Sorcerer’s Handbook - Chapter 266: Duped by the Library

Chapter 266: Duped by the Library

In the Gospel Kingdom, Annan’s home.

“Ah, ah, ah, ah—”

Early in the morning, Deya was rolling on the bed, taking out her frustration on Lise’s newly purchased bunny plush toy by punching it. She accidentally used a bit of the real kung fu from the Fist and Claw Faction, and her punches burst the bunny’s head open.

“Why… Why am I so stupid…”

“Lise, wait, let me vent a bit more, or I’m going to explode!”

“I’m such an idiot, waaa!”

Deya was now so full of regret that she wished someone would spank her, for she had missed an Adventure in the Virtual Realm—she had been tricked by the Legendary Library!

After separating from the Observer, she made her way to the third floor of the library. The sights on the third floor were even more spectacular and bizarre than those on the second; there were no bookshelves anymore, each book had its own display stand. The space on this level was much, much bigger than the second, making Deya feel as though she had entered a tomb of gods, where countless Rules were born and extinguished.

The ancient book in front of her emitted fierce flames, as if it could burn the space around it, turning the surroundings into a charred wasteland; that scroll emitted a chilling cold, freezing time itself, turning its nearby area into a frosty Static Domain.

Beyond that, there were necromantic wastelands, sword spirit tombs, stormy seas, an alchemy Sanctuary of all things, and even what seemed to be Prophecy bubbles that could peer into the future, capturing threads of one’s own Destiny…

But the problem was, this was the Legendary Library on the Time Continent!

The Sorcerers who could make it here were only of the Two Wings rank, so the memories they left behind were merely adventure stories of Two Wings Sorcerers. How could the power contained within surpass the legendary?

It was all fake, a trick to make me read!

Although the books were fake, the storms of Rules displayed were not, so Deya carefully navigated through the domains of various books, struggling towards the stairs leading to the fourth floor.

Along the way, Deya’s gaze was captured by a book. It was a fairy tale picture book; on the cover, a brave knight was protecting a beautiful Princess. The floor around the picture book was covered in fresh grass, scattered with flowers, butterflies, and bathed in sunlight.

In the chaotic third floor of the dance of gods and demons, the picture book area was as tranquil as a promised land. Deya really wanted to just go there, lie on the grass, open a picture book, and enjoy the quiet reading time.

But a strong sense of greed turned her head.

Yes, everything here was very good.

But there must be better on the fourth floor!

With even greater anticipation, Deya resisted all temptations and walked nearly a kilometer on the third floor, finally arriving at the stairs leading to the fourth floor!

Unlike the first three floors, the entrance to the fourth floor was filled with radiance, clearly indicating that more powerful books were hidden inside!

With great effort, the Witch climbed the stairs, joyfully stepping onto the fourth floor, and then—

She arrived at the rooftop.

Deya stared blankly at the sky formed by the Reverse Golden Rain, still not coming to her senses.

Where was the fourth floor?

How did I just come out here?

With the last bit of hope, she looked around, but reality shattered her illusions: there was nothing on the rooftop, no books, no scrolls, no crystal balls, no data storage devices.

At this moment, the Witch realized something and turned around to try to return to the stairs leading to the third floor. However, after running down more than a dozen steps, she felt that the distance to the third floor had not shortened at all; the stairs seemed endless.

She looked down and realized she was still on the rooftop, not having descended the stairs at all.

The tips from the *Guide to the Legendary Library* buzzed around in Deya’s mind like annoying flies: 𝖋𝔯𝔢𝔢𝖜𝖊𝖇𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖊𝔩.𝖈𝖔𝖒

“②The path you walk must not be retraced. There are no do-overs in life.”

“③The library has four floors, each higher level contains books of better quality than the one below. Always aim higher.”

“④Books may deceive you. It’s better to be skeptical than to believe everything.”

At this moment, not just the White Queen and the Black Butler, but Deya herself understood.

The key was the fourth tip!

