manynovel Chapter 151 Borrower VIII and Borrower IX
Chapter 151 Borrower VIII and Borrower IX
Chapter 151 Borrower VIII and Borrower IX
Aaron, standing behind the registration counter, looked towards the library entrance.
Five minutes earlier, he had sensed some movement outside the building.
But to this day, no one has come in.
Is it just my imagination?
If there were anyone there, they would have come in long ago.
Aaron stopped paying attention and turned his attention back to the book in front of him.
However, less than half a minute later, someone actually walked in.
At the same time, Aaron also discovered new text appearing on page eight of the "Banned Books Borrowing Record":
[Borrower, Serial Number VI]
Name: Harriet Lavillenie
[Suitable for use with the banned book: "Life Never Ends"]
[Level of Knowledge: Not Borrowed]
[Borrowing Time: Not borrowed]
[Return Date: Not borrowed]
Hmm? A new fitter!
Aaron looked up and stared at the doorway again.
There were two people who came, a man and a woman.
The woman should be Harriet Lavigne, the compatible one. She is about the same height as Aaron and can be considered a giant among the women of the kingdom.
The man or boy looked to be around thirteen years old and probably less than five feet tall.
Harriet led the boy cautiously toward the registration counter, just like a mother leading her son.
But Harriet doesn't seem to be eighteen years old either, so it's more appropriate to describe her as an older sister taking care of her younger brother.
However, Aaron felt that the two of them should not be related by blood. Harriet had fair skin, but the boy had a fiery red complexion, and his whole head looked like a fully burning piece of charcoal, dazzlingly red.
As they approached, Aaron placed his right hand on his chest, bowed gracefully to them, and asked:
"Gentlemen, how may I help you?"
Harriet remained silent. Instead, the boy sized Aaron up for a moment before asking:
"Excuse me, is the administrator here?"
The redness on the boy's face faded. Was he just blushing? What could have made him blush that much?
Aaron smiled slightly: "That's me."
The boy looked surprised: "But based on Henry's description, I thought you were over sixty!"
Henry?
Upon hearing the name, Aaron began to observe the boy in front of him again.
The boy was very handsome, but he seemed strangely familiar.
Orange-yellow hair—that's right, that's the hair color of Mrs. Aurélie and her daughter.
Is her name Natalie?
Upon closer inspection, the boy does indeed bear a striking resemblance to Natalie.
But this curly hair...
Ha! Aaron smiled knowingly, "I see!"
"The man Henry was referring to is my father," Aaron said. "I am Aaron Mosley VIIVII."
"I see," the boy said, lowering his head in disappointment.
Aaron explained, "However, my father told me everything. If you need to contact him, please let me know as well. What he can do, I should be able to do as well, if possible."
The boy thought for a moment, then stared at Aaron's face for a while before slightly lowering his guard and nodding gently to Aaron:
"I understand. So, Mr. Mosley, could you spare a little of your time?"
"certainly-"
Afterwards, they sat down in the seats in the lobby.
They explained their identities, and just as Aaron had suspected, the boy before them was indeed Casey Lines.
Kathy recounted his experience, mentioning that he believed his parents were Henry and Natalie.
Although Aaron had never asked for the answer, he had already vaguely guessed it, so when he heard it now, he felt no surprise.
Kathy asked, "Mr. Mosley, this is how I got here. Pegasus sent me here to find your father."
Henry also said your father is very capable, and you said you have the same skills as your father. Will you help me?
“Your parents, your grandmother, and even your knight Pegasus all have a deep connection with this library,” Aaron replied. “Of course I’m willing to help you.”
"That's wonderful!" Casey said happily. "Mr. Mosley, I will definitely repay you in the future!"
"No need for that," Aaron waved his hand gently. "I didn't choose to help you for that reason."
“I understand, but I must remember your kindness. Pegasus said my mother was someone who always repays kindness,” Casey’s expression became very serious. “But, Mr. Mosley, how do you intend to help me?”
"I have no idea."
"have no idea?"
“Yes,” Aaron shrugged. “I’ve heard about the situation on the Lines Plateau occasionally, but I know nothing about the details, so I can’t offer any valuable advice in this situation.”
"But didn't you say you'd help me?"
"I'm willing to help you, but we need to discuss the specifics first. I need to find out about the situation on the plateau," Aaron said. "However, you can stay in the library for now. I can't say anything else, but the safety of this library is beyond doubt."
"Besides, didn't you say that Henry might come here to find you? Right now, Henry is out rescuing Natalie. If the two of them come, with the Navigator's strength and Natalie's understanding of the highlands, they will definitely be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
More importantly, Aaron, who didn't want to leave the library, could offer significantly more help in this regard.
