C 2
When I arrived at the library, the door was wide open.
It was strange. There were hardly any visitors here, so it was always covered in white dust.
"Oh...?"
It must have been securely closed just a few days ago.
Entering the library with a puzzled expression, I saw a strange figure calmly browsing the bookshelves.
"...Who is this?"
Being here with black hair means you're either a collateral or a direct descendant.
He's the first person I've seen.
This annex could be used by anyone, both collateral and direct.
However, there's no need for direct descendants to use the annex.
Because the main mansion's library is much better, and the rooms and facilities are incomparable.
The man slowly turned his head as if he felt my gaze.
He also tilted his head slightly as if trying to identify me.
"Do you know where the books on divine magic are?"
It was a very sensitive and gentle voice. The smile at the corners of his lips was quite friendly.
Even I, for a moment, was taken aback.
When I froze and couldn't respond, he quickly turned away with indifference, as if he had lost interest.
Oops!
I need to answer.
"I'm sorry, they're on the second shelf of the first block bookshelf."
I came to my senses belatedly and replied.
His gaze reached me again, but I also tried to continue on my way since I had to return quickly before Mayla arrived.
But then, suddenly, a passage from the novel came to my mind.
"Erno Etham had clear and beautiful features. His golden eyes shone like honey, and his beautiful black hair, which seemed to have absorbed all the darkness in the world, swayed so much that I wanted to touch it.
He was such a beautiful person that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the god of the heavens carefully crafted all the ingredients, but no one approached him recklessly.
"Now that I think about it, did you enjoy the haircut? It seems you like it a lot, so I stabbed it all over your body and hoped you'd like it."
A friendly smile and a gentle tone, whether it was a curse or not, were the symbols of Erno Etham, the candidate to succeed the Etham family."
When I reached that point, my eyes widened, and my steps came to a halt.
Erno Etham!
He was called the rarest genius of the Etham family, despite being the youngest master of the Etham family. He was one of the Etham villains spoken of as the most likely successor candidate.
In fact, he was famous for another reason.
"He was a vicious hedonist. If he wasn't interested, he never moved, did what he wanted, had what he wanted, and always punished anyone who showed hostility towards him.
His only exceptions were his two children.
The bad thing about Erno Etham is that when he gets tired of playing with what he has, he breaks it so that no one else can have it.
The world used to say that he was born with the thickest dragon's blood due to his capriciousness and cruelty."
At first glance, he seems like the gentlest in "Adopted," but in reality, he's the most capricious and cruel psychopath.
He was also the one suffering the unique Etham chronic disease called "Berserk," which was more severe.
It was to the point where he wore various accessories that suppressed mana.
"Well, it has nothing to do with me."
I don't know why he's come here, but I'll be kicked out tomorrow anyway.
I fumbled through the list of orphanages, running my finger down it.
"Ah, I found it!"
The moment my eyes lit up, a long shadow fell over the book.
"What are you looking at?"
It was Erno Etham.
He had two books by his side, as if he had found what he was looking for.
I nervously swallowed my saliva.
"...A-a book."
I stammered my response, smiling energetically to avoid appearing scared.
Because I hated people who trembled in front of him the most.
Erno Etham's eyes narrowed slowly as if he were seeking prey.
"A list of orphanages?"
I quickly tilted my head at his valid question and suspicious gaze.
"W-what's an orphanage...? I was just practicing my syllables!"
For now, I decided to play dumb. I was running my fingers over the letters, so it didn't seem unreasonable.
"Is that so? Thanks to you, I was able to find the book easily. Although the library is quite spacious, you seem to be familiar with it."
"I come here often."
"Is that so?"
Fortunately, he didn't cling to it or prolong the conversation.
Perhaps he's not interested in me.
If he's not interested, he won't save people even if they're dying in front of him.
"Yes, I come here often."
To my boring response, he showed a doll-like smile as if he had lost interest and then turned away.
Click.
