The words my father said about being able to enter anywhere were neither lies nor exaggerations.

“I seek protection.”

“I seek protection.”

The guards in front of the main gate of the Central Library greeted me with a sign of the cross before I even climbed all the stairs.

As I lightly nodded and passed through the entrance, no one stopped me.

… that being said, they didn’t completely ignore me either.

Of course, it was only natural.

This was the Great Hall, and everyone here knew the appearance of Duke Chelsiers. And wasn’t I holding Fermata in my arms as well?

I pretended not to notice the gazes pouring down on me and approached the person who appeared to hold the highest rank among them.

“Is it possible for me to access the archives or enter the reading rooms with a phoenix?”

“One moment, please. I don’t have the authority, so I’ll ask someone else.”

In other words, it was too difficult for them to decide, so they passed it on to their superior.

That was how I quickly climbed up the stairs until I reached the director of the Central Library.

“Well… as a rule, animals aren’t allowed in the library, and firearms are strictly prohibited…”

I didn’t bother refuting by saying that Fermata’s flames were lukewarm or that Fermata wasn’t an ordinary animal.

After all, the director herself was surely more aware of that than anyone.

“So… in principle, it’s not allowed…”

The elderly director spoke with a troubled expression.

Still, it seemed unreasonable for her to oppose me by citing the rules to this extent.

I quietly watched her for a while before eventually realizing and softly spoke.

“… if there is an accident, I will take full responsibility and compensate for it.”

“Yes, please do so.”

I smiled wryly at her immediate response.

She didn’t have the authority to refuse Fermata, but she also lacked the ability to take responsibility for any unforeseen accidents. What a dilemma she was in.

Feeling bad about the director’s predicament, I decided to leave as quickly as possible.

“Is there an archive where records about Astariol are organized?”

“Is there something specific you’re looking for? We do have an archive, but there are many precious items…”

Her words trailed off again.

While I could bring Fermata into the library, it seemed she couldn’t allow me to leave her amidst their rare books.

After a moment of hesitation, I spoke.

“… I’m looking for records about Astariols born as twins.”

The timid and nervous elderly woman blinked once. Then, in a cautious and calm manner, she explained.

“Astariols born as twins are extremely rare, and the remaining records are also very scarce, so we cannot provide the originals. If you’re okay with copies, I’ll bring them all.”

“Were the contents of the original fully transferred to the copies?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t need the original, just the information contained within it. If all the contents were there, it didn’t matter.

As I nodded in agreement, the director led me to a private room.

Now, it was just me and Fermata.

It was quite some time after I felt confident that it was just the two of us that I hesitantly lowered my gaze and quietly asked the Fermata sitting on my lap.

“Have you ever seen an Astariol born as a twin, besides me?”

Fermata purred softly.

Though I couldn’t communicate with Fermata like my father could, I knew this was a sign of affirmation.

“… you’ve seen multiple Astariol’s Taras, haven’t you?”

Another soft purr.

I debated asking something more but ultimately remained silent.

We couldn’t truly communicate, and the creature wasn’t obliged to answer every little question. Besides, I lacked the courage to press further.

Emotions were a finite resource.

My heart was already burning low like the wick of a thin candle just from waiting here. I couldn’t afford to waste it if I wanted to uncover the truth.

Fortunately, the director returned before the candle melted away completely.

“I’ll take my leave now. Please call me if you need anything.”

Three books, not very thick. A clear, fragrant cup of tea. The warm, softly glowing mystical creature on my lap.

It seemed like the ideal environment for me to muster some courage.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up the book on top.

Even if I couldn’t find the answer right away, it would help me slowly prepare myself.

But when had anything in the world ever gone according to my plans?

The answer was in that book.

 

* * *

 

The author wasn’t an Astariol.

However, he was someone who had questions similar to mine.

For he, too, was born as the twin of an Astariol.

Why was his sibling an Astariol while he was not?

How could his sibling possess such immense power from a young age while he had merely survived into existence…?

It was even more puzzling because the brothers were said to resemble each other so closely that they were indistinguishable from each other.

[Born on the same day to the same parents, with appearances that were identical in every way, why then are Sidion and I fundamentally different?]

No matter how much he asked his brother, who remembered everything, about what happened before they were born, he could not provide any clear answers either.

