The next day, we went out shopping.
Regarding the bookstore, I thought I might be the only one interested in going, so I considered acting separately. However, since it was our first time in the city, I was worried about what might happen, so I decided to stay with Nishina and the others until we parted ways. First, we headed to the bookstore, which was my primary goal.
However, as expected, books didn’t seem to sell very well. The bookstore was quietly tucked away in a corner of the city.
Creaaak…
The bookstore had a rare medieval wooden structure. Though unusual, this block had several similar buildings. It might reflect the history of the city, the era it was built in, or the congregation of the residents’ races.
The slightly musty interior was packed with bookshelves…or so I hoped, but the scene that greeted me upon entering the store was unexpected.
The spacious store had several tables with chairs arranged facing each other. On these tables were boards that looked like chess or shogi, and many old men were playing the game.
“Did I… enter the wrong store?”
I hurriedly stepped outside to check the sign hanging outside. It was indeed the store Spellsess-san had told me about. I tilted my head in confusion and re-entered the store.
Nearby, several old men were playing the game, surrounded by spectators who cheered and commented. One of them noticed us and called out.
“What’s up, kid?”
“Um… is this Granbluebell Bookstore?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Did you come to play Barsell too?”
“B-Barsell?”
“Huh? Not here for Barsell? Look, this game.”
“Oh, um… I came to look at books…”
“Books? Oh, you p*rvert. But hold on a sec. The store owner… well…”
The old man pointed to an elderly man engrossed in the game. He had a long beard and a shiny bald head, deeply focused, with a stern expression.
This seemed impossible. And what did he mean by “p*rvert”?
Was this really a bookstore? I looked around again. There were indeed bookshelves along the walls. However, they weren’t fully stocked and also stored game boards and pieces, indicating the shelves served multiple purposes.
For now, I approached the bookshelves and scanned the books.
Hmm?
I picked up a few books, but they were all novels, mostly with… an abundance of s*xual content.
Perhaps, in a world where reading habits were scarce, such books were necessary for business to thrive. So, this was what he meant by “p*rvert.” As I stood frozen, Kimishima approached.
“How’s it going? Found any good books?”
“K-Kimishima! No, nothing! Nothing at all!”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Well, these seem to be the wrong books. Let’s check the other shelves.”
I hurriedly stopped Kimishima from reaching for the shelf. She seemed pleased to have my hand on hers, but this was no time for that. I noticed another section of books a little further away and pulled her along.
That corner had books behind glass doors, with locks. Through the glass, I could see titles that appeared to be academic.
“These look… academic.”
“You’re quite proactive today, Sensei.”
“Uh, yeah… Oh, a book on magic.”
“I’ve already fallen under the spell of love.”
“K-Kimishima?”
“Hahaha. Just kidding.”
“Oh, okay.”
What seemed like academic books turned out to be books on magic. Although shaken by Kimishima’s joke, I felt relieved and continued to read the titles.
One title caught my eye.
『Encyclopedia of Non-Elemental Magic』
Most of my aptitudes were non-elemental. Non-elemental magic didn’t lack attributes but was rare and required knowing one’s magic type to use it. Information from spirits could help infer the attributes, but it could also depend on the individual’s nature.
Some people never knew their true attribute their entire life.
This book might help me experiment…
I hesitated. Being locked up meant it was likely expensive. As I pondered, a voice came from behind. Turning around, I saw the elderly man from the game staring sharply at me.
“Found something interesting?”
“Uh, yes, this ‘Encyclopedia of Non-Elemental Magic’…”
“232 million Ern.”
“…What?”
“It’s said to be compiled by the grandson of the divine child Fehlraben, Kankean I. It’s supposed to identify most non-elemental attributes derived from spirits. It was originally forbidden to be taken out of the temple, but… various circumstances.”
“Is it… real?”
“Of course not.”
“What?”
“It’s a book written by a sage from Rigaland about a hundred years ago, under such a pretense.”
“Still, if it’s by a sage…”
“He was stripped of his title after writing this. Hohoho.”
“…”
I see. Even this book had a history. Fascinating. It must still be quite pricey.
“Oh, what about the game?”
“Hmm? Ah, I’ve already figured out the endgame.”
At that moment, the opponent moved a piece on the board. The spectators shouted the location and piece to the store owner. He pondered briefly and then replied.
“Hmm. Baron to 3-7!”
“Ohhh!”
The spectators moved the piece as instructed, reacting in awe. The opponent was pulling his hair in frustration.
…….
“Excuse me, I was looking for books on this country’s history.”
“History books? Or stories?”
“I’d prefer factual history…”
“Hmm… History books don’t sell well, so we don’t stock many… maybe one?”
He glanced at a shelf we hadn’t checked yet and brought out a book.
“The Founding History of the Kingdom of Jibe. This is all we have.”
“I’d like to buy it.”
“It’s still expensive. How about 800,000 Ern?”
Ugh, really? Books were said to be pricey, but I guessed it made sense considering the risk of stocking items that rarely sold. I agreed to the price and paid with my Citizen card. Meanwhile, the game continued, and the store owner seemed to be closing in on victory without even looking at the board.
“Is this game part of your business too?”
“Hmm? Books alone don’t make a living. That book cost 1.2 million when I got it.”
“Really? Is it okay to sell it so cheap?”
“After 40 years unsold, that’s the price. It’s fine.”
“I see… If you get any more history books, could you reserve them for me?”
“Really? But I don’t know who you are.”
Trusting my intuition, I decided to trust this old man. I showed him my Citizen card, revealing my affiliation with the Federation Army. His eyebrows raised as he saw the number indicating my rank, and he scrutinized me again.
“You certainly seem to have the means. Alright, if I find any, I’ll notify the garrison. History books, right?”
“Yes, please.”
I thanked the store owner and was about to leave…
When I noticed Nishina reaching for a book on the previous shelf.
“H-Hey, Nishina! That shelf is off-limits!”