Aaron also had his own reasons for leaving Cathy in the library.
Harriet must have come with Cathy. Although it's unclear what their relationship is, it seems that as long as Cathy stays here, Harriet won't leave either. Aaron can take this opportunity to promote his book, "Life Never Ends."
Of course, the promise to help Cathy was not just an empty promise.
However, Aaron can only offer limited assistance to Casey at the moment, and for now, he can only guarantee his safety.
Upon closer examination, regaining the Lines family's position on the plateau and eliminating the danger will not be something that can be accomplished overnight.
If we act rashly without proper preparation, we may put Kathy in a disadvantageous position.
It just so happens that Casey is still quite inexperienced. Even if he were to reclaim the plateau, he wouldn't be able to govern it properly, and Aaron probably wouldn't be able to help him with that.
Well then, while teaching Harriet the forbidden books, we can also cultivate Cassie's leadership skills a little. This can be considered a help to Cassie.
Cathy agreed to Aaron's suggestion and moved into the library with Harriet.
Harriet lived in Anne and Lola's bedroom, while Cathy, like her father, slept on a makeshift bed next to Aaron.
When she learned that Henry had done the same thing before, Casey seemed pleased.
When Kathy later learned that he was born in this very library, she was utterly shocked.
Therefore, Aaron also felt that Cathy was not visiting at this moment, but simply going home.
After spending some time together, Aaron discovered that Cathy was an obedient, kind, and likable boy.
However, for a future lord, his lack of ability is quite serious.
Kashi's talent is limited, and it's unlikely that he can manage the entire plateau on his own.
Harriet, who came with him, seems to have a talent for managing people.
As for the relationship between the two of them, Aaron had a vague idea of what it was.
Aaron occasionally stumbled upon them a few times; the two would hide in secluded corners and kiss, seemingly deliberately avoiding Aaron.
Are the two people dating?
But does this world really allow for free love?
Cathy is the heir to the Lines family, while Harriet is just a commoner of low status.
Can their union truly gain the recognition and blessing of the people of the plateau?
Aaron was somewhat worried about this, but he was more concerned about why the two of them were avoiding him.
Although Aaron could be considered their teacher, he wasn't a strict headmaster who investigated early relationships, so he wouldn't interfere in their affairs.
However, if their relationship remains stable, it might not be a bad thing for Cathy.
Harriet's "Everlasting Life" is a kind of witchcraft that wields "vitality".
Using this kind of witchcraft to cause harm undoubtedly tests the user's imagination, but if used for assistance and protection, it is a very competent ability.
The higher you climb, the colder it gets. Once Kashi truly begins vying for control of the plateau, she will inevitably be drawn into a bloody struggle.
However, Cathy's temperament and abilities are only at the level of an ordinary person, and it will be difficult for him to stand firm in the storm on his own.
With Harriet's protection, Cathy's personal safety should be somewhat guaranteed.
Moreover, Harriet's thinking is more mature than Cathy's, and Harriet will likely be an asset to Cathy in decision-making.
Of course, Cathy wasn't entirely without merit. Cathy was the kindest person Aaron had ever met, and in this dark and treacherous world, it was truly commendable to maintain such character.
However, kindness is not necessarily a virtue for a lord, as it can lead to indecisiveness, which could be a fatal factor that results in complete defeat.
Fortunately, Harriet wasn't that naive, and she seemed to be able to keep Cassie in check. With Harriet watching over her, this situation shouldn't have happened.
Harriet is seventeen and Kathy is fourteen. Is this what they mean by "a woman three years older than her husband is a golden brick"?
In short, no matter what hardships they may face, as long as they are truly in love, they will at least receive Aaron's blessing.
They're so green and inexperienced. I hope they can enjoy this time.
As for imparting extraordinary skills to Harriet, Aaron was not in a hurry.
The two of them wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, and Aaron planned to use this time to conduct some experiments.
Right now, Aaron is busy hand-copying a copy of "Life Never Ends".
If Harriet cannot gain superhuman abilities through Aaron's manuscript, it proves that Aaron's previous conjecture—that the forbidden book itself induces superhuman powers in the suitors—was correct.
While Aaron was copying books, Harriet was basically in charge of the library's maintenance.
Harriet was very capable and quickly mastered all the tasks in the library, even taking on the responsibility of cooking for everyone.
It's safe to say she's a former maid with extensive work experience.
On the other hand, Casey... well, he really is a pampered young master.
