Chapter Fifty-Four: In the Dimly Lit Library...

“You damned bastards...!!”

“Huh?!”

Iris lifted her head, surprised to glance toward the doorway, but quickly she shook it and returned her focus to the magic tome before her. Velna’s hostility toward Jan and his companions was no secret. At first, Iris had found it quite surprising, but after witnessing it a few times, she grew accustomed to it—after all, Velna was a dark elf.

Ever since returning from the human settlement, Iris had been released from the dungeon by Enoya and brought to a guest room. Not only that, she had even been given a job: librarian of this place. The change in her circumstances astonished Iris; she had no idea why Jan had suddenly changed his mind. Still, being freed from the cold, damp, and dark dungeon was a blessing in itself. Iris might be a half-vampire, but she was still alive, not a pure-blood who preferred coffins and underground holes.

As for being a librarian, Iris was hardly unfamiliar with the work. Back in the Scarlet Monastery, she had done much the same, so it wasn’t long before she had settled comfortably into her new environment. In fact, she found herself greatly enjoying it.

During her days at the Scarlet Monastery, Iris had cherished reading—magic tomes, books of history, even wandering bards’ travelogues—all delighted her. Reading was perhaps the greatest joy of her life. The collection in Black Onyx Stone City had been limited, but Jan’s library was another matter altogether. Here, not only were there endless magic tomes, but Iris was delighted to discover all kinds of secret histories and records, even bestiaries of magical creatures that had appeared only in legends. There were even confidential records about the Sky God’s Domain and the Demon Realm. To Iris, it was as if she had wandered into Ali Baba’s cave—dazzling and overwhelming, she wished she could carry away all the knowledge at once.

But what surprised Iris even more was the nature of the library itself. She found that whenever she finished a book and returned it to the shelf, a completely different new book would appear in the same spot the next day.

Could this library’s collection be infinite?

For a book-lover like Iris, this place was paradise itself. If she’d harbored any resentment toward Jan for her imprisonment, it had long since vanished. In fact, even if Jan tried to throw her out now, Iris doubted she would ever willingly leave.

Of all the treasures here, the magic tomes were what Iris prized the most.

Jan’s library did not hold the surface world’s schools of magic, but rather those from the Underworld and the Demon Realm. For Iris, this was a wholly new experience. Her magic flame was pure negative energy, which meant she couldn’t use the eight great schools of magic in their original forms. Yet, the warlock profession had endured through the ages for a reason, developing its own unique survival arts. Warlocks could condense their magic flame into runes, simulating other schools’ spells to some extent.

Of course, due to the limitations of negative energy, spells like Solar Flare, which required pure positive energy, were beyond her reach. But defensive, illusion, and elemental spells could be simulated, at least in part. The warlock’s art began and ended with magic flame, but by studying other schools, Iris could expand her repertoire with more varied combat techniques. What’s more, Jan’s tomes were genuine artifacts from the Demon Realm, containing complete, unabridged spells—unlike the broken remnants found on the surface. In just a few days, Iris had become utterly devoted to her studies.

So, when Velna’s angry shouting echoed through the halls, Iris paid it no mind. She had just finished reading a tome detailing how to contract with creatures from the Demon Realm, and the process of crossing boundaries to summon them to the mortal plane. She had touched on such topics at the Scarlet Monastery, but the Demon Realm was too distant and mysterious for surface dwellers, and the records were always incomplete. Here, though, nothing was hidden. Brilliant as she was, Iris needed only a few thorough readings to master the essentials. She was already planning to experiment with opening a negative energy portal using her own magic flame and summoning a fiend when time allowed.

With a soft exhale, Iris closed the book and straightened, stretching out her limbs. Unlike her days in the dungeon, she was now dressed in a loose-fitting violet nightgown with a matching sleep cap atop her head.

Of course, the inside of the gown was still hollow.

This outfit, too, had been at Jan’s insistence. When Enoya first brought her out, Jan had asked if she preferred the violet nightgown or the revealing maid’s outfit that bared her thighs. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Iris had hesitated for a long time before settling on the nightgown.

But what did the lord of the city mean by insisting she always say “MuQ” when she spoke? Was that a spell of some kind?

Shaking her head at the thought, Iris picked up her book and returned it to the shelf. She’d finished this one, but she still needed reference materials on opening negative energy portals. Where could she find... What was this?

Just as she replaced the book, her sharp eyes caught sight of a small volume, barely larger than her palm, lying quietly in the corner of the shelf. Unlike the others, this book was wrapped in a yellow cover, with no title inscribed. Its mysterious appearance piqued her curiosity, and she reached for it, opening to the first page.

“In the silent library, the maiden’s...” What was this?

Reading the title aloud, Iris frowned, sensing instinctively that this was not something wholesome. Yet, compelled by a strange urge, she opened the book and read on.

The story told of a girl who loved books above all else. Raised in a library, she was utterly fascinated by its tomes, always losing herself in the sea of words and savoring the joy of knowledge. The library was deserted, inhabited only by the girl and the librarian who had raised her. She had never left this vast, shadowy, echoing hall. It was her entire world. Her days were spent here—living, working, shelving books, and keeping the place in order was her greatest pleasure.

Reading these passages, Iris found herself deeply moved, identifying with the heroine and growing more curious as she read.

Then, in one chapter, the girl discovered a hidden chamber deep within the library, filled with books lacking covers. Driven by curiosity, she began to leaf through them, only to be shocked by their contents—all descriptions of acts between men and women. The girl, innocent and sheltered, was both intrigued and anxious. She had grown up in the library and knew nothing of such things. But as she read on, she began to notice changes in herself...

“My back... What’s happening to me... The things described in these books are so strange... Yet, for some reason, I find them irresistible... I know I shouldn’t be reading this... If anyone found out, it would be terrifying, but in the shadowy corner of the library, the girl could not quell her racing heart...”

As she murmured the words, Iris’s eyes grew dark and unfocused again. At this moment, she seemed utterly immersed in the world of the book, as if she truly were the girl born and raised in the library, hiding in a quiet corner, secretly savoring the thrill of forbidden knowledge.

“Ah...!”

With a start, Iris snapped back to herself. Her gaze cleared; the eerie, blurred visions faded away, replaced by the towering, shadowed shelves she knew so well.

“What... what’s wrong with me?”

She set the book down, her cheeks burning, and took a few steps back. Pressing her hand lightly to her belly, she shook her head hard, then turned and hurried away from the shelves.

It was a nightmare. It had to be another nightmare!

Shouting in her heart, Iris hurried back to her chair, sat down, and closed her eyes.

But even so, the images from just moments ago lingered in her mind, sharp and inescapable.