CH 168

I would like to meet the Bear already…

“Uuh, as I said, I went to the back of the library from the very beginning, right? I used a teleport bug to get the Nekuranomikon and entered the library by using Infinite Mirage Prison again.” (Souma)

At the time when I separated from everyone and went to the back of the library, I said it would be ‘a 100 times faster if I enter from the back with a skill’, but that was by no means an exaggeration.

Entering with Infinite Mirage Prison from the back can avoid the One who knows Wisdom, so you can save a great deal of time.

The basement is at the deepest part of the library. 

In other words, it is at a place terribly close to the back of the library.

You can’t use skills inside the library, but if you use Infinite Mirage Prison from the back, you can just narrowly reach the basement. 

If any of my comrades had seen me using the skill, this misunderstanding wouldn’t have happened. 

I was ‘singing the incantation’ and ‘adjusted my distance to the library’. 

There’s no need to use incantations to enter the library since it has skill nullification, and if it is just to enter the library, you can just get as close to the wall as possible.

It is exactly because I planned on going to the basement that I needed to use Petitplosion and measure the distance in order to not mistakenly enter the library. 

“T-Then, does that mean that you already had the Nekuranomikon before we began the quest?!” (Maki)

“Yeah, that’s what it would mean.” (Souma)

When I said that, Maki’s shoulders drooped. 

Mitsuki rubbed her downed shoulders to comfort her and spoke. 

“When we met up, he placed the book he was reading inside his bag. You can’t put the books in here inside one’s bag, so that must have been the Nekuranomikon. 

I should have noticed that he had already obtained what he wanted at that moment.” (Mitsuki)

Mitsuki continues speaking while lowering her cat ears as if apologetic.

“Ringo-san and I noticed this a little bit later. When you all were solving the riddles. He was reading the Nekuranomikon all normally while you all were desperately doing your best. I was surprised by the nerves he had at that time.” (Mitsuki)

“…It surprised me.” (Ringo)

Ringo added while not looking surprised at all.

Mitsuki wrapped things up after flapping her cat ears as if sympathizing. 

“Things like this will most likely happen again if you are to accompany him in his actions. I stayed silent since I thought it would be better to experience this sooner, but I didn’t expect things to become this serious… My deepest apologies.” (Mitsuki)

“…I am sorry.” (Ringo)

The two lower their heads at the same time. 

Maki hurriedly stopped them. 

“I-It is okay. It is not the fault of you two. More importantly, I would like to know why Souma didn’t say anything about this.” (Maki)

Maki approaches me. 

Contrary to her carefree tone, her eyes were sharp. 

“No, I didn’t plan on hiding it at first, you know? I did try to talk about it the moment we arrived here after all.” (Souma)

Even though I haven’t done anything bad, I lost to that pressure and ended up taking a tone as if I am justifying myself here. 

But it is true that I had no intention of hiding it. 

If Seirie-san didn’t come and tell me about the entrance fee and all that,  I would have told them from the get-go.

“Then why did you stay silent until now?! You could have told us about it whenever you wanted!” (Maki)

But the anger of Maki didn’t calm down. 

She is trying to corner me with merciless words. 

“…That’s because I saw you all challenging the riddle seriously.” (Souma)

When I told them about the problems with mistaken answers, Leila and the others didn’t stop challenging the quest. 

At that time, they seemed like they didn’t care about the Nekuranomikon business, or the unfair tricks to it, and were simply enjoying the riddle solving. 

That’s the most correct stance as a gamer. 

What we Nekomimi Neko players have lost. 

That’s why…

“…I couldn’t do it. Doing something like telling you all an unnecessary thing and throwing cold water to your spirit.” (Souma)

Those words that I placed a flood of emotions in made everyone fall silent. 

“…Souma.” (Maki)

Maki, who was the fastest one to recover here, approached me and…

“It is because you are like this that I always…always…!” (Maki)

“Uwa, wait, Maki, sto—!” (Souma)

She grabbed my clothes and began to shake me. 

Maybe because of her stupid strength as a game character, my body shook like a leaf. 

“C-Calm down! We can reach an understanding if we talk!!” (Souma)

“You are the one who doesn’t understand, Souma!” (Maki)

I desperately try to calm down Maki with my vision quaking while feeling a bit nostalgic about this situation.

Even in Japan, Maki would suddenly get angry for whatever reason, and I would get flailed about the whole time. 

Before I began living alone, she would come to my house suddenly on holidays, would drag me around to parks, movies, amusement parks, shopping, and stuff like that. Even at the times when I was playing video games at home, she would lean on me from behind, lay down on top of my lap, drink my beverages on her own, and would say things like ‘I will massage you’ and be very close to destroying my joints. She really has been one wild storm I have been swirled into.

Both of my hands are not enough to count how many troubles of Maki I have had to clean up for her. 

And yet, she would say stuff like ‘Who knows what Souma would do without me by his side with his lack of common sense~’ as if she were my guardian.

She even came to a different world to become a princess, so I would like her to get a little bit of common sense, but it seems like the hopes are slim.

“…So this is…a hero. A peak that can’t be reached by the thoughts of the common, huh.” (Seirie)

I somehow managed to tear Maki away from me and Seirie-san was saying something at the back with her glasses flashing. 

By the way, when I look at Leila…

“Souma! You were thinking so far for my sake…?!” (Leila)

She looked up at me with teary eyes. 

