The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player 42

Chapter 42

She felt slightly dizzy.

“Already?”

She had opened her eyes for the first time in a week, yet she couldn’t even last a day properly.

Perhaps it was because of the particularly displeasing students today, but it seemed like the time to move was approaching nonetheless.

“It hasn’t even been half a year yet…”

She certainly felt that the quality of books being brought into the library was declining.

A distant past, so far away she could hardly remember.

The great grimoire where she first nested had been her sanctuary for a thousand years.

However, the number of such grand books had dwindled over time, and while the variety increased, the shelves were now filled with titles bearing similar content.

Lately, she couldn’t last a year without moving.

“If things stay this way, I won’t last long…”

Relying on books of lesser caliber, she found herself asleep more often than awake.

And now, the library scarcely had any books capable of sustaining her.

Though it seemed she might have to end her long journey as time passed, there was still an unresolved desire within her.

“There’s still time. Let’s endure a little longer.”

Trapped in this small library though she was, she sensed an impending change.

What this change meant or what outcome it would bring was unknown.

“Please, let it be this time…”

She desperately hoped she could finally experience the moment she had been waiting for through countless ages.

Just then.

A tingling sensation.

As she struggled to flutter her senses, a feeling burrowed into her.

“Could this be…!?”

Like being enchanted, she started flying somewhere, her emerald hair streaming behind her.

* * *

“Hmph, seems like this isn’t it either.”

Raul clicked his tongue.

He hadn’t expected all the information available in the cafe to be accurate.

Some of it was bought with money, but much was also reliant on rumors or someone’s memories.

The ‘common skill books’ that anyone could obtain were verifiable.

However, ‘unique skill books’ that once acquired by one person, could not be found by others, had no way of being verified beyond the word of the possessor.

“I was sure it was here…”

The ultimate reason Raul dedicated time to searching for skill books was, naturally, to become stronger.

Even a dud would serve as experience points for his skill compendium, so it wasn’t a total loss.

But, if he was going to obtain a skill, wouldn’t one that’s actually useful be better?

The skill Raul sought related to psychokinesis.

No matter how rare abilities of psychokinesis were, there were definitely other players aside from Raul who had it.

Raul continued his search based on information received from one of those players.

“If only they’d given more detailed information, tsk.”

At the time, since unique skill books couldn’t be reacquired, he hadn’t thought much of the importance. The person who had mentioned it had done so proudly while under the influence of alcohol.

Recording such fleeting information turned out to be a major help now, but it was somewhat regrettable on the other hand.

‘A C-rank [Equestrian Acrobatics] skill, huh? I should try using it sometime.’

Fortunately, a combat-related skill book had appeared.

Since the skill he had obtained earlier was an art-related skill called [Brilliant Brushwork], he was quite satisfied.

‘Shall I try engraving it then?’

The skill slot had a fixed number of spaces. If he wanted to learn a new skill, he had to delete one of the existing skills.

However, Raul had no such worries.

Even if it was a skill not in use, he could simply record it in the skill tome.

‘The more I think about it, this thing is like a cheat item.’

Raul gently stroked the skill tome he had placed on the desk and then placed the freshly read Equestrian Acrobatics skill book on top of the skill tome.

‘Now, enjoy it to your heart’s content.’

Externally, there seemed to be no change. But in reality, the magic and energy contained within the skill book were slowly being absorbed into the skill tome.

Once the absorption was complete, the original skill book would become nothing more than an ordinary book.

In a way, it could be considered vandalism of public property, but it would end up in the player’s hands later anyway.

‘Should I look for another book then?’

It would take some time for the skill book to be absorbed.

Since the skill tome was a bound item, there was no worry of someone stealing it.

Unconcerned, Raul got up from his seat and walked towards the bookshelves, unaware that someone was observing him…

* * *

He was a strange human.

It was one thing to bring multiple books with the same title.

After all, the authors could be different, or the content could slightly change with revisions.

However, it was odd to repeatedly read books with identical content down to the same sections.

But that was still tolerable. Occasionally, there were those who read books in peculiar ways.

But if the books he brought were all special in some way, that was a different story.

‘Could he possibly sense the quality of the books?’

The seven books laid out on the desk each possessed some kind of power, whether big or small.

The author’s will, the power of time, the uniqueness of the handwriting, the quality of the paper – for various reasons, these books had something distinct that set them apart from others.

Perhaps that’s why she felt something special about this young human.

‘Hmm, he’s somewhat handsome for a human, too.’

But her interest quickly waned. After all, humans were of no help to her.

In the thousands of years of her existence, only a handful of humans had felt and communicated with her presence.

Only a few among those with grand titles like Great Wizard or Great Sage were able to converse with her.

