Sister, Don't Marry That Guy

21.

First of all, I am not the main character in the book. 

I remember all of the characters and yet this ‘person’ doesn’t seem to be on the list. 

To her knowledge, it seemed that this phenomenon was unlike any of the ‘ancient’ related powers or relics that she knew of.

Fortunately, the road ahead of her was straight, so they reached the end without much difficulty.

Is that a table? …No, it’s a book stand. 

At the end of the path sat a book stand holding a single book.

The caved out section only possessed this one item, making it quite eye-catching in the midst of its emptiness.

What…?

I’m getting a little giddy. 

Sneakily, the little girl closed the distance between the book stand and herself.

Curiously, she noticed that like the book she picked, the book on the stand had a black cover.

Usually in novels like this, black is not a color that relates and symbolizes goodness.

It was ominous, but she, even with this prior knowledge, could not help herself as she put down the black book she’d brought with her and raised her hand over the new book.

Blop.

[T/N: Sound of the snowman.]

The snowman floated down breezily and before the little girl knew it, it stuck to her cheek.

It really is a snowman! It’s so cold, I can feel the frost building up against my cheek.

It was really a snowman, it was a little cold. It felt like I was getting a small frost on my cheek.

[System Advice: Spend mana.]

“Yes? M—Mana? I don’t have—?”

[Doubtful. Description already entered… Category: wizard.]

“Ha?”

With a pause, the snowman tilted its head, before resuming clinging onto her cheek.

Confused, Laiya had a brief moment of incomprehension, before something astounding occurred.

A dazzling golden light rose from her fingertips and permeated the book before she had a chance to react.

[T/N: Permeated as in spread throughout.]

Click.

The book opened with an audible click, showcasing its content index.

[Confirmed. New entry available. The consciousness of the master ‘Brahham Grassa’ has awakened.]

Woah!

Laiya BlackWinter was blinded by the shining light pouring out of the book, with her eyes firmly shut, she heard something like an old radio frequency in her ears.

I thought it would be a good tool, but soon…

[Ugh, who woke me up? Did you wake me up, Ice? Don’t wake me up for useless things. Haa!]

Something like smoke moved outside her field of vision.

Upon closer inspection, the smoke had taken on the form of a man.

A man with white clothes, white hair, white beard.

If he was from earth, he would have given the feeling of a mountain god descending upon mankind, but from here, in the fictional world, he was just an old wizard.

It’s a ghost.

Is he translucent?

As she tilted her head and blinked blankly, her eyes met the old man’s.

[Somewhere in the ceiling— It’s collapsed again. Oh, no! What is this?! What are you!]

“…I’m a person?”

[That’s not what I meant! What I mean is how did you get here?]

How did I get here? 

Laiya glanced at the snowman.

Did he open the door in the library?

Perhaps sensing the inquiry in her gaze, the old man turned at the snowman without much surprise.

[Huh? Ice man! Don’t tell me this one got in, does this mean that I haven’t even noticed a hole in the barrier?]

[Negative. Negative! This Guardian insists that the barriers are in perfect condition!]

[Don’t be ridiculous, there must be something wrong. You have to go through complicated magic circles and labyrinths to reach this place! So, do you expect me to believe that that little girl came through my ‘labyrinth’ alone?]

I don’t know why they were fighting over barriers, but I think I need to defuse the situation. 

She didn’t know if it was the right course of action, but to her, it seemed as if the two would never come to a compromise.

“I’m sorry for saying that I am—”

[No, don’t interfere!]

“Oh, what a personality, but honestly, I did not go through any magic circles and labyrinths.”

When the main characters and supporting characters in the book obtain special abilities such as ‘ancient’ powers or artifacts, there was a certain ordeal in the place where the power was obtained.

An ancient weapon that protects that power would be present. Be it a monster, or a divine beast, or traps and magic circles. It would come forth and test the will of the seeker and judge their worthiness.

If this is where a special power resides, then it must have been full of traps here too.

[What? Wait, what? What did you say? Then how did you come here?]

“In my home library, I picked out a certain book and I randomly came across it. The snowman popped up and somehow let me in?”

The old man’s jaw dropped, his earlier annoyance having abandoned him.

Instead, he began to mutter to him.

[This makes no sense!]

[It truly makes no sense!!!]

With a pivot, he spun on his heel and faced his back to the little girl.

[Cronos BlackWinter! You damn bast*rd!!!]

Hey, isn’t that my grandfather’s name?

The name of her grandfather, who was now lying sick on the top floor of their home, had been randomly shouted out.

“Do you know my grandfather?”

[Everyone knows him. There’s no way I wouldn’t know who that man is, he’s my damn colleague after all!]

Laiya BlackWinter felt her mind go blank.

Giving the old man a once over, he looked really old. He appeared to be as old as her grandfather.

[By the way, ‘Grandfather’? Are you his granddaughter?]

“Yes. My name is Laiya BlackWinter.”

[Truly? Ah. Now I see, the eyes are very similar. It’s a deep blue color that makes me feel bad, urgh.]

With his lips pulled into an unpleasant arch, the old man continued to grumble.

However, if one looked closely, the old man’s face was not really displeased, but rather harbored something nostalgic and sentimental.

[I told you to get rid of the hole that leads to this place. Like an ignorant and naive knight… Haa!]

The old man sighed deeply and lifted his head.

