The Hunter's Guide to Monsters

Krow leaned back in his chair, making himself comfortable. "I heard that only learned masters entered the Tvarglad Library."

"Yes." For the first time, a hint of disdain in her tone.

Oho.

Krow widened his eyes innocently, smiling all the while. "As a scholar, do you not agree that great people would read great books? Since the books are popular with such masters, they must be tomes of great learning and knowledge. How could I, a lowly student, not want tomes with such great recommendation?"

She couldn't refute. Krow could see her trying.

Finally she grit out, "Those books are not for outsiders."

"I understand," Krow nodded solemnly. "I will not insist on books that are restricted by royal law or contain the secrets inherent to the vargvir race. Otherwise'¦"

She stood, hand slapping on the desk, eyes burning a hole in him. "If'”"

A soft cough from behind Krow, and her eyes fixed on the red of the Reeve's cloak.

She straightened, tugged at her sleeves to compose herself. "Very well. Your copies will be ready in ten minutes. Feel free to wait here."

She stalked off, her façade ice cold.

Krow gave an audible sigh.

"I can never come back in the future," he griped under his breath. "She's going to ban me from the place."

"Short-sighted of you," agreed the Reeve. "Do you have a great need of enchanter's tomes?"

"Not as such, but I doubt I'll be returning soon. Getting the good books while backed by a royal is only efficient. I'm hopeful she'll forget I exist."

"A draculkar entering this Library with the seal of the Primar?"

"'¦definitely banned."

It wasn't his fault he was unforgettable!

In any case, it wasn't like Tvarglad had the only enchanter's library in Redlands. It was just the biggest and most prestigious.

"Then the only way is to get good enough that the Library would be forced to invite you to speak in the Lecture Halls."

Krow snorted a laugh. "Your mockery is noted."

Only grandmasters had that kind of cachet.

"You realize that while those introductory texts are prestigious and recommended, they are not as readable as the more recent scholarly works?"

Krow turned to grin at Marses. "Worried for me? Don't scuff your vargvir cred. I'm fine with these books."

In fact, the more prestigious, the better. Greater prestige meant a higher rarity, right?

"I have no idea what you just said."

He chuckled, relaxed in his chair.

In fact, any book on Enchantment would do to kickstart the Enchanter's Grimoire. He asked for beginner tomes because he didn't know any high-grade book titles.

It wasn't a bad idea to start at the beginning.

Enchanting recipes and rituals were scattered code between various enchanting books. He had to feed those books to the Grimoire and let it regurgitate the recipes.

That was as much as he knew about Enchanting at this point.

He assumed that the better the grade of the books, the better the recipes.

To be able to consume books from the prestigious Tvarglad Library, his Grimoire should gain a nice passel of recipes, right?

The librarian returned, a worker with a wheeled cart behind her.

"Ten books," she said briskly. "as you wished."

"Thank you." Krow bent over the first one, the thickest. "'Tales of Enchanters'?"

"A children's book," Marses commented. "Myths and legends."

"It is also the third most popular tome in the library." The librarian had the grace not to appear smug, but her tone was too neutral to be real.

"The lecture halls often invite children," the Reeve explained.

They started their enchanters young, Krow supposed.

"I'll take it." He didn't need the content. He just needed them to be enchanter's books.

[Tales of Enchanters]

[Quality: C][Uncommon]

[A certified copy of a book from the Tvarglad Enchanter's Library.]

Good enough.

Krow ran a finger across the spines of the second pile of books.

'The Meditations of Albanchad' was graded C Rare.

'Enchantment Through the Millenia', C Uncommon.

'Guilevord's Journal', C Uncommon.

'The Travels of Zarad', C Rare.

All the beginner books were C Uncommon.

Were they graded C because they weren't the originals?

Krow lifted the cover of 'The Travels of Zarad' to see that it had been written a bit over a thousand years ago.

Huh.

Would the originals even exist, still?

He flipped them all into his inventory and shone sincerity at the librarian. "I am grateful for your assistance. Visiting an institution like the Tvarglad Library has been an unforgettable experience."

"Certainly. I hope the books will be of great help to you."

He let a smile spread over his face, entirely genuine. "I know they will."

She smiled back perfunctorily and they made polite goodbyes.

He and Marses walked back through the inner hall to the outer half of the library. The inner halls were quieter, the air more rarified.

The outer hall greeted them with a constant buzz of conversation, like white noise in the background.

But then one voice rose above the rest.

"You've caught him! Praise Kombar you were here, Reeve!"

Krow turned.

A vargvir rushed at them from a side wing. He was robed in a fashion and color forty years too young for his age, a jeweled cane clasped in one hand.

"Librarian, it's him, the thief!" The vargvir pointed in their direction.

Him?

Krow glanced around.

Oh. It was indeed him.

A librarian stepped forward, a slight frown on his face. "Sir, may we ask a few questions?"

Convicted, just like that.

Krow smiled though, inclined his head. "As long as you don't mind me asking a few questions of my own."

"Insolent! Why would we allow that, thief?"

"For example, could you describe this thief to me?"

"You're standing right there! Why would I need to describe anything?"

"Who knows?" He shrugged, tone blithe. "Maybe it wasn't me at all."

"I already said it was you!" The vargvir spread his arms, addressed the gathering spectators. "Would you doubt my word against this draculkar intruder?"

The people began to murmur.

Krow kept a light smile on his face. "What a beautiful day is today; there are many interesting people in the world! Is it common to meet a stranger and call him thief immediately?"

"You know very well what you did! I saw you with these eyes, don't deny it!"

"I wouldn't know what I'd be denying anyway."

"So brave, draculkar, to keep up a front even with a Reeve to hear. You can't fool me! You draculkar have always wanted our Enchanter knowledge! How bold to walk into the Library itself. Hah, you cannot escape!"

What?

What drama was this guy creating in his head?