The Forbidden Library¹ is the nexus where all the world's knowledge eventually congregates. It would be a waste of a golden opportunity not to exploit it.
I thrust my right hand forward and activated <Void Crossing>², calling forth a swirling black vortex. This was the entrance to the Void³, and I had keyed the destination to the Forbidden Library. Having marked the location earlier, I could now jump there directly without navigating the Fairy's Path⁴.
(If I could just increase my proficiency with the Void, I'd eventually be able to warp based on coordinates alone... but my eleven-year-old self doesn't have that kind of finesse yet. Well, I still have time. I'll refine those skills as I go.)
I stepped through the Void and into the library. Entia, who had been engrossed in a massive tome, snapped her head up.
"Oh? Did you forget something?" Entia asked. "(He appeared here directly, bypassing the proper path. As I thought, Hollow possesses the <Void> factor. Was the information in the Arcana⁵ a lie?)"
"Yeah," I replied. "I've decided I'm going to take the knowledge of the Forbidden Library for myself."
"Hehe, I don't think so," Entia teased. She stood up and poked my forehead with her index finger. "This is a private archive for big sisters only. I'm not letting a little boy like you read a single page."
(...She's treating me like a complete child.)
From her perspective, I was just a talented brat who knew his way around the <Void>. Her reaction was only natural.
(...Maybe it's okay to let Entia in on the secret.)
I knew her tight-lipped nature - or rather, her cynical personality - all too well. She loved to flaunt her knowledge, yet she never revealed anything that actually mattered. That made her someone I could trust. Even if I revealed my identity, Entia would never breathe a word of it to a soul.
"Let's negotiate, Entia," I said, dropping the act of slothful arrogance. "Or should I call you Roi?"
The moment I spoke her true name, her expression turned to stone.
"You... where did you get that name?" Entia asked. "(His entire aura just changed...)"
"I know everything about you," I replied. "Let's stop hiding things and lay our cards on the table."
"I wonder what a brat who's still wet behind the ears thinks he knows about me," Entia countered.
"Hmm, let me see... For instance, the Witch of Intellectual Greed is 'immortal,' but she isn't 'invulnerable.' If her original book is burned, she'll simply wither away into nothing... Right?"
As I spoke, I pointed toward one specific shelf among the millions in the room. Stored there was the 'Book of the Spirit'⁶, the literal mirror of Entia's soul. If that book burned, she would vanish from this world.
"Who... what are you, really?" Entia asked. The mask of composure shattered. "(Not just my true name, but the secret of the original book too...!)"
It was expected. The secrets of her prized Innate Magic⁷, <Forbidden Book Garden>⁸, had been dismantled upon our very first meeting.
"The short version is: I'm a 'Reincarnator'⁹," I said.
"I see... so that's it," Entia replied. Her eyes widened for a split second before she nodded, as if the gears had finally clicked. "I've heard of your kind, but this is the first time I've seen one in the flesh. Heretics who cast their souls across time from a distant era to be reborn in the present. If you know that much about me, we must have been deeply involved in a past life. That would certainly explain - "
" - No, you're wrong," I interrupted.
"Eh?"
"I was reincarnated from a completely different world - an 'Otherworld,'" I explained.
"Wha...?" Entia let out a bewildered, hollow sound, her mouth hanging open.
I gave her the summarized version of my story: growing up in the island nation of Japan, waking up in this world as Hollow von Heisenberg, and the fact that this world was actually inside a game called Ronzolkia¹⁰. I explained that I held information on every character and the general "scenario" of the future.
When I finished the broad strokes, she spoke up.
"Wait... just give me a moment to process this," Entia said. She closed her eyes slowly. Even the great Witch couldn't hide her shock. "(Hollow claims this is a world inside a 'game,' and there's a pre-written script to follow...? It's almost impossible to believe.)"
She cracked one eye open and peeked at me. "(He doesn't look like he's lying... and frankly, it's so absurd that it actually circles back to feeling true. He knew my true name and the secret of the <Forbidden Book Garden>. Besides, no ordinary child could ever find their way to the Forbidden Library...)"
