Kazuo said nothing more, though his eyes lingered on Tetsu — until they stepped through the gate.
The air changed.
Almost alive.
Majestic — and woven with magic.
A vast, ancient tree grew at the heart of the building. Its winding branches stretched through the vaulted ceiling like veins of memory, while its roots cracked the marble beneath their feet, not in destruction, but in union. As if the tree had always been part of the library — or the library part of it.
Luminous leaves floated lazily through the air, glowing faintly in violet, gold, and silver-blue. Small spirit-lights drifted around them, like echoes of forgotten thoughts.
The silence wasn't empty. It was reverent. As if the space itself was listening.
Above certain shelves, glowing glyphs shimmered mid-air, rearranging themselves into old symbols and forgotten languages. Some pulsed softly when Kazuo passed, as if reacting to his presence.
A book floated by on its own — turning a page as it hovered — and tucked itself neatly into a shelf high above.
Tetsu paused. "Don't touch anything that glows," he said under his breath."
Kazuo gave a slow nod, his voice barely a murmur."Gramps would've loved this place."
He turned in place, taking it all in — the living branches, the hallowed quiet, the knowledge that felt alive. This wasn't a place of study. It was a place of memory.
They approached the reception desk — carved from living rootwood, smooth and dark as polished amber. The librarian behind it didn't look up at first. She scribbled something with a sharp-tipped quill, brows drawn low behind her rounded glasses.
Her aura radiated one message: Don't waste my time.
Then her eyes flicked up.
They landed on Kazuo.
Instant shift. Not warmth — hostility.
Her voice was curt. "You're from Setsuna's squad."
Kazuo blinked. "What—?"
"I saw the match," she said flatly. "Get out."
She stood suddenly, her long bunny ears twitching behind her curls. "I don't care if you came with the Court Archivist himself. No one from that squad gets access without express permission. After what that ice psycho did!"
Kazuo raised both hands. "Okay, whoa. I didn't do anything!"
Her ears twitched.
"Leave or I am going to report you."
She moved as if to cast something — until her eyes flicked to the side.
To Tetsu.
A pause.
A sharp inhale. Then—
Her entire tone changed. Her hand lowered from the desk. Her eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, her posture straightened with unspoken recognition.
"…Tetsu?"
He nodded calmly. "Lady Myra."
She blinked twice, clearly trying to maintain composure. "I… I didn't know you were back."
Tetsu offered a small, tired smile. "Just passing through. On my captain's orders."
Her gaze flickered briefly — bright, curious. "Orders…?"
He stepped forward just slightly. "I suppose you can guess. You're quite sharp, after all."
Tch. That ice psycho came by yesterday. Wanted a rare, classified book — naturally, I turned him down."
Kazuo muttered, "Why am I not surprised."
She ignored him completely.
Tetsu tilted his head. "I don't suppose…"
He reached forward with unusual gentleness — his fingertips barely brushing her cheek as he spoke:
"…you'd reconsider for me?"
He smiled. "I'd be very thankful if you gave me that book, darling."
He winked.
Myra froze.
Then turned crimson up to her ears and neck. She coughed once, grabbed something beneath the counter, and slammed it onto the desk without a word. It was an old, thick tome bound in blue leather. Gold script shimmered across the surface:
"Whispers of Water "
She folded her arms and looked away in a huff. "It's against protocol. But… for you, I'll log it under temporary cross-reference."
Tetsu accepted the book with quiet grace. "You're saving me a lot of time."
Myra muttered something under her breath. Possibly "I'll save you anytime."
Kazuo looked between them in disbelief. "Thanks. I guess."
She still didn't glance at him.
Tetsu adjusted his coat, tone back to professional. "We won't disturb anything marked in red. It won't take long."
Myra nodded quickly.
Kazuo leaned in close to Tetsu as they walked up the spiral staircase, the softly glowing runes lighting each step beneath their feet.
He groaned under his breath. "First Aoi, now you…"
Then, quieter — almost to himself, but laced with growing irritation:
"…So this is why Setsuna wanted you with me?"
Tetsu exhaled slowly through his nose. "Yes. I hate doing this."
As they climbed the last few steps, he slipped his glasses back on with a casual flick and reached up to tie his hair into a clean, low knot — as if brushing off the encounter entirely.
