It arrived out of the blue one day. I vividly remember Anima, who usually handles the organization of my correspondence, bringing it to me with a look of utter confusion on her face.
There was no sender listed on the envelope, and the contents were so bizarre they were borderline incomprehensible.
"I KNOW YOU. BECAUSE I SPOKE WITH THE SOURCES WHO KNOW YOU. I WISH TO MEET YOU. YOU DO NOT KNOW THE PLACE. BUT MY PLACE IS WELL KNOWN. I HOPE YOU WILL COME TO MY PLACE."
Even with my ability to automatically read the script of this world, that was the best I could make of it. Anima mentioned that the grammar was a disaster; it certainly didn't look like the work of someone accustomed to writing formal letters.
To make matters even more mysterious, this world has a postal system similar to ours where letters are stamped as they pass through various offices, allowing you to track their origin. This letter, however, bore no such mark. It was a complete mystery how it had even reached my house.
Analyzing the content... "I know you. Because I spoke with the sources..." This "sources" was likely a typo for "people." So, "I spoke with the people who know you. I hope to meet you. You don't know the location, but my location is widely known. I hope you will visit me."
At least, that was my interpretation. It seemed someone had heard about me from an acquaintance and wanted me to visit them at some famous location. The problem was, despite the invitation, they hadn't provided a single actual clue about where they were.
"...Heh. I see. They really put their heart into writing this, didn't they?"
"Wait, Alice, do you know who sent this?"
"Of course I do. Hmm, I could just give you the answer, but that would be a bit boring, wouldn't it?"
"I’m not really looking for excitement here..."
"Now, now, since we're at it, let's turn this into a riddle quest! Go to the Royal Library, find these books, and check the very last page of each one."
Alice flashed me a mischievous grin as she jotted down a list of titles and handed me the memo. Judging by her playful reaction, the sender didn't have any ill intent; at the very least, I didn't think I was walking into anything dangerous.
Still, I wondered why she was sending me to the Royal Library specifically. Was the sender someone connected to books or research?
Though I tilted my head in confusion, I figured a little diversion wouldn't hurt and started getting ready to head out.
The Royal Library is located in a district of the Kingdom of Sinfonia Capital where many academic institutions are clustered. Aoi often visits the area to attend lectures at the Magic Academy, but this was my first time actually going inside.
I followed my map until I arrived at a building so gargantuan it could have been mistaken for a castle. After being momentarily overwhelmed by its scale, I finished the registration at the reception desk and stepped inside. It was a magnificent sight—a literal forest of books.
I showed Alice’s memo to the librarian, who directed me toward the appropriate shelves. I made my way through the stacks, gathering the required volumes one by one.
Once I had everything, I found an empty seat and flipped to the back of the books. Sure enough, small slips of paper had been tucked into the final pages.
"Hint 1: What is the habitat of the Tempest Dragon?"
"Hint 2: It is not The Four."
"Hint 3: It is the earth, not the sky."
"Hint 4: It is the wasteland, not the forest."
"Hint 5: It is down, not up."
"Hint 6: It is behind, not left or right."
"Hint 7: It is neither red nor white."
"Hint 8: The attendant holds the key to the door."
"Hint 9: The attendant and the sender are in different places."
"Hint 10: They will be happy if you bring something sweet."
It seemed the sender wasn't necessarily related to the library; Alice had likely just slipped these notes in ahead of time to set the mood for her "quest."
But what did these mean? I looked at the book where I'd found the first note. Its title was "The Ecology of Ancient Dragons." Ah, I see. The answer to each hint was likely contained within the very book the note was hidden in. It really was turning into a proper riddle.
Serious-senpai Defrosting
???: "Is it okay to just let her undergo Natural Defrosting? Well, if we leave her be, she'll probably revive eventually."