Once her thoughts were organized, Entia spoke. "If what you're saying is true, why do you even want the Forbidden Library? If you have this 'meta-knowledge,' shouldn't you already have everything you need?"
"Don't underestimate Ronzolkia," I replied. "This game has countless routes and an overwhelming amount of character lore. I remember reading an interview where even the developers admitted that no single person on the team grasped every detail accurately."
"So, your meta-knowledge is imperfect, and you want to use the Forbidden Library to fill in the blanks. Is that it?" Entia asked.
"Bingo. I appreciate how quick you are on the uptake," I said.
The baseline was established. Now for the real deal.
"I get free reign to read the books in the Forbidden Library. In exchange, I'll teach you about the other world once a month. How's that sound?"
"I'm sorry, but that's not even a conversation," Entia replied. She shrugged her shoulders, looking utterly unimpressed.
"Really? I thought it was a fair trade," I said.
"My Forbidden Library contains all the information in this world. You'd get unlimited access to all of it, and in return, I only get one piece of info a month? The scales are completely lopsided," Entia argued.
"I see. In terms of 'quantity,' I'm definitely getting the better deal. But the info in this library is just stuff scattered within this world. My knowledge, however, is genuinely from outside this reality. In terms of 'quality,' aren't I offering you something far more valuable?"
"I'll admit, otherworld knowledge is tempting," Entia said. "But for all I know, there might be other Reincarnators out there. Plus, I'm immortal. I can afford to wait as long as it takes for the next one to show up. What I'm saying is - my library isn't that cheap."
Entia rejected me with an air of absolute resolve. I was pushing quality; she was pushing quantity. We were at a total stalemate, and finding a middle ground seemed impossible... or at least, that's what a normal person would think.
But my - Hollow's - sharp eyes didn't miss it. Under her long skirt, Entia's right leg was tapping nervously. Shake, shake, shake.
(Entia is the incarnation of intellectual greed. She wants that otherworld knowledge so bad she can probably taste it...)
There was no guarantee another Reincarnator would ever appear. Her real desire was to close this deal right here and now. Her "tough" stance was just an act to squeeze concessions out of me. The proof was in the leg-shaking. Her mouth was playing hardball, but her body was being honest.
(This is a negotiation. I hold the high cards. Time to lean in.)
Seeing me go quiet, she must have thought it was her turn to "graciously" compromise. Her voice went a bit shrill as she made her move. "W-Well? Otherworld knowledge is certainly valuable? It's not like I don't have any room to budge - "
" - I see. That's a shame, then," I said.
"Eh?"
I turned on my heel and opened a Void to head back to the manor.
"Sorry for bothering you, Entia. I guess we won't be seeing each other again," I said.
I threw the farewell over my shoulder and stepped one foot into the Void.
"W-Wait a minute...!" the Witch's voice rang out. She sounded like she was practically clinging to me.
"What is it? Did you need something else?" I asked.
"You know exactly why, you... you jerk...!" Entia cried. She clenched her fists in frustration, glaring at me with eyes full of spite.
"I'm not a god. You have to put it into words for me," I said.
"Grrrrr...! Fine! I get it! I lose! I lost, okay?!" she screamed. With tears of frustration pricking her eyes, she gave in to her desperation. "You can read the books in the Forbidden Library whenever you want! Just... teach me about the other world! Once a month is fine!"
As expected of the Witch of Intellectual Greed. She simply couldn't fight her own nature.
"I knew you'd see reason, Entia," I said. "Let's make it official. <Contract>¹¹."
I held out my right hand, and a magic circle manifested in the empty air. Entia read the clauses with a face like she'd just swallowed a lemon, then reached out her left hand. Our magical signatures were carved into the circle, and the Contract was sealed.
"Hah... I can't believe I got played by a kid," Entia sighed. "They don't call you the 'Villainous Aristocrat' for nothing."
