“Of course! I’m the type who can’t put a book down once I start reading, so I’ll probably use you as a dictionary. I just hope you can keep with me.” she said with a big smile.
I gestured for her to go right ahead. I didn’t mind if she considered me a cheap and convenient dictionary. Men loved to be used by women, after all. To be honest, I was happy about this arrangement. We had known each other for quite some time, but I felt like we were finally becoming friends.
I looked up and noticed the golden sunlight shining down on me.
“This is some university. It does kind of smell a bit, but I guess that’s part of the charm,” I said.
“Ha ha, you’ll have to bear with that. We should eat some of the trees’ nuts and forget about it,” suggested Kaoruko, raising her pointer finger.
She seemed a lot calmer than in the car, perhaps because she was back in familiar territory. Come to think of it, this was the first time I had walked with her alone. I’d never imagined I would be walking here with a neighbor like this, and it was strange how things worked out sometimes.
The other two seemed to have finished their walk. Marie jogged over, then jumped into my arms without slowing down. I asked her what was up, and she raised both hands toward my face. On her gloved hands seemed to be several seeds or nuts. Something lustrous peeked out from their cracked shells.
“Look, we found a bunch of ginkgo nuts,” said Marie.
“You don’t mind the smell?” I asked. “I remember you’ve eaten them before, and you liked them.”
“Yes, so the smell doesn’t bother me. It does stink, though.”
Based on her huge smile, it was hard to tell if she really thought it smelled. I couldn’t help but smile too, and Kaoruko followed suit.
Beyond the rows of ginkgo trees were fine school buildings that I would describe as Gothic. Under the warm sunlight, they had a somewhat solemn atmosphere.
§
The man standing before me kind of reminded me of Kaoruko, with his clean clothes, understated glasses, and relaxed atmosphere. He handed me four ID cards for our group, and I was relieved to find he didn’t stare at Marie and Wridra as most people did. It wasn’t that they didn’t stand out, but Marie was somewhat conscious about drawing too much attention.
“I’d be happy to show you all around as your husband requested,” he told Kaoruko. “But first, allow me to say congratulations on getting married.”
“Thank you, Hazuki. I’m sorry to trouble you with all this, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to catch up. I’d get to see you working in the university library too.”
“No problem at all. It’s been a while, but are you still a bookworm like before?”
This Hazuki person already seemed acquainted with Kaoruko. Judging by how she casually touched his arm as they talked, they were quite close. He initially gave off a serious and cold impression, although his expression had softened into a smile in front of her.
“Well then, allow me to show you around. The library is open to the public by appointment on weekdays, but it’s mostly reserved for students on the weekends. I found out you’re in a hurry, so I’ll guide you today.”
We bowed and followed him.
Our guide led us through the campus, and a large building appeared where the rows of trees ended. Its Gothic design and the imposing appearance of the masonry were quite eye-catching. The buildings surrounding us were all of Western design, so I felt like we had wandered into a fantasy world.
I turned around, and Marie’s eyes were wide as I had expected. Since she had expected this to be an ordinary trip to the library, it was no wonder the impressive building had caught her off guard.
We climbed the stairs at the entrance to find an arching bridge adorned with greenery. Marie had once told me that tightly locked doors protected libraries in her mind. The difference between expectation and reality must have been jarring.
“Didn’t expect the library to look like this, did you?” I asked.
“This place is so big! Wait, this is the library? It’s as big as the Sorcerer’s Guild!”
“Yeah, this place is huge. I wonder if the whole thing is filled to the brim with books.” I said.
Marie excitedly hugged my arms. She must have been amped because I could feel her weight as she squeezed. She beckoned over Wridra, who chuckled dryly and offered her arm to the elf. Marie then walked between Wridra and me as if we were a family. I decided to let her do what she wanted and enjoy our day off.
On Marie’s other side, eyes like black crystals met mine. They burned with curiosity about foreign architecture, just like those of the elf.
“This is an excellent building. I can get a sense of its long history simply by looking at it, and the masonry gives off a different flavor from wood,” said Wridra.
“You’re thinking about your next construction project, right?” asked Marie.
“Hah, hah, this certainly takes me back. There were countless treasuries of knowledge in the old days. The raid on the third floor starts tomorrow; perhaps I will renovate it to this aesthetic.”
Hm? I thought. Maybe I had misheard her, but the moment passed as Marie pulled me forward by my arm.
We walked under the arch and approached the doors. Several doors, seemingly made of heavy brass, stood before us. The building exuded an antique feel uncommon in Japan, yet it befitted a historic university.
Complete silence greeted us as we stepped into the building. The heavy stone absorbed the sound, creating a distinctly unusual atmosphere. A red carpet adorned the stairs up ahead, inviting us deeper inside.
Marie turned to me and couldn’t contain her laughter. Her smile positively glowed as she said, “How wonderful! Come on, let’s go upstairs!”
She hugged my arm closer, and I could almost feel her heart pounding through my arm. The excitement for the unknown and her love for books were calling to her, and she could hardly contain herself.
The librarian led us farther, slowly opening the door. Then, Mariabelle’s eyes lit up even more as she saw what awaited us in the room. Even I couldn’t help but let out a “Whoa.” I couldn’t believe this place was in Japan.