When Aaron thought about Cathy's experiences, he felt it was a miracle that Cathy was still alive.
Aaron had Kathy read through all the history books in the library.
Studying history helps us gain knowledge, and understanding the past allows us to learn from the present.
While there's no guarantee that Kathy will learn anything useful, the foundation for making the right decisions is always a vast amount of knowledge.
Kathy asked Aaron why he didn't arrange for him to practice martial arts.
It seems that this was a required course for him back in the castle.
There are no tools for practicing martial arts in the library, and besides, with Cathy's talent, she wouldn't achieve anything significant.
According to Kathy's description, the people who used to surround them often encouraged and comforted him.
But Aaron didn't see Cathy as a duke; in his eyes, she was just an ordinary boy.
Aaron felt that teaching Cathy to recognize and accept herself was also a very important lesson.
There is no need for Kathy to learn martial arts. If one day he himself needs to wield a weapon, then whether he draws his iron sword or not will not change the course of events.
If Harriet cannot protect Cathy, then they will both face destruction.
That afternoon, Aaron finally copied down all the contents of "Life Never Ends".
And a final comparison and verification should be conducted to avoid affecting the test results.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Upon hearing this, Cathy, who was sitting to the side, got up and went to open the door.
Then, five men walked in.
This situation rarely occurs, and Aaron is unsure of the group's motives.
He already has enough to worry about with Cathy's situation, and he doesn't want to get involved in any more trouble.
So he got up, wanting to get rid of this group of people as soon as possible.
But when the last person stepped into the library, Aaron was surprised to find new text on page nine of the "Banned Books Borrowing Record":
[Borrower, Serial Number I×]
Name: Kendrick Bates
[Suitable for use with banned books: *Crimson Lust*]
[Level of Mastery: 0%]
[Borrowing Time: Not borrowed]
[Return Date: Not borrowed]
Aaron's gaze quickly focused, fixing on the man walking at the back.
He was the only one in the group who wasn't wearing armor, only a long, dark blue robe that covered his knees.
There were no weapons at his waist, but he carried a wooden box on his back, and Aaron suspected that the man's weapons were in that box.
He was slightly taller than Harriet, with fluffy short black hair and a thick, short beard that almost covered the lower half of his face.
The neck is bent downwards, and the chest is hunched, giving a reserved impression.
But Aaron knew that this was just a disguise on the part of the man in front of him.
He kept secretly glancing at the people in the library with his shifty eyes.
Aaron didn't know what kind of clues Kendrick Bates was trying to gather with his eyes, but he was probably certain that the man was extremely thoughtful and restless.
Although he longed to make direct contact with Kendrick, he couldn't ignore the remaining people in front of him.
Aaron's face immediately broke into a professional smile: "Gentlemen, I'm the manager here. May I ask what brings you here?"
The man standing at the very front had medium-length hair. He stared at Aaron with a frivolous expression, winking and making faces for a while before finally saying:
"You look very young."
"Age is only one of the elements that make up a person," Aaron said, "but the wisdom accumulated in books is enough to give a person a maturity far beyond their age."
"But words are no proof," the man said lazily. "But you just said you don't know who we are?"
Aaron did know one of them, but he couldn't possibly tell the people in front of him:
"I suppose I should meet a few people I've never met before?"
"This is indeed our first time meeting, but didn't anyone tell you we were coming to find you?"
Aaron shook his head.
"Hmm?" The man raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you agree to see us?"
Aaron asked, puzzled, "Sir, what are you talking about?"
"Damn it," cursed another man with a large beard, "are we going to be taken?"
"Don't rush,"
The man patted the bearded man's shoulder reassuringly, then whispered a few words in a low voice.
Aaron couldn't hear the voices clearly, but by observing the lip movements, he could tell that the person had at least said the word "test".
He faced Aaron and gave a perfunctory bow:
"My name is Draco Carson, and I am a knight."
Aaron also bowed: "Aaron Mosley VIIVII".
"Mr. Mosley, have you ever heard of me?"
Now that it has been determined that this person intends to "test" him, Aaron's response must be even more cautious:
"I may have heard of it, but I'm not good at remembering people's names, so I can't recall where I heard it right now. Please forgive me."
"Hmm, Mr. Mosley, this flaw of yours is truly a headache. In that case—"
As he spoke, Draco suddenly pulled out a piece of paper.
"Sir, do you recognize this?"
Aaron's eyes lit up when he saw the words on the note.
There was a Chinese character written on it: “义”.
In this world, besides Aaron, there should only be one other person who has mastered the Chinese language.
