Chapter 129 Bookworm And The Swaying Tail
If books are a fountain of knowledge, then a library, where they gather, could be called an ocean. That's why this place, the biggest library in Western Country, is named "Aegil Library," after the sea god.
Quollio, the bibliomaniac (book lover), who usually talks a lot, now had his mouth shut tight. The pile of books next to him was so high, it looked more like a mountain than an ocean.
"Hey Quo, have you figured anything out since then?"
"...Not really, it's still tricky. I've been digging through some books, but I haven't found anything that clicks yet."
"Hmm. The recipe for 'God's Poison'... If only it had a simpler name like 'Black Grape Poison' or 'Egdūkadake Extract,' then I wouldn't have to search around so much."
"I can see your brain is really simple."
"Wow, that's harsh. This is why Uzzario is..."
From behind the mountain of books, Sham peeked out. Like a cat wanting attention, she couldn't stop flipping through the pages.
Since the Joosa incident, Quollio had been making time to come to Aegil Library to research 'God's Poison.'
It wasn't just academic curiosity; he was also worried about the dangerous person who had that stuff.
The mysterious man played as Drodo had hidden malice, and 'God's Poison' was a big threat. But it was also a clue left by that man. He hoped that by investigating, he could connect to the unknown tail.
"Sigh. It's such a waste to spend your day off stuck in the library."
"I'm not just playing around, you know?"
"Still, with such a cute girl right in front of you, you're glued to your books? Isn't that a bit of a problem for a blue boy? Yeah, definitely a big problem!"
"Shut up, it's perfectly normal. Besides, what about you? You come to the library and don't even read a single book?"
"Well, I was bored. Lyam seems to have something to do with Ráðgríðr, and Sis Shura wasn't here. I came here to see you, Quo!"
"You're wrong to think you came to bother me. Besides, I told you Shura is a delivery person with Hiiro, right?"
"Mixing in with them might really be a bother. That's why I chose to be with Quo, but you glasses guy..."
"I can see how careless you are with me."
With a loud slam, he shuts the book. Finally looking over, he saw Sham grinning.
What could be so funny? Quollio thought while rubbing his eyes. He knew he wasn't the type to enjoy being around others, and he certainly wasn't helping to ease the boredom.
Sham seemed to know how to handle him, but he was just feeling lost. Speaking of which, Shura sometimes seemed troubled by Sham too. As someone who wasn't good at dealing with others, Quollio understood that feeling.
"Oh! Have you finally decided to pay attention to Sham-Sham, Quo? Hehe, please take good care of me."
"Ugh, seriously. Why don't you learn the word 'consideration'? I still can't believe I have to deal with you and Shura."
"...Well, it can't be helped if you think that. At first, Sis Shura treated me pretty coldly. Even when I tried to talk to her, she barely responded."
"Is that so?"
Sham shared how things weren't easy with her big sister. He pretended to be surprised, but he could easily imagine Shura brushing him off.
"So you managed to get to this point in your relationship?"
"Of course! Sham-Sham launched a full-on attack and won, you know!"
"Who are you calling 'you know'? Ugh. I feel a bit sorry for Shura now."
Being persistently attached must have worn her down. It reminded Quollio of a time long ago when he stubbornly stayed awake until morning.
"And look, Sis Shura, me, and Lyam were all war orphans. I thought we might get along since we all don't have parents. Hehe."
"...Not having parents? Is that really a reason?"
"Yeah. If I want to be a lone wolf, I should tell Quo that the key to making friends is finding common ground."
"Common ground, huh?"
It's not like he chooses to be alone. But since he's not exactly friendly, should he take Sham's advice seriously?
Honestly, he hasn't really felt a connection with Hiiro, but pointing that out seems rude. More than that, he felt he should say something.
"Then maybe I should try saying something Hiiro would say to you."
"Oh really? What would Hiiro say? Tell me!"
"Well... I'm not one to poke into people's pasts, but I don't think it's right to laugh about not having parents."
"Huh? Why not? It's a common story these days."
"Just because it's common doesn't mean it doesn't matter."
He knows that Sham has a playful personality. He probably meant it lightly, but Quollio wouldn't let it slide.
He couldn't just ignore it, especially when it felt wrong to let it go.
"But, you wouldn't like it if someone talked about it with a sad face, right? It would make you uncomfortable."
"What's wrong with being sad about sad things? I'm not so narrow-minded that I get annoyed by obvious stuff."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. If you think I'm being nosy, I apologize. But I think it's better to hold back in other areas instead."
He knows this isn't really his style. But Sham, who is way friendlier than him, chose to hang out with a grumpy person like him on his day off. He can't shake the feeling that Sham has deeper friendships outside their group.
He felt like he found the root of that discomfort, which is why he tried to act differently.
"Wow... Quo, you actually have a passionate side! I'm a bit surprised."
"That's just me speaking on behalf of what he might say. It doesn't really reflect me."
"Hmm? Are you maybe blushing, Quo? You are, aren't you? Haha!"
"No! I'm completely calm."
Quollio, who was just following Hiiro's opinion, made Sham smile softly. Even though he seemed calm, his ears were red, but Sham didn't point it out.
(...he has some cool moments too)
Sham enjoyed watching him, feeling fond. Like a cat playing with a ball of fluff, Sham squinted his eyes. Since the chatter had quieted down, the library room regained a bit of silence.
The sound of turning pages in the books grew louder, almost like it was trying to hide the embarrassment, but only Sham noticed it.
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