesn’t either! Miu-chan, what’s happening!?」

「I, I dont know! Things like this I haven’t heard from Okaa-sama……!」

「Eh, this one stays in?」

Only Elise alone blankly tilted her head. Mule threw away the book on her hand, and approached the girl. As she took out the book Elise had put in, she examined the content.

「────」

After she turned over the pages with staggering force, once again she put it back on the shelf. And then she renewed her target at the books scattering on the floor, she picked up a book and ran off to a bookshelf in an unexpectedly direction.

What happened when she did that, the book Mule pushed out smoothly entered the empty gap. The girl once again took out the book and turned to some pages, then she rattled on and on with blushed cheeks.

「As I thought! This means it’s a puzzle!」

「Pu, puzzle?」

「These books here have only the symbol twenty five written. Although the content is ambiguous, putting it on the other way around all the combinations here is arranged with the word 25 as the representative. And then when thinking about this Bibliagort that doesn’t have 2 books of the same kind, just where a book that has one different word will be. As you thought with that condition in mind, for example the words written in this book will disclose the where about of another book, therefore──」

「「「Therefore!?」」」

The other three girls said in union, Mule laughed broadly.

「Please buy me some time」

In place of a response Melida clasped her katana and cut down any bug that got close. The tip of Salasha’s thrust spear skewered the enemies, Elise’s great sword smoothly created a cutting plane.

In the midst of it, Mule picked up the books one after the other, with tremendous momentum she continuingly turned the pages. She took out some books that were on the shelves, and quickly ran her undaunting eyes.

Finally, “Ban!”, she closed the book while shouting.

「I’ve decoded it! Assist me!」

The other three ran to different direction all at once. Mule threw the book on her hand toward her close friend.

「Sala-chan, the forth shelf’s second row」

Continuingly another book to Elise, and another one was thrown to Melida.

「Elise-chan, the third shelf’s third row! And for Melida-chan is the second shelf’s fifth row!」

While she herself was picking up the books, she slashed the claymore with smooth action. She blew away the pitiful bugs and slammed the stray book back into the shelf.

The Angel sisters waved their hands frantically.

「Pass!」

「Pass here pass here」

「Aa mou, don’t urge me!」

She continued with two more books, then three overhand throw books. The mosaic tile floor was cleaned up in a blink. And it came to the final book, Mule suddenly pointed to the ceiling.

「──Over there! The final one!」

Looking up, at the high position almost near the ceiling, there was a lone empty space in the bookshelf. Even if she kicked the wall the approach run wasn’t enough, Melida judged for an instant, at that moment, a dignified voice called her.

「Melida-san!」

Salasha pushed her spear horizontally. Melida immediately understood and kicked the floor, and rode upon the spear’s handle. As if she completely didn’t feel the weight, Salasha strongly swung the spear.

Melida’s body was flung up vertically. Mule held aloft the final book and threw it. 「Melida-chan!」. As for the bugs that were hot on their heels, Elise cut them down.

「Lita……!」

While grasping the entrusting voice of her cousin in the edge of her mind, Melida caught the book in midair. The perfect position near the ceiling that she smoothly landed on was thanks to Salasha’s transcendence technique or something? Melida aimed at the vacant spot on the bookshelf right in front of her eyes, and pushed ── the final book.

Instantly.

All the book eaters remained inside the room violently exploded with paper pieces from the inside. The pure white paper rolled into a giant whirlpool, obstructing Melida’s group’s vision.

「Uwawa……!?」

When Melida fell into a light panic as she was falling down, tap tap, there was a clear noise of the wall being kicked. The sakura color girl who flew up like a bird held Melida from the front.

「Salasha-san……!!」

Just like she had growth wings, she landed smoothly on the floor while still carrying Melida. As she was being wrapped inside the pieces of paper which was like a storm of sakura and overcome with emotion, Melida jumped toward Salasha.

「Thank you Salasha-san! We did it!!」

Although she was a bit surprised, finally Salasha also shyly wrapped her arms around Melida’s back.

「Yes……we did it, Melida-san」

「Aah mou, Sala-chan is so smooth! I think I’ll fall in love with again too?」

From behind Mule leaned coquettishly against Salasha and squashed the sakura color close friend. Then, this time Elise came hugging from Melida’s back, she inflated her cheeks looking a bit dissatisfied.

「Lita, Lita.……I also did my best」

「Un! Everyone did their best! This is out grand victory～～～!!」

Among the merry girls playing a jostling Oshikura Manju​, Salasha who was being held from the back and front lost all of her tension, she groaned with teary eyes.

「Au au, everyone please celebrate this a little more ladylike……」

Behind all those young girls, the worn out book which was placed on the podium located at the middle of the room opened.

And the feather pen danced on its own, writing the words no one would read.

