Things to Find ③
As we left the shop, Ms. Pachira spoke.
“The next one is the last, is it not?”
“The last one?”
Fewer than I thought.
No, far too few, more than I expected.
“However, strictly speaking, he doesn’t sell books. It’s a private collection.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He’s a collector. I believe he should have it there.”
Hm? A book collector in a town like this?
I found it strange, but something else bothered me first.
“Then why is he the last one we’re visiting?”
“There are two reasons. One is that the place where he resides is somewhere I’d rather not enter.”
We were heading towards the Slums. I see.
“And the other reason?”
“I don’t get along well with him, you know. That fellow.”
“Ah… I see.”
I understand that feeling, given my own difficulties with the Witch.
We entered an alley in the Slums.
Despite the narrow passage, shops lined both sides.
The men lingering in the dimly lit street looked vaguely menacing.
Then, seeing us, they spoke.
“Heheheheh.”
“Hey, hey. Lookie here. Ain’t that a little kitten?”
“A lost little kitten, huh? Nice.”
“No, wait. That’s a Tier III… woman!”
“I’ve seen her before! Trape-something, right?!”
“Seriously?”
“Tch, bad luck.”
The men scurried away.
What was that all about?
“As expected of you, Ms. Pachira.”
“Hmph. Having one’s name known can serve as an insect repellent, but you seem quite composed.”
“About what?”
“About you.”
“Oh, well, I live near the residential area of the Slums.”
Not that I’d casually wander into a place like this, though.
I have no reason to.
“Hoh. Hm. We’ve arrived.”
Partway down the alley. On the right side.
Suddenly, there was a gaping staircase leading underground.
“Is this it?”
“Indeed.”
It certainly didn’t look like a shop. We descended the stairs.
After a slight turn, there was a red, semi-arched door.
Knock, knock. Knock, knock.
Ms. Pachira knocked on the door.
“Who is it?”
“It is I.”
“Ah, it’s you.”
A man’s voice, sounding as if something clicked into place, replied, and the door opened.
Entering, we saw a refined-looking man with gray hair, brown skin, and glasses, holding a book under his arm.
He wore a white shirt and black trousers. Quite ordinary.
He looked at me with purple eyes.
“Oh? Is he your boyfriend?”
“He is not.”
“I’m not.”
“Oh my, I thought spring had finally come for Pachira.”
The man chuckled.
“More importantly, there’s a book I want.”
“What is it? Ah. But before that, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet, have we?”
“?”
The man smiled at me.
“I am Ambrosius Mernuris.”
“I’m Wof.”
“A pleasure. Well now, standing and talking isn’t ideal, and conversing in the entryway is rather uncouth, wouldn’t you say?”
“Then let us in quickly.”
“Yes, yes.”
He chuckled softly and let us inside.
Ms. Pachira looked sullen.
I felt like I was starting to understand why she didn’t like him.
The place we were led into was truly magnificent.
It was a space like a concert hall.
Lined up within were easily several dozen bookshelves.
Naturally, the books were packed tightly, filling every gap.
Not only the bookshelves but the furnishings were also splendid.
It looked just like a library.
A world apart from the Witch’s house.
“That’s an incredible number of books.”
“Isn’t it just? Isn’t it just?”
“The height of eccentricity, is it not?”
“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment. So, what book is it that you desire?”
Ms. Pachira directed her gaze towards me.
“An Herbal Encyclopedia and a book or encyclopedia on recovery potions.”
“Oh my, oh my, that’s quite a rare item you’re requesting.”
“Do you have it?”
When I asked, Ambrosius-san pushed his glasses up slightly.
“…I feel like I might have an Herbal Encyclopedia.”
“What about the book on recovery potions?”
“That one… I likely don’t have it here.”
“Then hand over just the Herbal Encyclopedia.”
“Hand over, you say? Haha, as expected, I can’t just give it away for free.”
Ambrosius-san wore a troubled expression.
Well, of course.
Ms. Pachira took out that Weapon Encyclopedia.
“An exchange for this.”
“This is… May I have a look?”
The look in Ambrosius-san’s eyes changed.
“Here.”
“Then right away… Oh, this is nice. It even includes OOPArts.”
Ambrosius-san flipped through the encyclopedia, looking delighted.
“Ms. Pachira.”
“What is it?”
“Who exactly is Ambrosius-san? He had a surname, didn’t he?”
“Hoh. Wof, you noticed that? Indeed. He is an eccentric millionaire.”
“Haha, how harsh.”
“It’s the truth, is it not?”
“That may be so, but I am technically nobility. Though merely the lowest rank of Viscount.”
“Is that so? But aren’t nobles Edda?”
“Ah, that’s right. All Edda are nobles. I myself am an Edda, you know.”
“You’re mixed blood, aren’t you?”
“Still an Edda.”
Ambrosius-san laughed.
Edda. The ruling race over all others. Called the Supreme Race.
Without exception, the Edda are the nobility and royalty of this world.
Of course, other races have nobles and royalty too.
But the Edda race, without exception, consists of nobles and royalty.
“Hmph. So, how is that encyclopedia as payment?”
“It’s good. Very well. Let’s make the exchange. I’ll go get it. Please wait a moment.”
And so, we were left alone.
I immediately spoke to Ms. Pachira.
“Um…”
“What is it?”
“That encyclopedia is the one you bought, Ms. Pachira, right?”
“Indeed.”
“So, exchanging it like this…”
“Do not concern yourself. I have money.”
“B-But, I haven’t done anything to deserve such…”
“Our meeting is also fate… Hmm. Then, how about this? How about you treat me to a meal at the Cidre Tavern?”
“Understood.”
Her mischievous smile made it easy to nod in agreement.
“Thank you for waiting. Here you go.”
The book Ambrosius-san handed over.
It was unmistakably an Herbal Encyclopedia.