The Art of Gold Digging

Ch.28- The Cracked Cover.

Amy's brain short-circuited as she stared at the headmistress sitting behind her desk. Her mouth hung open, but no words came out.

All that careful planning. The explosion distraction. The giant magical thingy. The sneaking around. The strain of breaking through those wards. All of it... for absolutely nothing.

I want to take a nap...

The silence stretched uncomfortably as everyone stood frozen. No one seemed able to find their voice—not even Ash, who usually had something to say in these kinds of situations.

The headmistress's piercing eyes swept over them all, lingering on Amy's bloodied face before returning to Crow. She appeared more amused than angry, which somehow made the situation even more terrifying.

"Well?" Elyndra prompted when no one spoke, elegantly raising one eyebrow.

Crow was the first to recover, straightening his posture and meeting Elyndra's gaze directly. "Headmistress," he began, his voice steady. "We can explain—"

"Explain? Didn't know you were a comedian, Mr. Thorne," she interrupted, her smile growing. "Though I'm particularly interested in hearing how you plan to justify breaking multiple Academy regulations, including unauthorized entry into my office, tampering with magical security systems, and creating what I believe was the largest phallic representation in recorded history."

Amy finally found her voice, though it emerged as more of a croak than actual speech. "That last part was their idea," she mumbled, gesturing weakly toward Iris and Ash.

Iris shot her a betrayed look. "Seriously?"

Sorry. No honor among thieves...

"I was against it," Amy continued while acting as if she couldn't notice both Iris's and Ash's gazes on her. "Something as scandalous and nefarious as that..."

"She's right." Lyra suddenly chimed in, catching everyone in the room by surprise; even Amy couldn't hide her expression of shock. "I specifically remember trying to convince everyone to give up on this," she said while looking at the ground, her voice barely audible.

"Oh, so now everyone's just going to throw us under the carriage?" Iris crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "For the record, Headmistress, we didn't do anything."

"Didn't do anything?" Ash snorted, his momentary shock giving way to confusion.

"I meant we weren't the ones who broke into your office," Iris explained. "We just worked on that small harmless prank."

"If I may interject," Zayd suddenly said, "this was technically all Crow's doing. He had the maps, the artifact, and the lockpicking instrument."

Crow's head whipped toward him, eyes widening. "Are you serious right now?"

"I'm just providing factual information." Zayd shrugged.

"You, Gaspard. Leave Crow out of this!" Lyra suddenly exclaimed, her voice rising uncharacteristically. "Crow did nothing wrong. Stop trying to shift the blame."

Iris let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. "You literally just did the exact same thing five seconds ago." She pointed an accusing finger at Lyra.

"That's not—That's different—" Lyra sputtered. "I was just trying to say that we shouldn't blame Crow for everything!"

"So we should blame you instead?" Ash suggested with a smirk. "Since you're so eager to take responsibility."

"I didn't say that!" Lyra protested.

"Headmistress. For the record," Zayd interjected calmly, "I was simply here as an observer. My family would be most displeased to learn I participated in something so... undignified."

"Observer?" Iris scoffed. "You literally helped set up this whole thing."

"At Crow's request," Zayd replied. "I was merely being polite."

"I assure you, no one wanted you on the team," Ash said with a scowl. "Headmistress, please note that some of us were just being good friends. Unlike certain people who are throwing everyone under the carriage at the first sign of trouble."

"I'm not throwing anyone under anything!" Lyra exclaimed. "And I was basically kidnapped into this. Ask anyone, I didn't even want to come."

"Kidnapped?" Ash said with disbelief. "No one forced you."

"If I didn't, anything could happen to you guys," Lyra insisted.

"Oh, that sounds familiar," Ash said with a laugh. "Didn't I say exactly those same words during the vote? How the tables have turned..."

Zayd cleared his throat, then straightened his posture. "Headmistress, I must insist that I was merely providing geographical insights based on my family's historical research. I had no knowledge of any inappropriate imagery."

"No knowledge my ass," Iris interrupted. "You were there while we planned this whole thing."

"You misunderstand. I was under the impression it was a standard diversionary tactic."

