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Goblin Slayer - Volume 7 - Chapter 4.1




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Interlude – Of A Flash Of Inspiration At The Library

Sheesh, they should leave the clerics of the God of Knowledge to do this sort of thing.

In the library in a corner of the temple of the God of Law, a nubile young acolyte pulled a face.

In any event, the books in this library were a breed apart from run-of-the- mill books (as valuable as those were).

Best were old collections of case law, but the shelves were also packed with sealed-up forbidden tomes, magical volumes, and occult texts.

Many sections of the library were blocked off with chains, but all too often, even when she could get at the books, the titles were written in incomprehensible characters.

The real cause of the acolyte’s distress, however, was the format of the books themselves.

To put it quite bluntly, they were heavy.

Some had rich leather pages, while others had weighty steel covers, and others still were adorned with decorations…

She had to pull those bulky volumes down from the shelf, lug them over to the lectern, and then put them back when she was done reading. It was real work, and she thought it would be better handled by a cleric of the God of Knowledge, someone who was used to such things.

…Unfortunately, there’s no choice in this case.

On this occasion, the text-house of the God of Knowledge had been attacked.

They could hardly ask those girls, battered in heart and body, to take on even more responsibilities.

And above all…

“I’m very sorry. I’ve put you to such trouble…”

“Oh, not at all! I’m just glad to be of service, even a tiny bit.”

 

The acolyte smiled at the archbishop where she sat in the chair, even though she knew the priestess couldn’t see it.

This honored personage came here so excited—how could I do less than this?

Sword Maiden, the woman on whose shoulders rested this entire temple, had changed much in the past year.

For the better, of course.

Until recently, she had simply tried to do too much. It was as if she didn’t quite think of herself as human.

And yet, from time to time, the acolyte saw Sword Maiden get a look on her face like a lost little child.

On quiet nights, for example.

As her attendant, the acolyte had seen Sword Maiden rush from her bed to throw herself in beseeching prayer at the altar.

But—why?

“But tell me, ma’am. Has it helped? Have you learned anything?”


“To borrow a phrase,” Sword Maiden said, a chuckle escaping her, “not even a tiny bit.”

Of late, she had shown such softness, such enjoyment, more and more often.

Over the course of the past year, she had also ceased to go to the altar in the middle of the night.

If it was really all the doing of that strange adventurer, then the acolyte would have to make sure she thanked him.

Although I have to admit, I don’t think much of her pouting like a child…

“Hmm…”

Even as she spared a wry smile, Sword Maiden kept reading the book of legal precedent.

Her right hand caressed a clay tablet, while the left ran over the book on the lectern.

She claimed that the subtle differences of texture in paper and ink allowed her to decipher letters. That was surprising enough, but what really impressed the acolyte was that Sword Maiden could understand the letters at all.

Some people chose not to learn the ancient writing systems, because they feared gaining untoward knowledge. They didn’t want to stumble upon any maledictions that might be tucked away in the text, or be driven mad by the shock of unimaginable truths that they came into contact with.

But reading and writing being such valuable skills, could any explorer afford to be illiterate?

If you were going to go into battle, you had to know who you were fighting.

That was true even with goblins; how much more so for terrible wizards or evil Dark Gods…

“…Ahh, now… This, I remember.”

Sword Maiden’s sudden remark brought the acolyte back to herself. “Does it make sense now, ma’am?”

“Yes. Hee-hee… I wonder what he would make of this. I think it might be helpful for him to know.”

But I don’t suppose he would actually be interested.

She sounded a touch disappointed as she closed the heavy metal cover and let out a small breath.

“I apologize again, but could you bring quill and paper, and ready a pigeon?”

“This isn’t another of your love letters, is it?”

The acolyte smirked as she offered this twist of the knife, provoking a “Why, you!” and a puff of the cheeks from Sword Maiden.

“I will be writing to His Majesty and the chief of the elves. I do know how to separate my official and private lives, you know!”

The acolyte nodded obediently as she opened a drawer, pulled out lambskin paper and a pen, and set about preparing a candle and seal.

She could bring the pigeon after the letter was written. She would ask the gods to protect it.

If Sword Maiden said so, then this certainly had to do with the fate of the world.

“I suppose all of creation is still in danger, and there are still many adventures to be had, is that right?”

“Indeed it is. We face a very powerful foe. A terrifying one. The world may yet be destroyed.

“But,” Sword Maiden whispered and put a finger to her cheek, her lips softening like fresh petals.

“If he can save people, then we must save the world.”



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