Upon opening, the content seemed plausible.

Anyway, she couldn’t read all of this vast amount, nor did she have the time to do so.

Even if she asked the passing children, they wouldn’t give her the correct answer. In fact, due to the competitive nature of their relationships, Liria, who had no allies within the family, found herself at an even greater informational disadvantage.

‘Ah, there is a way to find out what’s real.’

Liria approached the director’s office. Just then, she saw an old man coming out and heading towards a bookshelf.

He was the very person who had stood against Osdel’s order to get rid of the books in the original story.

He was Suleiman, the supervisor of the aptitude test and the director of this library.

‘He must know better than anyone else.’

Officially, it was a secret that he was the supervisor. Liria wouldn’t have known this fact if she hadn’t seen the original story.

Despite his advanced age and snow-white hair, he was a deeply learned scholar who had read more magic books than anyone else in Roberg and had significantly contributed to the magical academic world through his discovery of numerous magic formulas.

He was one of the most trusted allies of the Duke.

He was a person of great skill and experience. Suleiman would know more accurately than anyone else.

‘But if I ask too directly, he’ll be wary of me.’

Additionally, it would be even better if she could get a hint about the aptitude test by getting in his good graces.

Suleiman picked a book from the shelf and started to skim through it.

Liria, who had quietly approached Suleiman while he was deeply engrossed in reading, greeted him politely.

“Hello, Director Suleiman.”

With a noble lady’s greeting, spreading the skirt of her dress and slightly bending her knees.

“…Hello? Young lady.”

“My name is Liria.”

“I know the faces and names of all the direct descendants. You’re Miss Liria, daughter of Young Master Classid, aren’t you?”

It was fascinating how his long, white beard moved every time he spoke.

“Yes, that’s right. If it’s not too much trouble, could you help me choose a book?”

Suleiman closed the book he was reading and looked down at Liria once again.

“Of course. What kind of book would you like to see? If it’s a fairy tale, it’s in the third bookshelf.”

“A book that can make me a magician. I want to become the strongest magician of all.”

Liria said with a bright smile, like an innocent child.

For a moment, Suleiman’s eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of some pattern in the child’s eyes, but he quickly hid his expression and asked.

“Hmm, unfortunately, there’s no such book.”

“Oh, really?”

As Liria quickly became dejected, Suleiman said.

“Perhaps you’re looking for the aptitude test guide?”

“I’ve already found those.”

Liria pointed to her seat where she had stacked the seven guidebooks.

“Ah, those books are all good and will be helpful.”

Suleiman answered with a kind smile, but Liria tilted her head and said.

“But it’s strange. They don’t seem real, more like fakes.”

“…Pardon? What do you mean?”

Suleiman feigned ignorance. Liria knew that his beard trembled slightly whenever he lied.

In the original story, he was exiled by Osdel for lying while trying to protect important magic books.

Above all, there was a decisive clue that all seven guides were fake.

The authors’ names were all fake, slightly altered from the names of Roberg’s historical magicians.

The publication years were also completely wrong.

“It’s strange. It’s as if someone deliberately placed them there as a trap.”

“…Why do you think that?”

His eyes narrowed as they focused on the small child.

“Look. The names of the authors here are slightly changed versions of Roberg’s famous historical magicians. I believe that you, as the director, wouldn’t make the mistake of putting out guides with uncertain authorship.”

“…My. Have you memorized all the names of our famous ancestors?”

“Yes, because they’re respected figures who made today’s Roberg possible.”

It wasn’t entirely a lie, as Grandfather was among them.

“You’re a clever and admirable young la… miss. Hmm.”

“So, will you tell me where the real guide is?”

“Pardon? Why would I…”

His beard started to tremble again, perhaps worried that she might have also discovered that he was the supervisor.

“Director Suleiman, you’re the head of this library, aren’t you? So I thought you would know everything. If you don’t know, isn’t that neglecting your duties?”

Suleiman nodded at Liria’s bold words and burst into laughter.

“Haha… You’re right. Miss, please continue.”

“Leaving incorrect guides out on purpose must be bait. So I thought you would know better than anyone where the real guide is!”

“Haha, I seem to have let my guard down too much with the young miss.”

Suleiman, who had been stroking his chin beard, took the lead.

“Follow me. I’ll show you the real guide.”

“Yes!”

Liria followed behind him with a bright smile.

When he pushed aside the entire central bookshelf on the second floor of the library, there was a small door decorated with a golden staff.

Suleiman took out a key from his pocket, opened the door, and after a while, brought Liria a book with a green cover.

『Guide for the Magician’s Aptitude Test』

‘This must be the real one.’

The author’s name was Suleiman Hoff, it was him. Liria suppressed her pounding heart and thanked him as she received the book.

“Thank you so much! I’ll study hard with this.”

“It’s nothing. I hope you achieve good results in the test.”

“Yes!”

As he watched the child going down the stairs while answering, Suleiman was lost in thought for a moment. It was too clever a deduction for a six-year-old.

Moreover, the eloquence that had flustered him just now.

While he wasn’t sure about her aptitude as a magician, her aptitude for dealing with people and using her mind was excellent.

Enough to make him want to keep watching over her out of admiration.

“…Indeed, I wonder what the results of that child’s test will be. And how the family head will view it.”

It had been a long time since a Roberg heir had aroused such expectations in various ways.

***

A week later.

On a morning with clear sunlight.

“Miss Liria, wake up. It’s morning.”

Liria half-opened her eyes to the gentle touch shaking her awake.

“…Mmm. Marit, good morning!”

As Marit smiled, Liria could stretch and get up in a good mood.

“Today is the day of the aptitude test.”

“Mm!”

Liria had been waiting for this day to come.

‘I’ll quickly get the magic key and heal Father!’

Liria visited her father’s sick room every day to see his face.

Even yesterday, his complexion seemed quite good.

The doctor’s words were all lies.

He said Father would wake up soon, but he still hadn’t regained consciousness.

Liria had something she wanted to tell him when he woke up.

Words she wanted to convey even more, thinking she might never see him again.

Liria bit her lip and said with determination.

“I will definitely pass the test.”

“What attribute of magic would you like to manifest, Miss?”

Marit asked.

Magic manifestation meant being able to use elemental magic of a specific attribute.

If fire dwelled in the mana heart, one could use fire attribute magic, and if wind dwelled, the mana pathway would open to use wind attribute magic.

The basic attributes of elemental magic were fire, water, earth, and wind, but there were also higher attributes such as darkness and light, lightning and ice, plant and metal.

Thinking of the healing key, Liria said.

“I don’t care which attribute it is, as long as it has healing power.”

Her lime-green eyes sparkled, holding an earnest wish.