Chapter 162: The Notebook
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Creak...
Creak... creak...
Every step on the worn old floorboards sent out a faint, delicate sound that felt jarringly loud in the still, empty night — and that was already trying my best to tread lightly.
Fortunately, there was no one on this floor.
The room was pitch black. Only a thin sliver of moonlight filtering through the window let barely make out the shapes of things around . I tilted my head and thought for a mont, then tiptoed over to the display cabinet, casually pulled out an unmarked hardcover notebook, flipped it open, and held it up close to my face, I could just barely make out the words inside.
...All poetry, page after page. This was a notebook filled with hymns.
I shook my head, put it back, and picked up the one next to it. I opened it and flipped through a few pages at random... what a beautifully illustrated hand-copied volu... but it was a cultural record from the Age of Divine Presence, which wasn't particularly useful right now.
I stood on my tiptoes to put it back, then grabbed another one...
I went through every book and docunt lined up on the shelves one by one, trying to find any useful clues. The dim light made it considerably difficult, my search was slow going, and for so of the older archived notebooks, I had to lean up close to the window just to make out what was written inside.
Ti ticked by, second by second.
"Chirp chirp—"
A faint, sharp insect cry ca from sowhere far off. Once, twice, three tis... the eerie calls echoed through the hollow night in a lingering, lodic trail. I recognized it as a signal from the Sword of Kanri. A signal like that ant everything was clear, nothing found, no anomalies. It seed soone had finished their search and was getting ready to pull out.
But ... I'd barely checked even half the docunts on the display cabinet.
This was too slow...
I fidgeted irritably with the thin notebook in my hand, pinching and squeezing it, then set it back with a frown. My gaze drifted to the wooden desk behind , settling on the drawers underneath for a long mont... maybe there was sothing there.
I walked over and found the drawers weren't locked. I pulled one open and rummaged through it, just miscellaneous clutter, then pushed it shut and opened another... In the end I went through every single drawer and still didn't find anything useful.
My heart was a knot of anxiety, tightening more and more. Like a coarse rope tangled into a chaotic ss around it, tied off in a dead knot that refused to loosen.
I plopped down into the chair at the desk, propped my chin in my hand, and started to think.
Sister Theresa's office... maybe there really was nothing here at all. People probably ca through here regularly, right? If that so-called "record ledger" was as problematic as I suspected, who would be stupid enough to leave it sowhere this obvious... maybe I should check sowhere else... but where would I even go...
Sowhere less obvious... wait, could there be, like in the movies, so kind of hidden compartnt?
With that thought, I started feeling around underneath the wooden desk, checking every corner carefully... nothing. I stood up and moved to the display cabinet, running my hands all along the cabinet itself and the wall behind it, still nothing.
I stood there, tilting my head in thought, then dragged the chair over, climbed up on it, and reached up to feel along the top of the cabinet... all I got was a handful of dust.
I climbed back down, thoroughly annoyed, and moved the chair back to its spot. Just then, another round of pleasant insect chirping drifted in from outside the window.
I was getting anxious.
But there really was nothing here... I might as well head out and look around.
"Creak—"
I pushed the office door open just a crack and poked half my head out to look around... even though I knew there was no one out there, I still did it instinctively.
The corridor was dimly lit by candlelight, quiet and completely empty.
I slipped out carefully and made my way to the door of the room next to it, slightly off to the side... when I'd passed by the window earlier from outside, it had looked like so kind of archive room, I could see rows and rows of paper packed onto tall shelves.
There might be sothing in there... I reached out and gave the door a push. It didn't budge at all. The door was locked.
...What a hassle.
With no other option, I retraced my steps back to Sister Theresa's office, intending to climb in through a window from the outer wall of the building.
But there were so many papers in there... even if I actually got in, it would take forever... no, even by morning I wouldn't be able to go through them all. That approach was too foolish.
...Maybe I should just go out and regroup with the Sword of Kanri first. Ask Lecter about Sister Theresa's living quarters, then pay a visit there in the dead of night?
That seed more sensible... Alright, that's the plan.
Decision made, I acted imdiately. I stepped up onto the windowsill and began easing my upper body out... but I couldn't help glancing back over my shoulder toward the wall behind the desk. The mirrored display case mounted there was completely empty... had she taken that magnificent axe, the one that looked more like a work of art, with her?
The thought nagged at , and I found myself staring at it for a few extra seconds.
The mirrored display case... wait, could there be... I felt like I should check it one more ti.
I grabbed the windowsill and climbed back inside, walked around behind the desk, and raised my hand to gently tap along the wall.
Thud thud...
Solid. I tried another spot.
Thud thud... thud thud...
When I tapped along the wall right at the edge of the display case —
Thump thump.
...It was hollow behind there!
My heart gave a start. I imdiately knocked a few more tis around the display case and every single one gave off the sa muffled, hollow sound, there was sothing behind the case!
I fixed my eyes on the area around the display case and quickly spotted a small notch that I could hook my fingers into. I jamd my fingers in right away and yanked the mirror face open with a hard pull. There was a gap in the wooden panel behind the mirror, and the hook that had previously held the great axe could be used as a handle. I grabbed it and pulled the panel up.
Creak—
I opened the panel and found a storage space behind it.
The storage space was thick with dust, crisscrossed with cobwebs, and before I could even make out what was inside, 2 fuzzy little spiders the size of peas ca scrambling out in a panic.
"Ah!"
I stumbled back 2 steps, so startled I nearly sat down hard on the floor, then caught myself and quickly slapped both hands over my mouth.
Bugs with too many legs... that's my biggest fear...
Only once those 2 spiders had crawled along the wall and disappeared into the distance did I pat my chest to calm myself and step forward again, carefully pulling the panel back open... and there, lying inside, was a thick notebook.
The notebook looked surprisingly clean.
...Found it!
I pinched it out with 2 fingers, hurried back to the desk, sat down, and imdiately flipped it open.
Inside, in neat, delicate handwriting, densely packed with entries, was... sothing I couldn't make heads or tails of.
[1183.6.5
2,300 ml, no reaction from the relic bone.
1183.7.7
3 liters, no reaction.
1183.8.16
15 liters, faint reaction. Am I using the right thod?
1184.10.2
The relic bone has shown a new change. Our approach is correct, but I need more of the dium.
1184.10.9
32 liters, made contact with the relic bone's consciousness, connection broke after 3 seconds.
1184.10.15
4 liters, strong reaction.
1184...]
The further down I read, the deeper my frown beca.
What on earth is all this about...
"Chirp chirp—"
The third insect call rang out, and I couldn't help but flip quickly to the very end of the notes.
[1187.2.14
2 liters. I still need about 2 more months to complete the Goddess's Tear.
1187.2.21
I am overjoyed! Elna was right, the entrance to the Land of Dragons must be hidden in Woodward Forest. Our deduction was completely correct! All I need now is another half a year...
1187.2.29
I have run out of ti. I will be exposed soon. From here on, I will stake everything on one desperate gamble, destroy the clock tower and complete the mission.
May I find my way back into the embrace of the gods after my death.]
The notebook ended there.
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