“Well then, what’s the matter, old lady?”
Mattalast was calm. He blew air from his nose, scattering blood around the area.
“How can you be so calm. I never thought you’d go so far as to skip Photona-san’s inauguration as the Acting Director.”
“I hate that guy.”
His cigarette was extinguished due to his nosebleed. He brought out a new one and lit it.
“That guy’s annoying. He’s got no talent so he’s all about work all the time.”
“As expected from our little mister genius.”
The next blow came from the side. Mattalast felt a sharp pain from inside his head.
“He’ll lose to you, Ireia-san. Even I wouldn’t be able to beat you when you were young.”
“What was that?”
Another blow came to his ear. He heard an unpleasant explosive sound inside. Mattalast spoke while scratching the bleeding hole of his ear.
“So, Ireia-san. Won’t you go back already? No matter how you look at it breaking my eardrum is enough.”
“I left one side. Otherwise we wouldn’t be able to have a conversation.”
It’ll take three days to heal, thought Mattalast as he wiped off the blood from his ear.
“Then destroy the other one and go home already. I have some plans for after this.”
Ireia ignored him and sat in front of him.
“Say, Mattalast. I will ask you frankly. Are you dissatisfied with something?”
“Nothing in particular.”
What a stupid conversation, he thought. If I could simply confess my dissatisfaction and undergo a rehabilitation I wouldn’t do all this.
“It’s just that everything’s boring.”
“Meaning everything but you?”
Ireia probably thought that he was looking down on people who had no talent. But it was wrong.
“No, including me, anyone and everyone.”
“…”
Ireia frowned in discomfort. Since she was so proud it was probably hard for her to forgive insults towards the Armed Librarians.
“Armed Librarians are the protectors of all Books and of world peace. If that is boring to you, is there any other job which is not?”
“Mm, I can’t think of any.”
“…I do not want to say this, but you are an excellent person from birth. When will you stop having such pride?”
Pride, huh? I have no such thing.
“Am I really outstanding?”
Mattalast pushed his cigarette onto the ashtray.
“Everyone’s always speaking about talent this talent that.
“I don’t know who but, without me asking for it, someone pushed this thing called a talent on me. That’s all.
I just happened to have talent. I’m not special. The talent I’ve been given is special. Don’t you think so?”
“What stupid worries.”
Ireia laughed nasally. She was mocking him from the bottom of her heart.
“I’m serious though.”
“Oh, really? So what?”
They were certainly stupid worries, but for Mattalast they were serious. His life had been tipped over by the thing known as talent. He felt as if he would forever be an accessory to talent.
“And so you say the Armed Librarians are boring. I see.”
“Yeah. They are. Really.”
A boring man like him was born with the techniques of a killer. People have desperately trained aiming for something like that. The Armed Librarians bragged being God’s representatives by looking at it as a good thing.
He couldn’t help to think of them as boring.
“Well, it is just some children’s nonsense. I will forget it. When you become an adult it will be just part of your past you will be embarrassed to recall.”
“Probably. Just wait for three, four years.”
Just as Ireia had said, she broke his other eardrum and went away. For now, before going to any woman’s house, Mattalast would have to go to the hospital.
Mattalast’s misconduct continued for a while after that.
However, he more or less calmed down once he turned eighteen. The fact he was still acting like a delinquent didn’t change though.
That day he was in the training grounds behind Bantorra Library. With Vizac as their instructor, the trainees and young Armed Librarians were training.
When Mattalast showed up, Vizac made an unpleasant face. Just by having that slacker devil there the training became tenser.
Also, he brought a girl with him. She was a freckled, dull-looking girl. She only wore an old cotton shirt and a black skirt.
“Another girl again, Mattalast?”
Said the instructor, Armed Librarian Vizac. Bringing a girl along to combine business with pleasure wasn’t unheard of.
“She doesn’t really seem to be your type though.”
Vizac said.
He was supposed to prefer intelligent, older women. Wasn’t the girl he brought along of the type he hated the most? Judging by both her rural clothes as well as the way she looked at all of them wonderingly, she didn’t seem to be a clever person.
“Well, she does seem to be boring, but she’s actually interesting.”
“Hmm, well it’s not my business.”
Vizac said while feigning disinterest. Mattalast laughed in his heart. Today’s going to be fun.
“Where’s she from?”
“There’s this tailor called Lander-san, she works as a seamstress there.”
He was a tailor from downtown who worked for the Armed Librarians. Mattalast frequented the place. Later Renas Fleur and Olivia Littolet would come to work at that place, but it had nothing to do with the present.
“Hmm, and what’s your name?”
Vizac asked. The girl spoke from behind Mattalast.
“Hamyuts Meseta.”
While sighing, Vizac spoke to the girl.
“Hey, young lady. Don’t get caught up with this man. He’ll make you stupid.”
The girl called Hamyuts spoke, puzzled.
“Mm, I don’t really get it.”
“Hammy, try not to get in the way for now.”
