It was evident that Marie wanted to keep me in a good mood. I don't feel like I've done anything particularly special for her, but it felt like she had noticeably opened up to me since yesterday.
But a library... Come to think of it, I haven't read a book leisurely since coming to this world. I've been so busy getting swept up in big and small incidents that I've only ever hurriedly looked up the information I needed.
"Are there a lot of people in the library?"
"Nobles occasionally visit the library, but it will be quiet today because of the heavy rain."
“Umm, really?”
"Yes. His Majesty has a private Library, so it is rare for you to come to the general library."
That's my favorite...?
"Let's go right now to the library."
***
As I stepped out of the room, Oscar, who was outside, greeted me with a look that seemed to ask where I was finally going. However, as soon as he realized that my destination was the first-floor library, he showed a visibly disappointed expression.
"Princess, do you like books?"
Why are you so disappointed? If I don't stay still and wander around here and there, won't the bodyguard be put in a difficult position?
I looked at Oscar with curious eyes and then spoke.
"Well, I think it's just average."
"Then you won't be going to the library often, right?"
"Hmm, is that so? There aren't really any other places worth going, so I think I'll probably visit often..."
"You say there is nowhere in particular to go in this vast palace? You are not as active as I thought."
It was a look of blatant disappointment.
Well, I suppose it must be boring. Because of my lifestyle of staying almost entirely in my room, Oscar has been reduced to the status of a guard dog just standing in front of the door.
Come to think of it, I heard his nickname is the Mad Dog of Podia. I thought he was a free-spirited person, but I was a bit surprised that he was given the label of a mad dog.
"Sir Oscar, don't you need some time for private training? Please go take care of your business when I am in my room or the library."
“Is that so?”
At my words, he showed a prickly expression as if he had been waiting for it.
I brought it up hoping he would step aside for a moment to comfort me. But I never expected him to be so delighted.
Usually, from a bodyguard's perspective, wouldn't they feel uncomfortable or refuse, since it amounts to being told to drop everything and go have fun? But to like him so honestly like that... he really is an extraordinary person.
I chuckled softly and nodded.
"Marie will be by my side anyway. I plan to stay in the library for about two or three hours, so just make sure to come back at the right time for your departure."
"Then I will escort you to the library and be back within two hours."
It was a very quick answer, as if without the slightest hesitation.
Eventually, as soon as Oscar reached the front of the library, he politely opened the door and bowed deeply.
"I will support the Princess's reading activities!"
Seriously... earlier he was complaining about me not being active, but now he says he'll cheer for me.
I glanced at him with a smile on his face as he waited for me to go inside.
As soon as I stood and went inside, I heard the sound of a door closing behind me.
"As expected, it looks like no one is here."
Marie looked around and whispered softly. Aside from one librarian near the entrance, there was no sign of life inside.
I nodded with a satisfied look on my face.
"The bookshelf is quite spacious."
"They say they did some more work on the library while expanding."
"If it is an expansion, His Majesty...?"
For some reason, the words Thierry had said in Ashtad suddenly flashed through my mind.
That remark about him burning his own palace.
Just in case, I unnecessarily trailed off meaningfully. Then, Marie whispered softly to me, "As you probably know."
"When he usurped the imperial power, he used his authority in the main palace, causing significant destruction. Therefore, I heard that during the reconstruction process, they extensively renovated every corner of the palace. I also heard that the library was actually quite insufficient in terms of space compared to the volume of books, so they expanded it considerably."
"...The books must not have been intact either. Did you manage to retrieve all of these?"
"No. Since the fire started on the third floor, it didn't cause significant damage up to the first floor."
It looks like they locked all the royal family members on the third floor and set it on fire. So that burning happened during the usurpation.
I felt strange. He felt scary yet lonely.
I swallowed dry saliva repeatedly, as if trying to swallow my confused feelings. Then, a question I had never had before lodged itself firmly in my mind.
"Where are the history books?"
“I will guide you.”
I followed behind the librarian and told Marie to wait at the table set up on one side of the bookshelf.
Along with the remark that since I was only going to read books anyway, she might as well pick out a book to read as well.
The history book was on the very front bookshelf, but it was far from the table because you had to go around the corner.
I stood in front of the bookshelf where history books were arranged, glanced once at the librarian's back as he returned to his place, and then looked straight ahead again.
'Should I look at the Empire?'
In the past, I simply wished that Thierry would realize that ability was innate to the royal family. Just vaguely, without even knowing what kind of power it was.
