Permission to read the collections of the great library was given too easily. It was so easy that I had to check again just in case I had heard it wrong.
"Can I really read any book...?"
The next moment, as I was regretting it while thinking that I shouldn't have asked again, a benevolent laugh escaped grandfather Archbishop's mouth which sounded like thunder out of the blue.
"All the books that are difficult for outsiders to see have already been moved to the current sanctuary."
Hearing that, I froze.
'There isn't anything left?!'
In addition, the fact that they took important books from the old sanctuary means that the classification of books was being done quite well, so there was no way that a forbidden book would remain in such a place.
Well, what if the priest, whose spirit of inquiry was stronger than his faith, hid it secretly...
Only the thought that Eden might have misplaced it grew.
But really, because of these 'one in a million odds,' I couldn't give up searching the sanctuary. Could there have been a priest who really immersed himself in the search for the world's logic, even at the cost of blasphemy? The odds were really low, though.
...Would it be low enough to be possessed into a romance novel after leaving an angry review?
The sanctuary's 'large library' was a rather embarrassing scale to be called a large library. It seemed that there was an exaggeration to inspire faith.
I moved slowly between the bookshelves that looked like they would collapse if I touched them the wrong way. There was nothing special about the stone walls, bookshelves, books, wooden desks and chairs, as well as the slime and bodily fluids of the monsters.
The neglected paper smelled of mold, perhaps because the insect eggs were around as well.
'Hm.'
I thought as I put my hands behind my back.
'I'll have to look at it starting tomorrow.'
I should also wear gloves when I come tomorrow.
I visited the abandoned sanctuary every day.
Although the size of the library was shabby compared to the imperial library, it was much more difficult to read since it wasn't as well organized as the imperial library, and most of the books were difficult to read because their covers were damaged by wind, rain, and sunlight.
At first, I was really at a loss, but I had no choice but to start classifying them because I thought there was no way but to empty my head and work.
The grandfather's archbishop offered to help, but I politely declined.
While it would be easier with help, I thought that if I found a suspicious book, it would end up in the hands of the Temple of Tunia immediately.
To be honest, I thought I could do this even if I didn't find anything. In this environment full of books with unknown titles of similar height, I didn't think Eden would have found anything either. So, in the end, I decided to just think of it as a pastime and carefully picked out a book from one shelf and started to check it.
Soon, it had been a week since I spent time in the sanctuary's great library.
Most of the books I found here were boring doctrinal books or piety essays about the incarnation of the God Tunia. There were also quite a few ordinary books as well. When I found 「 History of Actilus 」, which was also in the imperial library, I was glad for nothing.
Nonetheless, there were no books that dealt with the existence of other worlds or possessed by other souls.
I sighed as I carefully closed the book, where the binding had worn out, and the paper was falling apart.
'I knew it'd be like this.'
Since I didn't have high expectations, I wasn't particularly disappointed. And even though I hadn't looked around all the libraries, I thought that maybe the other places would be no different.
'Shall we go back today?'
The only ones who came to these ruins today were me and a paladin, who had accompanied me in the name of security.
The traces left by the beasts had already been cleaned and completed the day before yesterday, and that repair work would begin tomorrow as the priests were preparing materials to repair this old sanctuary in the present sanctuary.
While I didn't mind coming alone, the grandfather Archbishop sent me with a guard. It wasn't something I couldn't understand, so I just let him follow me.
Instead, I asked not to be disturbed when I'd be reading in the library.
I decided to go back, even though the day was still long, in order to save the paladin who was waiting bored outside. However, the moment I put the book I was holding into the bookshelf, there was a sound of something falling from the other side.
'...What?'
When I went back there, a small book fell on the floor. I picked it up without thinking. Nevertheless, I couldn't put it back where it was, and I could only gaze down at the cover with my mouth open for a long time.
I had goosebumps all over my body.
'What's this...?'
My heart was pounding, and my hands started to tremble.
...I was wrong, and Eden was right.
There was indeed something here, but I wasn't sure if this was a book that would help us get back to the original world.
I couldn't help but close my eyes tightly.
An illustration of a single red flower blooming on a black background... even the title, plainly written in white letters, was a familiar book to me.
_________________________
『 Flowers Bloom In The Abyss 』
The novel I read on the internet was here. However, it was a book that wasn't suitable for this era, where books were still lavishly decorated in hardcover because they were still luxury goods, and this was a small paperback edition.