It would trouble me if she were to snap all of a sudden like Maki, but this is also difficult to deal with in its own way.

I looked at Mitsuki as if seeking help, but…

“…I thought this would be a good lesson, but it seems like things just don’t go smoothly.” (Mitsuki)

Her cat ears were shriveled up and didn’t seem like she would help me out here. 

“P-Please wait!!” 

But a voice was raised from somewhere unexpected.

“…Ina?” (Souma)

“Then why did you need to clear the quest, Souma-san?” (Ina)

Ina was turning her gears desperately in order to follow here, but she stood right in front of me and asked me this nervously.

“Eh? Aah, that’s…” (Souma)

I glance at the side and confirm the presence of Seirie-san.

She seemed confused as if she didn’t understand why I looked at her. 

“Uhm, Souma-san…?” (Ina)

Ina speaks again uneasy.

…This is troubling.

I was wondering how to answer this, and Ringo muttered.

“…Mole-san?” (Ringo)

At a glance, it is a word that makes no sense.

But the perceptive Mitsuki noticed it with just that. 

She ended up noticing.

“…I see. Now that I think about it, you said it at the very beginning. The 2 ways to steal a book from this library: Shoplifting Dash and the other one. 

If I remember correctly…the Mole Style Teleport Technique?” (Mitsuki)

My shoulders jumped. 

I hurriedly tried to play it off, but Mitsuki’s eyes caught that clearly. 

“N-No way! Souma, the reason why you wanted us to open the basement was because you wanted to steal books?!” (Maki)

“I-Is that true, Souma-san?!” (Ina)

The eyes of Maki and Ina hurt. 

I couldn’t take them and averted my gaze, but there was a bespectacled oni awaiting me there. 

“U-Uuh, Seirie-san? That just now was…” (Souma)

“…Souma-sama? Can I please have a word with you?” (Seirie)

Seirie-san spoke as if she were speaking through her grit teeth. 

I can feel pressure incomparable to that of the time when I almost skipped on the entrance fee. 

…Ah, this is bad. 

This is a bad route. 

I remembered the lecture I had before as if it were a revolving lantern, and was half prepared for death here, but…

—-Waaaaaaaaaaaaan!

An unexpected lifeboat came from an expected direction.

“…What was that just now?” 

A strange sound rang from the upper floor -from the library. 

Like the roar of a beast, or the cry of a baby; that kind of creepy mixed sound.

Seirie-san must have thought that is a matter that must be prioritized more than me, she freed me and…

“It might be a lost child… I will go check for a bit.” (Seirie)

She quickly went up the stairs. 

“…Don’t think it is over just yet.” (Seirie)

Moreover, she didn’t forget to nail that in. 

I am glad Seirie-san is dedicated to her job.

I rubbed my chest in relief, but I can’t stay relaxed the whole time.

“…Mitsuki.” (Souma)

“Got it.” (Mitsuki)

It is not assured that the inside of the library is safe yet. 

Even if you can’t use magic inside the library, it is not like it is impossible to do battle actions. 

I was thinking about asking Mitsuki to guard Seirie-san, but it seems like that wasn’t needed.

“Leila-san, hide the book!” (Seirie)

Seirie-san, who had gone up to check things out, ran back and shouted this. 

Seirie-san wouldn’t panic no matter how flustered she is, but she announced this with her all without hiding her agitation.

“The Mage Guild hasn’t given up on that book yet! A suspicious mage is right by—ah!” (Seirie)

But even that desperate warning was too late. 

A jet black wind jumped by the side of Seirie-san into the basement.

“Wa?!” 

No one could react to this sudden development. 

No, we didn’t know how to react to it. 

It was already right before me by the time I snapped back to my senses. 

“Sto—” (Souma)

My words didn’t serve much. 

The jet black shadow did a body blow as if doing a kamikaze onto me, and pushed me down along with it. 

“Souma!!” 

Someone shouted. 

But before that voice reached my ears, the mage on top of me did an unbelievable attack on me. 

…The horrible attack of making a mess out of my chest from the opening of its mask with tears and snot. 

“T-That’s horrible. You are so horrible, Souma! Hiding at a place like this and leaving me out!! I was searching a lot, like a whole whole lot!!” 

The name of this black clothed person bawling his eyes out on my chest is Sazan. 

There’s no mage as suspicious as this with a jet black cloak and creepy mask.

-Extra

An easy Mole Style Teleport Technique that even Sazan can do?! 

Reference a different guide of the Wiki to learn how to clear the One who knows Wisdom. 

If you have the capital, the omikuji method is recommended. 

In the case you have companions, make sure you have them act separately, or disband the party and don’t bring them with you. 

If they see you in the act, there’s the chance of you being labeled a criminal. 

You must not hold the books in your hands no matter what at this moment!! 

If you leave the library while holding the book, you will be labeled a thief and become a criminal regardless of witnesses. 

There’s the possibility of the labeling happening if you throw them, so you gotta go with kicking. 

You kick, kick, and kick your heart out for the books you want! Score goals onto the basement! 

With this, preparations are done. 

Please retrieve the books in the basement.

If it is a book that gets consumed, it is alright to just read them there. 

Please go outside with Infinite Mirage Prison. 

You will have to redo everything if you end up inside the library when doing this step, so be careful! 

You have obtained what you wanted. 

You can cook them, burn them, or lick them. You can do as you wish now. 

Yay!