“Hey, Subaru. What was that ‘tararatta raratata’?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a long-standing greeting from my hometown that means, ‘Your smile is so wonderful, I could almost lick it!’”

“Then don’t ever say it again!”

“Wow, harsh!”

After Emilia smiled and welcomed me back, a brief exchange took place.

Emilia’s refreshing smile washed away the clouds of anxiety and frustration that had lingered in my heart, like flowers blooming in springtime.

In contrast, overwhelmed with excitement I could hardly contain, I forced a gentle smile and tried to say, “I’m back,” when—

“Tararatta raratata!”

“Eh?”

That’s how I ended up stumbling all over my words.

It was too pathetic and embarrassing to even consider telling the truth.

I tried to play it off with some light banter, but that was quickly cut short, leaving me a bit deflated. So, I started exploring the mansion with Emilia while searching for Ram—after just a few minutes, we found her.

“Oh, you found me faster than I thought,”

she said, looking up from where she was sitting on the stairs in the entrance hall, her demeanor decidedly unladylike.

I let out a small sigh at her laid-back attitude, one that was so far from being submissive.

“Your ‘go-your-own-way’ attitude always surprises me, you know. I think of myself as fairly selfish, but you’ve totally knocked me out of the running.”

“Winning at anything feels great! Bow down before me, Balus. —So, has the discussion reached a conclusion?”

The first part was directed at me, while the latter half was a question aimed at Emilia, who was trailing behind me.

Emilia nodded small in response to Ram’s inquiry.

“Yeah, for the most part, Subaru explained.”

“It seems that Crusch’s subordinates and those hired by Anastasia have come to the village. Oh, and Subaru’s also hired some merchants… it’s all for the preparations to escape, right?”

“Yeah, the merchant carriages could fit all the villagers, and the goods aboard should also be useful food supplies during the evacuation. Pretty good idea, right?”

“For Balus, that’s quite commendable, I must honestly praise it. Rejoice!”

“Can’t rejoice with a comment like that!”

Regardless of Ram’s tendency to keep herself up high, thanks to our earlier conversation, Emilia’s response to Subaru’s suggestion was smooth.

Normally, she should have wanted to resolve the situation herself, but—

“Focusing too much on that and overlooking something important would be a case of missing the forest for the trees. So don’t worry too much about me, I’m fine.”

“I’m not worried. I can feel your trust in the grip of your hand…”

“Oh, I’m sorry for holding your hand the whole time. That must have been in the way.”

Forcing me to recall what I didn’t want to think about, Emilia released the hand that had been connected so seamlessly till now. A soft “Ah” escaped Subaru, but it was too late.

I raised the now released hand in front of my face, regretting the slip of the tongue, while Emilia turned to Ram and spoke again.

“Anyway, Ram. I want to evacuate the villagers… where do you think we should head? I know I should make the judgment myself.”

“Since Lady Emilia lacks local knowledge, I won’t ask for the impossible. If Ram has a suggestion… then I believe it’s best to head to the Sanctuary where Roswaal has gone.”

“The Sanctuary… that seems safe?”

“Can’t say for sure, but Roswaal is there, and although it’s complicated, there’s protective force. It’s definitely more reliable than being holed up here.”

Emilia pondered, placing a finger to her lips. Subaru, standing beside her, interjected, saying, “By the way, what’s this Sanctuary Roswaal’s headed to? I keep hearing about it alongside other names, but if I don’t know where it is, I can’t really make a judgment, you know?”

“Judgment is something Lady Emilia should make. It would be cruel to make Balus worry… but clearly, Ram has no authority to share that with Balus, as Roswaal hasn’t given permission. So please, worry all you want.”

“Roswaal’s permission, huh…”

As I squinted, Ram remained unresponsive. Deciding that pressing further was pointless, I recalled all the bits of information I’d heard about the Sanctuary so far.

That said, there wasn’t a lot of information on it. It was Roswaal’s destination, a place where a powerful local lord resided, and I’d just heard that there were defensive forces there apart from Roswaal.

“I could at least ask about the distance and how friendly they are toward us, right? That’s essential for making a judgment.”

“—About eight hours if it’s by dragon carriage. Since Roswaal is in cooperation, it’s a given they won’t antagonize us. However—”

While Ram fluently answered Subaru’s question, she paused slightly and bit her lip, revealing hesitation, which was rare for her.