After catching my breath for a long time, I struggled to open the book.
Unlike the other books, this one was ironically neat. Although the paper was slightly yellow, there were no bug bites, putrid or moldy spots, and the binding was strong, so it was overly foreign.
After passing the inner cover and the table of contents, the novel began with a familiar passage on the next page.
The godson of the God of War plundered the Saintess of the God of Mercy.
I was chilled to the bone.
Nailed to the spot, I continued reading even though I already knew everything as I couldn't stop my gaze.
It was such a severe snowstorm that even the knights of Actilla, the cruel god, had to turn their heads. The snow that suddenly fell from the dry sky piled up at a frightening speed and froze as they piled up together. They couldn't possibly go further on the path they had intended.
Everyone waited for the commander's decision.
With his curls of golden hair fluttering, the young and beautiful young man stared at the blocked road for a long time.
"Retreat."
It was a predetermined decision.
I repeated the phrase over and over again.
On the next page, the first meeting between Raniero and Seraphina was described in very dramatic sentences. Despite the fact that the novel was written from the perspective of a third-person omniscient author's point of view, the story was mostly told from Seraphina's point of view.
Seraphina heard the voice of the God Tunia the other night, telling her that a very important guest was coming.
'There was a setting in the very beginning of the novel that the Saint hears the voice of God.'
The Saint of Tunia, who has lived a life of obedience to the word, prepared wine to warm her body up and waited for guests. And, without any warning, the knights of Actilus came.
After reading this far, my fingertips stopped for a moment.
I wasn't conscious of it when I first read it but reading it like this...
'Didn't the God of Tunia insist that Raniero and Seraphina meet?'
There was a reason I wasn't conscious of this part.
After this, God Tunia didn't give Seraphina any revelations, nor did she ask God to speak to her. She didn't even blame the trust that she was kidnapped by Raniero because of an oracle.
I suddenly became curious.
...Didn't Seraphina really resent God? Or was it just not recorded?
Conceivably, something else was written in such a passing narrative. As I thought so, I hurriedly turned the page. Though before I could turn two more pages, my stomach began to ache.
It was because the death of the Empress was described.
Seraphina had a hunch that something unusual was about to happen. Still trying to pull out her wrist firmly held by the Emperor, she murmured imploringly in a watery voice as if pleading.
"No, don't do that. I beg you."
Still, the Emperor didn't seem to hear anything.
Suddenly, the Empress looked at her. It felt like she was being pierced, so Seraphina stiffened and flinched as if she had been struck by lightning.
The Emperor's longsword scattered a strange light on the floor.
Dark red liquid poured over the light. Seraphina closed her mouth with her free hand. The next moment, the woman's head rolled down with her eyes open. Seraphina staggered back as the empty eyes were still staring at her.
"Here you go."
His sticky sweet voice clung to her ankles. She couldn't bear to look into the eyes of the corpse, so Seraphina turned her head to where the sound came from, and the looter was smiling brightly. The drops of blood splattered on his smooth cheeks, looking like flower petals.
It was dizzying.
"Now, this is your home."
The Emperor uttered, pointing from place to place with the sword dripping with blood.
"Your bed, your clothes, your people..."
The voice was like a song.
"Everything here belongs to you."
Stunned, Seraphina shook her head.
"Please, send me back."
However, the Emperor had no such intention of doing so. He gazed in rapture at the beautiful Saint, who was beautiful even when she was crying with shining eyes.
"The Empress of Actilus. Mine."
Pure spoils!
I leaned on a pillar between the bookshelves and felt nauseous.
Reading the original story again after spending months with Raniero was fresh and intense to the point where my complacent heart became disastrous.
Even though I didn't want to read anymore, I continued reading with an inexplicable urge.
Incarceration, persecution, rebellion, punishment and... revenge.
My stomach still felt nauseous, but I read it all without taking my eyes off it all, even to the ending with Raniero's head being cut off, just as he did to the Empress and Eden.
Seraphina was expressionless, like a butcher soaked in inertia. With her bloodstained hands., she held her hair, which had shone more beautifully than anything valuable in her lifetime.
What followed was a brief description of the future of how the empire would fall apart with the loss of Raniero.
The last paragraph was written on the next page.
There was nothing left of her.
A faint laugh escaped Seraphina's mouth as she shuffled her feet. Her revenge was devastating.
That was how the original story ended. However, the sentences in the book didn't end there.
...There was a page left.
It was the author's review, which wasn't originally there.