CH 52

As soon as I turned the corner, I ducked and found the space where I first met Lepus.

Today, as expected, it was empty, and I could see the other side.

First, let’s say hello to Lepus.

I crumpled and pushed myself inside.

Then, having come fully inside, I got up and looked around.

It’s the same scenery as before, but…

“Lepus?”

Did I fail…?

Lepus could come anytime now, though.

“Aika.”

I turned my head around at the clear voice, and Lepus jumped out from the right.

I sat down on my knees and greeted Lepus.

“Lepus!”

“Long time no see.”

Lepus jumped, came up on my lap.

“But I have to go out again soon.”

“Again? As soon as you arrive?”

“Mmhm. But I will come back. I can’t let Grandpa and Zenda find out. I can keep going back and forth?”

“Ah, then it’s fine. Yes, you can come and go.”

“Then I’ll be back soon.”

Grandpa might have arrived in that short moment.

Busy, how busy.

“Did you finally meet Serpens?”

I was about to squeeze myself back into the hole, but Lepus was right next to me, staring at me.

Ser hissed and shook its body.

“Mm. We’ve had a lot going ooon.”

“Right-ing.”

“I’ll be right back!”

I nodded and came out of the hole.

As soon as I came out of the hole, Lepus was nowhere to be found.

The moment I turned the corner, I saw Grandpa who had returned before I knew it.

It seemed that he was snooping between bookshelves looking for me.

“Grandpa.”

Grandpa’s gaze turned toward me at once.

“You’re here, are you going to read it there?”

“Yes, Grandpa. I’ll stay here!”

As I waved my hand, Grandpa nodded and went away.

“Phew…”

I was relieved and wiped my forehead.

Today is going to be a very busy day.

***

“Are you able to see the future better now?”

“Yep! I also blocked the danger with Ser. Right, Ser?”

“Right-ing.”

As soon as Ser and I met Lepus again, we poured out all our stories.

Lepus perked up its ears and listened to all of our stories.

“Lepus, you know.”

“Yeah.”

“Actually, I missed you, but I came to see you because I wanted to hear more about the hunter. The ‘Predator’ you mentioned.”

Lepus only told me about my enemy and theirs, the hunter, the Predator, but it didn’t tell me how to recognize or deal with them.

I came today to find out.

I need to know something so I can recognize them and avoid them.

“Um, wait.”

Lepus ran somewhere.

Then it came back with a thin book in its mouth.

Thud.

“Look at this.”

“You want me to read this?”

“Yeah.”

It was a dark green book with a durable leather cover.

The letters inlaid with gold weren’t in the Imperial language.

“What’s written on it?”

“Ancient language. Look closely again.”

At Lepus’ words, I carefully read the book.

It’s a word I’ve never seen before, but what’s the difference if I look closely…

“…Predator.”

I muttered to myself and raised my head in surprise.

“Since you inherited the seeker’s ability, you can read things like this.”

“Even if I haven’t learned?”

“You just read it, you know.”

Lepus was right.

Strangely, I was able to read the ancient language as if I were possessed.

Even though I still can’t use the Imperial language perfectly.

“That was a really cool ability!”

“I know right-ing.”

“Because it is.”

Ser and Lepus replied proudly at the same time.

I carefully opened the book.

The faded paper was filled with the same ancient words as the title.

But shouldn’t such an important book be in the ancient library where others can see it?

They say that only those who have the key or permission can enter here, but not all of them are seekers.

I stopped reading and looked up.

“What if someone else finds out about this?”

“Who?”

“They can just see it in the old library. Zenda and Grandpa are still outside.”

“This can only be seen from inside. It’s different from the book over there.”

“Is it different from the outside one?”

“Of course. Because this is the place Seria made. The books over there are all here, but the books here aren’t there.”

“Ah, I see! That’s a relief.”

I turned my gaze to the book again.

“The reckless marauder, Predator. They…”

In the front, the background and purpose of their birth were written.

I turned the pages one by one, pointing with my hands, and finally the part I wanted came out.

“…The seeker who encounters the hunter’s traps will recognize them and it at once. Don’t miss the biting chill when you face them… Chill?”

I flashed my head up.

I met Lepus’ eyes, who was staring.

“Seria says that when you see them or traps, all your senses come together in one place. It was painful, hot, and cold. Wouldn’t you too?”

I opened my mouth and recalled the memory for a moment.

“I… think I’ve felt something similar.”

“Already? When?”

“I-I don’t know for sure.”

However, on the first day I met Russphe, here in the garden, I felt the chill described here.

It was a feeling of fear covering my entire body.

I couldn’t bear that, that’s why I hurried away to Uncle.

When I conveyed those words to Lepus, Lepus said with its hands together.

“Were there hunters nearby? Serpens, did you see it?”

“I was asleep-ing.”

“Can’t you get over that tone?”

Lepus was annoyed at Ser.

“It’s my heart-ing.”

“Because you have a strange stubbornness. Did you feel it anyway?”

“Yep. What if someone saw me?”

At the time, I had no idea that someone was watching me, but according to this book, I might have seen a hunter or a trap.

All I remember is that there was a big tree there.

But the next time, when I measured my height with the tree and Lepus, I was fine.

“Then I guess someone passed by then.”

“A hunter?”

“Maybe. But you couldn’t use any abilities at that time, right?”

“Ability? Ah, yeah. I couldn’t see anything.”

I don’t even have the power of any other relic yet, only Serpens’ ability to see the future.

Besides, I didn’t even see anything that day.

Since Serpens hadn’t woken up in the first place, I couldn’t even see my own ability at my disposal.

“Then you wouldn’t have been caught. If you don’t use your powers, no one will find you. I doubt it.”

I’m relieved to hear that, but one thing is for sure.

“…T-Then that means there is a hunter in the Imperial Palace.”

“They are everywhere in the Empire, Aika.”

“…”

“Don’t worry too much. Still, now that Serpens is awake, you should be able to react much more sensitively than now.”

“Really?”

“Just trust me.”

“Ah, wait!”

While I was concentrating, I forgot to go outside once and come back.

I got up straight away and went into the hole.

***

I had a conversation with Lepus, going back and forth from time to time to the inner and outer ancient library.

“…I’m tired.”

Doing that five times, now I’m really out of breath.

As soon as I entered, I lay down on my bed.

“I want to rest a little now.”

“You did a lot today, so you can rest more.”

“Lepus.”

I asked while lying down looking at the ceiling.

“But Ser has two voices. You know?”

“Yeah, I know.”

“It’s really amazing.”

Ser hissed from the side.

“I know why.”

It knows? I jerked my head away.

“Why?”

“Shut up-ing.”

Before Lepus could speak, Ser blocked Lepus’ mouth.

“I’m annoyed too, you know? I’ll say it, yeah?”

“…”

“A long, really long time ago, when it was a representative of God, people were very afraid of it.”

“Ser?”

“Yep. It was incredibly tall, its eyes were blood red, and its voice was scary! That’s why. It thinks you’ll be afraid. When Seria first discovered the relic, she said that it would be scary because it was shaped like a snake. It must have heard of it.”

I searched for Ser with my eyes wide open.