Books indeed could deceive them. Deya initially thought it meant that books would present a facade of thunderous might to lure them into reading, but in fact, this statement had been effective from the beginning—the *Guide to the Legendary Library* itself was deceiving them!

“There are four floors in the library, and the books on each upper floor are better than those below” – this rule was false!

There was no fourth floor, and the books of the fourth floor were not better than those on the third!

If a sorcerer rushes straight for the topmost fourth floor, they end up missing out on the adventures that the first three floors offer. Moreover, because of the rule “The path you’ve taken is not to be retraced,” the sorcerer has no chance to regret their decision; they must simply endure the bitter consequences.

It would have been slightly less embarrassing for Deya if she had discovered the Legendary Library alone. But she wasn’t alone—she had come with the Observer!

When they met at the entrance and the Observer cheerfully asked her what she had found upstairs, Deya almost overflowed with regret. She was so embarrassed she could have curled her toes into a three-bedroom apartment!

Understandably, the atmosphere turned even heavier after Deya revealed the deceptive strategy of the library. Although the Observer was very considerate of Deya’s feelings and avoided mentioning the issue, he suddenly laughed during the subsequent Exploration in Virtual Realm, which completely broke Deya’s composure.

Cursed Legendary Library!

Cursed Observer!

Why is everyone picking on me!

No, I have to vent by beating Ashe in a game, or I won’t calm down!

Deya brushed her teeth furiously, washed her face furiously, peed furiously, changed clothes furiously, and then went out to find Ashe, saying fiercely, “Ashe, I’m in a bad mood today—”

“Then stay away from me,” Ashe pushed Deya away. “I’m in a good mood today, don’t bring me down.”

“I want to challenge you to a duel in Sorcerer Karting!”

“Wait, you mean you’re in a bad mood and you want to relieve stress by playing Sorcerer Karting?”

“Exactly!”

“Alright then, I’ll try to fulfill your wish.”

When Igor and Miss Annan stepped out of the Hovercar, they saw Banjeet repairing a controller.

Aside from the Frost Faction, the sixty-year-old Butler Youth was also skilled in the Alchemy Faction. He could repair most common items using a slime-like universal material.

“Good morning, Miss Annan, Mr. Bukin.”

“What happened to it?” Annan asked curiously.

The Butler Youth didn’t respond, glancing instead at Lise who was eating spaghetti. Lise raised her hand: “I accidentally broke the controller while playing a game.”

Annan gave a sigh and glanced at the cracked Holographic Screen next to him, “So this is…”

“I was playing a game and accidentally threw the controller at the Holographic Screen,” Lise explained with a shrug and a sigh.

She felt helpless, but it was Deya who had caused the trouble. Reluctant as she might be, as the younger sister, she had no choice but to clean up after her.

Igor nodded thoughtfully, picked up a dinner knife from the table, handed it to Lise, and then turned her around to face Ashe, who was eating a custard Lala Fatty.

“Lise, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but everyone is curious about how you were so careless. Please demonstrate with Ashe as your target…”

“Lise, tilt your head back.”

Before Igor could react, Lise’s head forcefully bumped into his chin. Ashe reached out to take the dinner knife from Lise’s hand and snorted, “Don’t let children play with knives, Igor. This is the punishment you get for not taking care of children!”

“But why am I being punished too!” Lise rubbed her head and pouted, “Aunt Bukin’s chin is so hard…”

“There, there, it won’t hurt if you blow on it,” Ashe told her, gently blowing on Lise’s head. “Lise, this is the price paid for your protection, but depending on the situation, you might also become the price itself…”

While Lise was being taught dark life philosophies by her father, Igor, dragging a suitcase, crossed the living room to return to his dormitory. The suitcase was the same size as the one Harvey had brought back yesterday. Ashe’s gaze followed the suitcase, then shifted to Harvey.

The Necromancer twitched his nose and shook his head, “That’s not a gift for me; it lacks the pleasant scent.”

“Maybe it’s not dead yet?”

“Impossible, the stench of a living person is more distinct, I would definitely notice.”

“Now I’m starting to wonder what kind of hellish Map this world looks like through your sense of smell…”