There Is No Place For Fakes

“What is that?”

To Philodel’s question, Eustis gave a brief explanation and replied that it was an old book that had been handed down to the imperial family from the time of the first Emperor.

‘Ah, what is that…’

Philomel readily swore never to touch it.

“But…”

At that time, the Emperor’s gaze turned to Philomel’s hand.

“Today, you put on the ring of red flames.”

“Oh, yes. It’s a waste to just leave such a pretty ring in a jewelry box.”

In fact, it was to get permission from the Emperor to be seen a little better and enter the dedicated library. It was the ring he had given her, and he was the one who found it and returned it when Roseanne took it away, so Eustis smiled happily.

“Anyway, you really like learning, too. You’re curious about an ancient language and want to enter my library.”

“Haha, I’m a bit interested in languages…”

She hadn’t even opened the book since she stopped taking classes for successors, but when he said that, it stung her a bit. As the conversation paused, the Emperor, who had been looking at Philomel, opened his mouth.

“Philodel, if you have time in the afternoon…”

Knock, knock!

However, Count Pollan’s voice from outside the door along with a knock interrupted the Emperor’s words.

“Your Majesty! I am very sorry while we were talking. However, there is a call from the western border right now…!”

It seemed very urgent and important that Count Pollan cut off the Emperor’s audience. She felt he had to step aside, so Philomel greeted him.

“I’ll just go away.”

“…Yes.”

After Philomel left the office, “Your Majesty, something big is going on right now… My, what’s wrong with me…?”

Count Pollan’s desperate voice was heard for no reason, but he did not attract her attention.

‘I’ll go and find it soon!’

Philomel made her way to the basement of the Emperor’s Palace, where the Emperor’s exclusive library was located. Even though she didn’t have a specific light source, she’s been given a call and a hug. She looked around the place filled with the smell of old books. It wasn’t narrow, but it wasn’t unexpectedly wide either. She did, but the bookshelves were long enough to reach the ceiling and were full of materials. They came in a variety of forms: books, stacks of papers, scrolls, and even clay tablets. The manager standing outside the store said politely to Philomel, who stepped inside. Even he, the administrator, could not enter the library carelessly.

“If you want to look at the books that are high up, you can use the ladder over there. You don’t have to worry about organizing the books. All books have a magic that will return them to their original place after a certain period of time.”

When the door closed and the manager was gone, Philomel moved in earnest. As she was looking for a bookshelf where language-related materials were kept, a strange object caught her eye. Unlike other books, the book was floating in the air, not on a bookshelf, and glowing deer connected to the wall were wrapped around the book.

“Is that the book?”

An object Eustis mentioned that should not be touched. It was one of the treasures of the imperial family, the ‘Book of God’. It was said to be a book that recorded the words of the God Belveron.

“I want to touch it, but it’s over there. How can I touch it?”

Moreover, it was sealed with a chain made of divine power. Surely only the Emperor knew how to break that seal. Philodel took his eyes off the Book of God and even found what she was looking for.

After a few hours.

“Ahhh, I can’t find any more!”

Philomel knelt down on the table in the center of the library. Several old books are stacked like a mountain on the table. Records that appear to be related to ancient languages and rare foreign languages have been brought as they exist. However, when she read it roughly, there were no letters that looked similar to the letters written in the diary. So this time, she tried to take a closer look, but the progress was slow like a turtle. Looking at a word, looking into a dictionary, looking at a word, looking into a dictionary.

Philomel murmured in vain.

“What if nothing else comes out here? Do I have to break into the secret library dedicated to the 4th High Priest?”

A book floating in the air came into Philodel’s eyes as she recalled the face of the virtuous high priest. She didn’t know if even a clue was written in the Book of God. Philomel stretched out her arm toward the book. She didn’t want to read the Book of God seriously. It was just a feeling of grabbing at least a straw. But she had a presence that responded to her feelings.

Dig!

A light shone from the ring of red flames on her right hand. And the deer of light broke in an instant and scattered into powder.

“My God, that’s nonsense!”

Flustered, Philodel panicked. She herself only stretched out her hand. The ring didn’t even rub!

Either that or not, the Book of God slowly descended and came to Philomel. At that moment, it came to mind that the Emperor’s private library is one of the most sacred places in the imperial palace. Even her dull-witted senses could feel the holy energy that filled the library. And the ring contained the Emperor’s divine power… It seemed that the key to unsealing the book was the Emperor’s holy power.

