Re: The Villainess Does It With Class

"Just say the word, 'summon', and the book will appear in front of you."

'There is such a convenient way like that? Isn't that way too cool?'

I looked at the directory again and back to Z who was smiling good-naturedly then to my brother Nathan who was also as impressed as I am. He didn't even doubt Z for a bit. But how can you doubt the Arcane Tower? That's just stupid.

How does it work though?

"Does the book just pop up out of thin air in front of me, or in my hands?" I dumbly asked Z.

I have to know the details first before mishaps happen, you know. Knowing my knack for inviting misfortune, it wouldn't be too far-fetched. What if I make a blunder while doing so?

'You're just literally going to say summon and yet you're already overthinking it.' Mocked my brain..

Yes, I am being mocked by my own subconscious.

Z nodded, "In front of you, yes."

"So it just floats? In front of me?" I pressed further.

"Correct," he affirmed.

Now I am kind of curious how it would go…

After I thought about that, Nathaniel suddenly acted on his own.

"Summon."

Slowly, magic swirled in our area. I could feel the shift in the air that conveys that magic is at work. And not even a minute had passed, a swirl of gold dust appeared, forming into a cloud that closely resembles the galaxy. It was beautiful. Really beautiful. Then the books appeared within the cloud and were all being blanketed by the gold dust, parading themselves in our eyes.

"Oh, wow…" I muttered in appreciation, transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of us.

'So pretty…'

"Magic is incredible, isn't it?" Z remarked, sounding proud.

"Yeah…" I whispered, "I agree."

The longer I stared at the spectacle, the more entranced I got. As I watched the dust swirl, a flash of the past suddenly entered my memory. It was so random that I even got confused if the memory was real or not. 

It showed a scene where it was nighttime and it looked like I was atop a high place, gazing up at the sky to look at the stars. And then the scene changed with me inside a room, probably mine back there in my real world. There were a lot of books scattered around me and I was holding one in my hand. The book was opened to a page where it showed the picture of the galaxy and I felt how mesmerized I was about it.

Then the scene changed for the third time and it continued that way for I don't know how long. I just knew that the memory got hazy in the end for how quick it all was, it almost made me dizzy.

'What was that just now?'

Were those my memories? But I can't remember any of it happening though?

"The last time I came here, there wasn't anything like this at all. We just followed the glowing orbs…" Nathaniel suddenly voiced out, pulling me out from my confused stupor.

He was flipping one book in his hand now. There was even a glint in his eyes that shows that he was truly so impressed by everything.

Bro, same.

"When was that?" I couldn't help but ask.

Nathan shrugged, "I don't know… probably 6 years ago…"

"You can still do that if you wish to," Z said and raised his index finger, "This summoning system was developed not long ago by the tower master himself. He said that it takes too much effort to go around the shelves and pick a book. So he integrated the summoning spell," Z narrated. "Kind of atrocious but very clever," he added.

My brows raised from his last comment. How interesting for someone working under the great magician to call his idea atrocious and not even hardly hesitating. Is he sure he's allowed to talk like that?

The more Z opens his mouth, the more I get to know his personality. He's the type to say whatever he wants and not worry about the consequences. Kind of reminding me of someone who was exactly like that. An airhead.

"When the master introduced this so-called system, I was truly shocked. I thought he was a madman back then. He's using such an advanced spell to pick some books? Unbelievable! I always knew he's insane but that day was something else," Z continued his ramblings. 

'And he's talkative too…'

He's even calling Janus crazy now… How brave.

Are he and Eon perhaps relatives? Why do they have a lot in common?

"But when he implemented it and showed me the result, I was stunned beyond belief. Truly, my master's knowledge of magic is incomparable," Z's voice was dripping with reverence, showing that he's really proud of Janus. "

So he is a fanatic.

"This is the reason why he's loved by the devils," Z concluded.

"Huh?" My ears twitched. What did he just say?

Z smiled at me, "Hmm?"

"What you said just now--" I was then rudely interrupted.

"The master is the best?"

"No, I'm sure that's not what you just said."

Z didn't even try to rebuke me and just stood there smiling. I can't even tell what he's thinking with him hiding behind that blindfold of his. He comes off as innocent but that's not what my guts are telling me.

"I heard him talk about devils loving the master," Nathaniel then piped in.

Ah, right. My brother is here…

Oof-- I almost forgot he's also here with us. I was too absorbed. Sorry brother, wew. 

"The devils?" I repeated.

Janus is loved by demons? What? 

"Now, that is not important. Don't you also agree that this system is remarkable?" Z then tried to stir the topic away from it.

I stared at him in suspicion and Z stared at us back. If he is, I mean, that's what I could feel from him.

"Isn't it remarkable?" He repeated.

"Yeah… It's actually very helpful and convenient," I seconded.

Because it is and I am not even lying. From how huge this archive is, it would be really a pain to go from shelf to shelf. And even if that glowing orb from earlier shows you the book you are looking for, who is guaranteed that it won't lead you to the topmost part of the shelf which is almost touching the ceiling? 

So knowing that you can just summon them all at once is so practical.

"I agree as well," Nathan nodded.

Z seemed to be pleased with our answers.

"Fun fact, an intern once wanted the spell to be: 'I summon you' or 'Come to me' but the master hated both of them."

I almost snorted through my nose. What the heck...

It's probably because it both sounded… strange…