The Duke’s Madness

The free time left between lectures.

Using that time, Arthur headed to the university library.

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Normally, I would have done my homework at a nearby cafe, but today I had something to do.

‘I need to find out why Genie’s affinity with spirits went up.’

The university library, located between the three magic towers, was the largest building other than the tower, and it contained a vast amount of books.

Because of its enormous volume, it is considered one of the top three libraries on the continent.

Considering that the other two are the imperial library and the capital library located in Elysium, which is said to be the land of wizards, it was a part that made me realize how big the Arcane University library was.

Because of that, Arthur guessed that if he was here, he would be able to answer questions about the phenomenon of today’s events.

Entering the library like that, a strict librarian asks Arthur.

“Are you a first-year student?”

“yes.”

“Then the only available floor is the first floor. You can’t go to the second floor.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“uh… Is there a reason?”

“It’s because from the second floor, there are books that contain dangerous knowledge for first-year students.”

“Dangerous knowledge?”

“There are many things, but to give a simple example, there are magic books. A book with magic that you shouldn’t deal with if you don’t fit the level.”

Arthur groaned.

“Oh, that’s amazing. I know that magic books are precious, but to open them.’

The strict-looking librarian raised a corner of his mouth.

“It is the virtue of Arcane University to be independent of knowledge.”

Arthur tilted his head.

“Isn’t that a bit strange?”

“… … ?”

“You say that you are not limited by knowledge, but you are dividing the floors, right?”

The librarian frowned.

“It’s because I can’t handle the knowledge yet. Knowledge that cannot be handled is very dangerous.”

Arthur scratched his head at the explanation.

‘Something is strange. Aren’t the words right?’

But I didn’t bother asking any further.

It was because the frowning librarian’s expression was not good.

Because of that, Arthur bowed his head and entered the library.

The watching librarian looked back and focused on the book he was reading.

“oh… Is it really big?”

In the meantime, Arthur, who entered the library, exclaimed.

A wide arched space.

Books filled the space.

The only space without books was the wide table in the center, and everything else was filled with books.

‘A book in a space the size of a playground… Does this make sense?’

Arthur stuck out his tongue and stood there for a moment, pondering.

How should I find a book about a different race among those countless books?

Arthur, who was worried, suddenly looked away.

“… What are you doing?”

“I have the book I am looking for, can you help me a little?”

The librarian sighed and stood up.

“Which book are you looking for?”

“This is a book about different races. About elves.”

The librarian tilted his head.

The curiosity in his eyes seemed to ask why he was looking for such a book.

But instead of asking questions, the librarian gestured.

“Follow me.”

With these words, the librarian digs between the bookshelves without hesitation.

Arthur, who followed carefully behind him, immediately burst into exclamation.

‘oh… Are these all books about different races?’

Hundreds of books were placed between the huge bookshelves, and the sign on the bookshelves read ‘heterogeneous.’

While Arthur, who did not know that there were so many books about different races, stuck out his tongue, the librarian took out several books and handed them to Arthur.

“This is a book about elves that I recommend.”

“oh. thank you.”

“If you don’t have enough, look around this column and you’ll find more. then.”

The librarian who left the advice goes back to his seat.

Arthur, who watched it, smiled.

“He’s tough, but he’s an excellent person. Even pick out the books yourself.”

With these words, Arthur sat down at a nearby table holding the books the librarian handed him over.

The first thing I opened was a book titled [History of the Elves].

It was quite a large amount, but I read it smoothly without any blockage.

In the process, I also gained unexpected knowledge.

[Distant past. Humans and spirits coexisted. The representative of humans used the title of tribal chief instead of the title of king, and showed respect to the spirit king, and the spirit king taught such humans how to deal with nature.]

[Time passes, and the king of spirits welcomes a human wife. An elf was born between them. humans and spirits. It is the first birth of the master of the forest, who has inherited the lineage of both beings.]

An interesting hypothesis.

Because of that, Arthur stroked his chin and muttered.

‘I know that a spirit is a thought body that exists only in a very special space called the spirit world… Was it actually a person who existed in reality?’

Arthur, who was agonizing over it, looked at Undine sitting across from him.

‘Maybe Undine knows?’

Arthur asked a question along with his thoughts.

“Are you Undy? Can you marry a human?”

Undine, who had become a woman from a girl, blinked her eyes.

[…] You mean that?]

“huh. can you marry me?”

Undine replied in bewilderment.

[Me, how do spirits and humans get married, Arthur?]

“okay? But this book says it’s possible?”

At these words, Undine tilted her head and stood next to Arthur.

Then, after looking at the book for a while, he shook his head.

[This is very much in the past. When the spirit existed in reality.]

“Am I not able to exist in reality now?”

[no. It’s possible by becoming a higher level spirit, but… Still, it feels a little different.]

Arthur was speechless at Undine’s answer.

“hmm… Should there be something special other than what exists in reality?”

[Rather than something special… It feels like something close to restriction. That’s why only contracted spirits can move outside a specific place.]

Arthur nodded his head at the quiet explanation.

I didn’t understand everything, but it was an explanation that I could grasp the basic context.

“Is that a good explanation? It seems like your speaking skills are improving.”

[is it so? hmm… I don’t think anything has changed from before?]

“no. something’s up Have you become a bit more mature? So, I feel a bit sad about it.”

Undine flinched.

[Yes, do you like the old days better?]

“It’s not like that, but you feel a little distant from me right now?”

[…] … .]