However, seeing that ability firsthand, and hearing that it even seized imperial power, I became curious anew about the origin and limits of that ability.
How is it that this mysterious power is passed down only to this royal family?
Well, since I was possessed into a novel in the first place, it's possible the author who created this world just slapped this together without any plausibility, but now this place was reality to me.
Moreover, it was even a series of possessions. I didn't believe in things like reincarnation, but as this kept happening, there seemed to be no reason not to believe.
'It's not like I'm being reborn after death; I've been possessed twice in this world alone.'
Suddenly, I remembered what Thierry had said. That to him, coincidence is merely the result of someone's intentions on a certain day.
'Isn't the scale of what's happening to me right now a bit too extraordinary to dismiss as a coincidence?'
There must be a reason why they had no choice but to go through something like this.
Just like the mysterious power of the royal family, there must be a strange trick passed down that turned me into this. I had a vague conviction that there was something I didn't know.
This part might be related to magic, but realistically it would be difficult to find a wizard to ask, so I think I should at least look through a magic book...
'But wouldn't they have kept something like that in a regular archive like this because it's dangerous?'
I think asking the librarian might be a bit risky, so I should take a look around the library slowly sometime.
“Oh, this is it.”
Thinking that, I scanned the pages and picked up a thick book with an old leather cover.
'I never thought the day would come when I would voluntarily seek out history books.'
Swallowing a sigh, I ran my hand over the cover labeled 'Book of the Empire.' It was quite heavy, so it was difficult to hold for long, and I eventually put it down on the floor.
I looked around first and crouched down on the floor for a moment. Since the book was large and heavy, I intended to skim through the beginning first, and if I liked it, I would take it and finish reading it.
The background of the empire's construction introduced at the beginning was, in a way, like a fairy tale.
In a time when nations on a divided land were repeatedly waging endless wars of aggression against one another, an immortal being with immense power met and fell in love with an ordinary human.
An immortal being, concerned about humans living in an environment fraught with danger, helped absorb various kingdoms to form a single empire for the sake of the peace of his love. Thus, it is said that the Podia Empire was born.
'This immortal being and a human are the First Emperor and Empress? That's a bit unexpected.'
It seems... that the power of fire is passed down only to the royal family because they are immortal beings, but one thing I was curious about was that while they are immortal beings, they died before humans.
This book simply states that the immortality of that existence ended as much power was exhausted, and from the following pages, the events involving the next imperial family and those that occurred every few years continued.
'Why is the founding background so short? For an empire, it's really unfriendly.'
I pouted and aimlessly flipped through the pages, thinking that since there didn't seem to be anything more to see, I should put it back in its place.
"Excuse me."
But suddenly, a low voice was heard.
'I didn't sense anything; when did they get so close?'
I lifted my head with a surprised look on my face.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you..."
The man's voice, which wrapped softly in my ears, was affectionate and warm. And that feeling was fully reflected in his appearance as well; his brown hair, which looked as if it had been bathed in sunlight, and his bright rose-pink eyes were truly in harmony.
"Please forgive my rudeness. My name is Ethan Liart."
A man named Ethan, who had been looking slightly embarrassed, kept giving me looks that suggested he was worried I might feel uncomfortable.
He had a gentle overall image and big eyes, making him look like a handsome man at first glance, and his demeanor was soft and gentle to match.
'...Liart? That sounds familiar.'
It was only when I felt my neck getting stiffer and stiffer that I realized I was still crouching and looking up at him.
As if noticing that I was belatedly trying to get up from my seat, he cautiously extended his hand as if to offer an escort. Soon, our fingertips touched, and then our palms met.
"Thank you. My name is Elisha, and I am from the Kingdom of Ashtad."
As soon as I stood up, I withdrew my hand and gave a nod. Then, he moved the hand that had touched me to his heart and bowed his head respectfully.
"You are Princess Elisha. It is an honor to meet you."
"...I'm also, um... glad to meet you, Sir Liart?"
It was the first time I had been greeted like this, so I was a little flustered. I gave a slight, awkward smile and looked up at him.
"Since I have not been knighted, would it be rude to ask you to call me Ethan?"
"Ah, then I'll call you Mr. Ethan."
"Thank you."
Ethan smiled broadly with a noticeably relieved look on his face. It was such a warm smile, like the spirit of spring, that it was enough to naturally break down any wariness, even for a stranger.
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