༺ S2. Resentment Wished Upon The Stars – 6 ༻
Miskatonic University was a large campus composed of several buildings, located an hour away by car from Abraham’s mansion.
The sight of students walking along the streets with a book tucked under their arm was a common scene even in the academy. However, the notable part was the noisy missionary activities conducted by individuals wearing white cowls.
“Everyone, the end of days is near! Listen for the sake of a meaningful finale!”
“We are only complete in the embrace of God! Let us become a part of Him instead of being a mere speck in the universe. From it, let us be reborn anew!”
Niolle blinked once and laid out the information.
[They’re all young people. It seems like they are students. They are completely absorbed in religion. They wouldn’t hesitate to go through fire and water for their religion.]
“It appears so to my eyes as well. Apocalyptists seem to be the same, wherever it may be. They have truly gone off the deep end.”
“……Not all students are like that. Though the number of youths starting to harbor strange beliefs has increased, the majority are still sound children with high intellectual curiosity and good intentions.”
Though Abraham defended them as such, the fact that no one stopped those loudly preaching and that a considerable number of students were watching attentively…… suggested what the future of the university might potentially hold.
They would spread quickly like mold on bread.
Abraham parked the car in the faculty parking lot and led everyone to the university buildings. The building where astronomy was taught was one of the more dilapidated ones among the facilities.
The three decided to attend a class while waiting for Abraham.
As time passed, students began to fill the lecture room in small groups. Among them were those wearing white cowls. Abraham began his lecture right on time, covering topics like methods of observing stars, the movement of stars, and their mathematical significance.
It was told from the perspective of a scientist. Abraham did not add any religious significance to the stars. He simply did his best to explain what the appearance of the world was like. The lecture was passionate, composed in vocabulary easy for the students to understand.
However, half of the students were bored and those in white cowls seemed to put the lesson on the back burner, chatting and doing their own things.
“These…….!”
“Hold it in.”
Bennett spent the time trying to stop Tara from bursting out like a horse free of its reins. After the class, the students left. Abraham then spoke with an awkward smile.
“It seems my lecture was not all that interesting.”
“No, Abraham. It was really fun! Really. Especially since it completely excluded any theological perspect……..”
Right as Tara was praising Abraham for various aspects of the lecture, Bennett retorted behind her.
“Is that truly something a Saintess should say……?”
“Be quiet, Bennett!”
===============================================================
The library of Miskatonic University was like a labyrinth. The shelves were not arranged neatly but scattered chaotically, potentially even making first-time visitors fear they might get lost.
In fact, a few students who seemed to have zoned out were wandering around the library. Bennett memorized distinctive structures trying to remember the way.
It was unclear whether someone had designed it this way on purpose or if it had naturally become a labyrinth of laziness due to nobody bothering to organize it.
Tara carefully asked Niolle with a worried expression.
“…..Niolle, you memorized the way out, right?”
[Yes!]
“Phew……”
Bennett nudged Tara as he passed by.
“Try to memorize it yourself.”
“It’s a division of labor, okay?! A division of labor!”
“If you wish to speak about division of labor, start by doing the cleaning properly. You are on cleaning duty.”
“Agh, you…..!”
While Bennett and Tara were bickering, Niolle quietly filled the whiteboard. Since it was to show an old man, she wrote in larger letters than usual. Then, she lifted it up to show Abraham.
[Do you know anything about a Shining Trapezohedron?]
“……It is the first I have heard of it. Is it perhaps an object related to the occult?”
[Maybe.]
“Seditious books regarding things like the occult, magic, and conspiracy theories are kept separately in the Forbidden Stacks so students can’t access them. Could it be that you also are…….”
Niolle quickly threw Bennett under the bus.
[As you know, Bennett is very interested in those kinds of things. But you don’t have to worry! Bennett is just enjoying it as a passing interest and if he ever starts going down the wrong path, Tara and I will pull him back!]
“Yes, we’ll take responsibility and stop him, Abraham!”
“Is that so…… Well, in that case, I’ll open the door to the Forbidden Stacks. It just so happens that I am the manager for it.”
However, Abraham added a condition.
“But it will be under supervision. I trust you, but before trust, professional ethics must be maintained. Is that still fine with you?”
“Of course, Abraham.”
Abraham nodded and pulled out a silver key from his pocket. He navigated through the complex, labyrinth-like library, passed by the shelves filled with astronomical books, and finally arrived at a shabby door.
Creaaaak.
The old hinges screamed, revealing the inside.
Unlike the library, the room was neatly organized. Books were tightly packed in rows of shelves and in one corner of the room, there was a large safe. It looked quite sturdy and solid at first glance.
Bennett asked.
“What is that safe for?”
“It’s a personal safe. Since I manage the Forbidden Stacks…….. I thought I might as well keep some important items here too. Inside are things you are aware of already.”
“……Research materials?”
