AKM Act 11-17

Act 11-17: Monster of the Library
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :

Part 1

　The Forbidden Archive turned into a labyrinth.

　The Forbidden Archive was in constant motion, blocking the path of any intruders.

　Katakake, who was also strayed in the labyrinth, met Chijirege.

　And this time, they met Kuroki.

「Kuroki... Dono? Did something happen that make you come back?」

　Katakake looked at Kuroki.

　That was only natural since Kuroki went into the Forbidden Archive ahead of Katakake and Mitsuami.

　He wouldn't have met Katakake and the others if he didn’t come back.

　But thinking about it now… Katakake felt something was amiss. How did he encounter Chijirege and the others first?

　It didn’t make sense unless Kuroki, who went ahead, was the one to encounter Chijirege and the others first.

　Katakake was confused by that sudden change.

「Well I’ve come to save you, Katakake-dono. You seemed to be in a precarious situation after all...」

　After hearing that, Katakake looked at the woman by Kuroki’s side.

「And who’s that personage, Kuroki-dono?」

「She is Dantalyas, the one who manages the Forbidden Archive. She can see everything that happens within it. That’s how she knew that Katakake-dono and the others had entered the Forbidden Archive too.」

「I see...」

　Katakake turned to look at Dantalyas, who was standing beside Kuroki.

　She was an extremely beautiful girl.

　She was the second most beautiful woman Katakake had ever seen after Kyouka.

　However, judging by the horns protruding from both sides of her head, she was clearly not human.

　Dantalyas remained taciturn, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking about.

　She was the one who managed the Forbidden Archive.

　Taking that into consideration, Katakake realized that the reason Kuroki didn’t meet Chijirege first might be because of her interference.

　Katakake couldn’t help but ponder about that matter.

「Who are you? Well, I don’t really get it, but… Is that horned one over there the one managing this labyrinth? In that case, you’d better cooperate. That way you can please Her Majesty.」

　Mizuku spoke as she looked at Dantalyas.

「Why should I have to bother with a lowly Striges like you?」

「HAH!?」

　Mizuku’s expression stiffened upon being referred to as a "Lowly Striges" by Dantalyas.

　It seemed that remark touched her nerve.

　Even Kuroki looked visibly surprised. It seemed he was also unaware of Mizuku’s identity.

「You bi*ch! I don’t care if you’re some kind of “Manager” or whatever! I serve the great Queen of the Night, Rasha-sama, and you dare call me a lowly creature?! Take this!」

　Mizuku’s eyes shone again.

　However, neither Kuroki nor Dantalyas showed any particular reaction.

　Mizuku was clearly surprised seeing their composed attitude.

「A Paralysis Mystic Eye, is it? That won’t work on me. Now then, I find it quite unpleasant to have intruders roaming freely. Allow me to eliminate you.」

　As Dantalyas spoke, a book materialized in her hand.

　She opened that book and started to chant a spell.

　Then a few chains appeared from the air and wrapped themselves around Mizuku.

「Gah. W-What in the world is this? ... It’s too tough!」

　Mizuku suffered as the chains wrapped around her tightly.

「Binding with magic chain... Could it be the power of that book?」

「Yes, that’s correct, Kuroki-sama. I can use most of the magic contained within the books in this place. Now then, let’s capture the rest of them as well.」

　Dantalyas then cast her gaze at the remaining underlings of Mizuku.

「HIIIIIIIIII!」

「RUUUUUUN!!」

　Mizuku’s underlings tried to escape in panic.

　Chijirege stood frozen, utterly confused by Kuroki’s sudden appearance.

「CHIJIREGE, WATCH OUT!」

　Katakake suddenly pushed Chijirege aside.

　Katakake shut his eyes, waiting for the incoming pain.

　However, the chain didn’t come toward him.

「Why, Kuroki-sama? Those people are intruders too.」

「Well… That may be true, but… Would you consider letting Katakake-dono and the others go?」

　Katakake opened his eyes and looked up, only to see Kuroki, who had somehow closed in before he realized it, now holding the chains with his bare hands.

　It seemed he had grabbed hold of all the chains that had been headed for Katakake.

　Around Mizuku, Chijirege’s companions were writhing in pain, bound tightly by the chains.

　Had it not been for Kuroki’s interference, Katakake might have been suffering from the same pain as them right now.

「You must be kidding me... I can’t see... His movement at all.」

　Mitsuami spoke from behind.

　She had suspected that Kuroki was no ordinary person, and sure enough, it seemed he possessed some kind of special power.

「Katakake... Why did you save me...? I tried to kill you.」

　Chijirege asked Katakake.

　That expression looked as if he couldn’t believe it.

「I don’t know... My body just moved on its own.」

　The exact reason why Katakake saved Chijirege remained unclear even for Katakake himself.

　But had things gone slightly differently, he might have ended up walking the same path as Chijirege.

　Maybe that was the reason he just couldn’t leave his friend alone.

「Hold it right there. You haven’t been saved yet. This time, I’ll make sure to finish you off.」

　Dantalyas cut in, interrupting Katakake and Chijirege’s conversation.

　The books floating around Dantalyas shone brightly.

　It seemed she was preparing to use an even more powerful magic.

「Wait Dantalyas. Can you overlook him too?」

　Just as Katakake was about to say “Wait,” it happened.

　Kuroki stopped her at the very last moment.