Saying so, Mattalast trained seriously, which was rare.
While training, he glanced at Hamyuts and the other people. Hamyuts was watching them seemingly bored. The other trainees paid no attention to her.
Such thickheaded guys, thought Mattalast. Only Vizac-san noticed.
“Hey, Matt. Who’s that lady?”
Vizac stopped the training and whispered into Mattalast’s ears.
“I don’t know either. She’s just a seamstress.”
Vizac spoke with sharp eyes.
“Do seamstresses these days also fight?”
“Who knows, is that not so?”
Vizac glanced at Hamyuts. She still looked bored. Normally, anyone who saw the Armed Librarians’ superhuman movements would be surprised. Just her being stupid wouldn’t explain that.
“Say, Matt. Is everyone here?”
“Of course not. The strong ones are working someplace else.”
“That old man doesn’t work?”
Hamyuts pointed at Vizac.
“Stupid, he’s the instructor. Can’t you tell by looking?”
“Hmm… I don’t really get it.”
Hamyuts looked puzzled. Mattalast approached her.
“What do you think? Hammy, look at the people here.”
Hamyuts looked around at the training people and spoke.
“You’re the strongest one here, then that old man, and maybe me after that? There’s nothing impressive after that.”
The trainees’ movements stopped.
“No, in my opinion, you and Vizac-san are more or less equal.”
“You think so?”
Hamyuts tilted her head. It was then that the trainees finally noticed her strength.
“Hey lady, why don’t you try going against them?”
Vizac said as if provoking her.
Hamyuts looked at Mattalast.
“I don’t mind, go ahead.”
Saying this, he pushed Hamyuts’s back.
Part 2
At first her opponent was a single trainee. He was a relatively old trainee who hasn’t made much progress. He was probably thinking of showing his power there.
“Do you use any weapon?”
Mattalast said. Hamyuts replied.
“Hmm? I don’t really care either way.”
“Then go without. It’ll be bad if you get hurt.”
However, the trainee objected.
“Won’t you use one? It’ll make me angry if you later say I won only because you don’t have a weapon.”
“Well then.”
Mattalast threw Hamyuts’s luggage at her. She took out her weapon from it. She wrapped a bag full of stones around her waist and held a leather rope with her right hand. Everyone was surprised seeing this old-fashioned weapon that no one used nowadays.
The match lasted a second. The sling’s first shot smashed the trainee’s chin.
“What’s with that sling?”
Even Vizac was surprised.
“Amazing, right? You’d be even more surprised seeing it from long range.”
The second trainee was a gun user. Hamyuts bent back and dodged his fast shooting. Using some kind of muscle strength, by swinging her sling from an abnormal position, she pierced his abdomen before the second shot came.
“Why does the lass use that sort of weapon?”
“Who knows. Seems like it’s the only thing she has.”
“Even a bow and arrow would be more useful.”
Vizac said.
“I’ve told her the same. When I did, she asked me what a bow and arrow were.”
“…What the heck.”
“When I showed her what it was she was surprised at there being such a useful weapon in the world.”
“What about a gun?”
“She knows about guns. But it seems like they aren’t very useful to her.”
Vizac shrugged.
The third trainee challenged her in close combat. Different from the ones before him, he dodged the gravel bullets well. Hamyuts fought while retreating.
The moment he tried to return a decisive blow a string was wrapped around his wrist holding the gun. Hamyuts hurled the trainee’s body away, creating an unpleasant noise in the process.
“Matt, I think that person’s broken.”
The squirming man’s comrades ran to the him. Seeing the condition of his broken wrist, it wouldn’t be impossible to recover. However, fixing his broken heart was another matter entirely.
Vizac spoke to Hamyuts while grinning, yet the atmosphere wasn’t calm at all.
“Say, young lady. You’re quite something, huh. Won’t you try becoming an Armed Librarian?”
“Matt’s already asked me though. Being a seamstress it fine, but I wonder if becoming an Armed Librarian would be good as well.”
“Is that so. I’m grateful. But young lady… If you become an Armed Librarian, you’d have to follow our discipline.”
“What do you mean?”
“We need to punish the person who’s broken three trainees. You’ve gone a bit too far, young lady.”
Vizac readied his spear. He pointed its tip at Hamyuts.
“Say, Matt.”
Hamyuts smiled for the first time that day.
“It’s fun here. I’m glad I came.”
Everyone then realized: It wasn’t Mattalast who’d brought the girl here. She was the one who made him bring her here. A monster came to seek its playground.
“Yeah, it’s getting fun, really fun.”
Saying so, Mattalast cackled. For now, as long as she was here, things were about to get interesting.
Vizac and Hamyuts were equal at that time. However, it took her two weeks since starting her formal training to surpass him. And it took her less than a half year to catch up to Mattalast.
And so a few years passed.
Mattalast calmed down just as Ireia had said. After he became eighteen he stopped acting like an idiot. He had to think rationally when looking at the mirror. He was by no means stupid after all.