‘What should I do?’

But even after thinking about it, she couldn’t come up with a definite answer. 

“And how do I get this back?”

Was this book also included in the ‘all books’ that the attendant said will return to its original state when time passes? It had to be. The Book of God was a book that was only permitted to the Emperor. Even the successor could never read this book before ascending the throne. If she was caught touching this book, this time she would be sentenced to death.

Philomel brushed it off. It had already happened anyway. She’s not a princess now, so she wouldn’t have a chance to check the contents of the Book of God again.

Having made up her mind, she picked up the book with trembling hands. And with her dictionary in her arms, she slowly read through her book.

“…Can I read it?”

The inside looked relatively plain. It was an old form of imperial language, but it was not unreadable. But being able to read it and understanding what it meant were two very different things.

‘It’s too philosophical…’

For example, it was a series of vague sentences similar to ‘the present is the present, and also the past and the future’.

“All things… the dreamer’s animated dream, but the dreamer… and also as a part of that dream… If you don’t dream… will you be able to control your dreams?”

What did it mean? Fortunately, it wasn’t just vague words. Occasionally, prophecies that clearly warned of dangers in the distant future also stood out.

“Beware of intruders from other worlds. They do all sorts of tricks and steal the bodies of other beings, so only a true warrior can defeat them.”

…Another world? The words Le Guin said about Ellencia’s magic potion passed through her head. There was a high possibility that <Princess Ellencia> and the bottle containing the magic potion were made of something not from this world. If so, she guessed, they were from another world.

Investigations continued after that, but that view did not seem to have changed to this day. Philomel took out the pen she had brought with her and copied the passages referring to ‘other worlds’. As a bonus, other impressive passages. Then, when her stomach growled, the hand holding the pen stopped. She skipped lunch and stayed here. If she stays too long, the manager will be amazed.

‘Let’s stop here for today.’

Eustis gave Philomel permission to come and go here for the next week. Fortunately, the used books were slowly recovering their place in the stand. Then the Book of God will find its place on its own. After leaving the book on the table, Philomel stood up and headed for the door. And she opened the door to get out of the library…

Footsteps were heard. Along with the voices of the Emperor and Count Pollan. They were discussing a certain topic with serious faces.

“Okay.”

It could be a sign of the monster wave in 2019. Certainly, “Oh, but hasn’t it been 5 years since the last monster wave ended? At least 10 more years are needed…”

“Isn’t that why we’re going to look at the relevant records? It’s about two hundred years ago, but this has never been the case in the past…”

Philomel quickly closed the door and caught her breath.

‘What to do, what to do?’

The sign of a monster wave that suddenly appeared was also unusual, but she had more important issues. The Book of God was still on the table. The moment the Emperor enters the library, she would be caught. As long as he had eyes, he would know that the book had disappeared in the air.

Shall she run away with movement magic? But even if she did, the fact that she did it was not covered up. If so, what to do…

“Yes, even if you run away, let’s run into each other.”

Philodel went out the door with a fake smile. Before long, the Emperor found her.

“Philomel, have you been in the library all this time?”

“Yes. I lost track of time and was so absorbed in the book.”

“I see. You haven’t had lunch yet, so hurry up and eat something.”

“Umm, how about your majesty?”

“…?”

“Have you had lunch?”

“No. The conversation with Pollan got longer, and there were other meetings in the middle.”

Philomel blocked Eustis from approaching the library door.

“Is there anything you want to say?”

“If it’s not an urgent business, wouldn’t it be better to eat first? I’m afraid it’ll damage your health.”

“Skipping a meal will not harm my health.”

As he grabbed the doorknob, Philomel hurriedly grabbed the Emperor’s wrist.

“I want to eat with you. Right now.”

Then, a strangeness appeared in his black eyes.

“…It’s been a while. What do you recommend first?

Come to think of it, since returning to the imperial palace, not once did she invite him to have a meal or tea time first. The dinner to see him was usually held by the Emperor, and sometimes by Ellencia’s recommendation to Philodel. Did it seem too unnatural to do this now?

“…Are you not willing?” Philomel asked cautiously.

“No. It’s a good night. Prepare the food now.”

In fact, the Emperor ordered the attendants standing behind Count Pollan to prepare their seats as quickly as possible.

He tried to reassure Philomel, “You go first and eat. I’ll do my own business and go.”