She grabbed his hand and dragged him back towards the table.

“c-c-could you please read it?” She stared into his eyes like a whipped puppy and Tibaut couldn't bring himself to refuse.

“(What's going on here? I mean she manages a library so she can obviously read. Does she want me to orate for her? I mean my voice doesn't sound that impressive but I guess I can give it a shot.) I can do that.” He opened the book to the first page and she quickly got up. She got close to him and began turning the pages until she reached one with various notes and scribbles made across the page.

“read this paragraph.”

“Uh, okay?”

He read it out for her and her eyes sparkled in amazement.

“so that's what that passage meant. now this section!” She quickly asked.

With nothing better in mind, he continued to read certain sections for her until she grew satisfied.

“amazing.” She remarked. She had gotten a pen, and some notepad to write down whatever Tibaut stated as he read.

“how do you do that?” She asked.

“Do what? These are all pretty easy to understand.”

(“Hmm, have you not realised?”) Satan asked.

(“Realised what, you face-stealer?”)

(“Think about the contents of these books.”)

One of these books was a ritual guide created by a man in a country called Jureth, another from a country called Tsukon and last was a diary of a prince from a state named Saxhill. Would three different-sounding countries use the same language?

(“...they weren't translations?”)

(“Do you think that woman would be interested in mere translations? I swear, you don't realise how much convenience you have because of me.”)

(“You can do things other than be a pain in the ass?”)

He suddenly fell to the ground, clutching his behind.

(“I can be that as well.”)

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

(“Stop it, stop it you asshole!”)

The pain disappeared and he looked to see Merrill hovering over him.

“a-are you okay? is it backlash from a ritual?”

“No, I'm just… still recovering from my battle. But I'm guessing these weren't written in the local tongue were they?”

She nodded.

“I, uh, guess you could say it was a gift I was born with. (Please just let this slide…)”

“r-really? is it also an inherited magic, like your fire?”

“(At least I won't be surprised the next time that happens. Thanks for giving me my go-to lie in case someone gets suspicious.) Y-yeah it is.” He answered with newfound confidence.

“wow.”

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A day passed and Tibaut remained in the young lady's room.

(“I think I'm getting a feel for her.”) He thought as he watched her make notes.

Merrill was… shy to say the least. Out of all the girls that came to the mansion after Ezekiel faked his death, the only one she could even name was Bailey. It seemed they talked sometimes, though Merrill hadn't seen her in a month. She didn't even know who Ezekiel was and why there was such a fuss caused when it was revealed he was alive.

Another thing he gleaned was the fact that she didn't leave the mansion much at all. He'd ask in passing about certain people and she'd be clueless about who they were. Jake, Kevin, that bastard that looked like a horror movie's interpretation of a mime, none of them. He even asked about what happened to the adventurer's Branch Building and she could only ask “is that somewhere important?”

But… the thing that stood out to him the most was her attitude. Out of all the women he'd met in this life, he'd bet everything he had that she was the most… wholesome? She wasn't bossy and willing to choke him out like Elizabeth and Tina were, she wasn't a pervert like Vanessa and Ruby. She was like a meeker Agnes. But even Agnes’s caution around Tibaut made sense, he was an enemy to her at one point. Given how she talks to Ruby that probably wasn't her true personality.

He honestly found it refreshing. Just a cute, shy girl in a library. If he hadn't met Louise, she'd definitely be his type of woman. And to be blunt, she was exactly the type of person he'd hang out with back in his old life.

“please come back when you can, i have some more to translate.”

They stood outside the door of the library.

She shook his hand for an uncomfortably long amount but Tibaut couldn't help but find it endearing.

“Sure thing, I'll come when I have the time.” He walked. He couldn't lie, she was definitely his type of person. Seeing her made him wonder how he got along with the others to begin with.

“I guess it goes without saying that I've changed a lot since coming to this world.” He looked at his hand and clenched his fist.

(“But… was it for the better?”)

He thought little of it and headed back to his room. A whole night of reading while she tried to reverse engineer how a language worked in detail would tire anyone out.

----------------------------------------

"..."

"...Take care."

The door closed and he sat back down on his bed.

(“If I'd known Jake and Kevin were here, I might have cut things short with Merrill.”)

Waiting in his room were the aforementioned, along with other faces he couldn't recall. They greeted him and wished him well in his recovery before leaving.