The next morning, I woke up feeling better, but my mood is still in the dump. I feel a little lethargic, perhaps because of too much sleep, but I think of as just my imagination.

Luckily, my appetite is now back and I have now the desire to eat the fish that I caught, though it’s not enough to fill me.

I guess, I have no choice but to go out and catch some fish.

(Even though my appetite is back, I feel like having meat is a bit too heavy for now. That’s why fish is what I want to have, though going to the river early morning is quite..)

After thinking about it, I crawled out from my base and check the river to check if there was anyone there. As expected, there was no sign of the elves when I arrived at the river. There’s no smell, sign nor sound of them. This is kind of making me sad, although I can fish as many as I want.

After I caught enough fish, I returned to my base and grilled it with salt. I enjoyed the dish though it felt that it failed to satisfy my food cravings.

After the meal I decided to go heat to the shopping mall for the umpteenth time in order to gain “knowledge” and the means for that.

I quickly finish my chores and pack up a small package and set off.

The travel was surprisingly uneventful and navigating become easier with the discovery of the train tracks and the lack of tree that’s getting in my way.

I arrived at the shopping mall in Eirkeil late today, so I leave my luggage at my usual sleeping quarters and head to town to secure dinner while taking things that I would need.

The dinner and clean up went well, and as lie to bead I thought on how well I’ve already adapted. Th quality of bed is as good as the one I got for the main base due to the supplies for it being abundant around.

I don’t feel sleepy for now but working while dark is time-consuming so I’ll just wake up early to go do some work.

By the next morning, even though it is still dim. I ate some leftover meat from last night for breakfast and then checked the bookstore. Unfortunately, the bookstore was smaller than I expected making it hard for me to enter as my huge body doesn’t fit in it. I guess I’ll try entering if horizontally.

Once I entered the bookstore successfully, I began to collect as many books as I can.

One hour later, I noticed that a large number of erotic books was scattered around me and no I didn’t do anything because my <partner> is still missing,

But honestly, this bookstore has a high amount of erotic books had made me do this.

Two more hours have passed when I finished sorting through the books and returned ti my quarter with seven books to be the first and then put them in my backpack.

(Bookstore are great but a library is fine too)

Since what I wat is <knowledge> the latter would be a perfect candidate to look on to. The library here may not be as big as the one in imperial capital but it’s size would allow me to move a round to some extent. This would make it so that I can find the book I’m looking for easier. This is the reason I ignored the on the mall and went to the library and the bookstore outside.

I quickly found a bookstore in the main street but it seems that it was vandalized by other creatures and the state of the books are the worst.

(What a mess)

As I was about to move elsewhere, something caught my attention. And when I checked it became clear to me that my conjecture isn’t mistaken.

(.. footprints. They’re resemble that of a human shoe. And judging by the dust, they aren’t that old yet.)

It’s useless to know where they come from, the issue here is that they come here. It seems like someone is taking things here.

Until recently, no one was here so I can just take whatever I want, but that’s not the case now. Honestly, it became troublesome as only those who belong to the empire is the only one who can understand the true value of the things left here. Also, it’s not hard to imagine what kind of people are coming to this place.

(This place is relatively close to the border. It’s not like I didn’t expect this to happen but ...)

This makes these books all the more important

As an imperialist, I believe knowledge is power. I can’t leave it alone and let it be ravaged by those savages. That’s why I should protect those which are useful at a glance.

In other words, the first thing that would fit the bill are the erotic books. These people can’t definitely read the imperial language that’s why their attention would definitely be on the erotic books!

It’s not like I’ll bring them back with me because I wanted to okay! I’m just protecting them!

And with that logic, I know have the excuse to bring it back with me. But what had already happened couldn’t be helped. As such, I would strive to bring as many of them back to base..

{T/N this is just a fight between a man’s will and temptation}

(Don’t lose focus, it’s not what you need right now)

We can still get them from other city, my priority right now is to get the tools that I need. If I need do other things then I could do that after.

I took a deep breath, calm down and check the inside of the bookstore just to be sure. Apparently, the person who broke in here is scavenging through the books here.

(Do they think that they are they excavating some ancient ruins here?)

Certainly, a bookstore filled with imperial knowledge is no less than a crystallization of knowledge and wisdom for other countries. I don’t know if they can read it but 200 years is enough to call the perished imperial civilization an ancient one.? So I guess those who are going here are either archeologist or a treasure hunters.