『Congratulation. According to the qualification of the exam on this layer, you all』

『have achieved Bibliagort librarian’s《Fifth layer》’s certification』

†　†　†

As Melida’s group finally calmed down from all the excitement and suddenly turned back, inside the reading room, the old book and the mysterious feather pen had finished their duty. As she tried to open them for a test, she saw nothing but white paper without even a trace of black ink.

When everyone looked at each other’s face, one of the bookshelf emitted a faint light. To be precise, four books on the shelf were attracting the girl’s attentions, and presented the book spines that moved on their own.

When each of them took the books, they saw these titles written. 『Melida Angel』『Elise Angel』『Salasha Shicksal』『Mule La Moore』. They exchanged the books with their own name as the prefix, and while their hearts were beating faster helplessly, they opened the books all at once.

On the first page, there were all sorts of status graphs as the mana capable one.

However the remaining few hundred pages were meaninglessly glued together, and became a hidden storage space at the middle of the book as the hole was extracted. What put inside it was silk like pure white glove and a monocle.

「By any chance, is this the proof of the librarian labyrinth……!?」

「That should be it」

Mule immediately put on the grand new monocle, and opened the magical book on her hand.

As if being deeply moved from the bottom of her heart, she let out an excited voice full of emotion.

「This is wonderful. With this I don’t have to check every magical book and still being able to clearly see its affect」

「Let me see! Let me see too!」

「Miu-chan, me too……」

Melida and Salasha also scrambling to put the monocle on their eyes, then they clung to Mule’s from both side. After that, at the same time they「「Oo～……!」」leaked out admiring breaths. Looking through the glass, the incomprehensible puzzle words became childish language and were displayed on the screen.

「Then, what’s this glove?」

Elise said, then put the glove on her left hand and moved her fingers. By the way there was only one left hand piece, there was no right hand piece. It shouldn’t be used to protect their finger alright.

The most knowledgeable person inside this labyrinth, Mule, briefly stated her own theory.

「That should be used to take out irremovable olden books right. Of course only to a suitable level, it should be possible to inspect them.──Everyone, why don’t we try reading some?」

「Waa～Waa～, is that fine!?」

While Melida group’s cheek flushed, they scattered around the reading room. As if they were the fairy flying around the gap of the bookshelves, they evaluated the multicolored book spines with sparkling eyes.

In the midst of that, Melida found something that caught her attention. It was not a book at one section of the shelf, but a decorating object which she had not seen before. It was a grey ball supported by pedestal and prop.

「Nee, what do you think this is?」

「Yes, I’ve seen this in the La Moore’s research room. That is 《The World Affair Globe》」

「World Affair Globe?」

When she repeated the unfamiliar words, Mule who was looking for something on the bookshelf answered while shrugging her shoulders.

「Apparently it could《show any truth in this world》, however no one could explain the real situation. Just what is that grey ball?」

(Illu)

「Fu～n……」

Although for a short while Melida observed the thing called the world affair globe, no matter where she looked, it was just a dull thing painted in grey color. She quickly lost interest and averted her eyes.

Better than that, there was something that caught Melida’s attention 「A-re?」. It was a sheet of writing paper intruding from the bookshelf. “Why is such a thing mixed in here?” Unconsciously she reached out her fingers.

Her left hand with the glove on took the writing paper out from the gap of the books.

「This is……────」

Examining the content, Melida was so surprised that she was at a loss for words. Picking up her murmur, Mule turned and came over to Melida. And her eyes laid on Melida’s hand.

「Yeah, you don’t need to be surprised at something other than books got mixed in. Haven’t you heard? In this Bibliagort, until this day, every written《article》is duplicated no matter where it comes from. Exactly because of it, you can even find memo about things to buy」

「That, that’s so……」

While pressing down her shaking as much as she could, Melida nonchalantly put the paper she obtained inside her pocket.

And then as if suddenly remembered something, she raised her face up.

「That’s right! Ely, what about the time limit!? This might not be the place to relax!」

Elise who was curiously reading an old book opened her mouth「A!」. Hurriedly they took out the hourglass, and put it in front of their eyes …… Ho, they leaked out a sigh of relief.

「We’re still good, there’s still 2 third remain. Lots of time left.」

「That’s great……! Anyway we’ve passed the exam, let’s hurry back to the academy!」

Melida called out with lively voice. However, when she did that, Mule titled her head dubiously “Oh my”.

「……Speaking about it I haven’t asked you, but Melida-chan group is seriously participating in the test aiming to pass it right. But then, for what reason? If you want to preserve the honor of luna candidates, then there is no need to partake in this anymore, is it?」

「We, well, because……I mean Mule-san is also the same right」

「You know, it’s because me and Sala-chan are St. D’Autriche’s honor students」

As she received the vague answer, Melida reflectively inflated her cheeks.

Although a little hesitated, Melida confessed while put her hand together behind her back.

