Published at 12th of August 2024 7:39 am

Chapter 115 Jumpscare

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The sound of clicking open his pocket watch crept into Elmer’s ears through all the noise in the library, and with that appeared before his eyes the view of the locations of the minute and hour hands within it.

“Midday,” Elmer muttered before shutting his watch and returning it back into his jacket’s pocket. It seemed it was about time he left the library.

He looked back into his notebook where he’d finished the history summary of Fitzroy—the ones he’d had the time to pen down—then took his gaze toward the tomebound encyclopedia that had been of help with his research.

“I guess the rest will have to wait until later.” Elmer scoffed softly a second after he spoke, almost unnoticeably. “The major thing I wanted to learn I didn’t even get to.” He caressed his chin gently with his right hand as though tiny bits of itches were about it; although he had no beard for that to be possible. He was not even having his postiche on as he had felt it was unnecessary for his exploits today.

Not bad though… Not bad… Into his mind he went next. I could have skipped everything on the creation of the empire and jumped straight to the section meant for the cities of Fitzroy; but what use is learning about history if I’m not going to start from the root…?

With those thoughts, the words Mistress Eleanor always used to start the day at Meadbray’s orphanage after morning prayers swept into his head next. They formed a quote which went:

“If something is to be done, then very well it should.”

Elmer smiled due to his reminiscing and closed his small notebook, dipping it into his jacket’s left pocket along with his pen.

He then rose to his feet and picked up the large history book with the words: ‘Fitzroy’s Encyclopedia’ embossed on its fine leather, along with the crest of the empire of Fitzroy: a golden shield showcasing a kingly figure with a longsword raised up high, who was standing over a horde of bodies piled upon each other.

Nudging the brim of his flat cap downward, as a means to hide his features further since he’d left home without his usual disguise of a postiche, Elmer swerved past the crowd of people with similar social status as he and took himself back to the library’s front desk.

He would have reshelved the encyclopedia himself, like he always did with the novels he read at Mr. Billard’s bookstore back at Meadbray, but he no longer had any idea on which shelf he had taken it from due to the rowdy ambience he was within.

And furthermore, he knew nothing about cataloging and the Dewey Decimal system he’d heard major libraries used for shelving. He did not want to mess things up for the clerks working diligently. And in that regard he reckoned his returning of the book back to the front desk would reduce their workload by one.

Deciding to approach the clerk who had directed him to the reference section bearing a collection of encyclopedias, atlases, and the likes, Elmer walked from the main reading room to the fifth of the ten front desks present in the grand library foyer, counting from his right.

Luckily, in contrast to earlier, the man was free.

Elmer rang the small, brass bell seated near the edge of the expansive polished desk bestowed to the young clerk: Cale Pennyworth—his name vividly engraved on his desk tag.

The gentleman, who had combed-over glossy black hair, and was dressed in a daytime suit of the same color, looked up at Elmer through his gold rimmed glasses. He had been dragged by the neatly dressed peasant before him from the ledger he’d been focusing on.

“Hello,” Elmer greeted with a smile, then slid ‘Fitzroy’s Encyclopedia’ onto the part of the desk where there was enough space for it to contain. “I’ve come to return this for shelving.”

“Alright.” The man cleared his throat, took the book, and rose to his feet. “Have a nice day, Sir.”

Elmer bowed slightly. “And you too.”

The man nodded and left his desk area, and Elmer, at the same time, went to the reception area where he was patted down by a library security officer to check if he was smuggling anything out.

It was for this sole reason that he had avoided taking his revolver with him. He’d expected such to happen.

Still, it was not like he had not left home without any means of protection.

He had purchased two charms from the Black Market on the day he had gone there to seek out a translator for the Enochian language. Ones imbued with the essence of red and blue, indicating fire and cold.

Although, he had tested neither of them out. That was because he had no testing area for one, and he could not risk harming anyone close to him, such as Pip and Mary, as he knew through firsthand experience how dangerous the charms were.

But that also brought about risks if he encountered danger.

What if the charms were fake? Nothing he’d bought from the Black Market had been yet, but still…

And that was why he did not set his mind to depend wholly on them.

He had a manageable battle know-how. Even without his revolver he should be able to deal just enough damage to give him an escaping chance if he encountered danger. That was hoping his opponent was not someone so far ahead in the supernatural than he.

Honestly, the best thing was just to avoid any battle that he was not prepared for. It was for this reason specifically that he was trying his best to lure whichever Ascender had taken up his ‘corrupted one’ case to his own site, because he’d already conjured up a ploy that he hoped would not fail. As long as everything went according to his plan.

His checks were over, and with that he escaped the stuffy air of sweat and books mingling in the library to arrive on its grand portico.

After a hungry inhale and exhale of the fresh air bestowed to the Corporate District, Elmer took a jealous glance at the expensively dressed men, women, and children, waltzing gracefully into the towering and complex building neighboring the one he was on. It was the main library.

I wonder what sort of books are in there…? Elmer dipped his hands into his jacket’s pockets. He was not wearing his gloves and the cold was nibbling at him. Maybe that Fors author’s books can be found there… Well, I didn’t check the fiction section here, so maybe it’s available here too… Ah, I’d really like to go into the main library…

With a sigh Elmer shook his head and returned his mind to where his next destination would be. But just as he was about to take the first step down the portico, a slender figure garbed in a beautiful black dress appeared before his eyes, causing them to widen and his chest to tighten.

As soon as he caught sight of the strands of red hair that peeked out of the lady’s bonnet, he nudged the brim of his flat cap downward and swerved abruptly to hide behind a pillar. His actions made some of the library’s patrons who were walking up and down the stairs to gasp, and the majority of the rest to have their demeanor tighten.

No apologies came from him though—not at that moment. His mind was completely jumbled and occupied.

Blimey…! I should have done another divination before exiting the library… Is that her…? Is it really—

Out of curiosity, Elmer took a glance from the edge of the pillar he was hiding behind and his breath caught for a moment as the lady he had espied was now looking straight at where he was.

But just as quickly as he had lost his breath, so had he regained it.

She was not who he had thought she was; and furthermore, she was not looking at him. A man in a tuxedo approached her from behind him.

Elmer heaved out a great puff of air. His tenses relaxed immediately. Then suddenly he chuckled.

Funny how I’m more scared of encountering Kate than I am of the Ascender seeking me…

He slapped a palm on his forehead with a morose smile as he closed his eyes and leaned back on the pillar he had once been hiding behind.

His brain at that moment replayed the image he had stored in his head of Kate Smyth having a piano performance at her matriculation ceremony at Saint Benedict’s College—the Church of Ur’s college named after its biggest sponsor during its construction.

But he quickly smacked his lips, dispersing those downcast thoughts from his head.

Unlike on that rainy night a few months back, he’d grown to understand what was wrong with him now. Though, that understanding was pointless.

Not of the mind to have another jumpscare, Elmer discreetly brought out his divination pendant from under his sleeve and divined the absence of anyone he was familiar with in the area.

Since he was lacking in the knowledge on how big a radius the divination affected, he decided to perform another one once he’d gone a bit farther away from the library.

He was heading to Ur’s Tribune’s headquarters next; and seeing as it was located in the Corporate District as well, he was going to be trekking.

Settling his thoughts down, Elmer removed himself from behind the pillar where he was, and left Ur’s central library.

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