Chapter 91

However, it seems that this Soul of the Dead is unwilling to return it.

There are many more spirits like these inside the Silent Bookstore, and they are gradually awakening with the arrival of Hebe.

While Hebe calmed the helicopter, Toyokawa Shoko remained bowed and waited silently.

She felt her face burning, and an indescribable bitterness slowly bloomed on the tip of her tongue. This setback and pressure were unprecedented. She almost wanted to jump off the Wanghai Cliff and smash herself to Skullshatterer, and she also had an impulse to go back to the Higashi and hide under the covers.

But Toyokawa Shoko restrained herself, digging her right fingernails hard into the inside of her left knuckles.

She told herself, "I can't run away, I can't retreat, I can't waver."

The entire Toyokawa Family depends on the Silent Bookstore for survival, so what reason does she have to run away?

This unspoken silence continued until Hebe returned, "Why are you still here?"

The sound was like a thunderbolt, almost knocking Toyokawa Shoko off her feet. She unconsciously widened her eyes.

'What do you mean I'm still here?' she thought with a hint of resentment.

Toyokawa Shoko was almost suffocated by this silent indifference. She tried her best to bend her body even lower, like a bow being bent.

"I'm sorry, I, I..."

She opened her mouth, and the numb bitterness almost made her vomit.

"What I mean is," Hebe sighed, "Why are you still bowing?"

The time spent calming the helicopter was short, but it still lasted a minute or two.

During this time, Toyokawa Shoko has maintained this respectful posture. Doesn't she get tired?

Lord of Blankog's words clearly reached Toyokawa Shoko's ears, causing her to breathe rapidly. She could only lower her head in shame and indignation, remaining silent.

But she quickly forced herself to raise her head, and the instant her eyes met Hebe's, she fell back down as if electrocuted, landing on Hebe's shoulder.

Hebe waved to her.

"Follow me," said Lord of Blankog.

The path after Wanghai Cliff was relatively flat, Toyokawa Shoko was prepared to put in some effort, but it wasn't actually difficult.

At the Wanghai Cliff, seagulls build their nests and fly in flocks.

These white and noisy birds circled above their heads, their sharp eyes scanning the passersby for food. Unfortunately, they found nothing and then flapped their wings and flew away.

"This is a great place to relax, but I wouldn't recommend you have a picnic here," Hebe said, pointing to the Wanghai Cliff. "Unless you want your good mood to be ruined by the seagulls along with your food."

There are three kinds of messengers on Blankog Island: crows, doves, and seagulls, who are always bringing new messages.

Even the Silent Bookstore reserved some space specifically for receiving these messengers.

Toyokawa Shoko followed closely behind Hebe, listening intently while keeping her eyes wide open to observe her surroundings. She saw a long-neglected open-air garden, a space enclosed by walls, and two tall towers standing further away.

"This is the Fragrant Garden. It's a pity that it has been abandoned for a long time. I'm not a gardening enthusiast either, but you can plant some flowers and plants here if you're interested."

"That walled-off area is the Martial Practice Garden," Hebe said. "Many people used to practice there. If it weren't enclosed by a wall, some strange things might have happened."

Hebe's tone was nothing special, but Toyokawa Shoko shrugged warily.

Her heart, which had just softened somewhat by the beautiful scenery, was immediately hardened again by the unknown danger.

Toyokawa Shoko wanted to ask Hebe what the "strange phenomenon" was, but Hebe did not delve into that. Instead, he led her through the Martial Practice Garden and the tower, onto the Colonnaded Courtyard.

Compared to the Fragrant Garden, this Colonnaded Courtyard is much tidier, and its tranquil atmosphere makes one slow down.

"Sea Blue Jay bloom here in summer and Blue Crown Flower in winter," Hebe said. "In short, I don't need to worry about either of these plants, which saves me a lot of time and effort."

The heavy doors opened silently before Hebe, revealing a solemn and pristine white foyer behind them.

