[A/N: Welcome to Vol 4 and the turning point of the story! The start is slightly abrupt but all will make sense within the next 2-3 chapters. The events will all be revealed soon, you guys can connect the dots. You are meant to be confused here. Just assume we took a long break and are returning in a fresh shape to hook you or something. Yup, we have taken a long break on paper now, let's go with that.]
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"How long has that guy been in the library?"
"That's your question? Ask how long he has been doing those one handed pull-ups."
"On the fiftieth floor!?"
"Guys, hush! That damn Tyrant of the Library will take all your books!"
A bunch of noises came crashing into my ears. People just couldn't help but look around whenever they see someone doing something that goes against their values, huh? And they never hesitated to give me the most stupid nicknames either.
"Eugy, Eugy, when are you going to find that book?" Pulling my hair as I performed the pull-ups, a platinum-blonde fairy started screaming in my ears. "Aw man, I liked it better when they were long."
"They still are."
"But, shoulder length isn't that cool. You looked good with a pony-tail!"
Really now? Well, I guess my hair just reaching my shoulder did give off a more feminine look. But my face suited it all, so who cared? Of course my face suited it all. It had to. It better.
"Coming back! The book!"
"For now I am going to look into more ancient scriptures, I might be close to finding out the meaning behind the sigils."
Just as I finished those words, I flipped to the last page of the book in my hand. Sighing, I looked down from the crossbars spanning the length of the atrium that stretched up the hundred floors of the library. The shelves were lined up in circular passages quite a bit far from the center crossbar that I was currently using to perform pull-ups.
I sighed and tossed the book away. It curved in the air and landed on a heap of books that spanned the entire height of the fiftieth floor, next to 17 more such piles.
"Catene, go get me another."
The chains wrapped around my hand whirred and moved over to the shelves splayed over the floor. This one had quite a lot of ancient, archaic books which made it easier to sort through things.
"Hm, I am getting a little thirsty."
At my pointless mutterings, all the students within earshot flinched.
One of them adjusted his glasses on the forty-ninth floor.
"I'll get you some juice right away sir!" He shouted.
"Oh, it's the protruding teeth guy!"
Poor guy had an amusing face which always earned him a laugh from Titania. I never even asked him to run errands for me, but I guess school kids were just natural suckers no matter what world.
"Scram, bring me something I like."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"W-what do you like sir?"
"Figure it out."
"Uh—"
"Hey."
The kid adjusted his glasses and ran away again.
"Man, you're helping people out even here, huh?"
Right then, the crossbar I was performing pull-ups on creaked loudly. When I turned to the side I saw someone approaching me with his hands stretched out on both sides, walking on the plank like a circus artist.
"Who?"
"Me! Albert! Who else would talk like that?!"
"Eh…"
"Don't act disappointed you son of a bitch."
I continued performing pull-ups as Albert walked over right next to me and sat down on the plank. The black cat that was there jerked up and hopped right down on to my shoulder.
"This cat of yours is pretty feisty," Albert commented.
I gazed to my side and saw the cat making itself comfortable on my shoulder. I used my free hand to scratch its cheeks.
"What do you mean help people?"
"That kid stopped being bothered by others since you started bothering him. Kinda like big shark small shark?"
Was that even a thing?
"Hey, hey, Alby boy, bring out Aine."
"I can't miss Titania, that takes too much energy."
"Grow a pair then."
"Tsk, it's not my fault your partner is a fucking monster."
I clicked my tongue.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much," Albert shrugged. At that moment, Catene came back while holding a couple of books in its chains. Running over again and again must have bothered it. It dropped a book in my hand and left the others on the crossbar.
Albert picked one book and started flipping through it.
"You seem to have gone too far back in time. Do you even get all this?"
"Etymology is more fun that I thought. I'll learn the ancient languages soon."
"You have been in the library for almost a week now, that pinky teacher is getting a bit annoyed."
I sighed at his words. That teacher named Vivian seemed to hate me quite a bit, never missing any chance to take her anger out on me.
That said, missing classes for a week was a bit too much.
"But well, it's best if I don't go in front of Luka."
Albert crossed his legs at my words.
"Give me a bit more, he understands its not your fault, but he's too emotional right now." Flipping through the pages, Albert sighed and picked up the next book. "I'll convince him soon, those two princesses and that girl too."
"No, I don't mind at all. I would be pretty pissed if that happened to me."
"What the heck," Albert smirked. "You've gotten more mellow since that thing a month ago, huh?"
"And you've grown more accepting."
"Well, if you tell me Eugene Hall was a kid in your head and both of you merged together there's nothing I can say." Albert shrugged, slamming the books down. "Guess you are both of them now. I can't keep calling you Yujin at this point."
"I don't mind either, Albert."
Albert stood up and stretched his arms above his head.
"I am sorry you are being blamed here."
"Just quit considering yourself responsible. Focus on that faction thing of yours, the moment we are a bit more sane we'll get back to it, right?"
"Still…" Albert coughed. "The suspicion would have never popped up if I more competent."
"I would have never been caught in that trap if I was stronger. It's like you're blaming me too now."
Albert gazed down at me and shook his head.
"That wasn't my intention."
"I know. Just take it easy."
"Yeah…"
"And take care of that kid, it's not an easy pill to swallow."
"I will."
With that, Albert waved his hands and started walking away on the plank. I ignored him and looked back at the books he had gazed through, and saw a list of more useful stuff similar to it. This analysis bastard sure was competent.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAs I got back to performing my push ups, a sound came from below.
"Sir! I've got all the juices they sell at the library!"
That guy was back.
For someone I was bullying, he sure was being quite amicable.
"There's wine, and smoothies too! I don't what you like so—"
"Just hand me the water and give the rest to whoever wants it."
"Ah…"
"And I'll pay you back."
"Y-you don't have to—"
"Shut up and accept it while I am being nice."
A bigger bully stopping smaller bullies, huh? Well, if I was going to help someone, I'd rather do it properly. There was no need to be a bully when we could be friends.
The boy bowed deeply and walked away with a smile. The others who had heard it too glanced at me a few times, but when I gestured at them to go ahead, they gladly indulged in taking what was for free.
Catene pulled up the water for me and in some time, the mass of the library had shifted away.
"What's this?" A raspy voice rang out right next to my ears. I felt a soft pelt rubbing against my nape as the cat stuck out its tongue and licked my ears.
"Quit it."
"How shy meow~"
Annoying.
"Is this out of guilt? Or are you actually pretending to be kind meow?"
"Eugy, does this bitch have to do this meow meow thing?" Titania pointed at the cat and frowned.
"Watch it, little fairy, I am not a bitch but a cat. If I am not a cat, then what am I?"
"Do you want me to compare you to a prime minister?!"
"That's one obscure joke you're cracking."
What the hell were these guys talking about?
I sighed and took a sip of the water.
"Don't think too much into it. I am just doing what I am doing for no particular reason."
"Oh? Well, whatever meow. It'll help the mood of the academy for sure," the cat continued purring as it spoke. "Everyone is sad since…"
Since one of the students of the academy died in the tower.
"One of the regressors died, right meow?"