COI C30
Enders Bridge, somewhere in the public library where a lone citizen from Isekai City reads a pile of books which she never understands. Without her device to translate or any magic items she has except verbally with her rune stone, she has to wait for someone to help her. Other guildmembers from other guilds see her from time to time and noticing her progress after her week as a new member. One of the guildmembers mentions about her from afar.
"She seems rather restless, are their devices really parts of their daily lives"
"That's deceitful if you really think like that. Many reports from the Unworthies talk about never seen them used it"
More other guildmembers gathered from the interest of that girl, but even more so of their equipment.
"Maybe it only works inside their city"
"Doubted, they still using it outside. It is probably because of the domain they are in"
"But the entire continent has mana, even where they can't use it"
"I can't even understand those devices being useful on their travels, why not use it now?"
"There is nothing to do better than assumptions, it is best to learn from the city itself"
After the last one says it, the other guildmembers appeared who has illicit idea to respond on that topic.
The other guildmembers stop there and try to change the subject.
"So how about the details regarding resourcing for Isekai City?"
That topic didn't change but it did give a bad impression from the illicit. They decided to leave as more members gathered in between understanding the commotion or causing a future argument. The illicit guildmembers leave while they took a glimpse on the new guild member and one of them is actually knows about the isekai citizen.
"Even our guild called Not Worthy, not unworthy, but they are sure are a lot of them in the east mountains"
"Yes, the unnamed east mountain. The overgrown mountain".
Tabitha sees the commotions. Another nuisance happening around her, without any device at her hand, she still waits. Her practices of reading books should have help her to achieve this by the day, but these books are eternal. Which means it requires to use mana to reawaken what it is written. According to what she learned on this bridge, it is a collection of different eras or preserved data that is badly replicated back to the “prototype” era. It is like rediscovering a wheel with a pre-existing one in such an advanced design. She sighs and tries to figure it out or she would hear gossips from the other side.
Someone she knows finally arrived as she prepares the books she brought. A man in a technical looking robe with only unique look is only his loosen hoody that actually hides his face with dark hidden magic. As he sits at the opposite side of her, he begins to speak with his hoody moves like a mouth. In her head he is more like a cartoon character but sometimes he is really scary when it moves in an irregular motion.
"Tabitha, I have good news for you . . . I mean it depends . . ."
The man quiets a bit as she turns and watch the passer expecting suspicious from what he meant. She worries a bit as she talks to him
"Like what Archivist?"
He pulls something out from his waist bag and a strange new look of a phone appears to her.
The phone is more like a card than a phone itself, as Archivist places it on her hand, it reacted with some futuristic look on her eyes. He comments it as she stares
"Somehow . . ."
He pauses a bit knowing well to observe her curiosity.
"Archivist? this has the city guild's emblem on it"
"Like I said"
"Somehow!? and that's it?"
"I don't know what are you thinking Tabitha, having this kind of thing, but Myrrkei's gift questions my thoughts both reputation from either of the cities"
Archivist explains a bit explicit, yet it is strange for an explorer giving some connection to the city guild after the incident, twice.
She turns on the phone and automatically recovers her old data that was lost during her travels and more. Tabitha gets a feeling that how good to be true as she translates the texts, and she is right.
"Dang it?"
The translation should fully understand this world of language and guessing not all of them.
"Did you forget that your device had limits?"
Archivist understood a bit of their devices and that it can't be all that perfect.
"Remember what Juela said to you about the differences between facts and fictions"
"I already know about it, but why are you saying fiction?"
Where the books of the past should have been deciphered easily, yet this world had secrets that are well protected.
Archivist knows these books and doubted, but he let her sway in her struggles such she must learn a new language.
"Then how many languages do you want to know?"
"Sarcastically Laugh* stop pushing it. I just want to know about the foundation"
Archivist searches around the books and without a face to give an expression to her, he just pauses and see with every book she brought.
"Uhm? Who recommends you these books exactly?"
"Oh, I got it from the librarian . . . Hey, what did she gives me?"
Archivist reads the titles of the books and it is stranger from what she is getting at. She starts suspecting something from him, and he does nothing but pauses for some time.
The entire time, Tabitha annoyingly follows along as they both pause for a bit. The guildmembers pass by and treated it such forms of studying, yet she frowns and frustrates as she loses her patience. Then Archivist tells her. The librarian came to them without their notice, which she is the same one who recommends those books.
"That's her!"
The librarian shushes her as she says it loudly. Archivist turns to her the moment she is right next to him. Tabitha hears them talking and use her new device, a new form translation coming from the two. For a week that she is having trouble to talk to people that who doesn't have runes to communicate.