Since this person was holding Chinese characters and waving them in front of Aaron, it means that they may have been in contact with Annie.
Aaron tensed up. Annie was a girl with no ability to protect herself, while the men in front of him were all fierce-looking burly men.
Their contact with Anne proves that Anne may be in danger.
Although he knew that Anne would eventually reach the end of her life.
Whatever the outcome, it's part of Anne's life, and Aaron has to accept it.
But he still couldn't guarantee that he could remain rational and not kill the people in front of him out of anger.
However, his expression remained calm; for Aaron, keeping his emotions hidden was already second nature.
"Ha, may I ask where you got this note?"
"I asked you first, Mr. Administrator," Draco said without backing down.
"The questioner should answer first," Aaron replied calmly. "That's basic etiquette, and you call yourself a knight, sir. Do you think I'm right?"
Draco narrowed his eyes, and after a long while, he raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips:
"Okay, it was given to me by a young girl, but she claimed to be an adult."
"What did you do to her?"
"I've answered my question, sir, but you haven't answered mine yet."
"Righteousness," Aaron replied briefly.
The bearded man also pulled out a slip of paper: "And what about this?"
The word "loyalty" was written on it, which Aaron could easily recognize at a glance.
This also made Aaron realize that something was wrong. If these people had kidnapped Annie and wanted to use the Chinese characters as evidence to threaten and blackmail Aaron, why would they put the notes on different people?
Moreover, the edges of those strips of paper were uneven, as if they had been torn off casually.
Aaron wasn't sure yet, so he could only take it one step at a time.
"Loyalty".
"It really was you," Draco grinned. "No one else could possibly know how to pronounce these symbols!"
Aaron had only one question: "Did you hurt her?"
"Why would we want to hurt him?" Draco shrugged. "To be honest, I've saved little Lola a few times."
If what they say is true, Aaron thought, then they shouldn't be enemies.
Wait, little Laura?
Aaron suddenly realized that the whole thing was not what he had imagined.
Regardless, he must first gather intelligence:
"Then, gentlemen, please sit down and let's talk."
Aaron asked them to sit down and told Cathy to hide in Annie's room.
After all, Casey had a large bounty on her head, and among these people, there might very well be bounty hunters.
Harriet poured drinks for the guests and stood behind Aaron in attendance.
Aaron glanced back at Harriet; it seemed she was already used to such occasions.
She couldn't help but smile. If she could really marry Cathy, Cathy would definitely gain a wonderful and capable wife.
Based on the fragmented information he had collected, Aaron pieced together the most basic outline.
He chose to seize the initiative: "How should we address everyone?"
2
They then introduced themselves.
Each of them carried a slip of paper with Chinese characters written on it.
The knight Draco Carson had "righteousness" written on the note.
The man with the big beard bearing the inscription "Loyalty" is named Barton Richmond, and he is also a knight.
The mercenary captain, Ajax Schmidt, received the Chinese character "勇" (yong, meaning brave/courageous). He said his mercenary group operates on the Blois Peninsula year-round.
Winn Waters showed Aaron the character "诚" (sincerity) in his hand. He was a knight instructor working at the Mountain Knight Academy, located in the northern part of the Stone Mountains.
The last person is Kendrick Bates, the banned book adapter, who has the Chinese character "仁" (ren, meaning benevolence) and claims to be a homeless, wandering ghostwriter.
So the box Kendrick was carrying on his back didn't contain weapons, but rather paper and pens for making a living.
However, Aaron didn't have time to worry about that right now, and he continued:
"So, Lola sent you to find me?"
"Yes," Draco said with a laugh, "it seems she doesn't want us."
"Then tell me the whole story."
"Didn't you hear what that girl said?" asked Ajax, the mercenary captain.
"I heard what she said," Aaron replied seriously, "but one side of the story isn't enough to be taken at face value."
Draco was taken aback: "Even your representatives are like this?"
Aaron calmly replied, "Take every step with caution to avoid falling into danger."
“Indeed,” Draco nodded approvingly. “Then let’s begin with the night I met Lola—”
After Aaron heard the whole story, he immediately guessed the truth.
This is so childish, it must be Annie's idea!
Fourteen or fifteen years old is the age when you're just going through the motions of middle school!
Aaron regretted telling Annie those stories of chivalry and heroism when she was little. The most outrageous thing was that the two of them actually succeeded, attracting a lot of people to imitate them.
But the situation had become so chaotic, and they were unable to clean it up, so they dumped the mess on Aaron's shoulders.
