“My most sincere thanks for stopping by, good seeker!” Torvald Brellomee called out as his latest guest departed. “If you ever encounter another obstacle in your quest for knowledge, my door is always open!”
Ah, how wonderful! the bearded, wizard-garbed proprietor of Torvald’s Tomes and Trinkets thought to himself with a smile.
Another satisfied customer!Indeed, business was booming of late, with not even the Diver’s “visit” doing much to disrupt things. If anything, all the recent chaos had led to a dramatic upswing in the number of people interested in supernatural phenomena, like the charmingly excitable young lady who had stopped by a few days earlier. Yes, Pax Septimus was certainly a prime location for his shop, and the sage of sages was looking forward to several more months of prodigious profits. However, even as he envisioned the torrent of future knowledge seekers flooding into his humble shop, the ring of the door chime heralded the arrival of someone who threatened to bring that particular train of thought to a screeching halt…
“Good evening, Mister Brellomee,” a cool and dispassionate voice greeted before the chime had even stilled.
Having been shaken out of his reverie, Torvald stifled a gasp at the sight of the new arrival.
“W-Why, if it isn’t the lovely Miss Everly!” the tome keeper exclaimed as he awkwardly tried to compose himself. “Whatever can I do for you this fine evening?”
“You can stop selling manuscripts that lead impressionable and utterly unequipped children into the most perilous parts of this city,” she replied flatly, her visage stern and her glasses covered in a reflective sheen.
Of course it had to be that, Torvald grumbled to himself. These snooty librarians and their overbearing attempts to control the flow of information. He could see through Everly’s ruse. She didn’t care about
safety she just hated the fact that his shop was so popular, and provided knowledge that she either couldn’t or
wouldn’t convey!
“What any given knowledge seeker does with the insights they’ve gleaned is their business alone,” Torvald protested. “I merely provide the pathway to enlightenment. It is the knowledge seeker themself who chooses to walk it.”
“An almost admirable attempt at deflection,” Eleanora conceded as she adjusted her glasses.
“Yet, while you merely provide said knowledge, you neglect to include any cautions as to the danger that knowledge may lead a ‘seeker’ into. This is especially concerning when said seekers are mere children,” she added, while fixing Torvald with a piercing glare.
“And even more so, when they are led to my library.”“I must beg your pardon, Miss Everly, but I fail to see how any of this is my concern,” Torvald replied. “If you are unable to keep ‘mere children’ from forbidden areas of your library, then perhaps you should invest in better security, hmm?”
“There would be no need to take such measures if you simply stopped selling the relevant manuscripts,” Eleanora shot back.
“I do apologize, Miss Everly, but I would
never deprive any seeker of the knowledge they quest for!” Torvald declared. “To do so would be a complete violation of my most sacred duty! Furthermore, I do not believe a simple librarian is in any position to enforce demands upon me. After all, your kind has no power
here!”
“Perhaps not, but the Pax Septimus Merchants’ Guild most assuredly does.”At the mention of the guild, the color rapidly drained from Torvald’s face. This was getting treacherous, yet he still had one last hope to cling to.
“Ah, but you are not a merchant, now
are you, Miss Everly?” he asked with a knowing smirk.
“Correct,” Eleanora confirmed, giving the sage a curt nod.
“However, Brittany Todd, is, and she owes me a favor, one which I am entirely prepared to collect.”Torvald swallowed hard. Of
course she would have to mention
that name… His face grew even paler. His heart began to race. Beads of sweat began to form upon his troubled brow. Finally, he sighed in defeat.
“F-Fine! I shall accede to your demand, but only in regard to information concerning the library!”
“That is acceptable,” Eleanora replied after a moment.
“However, I would ask that you add a warning to any manuscript or informational pamphlet pertaining to any other dangerous location in Pax Septimus,” she added.
“I suppose that could be done…” Torvald conceded.
“Excellent,” Eleanora declared as she began heading for the door. Pausing for a moment, she turned to face the sagely shopkeeper.
“A pleasure doing business with you, Mister Brellomee.”The next instant, she had vanished into the night, leaving the stunned Torvald standing alone at the counter.
“Accursed librarians…”
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