I want to put aside my feelings that I might have been fun because, honestly, I’m quite jealous at their way of life. I mean that’s my top profession that I wanted to be when I was a child.

However, there’s no way for me to say it especially to the people who aren’t even in here.

Also, I have no way to know what books had already been taken and I can’t do anything about it. It’s infuriating to see that the legacy of the empire be taken by unrelated people but there’s no way for me to stop it. I best I can do is to take it since the early bird takes the worm.

The only think I can do is chase them out once I find them near here. It might not be able to solve the problem completely but at least it would give me time to take as much as I can.

If I ever decided to slaughter them there’s a chance that an army will be on my ass not to mention, what would they do to this city once they enter this.

It’s not easy dealing with these barbarians. Yeah right, that’s rich coming from a butt-naked monster.

After my monologue, I resumed my search. Unfortunately, I sense nothing in the surrounding. It’s more productive to focus on searching what I need.

As I was searching while thinking about senseless things, I saw large amounts of book inside a collapsed structured. I approached it thinking that it might be the library. I went inside.

(I can’t say that the condition inside is good)

The good thing is that the I can properly see what books are on the shelves and their genre. This would save me a lot of time searching, that’s why I decided to do the search carefully and meticulously.

I found the book about home made seasonings on the cooking shelf, they’re still in a good condition and still readable. Then I secure two more books and then three more books. Though some of them are in a very bad condition already.

The world isn’t really fair. Most of the book I really wanted to read are those whose condition are bad. Especially the book <Miso Making for Beginners>. I want miso, but I guess I have to look on other books for it.

I kept searching till the sun was about to set and I ended up returning to my quarter with 25 books in tow, all of it are about seasonings. Also, I read a bit of them slightly and did roam the mall to look for necessary equipment.

When I finished sorting everything, I looked at the pile I was about to take home and thought that I did it again.

I encourage myself to learn and I looked at the books where I sorted it again to things that I need and things that I probably don’t need

(I need this one, and this one.. this.. I don’t seem to have all of the ingredients. Do you even need this much fruit to make this sauce?)

I’m getting dizzy with the number of materials needed. In addition, my lack of knowledge makes me want to cry.

I realized that making condiments takes a lot of time and effort that I thought ad even if do the less time-consuming ones, the ingredients are more or less not available that’s why I ended up giving up on most of them.

(If the Imperial farm are still fine then, I’d want to go.. but I don’t think it would still be there. There’s no way that those two countries won’t pillage the Empire.)

Well, I decided if I can’t go anywhere else then I’ll head to those places.

Leon?and?Haile?were countries who are waging wars against the Empire for land. When the elves entered the wad with their forces concentrated in the west, these two countries invaded with no declaration of war and ravages several town.

Naturally, they paid the price but that didn’t stop them. Those two countries are labeled by the Empire as untrustworthy barbarian nations.

They are called as such due to them taking hostages and using them as comfort?[1]?once they are of no use.

They surrendered to the Empire after just three months after the counter-attack. However, once they noticed that the situation on the empire deteriorated, they attacked again ignoring the armistice. They went on to massacre the citizens who are rebuilding the town and used the survivors as hostages. I can’t really think of anything but to call them barbarians.

I don’t even have to tell you what would those two would do when the empire fell.

I know that sooner or later, time will come for me to go south, even though I know that that place isn’t safe. But for now, I’m not yet being hunted by humanity so it’s fine to put it on hold for now.

By the way, sorting out is now done and my luggage is full. I’m in a state where I have my backpack on my back and two bags on my arms and one hanging on my neck. It seems that I went a bit greedy, but it’s not like I can’t move.

I returned to based thinking that everything is fine but in the end, it proved difficult and ended up taking a lot more time going home more than expected.

Next time let’s be careful

============================================================

War timeline of Haile and Leob.

Empire-Canaan war: both abstained to go to war

Seizelia and Emmeriade joined the war: Both prepared for war.

Then both enter the war without declaration.

Both surrendered when the Empire counter attacked.

Once the tide of war changes they once again re invaded breaking the armistice.

Haile and Seizeria both declared war.

War deteriorates: Emmeriade broke through the western front. Haile was saved by Seizelia and joined by Leob.