It felt as if a single candle illuminated the surroundings in the darkness where nothing could be seen.

I had no idea who these people with the shining rose symbol were or what their scale was. But for now, their interest was clear.

The disappeared saint.

What they wanted was none other than Nigel, or more precisely, the divine power Nigel was born with – those who had no qualms about kidnapping young girls, stealing their magic, and trading different races.

A chill ran deep through Nigel’s entire body.

It made her nauseous that her absence had led to such terrible things, ultimately causing many people to suffer, and in the end, she had become entangled with them without even knowing it.

Nigel declined Nubilus’s suggestion to rest a bit since she didn’t look well, and hurried back to the dormitory.

Just then, Oliver was seen teasing a few students with his arm around their shoulders in front of the dormitory.

Nigel quickened her pace to approach Oliver.

“Oh, new student! Have you decided now?”

“Yes.”

Whether it turned into bread or porridge, Nigel needed information.

What had always saved Nigel was, as always, information.

The information from the original work had saved Nigel’s freedom, so this time too, she had to obtain information somehow.

Sensing no hesitation in Nigel’s answer, Oliver raised one corner of his mouth.

“Alright, good decision. I’ll give you a generous 10 minutes. Bring your luggage bag.”

As soon as Nigel nodded, she immediately entered the dormitory.

Nigel quickly packed her luggage bag and fell into thought for a moment.

The shining rose.

Whether to avoid them or confront them directly. Nigel sensed that the time to decide was not far off.

“…Is it here?”

“No, this is the annex library.”

“Then is it that building far away?”

“No, that’s the main building’s second library.”

Oliver answered leisurely with his legs crossed.

“I’m disappointed, new student. I thought you’d be able to spot our mansion’s main building right away.”

“Do you really think that’s possible in a place with more libraries than living spaces?”

“Ah, see that building far away? That’s the real main building.”

Oliver lightly ignored Nigel’s words and pointed out the window.

Nigel carefully followed Oliver’s fingertip.

“…Are you joking?”

At the end was a mansion noticeably smaller in scale compared to the grand annexes.

“No way, would I lie about our home’s main building?”

Clop clop clop.

As if to prove Oliver’s words weren’t fake, the Wellider family’s coachman stopped in front of the smallest building and opened the carriage door.

As Nigel tried to quickly exit the carriage, Oliver beat her to it and got out first.

“Excuse me. The perfect magic faculty student council president has to play the role of the Wellider family’s eldest son outside the academy. How should I put it… a double life, perhaps?”

“Yeah right.”

Barely suppressing the rising nausea, Nigel took Oliver’s hand and got out of the carriage.

“Oh right. Did I not tell you this?”

“Tell me what?”

“That my brilliant little sister is also in this mansion.”

Oliver finished speaking and smiled with his eyes crinkled.

‘…He deliberately didn’t tell me.’

With her long experience of trading jokes with Oliver, Nigel immediately noticed that Oliver had forced a smile.

When he mentioned his sister before, he seemed nonchalant, so she thought they were close siblings, typical of Oliver who gets along easily with anyone… but it seemed that assumption was completely wrong.

Unable to speak up readily, Nigel quietly followed Oliver into the mansion.

Though excessively small compared to the libraries, the mansion’s interior was splendid.

“Nigel, why are you relieved?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Don’t you know you just let out a sigh of relief?”

Ah.

Nigel awkwardly averted her gaze.

“No matter how obsessed our family is with books, you didn’t think a count’s mansion would be worse than a stable, did you?”

“I never thought that.”

“Well, this is the room you’ll be staying in for four days. Though I think you’ll probably spend more time in the library.”

“Well, yes. Can I go to the library right away?”

“Hmm…”

Oliver, who had been opening doors with a bang and introducing rooms, glanced at the only door that remained unopened.

Nigel cautiously opened her mouth.

“Is that your sister’s room?”

“Yeah. I’m not sure if she’s inside though.”

Oliver continued with an awkward smile.

“Unfortunately, there’s someone in this family who can’t pull their own weight. My little sister is struggling to make up for that person’s share too. So I’m worried I might disturb her if I go into her room unnecessarily.”

Oliver’s face, muttering that he had failed in his role as an older brother, was uncharacteristically devoid of any hint of playfulness.