Now with her device she can now only read what they are saying.
"Book Keeper, you give her the book as such of wise intellect"
"Why are you talking like that?"
"You should know we have an isekai citizen here"
"Yeah? She should've learned more ethics about this bridge. If she really wants to know more about this world then she should be better off understand first the language of this world"
"Then how come these books are not related to the foundation. These books were made under the old worlders propaganda . . ."
Tabitha stops there where she looks at the books that she didn't understand. She directly focuses on her new advice for anything but got distracted by the updates.
Meanwhile the two continue what they argue about, none of them are any wiser where everyone in the library sees them as quarreling bastards, and like most guilds to have these kinds of argument. Nonetheless, both of them seem not had made the noise for the readers to notice but the passer by who saw them. The people who are curious at Tabitha are seem to give sympathy seeing her embarrassed in the middle of a fight. She is not though, however, after having trouble to understand this world and their city. They couldn't do anything about it but recommend her to learn from the start.
"Like I said, I recommend her the most basic of learning"
"Why would she . . ."
"Lady Constantine takes her interest. Because of that, she interferes my work too. Don't get me started with the Dexter Guild"
Meanwhile Tabitha is busily founding out her new device as there are some news feeds regarding about her home city. There was a festival during the pandemic of the root bites as they need to relax inside their shield dome. Once more she read the most infamous goblin had declared to turn himself in after the amazing victory of the match. Tabitha misses her city and more so to her original world.
Back to the two continue bickering.
"Dexter? Librarian, did the two guilds think that woman is the chosen one?"
"I don't want to answer that, you already noticed their reactions within this library. Many have close eyes on her before you even notice it. Blank face . . ."
Archivist has no image on his covered head with his hood. He is somehow flattered by it
". . . you should follow along the most indirect tricks as possible, like Raker Mawn, I can provide by our public services but not in private"
Both of them stop as she returns to her work leaving no changes from the start of their complaint.
The hints have played on him while Tabitha realized that the librarian didn't even do anything but come here and argue with him. Archivist checks again with the books as he opens without realizing it. In his thoughts
"Follow along the tricks of a Raker Mawn"
and he uses unique form of magic. He places the name of his guild member who actually writes books during their guild work. Tabitha soon left while he tries to remember who writes this stuff; Guides to Mannerism, Runic Gardening, Clothery, and the most ridiculous one he found out about it are there but who.
"Hey, Ms. Librarian, I'm sorry for my friend who . . ."
"Sorry but he already understands our conversation and . . ."
"Wait! I understand what you two said earlier"
The Librarian is not keen for her to understand their tongues but Tabitha shows her device with the translation.
"It is recorded, do you think I'm wrong?"
"YES"
Tabitha stops there and look confused and stares at the translation, but she forgets that she can't understand their dialogue.
"The conversation ends about your guild's old members actually wrote it in decrypted writings, but I said it lightly like Raker Mawn since you might know their tricks, they give those books to the library 36 years ago"
The librarian left without any added to detail. Tabitha is confused but realized it is more of a guild related situation. Nearly 40 years she thought, she heads back to Archivist where he managed to use other books beside the four ones recommended.
"The Librarian gives you a much older books, I open up a few secrets from the other guilds but Raker Mawn sources are older than both of us could ever live"
Tabitha heard him like what the librarian says, she still continues in a spiral again with no clue to understand about the foundation and its history.
Archivist quickly turns his head as she spooks herself from his dark blank face.
"Oh!? Archivist, did you find something?"
"It would be my first time asking you, well, what are you trying to learn besides your research on the foundation?"
Tabitha is still researching on it and it aged and preserved rather secretly in her observation.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"Still the same, why?"
"I found out nothing but maybe our guild knows more . . . a much more veteran approach"
Tabitha accepts anything she could find and follows along with him. She brings the recommended books, leaves what interest hers, and press on to their guild tower.
They leave the library as the other guildmembers watch them, others are getting suspicious of her and less from a few responds to them.
"Stops with the stalking or investigating. Like she could find my secret lab"
One of the Dexter Guild members is there, and they already know about what they are going about.
"I reassure you, there would be no trouble between guilds. Except for "them""
The Librarian puts her hand to her face, expecting to happen like this. There is nothing she could do, and let this commotion going because of the interference due to past experiences.
Tabitha and Archivist walk to their guild while she mentions about her situation.
"Archivist, in the library, do you know why they kept watching me?"