Subaru frowned in confusion at her unusual uncertainty, while Emilia quickly grasped the implication behind Ram’s reaction.

“Are you worried that half-elves aren’t welcomed?”

“I don’t want to burden Lady Emilia, but yes, that’s right. The Sanctuary gathers many with complicated backgrounds, so I can’t be sure how much standing out as a half-elf will affect you… I can’t say for certain.”

Once again, the issue of disdain for half-elves reared its head.

The frustration began reaching its limit for Subaru. But ignoring Subaru’s boiling anger, Emilia lightly lowered her chin.

“It’s something I’m aware of; I can’t help it. If it doesn’t concern me, we could probably evacuate the villagers to the Sanctuary?”

“Lord Roswaal, being the lord, surely would not wish for his vassals to be treated disrespectfully. In that regard, the representative of the Sanctuary, Garfiel, is certainly trustworthy.”

Seeing that solid trust reflected in the response, Emilia closed her eyes in satisfaction. Then she noticed Subaru, who was silently holding back his anger, and quietly gestured to him.

“Subaru, do you have any other good ideas?”

“Well, given it takes eight hours to get to the Sanctuary, and if it’s safe, I don’t think we’ll need proposals for alternative routes.”

I thought that if, for some reason, we had trouble finding an evacuation site, heading back to the royal capital might present one alternative. The passage along the Leifaus road had reopened due to the White Whale’s defeat.

With the dragon carriage, we could likely reach the royal capital in half a day. Considering there were many women, children, and the elderly, there would be a slight delay, but it should still take less than a day.

It would also allow us to potentially rendezvous with Crusch, who was supposed to have returned, along with Rem who traveled with her, and make effective countermeasures against the Witch Cult. As fellow allies, I’d felt that Crusch and Emilia ought to sit down and have a proper discussion.

“Of course, that approach carries risks.”

For one, the distance would be farther than heading to the Sanctuary.

Given there was uncertainty regarding our forces, we wanted to avoid prolonged travel as much as possible. If it’s over half a day vs. four hours, the latter is obviously the better option.

Secondly, longer distance would mean it would take longer to return to the Meisters Territory. With the threat of the Witch Cult still looming, we wouldn’t be able to part with the party until we could safely evacuate Emilia and the others. If I returned after escorting them, the time lapsed could allow any remnants of the Witch Cult to escape.

And lastly, was the safety of the Leifaus Road truly secure?

Once, Subaru had encountered the White Whale in a previous loop, and though he just barely survived without dying, Otto, the merchant who accompanied him, had thrown him from the dragon carriage and successfully escaped through the mist.

However, it seemed afterward he came under attack by the Witch Cult and lost his reclaimed life—the place he had been when that happened was just before entering the Meisters Territory through the Leifaus Road.

Could it be that the Witch Cult was watching the mist’s exit? Subaru pondered.

This time, there had been no encounters, likely because our forces outmatched theirs at that moment while passing through that location.

But how likely would it be to go back with many non-combatants and still be overlooked? Especially since they sought to take Emilia with them.

“When I think about it like that, there really isn’t much to think about, huh?”

“So, you think Subaru should go to the Sanctuary too?”

“Right now, that would be the best course. If I could talk with Roswaal, there’s potential for more constructive discussions, and I don’t want to put too much burden on the villagers during the move.”

Moving forward required understanding the full scope of the situation within the territory. What stance would Roswaal adopt towards the Royal Selection was also still somewhat ambiguous.

I considered that Emilia’s struggles stemmed greatly from the ambiguity in Roswaal’s way of speaking regarding those matters.

“In summary, I guess it’s about giving that pretty boy a good smack.”

“I thought we were supposed to be discussing where to escape to… why did it morph into that?”

“I couldn’t help but naturally arrive at that conclusion while piecing together the details. Besides, if he would just use clearer language when speaking, it would save us a lot of trouble, right? Smart people do this all the time…”

Having a mind that works quickly leads them to expect the same computational ability from others. A mindset typical of geniuses. Meanwhile, average Joes struggle to keep up.

Anyway,

“We have a destination setting; Ram knows the place. We should leave as soon as we’re ready. Think it’ll take long?”

