27 Chamber of the Forbidden Books
"Eli, can you come with me for a moment?" Hal asked to which Eli only tilted her head quizzically.
Hal took her to a very familiar place on the second floor. It's the same section where she found the Book of Metis. When he palmed a certain spot on the middle row of a bookshelf, she was flummoxed to see a glowing magical circle appear as he mumbled what sounded like a cryptic enchantment.
Seconds later, the bookshelf split into two, revealing a secret stone-walled passageway. Due to her know-hows as an avid reader of fantasy works, Eli imagined that what's beyond this could be a paradise of gleaming gold and silver or a chamber of treasure chests.
But then, the bookworm saw something better.
The distinctive sweet scent of old parchments filled her senses as soon as they entered a room at the end of the dim pathway. Candelabras stuck out from the stone veneer wall that's filled with glittering gemstones of various colours and sizes.
Less than a dozen bookcases with antique designs and carvings were tidily assembled around the room. A small, yet stunning chandelier with ornate decorations was hanging from the ceiling on the centre. Unlike from the rest of the rooms in the library, though, there was no other furniture inside the place.
"W-W-Wha-?" Eli stammered in astonishment, visibly overwhelmed.
"I knew you'll like it. This is the Chamber of the Forbidden Books where the books of the summoned creatures are stored. Though very old, all of them still look as good as new," Hal explained.
"Forbidden Books? T-Then, this should be a secret among you, right?"
"Yes. Even before the academy was founded, this particular room was already here. Centuries ago, maybe. Each of the books here was used to be sealed with an ancient spell that kept those summoned creatures from escaping. But ever since the Summoner returned, those ancient seals were removed. That's why you'll be able to see a few books with some kind of papers on their covers while there are also those that don't have them. If a book has that ancient seal, it means the summoned creature has already been defeated."
Even though she'd been itching to look around, Eli controlled herself and decided to hear him out first. She's very much flabbergasted at this discovery, not because of how implausible it was, but because she had been allowed to know it.
"Is it alright if I know about this?" she questioned timidly while fidgeting.
"I'm not fond of reading, and so are the others. Rather than fighting, Eli could look for vital clues about the summoned creatures by reading their books instead. You want to read the "Masque of Moirae", right?" he answered, grinning at her knowingly.
Hal then sauntered to a bookshelf and drew out a red book with a seal before waving it at her. "Judging by your reaction, one book won't be enough, would it? So you can have all these!" he added cheerfully, much to her surprise.
Eli almost fell for the bribe if she didn't let the gears turn in her head.
"Let me get this straight. So, aside from being an errand girl and a walking radar, I'll also be some human storage of information? In other words, a living library?" she questioned incredulously, pointing at herself.
"Precisely. I prefer that over letting you enter a war zone. Oh, and by the way, these books are one-of-a-kind. You can't see them anywhere else but here."
Eli visibly perked up at this in excitement, but then, her assumption that the reason why Hal didn't want her to fight is that she'd only burden them made her slump instantly. She thought that he probably didn't want her to be involved any more than this.
Eli couldn't really argue with him, though. He already went and showed this to her, after all. She'd just begrudgingly say goodbye to her dream of wielding magic. Also, she doesn't find it in her to complain since she'd be having a paradise of books in return.
"Speaking of which, I can't believe you're actually willing to be... used," Hal mused out loud before leaning on a bookshelf and looking at her, an eyebrow lifted.
"We're friends, aren't we? And that's just how friendship works," she retorted as if it's the most obvious thing.
"Say what?"
Unbeknownst to Hal, he's having the same thoughts as Allen earlier. He couldn't believe that she's this clueless.
Then again, Eli's lack of social interaction was probably to blame. Either that or the possibility that there are people who caused and influenced her to have that way of thinking. She probably experienced something that led her to the belief that friendship was just all about give-and-take.
Hal then peers at her with an enigmatic expression, much to her confusion.
"Screw them..." he suddenly grumbled, flummoxing her even more.
---
Meanwhile, in front of the academy's back gate, someone stepped out of a black grand limousine.
Normally, the back gate is used by the school staff and those who have permission from the faculty. It's also a restricted area for most of the students' populace.
Lustrous light brown hair shines under the warm glow of twilight while keen sapphire irises glisten with unparalleled determination and fervour. His lips then curled into a confident grin as he eyed the setting sun from the distance.
"Wait for me, Four Noble Heroes of Society...."