"A first member from Isekai City, a city of an advance civilization with technologies overpass this world's apocalyptic industry. Still though, you know you're not the only ones coming this world before"
"Yeah, you're right, I already know and I want to know the foundation. What's more mysterious are the people who stay in this world didn't make an impact while they are here"
Archivist listens her closely and carefully, but there is a different view in things.
Tabitha continues
"It's been a week or so staying in this bridge of a city. Even wasting my time learning about it made me feel like I'm living a safe zone in an apocalyptic world"
Archivist shows no expression and stay in a pause then he reacts.
"Hmm, I need to know more about your version of safe zone but I'm guessing that this city is more like a ruin squalor site instead fully made from the ground up"
"I'm no architect, but having a city close to Rune Isles that is filled with dangerous biomes are pretty impressive"
"I have no comment on that"
"By the way Archivist, you know how Juela talked about me a few days ago"
"Yes, that you need a body guard and remembering her warnings though. Only some people can tolerate you, and most of them now are tolerate because of business related"
"Again, I know, that's what I'm afraid of . . ."
Passing through the bridge were many people acting normal but isekais felt the feeling of sensing intent coming from them. They don't know, but for her, she felt them more of a hindrance instead of fear or hatred.
". . . Archivist, do you know why they are acted that way?"
"It's obvious, we can't kill you"
She quickly turns to him in disgusted face while he turns his with nothing to show to her. Archivist tells her what it is
"Yet, there are few exceptions who can kill people like you. If knowledge kept it true, then it means others chose what level of powers they believe instead the reality of how it truly shows"
Tabitha is never type of a person to use violence but their existences are already proven the part of the reality they are in right now. This conversation is slowly dwindled into something serious, and Archivist changes it
"Then how about you? How do you feel about us in this city?"
Remained in her hatred by his previous answer, Tabitha senses around the city with many lose ends. Where many people are more secretive than her previous travels.
"I can't say anything but, I'm more anxious here than I travelled to Agatheus City . . . yet, this place felt a bit more honest than them"
Archivist shows his expression of surprised. Tabitha didn't see him reacting, but the expression is there, covered in shades of the hood and his silence is included of his realization. He gives her an honest remark.
"Your analysis is something to be careful about and your future to survive"
"That's the reason why I'm here Archivist, I have met one of your Enders in Agatheus City. They told me that this is the fair city, and I remember the quote before I lost my device.
"The most dangerous area to ever live surrounded by the deadliest of men with different experiences are ruled peacefully under one goal . . ."
Archivist responds as she is about to finish the quote.
"Renaissance or Rebirth"
"Wow, so you know someone who said that?"
"No, but the entire city itself should've remember the one goal"
"Really? I heard from Juela it is about recovering old modernization in Horsin"
"That's right, and the city stands prove it. Yet they remained still ever since"
"I heard about it from the elder lady, they began to stop the expansion since Kinteinnou needed help to deal with the aftermath of the fall"
"Then later the west invaded, leaving no chances to reach out but instead they help to defend the continent and used the western ships as their constructions of Enders Bridge after their defeat"
Tabitha saw many strange structures, and after learning from him, it belongs from the west. Those iron clad of ships stays a float and become structures for Enders Bridge. She is still amazed of how they managed to build together as they look like it was rammed and destroyed by how they look.
They reach their guild and open the door, no one is here as it is as silence it is abandoned.
"I never thought going back here again after they took the quests"
"It could've been easy if there are other veterans remain here, don't worry Tabitha, there is still the archives to know about these books"
"Are you sure? The archives are partially opened, it relies too much of being a maze instead an actual library"
"It is only becoming a maze because of the magic doors"
Somewhere in the distance, a shout coming echoing down the tower where they going up the stairs. Both of them were confused, but continue to head up.
The elder lady sees the two
"Are you the ones who causes the shout?"
"yes"
"Like I could believe that Archivist actually screams inside the guild"
She turns to Tabitha and anyone with her hearings through the towering halls. Tabitha quickly explains
"It's coming from the higher level"
"Hmm? I didn't ask . . . but the shouts would probably from the archives"
"How did you know?"
Tabitha's senses are strong, and the elder lady gives off reassurance aura. Archivist felt a warmth coming from her menacingly. Tabitha didn't feel the danger. Different sensation, the elder lady sees him a bit more dramatic than he should be.
From her room's door opens where the children coming out from it. Where they feel the warmth of their great grandmother, the aura is soothing to them but oblivious what it can do. Archivist knows this sensation, and with the kids bursting out to her. He can't believe this kind of powers she used as a sensor for the kids to find her. Tabitha in the other hand watch them with glee from the sudden confrontation of these well suit kids.
