Three Spheres

Chapter 80 - Books

When night falls in Sarauniya and shifts from the reception desk take place, Keisha approaches the young librarian with her Magnum Paragon stamped pass:

_ Miss, excussy, I want the key to session 6. Godeve gave me permission to go there today.

_ Session 6...? But that's...

_ Hey, waita minute, I've permission. _ She puts the paper down on the bench _ See? If you don't wanna let me, that's fine, but you can speak directly with Mrs. Busia...

_ N-No! I'm sorry! Take your time!

As if by magic, the girl takes the almost inaccessible key in her hands. Deodoro smiles from ear to ear. "She said to wait for the shift change, because she knew that this librarian is a newbie. It is in the simplest choices that we know who the smartest people are, huh?", he concludes.

Without delay, the duo descends the stone stairs towards what looks like a medieval dungeon. With a snap of his fingers, Deodoro makes the lamps on the walls light up. Keisha feels her heart pounding: She sneaked away from her nurse, Fayola, in the middle of the night to help a Veneficus, a friend of her friends, study forbidden subjects! The emotion is extreme! What teenager doesn't take pleasure in breaking some rules?

_ But Deodoro... I know you said you need to see these books 'cause of what happened in Meigdan, but how did'ya come to the conclusion that it's... _ She speaks in a low voice _ ...demonic magic?

The man sighs as he searches for tomes on the shelves. He answers:

_ I know you are asking for mere formality, Miss Keisha. You know what's going on, don't you?

_ Uh... _ She hesitates _ Yeah, I kinda had to guess, but, I mean, it's pretty scary. _ She runs her hand over yellowed pages _ Like, it seems that there's a lot going on at the same time. I know that Aunt Eve and Aunt Shina don't tell me all the stuff, but it sucks when I know they're lying... Then I wanted you to tell me... if... if I'm right.

_ You are. I may be wrong myself, but I'm sure you are not. After all, the good thing about being young is that your mistakes will always bring something good in the end.

Deodoro puts six books on the table. He looks for the best way to respond to the girl's expectant look. Finally, he says:

_ It seems that there is a Witch doing several "evil deeds" inside and outside the Ecclesia. Our peace is threatened. People are already feeling the effects of this hatred.

_ Deodoro. _ Keisha interrupts _ There's only one problem with what ya' said... I've done the calculations, a bunch of times: The probability that a Witch showing up, anywhere, is approximately 0.013%. _ The man threatens to interrupt her, but Keisha imposes herself _ But the numbers change when you adjust the variables... It isn't "a Witch", man. It's much more likely to be 4 or even 5 causing all of this. Witches don't work alone.

Deodoro's eyes widen. Keisha bites her lip, but continues:

_ By the patters I found, there must be at least one Witch in each country and it's very unlikely that they are acting on their own. It isn't hard to see that ACU staff is dying in droves, that there's a flood of badly controlled insurgencies, and, 'course, a great bunch of bizarre conflicts! They're destroying Ecclesia from the inside, under our noses, but we can't prove it! That's why I'm sure they're, like, soooo close. I was even talking about it with Aunt Eve, about something that happened in Brazva and...

_ Keisha. _ Deodoro touches her shoulder gently _ If we discover the whole plan of the Witches with our hypotheses, will we be able to prove it? In addition, will we be able to prevent it? _ The girl lowers her face _ I realize that you're anxious for knowing that there is so much that we do not know yet, but now I believe that it's more valuable to just follow a lead and prepare. Do you understand?