In the recessed passageway, artifacts dating back hundreds, even thousands of years are displayed. From solemn statues to small bronze tripods with four legs, to stone slabs inscribed with unidentifiable characters, and Shepherd's Staff standing not far away... the weight of more than a dozen centuries left Toyokawa Shoko speechless.

Hebe picked up the stone slab.

She picked up a pen and wrote a new name on the stone slab.

At the highest point of Blanckug, the large bronze bell began to sway, about to ring out.

Hebe didn't even look up. "Quiet."

The bronze bell, which was about to ring out, fell silent in an instant, with only a faint echo reverberating in the air.

Day 1 of 139

When Hebe left Toyokawa Shoko's name on that stone slab, it meant that she had officially become the librarian of the Silent Bookstore.

"Congratulations, congratulations!" Hebe clapped in celebration.

If her tone had been more varied, the celebration would have felt even more solemn.

Toyokawa Shoko was unsure whether to laugh or frown.

On the one hand, he was happy because his life ahead was destined to be anything but easy; on the other hand, he was unhappy because he was the second-in-command in such a powerful and secretive organization.

Toyokawa Shoko was filled with mixed emotions. To hide it, she subconsciously opened the can of cola in her hand and took a sip.

"Well..."

Hebe saw Toyokawa Shoko's face wrinkle up.

Toyokawa Shoko's delicate features contorted in pain. She instinctively wanted to throw away the can of soda in her hand, which had an indescribable taste, but then she realized that it was a drink that Hebe had given her.

After taking two quick breaths, Toyokawa Shoko's face showed a fearless expression as she tilted her head back and drank the ginger-flavored Laoshan Cola in one gulp.

"Okay, it's delicious... Thank you very much."

Toyokawa Shoko forced another awkward smile.

Once again, her mind began to race with wild thoughts: Was it a show of force? Or a warning? Or a declaration of authority?

"Anyway, welcome again, and congratulations on becoming a librarian." The girl with beautiful green eyes extended her hand. "I am Hebe Stanton. Call me whatever you like."

The well-proportioned, fair, and slender hand hovered in front of Toyokawa Shoko.

She instinctively reached out and shook his hand.

'How warm.' Toyokawa Shoko was taken aback.

The warmth emanating from Hebe's palm almost brought tears to her eyes.

"My name is... Toyokawa Shoko, nice to meet you."

"Toyokawa—" Hebe raised an eyebrow. "This surname is quite rare. Do you know Toyokawa Ryunosuke?"

After all, he was an old man from the late Edo period. Hebe was just saying it casually and didn't expect Toyokawa Shoko to have any real understanding of it.

But the latter stared wide-eyed.

"Yes, I know," Toyokawa Shoko's voice trembled with shock. "He was my great-grandfather..."

She didn't understand why Hebe would suddenly bring up that name, because even within the Toyokawa Family, few people remembered it anymore.

Could it be that this Miss Hebe in front of me once knew my great-grandfather? But that was more than a hundred years ago.

Hebe suddenly felt the wind blowing from a very distant place. She calmly nodded. "In that case, do you still believe in the Otogiyama Ogre King?"

"Yes," Toyokawa Shoko replied, "But now in the Toyokawa Family, only my maternal grandfather formally worships the Otogiyama Ogre King."

Hebe didn't dwell on the topic, but a gentler expression unconsciously appeared on her face.

In this era, in an era where Saga, Sakata Kintoki, and others have long since passed away, is it not a fortunate thing to be able to see old friends again?

Toyokawa Shoko could also sense this change in expression.

If the way Hebe looked at her before was just a superior looking at a subordinate, now it gave her the feeling of an elder looking at a junior.

That warm gaze gave Toyokawa Shoko a strange, unsettling sense of familiarity.

One's own maternal grandfather? No, he was an old man who expressed his love in a strict manner, and his arrangements were so forceful that they could even backfire.

His own father? No, perhaps his father was a gentle man, but after that failed investment, his spirit, his backbone, and his former gentleness all disappeared.

But in my short life, I have experienced this tenderness before—yes, it was my mother.

A strong sense of guilt welled up deep within Toyokawa Shoko: What's wrong with me? How could I have such despicable thoughts?