“I don’t have anything in particular I need to take with me. As for Ram…”

“I would love to bring tea leaves and precious items, but the outcome of being overly greedy often turns dull, so I’ll give up on that for now. I have packed some necessary documents and clothing, so I’m ready to leave anytime.”

Following Ram’s indication, I noticed a bag set beside the stairs. It seemed she’d already finished packing, which made me marvel at her foresight.

“I always thought girls needed a lot of time for preparations, but you’re amazing! So, have you forgotten anything like your bankbook or seal? If everything’s good, let’s head straight to the village!”

“Two-cho?”

“Seal?”

Emilia and Ram tilted their heads, donning puzzled expressions, which I found amusing. Then I glanced up toward the upper floor of the mansion.

The two seemed to realize what I was looking at, awkwardly opening their lips.

“Sorry, Subaru. We don’t know where Beatrice is. I haven’t seen her since we returned from the royal capital.”

“To be precise, it’s since Roswaal and the others left for the royal capital that we haven’t seen her… She hasn’t shown up for meals or even responded to the Great Spirit’s summons.”

“Beatrice is ignoring Pack too; it’s not normal.”

Once I heard their remarks, I pondered while stroking my chin. I began recalling events from the previous world, thinking it pointless to dwell on that now.

I slapped my cheeks with both hands to sharpen my focus.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring Beatrice. You two head to the village first. There should be Crusch, Felix, Wilhelm, and that mercenary guy named Yuri waiting there, so if we link up with them, things will progress smoothly. Leave Drill Loli to me.”

“Are you confident you can find her?”

“I can’t say I’m really confident, but… I feel like she won’t run from me. She probably loves me.”

“That’s bold facing that whimsical character.”

Emilia chuckled lightly at my claim while Ram snorted with her typical nonchalance. I shrugged at the two then turned and made my way upstairs.

“Let me show you how a former recluse pulls another recluse out into the open.”

——————————————————————–

“Hey, that’s strange!?”

Having built up a dramatic entrance, I confidently stepped out, but finding Beatrice was proving exceptionally difficult.

Usually, when I went to fetch Beatrice during meal times, opening the first door typically meant connecting straight to the Forbidden Library where she resided. There were times when I’d intended to call for her from the dining room only to find it led straight to the Forbidden Library.

Beatrice’s magic called ‘Door Crossing,’ which was too advanced for me to understand, seemed to utilize dark magic for space transfer.

Despite being just a little girl, Beatrice was a master of dark magic and used her door-crossing ability to randomly move her castle, the Forbidden Library, within the mansion, usually providing only one correct door and generally being quite mean about it.

My special ability, which I had whimsically labeled ‘Door Breaker,’ was the peculiar trait of reading the air and happening upon the correct door right away.

“Just when I was getting excited, it’s really disappointing that it’s not working out now. After being so brazen in front of Emilia and the others, if I don’t find her, I can’t just say ‘Oops, my bad’ and laugh it off.”

I rushed through the servant quarters, pushing doors open one after the other. I had already exhausted all the rooms in the central building, and the time wasted was becoming considerable. This was the first time I’d struggled so hard to find Beatrice, and despite my banter, I couldn’t shake the cold sweat forming on my brow.

Nevertheless, I wasn’t searching for Beatrice without any basis. I had a firm belief that she remained hidden within the mansion.

When I arrived at the mansion a day late in the previous world, Beatrice had been here—though back then I hadn’t managed to engage in a proper conversation due to the situation.

“This time I have a bit more leeway; everyone is feeling slightly less pressed. Beatrice will probably be more inclined to listen…”

While I was optimistic, I knew I had to keep saying it or I wouldn’t be able to continue this lonely endeavor. After all, wandering around an empty mansion opening and closing doors felt pity-worthy to anyone watching.

“Damn it, I can’t find her! This is bad! We’re running out of time! Should I just give up and flee? The thought of Emilia’s trusting gaze pains my conscience, but it might have to come to that! I’ll have to tell everyone that Beatrice was having tummy troubles and wouldn’t come out from the toilet!”

“—Can’t you think of a better excuse?”

As I complained and scratched my head, a retort unexpectedly came from beyond the opened door.

In front of me, what should have been a bathroom had somehow transformed into a library packed with books instead—

It was a long-awaited encounter, the familiar Forbidden Library, and the girl in the sumptuous dress standing in front of it was Beatrice, just as usual.

