Chapter 145

When Noah had climbed over fifty stairs, she could see the whole view of the lab. She rubbed something within her pocket, a thing she carried all the time. It was Largo’s eyeball, whose pair was lost in the Angelic and was never found. It would have been quite useful in this situation as it can transmit the view of another perspective even from afar.

But she couldn’t help it if it was already lost. Noah stepped inside, hoping that Muell would wear Adrian’s spirit out.

Before her was a library owned by Laurent’s Magic Department. The library contained the originals of all the magical history books and detailed records of the designs, research processes, and inventions distributed in Laurent. It was an exclusive place where no one could enter without the minister’s permission.

The Magic Department’s library was a little different from the image that usually comes to mind upon picturing a library. At the center of the large space were tall bookshelves lined up in four to five rows, and there were square vaults of different sizes on the walls. Most of the vaults had glass covers, revealing the contents, but some were covered.

Noah first rummaged through the high bookshelves piled with thick books, enough to make her feel dizzy with only a look. Also, the bookshelves were over twice her height. Noah felt as if she was trapped in a forest of books.

Now, then. How do I find what I want in this vast space…

Adrian’s time with Muell usually didn’t exceed an hour. Although the little boy gives his best to distract and exhaust Adrian, it bothered Noah that he had seen her head towards the library. Maybe it was better to sneak in like a thief in the middle of the night, Noah thought. She wished she could obtain a useful piece of information so she wouldn’t have to. 

The boxes on the wall and the books on the bookshelf were all arranged in alphabetical order. There was only one clue she had: the “r” in the alphabet, which she assumed was ‘replica’.

Noah listened to the sound coming from the bottom of the library and headed to the bookshelf, where books starting with the letter “R” were gathered. After a deep breath, she began to browse through the books. There was one thing she was looking for. 

“…I found it.”

She stretched her hand toward the thick book sitting on the second shelf. The title of the book written on the back cover was ‘Replica Design Theory – Basic’.

Basic Part of Replica Design Theory. I’ve found one… There can’t be only one book in this huge library with the word ‘Replica’.

She took the book she had just found, opened the first page, and carefully hovered above the pages the nail-sized magnifying glass she had brought. The lenses shook for a moment and seemed to balance, and soon spread a web of mana nets. 

The net began to descend slowly on the page. The letters, which were cramped on the page, were quickly sucked into the lens. As soon as it finished scanning the entire page, the next page flipped on its own. As she busied over the book, Noah didn’t disregard her surroundings in fear that the sound of turning pages might leak out of the door. 

By now, the printing press at Eleonora’s mansion must be materializing the contents of the book that the magnifying glass was transmitting, and it only took less than five minutes to transmit the entire contents of a book. 

She scoured the bookshelf once more and took out the books containing the word ‘replica’, or ‘clone’. After she had scanned each book, she inserted it back in its place.

When Noah had just pulled out a book entitled “Pure Magic Application – Copy” and held it in my arms, the air in the library suddenly changed. With a shrieking sound, the door to the library that she left open stirred. 

Someone came in. She breathed in silently, listening to the sound at the entrance. The squeak of the door had stopped, and soon there were slow footsteps.

“……!” Noah bit her lips and hurriedly put the book she was holding back to the shelf. As she panicked, the book bumped into the other books on both sides and made a thud.

Tap. Tap. The footsteps were getting closer. Then, at one point, it stopped. A strange voice echoed in the quiet library.

“…Lady Asil? What are you doing here?”