第１５７０堀：城の書庫へ (Part2)
While the guild’s office was packed, this place was a true archive, housing a collection of books that dwarfed anything I’d seen before. It had been a repository for documents and tomes gathered from across the castle, and the sheer volume was incomparable to a branch guild. Even though the kingdom had rotted and fallen, the sheer density of records and materials here was staggering.
"Still," I murmured to myself, "I doubt anyone here truly grasped the value of these things."
Books are a luxury in this world. They are handwritten, artisanal creations—not like the mass-produced goods Yuki’s territory churns out with its advanced printing technology. Yet, they aren't exactly easy to sell. Of course, they might find a buyer among enthusiasts, but the value depends entirely on the content. An adventurer might pay for a book detailing hidden treasure or offering combat techniques, but few possess the literacy or education to seek out such things. Conversely, the nobles or the state—who actually have the coin—would never dream of selling their technical manuals. They are the bedrock of national power. It’s like asking if Weed would ever sell a book containing all its proprietary technology; the answer is obviously no. Because of this, while books are technically assets, there are very few places to liquidate them.
"That’s probably why they didn't bother looting them when they fled and sealed this place off," I mused, flipping through the pages of a tome, imagining why the collection remained intact.
Besides, books are surprisingly fragile. If they get wet, the ink bleeds and the text becomes illegible; handle them roughly, and they fall apart. Their value plummets under such conditions, making them poor candidates for items to carry during a chaotic retreat. Jewels and precious metals are far more practical.
"What’s the matter? Find something interesting?"
As if hearing my mutterings, Agil popped her head out. Looking over at her, I could see she had already processed a much larger stack of books than I had.
"Not really. I was just wondering why these books were left behind. I mean, they’re bulky, their value is obscure, and gold or jewels would have been a much better choice for anyone fleeing, right?"
"Ah, true enough. Only a select few would see the value in these, or have the money to pay for them. Well, for us, this is a mountain of treasure. We’ll copy them later and add the whole lot to Weed’s library."
"True. Knowledge is the greatest treasure, after all."
Exactly. To those who can’t appreciate them, they’re just trash. But to us in Weed, they are worth more than a thousand pieces of gold. Of course, for the sake of appearances, we’ll return the originals, but as Agil said, we’ll copy and transcribe them first, ensuring all the information ends up in our hands. I doubt there’s anything earth-shattering in here, but gathering this kind of data is quietly essential. Being around Yuki makes that abundantly clear.
"Oh, speaking of which, I found something interesting."
"Interesting?"
I tilted my head, and Agil handed me a document. I took it and scanned the contents.
"...Construction costs for the Litea Church? And this... is this a donation, or rather, a tribute to the Holy City of Litea?"
"Exactly. It looks like records of money funneled into Litea. At a glance, I can’t tell if this is a legitimate flow of funds or something else... but don't you think Rurua or Lilishe would know if they saw it?"
"They would, but is now really the time to bring it up?"
I understood what Agil was getting at. Both of us were from the If Continent, and honestly, neither of us had any idea what the appropriate expenses for the Litea Church should be. It was only natural to have someone who knew take a look, but...
"Well, if there’s something suspicious written here, they’re going to be furious."
"Exactly. And I wonder if that might bring our investigation to a halt?"
"That’s not for us to decide. I think the best move is to leave it to Yuki, don't you?"
"Ah, you’re right. Putting it off until later doesn't feel right either... wait, then why did you show it to me?"
That’s right. If that was the case, there was no reason to show it to me specifically. Why me?
"Well, the soldiers might not need to know, but the members here should generally be aware of how things work, right? Especially since Dressa is in charge of the navy."
"I see. You’re absolutely right."
I, too, operate as a leader of the navy, and I handle these kinds of documents regularly. There will come a time when I have to negotiate with other nations. Being ignorant is not an option in my position. So, Agil was telling me to take this opportunity to learn.
"Yeah. It would be a huge help if you could summarize it for me later."
"Wait, aren't you coming with me, Agil?"
"I’m sticking to my research and negotiations with my home country. As for the budget, I just beg Yuki for what I need. I’m passing on the rest."
Ah, I see. She doesn't want to get involved because money matters are a headache. I sighed, but since it was necessary, I took the documents and headed off to find Yuki.
It feels a bit like the aftermath of a fallen castle in a game like Dragon Quest, doesn't it? Though, thankfully, there are no poison swamps to trudge through.