As I stepped into the room, I set my gaze straight ahead to see a sturdy wooden ladder had been set up, with Beatrice seated on the rungs, flipping through a thick book.

“Beatrice, you were found safely in the bathroom—my instincts weren’t wrong after all!”

“After all your misses, it would be pathetic not to give up. I thought it would be troubling for you to spread odd tales about me for the sake of my honor.”

“Don’t worry about it! Everyone needs to poop! Even if your tummy hurts and you don’t want to reply! I’m sorry for saying anything insensitive while you were pushing!”

“Your last remark is arguably the most insensitive in the world!”

Beatrice stood up from the ladder, her face flushed with fury. With her curls bouncing wildly, I lightly waved my hand and said, “Sorry, sorry.”

“Anyway, it’s been a while. You’ve been rather closed off, so I was about to search the entire mansion.”

“—When I’m relaxed, my door-crossing magic can open anywhere. But you weren’t planning to come in here, were you?”

“Once you let me in, that negates the argument! And yeah, typical tsundere!”

“If I hadn’t, you would have surely spilled slanderous rumors, wouldn’t you?”

After shouting at me, Beatrice quickly seemed to blush with embarrassment. Watching her expressions change, I approached her as she softened.

“Anyway, I’m just glad to see you. Sorry for dropping this on you, but could you prepare to go out? Staying in the mansion is going to cause some problems…”

“Beatrice isn’t going.”

“Huh?”

Beatrice’s immediate refusal halted my feet.

When I looked up at her flabbergasted face, I saw her soft expression accompanied by a sigh.

“Beatrice isn’t going. I’m not leaving the Forbidden Library, nor do I intend to leave the mansion. Just remember that and go.”

“Wait, you don’t realize how dangerous this is. It’s too risky for you to stay here; you need to come with us. I’ll explain from scratch!”

“There’s about as much I already understand as you’ll explain. Also, stop treating me like a child.”

With a glare at me, Beatrice reached for the bookshelves, pulling out an oversized thick book, returning to the ladder. Sitting down, she opened it onto her lap without any intention of evacuating.

“Hey, we’re not finished discussing this yet. Don’t just decide it’s over on your own.”

“I’ve nothing left to say. You just want to keep talking, but no matter how long you continue, my conclusion remains the same. We can’t waste time, you’re just the same, aren’t you?”

“Guh… If you get that, then cooperate! I’m taking you with me. You’re coming with me! Okay?”

“I refuse. No matter who comes, it’s the same—no one is stepping even a foot into this Forbidden Library.”

Beatrice insisted in a quiet yet steadfast tone, still focused on her book.

Scratching my head at her stubbornness, I sighed heavily.

“Listen up! We’re not just some rowdy bunch here, it’s not just me who’s noisy or Ram who just brings food. To be honest, the Witch Cult is coming! They don’t discriminate. If you’re left here…”

“Didn’t I show you my door-crossing abilities? If someone tried to step in, I’d show no mercy.”

“—!”

A sudden hostile aura oozed from Beatrice, sending chills down Subaru’s spine.

I held my breath, realizing that was the residual force of her magical power emanating from her being.

The overwhelming flood of mana flowed like a rush, so potent even to someone like Subaru, who could wield magic, and then—

“—I’m still taking you with me.”

“Still going on about this…?”

“Whether you’re strong or not doesn’t matter! You’re still a girl, and you’re small! That’s more than enough! I have no other reason not to leave you in danger!”

Overwhelmed by her presence, I pounded the ground of the library as I shouted.

Stepping forward, continuing to plead, Beatrice looked astonished, her eyes wide, and then squeezed her eyes shut as if bracing against pain.

Seeing this, I furrowed my brow, inching closer as though I meant to pull her away, just as—

“Beatrice isn’t going with you. Please stop trying to confuse me.”

“I’m not wrong. You are! —My answer is final.”

“How stubborn. —That’s exactly what I dislike.”

Beatrice muttered quietly. I leaned forward to catch what she said, but before I could react, she stood from the ladder,

“Understood. I’ll be conceding this time. By your words, I’ll follow you.”

“Wha? Seriously? Wow, that’s great. If you got that, then all’s well. I was kinda ready for you to magic me away the moment you stood up.”

“Against Beatrice? I could easily vaporize just your shadow… but I can’t bring myself to be that cruel.”

