MTLNOVEL Ch. 10
Chapter 10
Deep in the night.
I rustled through my open violin case.
‘There was definitely an assassin outfit in here… Here it is.’
“My lady… Where are you going at this hour?”
“Shh. Keep sleeping.”
Through the gap under the bed, Apple saw me moving busily.
I was…
Wearing a mask with holes for eyes, nose, and mouth, and an assassin outfit.
“Eek! S-Sorry! I’ll do better!”
“What? It’s fine, relax. Keep sleeping.”
“I-I’ve never seen a corpse! I can’t do body disposal! I mean, I won’t!”
“Why would I make you do that? I’m not making you do anything.”
“Sob… Waaah… R-Really…?”
“Yes, yes. Our Apple, wipe those eye crusts and sleep.”
“Sniff… Thanks, my lady…”
Thinking she was dreaming, Apple blinked slowly and closed her eyes.
✦ ✦ ✦
I gave up on persuading Luca with gifts or threats.
Threatening with a weapon? He’d overpower me before I pulled the trigger. Giving a gift? He might trace the money and rob me. He looked like he needed cash.
He might be reasonable, but his subtle battle-crazed vibe made it too risky.
I’m supposedly super strong, which makes it worse.
‘I only need variant core books from the library. No need to make a fuss. I’ll sneak in at dawn and leave.’
So, I headed to the library.
For some reason, there was an assassin outfit in my violin case.
It muffled footsteps and fabric rustles, perfect for sneaking in.
During my earlier scouting, I’d noted the door and window locations.
At the library’s front door, I slipped a hand into my mask, pulling a hairpin from my hair.
I inserted the hairpin into the keyhole.
Click!
Luckily, the library’s lock was old-fashioned, as I’d noticed earlier. A skill I learned to escape kidnappings came in handy.
Entering, I closed all windows and doors.
The library was too large for one person, feeling empty.
Luca’s clothes on a drying rack, a well-preserved magical beast carcass, cleaned recyclables in trash bags, broken mirror shards.
Traces of life were everywhere.
Thankfully, the library’s books were well-preserved.
‘Variant core… Do I really have one?’
I pulled out Angel’s search paper. It floated, glowing brightly.
Tiptoeing, I followed where it led.
✦ ✦ ✦
Smack!
Luca was sleeping in a gap between bookshelves, and the search paper hovered above a shelf over his head.
Of all places, Luca chose to sleep under the shelf I needed.
To get the book, I’d have to cross his mattress.
‘This is just unfair!’
I looked down at the sleeping Luca.
In his pretty lace dress, he slept like an angel.
No snoring, so he was in deep sleep this time.
He looked so peaceful, I’d feel bad waking him.
‘What do I do?’
Do? I’m here, so I’m not backing out.
He wouldn’t kill me if things went south.
I carefully climbed onto the mattress.
Creak…
Creak…
Adjusting my mask, I crawled up the bed.
I brought a regular backpack, as the violin case might give me away.
‘He’s sprawled out, making it hard to move.’
I stretched forward, reaching for the shelf.
“…”
“…!!”
Then Luca mumbled in his sleep, rolling to the right.
Balancing awkwardly between his arm and side, I lost my balance and fell right.
“Ugh!”
Thud!
I lightly hit my head on the shelf. Worse, my mask caught on a protruding splinter, pulling it off.
Rustle.
My pale, jade-tinted silver hair cascaded softly.
“…?”
Luca, half-opening his eyes, looked at the girl suddenly in his arms.
Bathed in moonlight streaming through the library, my light green-tinted white hair shimmered. My long lashes framed vivid green eyes.
“…Wow.”
“…”
“…Amazing.”
Luca mumbled in a hoarse voice.
“…”
“…Princess, why’re you here?”
Princess…?
He was talking in his sleep, his speech slurred. Good thing his consciousness was fuzzy.
Hand on my waist, I answered carefully.
“Can I take a few books?”
“Yeah… Take whatever you want.”
“…!! Thank you.”
My genuine smile left Luca momentarily dazed.
“I’m more…”
In his sleep, Luca hugged me tighter. The warming magic in his dress made us both toasty.
“I’m more grateful…”
“Can you let go? I need to get the books.”
“…You hate it that much?”
“A little.”
“…You live up to your face.”
At that, Luca released me.
Freed, I wrapped him in the blanket and tucked him into a corner of the bed.
Opening my bag, I stuffed it with the books I needed.
Rolled in the blanket, Luca watched me take the books with half-open eyes.
“Uh… But that’s weird. Aren’t you a freshman? Why’re you really…”
As I zipped my bag, Luca snapped awake, bolting upright.
His face was bright red.
“You!! You’re real? What’re you doing here!”
Damn! He’s fully awake!
“…I had business at Lemaos Library. Sorry, did I wake you?”
Luca calmed himself to assess the situation, looking around.
A dreamlike figure in an assassin outfit visiting him at dawn.
Dream or reality?
He grabbed a weapon by his bedside.
“Sneaky for a pretty face, a dawn ambush.”
“No, it’s not an ambush…”
“Don’t make excuses in an assassin outfit. Draw your weapon.”
As expected, I clicked my tongue.
I hadn’t even hoped for an ideal outcome.
Good thing I prepared.
Shouldering both backpack straps, I pulled a fine pollen-filter mask from my pocket and put it on.
Ping!
“What’s that?”
Hiss…
I pulled the pin on a sleep incense capsule hanging at my waist. I’d closed all windows and doors to trap the scent.
“What’s this! What is it?”
“Don’t be scared, it’s just your dream.”
Inhaling the mist, sleepiness hit Luca again.
I caught the staggering Luca and gently laid him back on the bed.
“Rainbows have snails crawling on them.”
“What’re you saying?”
“Feeling good is Professor Spitu’s school days. Kelnor’s actually jealous of your heart bunny lace dress. But is it really like drinking coffee? Tomorrow’s lunch is katsu curry.”
“Huh…?”
As I spouted nonsensical dream-like sentences, Luca started to buy it. His consciousness faded, and the absurd words began to make sense.
“Did you know humans have six fingers, and the extra one becomes the tailbone as we grow?”
“…”
“…”
“Of course…”
Luca fell back asleep, and I put my mask back on.
Checking thoroughly for stray hairs, I ventilated the room and slipped out of the library.