「……The truth is I want to be recognized as《Child of the Angel house》. By everyone in the academy, otou-sama, and everyone who isn’t a noble too. And then sensei gave me a homework『Why don’t you try to take the certification exam of the librarian labyrinth?』」

「I see, so it’s an order from that cool sensei」

The corner of Mule’s lip bent up satisfyingly.

「Melida-chan really likes him nee」

「That, that is……!」

「──But, do you think his expectation is all just that?」

Suddenly, Mule’s voice that was liked a knife thrust at her, Melida’s throat was clogged.

The obsidian pupils that swallowed even the light were staring at her as if being able to see through everything.

「What, what do you mean……?」

Step by step, Mule approached as the sound of her boost was drumming.

「Passing the hardest exam, achieving brilliant result, and receiving everyone’s blessings──」

“Kotsu!” The obsidian pupils that reached right in front of her eyes peeked at Melida’s face from a close distance.

「Will that really become the proof that you are a child of the house Angel?」

「……!!」

The moment Melida was at a loss for words, a young girl’s hand was pushed in between. Elise stood in front of Melida as if covering her, while glaring at the daughter of the house La Moore.

Being stared fixedly by a cold as ice gaze, Mule lightly shrugged her shoulders.

「Ara, so sorry. I’m just a little intellectually curious」

She turned her back away like smoke coiling, and took out one book from her pouchette. 「《Once upon a time》!」, as she recited the magical words, the pages turned by itself, also ink oozed out.

It was something she had seen many time until now, the magical book《Maeterlinck’s observation map》. Due to the remaining pages were already unreliable, Mule quickly burnt the map into her head and she closed the book.

「Then, let’s hurry back to our school building. I’ll send you off to St. Frideswide too.──This way, it seems there is a short cut」

That moment, rustling, a noisy sound came.

When they turned their eyes wondering what happened, the source of the sound was from Salasha. She had dropped the book on the floor. Although a pile of precious books were lying on the ground, just how many books was she even carrying?

Naturally Melida came to help her pick them up, however Salasha lowered her head looking ashamed.

「A, ano ne, everyone, um……Can we stay here for a while longer? There’re a lot of books I want to read, I can only came here rarely, so……」

「Eh, but……but you can come again right? And since we’re in the middle of the test too」

「As Melida-chan has said. Seriously Sala-chan is such a birdbrain」

Mule approached fast-footed, she picked up the book and put them in appropriate space, cleaning up the confusion. She then entwined the arm of Melida who was being taken aback, and pulled up.

When she did that, Salasha’s arm jumped from the other side, restraining it.

「Wait, wait, wait! Why don’t we make some side trip? I have places I’m interested in……」

「Sala-chan, you’re being too selfish. You also dropped the books on purpose right?」

Mule said with a sharp as knife voice. Melida couldn’t understand the situation, she was just only looking back and forth between the two D’Autriche’s student. No matter what their appearances were strange.

「Didn’t you hear it clearly? Melida-chan has to pass this exam no matter what. And since the time limit is approaching, there is no time to be foolishly playing around」

「Ne, nee, calm down for a bit Mule-san……!」

Because the atmosphere became hostile, Melida politely stepped in between trying to mediate.

「I’m completely fine with it, so why won’t we listen to Salasha-san’s circumstances? If might be something very important……」

「I mean……」

After that, she turned away from Mule’s and Melida’s eyes, in that gap.

Suddenly, Salasha hurriedly mowed down her arm. And she returned to the place close to the wall.

Melida felt uncomfortable in her chest and looked at the flustered Salasha’s hand. The girl had snatched the proof of passing, the receipt book with the name『Melida Angel』imprinted on it.

「Salasha-san!? What are you suddenly ……!」

「I’m, I’m sorry, but──」

「Ara ara ara, hey Sala-chan, aren’t you being too much of a prankster」

Mule briskly cornered her close friend, “Bang”, she slammed the bookshelf.

As Salasha hugged the book close to her chest, Mule stared at her devouringly.

「Return the book right now, that’s Melida-chan’s. Everyone has to take that and return to school. When we did that, everyone should be getting their happy ending, right?」

「No, this wrong! As I thought this is wrong!」

「What are you doing this late……!」

Melida had already being unable to understand the course of event. The silver hair cousin who was in the same state of mind came closer, together they cocked their heads. Elise leaked out her doubt in mutters.

「……What are you two talking about.」

The two’s attentions quickly changed to her. Their voice, Salasha’s with a tense expression on her face and Mule’s who was feeling somewhat desperate the same as her, played a discord.

「You can’t let it continue just like this, Melida-san! Because this exam is──」

「Salasha!」

「Because this exam is a trap for you!!」

Immediately after that, a creepy roar as if vibration coming from the bottom of the earth shook the reading room.