Casting a playfully dangerous remark, Beatrice returned the book she had pulled out to its place. While watching her movements, a thought struck me, and I raised an eyebrow. It might have been because I relaxed once Beatrice agreed to join.

Without thinking, I asked casually, “By the way, you’ve got a lot of books here. Are you by chance well-versed in letters besides Iroha?”

“What are you saying all of a sudden? By Iroha, do you mean the alphabet? That’s an insult to specialists.”

“Ahaha, totally my bad, I’m really sorry. Back to the topic…”

I offered up a forced smile to Beatrice as she glared at me, then rummaged through my pocket to pull out a book. It was one with a black cover, and its contents—

“This one here, for some reason, the characters inside are completely unfamiliar. Thought maybe you’d know something about it…”

“—Why are you holding that right now?”

A sudden, firm voice cut through my words.

Looking up, I saw Beatrice’s large eyes widened as she focused intensely on the “Gospel” in my hand.

The sudden shift in her demeanor left me shocked.

“Why do you have that right now? Answer me.”

“Why, or how? I just took it from some idiot from the Witch Cult. They held onto it like it was a treasure, so I figured there might be a clue written inside.”

“You took it from the Witch Cult? Of all people, you…”

Beatrice’s face paled, pressing her palm to her forehead as she trembled slightly.

Her complexion went starkly white, as though she might faint any second. Stretching out my hand, I instinctively tried to steady her, saying,

“Hey, hey! You good? If you’re feeling off, don’t push yourself…”

“Beatrice can’t crumble like that. But for someone to have that… could it be that Roswaal had it tucked away this whole time…?”

“Hey, this is a bad moment to be grimacing. I can hear you, ya know?”

“Just, think about it a little while, will you?”

Beatrice silenced me with a glare, making it difficult to speak as I observed her scrunching her face.

After some moments of silence, I could only idly flip through the pages of the Gospel, which still remained hopelessly unreadable to me.

Then, I noticed something.

“This book’s back half is blank… but did it have a page like this earlier?”

Both its unreadable composition and the sections of the book missing were both true. Yet, it almost felt like the recent pages had new entries, with additions I hadn’t seen before on the last printed page.

A book unreadable, a passing thought—

“—What do you intend to do with that book?”

Suddenly, Beatrice’s unexpected question pulled me from my musing.

With her hand to her lips, she seemed to have made a decision. She tossed that question toward me. I stammered but replied,

“I mean, while I don’t really care about the Witch Cult’s doctrines, I’m curious to know if there’s any valuable information hidden inside. If not, I don’t want to keep holding onto this creepy book.”

“…At the very least, I can’t read its contents. But if you don’t want to carry it, I could keep it safe for you.”

“Keep it safe?”

“It’s a mysterious book owned by a mysterious former owner. If it’s too burdensome for you, I could take it off your hands.”

Beatrice cautiously reached out her hand toward me.

That movement suggested she didn’t desire the book herself; she wouldn’t have thought about flipping it for profit.

She was speaking from goodwill. Furthermore, judging by her prior tone, she seemed to understand that this book was at least considered a Gospel. Thus—

“Sorry, but I’ll have to decline that offer.”

I lightly pressed my hand over the one she’d reached out.

For a fleeting moment, Beatrice blinked, then immediately overtook her lovely expression with a harsh one.

“Why is that? You should feel the danger it brings. Surely you realize this is nothing good. At the very least, you need to know it’s not something that attracts the good stuff. That’s why it’s better for me to take it than for you to carry it…”

“When you’re all grabby like that, it makes me not want to give up something I didn’t even want in the first place; that’s the principle of it. But honestly…”

This book, this Gospel, carried significant importance for the followers of the Witch Cult. Especially considering that this scripture belonged to their executive, Petelgeuse.

It was still vivid in my mind how obsessively he clung to this book. Even now, having secured his physical body and deprived him of resistance, my wariness hadn’t changed.

“A creepy guy might come chasing after this book, drooling! I’m not just gonna hand it over to a little girl because I’m scared of having it myself!”

“—”

“If it’s dangerous, I’ll keep it. I came here to bring you to safety, after all! Making things dangerous just flips my purpose upside down. So, please, don’t make me seem like a heartless jerk!”

I offered a light laugh while tucking the Gospel away from Beatrice’s view. Watching the process unfold, I wondered what she thought.

