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Chapter 22: The Loli Librarian of the Grand Library

“If you had joined my Alcot family… status, wealth, even letting you become my man… I could give you anything. Why did you choose to go to the Count’s household and be a mere butler?”

Fina really couldn’t understand why Ryan would choose a Count’s family over her or the Crown Prince.

“I’d rather marry a clueless village girl and live with her all my life than sleep in the same bed with a female heroine who covets the throne every day.”

Ryan admitted, “I don’t want to get involved in your scheming with each other, and if I had to, I think I’d side with the Crown Prince.”

“You think I’m inferior to the Crown Prince?”

Hearing this, Fina’s voice suddenly turned cold.

“It has nothing to do with ability. I simply stand with whoever treats me best. It’s as simple as that.”

Ryan shrugged and said, “If you really want that position, why not win over the king, become queen, then use your schemes to unsettle the palace and have the Crown Prince executed? Then no one could challenge you.”

“…I really can’t figure out whether you’re on the Crown Prince’s side or not.”

At Ryan’s words, Fina’s earlier chill instantly drained away.

“In any case, I would never bow to that old man. I’d rather die in battle by the Crown Prince’s… no, by your sword.”

Saying that, Fina lay back down on the makeshift bed of two chairs and lazily waved her hand.

“Get out, get out. I don’t want to see you right now!”

Ryan didn’t want to stay in the same room with her either and immediately turned to leave.

“Oh, right.”

At that moment, Fina, still lying down, suddenly spoke in a lazy tone.

“Thanks for dealing with the Marquis Baikasi. He’s been giving me a headache for a long time.”

Ryan didn’t even turn his head and said, “With your methods, driving out the Marquis Baikasi from Art City should be a breeze, right?”

“It’s just… not the right time yet…”

Fina’s voice grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared, indicating she had fallen asleep.

Ryan: “…”

Leaving the dean’s office, he closed the door behind him, and seeing there was still time before the next class, Ryan decided to head to Alcot Academy’s Grand Library.

Although there wasn’t much left to teach Amia now, he wanted to see her at least once to keep his promise.

He entered the Grand Library, which was as spacious as ever, and looked toward the corner where he had sat yesterday. Sure enough, the petite figure with pure white hair was still there, quietly reading a book.

“Amia.”

As Ryan walked toward her, he softly called her name.

At the sound, Amia lifted her head, and her amber eyes flickered when she saw him.

Then she pointed to the seat beside her and said in her soft voice, “Please sit here, Butler.”

Although Amia’s tone lacked emotion and felt very detached, its softness alone made Ryan find her adorable.

After sitting down beside Amia, Ryan apologized.

“Sorry, I’m a bit late today. Something came up.”

“It’s about the substitute teaching, right? My sister told me about it.”

Amia closed the book in her hands, and a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

“What a pity. I still had so many questions I wanted to ask you, Butler.”

Ryan smiled lightly and said, “Don’t worry. There’s plenty of time, and I’ll come to the library often since I haven’t finished reading the newspapers.”

“That’s true. By the way, my sister said that your magical prowess is supposedly very high?”

At these words, Amia’s eyes lit up again with curiosity, as if she had been interested in Ryan from the moment they first met.

“It’s okay. I’d estimate it’s slightly stronger than your sister’s, but it’s nothing remarkable.”

Ryan felt he was being quite modest.

But Amia shook her head and said, “My sister’s magical prowess ranks among the top in the entire Empire.”

Ryan: “???”

Now Ryan was confused.

Her? A dumb woman’s magic ranking at the top in the entire Empire?

“…Really?”

Ryan still couldn’t believe it and asked.

“Really.”

Amia nodded and said, “After all, she can barely recognize words. If her magic weren’t that strong, how could she become a teacher at Alcot Academy?”

That made sense…

At that moment, Ryan remembered how Nanali had introduced Rowan before, apparently in this way.

[A renowned magic teacher in Art City.]

Thinking of this, Ryan couldn’t help but clutch his chest in pain.

“Butler, does your chest hurt?”

Amia tilted her head and asked.

Ryan shook his head. He really did feel chest pain, but it wasn’t what Amia thought.

The magical heritage of the Empire was truly facing a succession crisis!

After a while, Ryan finally relaxed a bit.

Turning his head, he saw Amia still staring at him, and he couldn’t help asking.

“Librarian, don’t you need to attend classes?”

“It’s precisely because I don’t need classes that I became a librarian.”

Amia replied, “The things the teachers taught me, I know. The things I don’t know, even the teachers aren’t aware of.”

Is this what a genius is?

Ryan recalled that Rowan had said Amia’s magical talent was much higher than hers.

Rowan was already the foremost magic teacher in Art City, so how powerful must the 8-9 year-old Amia be?

However…

Ryan looked Amia up and down and asked, “What does a librarian’s work involve?”

If it were moving books and so on, the petite Amia probably couldn’t handle it.

“I organize and catalog books, but since almost no one comes to the Grand Library, it’s hardly used. Every morning, I cast an inspection spell to check that no books are missing.”

Amia explained, “Each day someone delivers new newspapers or books. I just tell them where to put each item.”

“You stay here in the library all day? Don’t you find it boring?”

“With books to read, I don’t get bored.”

As she said this, although Amia still showed no expression, a rare smile flickered in her eyes.

“Besides, a certain interesting butler often comes to the library now, so I feel even less bored.”

At that moment, a bell suddenly rang throughout Alcot Academy, making both Ryan and Amia raise their heads in unison.

It was time for Ryan’s substitute class.

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