At these words, Undine fell silent and did not know what to do.

The sadness and anxiety that comes out of that action.

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Noticing the trembling, Arthur tilted his head.

‘Why are you doing that? Was there a story about my actions that made me show that kind of emotion?’

It was then.

The gnome, who was crossing his arms, suddenly opened his mouth.

[Spirits are like humans. When you become a higher being, your knowledge and personality mature. In that sense, Undine’s change is natural.]

“… … ?”

[So Arthur, you also need to treat us as a higher personality. It’s difficult to treat you as a child like before.]

Arthur blinked at the gnome’s sincere explanation.

Undine next to her opened her mouth in embarrassment.

[No, gnomes?]

However, it was time for the gnomes, who did not feel the subtle atmosphere, to continue to take a haughty stance.

Arthur tilted his head and asked.

“Did the gnomes change too?”

[of course. As I became a higher spirit, I became a perfect person.]

“oh… Like you said earlier, have you become an adult?”

[that’s right. So I want you to treat me a little better.]

Arthur pondered for a moment at the gnome’s imposing request, then nodded.

‘hmm… There’s a point in what the gnome said. If he has grown up, he should be treated accordingly.’

Certainly, there was a feeling that the spirits had been treated like children.

It was because the way he acted and spoke was like that of a child.

‘So I couldn’t carelessly roll… Exclude whenever something dangerous happens. But, like the gnomes said, if you become an adult.’

It seemed that there was no need to do that anymore.

With the thought, Arthur raised the corner of his mouth.

“great. From now on, I will treat gnomes like adults.”

[…] Whoops. Good answer Arthur Bayern.]

It was a time when the gnome’s nose went up a little, whether it was an illusion or not.

Arthur’s thoughts are conveyed in the gnome’s head.

It was a kind of accident that the bond between the spirit and the contractor became stronger.

The gnome, who read Arthur’s thoughts in it, is startled.

‘hmm… Then, where should the grown-up gnomes be used in the future? It’s an ability specialized in defense, so I don’t think it’s bad to use it as a meat shield.’

[…] … !]

‘Since I called myself an adult, I don’t think I’ll feel guilty… Shall we start by throwing it as bait?’

Arthur, muttering these words in a serious tone, imagines several scenes.

The gnome, who had even read that imagination, murmured, unable to hide his astonishment.

‘This, this is Arthur Bavaria’s adult-style hospitality?’

I couldn’t believe it, but it really seemed like it.

Arthur Bayern seemed to be thinking of trying his imagination in reality.

Because of that, the gnome belatedly remembered what kind of person his master was.

‘Crazy… Crazy guy who goes beyond common sense… … .’

Thinking this far, the gnome shook his head and murmured.

[that… Arthur?]

“huh?”

[Ah, I think it’s a little too early to treat you as an adult yet.]

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

“suddenly?”

[Yes! Just because your appearance has grown, doesn’t that mean your personality has matured as well?]

Arthur tilted his head, and Undine next to him muttered as if he did not understand.

[…] Has your attitude suddenly changed?]

In that awkward atmosphere, the gnome begged Arthur.

[Uh, anyway, I’m not an adult yet?]

“uh… yes. I don’t think you’re an adult yet.”

[Not sure? Aren’t you going to use it as a meat shield?]

At these words, Arthur’s eyes change.

“oh… Mr. Gnome. Can you read my thoughts now?”

[…] … !]

“hmm… I never thought of this, but it’s pretty funny, right?”

At these words, the gnome opened his mouth like an idiot.

Arthur burst into laughter at the sight and approached the librarian again.

“I’d like to borrow a book, would that be okay?”

“Please write your name and today’s date.”

“yes.”

Arthur quickly wrote down my name and the date.

The librarian checked the name and date and nodded.

“The return date is until next Monday. Don’t be late, bring it.”

Arthur bowed his head instead of answering.

After that, I thought as I left the library.

‘this… Did I get something completely unexpected?’

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Not only the secret story of the birth of elves, but also the special abilities possessed by evolved spirits.

I still need to experiment a little more, but if I can convey my thoughts, this ability seemed to have many uses in many ways.

However, the knowledge gained through the knowledge of books did not end there.

‘The reason Genie’s ability has grown… I finally know what the reason is.’

According to the book, elves had higher personalities than humans.

And as the personality matured, it became able to handle more powerful spirits.

‘In other words, through this accident, Genie’s personality matured and grew… … .’

A different race whose spirit affinity increases as their personality matures.

Perhaps, as written in the book, the elves might be a race born between spirits and humans.

‘Since Undines and Gnomes have become higher spirits right now, their personalities have matured.’

Thinking this far, Arthur raised the corner of his mouth.

‘hmm… Then, as Genie’s personality matures in the future, my affinity with spirits will also increase, right?’

This could not have been an interesting fact.

I hadn’t seen a case where the lineage I absorbed in my previous life grew.

Arthur, who was pondering what the difference might be, soon realized.

‘ah… Maybe it’s because he’s alive?’

Arthur’s eyes twinkled at the sudden idea.

‘oh… Could it be? All the humans who absorbed the lineage I absorbed in my previous life died.’

Arthur’s eyes lit up with exclamation.

If this assumption is true, then you have made a great discovery.

‘Mr. Taken’s lineage and Julie’s lineage.’

Troll blood and lightning blood, which can be counted as very powerful bloodlines compared to the bloodlines obtained in the previous life.

It was said that these two lineages could also ‘grow’.