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Chapter 5
Flipped open, the contents seemed plausible enough. Anyway, she couldn’t possibly read this massive amount, nor did she have the time. Even if she grabbed passing children and asked them, they wouldn’t give her the correct answer. In fact, since they were in a competitive relationship, information was even scarcer for Lilia, who had no friendly figures within the family.
Ah, there is a way to figure out which one is real, though.
Lilia approached the director’s office. Right on cue, she spotted an old man coming out of there and heading toward one of the bookshelves.
The person who had resisted Osdell’s order to destroy the books in the original work was none other than him. He was Suleiman, the supervisor of the aptitude test and the director of the library here.
That man knows better than anyone.
Externally, it was a secret that he was the supervisor. It was a fact Lilia wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t read the original work.
Although he was an elderly man with stark white hair, his profound learning meant he had read the most grimoires within Robert, discovering numerous magical formulas and contributing greatly to the field of magic academia.
He was one of the Duke’s most trusted allies. A person with deep skill and seniority to match. If it was Suleiman, he would know more accurately than anyone else.
But if I ask him too directly, he’ll be on guard against me.
It would be even better if she could catch his eye and gain hints for the aptitude test.
After selecting a book from the shelf, Suleiman began skimming through it.
Stepping up stealthily beside Suleiman, who was deep into reading, Lilia bowed politely.
“Hello, Director Suleiman.”
Greeting him like a proper noble young lady, spreading the hem of her dress and slightly bending her knees.
“…Hello? Young Lady.”
“My name is Lilia.”
“I know the faces and names of all the direct bloodline members. You are Lady Lilia, the daughter of Lord Classid.”
It was fascinating how his long, white beard moved every time he spoke.
“Yes, that’s right. If it’s not too much trouble, could you help me choose a book?”
Suleiman closed the page he was reading and looked down at Lilia once more.
“Of course. What kind of book would you like to see? If it’s fairy tales, they are in the third bookshelf.”
“A book that makes you a mage. I want to become a stronger mage than anyone else.”
Lilia said with a broad smile like an innocent child.
Reading some sort of pattern flash briefly in the child’s eyes, Suleiman looked momentarily surprised before concealing his expression and asking.
“Hmm-hmm, unfortunately, there is no such book.”
“Oh, really?”
As Lilia immediately slumped in disappointment, Suleiman said.
“Perhaps you are looking for the aptitude test guide?”
“I already found those.”
Lilia pointed to her spot where the seven guidebooks were stacked up.
“Ah, those books are all good books as well, so they will be of some help.”
Suleiman replied with a good-natured smile, but Lilia tilted her head and spoke.
“But it’s weird. They don’t feel real at all; they feel totally fake.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
Suleiman feigned total ignorance. Lilia knew that his beard would twitch every time he lied.
In the original work, he had lied to protect an important magic book and ended up being banished by Osdell.
Above all, there was a decisive clue that all seven guides were fake.
The authors’ names were all fakes created by slightly altering the spelling of Robert’s past legendary mages. And the publication dates were an absolute mess.
“It’s strange. It’s like someone intentionally placed them here as a trap.”
“…Why would you think that?”
His eyes narrowed as they landed on the tiny child.
“Look. The names of the people who wrote the books here are just slightly altered versions of Robert’s past famous mages. I trust that someone like the Director wouldn’t make the mistake of bringing in guides whose authors aren’t even certain.”
“…My word. Have you memorized the names of all the famous ancestors of the past?”
“Yes, because they are the respected figures who made Robert what it is today.”
Since her grandfather was among them, it wasn’t a complete lie.
“You are a bright and wonderful-hearted baby—no, young lady, aren’t you? Hmm-hmm.”
“Well then, could you tell me where the real guide is?”
“Pardon? Why on earth would I—”
Whether stung by the fear that his identity as the supervisor had been found out, his beard began to twitch erratically again.
“Director Suleiman, you are the person in overall charge of this library. So I figured you must know everything. Isn’t it a dereliction of duty if you don’t?”
At Lilia’s bold words, Suleiman chuckled, nodding his head.
“Hoho… You got me. Young Lady, please continue.”
“Leaving fake guides around on purpose means they’re used as bait. So I figured you’d know where the real guide is better than anyone else!”
“Hoho, I think I let my guard down too much around a young lady.”
Fiddling with the beard on his chin, Suleiman took the lead.
“Follow me. I will show you the real guide.”
“Yes!”
Lilia beamed and trotted closely behind him.
When they pushed aside the central bookcase on the second floor of the library as a whole, there was a small door decorated with a golden staff.
Suleiman took out a key from inside his robe to unlock the door, and a moment later, he brought out a book with a green cover for Lilia.
[Guidebook for Mage Aptitude Tests]
This is the real one.
The author’s name was Suleiman Hope—himself. Suppressing her pounding heart, Lilia accepted the book and bowed.
“Thank you so much! I’ll study hard thanks to you.”
“Think nothing of it. I truly hope you achieve good results on the test.”
“Yes!”
Watching the child descend the stairs as she replied, Suleiman fell into a brief reverie. Her deduction was excessively sharp for a six-year-old.
Not to mention her eloquence, which had flustered him just moments ago.
He didn’t know how her magical aptitude would turn out, but her aptitude for handling people and working her brain was exceptional.
It was enough to make him want to keep watching her out of fondness.
…I certainly wonder how that child’s test results will turn out. And how the Lord will view them, at that.
It was a Robert successor who sparked various expectations for the first time in a very long while.
One week later.
A morning illuminated by transparent sunlight.
“Lady Lilia, wake up. It’s morning.”
At the gentle hand shaking her awake, Lilia half-opened her eyes.
“…Mm-ngh. Good morning, Marit!”
Seeing Marit smile, Lilia was able to wake up, stretching her limbs out refreshingly.
“Today is the day of the aptitude test, after all.”
“Yeah!”
Lilia had been waiting solely for this day to arrive.
I’m going to grab that magic key in a hurry and heal Father!
Lilia had been visiting her father’s sickroom every single day.
Even so, his complexion had looked quite a bit better yesterday.
That family doctor uncle’s words had been a total lie.
He had said he would wake up soon, yet his consciousness still hadn’t returned.
Lilia had something she desperately wanted to tell him once he woke up.
Words she wanted to convey even more precisely because the thought that she might never see him again terrified her.
Clenching her lips tightly, Lilia spoke with resolute determination.
“I’ll definitely pass the test.”
“What elemental attribute magic do you wish to manifest, my Lady?”
Marit asked.
The manifestation of magic meant being able to use elemental magic of a specific attribute.
If fire settled into the mana heart, fire-attribute magic could be used, and if wind settled in, mana pathways opened up allowing wind-attribute magic.
The basic attributes of elemental magic were fire, water, earth, and wind, but higher-tier attributes such as darkness, light, lightning, ice, plants, and metal also existed.
Thinking of the healing key, Lilia said.
“As long as it has healing power, I don’t really care which attribute it is.”
Her greenish-yellow eyes sparkled brightly, brimming with an earnest wish.
