As I sorted out the information about the target that appeared in the game and the Allied Ouka Islands in this world, more questions arose, and then I remembered the notebook I had received from Marieta earlier.
Before I forget, I quickly take out the notebook and place it between myself and Ursch-kun so we can both look at it.
“Ursch-kun, Marieta just gave me her notebook. She wrote down the nursery rhyme that she thinks might be related to the [Sin King] skill, as well as other nursery rhymes. She might also have written down other things that I didn’t have time to ask her until now… things related to the Allied Ouka Islands.”
“A nursery rhyme that was brought over from the Gorgonhas Continent? It’s quite mysterious. It’s impossible to imagine such important information being scattered across distant continents and island nations where trade has been difficult until now.”
“Regarding the nursery rhyme, I’m just thinking that it might have something to do with it, but if it really is a clue, it would certainly be strange. With the development of airships, the Gorgonhas Continent is finally in a position where it seems like it could begin full-scale trade, and even though the Allied Ouka Islands are trading through a teleportation gate, it’s limited, and in the future it may be possible to trade via airships. However, there’s a chance that I’m jumping to conclusions too quickly, so I’d like you to take a look at the contents of the nursery rhyme and think about it, Ursch-kun.”
“Well, let’s take a look at your notebook right away. I don’t know which nursery rhyme Isabella heard, so could you open that page and tell me?”
I opened my notebook and the nursery rhyme was right there on the first page, so I didn’t even have to look for it.
From 55 nursery rhymes that have been handed down to the present day in the Dardania region of the Gorgonhas Continent.
54th song: ‘Fragments of the King’
This nursery rhyme begins with this opening line, and the content is easier to understand when read in text rather than listening to the melody.
And the more I understood the content, the deeper my suspicions that it might be related to the [Sin King] skill grew.
Ursch-kun, who appears to have finished reading the lyrics of the nursery rhyme, nodded several times and looked at me.
“Just as Isabella speculated, I don’t think this content is unrelated. So, if I’m not mistaken, before you wandered into the Forbidden Library, you heard a nursery rhyme that sounds very similar to this one by the fountain, right?”
“That’s true, but I’m sorry Ursch-kun. I don’t remember anything about the song I heard back then. It could have been important information…”
“Well, that’s true. Based on what I just heard, I don’t think most people would remember it. So there’s no need for Isabella to apologize.”
Even so, Ursch-kun seems like he’d be able to remember even in the same situation. As I was thinking this, Ursch-kun continued speaking.
“I don’t have high hopes, but maybe the song Isabella heard at the fountain was the second verse of this nursery rhyme, or maybe since this song is ’54th of 55 nursery rhymes’, it’s possible that it’s written on a separate page in the notebook as the next verse, the 55th?”
Certainly, Marieta said she would write other nursery rhymes as well, so it’s possible.
So Ursch-kun and I both looked closely at the notebook and continued reading.
As it turned out, the nursery rhyme I heard with different lyrics was not written down in the notebook.
When I finished the page with the nursery rhymes, I stretched and got up to make some more tea.
Ursch-kun seems to be continuing to read the notebook, but since my reading pace is slower than Ursch-kun’s, if we read together I’ll be making him wait. I decided to step away for the time being and let Ursch-kun look over it first.
I can take my time reading it after I get back to the dorm, so I’ll prioritize sharing the contents with Ursch-kun now.
When Ursch-kun was alone, he flipped through the notebook at an alarmingly fast pace, and it made me wonder if he was really reading it at all. It’s to the point where it’s hard to even read a glance. Since it’s Ursch-kun, he should be able to read it perfectly, and maybe even memorize it.
By the time I returned after brewing some more tea, Ursch-kun had already finished reading the notebook and was taking notes. The notebook was closed and placed where I had been.
After I place fresh tea at my and Ursch’s seats, I pick up the notebook and open it once again to the page with “Fragments of the King” written on it.
“When I went to the Forbidden Library, there was no song that sounded similar to ‘Fragments of the King.'”
When I said this to Ursch-kun, who had finished writing notes and was taking a sip of his tea, he tilted his head slightly and began to speak.
“That’s right… but after reading the notebook, I thought that maybe the song Isabella heard when she went to the Forbidden Library was the correct one.”
“The right song? What do you mean?”
Ursch-kun then asked to borrow the notebook again, so I handed it over to him, and he opened it to a certain page and showed me the location of the “Hidden and Forgotten Forbidden Library” that Marieta had mentioned, along with directions to get there.
“Before I explain that, I want you to first read what’s written here. It seems that the Forbidden Library that Marieta told Isabella about and the one that Isabella got lost in are different.”
Hearing those words, I quickly read over the contents of the page. And just as Ursc-kunh had pointed out, the Forbidden Library that Marieta was describing in her notebook and the one I had been to were indeed different ‘Forbidden Library’. In other words, I realized that they were different places.
The forbidden library that Marieta is talking about can be physically accessed by anyone, as long as they know the route and the gimmicks such as hidden doors. And since it is dusty and dimly lit, you need to bring a light and sift through the dust to find the book you are looking for. It looks like you’ll have to dig through the many piled up books.
Of course, Navi-san wasn’t there, and no tea or sweets were prepared, and no user card was issued on the status screen, so it wasn’t like you could go there whenever you wanted.
Huh? Wait…huh?
Wait, then what about me? Where did I go?!
I was sure that Marieta had been there before, so even though there were some scary developments, I was leisurely doing research, reading, and looking for cards!
If it’s a completely different place she’s never been to before, it’s a different story, right?!
So I was in a completely unfamiliar place, drinking tea, doing some research and chatting with some Japanese high school girl?!
That’s right!! That’s right!! Come to think of it, for some reason there was a Japanese high school girl there!!
I’ve explained roughly the sequence of events from going to the Forbidden Library to coming back, but the high school girl doesn’t seem to be relevant to the main story, and to be honest, I was scared so I tried not to remember it, so it had faded from my memory and I didn’t explain it to Ursch-kun!!
“Ursch-kun!! There… there was a class representative who was a Japanese high school girl!!”
“I’m sorry Isabella. No matter how easily your thoughts show on your face, even if you’re easy to understand, with the flow of the conversation just now, I still don’t understand what you’re trying to say…”
That’s right!!
But I don’t know what’s going on either, so even if I follow along, I might not be able to explain it properly in the end!!
We’re Back! Sorry for the long wait. The author has only updated a few chapters and they are coming out slowly, but we can finally continue!
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading!