"Oh my! Are those your kids?"
"My little great grandchildren, they always a little chaotic when I use my magic"
"magic?"
Archivist look at her as Tabitha didn't sense the warmth earlier.
The elder lady picks up one of the kids, a girl in a dress, and carried her in her arms.
"The noise might already give it away. Is it that right my little baby"
The girl looks at her great grandma and stares at the two after, and she shyly hides her head on her great grandmother’s shoulder. Tabitha sees the girl such adorable reaction, while Archivist stares at the other kids holding some strange relics. The elder lady noticed what the two are carrying
"Are those books, the preserve ones?"
Tabitha was distracted for a bit and give her a reply
"Oh yeah these books are from the public library, Archivist thought that these books are written from this guild"
The elder lady was busy carrying the girl as Tabitha explained the situation. The elder lady reads the title.
"Clothery, I never thought that I could read those words in a long time"
"Elder Lady, do you know who wrote it?"
"Of course, but she passed on since. Archivist, since you didn't have access the other parts of the secret library before. It would be best to help Tabitha"
"You tell her my incompetence and believe I could find the sources, sounds hypocrisy to me"
One of the kids pulls their great grandma's cloak.
"Grandma"
The elder lady guides them back to her room continue to have their day with her.
"No wait . . ."
Tabitha wants to ask her, and Archivist stops her. The elder lady sees Archivist's reaction and without giving Tabitha any notice. The little girl was carried by her great grandma looks at them and wave a goodbye, but looks like the hand gesture of come over here. The door close and vanished.
"Archivist, why did you stop me?"
"We have learned enough, and we should go to the archives"
"Did you really know the secret library from what she said?"
"You heard her hypocrisy, probably we could find more help if there are someone there"
Archivist and Tabitha continue to go up to the mystery of the shout.
Another walk to the empty halls, and echoes played by footsteps. They reached the archives that Tabitha had never found out there are more rooms hidden in the wall slabs. These very slabs are next to the guild master's office, she did go into the archives herself but in the other room. Archivist rearranges the wall slabs to certain rune marks he knew. Arrange from the old to his own markings, the wall slabs shine into a bizarre aura. A felt of emptiness like void with harsh thoughts by her over exaggeration. He opens the door where there is no light, but the white light appears before them as they move freely from the bookshelves.
"Archivist, are you sure it is safe? I have a bad feeling about this"
"Bad feeling? Then it must be closer"
"Closer? . . . Fright*"
She tilted where the rays of white light move in different directions like some sort of a stage lights, but only bars of light moving in a curve where there is no light source from any direction and more like phasing through inside the room. Both of them walk in and witness the strange forms part of the archives. Once they are inside the light started to move slowly to any direction like a searchlight, made it even stranger than she would have thought of.
Archivist was here before, and these lights are new to him. Probably there is someone here too. Archivist places the books on the table as he finds a reliable light source beside these movable white lights. Tabitha gives her the creeps to the lights as she pulls out her own magic light and brightens the room. The books are in place where Tabitha herself places the last one on the table. Archivist starts to notice where the lights didn't touch on their way, it’s like something alive should react out of caution on a strange phenomenon. Tabitha ignores the atmosphere and opens the books, this time, a fade of merging texts coming out from it once the white light touches it.
"Hey Archivist, one of the books started to jumble some words around"
Archivist listens but focus the dark sides around them. He responds
"Can you read it Tabitha?"
Tabitha pulls out her translator and sees a familiar writing upon the books.
"Huh"
mischievously but she understands what its writing. She only reads part of it
"Bookmark no. 21, data stored 58 books. Please place names in the search catalogue"
Tabitha sees the book starts to reform into like a fill up paper.
"It's like an I-phone, but looks more like a fantasy, hmm"
The white light blinds her in her direction. Confusing her where the ray of lights go above or below.
She changes seats as she is blinded, once she changes it. The book changes what it was
"Cold War Propaganda? What the hell?"
Tabitha's mind in a daze from the lights, and she remembered what Archivist complained earlier. She shouts
"Archivist, I think I found something"
as she looks for him. The strange white lights give such a limited view to see him, and he didn't respond. She uses her light to extend the reach of her surroundings. It shines brighter than the white lights but there is still no sign of Archivist. She starts to look around and then she looks up.
Archivist is up in the air for some reason as he stands nothing like there floating into the air. Tabitha shouts at him
"Hey! Over here!"