‘He even feels guilty himself… I guess this person is human after all.’

Seeing this side of Oliver, which was hard to find usually, Nigel felt a strange sensation.

“Still, if you run into my sister, greet her warmly. Because of me, all family matters have become her responsibility, so she can’t even go out once a week.”

Nigel sensed affection in Oliver’s gaze, which couldn’t leave the door of the room where his sister might be.

“Alright. I can’t approach her as warmly as Allen or you, but… I’ll try my best.”

“Okay.”

As soon as Oliver finished his reply, he messed up Nigel’s hair for no reason. Realizing that Oliver’s action was to cover up his awkwardness and gratitude, Nigel generously let it slide without protest.

“Ah, I might not be able to meet your sister during these four days. The library is bigger than the house.”

“No way, you’re planning to sleep in the library too?”

“Yes.”

Nigel opened her bag herself, showing the fatigue recovery potions packed inside.

“When else would I get to roam the Wellider family’s library like this? I need to read as much as I can in these 4 days.”

“Haha. New student, you seem more suited to the Wellider name than I am.”

At this absurd statement, Nigel opened her mouth with her eyes full of strength.

“What nonsense. I don’t even know how to throw books without damaging them like you do.”

“Well, it would take you at least 10 more years to master that skill. Anyway, welcome to the Wellider Count’s mansion.”

After being invited to Oliver’s house, Nigel’s routine was simple.

Meals, library, sleep, library.

The Wellider family had so many books that it made one doubt whether the joke about them collecting every book in existence was really a joke.

All libraries were meticulously managed with magic stones for both humidity and temperature, keeping even 200-year-old books in excellent condition.

Nigel roamed this library and that, saving as much time as possible from sleeping and eating. And she read through various rare books including information about the temple and the shining rose.

Time flew by quickly as she indulged in books, and soon it was the day before the holiday.

Over the past three days, Nigel hadn’t seen a single hair of Oliver’s younger sister, and that brother was busy teasing Nigel whenever they met in the mansion as usual.

After finishing lunch with Oliver, Nigel hurriedly made her way to the library, avoiding Oliver.

Although she had gained sufficient information about the temple and the saint, all those books missed the core of what Nigel wanted, so she was anxiously scanning through the bookshelves.

“If you’re looking for a book with more detailed accounts of the temple, it’s on the 8th bookshelf from the west, 3rd shelf from the top.”

At the sudden voice, Nigel quickly turned her head.

There stood a girl with green hair resembling the color of trees bathed in early summer sunlight, expressionlessly staring at Nigel.

If it weren’t for her eyes that looked exactly like Oliver’s, it would have been hard to imagine that this stern girl and the always grinning Oliver were blood relatives.

“So you’re the guest Oliver brought.”

Nod.

Nigel nodded her head up and down and carefully approached the girl who was cautious like a stray cat.

“I’m Nigel Ars.”

“…Leaf. I don’t think I need to introduce my surname.”

It was a name that suited well with her refreshing hair color.

“Nice… to meet you, Leaf.”

Nigel imitated Allen’s behavior when meeting someone for the first time. It was her first time doing this, so she had trouble getting the words out properly.

“No need for cumbersome greetings. I don’t want to know whether you and Oliver are lovers or whatever.”

Nigel, weak against women, was greatly affected by Leaf’s voice, which sounded like she was reading a book meticulously without any intonation. But this one thing had to be corrected no matter what.

“Look, I know it’s not your concern, but Oliver and I are just academy seniors and juniors, really nothing more than that, okay?”

“That’s impossible. I don’t know how many years it’s been since Oliver laughed and talked so loudly in the mansion like that. He usually can’t even stay here comfortably because he’s always mindful of me.”

“…”

It seemed there were mountains of misunderstandings between these siblings.

“Then, how is Oliver… doing at the academy?”

And it seemed their affection for each other was considerable too.

“If you answer, I’ll tell you where to find the book you’re looking for.”

Seeing her add words awkwardly just like someone else, Nigel raised the corners of her mouth playfully.

“Should I be honest or sugarcoat it?”

“I’ll choose the honest version. I don’t mind if there are curses mixed in, so please tell me as raw as possible, Nigel.”

Nigel opened her mouth, obeying Leaf’s command.

“He’s a crazy bastard.”