With a single blink, she began to open her lips but—

“—ugh.”

In the end, she couldn’t voice a word, closing her mouth and avoiding my gaze.

Left with feelings of confusion as I sensed something unnatural, I couldn’t press her further on what she might’ve been thinking. So I cracked my neck to shift the subject.

“Ah, well, anyway. So we’re moving out, let’s get a move on quickly. It’s gonna be a hassle if we end up taking too much, but bringing a couple of important books should be fine. And I think bringing along two or three dresses that are unnecessarily extravagant is a good idea too.”

“…If Beatrice moves, the library will follow. Have you convinced the other two in the mansion?”

“You said something so convenient just now. And yeah, I’ve secured both of them. You’re the last one here. We’re all evacuating to the Sanctuary where Roswaal is.”

“Roswaal, huh… What happened to the maid’s younger sister you went with?”

Suddenly, Beatrice brought up Rem’s name, catching me off-guard.

Hearing her say Rem was unexpected, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise, then let my mouth curve into a smile.

“Rem is currently at the royal capital waiting. She was just on her way back but ended up fishing up a massive fish. It’s too big to carry back, so she should be preparing a feast for us! Once she finishes the preparations, let’s all dig in together.”

“You grasp the details with delight, huh? —Did something happen?”

“Uh…”

I felt my heart race at the sudden mention of Rem and hastily slid into a fast response. Beatrice’s sharp observation struck like an arrow, making me fluster.

“Nothing happened!”

“After being treated so warmly, it’s odd for you not to feel something, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t care if you tell others, go ahead.”

“I-It’s not that I’m trying to hide it! It’s just, you know, suddenly declaring to Emilia or a real sister feels like a risk… strategic retreat, or something.”

Fidgeting and becoming less assertive, I turned my back to Beatrice, lowering my gaze.

With the present circumstances being what they were, it was undoubtedly affecting me a lot, and I genuinely lacked the courage to declare that. Emilia would definitely be shocked at something like, ‘I’m claiming you and Rem for my own!’ They were decisions I’d made, surely.

“Aiming high is a good thing. It makes effort worthwhile. I don’t dislike striving for something, but I’ve just never had a goal until now!”

In my attempts to convince myself like that, my mouth came to an abrupt stop as something unexpectedly pressed behind me.

I felt a warm sensation, realizing someone had wrapped their arms around my waist. Those slender arms around my stomach made it too clear who was hugging me.

It was Beatrice.

“Oh, it’s you, Beatrix! You scared me—don’t just spring up on me like that!”

“That reaction’s a bit gut-wrenching, you know. —But it’s satisfying enough.”

“Huh?”

Surprised at her unexpected remark, I tilted my head, and in that instant, a bright light blinded me.

Before I even realized it had burst from the entrance door on its own—

“Goodbye—”

“Eh!?”

The embrace released, and I felt myself being shoved with a strong force from behind. I couldn’t resist, my body lunged forward unceremoniously.

In that moment, I was sucked into the door—

“Beatrice—!”

“Beatrice… won’t be able to go with you.”

I turned to glance back just as I was about to enter the door.

At the last moment, I caught sight of her, tears glistening in her large eyes as they threatened to spill over.

“—!”

Unable to utter a word, my vision swirled.

Enveloped in a distortion of space, my body unconsciously took a path that shouldn’t exist, and the connection to the Forbidden Library severed.

In an instant, Subaru was ejected from the space of the Forbidden Library, disappearing somewhere far away.

“—Mommy.”

Having witnessed it all, Beatrice slowly stepped and closed the door that had been wide open.

The sound of the air being cleaved echoed ominously, as an overwhelming silence returned to the Forbidden Library.

“—Mother.”

In a small, tearful voice, Beatrice called that name.

The large tears had long vanished from her eyes, yet her expression remained unchanged, and still—

“How long… how long will it be until…”

Feeling like collapsing, Beatrice walked over to the ladder and leaned against it, extending her arms out.

From the opposite side—where she always set her feet—she retrieved a book she had left and held it tightly.

“Mother… Mother… Mother!”

Like a lost child clinging to dear life, Beatrice’s voice echoed through the quiet Forbidden Library, sounding forlorn and weeping.

The book, ensconced in her arms, offered no answers.

“`

 

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