Bab 12: Chapter XII - The Library Pt. II
I quicken my pace, attempting to catch up to Minuet before she disappears in the twist and turns of the bookshelves.
'Girl walks fast for someone of such petite height...'
Hundreds of tomes loom high above our heads on the shelves, all lined as far as the eye can see, books that range from stray pieces of text to thousands of pages thick volumes, to books that seem like they could easily knock a five hundred pound heavyweight wrestler cold with one fell swing.
The president leads us through the winding sections, confidently taking each twist, turn, and not trip over any scattered books on the floor.
...By which I have already unsuccessfully done the latter.
Tripping over an unexpected thick tome on the ground for the fifth time, I get up from my knees, brushing off the dust from my pants, scowling. "Ugh..."
Minuet pauses to look over her shoulder, "Heh." She lets out a small breath of laughter, obviously making fun of me.
"Watch your step now, the librarian hasn't come around for her daily cleaning yet. Wouldn't want the misfortune of you hurting yourself."
I grumble in annoyance as her lips curve into a smirk behind her hand, before laughing again.
The sound of her laugh was light, delightful to hear, much like the small tinkling of a bell...My annoyance soon dissipated, unable to take root.
After another moment of walking through the bookshelves, she slows to a stop at an intersection, letting me fully catch up to her.
"Huff..."
"You'll need to last longer than that if you are to continue your training here at the academy... it's going to be continuously rigorous, better keep up if you want to stay," The President smiles gently, though her expression calm and cool, the look of amusement in her bright-blue eyes strike me as mocking.
I look away in irritation, though only slightly. Scowling again, I ignore her taunt, "...Whatever...so, is this it?"
On a pedestal in the middle of the secluded space, between where which two sets of tables and desks sat, a three-headed statue of presumably, a dragon. Each of its faces etched with a solemn expression...(if dragons could express emotion). Most notably, the clear orb it held in one of its claws at its chest, glinting in the light. The seemingly swirling colors on its surface, captivating.
She nods, crossing her arms "Mhm..."
I furrow my eyebrows, my eyes sweeping the stonework, trying to see what could be so special about this peculiar statue. Tracing the stone-carved design, I look to the sides of its pedestal. Kneeling, I trace a finger around a pattern, the rock surface cool beneath my touch. Realizing that it was a character, something like a logogram I should say, I squint, trying to make out the words.
"This...resembles a rune symbol, you see? There's more..." Following the rough lines, I outline each character in the passage around the edge of the stone. "It means something, which could help you with your work."
The president shakes her head, "We tried to decode it, even the best of the scholars here couldn't make ends and tails of it. Even the Headmaster himself, I pored over all the possible meanings, but it all ends up as gibberish." The corner of her mouth creases, almost dipping into a frown as she thinks.
"This is not the branch of runes of the modern-day...this kind wasn't even recorded in the texts made by your kind, it has been long lost to time...more commonly used by the demons a bygone era," I said. "...Most demons of this generation wouldn't know, much less the..humans. Figures that no one would able to make sense of it."
Minuet's eyes widen slowly, something dawning in the blue depths behind those lenses.
I look back to runes beneath my hand, slowly reciting the text, "Here it writes...With vigor, we fight. With blades sharpened by hate, with the stories told by the scarlet flames..."
"-even the most unyielding stone never stays the same," We both end in unison.
We both turn to look at each other, confusion on both of our faces.
"You.."
"I.."
She coughs into her hand, eyes flitting away, "I...remember now. It's a common phrase in official ceremonies, a remembrance from the past. Though varying in choice of words, it's still not exactly one unheard of really."
I watch her expression carefully, before dusting off my pants and getting back onto my feet.
"Yes, a saying from the war they used to say...yet that isn't where it originally stemmed from, I know." I glance at the statue's many heads, recalling a memory, "...Are you familiar with the lone legend?"
Minuet nods, pursing her lips, "Seven deities, two sides, one goal. A common tale told by candlelight."
"If you know the full tale, I have no doubt you can find some connection here."
She stares at the statue, deep in thought, "Three-headed dragon..." Her eyes light up with realization, "Oh, oh! How come I did not realize- this could be the clue we were looking for!"
She rushes to a stack of books on the table nearest, pacing back and forth between the shelves as she flips past pages of a notebook in her hands, holding a book in the other.
"The seedling, a dragon...dawn and dusk...fire, luminous..."
I seat myself in one of the chairs, quietly watching as the president mumbles to herself, glancing between the two texts in her hands with furor. Each snippet I catch seemed to be more out of place than the last.
Silently examining the statue, I find myself observing the orb in the dragon's claw. On the borderline between opaque and transparent, and it seems to shift with every passing second, keeping one piqued.
I glance upwards, noticing a small rounded plate of glass in the center of the domed ceiling, that let a beam of sunlight pass in a concentrated ray. I trace its supposed path back down to the statue, thinking. Then, that thought quickly escaping, a shadow zips past the corner of my vision, snapping my attention towards the windows.
The branches outside sway as if they had been disturbed, not by the wind, but...something else.
I narrow my eyes suspiciously, watching as a few leaves fall from their branches from the movement, slowly falling towards the ground as the trees settle again.
"Hm? Is something the matter?"
I glance at the president, who was looking at me, her expression slightly puzzled. I look outside again, before turning away and shaking my head.
"...Nothing. Just a trick of the light."
She follows my gaze uncertainly, then looks back at me, her stare intent, as if trying to pick apart my thoughts.
I pretend to not notice, idly playing with a pen between my fingers, trying to distract myself from Minuet's piercing gaze.
She starts to open her mouth, as if to say something,
RINGGGGGGGGG
The bell interrupts, again.
Minuet jumps slightly, quickly looking outside.
She turns to me, face apologetic, "It appears that it's time for me to go, I will have to get back to patrol."
Flashing a quick repentant smile, she gathers up a few books and sheets of notes into her arms and promptly brisks away, leaving me at the table in a maze to find a way out by myself.
I lean back into my seat, sighing as I briefly close my eyes. Opening them again, I notice a piece of paper flutter to the ground. I lean over to pick it up-
It was an envelope.
Turning it over, it is sealed by an elegant wax stamp, the paper one of excellent quality. Thinking that it might be the president's, who must have dropped it in her rush, I carefully tuck it inside my jacket.
Standing, I look outside again, this time, perched in the branches, was a crow. Its beady eyes stare back at me, flashing with an almost malicious gleam. Then it turns its head away, taking into flight without as much a caw, and briefly disappearing from view.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Yuro
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