No respond, she starts turning her head that there is some strange feeling around here. Tabitha felt a hand on her shoulder as she turns around. Nothing, but she still feels something on her shoulder. She starts to feel uneasy and reluctantly uses her magic. With a raise of her hand, another unknown grabbing her hand. The sudden terror of this strange archive puts her in a frightening state. A strange sensation around her as she losing her strength. Like it felt like in a nightmare.
Tabitha starts to feel even more strange feeling with everything around her starts to go blank leaving the area into broken state like dream. She can't stand it and started to use her magic with nothing she casts out of.
"Archivist, there is something wrong in the archives. ARCHIVIST!"
A feeling of paralysis but she still moves without to feel anything as she saw a strange figure coming at her. Going in a terrible fright, she prepares to fight what she saw. Her mind is in top condition, but her body felt nothing. Tabitha's magic looks strange but the monster is coming and she needs to fight it or else.
"Tabitha! Tabitha!"
Archivist pushed back from Tabitha's power. He felt to the first time to get hit by an Isekai and it was the pain he never thought existed. The archives itself began turning into a fighting room as it starts to react the sources of mana being used. The books are disappearing as the archives must protect and transform into an arena.
"Kiege! I already get it. Take Tabitha out from the dream state"
"What am I supposed to do? we never let an Isekai inside the hidden archives before"
"Hahaha, oh just shut up. Once she gets inside the archives, you already here watching us with those weird lights"
Tabitha is in the dream state and they don't know what happened in her head. One thing they sure saw is the magic she is about to cast.
"Archivist! hide within the white lights"
Tabitha casts out her spells where a force of magic pushes them back. The white lights somehow absorb the force and directly forms into a wind blowing to them.
"We need to hide for now and prepare a plan, Tabitha will overpower us without any idea what she can do"
Both of them hid as Tabitha is in a dream state. Kiege and Archivist are hiding where the white lights shine the most there, either it be a shield or some exposure when Tabitha might attack.
Tabitha is being stationed for a short time with no movement or reaction.
"Alright Kiege, care to explain to me why are those bizarre white lights are here"
"Yeah, those things. It had been appearing for a short time. I have no idea how it works and how it counters any light source. Believe me, that those lights won't come near me for some reason, how about you? did it touch you?"
Archivist never thought what powers it contains, like most secret libraries are usually using tricks for well-hidden and invaluable books.
"Did you see me contacting it?"
"That's kind of stupid you ask here, but did you hear me when you enter the archives?"
"No, except for that shout"
Kiege knows but it is not important.
Tabitha, who is an Isekai who possessed powerful abilities that she can withstand any punishment and destructive skills as they can't even define as.
"Then the only way to do is to get out of here"
Kiege hears his plan being too obvious and dangerous at the same time as she looks at the stasis woman in front of her.
"Yeah sure, I want to be as sarcastic I could get. But THIS . . . IS . . . SOME . . . EASY . . . PLAN . . . WE . . . CAN . . . GET lines from you, right?"
Archivist looks around the new transformation of the archives into an arena.
"Well, "this is some easy plan I can get" but it is an I not WE, Kiege"
Kiege expected what he said as she is ready with her equipment. Archivist with a hidden face with his hood. He grabs the light and force into his control by hand, and he starts to make use of it to his own abilities.
"Kiege, once the stalling starts. Make sure to hit her when you are on your way or closer to her while you made it out"
"You're mad"
"Ok, that's plan B if you fail to escape"
Kiege takes a deep breath with the nonsense he comes up with.
"Say, are you like that to her too?"
"Never, I like to remain as an assistant for her instead. Or you want me to have a duo"
"Sarcastically* Is she really?"
Archivist changes the topic and about regarding to their guild.
"Will our guildmembers be coming home today? Oh yeah, I saw the elder lady with her kids too"
"You mean her great grandchildren, it seems the Enders know their quests would be long. But the problem is there anyone could reach this floor for any reasons?"
"That won't be possible, this part of the hidden library"
"Then we really need an Archivist by title and not by name or nickname"
"Noted, our Archivists will notice once they step inside the guild. Where are they anyway?"
"Archivist . . . you already know"
Quietly remembering, he ignores what she said before as the plan still continues. He still complains about it
"Damn those ores"
Both of them ended there where they reach within her range. The stasis of Tabitha broke and began to attack without any notice and directly with strong magics. The burst of magic comes closer where the white lights managed to block it again, but in the certain close range. The white lights were destroyed in front of the two as Tabitha sleeps in a terrifying power. Archivist reacted to her power.
"Should have place it in plan A instead of B"
"Ok!"
Kiege agreed his insane plans, and picks him up and throws at Tabitha.
"This is not my part of the plan!"
Kiege begins to rush to the door.