The Grand Library had originally been the Academy's library. Since it was quiet enough, it had been converted into a luxury private room for the Queen of the Full Moon-the kind with permanent residency rights.
Teacher Sellen was always complaining that Tarnished had no respect for knowledge, but the ones who truly treated knowledge as a tool were those sanctimonious heads of the Academy.
They proclaimed "knowledge above all" while locking every theory they disliked away in here. They called it "protective preservation," but in practice, it meant banning its circulation and discussion.
The Queen of the Full Moon's situation was no different. The heads claimed they were "protecting Her Majesty," but nobody played the imprisonment game better than they did.
Spouting lies, twisting right and wrong, calling black white, saying one thing and meaning another-scholars who had sunk this low would only bring ruin to the world, even if they read every book in it.
Tarnished looked ahead.
The Caria Knight Moongrum leaned beside the door with his arms folded, looking half like he was standing guard and half like he was slacking off.
"Here for the princess?" Moongrum lifted his eyelids.
"Yeah."
"She's inside."
"Thanks."
Moongrum reached out and pushed open the heavy wooden door, but Tarnished did not enter right away. "How are your injuries?"
"Nothing serious anymore, thanks to Lily's attentive care."
"Lily?"
"A girl from the Medical Team."
"Ohhh-" Tarnished drew the word out, his smile growing increasingly wicked.
Moongrum's mouth twitched. "It's not what you think."
"Don't explain. Explaining means you're covering something up."
The knight sighed. "In your eyes, can't men and women have an innocent friendship?"
"Sure they can." Tarnished nodded, then immediately changed tack. "But when you're around the same age, see each other often, and you specifically mention her name-that