A mother is a mother; she is completely irreplaceable.

This idea not only insulted my deceased mother, but also the Miss Hebe in front of me... and even more so, it insulted myself.

Toyokawa Shoko clenched her fist.

She silently followed Hebe as they ascended the Grand Spiral Staircase.

After confirming Toyokawa Shoko's identity, Hebe became more talkative. "There's a music room, a reading room, a restaurant, and a storage room on the first floor. Xiao Xiang, would you like to take a look?"

Regardless of age, seniority, or status, it seems perfectly acceptable for Hebe to Xiao Xiang.

Toyokawa Shoko silently agreed to the title.

"I... I want to go to the music room."

They walked through the reading room, which was filled with countless books—a place that visitors to the Silent Bookstore were usually only allowed to enter.

In the reading room, the warm brown candlelight, lamplight, and natural light filtering through the stained glass cast a soft glow on the bookshelves. Soft sofas, reading chairs, and footstools were arranged in rows, and a tea set and several packets of tea sat on the table.

Toyokawa Shoko gazed at those beautiful carriers of knowledge and thought that even setting aside everything else, reading here would be an extremely enjoyable experience.

But compared to the music room, the reading room held little appeal for Toyokawa Shoko.

When Hebe pushed open the door, even the turning of the hinges sounded like a beautiful arpeggio. And almost instantly, Toyokawa Shoko was captivated by the view behind the door.

—This is a spacious and bright room with several softly lit chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. On the right is a large window with orange curtains tied around the bed. A gray sofa is placed next to the window, where you can sit and look out at the undulating sea.

But that's not all. The walls are covered with all sorts of musical instruments. There are wind instruments from Europe, string instruments from the East, and of course, xylophones and mouth harps from the New World. On the floor are several large drums, a cello, and a golden harp.

From ancient harps and flutes to emerging brass instruments and guitars, you can find them all here.

What pleased Toyokawa Shoko the most was a grand piano that was quietly waiting in the corner.

She took a cheerful step forward, then realized something and went back to look at Hebe's expression.

"The Canonizing Drum." Hebe pointed to a large, pink, African-style drum.

"Concise Piano." She nodded towards the grand piano.

Then Hebe walked to the other side of the room. "These are the Birdsong Harp and the Tremolo Violin."

These four musical instruments are the most valuable items in the music room.

A certain generation of librarians was a music enthusiast. She was proficient in vocal works, but also equally skilled in musical instruments.

She was keen on giving solo recitals—but in Hebe's view, it was just a compromise because she couldn't find any bandmates.

So later, when the administrator's skills improved, she inspired the four instruments she was best at, bringing them to life so that she could play and sing them at her winter solo concerts.

After the librarian stepped down, all the musical instruments in the room fell silent.

Hebe briefly explained the origins of these instruments to Toyokawa Shoko, who then gazed at the piano with a complex expression. "Miss Hebe, may I try it?"

"Please go ahead." Hebe gestured, then sat down on the gray sofa.

Toyokawa Shoko walked over, lifted the lid of the grand piano, and then placed her hands on the keys.

The piano did not refuse her touch.

A melodious sound flowed forth like a gentle stream, as Toyokawa Shoko's ten fingers tapped the keys like raindrops pattering on the eaves. It was Liszt's "La Campanella," carrying an indescribable melancholy, yet inexplicably evoking a sense of profound emotion.

Toyokawa Shoko played with complete absorption, tears welling up in her eyes. As the piano resonated, the drum began to beat in time with the music.

The cello vibrated its strings in a deep, resonant sound, and the harp began to pluck its own strings.

The music swirled in the room like a storm. Toyokawa Shoko stopped what she was doing, but it took a full half minute for the lingering sound to completely disappear.

Suddenly, the piano emitted several cheerful notes.

"This is..."

"You have awakened this piano," Hebe explained, "And it has recognized you as its new master."

Toyokawa Shoko was somewhat flattered.

She had played many pianos, but this was the first time she had ever played a live piano.