Five Little Sacrifices

Chapter 74

Freed, Laxus, Bickslow, Roscoe and Evergreen all followed after Leticia who seemed to know exactly where to go. Freed looked around while they walked fast, admiring the huge shelves all around the streets. This library sure was one of a kind.

"This here", Leticia said, still holding Freed's hand – much for Laxus' annoyance – and she pulled a book in one of the shelves.

"Oh man!" Bickslow almost yelled excitedly when a door appeared. "It's a secret -"

"Quiet, you fool", Roscoe snarled and Bickslow quickly shut his mouth before they would draw any attention. Lucky for them, the narrow street was almost completely empty right now and they could slip in the hidden passageway.

The hallway was dark with only some lamps and there were no books around.

"Actually, this place is not for our visitors to use", Leticia explained as they took a turn and went up stairs, following another hallway. Freed noticed big signs on the walls with numbers.

"So we're walking behind shelves?" he asked.

"Suddenly I feel like a mouse", Evergreen huffed.

"And these hallways are meant for staff only?" Freed asked.

"That's right. Those numbers tell you where you are and where you're heading to. This hallway here", Leticia said pointing towards a hallway they passed. "Leads to a crypt 32, which has history of Crocus in it."

"So where are we going?" Laxus grunted.

"To the crypt 15 where you can find everything about Elenbora's history. There is actually a hidden part in it which has all the information about the time when Red Dawn was still active."

"Are you letting us to see them?" Roscoe asked surprised. He had been sure they would have to go through big troubles before they would be able to even hear about Red Dawn anything.

"I can't do that", Leticia chuckled. "That's why we're going to see Trufflepompom."

"Truffle..."

"Trufflepompom. He is a nice man", Leticia smiled looking at them. "He is the one who is in charge of the whole crypt with Elenbora's history, including that secret part of the crypt."

"You don't even know why we want to know about Red Dawn", Freed said. "Why are you so willingly helping us? Of course we are really grateful of that."

"You will learn that soon", Leticia assured and they went down some stairs and took turns on corners. They had to trust that Leticia knew where they were going, since they were already completely lost.

Leticia stopped at the end of one of the hallways and moved something so she could peek out. Once she didn't see any visitors, she moved the handle. The hidden door opened without any sound and they could step out.

"Woah", Roscoe had to say impressed.

The hall had a ceiling so high, there were three galleries supported by columns. Everywhere there were lamps, tables, chairs, everything you might need to read books comfortably and in the middle of the round hall was a big chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

"Okay, that thing is clearly there just for show", Evergreen said when they noticed that the lamps on the chandelier weren't actually that bright.

"It's not wrong to have some glamour", Leticia chuckled and she stepped beside the stone railing. "He should be here."

They all looked down and saw a beautiful marble floor and there was even a little fountain. When they looked aside it, there was an enormous red pillow on the floor and something on top of it.