Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Reunited.
The sight of towering bookshelves that stretch up to a ceiling, the shelves, made of dark brown wood, are meticulously organized, housing thousands of books and grimoires from ancient times with neat appearance for it was protected by magic to prevent the cruel passage of time from destroying it.
Each gap between the shelves is wide enough to allow people easy passage, with red and soft carpet that sprawls on the floor and muffles footsteps, maintaining a quiet atmosphere.
The room itself was divided into two sections, and Soma could see a stair that led to the second floor from the corner of his eyes.
"This is…".
"Incredible".
Soma and Hina, with light feet, stepped deeper while they were greeted by the librarian who saw them coming. There is no conversation, just a silent nod to understand each other's reasons for coming here. Soma slightly knit his brows, seeing the familiar figure, but he needed something in this place.
So, he had no choice but to approach the counter, which was greeted by the senior student they knew very well.
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"How may I help you?".
Mary, the woman who led Soma and Hina in their examination exam, sat behind the counter. With her beauty and charms, as well as her alluring body that made male hearts melt, she let out a gentle curve from her lips as she addressed the two unfamiliar students.
However, upon closer looks, Mary's gaze snapped wide briefly as she saw Soma but as a senior and was working as a committee. She put aside her curiosity and began to address the first year before her.
"Are you guys first year?".
"Yes, we are".
"I see. What sort of business do you come in here? Is it to borrow or to read here?".
"...We would like to read it here and probably borrow some of it later".
Soma finally opened his mouth, making Mary's brows raised. She cast her glance toward Soma and found something a bit peculiar because she thought it was a bit weird. Every time a male approaches her, they must have had some ulterior motive and always looks at her with a gaze that is filled with lust, but the boy before her is showing none of that.
Instead, he gives her a cautious look while keeping his mind on edge all the time.
However, as a senior, she couldn't let this sway her, so she began to guide the two first years to the system in the library.
"Let me give you a brief explanation about the library…
1. Silence inside the Library: The most important rule is maintaining silence. Conversations are to be kept to a minimum and conducted in whispers.
2. Respect the Books: Handle all books and materials with care. No writing, highlighting, or marking pages.
3. Food and Drink are prohibited
4. Borrowing: A library card is required to borrow books. You can ask the librarian to make one. Borrowed books must be returned by the due date to avoid late fees. Renewals are possible if there are no pending requests for the item.
5. Respect Personal Space: Choose seating that maintains a comfortable distance from others to ensure everyone has enough space to read and study.
6. Special Collections of Books: Permission from a librarian is required to access these items.
7. Respect Library Staff…".
The two of them pried open their ears, listening to the explanation clearly, and remembered some important rules. After finishing the explanation of the rule inside the library that must be followed, Mary curved her thin pink lips into a smile in satisfaction, flashing her alluring gaze toward them.
"Is there anything that still you don't understand?".
"No, thank you for your time".
"Anytime".
Hina and Mary exchange their last phrase before Soma interjects from the side.
"Can you please tell me where I can find books about history, dungeons, and monster stuff".
"If it's about that, there are multiple choices in the selves line E over there".
"...Thank you, Hina. I will choose from there. Are you coming or not?".
"No, actually. I have other books I want to read".
"Okay, then. Let's separate for a while".
Soma, who separated from Hina, began to search the shelves with the Letter E on them. With light steps, Soma finally found the selves as he began to search for the book he wanted to read. He also started to pick another book that seemed interesting.
After picking more than five books, Soma finally ended his search, and currently he searched for a good place to read.
Around the perimeter of the reading hall, which is in the middle filled with long rectangles, tables, and comfortable leather chairs line up, filled with some students who are engrossed in their world. He walked further toward the corner of the room and found a cozy three-seater red sofa that was empty. Its frames were made from a light brown wood that could hold up to hundreds of kilos of weight.
"This place will do".
Soma put aside the book he carried beside him before he sat in the middle of the sofa while opening his first book, titled 'World Creation.' Behind him, a cozy window that filtered the sunlight, giving him a soft and warm light, basked him in comfort, adding to the room's tranquil ambiance.
Soma, with a quiet determination, engrossed himself in the reading as he flipped each page dedicatedly while his eyes followed each text. Usually, Soma would just use his skill to absorb the knowledge about the book speedily, but he sure takes his time in this one.
Slowly but surely, time passed, and the thick books in Soma's hands began to dwindle off their pages before he closed the book gently with a satisfying thud, letting a soft sigh only he could hear.
"It is no different from the Novel, but there is some huge addition to it."
After closing the book, Soma feels relieved and also shocked by the additional plot the author has added to the current world Soma has entered. It seems his choice to go to the library to search for information about the world or common sense in this world was a good choice he made.
Soma began to continue with his second book, which is the encyclopedia about the monsters in this world that they are known for. With this one, Soma activated his puppeteer skill to the max as he meticulously stored each and every word deeply inside his brain to help him in the future if he faced one of them inside the dungeon or gate.
The book itself was divided into three categories as Soma brought all of them beside him.
His progressed reading prompted times to also move following its nature. The sun already reaches above the land, casting its hot blaze that scorches to the skin.
At the same time, Soma had already finished the whole third edition of the Monster Encyclopedia, and he realized that the sun had turned hot, for his pores also began to open up.
"...Soma?".
A soft and gentle caress of Hina's breath resonated inside Soma's left ear. He turned his head and saw Hina, with her soft smile basking in the glow from the sun, looking at him dearly.
"It's already noon. I'm planning to get some food in the cafeteria. Do you want to go together?".
Soma pondered for a bit as he looked toward the last book he hadn't read.
"Soma?".
"Sure, Let's eat something first".
He decided to put the book on hold as he and Hina began walking together, carrying the books Soma had read. He pondered for a second before he decided to put it back on the shelves before leaving the room.