Aaron was speechless. The truth is, the wolf taught those two brats a lesson.
But regardless, now that these people have come to the library, they can't be easily dealt with.
They might even cause trouble for Lola.
Killing all these people would likely solve the problem once and for all, and eliminate any future troubles.
Aaron was unsure of these people's strength, but based on their descriptions, they were at least not just lowly soldiers; they might even all possess extraordinary abilities.
Facing five extraordinary beings of unknown strength alone was still too risky, even for Aaron.
However, Aaron now knows the faces and names of these people, so using curses to assassinate them is a feasible method.
However, curses also have drawbacks. The stronger the opponent and the more resilient their fate, the greater the probability of the curse backfiring on the caster.
If it's just a matter of losing a bit of lifespan, then so be it. Anyway, as long as Aaron is inside the library, his lifespan won't change at all.
The side effects of the curse were unpredictable, and Aaron dared not gamble.
Moreover, if the people in front of me are truly capable, I might be able to utilize them and mold them into my own pawns.
These people can be of use when needed, and can help Aaron out of some crises.
Therefore, we must not rush things now; we should first understand what these five people are thinking:
"I understand. So, why do you want to see me?"
Ajax said, "We want an idea."
Draco added, "I don't find pleasure in killing. Although Lola euphemistically calls it 'fighting the wicked and upholding justice,' of course, she says that's what you mean, but repeating this aimlessly is meaningless to me."
Aaron turned to the others: "Then why did you all join in one after another?"
"Draco said this was part of your plan," said Cavaliers instructor Winn.
"Since you asked Lola to do these things," Draco quickly added, "and provided us with unique characters, I believe you couldn't have been without a plan; you must be playing a much bigger game!"
If you told them it was just a teenage girl having a fit of madness, these guys would probably break down on the spot.
But the fact that Anne and Lola, no matter how many foolish things they did, ultimately chose to leave the trouble to Aaron shows that they believed Aaron was capable of solving it.
From this perspective, at least neither of them was completely stupid.
Since Aaron was able to raise Annie, he can certainly take on all the troubles Annie encounters.
But wouldn't this be spoiling her too much?
Aaron let out a long breath through his nose. He decided that next time he wrote back to Anne, he would give her a good scolding.
Derek noticed Aaron's reaction: "Mr. Mosley, why are you sighing?"
"I was just thinking that my ideas might not meet your expectations," Aaron quickly regained his composure.
"What do you mean?" Ajax asked.
Aaron explained, "You all chose to follow Lola in doing these things, which must be for different reasons. I can guess Lola's motives, but what about yours?"
Draco immediately said, "Then it must be—"
"Don't rush to answer," Aaron said. "Don't talk about chivalry or a sense of justice. If your humanity were truly so virtuous, you wouldn't have come here to question me about your ideals. Admit it, you're doing this for your own selfish desires."
Upon hearing this, the five people sitting in the chairs were immediately speechless.
Clearly, Aaron had accurately seen through their hypocrisy.
He seized the opportunity to add, "Think clearly about your true intentions before answering my questions. But if you are unwilling to be honest with me, then there is no need for the dialogue to continue."
After a long silence, Winn asked:
"But do you even have any principles?"
"I have no ideology, it's not important to me, and you don't need it."
Ajax asked, "What do you mean?"
"What you need is not 'my ideology,' but 'your ideology,' otherwise why are you gathered together?"
Aaron said,
"Therefore, you must be open and honest, and the ideas will naturally emerge. Think it over carefully, everyone. Go back for now and come back to give me your answers tomorrow."
The crowd looked at each other, but couldn't think of any other explanation.
In the end, he had no choice but to follow Aaron's instructions. After bowing to Aaron and saying goodbye, he left the library for the time being.
However, this was also a delaying tactic for Aaron.
Things happened too suddenly, and Aaron needed to figure out how to handle this situation and make use of these people.
Harriet started tidying up the desk; she's such a worry-free assistant.
At that moment, Aaron suddenly realized that Kendrick Bates, the only one who was compatible with the forbidden book, had not yet left.
He remained seated, head bowed, eyebrows twitching as he timidly stole glances at Aaron.
Aaron knew that Kendrick wanted to speak to him privately.
Aaron walked up to him: "Mr. Bates, is there anything else?"
"Yes, Mr. Mosley,"
Kendrick stood up, his hands trembling as if they had nowhere to go, so he grabbed the straps of the wooden crate.
Aaron smiled gently: "Please speak."
"that-"
Kendrick put his mouth close to Aaron's ear, almost touching it, and whispered,
"May I kill you?"