Chapter 5

"Hmm... I guess I'm starting to get tired of this book..."

I muttered while reading the magic book I had opened.

How many times have I reread this book now?

The magic book is written in words infused with magical power, and understanding them allows one to manifest magic.

Just reading it once or twice would be enough, but by reading it many times and deepening your understanding, your mastery of magic can improve dramatically.

Therefore, a magician reads the magic book as many times as necessary until they fully understand it.

However, I have already fully understood all the magic books in the library, so I am currently in a state of constant review.

Of course, review is important. If you don't use the magic you've learned, you'll forget it, and your mastery will drop significantly.

Well, I spend my days like this, but even so, the repetition is getting boring.

I really need some new stimulation.

"Hehe, Lloyd, you only read magic books. Why don't you try reading something else once in a while?"

Albert, who was reading a book in front of me, said.

I shook my head in response.

"I've read all the magic books in the library."

"Really? Then how about a test?"

Albert asked with a mischievous smile.

"Earth, water, fire, and wind are known as the four fundamental systems of magic. How many magic books related to these are there in this library?"

"There are 145 main books. If you include the ones that deal with them as sub-themes, it's 232. Oh, but I'm not sure where to categorize books about golems... In my mind, they fall under control, but the shaping of the body heavily involves the four fundamental systems of magic... What do you think, Brother Albert?"

When I looked up, Albert's eyes were wide open.

"You... really read all of them...?"

"Well, not really... I still don't fully understand them... Hehe, magic is really deep, after all."

Phew, that was close.

I thought it was normal to have read all the books in the library, but from his surprise, it seems it's not.

Albert's skeptical gaze is painful.

"Are you amazed or exasperated...? Anyway, just to ask, are you not interested in anything other than magic books?"

"I'm sorry, but..."

"Hmm, I see... You're right..."

Indeed, there are limits to what I can do in the castle.

If I follow Albert, I can occasionally go to the archery range, but I can't move around freely.

If only there were more advanced magic books...

"By the way, there's a book vault in the basement of the castle."

Albert's casual words caught my attention.

"I've heard that the basement vault contains many magic books that are sealed due to their extreme danger. Among them are many forbidden books, including those that sealed the mage who nearly destroyed this country in the past."

—Magic books are magical tools infused with magical power, and their characteristic is that they work regardless of who uses them.

However, creating them requires a high level of magical knowledge and a lot of time, making them far more valuable than ordinary magic books.

Even magic books that seal basic magic are rare in the market, and the castle only has a few, so I haven't had the chance to examine them closely.

Especially powerful magic books are so dangerous that they are treated as forbidden books and are strictly stored by the country, only to be used in emergencies.

I've heard that during a great war, a forbidden book was used to summon lightning that destroyed the enemy army in an instant.

However, the caster aged over fifty years due to the backlash.

I can't even imagine what kind of magic is sealed in a forbidden book that can seal a mage.

What kind of spell is woven into it? I'm really curious.

"I was quite scared by the governess when I was little. She used to say, 'Bad children will be eaten by the mage sealed in the forbidden book...' Hehe."

Now that you mention it, I have indeed felt an unusually strong barrier in the basement of the castle.

I didn't think much of it, assuming it contained important documents, but this changes things.

I'm suddenly excited.

"Brother Albert, can you tell me more about it!?"

"Whoa, Lloyd, your eyes are shining. You're not thinking of going in, are you?"

Startled by his sudden warning, I tried to act as if nothing was wrong and smiled.

"N-no... I wouldn't do something like that, Brother Albert."

"But your smile looks forced..."

"I-I'm always like this. Hehe, hehehe..."

I tried to respond, but I became stiff with nervousness.

I'm not good at acting.

After staring at me for a while, Albert relaxed his expression.

"Well, that's true. The basement of the castle is protected by a barrier woven by ten castle magicians. It's impossible to enter without being noticed. Even I need permission to enter."

"! Have you been inside, Brother Albert?"

"Yes, but only to the entrance. I couldn't go any further. The ominous magical vortex emanating from the depths... just thinking about it gives me chills. I believe the stories about the forbidden books that seal mages."

Albert shivered, and his face was slightly pale.

It seems he's telling the truth.

"So, that's the situation. Lloyd, you're a bit different, but you're not the type to do something reckless. I don't think you'd go there..."

"Of course not! I wouldn't go there!"

I nodded in response to Albert's question.