But that was all. Even if they became aware of her condition, they were unable to provide any help.

Her condition was a highly special miracle, forged through numerous sacrifices, harsh fates, and remarkable coincidences.

Now, she was too weary to hope for any breakthrough from humans, struggling just to maintain her existence.

The books on the desk were indeed special, but they were of too low a caliber for her to dwell in.

‘Was it just a feeling that came… Is my sense also dying now?’

With a disappointed expression, she decided to leave the spot. But at that very moment, a single book pulled from a bag by a young human caught her attention.

“Huh?”

It was strange.

The prestige it exuded wasn’t particularly impressive.

At best, it was of a ‘lower rank,’ barely a level where she could stay.

Yet, there seemed to be something more.

Something within those unusually embossed, thick covers seemed to be calling out to her.

Click.

The human placed another book he was reading on top of it.

And then, she witnessed an astounding scene.

“The power is transferring! Or is it being absorbed? But…”

For some reason, there seemed to be no change in the book that absorbed the power.

Once the human left his seat, she hurriedly approached the book.

Gulp.

A new book, unlike any she had encountered before.

With a sense of ‘perhaps,’ expectation, she reached out her hand.

“Who exactly are you?”

Her tiny hand laced with her intentions touched the book.

“……”

And nothing happened.

“Huh?”

With a puzzled look, she tilted her head and reached out her hand again.

But the result was the same.

“Why??”

No book had ever resisted her touch before.

When her hand touched them, books would share their stories and readily open up to her.

This was true whether it was a grimoire containing 8th circle magic, a religious text with the contents of creation, or a historical document holding great myths.

She was disconcerted by this unprecedented setback.

And soon, her disconcertion turned into determination.

“Yah!”

She attempted to tap around on the book and even tried to lift the thick cover with both hands.

But to no avail.

After trying everything, even throwing herself against the book cover in desperation, she eventually sat down on the desk, slightly teary-eyed.

“Sniff.”

Then, someone spoke from above her head.

“Hey… what are you doing?”

Startled, she looked up, and their eyes met.

* * *

There was a book I had marked earlier, so I could easily return to my seat.

But in that brief moment, some strange creature had been lurking around the skill tome area. The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player 42

“Fairy…? No, a ghost maybe?”

A small girl, the size of a forearm. Behind her back were two pairs of wings resembling butterflies, and her emerald-colored hair cascaded down below her waist. Glasses on her face, together with her neatly tailored dress uniform and robe, lent her an intellectual appearance. However, the girl’s body flickered intermittently, appearing almost translucent as if she might vanish at any moment.

“What’s she doing?”

Raul stopped in his tracks to observe the girl’s actions. She seemed interested in the skill encyclopedia, reaching out to touch various things here and there. The sight of her struggling to lift a bookcase nearly as big as herself, even bumping her head against a book and starting to sob, was quite pitiful. Unable to watch her struggle any longer, Raul spoke up.

“Hey… what are you doing?”

Startled by Raul’s voice, the girl met his gaze.

“…!”

“…?”

She cautiously got up and then slowly started to back away. Feeling Raul’s gaze still on her, she quickly walked to the end of the desk, constantly checking for his reaction.

“…!!”

Realizing Raul was still watching, her face turned bright red.

Whoosh.

The next moment.

With fluttering, shimmering wings, she quickly fled behind a bookshelf.

“Hmm.”

Raul paused momentarily to look in the direction she had vanished, then turned towards a desk where the skill encyclopedia was. Although curious about the ghost-like girl, he had no intention of chasing after her. If she was interested in the skill encyclopedia, she might approach him first if she felt like it.

“Or not.”

For Raul, finding more skill books was more important than figuring out the strange girl’s identity.

He sat down and began reading a new book, waiting for the skill encyclopedia to finish absorbing the skill book.

-C-rank Skill [Equestrian Acrobatics] has been recorded in the skill encyclopedia.

-The enhancement efficiency of other skills has increased to 10.5%.

A system message popped up.

Raul stopped reading and opened the skill encyclopedia.

A holographic screen appeared before him, listing the skills recorded in the encyclopedia in a long scroll.

“Wow, it’s overwhelming.”

The number of skills he had poured into the encyclopedia upon obtaining it was about 530. Now, almost three months later, nearly 700 skills were recorded. This was thanks to the skill books he had obtained through hunting and quests.

Probably, including his previous life, no one had ever collected this many skill books.

“How many more skill books do I need to collect before this thing regains its original power?”

Looking at the skill encyclopedia still stuck at rare grade, he felt a sense of daunting uncertainty.

“Hey, human! What exactly is that book?”

When had she approached?

The fairy girl was peeking out just her face from the edge of the table, speaking to him.

(To be continued)