"Hahaha. I'll take that as a compliment," I said. (Though, technically, it's this body that's the villain, not me.)
"Alright, let's get you started on some of that otherworld knowledge," I said.
"!" Entia's gloomy face lit up instantly. Her six black wings began to fan the air with excitement. Honestly, her body was way too honest.
"In the world I come from, there's this thing called a 'vacuum cleaner' - "
"A v-v-v... 'Vacuum Cleaner'?! What is it?! A beast? An object? Is it even physical? Is it a weather phenomenon?!"
With stars in her eyes, an ecstatic Entia lunged toward me.
"A vacuum cleaner is a household appliance that sucks up dust and - "
"'Household Appliance'?!"
She was blushing now, looming in even closer. Too close. Too soft. She smelled way too good. Give me a break - Hollow's body is a slave to its own impulses. Being crowded by a beauty like Entia, I felt like I was about to accidentally tackle her. I had to summon every ounce of my steel-clad logic to suppress my darker thoughts while I taught the Witch about the wonders of modern housework.
Summary:
Hollow uses his meta-knowledge and <Void> magic to negotiate access to the Forbidden Library with Entia, the Witch of Intellectual Greed. By threatening her 'Book of the Spirit' and promising knowledge from modern Japan, he successfully forces her into a contract. The chapter ends with Hollow explaining the concept of a vacuum cleaner to a bewildered and excited Entia.
Trivia:
- Entia has six black wings, a detail mentioned when she gets excited.
- Hollow is currently only 11 years old, limiting his mana/precision with <Void> magic.
- The 'Book of the Spirit' is Entia's only weakness; burning it would kill her despite her immortality.
- Hollow uses a 'Steel-clad logic' or 'Steel reason' to resist his body's natural aristocratic/villainous impulses
Character Insight:
Hollow demonstrates a cold, calculating side by using Entia's literal life as a bargaining chip, yet struggles with the physical 'desires' of his new body when Entia gets close. Entia reveals herself to be completely controlled by her thirst for unknown knowledge.
Behind the Scenes:
The 'Villainous Aristocrat' title is a meta-reference to the game's original character role, which Hollow is trying to subvert while ironically acting quite villainously during negotiations.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Forbidden Library: A repository of all world knowledge accessible through <Void> magic.
2 ↩ Void Crossing: A sub-skill of Hollow's Innate Magic that allows for spatial travel.
3 ↩ Void: The dimensional space or magical element Hollow manipulates.
4 ↩ Fairy's Path: A standard, slower method of reaching hidden or magical locations.
5 ↩ Arcana: A magical index or register of known magic and users.
6 ↩ Book of the Spirit: A physical grimoire containing Entia's soul; her true source of immortality and her only weakness.
7 ↩ Innate Magic: Unique magical abilities inherent to a specific individual's soul.
8 ↩ Forbidden Book Garden: Entia's unique magic that manifests the Forbidden Library.
9 ↩ Reincarnator: An individual whose soul has moved from one life/world to another.
10 ↩ Ronzolkia: The name of the game world Hollow was reincarnated into.
11 ↩ Contract: A magically binding agreement between two parties.
Notes:
• Entia - Roi, the Witch of Intellectual Greed and Guardian of the Forbidden Library, appears 20‑year‑old, 165 cm tall, with pastel‑pink hair, pink bangs, porcelain skin and six obsidian wings. She bears the Innate Magic , is immortal yet bound to a 'Book of the Spirit', and watches over the library’s secrets.
• Hollow - Ten‑year‑old heir of the Heisenberg Duke house, now 150 cm tall, sports red medium‑length hair in a ribbon‑ponytail, crimson eyes, lean build, navy jacket and black trousers. Son of Daphnes and Leila, he is a reincarnated Japanese noble wielding Origin‑Class Innate Void magic, learning healing, and plotting as a polite yet ruthless villain.
• Heisenberg - Lord of the Heisenberg family. One of the Four Great Noble Houses. Noted for his immense wealth and territorial holdings.