He cut his hair and started wearing a suit. His habit of slacking off remained, but he learned to be stricter with everything important.
The monster he had brought along, Hamyuts, was also not as much a problem child as expected. She lacked common sense, was belligerent and couldn’t hold back, but even so, she wasn’t stupid, and was surprisingly obedient to the organization.
“You have grown quite calm as I have said, right?”
Ireia teased.
“Yes. As expected one should listen to their elders.”
“You have gotten popular lately. People say that you can inherit Photona-san.”
“Ahaha, delinquents are seen favorably when they do good things once in a while.”
“Please do your best. You will have to take responsibility for the Armed Librarians even after I die.”
“…Well, I’m gonna work just for my salary.”
Ireia probably interpreted that as Mattalast’s joke. But this was his true opinion. Even now that he became decent, he had no pride in being an Armed Librarian. Since it seemed like being an Armed Librarian was the only thing he could do he thought of at least working seriously.
He simply gave in to reality. He didn’t become an adult but just grew up.
Inevitably Mattalast came to know of the secret. It happened three years after he had obtained the qualifications of a First Class Armed Librarian and eight years after he became an Armed Librarian, meaning when he turned 22.
When Mattalast was called by Photona he thought that the time for it finally came.
He vaguely realized that the Armed Librarians have some secret. Besides Mattalast, even the veterans such as Ireia and Vizac noticed the existence of a secret.
As well as the fact that only those who were to succeed the Acting Director would know of it.
Taken by Photona, Mattalast went down to the Second Sealed Archive.
“Mattalast. To tell you the truth, I had no intention of telling you about this. You probably know this, but neither do I like you nor do I trust you.”
His direct words weren’t unpleasant. Even Mattalast knew they didn’t get along.
“Yeah.”
“However, the fact remains that you’re strong. I have to let you know.”
Mattalast decided to ask on something that piqued his interest.
“You’ve already told Hamyuts the Armed Librarians’ secret, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Somehow or other. Well, does that mean she’s better than me?”
“Yeah. I also can’t trust that woman, but I’ve judged her to be better than you.”
They entered the Second Sealed Archive.
Mattalast was told everything in front of the tree. About Ruruta, about the true duty of the Armed Librarians and about the Indulging God Cult.
Normally anyone would shake in fear. There were some so shocked by hearing the truth about the Armed Librarians they believed in that they had an identity crisis.
However, Mattalast’s impression was different.
“How stupid.”
He spoke in a low voice as to not let Photona hear him.
“I’ve been wondering lately if the Library’s any good at all.”
Until then, Mattalast had more or less respect for the Armed Librarians. But that day, it finally completely vanished.
Mattalast readily accepted the duty of offering up Books for Ruruta to the extent that it felt disappointing.
He started thinking while looking at the tree.
I’d better fight against this thing… this shittier than shit being. Mattalast was considering this from the bottom of his heart.
He had certainly once decided on fighting. However, he didn’t think of drawing his gun during that moment.
Because I’ll find a way to def
eat it eventually. Thinking this, he submerged his fighting spirits deep inside his heart.
Exiting the Labyrinth, Photona told him that they would move to a different place. Mattalast thought it strange; if he wanted to keep a secret, it should be best speaking in front of Ruruta.
He told him they will talk while boarding an airplane. No way, is he going to discuss a way to defeat Ruruta? Mattalast thought. Something to not be heard by Ruruta… it was natural to think that.
However, what Photona told him was different.
“Three months ago, I and Hamyuts killed a certain girl and her comrades.”
“…Ho?”
“There is no need to speak of her real name. From henceforth she will be referred to only as the Violet Sinner. She was a great sinner who tried destroying Heaven. We have obliterated her Book and erased all records pertaining to her.
Anything about her is top-secret. Even the fact she had existed must not leak out to the public.”
“…Hmm.”
It seemed like the wind was blowing to another direction.
“Seems like she’s getting special treatment. There should be countless other people who’ve tried to destroy Heaven.”
Mattalast had viewed their Books in the Second Archive. Many Armed Librarians and rebels tried to challenge Heaven but were defeated.
“There were many other people other than the Violet Sinner who tried defeating Heaven. Their Books were left to teach the lesson that confronting Heaven is meaningless.”
“Hmm.”
“However, she was special. She arrived at the possibility to destroy Heaven. It was perhaps a one-in-a-billion chance, but she might have destroyed Heaven.”
“That’s quite a big deal. We really need to call the Armed Librarians on that.”
Photona ignored his joke. As I thought I don’t like this person at all, thought Mattalast.
“…If her existence becomes well known many fools would appear again to challenge Heaven. We have to stop that at all costs.
If Ruruta is provoked, the entire world might be destroyed.
“…Ha.”
Mattalast laughed nasally.
“So it’s forbidden to even hope or try to destroy Ruruta? But there’s no need to let such a piece of shit live.”
Tatakau Shisho - Volume 08 Page 13