Kazuo groaned under his breath. "Oh no. So annoying when girls are completely in love with you. Must be unbearable."
Tetsu didn't respond. His steps were even, measured — the ancient tome still tucked neatly under his arm.
By the time they reached the upper level of the Royal Library, the quiet had thickened. Blue-glowing glyph-lanterns hovered overhead, casting a cool light over long wooden tables and rows of untouched shelves.
They sat at one of the older oaken tables near a curved balcony wall. The branches of the central tree curled faintly overhead, and motes of dust floated like slow sparks.
Tetsu let out a final sigh and opened the book with calm, practiced hands.
Kazuo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Right. Just suffer through it, playboy."
Tetsu, eyes on the pages, gave a small nod. "It really is exhausting."
Kazuo stared at him. "…You're the worst."
Tetsu looked up from the page, adjusting his glasses.
"So… that book," he said quietly, "that's the one Setsuna wanted you to read."
Kazuo didn't answer at first.
He turned a few pages, slower now — carefully. His fingers brushed lines he already knew by heart. The diagrams. The scribbled margin notes. The way some glyphs were smudged with age or heat.
His breath caught.
"…Wait a second…"
He leaned closer, eyes narrowing as recognition bloomed in his chest.
He knew these pages. Not just the content — the exact layout. The faded ink at the bottom corner. The torn edge on page seventy-four.
This was Gramps's book.
But why… was it here?
Did he… take it from this library? Kazuo murmured. "And then… return it?"
The thought hit harder than he expected.
He looked up at the towering shelves, at the quiet pulse of magic in the walls — and then back at the book that had shaped his entire childhood.
"If it came from here… and he had access…"
He swallowed.
"…Then he really was noblety."
Tetsu didn't interrupt.
Kazuo's voice softened, steady and low.
"Gramps…"
A pause
"…Soon, I'll see you again. I promise."
I have so many questions
The silence in the library seemed to deepen around the words, like even the air had paused to listen.
Tetsu remained still for a moment, then leaned slightly closer across the table.
"Well… that's probably the only book about water magic in this entire library."
Kazuo blinked. "What?"
Tetsu nodded slowly. "I've spent more time in this place than I care to admit. Cross-referenced thousands of tomes, categorized old grimoires, even helped the archivists clean out sealed vaults. And yet — not once have I seen a full compendium on Water Magic. Let alone one this detailed."
Kazuo looked down at the worn cover, the familiar feel of it in his hands somehow different now — heavier with meaning.
"That's… strange. This is the Royal Library. Shouldn't it be overflowing with every kind of magic?"
"You'd think so," Tetsu murmured. "But Water Magic's always been elusive. Barely touched in most of the recorded curricula here."
He ran a hand through his hair, eyes scanning the glyphs on the spine of the book.
"It's not just water. Wind, fire, even earth — the original elemental magics are hard to find here. There are a few scrolls and fragments locked deep in the vaults, but most of them are incomplete."
Kazuo frowned. "But why? Even if it's rare, shouldn't the Royal Library have… everything?"
Tetsu shook his head.
"Setsuna explained it once. When elemental lines mix — like a fire caster having a child with someone of wind affinity — it creates new forms. Hybrid magics. Ice. Smoke. Crystal. Over generations, these fusions diluted the originals. Most records of the pure forms faded out, were hoarded, or lost completely."
He nodded toward the book again.
"That tome? It's probably one of the last real water archives left."
Kazuo slowly scanning the chapters.
"...There's so much here."
He flipped a few more pages — rapid at first, then slower.
"Gramps only taught me a handful of these… But this—this is an entire arsenal. Some of these are Arcane-grade. Advanced formations. Sealing techniques. Even pressure control methods…"
Tetsu adjusted his glasses. "Setsuna probably sent you here for that exact reason. Having more spells to work with always helps — especially for someone like you. You'll need everything you can get if you want to make it through that tournament."
Kazuo kept flipping — his hand suddenly stopping.
A detailed ink illustration filled the page.
It was a massive white serpent, coiled around a broken temple.
His mouth dried. A strange chill danced across his spine.
"…What the hell is this?"
But that wasn't what froze him.
It was the serpent's eyes.
One… yellow.
The other… black.
His hand lifted slowly, resting against the side of his own face. Fingers brushing the edge of his mismatched eye.
"…This… thing is like me."