With the sound of the door closing, I buried my face in the book.
"Ugh..."
I guess I was very nervous.
It felt like my heart was beating fast.
With a deep sigh, I tore the page with the orphanage's address and tucked it into my pocket before closing the book again.
The name of the orphanage was
<Orphanage Germination Time.>
...It was a name that made your limbs shudder.
Looking at the orphanage's name, information about this place came to my mind only at that moment.
"Now that I think about it, was there a future archmage in that orphanage...?"
And that future archmage was a lost child from a noble family.
"Who was it...?"
I don't know.
Is it time to worry about other people's circumstances in a situation where I could lose my neck tomorrow?
I was about to leave the library after arranging my books.
Clink!
But something hooked onto my toe.
When I looked down, it was a plain silver ring.
It didn't look cheap, at least, as it was studded with small red gemstones and had elaborate engravings.
"This..."
Suddenly, Erno Etham's face, who had just been here, came to mind.
"Could this possibly be...?"
A ring that suppresses the berserk state?
It was said that he used various accessories, including earrings, to suppress madness.
Sweat was dripping down my back.
"Something like this... Isn't it dangerous?"
I quickly picked up the ring and left the library. Fortunately, he was walking away slowly, so he wasn't too far.
"T-this..."
I was afraid he might lose control, so I ran towards him and handed him the ring.
"Oh, I was looking for this."
"It was on the floor next to a couple of books!"
"Is that so?"
Erno Etham smiled and reached out his hand to me.
I carefully handed over the ring, making sure not to touch his fingers, and quickly withdrew my hand.
It was said that he had a volatile temperament and even a considerable degree of mysticism, making it very unpleasant for anyone to touch him without his permission.
Holding the ring lightly, he turned around and hesitated. He suddenly frowned as he looked at the ring I had given him.
"Is it very dirty...?"
I wiped it clean with the hem of my clothes so there were no fingerprints...
"Then I'll be going... Have a nice day..."
I bowed to him, who was looking at the ring without responding, and silently retreated.
"Haha, that's interesting."
The moment I thought I was far from him, I heard a low and not very pleasant laugh behind me.
I literally had to grit my teeth not to run down the hallway.
"If you run from a beast, it will chase you..."
"If you run from a beast, it will chase you..."
"If you run from a beast, it will chase you..."
My teeth tingled as I reached the room.
And the next day, the long-awaited New Year's meeting arrived.
* * *
"I'm so sleepy..."
I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand from the morning.
Because I stayed up all night, my vision was blurry.
It was because I had been busy looking for things that could make me money while wandering around the annex all night, avoiding the eyes of the maids on duty.
Even though it's an isolated building, it wasn't very difficult to find something that could make money since it was a large family.
"Still, the preparations are perfect."
Even if things go as planned today, all simulations have been completed.
As I mentioned before, I'm still a young Suin Lizard.
A young lizard often lost its humanization when its emotions flared.
Even in the novel, it's not described in detail because it's the story of an extra, but the issue was whether humanization could be resolved.
In any case, I had a plan for every possible situation.
The first, and the best, is that humanization doesn't undo itself, so I could prolong my lifespan.
Secondly, in case I return to my original form, I scout an escape route in advance and simply run. I pack my things and flee from this mansion.
The third plan is to directly inform that I will leave on my own and ask for a grace day.
1 is the best, but 2 and 3 aren't bad either.
"Lady, are we going?"
"Yes...!"
I headed to the large conference hall attached to the main mansion with Mayla.
When I arrived in front of the conference hall, she crouched down to eye level.
"Lady, I can't enter from here. You should go to the seat with your name, sit down, do what they tell you, and then you can leave. I taught you how to greet, didn't I?"
"Yes."
"Alright, I'll wait here, my lady. Be careful."
"Goodbye, Mayla!"
If I can still see you.
Encouraged by Mayla, I clenched my fists and entered.
Once inside, I had no choice but to stop.