The only thing he said was…

[When I was angry, Sidion just held my hand. He kept, kept, kept holding my hand.]

I consciously averted my gaze to the ceiling, then looked down at the Fermata on my lap.

And swallowing dryly, I picked up the teacup.

My hands were trembling visibly.

‘… I did that too.’

At some point, he simply started holding his hand continuously. Even when he tried to pull away, he kept holding on.

Why did I do that back then?

Only after swallowing a sip did the trembling finally stop.

[Typically, twins have separate amniotic sacs, but if we were holding hands… that means we were in the same sac.]

The manuscript was easy to read, and the handwriting was excellent, but I instinctively knew.

In the original text, this part would have been written in trembling handwriting, filled with excitement.

[Why were we holding hands?]

After that, the author researched various twins and other Astariols.

Although it was not directly stated in the memo, the twin brother probably helped in the research several times during the writing process.

After all, the author survived urging the young Astariol to push his powers to the limit.

[Sidion had exceptional control from a young age. No other young Astariols could handle their powers as well as he did when he was young.]

In the early days of the nation’s founding, there were enough Astariols to form legions.

If one had been the brother of an Astariol hundreds of years ago, he might have seen quite a few young Astariols.

[However, power is not much different from divine force, and it requires arduous training to wield it freely. My brother’s control was extraordinary.]

[Yet, Sidion mastered his powers without training, didn’t he?]

The author cautiously formed a hypothesis.

[Astariols are said to have come to this world to save people. Though they kill their twins by overpowering them with their abilities, it’s unavoidable due to the lack of perception during the fetal stage, even for an Astariol.]

[But unlike regular twins, perhaps a twin in the same amniotic sac is perceptible even to a fetus.]

If one didn’t want to kill his twin, he must control he powers. Even if he couldn’t, he must somehow manage to do it.

If he didn’t, the twin would die.

[Holding hands is a way to become aware of the other’s existence. If you know they exist, you can locate them.]

[You must never let your powers touch that location.]

[If you keep your powers within yourself as much as possible, suppress them in any way you can, and endure the ten months, the twin will live. If not, he will die.]

[Did Sidion want to save me?]

[Was his extraordinary control a byproduct of trying to save me?]

[It’s a pity there are no other twin Astariols. I have so many questions I’d like to ask.]

[Are you also kind to your twin? Do you love them with a constant heart, even though they are infinitely weaker, more foolish, and lacking compared to you?]

Beep!

Suddenly, the Fermata in my arms shrieked as if in warning.

I snapped out of my trance-like reading and looked up, startled to find Duke Sisana standing beyond the open door.

A cold face, an icy gaze. Her golden eyes were as sharp and cold as a blade cutting through the moon, causing me to swallow dry breath.

I barely managed to greet her.

“… Duke Sisana.”

“Illian.”

I realized quickly enough. She meant for me to call her by her baptismal name.

It was only proper to address others according to their chosen title, so I obediently corrected myself and greeted her again.

“It’s been a while, Illian.”

Duke Sisana glared at the memo in my hands with cold eyes and then approached me with firm, sharp steps. Her blue aura was strong enough to feel as if it could tear through the air.

Meanwhile, the Fermata on my lap was slowly heating up.

And even though the Fermata might grasp the concept of a <library>, it didn’t seem likely to obey the common sense that fires were not to be started in one.

I hastily hugged the phoenix close to my body and spoke whatever came to mind.

“I’ve received permission from the director of the central library to read this book…”

“Why would you go out of your way to read the trash written by that person?”

“… pardon?”

Duke Sisana asked coldly.

“You were reading that because you were born as a twin, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

A chill crept across her stern face.

A face that seemed like it had never laughed freely since birth, or perhaps never knew how to at all.

“Your twin might need to read it. Not you.”

Her voice was calmer than a sneer and colder than drifting ice. Deep and cool as if it had been dredged up from the depths of the ocean.

I silently wondered if this person had any right to speak of Eciel at all.

I had no desire for a warm conversation with someone who intended to send that child to Lord Yorbonne.

Duke Sisana let out a short, hollow laugh, as if she knew what I was thinking.

“Lucy. I understand why you’re doing this, but don’t place too much trust in your twin.”

“…”

“The person who wrote the book you’re reading killed his own twin.”