「Is that so? If Kuroki-sama says so, then I shall comply. However, I won’t allow him to walk around freely.」

「Thank you, Dantalyas.」

　Kuroki expressed his gratitude toward Dantalyas.

　Both Katakake and Chijirege looked at Kuroki with dumbfounded faces.

「Why did you save me?」

　Chijirege asked Kuroki.

　In his opinion, there was no reason for Kuroki to save Katakake and Chijirege.

　Thus, he asked that question.

「Well, do I need a reason to save someone?」

　Kuroki replied while cocking his head.

　Judging by his troubled expression, it really did seem like there was no particular reason.

（He’s a good person... But who is he really?）

　Katakake couldn’t help but be curious about Kuroki’s identity.

　To begin with, the fact that he had been granted access to the Forbidden Archive was already far from normal.

　The demon called Dantalyas, who stayed by his side, seemed to be the one managing the Forbidden Archive, but Katakake couldn’t help but wonder—why did she take the form of a demon?

　Katakake had heard that this Forbidden Archive held the books entrusted to the world by the goddess Totona.

　"If that’s the case, then shouldn’t it be strange for the manager to take the form of a demon?" That’s what Katakake couldn’t help but think.

　Of course, he was too scared to actually voice his doubt.

「Now then, it’s about time we ask what these people are trying to do.」

　Dantalyas approached Mizuku, who was bound in chains.

　Mizuku groaned in pain.

「It’s useless to resist. I’m going to take your memories.」

　Upon saying that, Dantalyas took a book from the air and opened it.

　It could be seen from behind, but it appeared to be completely blank.

　The book began to glow and flew toward Mizuku.

「AH!? GUH!」

　Mizuku moaned in pain.

　Right before Katakake’s eyes, the blank pages of Dantalyas’s book began to fill with writing.

　As the light faded, Mizuku’s resistance ceased.

　There was nothing reflected in her eyes.

　Katakake was terrified just imagining the same thing done to him.

「Uhm, what did you do just now, Dantalyas?」

　Perhaps Kuroki was wondering the same thing, as he turned to ask Dantalyas.

「I have taken this one’s memories and sealed them within the book. She is nothing more than an empty shell right now. You may leave her be.」

「Eh?」

　The chains that wrapped around Mizuku were released right in front of Katakake and the others.

　Upon release, Mizuku simply sat there in a daze, showing no signs of doing anything.

「Hey, wait!? Wasn’t that the spell that steals the knowledge created by the evil god of knowledge, Rugas!? Why would you do something like that!?」

　Mitsuami let out a dumbfounded voice.

　Those remarks jolted Katakake’s memories.

　The magic Dantalyas used appeared to be a spell that steals knowledge.

　It was a spell that, using blank white pages imbued with magic, steals the opponent’s memories and knowledge in the form of written text.

　Those who had their memories taken lost all their past memories and fell into a state of dementia.

　This was a spell used by magicians who worshipped the evil god of knowledge, Rugas.

　Naturally, using this magic was considered a taboo. However, there were magicians in the past who used it, and Katakake recalled that fact.

　The magician who used it fled and remains missing to this day, while the victimized magician was still undergoing treatment.

「The knowledge-stealing magic... Is that the same one from the past? But I heard that required a large-scale ritual. The one just now doesn’t quite feel like that...」

　Katakake shook his head.

　According to what Katakake heard, that particular magic was supposed to require a large-scale ritual to perform.

　However, Dantalyas performed it as easily as flipping her hand.

「That may be the case if it were performed with the magical power of an inferior race, but for someone like me, who was entrusted with this place by Totona-sama, can manage something like this with ease.」

　Dantalyas stated that as if it was a matter of fact.

「Um… So, you are the one using that magic, because Totona-sama entrusted you with this place?」

「I’m not sure what you’re trying to say, but yes, Totona-sama was entrusted with more books than Rugas-sama, and Totona-sama, in turn, entrusted those books to me. So there’s nothing strange about me using Rugas-sama’s magic.」

「Y-Yeah...」

　Katakake and Mitsuami exchanged glances.

　The Goddess of Book and Knowledge, Totona, was supposed to be the anti-thesis to the evil god of Forbidden Knowledge, Rugas.

　However, Dantalyas’s demeanor suggested otherwise.

　Katakake grew increasingly confused; he felt as if his entire worldview was being overturned right in this moment.

「Dantalyas. Can the memories you took be restored? If possible, I’d like you to return them.」

「Return them? It’s not that I can’t do it, but… Well, once I’ve gotten what I need, they’ll be of no further use—so I suppose it’s fine.」

「That's a relief. Thank you, Dantalyas.」

　When Kuroki thanked her, Dantalyas looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

　Dantalyas had already finished reading the memories she robbed from Mizuku.

「Kuroki-sama, it seems their goal is to use the magical power of this archive to resurrect the Queen of Myriad Deaths.」

「I see...」

　Dantalyas and Kuroki started discussing something in private.

「I wonder what’s going to happen to us…」

　Chijirege, now sitting on the ground, muttered quietly.

　Katakake also had no idea what was going to happen next.

　He wanted to be returned to the surface, but he didn’t know if Kuroki and the others would have the time for that.

「Oh? It seems someone has just entered. They appear to be carrying the Magius Pendant… But who could they be?」

　Suddenly, Dantalyas looked upward and spoke.

　It seemed there was still more to come.