[Hmm, he must still be living a good life, yes?]

Laiya felt her eyes roll away in avoidance.

Living well? Mmm.

“T—Grandfather is sick and bedridden.”

[He’s hurt? Did I hear that right, are my ears broken? Have you ever heard rumors of a sword master being sick? Little girl, say that again. What happened to your grandfather?]

“I heard that he’s been bedridden and unconscious for several years with an unknown disease… He’s been like that since before I was born.”

Braham fell into silence before he quietly questioned.

[Kid, how old are you?]

“Eight, I am eight years old.”

[Eight years…]

There was an unbearable bitterness on the old man’s face.

For some reason, Laiya believed that the old man seemed to have guessed the cause for her grandfather’s illness.

Otherwise, there was no way you wouldn’t have asked what kind of disease it was.

The old man’s questioning ended just like that, instead, he gave her a penetrating stare and then straightened his bent back.

[My name is Braham Grissa. I am an Archmage.]

A cool wind blew swaying the hair of the little girl and the old man’s beard.

[I made this cave and filled it with my entire heritage and knowledge right before I died. All had been put in place in order to greet the ‘disciple’ who will become my successor.]

While speaking such majestic words, the well-behaved old man had completely changed form the old man who pettily fought with the snowman.

[Whoever arrives here first deserves my legacy. But you came here by way of an expedient.]

[T/N: Expedient meaning desirable or convenient as in she had entered through the best way possible. She wasn’t harmed, dodged all the traps and got there safe and sound.]

“Ah, about that…”

[But I have come to terms with it. After all, isn’t there only one law in this world? But from my point of view, who made this pitfall trap, I feel like I’ve been scammed…]

The eyes of the old man who was looking at her narrowed as a golden light shone between them.

[Here’s a magical genius born into a renowned swordsmanship family… What an interesting combination.]

Shocked by his sharp deduction, Laiya BlackWinter felt her shoulders tremble.

“Some wizard said I had magical talents, is that really true?”

[Yes, kid. You are a genius.]

He said he was an Archmage, yes?

They said this man was the Archmage.

She knew the novel she resided in focused on swordsmanship, so she had never heard the name of the Archmage before.

…I’m a magic genius.

Her heart raced in excitement, her cheeks flushed a rosy red.

To think that I, who seemed like a useless person who couldn’t do anything, really had talent.

She felt as though spring flowers bloomed in her heart.

“Then I want to learn magic. You know, the reason I came to this library was to find a way to learn magic.”

[Hmm? Aren’t you the princess of BlackWinter? Just concerning your position as a daughter of BlackWinter, it wouldn’t be much of a chore to call a mage as a teacher. Even if the sword-full head of the family doesn’t like it.]

Instead of telling the archmage her circumstances, she smiled a little sadly and shook her head.

“That is impossible.”

At meek confession, Braham remained silent.

[What? Maybe, but I like qualified people. And from what I’ve seen, you seem to have been recognized by him before me.]

The old man’s eyes turned to the snowman floating in front of the little girl.

As if the snowman felt proud of himself, he shook his branch arms and pushed out his buttoned-up chest.

[Affirmative. You, admit. This Guardian is competent!]

The snowman couldn’t have appeared more smug.

How is he so cute?!

[Okay, I’ll ask. Little kid, will you inherit the legacy of this archmage, Braham Grissa?]

The old man floated up and came down to stand before her on the floor. Even though he was a ghost, he walked along as if his feet actually moved him forward.

Of course, no footsteps were heard.

[To receive my inheritance means to become my disciple.]

“…”

[It would be good to think carefully. I’m greedy, so I won’t tolerate my student holding a sword for the rest of their life.]

That was probably said because I am a BlackWinter.

Laiya smiled.

“That’s alright, even if I don’t hold a sword for the rest of my life, I’ll be fine.”

It’s something I couldn’t get hold of in my life anyway.

“Archmage, I want to become a wizard.”

I want to have enough strength so that no one can touch me.

I want to become a person who is not lonely even when I am alone.

“Please make me your disciple. I will do my best in everything you give me.”

[I don’t like your end goal.]

“Yes?”

[Preferably, use the title of archmage as your goal.]

Laiya blinked, she didn’t understand.

The old man took three steps forward and bowed formally.

[If you are my disciple, you will also become an archmage— No, you will make a name for yourself on this continent as an archmage.]

“Do I have to do that?”

[Children dream big dreams.]

That’s right. I agree, when I was young, I wanted to be president. Hahah, but that’s a story from another life. 

“Yes, then I will try!”

Anyway, considering what I’m trying to do, wouldn’t the influence be great even if it wasn’t all over the continent?

Because the things I’m trying to change are already so phenomenal. I’m going to survive this novel and my upcoming death!

It won’t only affect this continent, changing the novel’s storyline could possibly change the world.

[Good, as long as you seriously take up the challenge.]

The old man rolled his eyes and smiled at her enthusiasm.

[Commencing check. User verification: The Guardian has confirmed a new user.]

[Yes, this guy is good too.]

The snowman clung to Laiya’s cheek.

[Rather than clinging onto her, would you like to introduce your new owner to me?]

[Negative. The Guardian has been servicing this place for 30 years. Negative. Denied.]

The old man smiled at the snowman.

Turning back to his new student, the old man examined the empty space before him and lifted his palm.

[Alright then, let’s start handing down the legacy.]