One such reward was the right to use the Hightower Secret Library, which contained many forbidden tos and secrets. The contribution cost to use the library was expensive, priced for each hour spent in the library, and the books could not be borrowed or removed from the premises.
"Don't worry, I'll use my contribution points to pay for you," Envy said with a smile, gently stroking Greed's auburn hair.
Although Klause and Yuki couldn't hear the conversation happening inside the soundproof barrier, they understood that the three wanted to go sowhere without them. As they had only co to serve as witnesses against Lucien during the hearing, they decided to stay put.
___
After their conversation, Envy, Greed, and Ragnar exited the guest room and made their way to the secret library. They strolled out of the guest house and headed towards a large building located near the main headquarters.
As Envy, Greed, and Ragnar passed through the main courtyard of the Hightower HQ, they were surrounded by a bustling crowd of mages going about their daily business. The courtyard itself was a beautiful sight to behold, with well-manicured lawns and colorful flower beds lining the walkways.
The air was filled with the sound of leaves rustling in the gentle breeze and the soft murmur of conversation as mages chatted amongst themselves. So were sitting on benches, taking in the tranquil scenery, while others were walking briskly to their next destination.
As they continued to walk, they noticed a few mages practicing their magic in the open spaces, creating small bursts of colorful lights that danced around them. In the distance, they could see a group of mages sitting around a large oak tree, engaged in an intense discussion.
The courtyard was also dotted with several small gazebos, providing shady spots for mages to rest and relax. At the center of it all was an artificial lake, surrounded by a small boardwalk and more benches for mages to sit and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.
Overall, the courtyard had a serene and academic atmosphere, a perfect blend of nature and magic, that made it a pleasant place to spend ti in.
After their arrival, Envy led the way through the large lobby and many maze-like hallways of the building towards the deepest section of the old building with Gothic architecture. Both Greed and Ragnar could sense the abundance of magic and magic arrays used to prevent anyone from sneaking into this section.
The maze-like hallway leading to the secret library was a labyrinth of twists and turns, with no discernible pattern or logic to its layout. The walls were made of stone and lined with mysterious runes and glyphs that seed to glow faintly in the dim light.
As Envy led Greed and Ragnar through the maze, they couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation and confusion. The twisting passages seed to lead nowhere, and it would have been easy to get lost without soone who knew the way. The magic array that was used to prevent intruders from finding the library was evident in the walls, floors, and ceiling, with invisible barriers and traps that would have stopped any unauthorized entry.
Ragnar, as a Grand Magician, was amazed at the complexity and power of the array used to hide the library. Even with his vast knowledge of magic, he could not completely decipher the secrets of the maze-like hallway. It was clear that whoever had designed the array was a master of their craft, and had taken great care to ensure that the secrets of the library were kept safe from prying eyes.
After walking for a full 15 minutes through the maze-like hallway, the three finally arrived at a gigantic door that was the size of a two-story building. They noticed a ghost sitting behind a desk, surrounded by stacks of paper and notes. The ghost was reading a book but looked up when he noticed the three approaching.
"Ah, welco to the secret library, Lady Envy. How may I be of service?" The ghost greeted them politely as he stood up and floated through the desk to stand in front of them. His attire and style suggested that he was from the Victorian era, having died during that ti.
"This is Joseph, the librarian. He was one of the mages during the 18th century," Envy introduced the ghost who appeared to be the librarian of the secret library.
"I'm just a ghost librarian of this place now. A ghost, yes, but still a librarian nonetheless," Joseph added to Envy's introduction with a smile.
"Aunt Envy, I understand the idea of having a librarian, but...why a ghost?" Greed asked warily. As the weakest witch of the Seven Deadly Sins, her magic couldn't even harm a ghost.
All the magic that could ward or be used against a ghost required more mana than her body could handle. Other than the holy object she bought from the Vatican, she was not good at handling ghosts, even weak ones.
Moreover, no holy object from the Vatican could be brought within the HQ area as many of them had the power to nullify dark magic, which so of the mages were using or experinting with within the HQ.
Envy chuckled at Greed's question before answering.
"Well, there are three reasons. First, as a ghost, he doesn't need to eat, which makes him perfect for guarding this library all the ti.
Second, his intangible nature allows him to travel through the library and the maze in case so idiot tries to sneak in and helps them before they starve to death.
And third, he's the greatest librarian we could ask for; he's like a living, or rather, unliving search engine in the form of a ghost. He knows the library like the back of his hand, even within the forbidden section."
Joseph nodded in agreent and added, "Sotis, I even wonder if I'm a librarian or the rescue ghost, as there are a lot of people who get lost in the maze, and I need to get them out before they starve to death."
Ragnar mumbled, "So there are a lot of shady people who want to sneak in here," finding it reasonable as most mages can't keep themselves in check when it cos to seeking knowledge.
"Joseph, we need at least three hours in there to read and search for sothing. Also, I'll use my contribution points to pay for this child's ti," Envy said, patting Greed's head.
"Certainly, Lady Envy. And what about you?" Joseph bowed towards Envy and turned towards Ragnar.
"I'll pay with my own contribution points," Ragnar replied.
Joseph smiled and nodded, then asked for Greed and Ragnar's IDs from his card. He went back to his desk, pulled out a notebook from the drawer, and used it to register their IDs and deduct their points.
Seeing this scene, Greed couldn't help but comnt.
"This is the most ridiculous scene I've ever seen. A ghost from the 18th century using a notebook, and he's even good at it."
A few monts passed, and Joseph gave the ID cards back to Envy and Ragnar before saying.
"Everything is in order. All of you can enter the library. I suggest that if you have books in mind or want to find sothing fast, you should ask , so I can find it for you or even lead you to the section you want to be in."
"Thank you. We're looking for anything related to Atlanteus," said Ragnar.
"Atlanteus?" Joseph repeated, going silent for a mont to think before suddenly exclaiming, "Ah! The father of Artificer! Then please, follow !"
As Joseph led Envy, Greed, and Ragnar into the secret library, they were imdiately struck by the enormity of the space. It seed to extend far beyond what should be possible for a typical building. The shelves themselves were seemingly endless, and the books floating around in the air were evidence of the strange magic at work within the library.
What was most striking, however, was the apparent distortion of space within the library. Sotis people were standing on what seed to be the ceiling, and other tis there were spaces within the bookshelves that led to even more spaces containing even more books. It was as if the library was a labyrinthine web of hidden rooms and secret passages, all connected by magic that defied understanding.
Greed, and Ragnar couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder as they gazed around the seemingly infinite library. It was clear that they had much to explore and discover within its walls.
Joseph led the three of them to a quiet corner of the library where he used his control over the library to move and shift the shelves like a living being, leading the three to a quiet corner where the books related to Atlanteus were arranged neatly for Ragnar to peruse.
"As you ordered, all of the books relating to Atlanteus for you to peruse to your heart's content. May I ask if you require any more of my services?" Joseph asked politely, as the library continued to move and shift according to his commands.
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