In Search of the Truth

“Excuse me….”

The door wasn't locked. I pushed open the creaking wooden door and stepped inside the bookstore.

The musty smell of old books peculiar to an antiquarian bookstore stung my nose.

Beneath the faintly glowing magic-stone lamp, I saw tall bookshelves packed with old leather-bound books that looked, at a glance, to be easily several decades old.

‘I guess this really is an old bookstore.’

At the very least, it didn't seem to be a secret base disguised as something else.

I quickly looked around the silent shop, where I couldn't sense a single sign of anyone's presence, then cleared my throat and called for Asta in a slightly raised voice.

“Asta? It's me, Rene.”

I felt a little puzzled. The fact that the door was open meant Asta must have seen the letter I'd left yesterday.

If so, she should have appeared the moment I opened the door and entered...