“Correct. I’ve placed copies of the research materials inside the safe. Feel free to look around the book. But don’t get too immersed in the occult. That is an action which is no different from abandoning reason.”
“Yes. I shall stay cautious and careful.”
Bennett nodded with a sour face. How did he end up being seen in this light by Abraham? Come to think of it, wasn’t it Tara who first cut ties with him and threw him to the wolves, leading to this?
“……What are you looking at?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Just you wait and see. I won’t let you get away with this. Bennett swallowed his frustration.
You investigated the books in the Forbidden Stacks. The collection was so vast that it was practically left to chance what you could examine in just one day. True to the nature of seditious books, there were all sorts of bizarre and strange titles.
Whether it was a book containing recipes for sardine pies…
A dissertation arguing the similarities between humans and dogs…
Magazines that collected weird rumors, like sightings of humans with fish heads on a certain coastline…
And adult novels of a high explicitness.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!”
“Tara, did you find something?”
“No, nothing! I didn’t find anything! Absolutely nothing!”
“Your reaction is a bit odd. Looking at it by yourself does not mean you can monopolize the merits anyway. Is that not so? Since we are in a situation where even a slight hint is necessary, if there are any questionable parts, bring it forth.”
“No, hey! Let go……! Agh, shit, why are you so damn strong…….!”
Bennett forcefully took the book Tara was holding with his strength and flipped through a few pages. Then, he handed it back to Tara, whose face had turned bright red, with a comment.
“Read these kinds of things by yourself.”
“You’re the one who took it from me-!! And I didn’t even read it, okay?!”
A second confrontation ensued.
Right as Bennett was verbally beating the shit out of Tara, victory in hand, Abraham cleared his throat a few times and declared the investigation over.
“Shall we call it a day? I will open the Forbidden Stacks tomorrow as well. It’s time to head back home and prepare dinner.”
[Yes, Abraham.]
“Y-Yes! That sounds great!”
Tara agreed enthusiastically. Bennett clicked his tongue in disappointment at Tara slipping away from his snare. A perfect opportunity to tease her for at least 20 more minutes had now gone to ashes.
But then, he suddenly realized.
……Hadn’t they become much closer than he thought? At some point in time, it seemed he could casually start light conversations. With both Tara and Niolle.
He had a general sense of what they liked and disliked. How they behaved and what they were thinking. Chattering away with them was surprisingly enjoyable. Sometimes…… he even forgot about his little sister for a moment.
His feelings were complex.
Living under the same roof, sharing meals at the same table, and waking up to see each other’s faces every day…… had made him grow fond of them far too quickly.
Perhaps, just like Tara, he was also starved of affection.
But….. There was still time to sort out his feelings. For now, he decided to bury them. It was still fine. For now.
After watching Tara with her arms crossed, walking beside Abraham, and Niolle, holding the whiteboard, looking back at him as if asking if he wasn’t coming along, Bennett followed them.
===============================================================
#5 : Fanatic / Missing Person
This occurred while they were riding in Abraham’s car.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”
Niolle, who was looking out the window at the passing road, suddenly shot up, hitting her head on the car ceiling. And then, she flapped her hands frantically. Attention was drawn to her.
“What is the matter?”
“Niolle, what’s wrong?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯!!”
Because she did not have the time to write on her whiteboard, she pointed out the window at something they had already passed. However, realizing it was too late, Niolle quickly wrote it down.
[A woman was getting kidnapped. By people in white cowls.]
“……Is there something wrong back there? Did something happen?”
As Abraham, who was driving and looking ahead, glanced back in the rearview mirror and asked, Tara and Bennett spoke almost simultaneously.
“Abraham, stop the car!”
“No, there is no need to stop.”
“Bennett, again, you……!”
“If you are going to say we should save her, then I want none of it. As I said before……”
Grab.
Niolle climbed on top of Bennett and gripped his shoulders tightly. Bennett tensed up immensely, thinking she was about to fight him, but relaxed upon seeing her expression. Even without Niolle speaking or writing, he could understand what she was saying through her eyes.
Give us just one chance.
After hesitating, Bennett sighed deeply, thinking that perhaps he really did get involved with them a bit too much. He gently pushed Niolle aside and spoke to Abraham.
“Something came up, Abraham. We shall be back before dinner, so could you stop the vehicle for a moment?”
“……Is it something dangerous?”
“Not at all.”
“……Then take care of yourself and come back safely. Since I have something I wish to tell you all later.”
Abraham’s car came to a stop. Niolle was the first to get out, running back along the road. And Bennett and Tara followed closely behind, dashing side by side.
The old man watched them go and then drove home.
He couldn’t say he wasn’t worried. At the same time, he was also curious about what was happening. However, Abraham knew how cautious of a personality Bennett had.
Since he so confidently said that ‘It wasn’t dangerous’, he surely had his own calculations. Abraham believed in Bennett, a young man who, aside from his belief in the occult, was reliable and capable.