"A standard diversionary—it was a giant glowing dick! There is no way you don't know what a dick is." Iris nearly shouted, then immediately clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes darting to the Headmistress, who was still smiling.

"I want it noted for the record," Ash said, raising his hand as if in class, "that while I may have implemented the illusion, the creative direction was all Iris."

"Fuck you! How is it my fault??"

"You were the one to propose it, right? How is it not your fault?" Zayd asked, looking genuinely curious.

"I wouldn't—that's not—argh!" Iris stammered.

"I had nothing to do with this, please, Headmistress," Lyra insisted, nearly on the verge of tears.

"That's rich coming from the girl who suggested making it sparkle," Ash retorted.

Lyra gasped. "That was you!"

"Oh, right." Ash conceded while scratching his head with an awkward smile.

"Guys, can we calm down?" Crow said.

"Actually," Zayd interjected, "I believe the sparkling effect was an unintended consequence of the illusion artifact's inherent properties, not a deliberate design choice."

"What in the hell does that even mean?" Iris asked.

"It means," Zayd said, "that none of us should be blamed for the sparkles. If anything, that's on Crow since it was his artifact."

"Are you kidding me right now?" Crow's voice had risen uncharacteristically. "You're all really going to stand here and..."

The room quickly descended into chaos as everyone talked over each other, pointing fingers and making increasingly desperate excuses. Only Lain and Amy remained silent, standing slightly apart from the group.

Amy slumped further against the wall, watching the spectacle unfold with a mixture of exhaustion and disbelief. Blood had dried beneath her nose, and she felt utterly drained.

[Look at what you did.]

"What?" she whispered while looking at her satchel. "I didn't do anything."

[You were the one who started this whole thing by trying to shift the blame.]

"I mean….”

Sure, it was she who started it. But like, anyone would have done the same in her position, right??? She would rather get spelled because of all the trespassing stuff than the glowing sparkling man’s thingy.

As the chaos continued to unfold around her, Amy found herself wishing she could just disappear. The argument had escalated to the point where Ash was now dramatically reenacting Iris's original suggestion, complete with exaggerated hand gestures, while Iris repeatedly tried to clamp her hand over his mouth.

"—and then she said, 'Make it glow!'—"

"I did not say make it glow! I said make it gold! GOLD!"

"That's even worse!" Lyra wailed.

Zayd had somehow produced a fresh cup of tea from nowhere and was sipping it calmly while occasionally offering unhelpful "clarifications" that only fueled the fire.

Meanwhile, Crow looked like he was one second away from strangling everyone in the room.

The Headmistress watched them all, her amusement growing more evident by the second. And eventually, just as Crow looked ready to commit multiple homicides and Lyra appeared on the verge of a complete breakdown, Elyndra brought her hands together in three sharp, powerful claps.

The sound cut through the room, reverberating with some kind of magical resonance that made the air itself vibrate. Everyone froze mid-argument—Ash with his hands still raised dramatically, Iris with her fingers inches from his mouth, Zayd pausing mid-sip of his tea, and Crow halfway through snapping.

"That's quite enough," Elyndra said, her voice soft yet somehow filling every corner of the room. "I must say, watching you all implicate each other has been the most entertainment I've had in weeks. But let me be perfectly clear, I am fully aware of exactly who did what in this little adventure of yours. The Academy might not have ears, but it certainly has many eyes."

That sounds very ominous...

"But, as entertaining as this impromptu performance is," Elyndra continued, "I believe we've wasted enough time."

““...”” The entire room fell into silence after the headmistress uttered those words, and only the ragged breathing of the students could be heard.

Well, I guess it's time for the jail arc…

The Headmistress rose from her chair and walked around her desk, leaning casually against its edge. "I must admit, your timing is impeccable."

"Our... timing?" Crow repeated carefully.

"Indeed." The Headmistress's eyes gleamed with...joy…? "Had you attempted this little adventure yesterday, or perhaps tomorrow, the consequences would have been quite severe." She straightened, smoothing the front of her immaculate robes. "But tonight, it seems, fate has decided to be on your side."

Amy exchanged confused glances with the others. What was happening?

"I don't understand," Crow said, voicing everyone's thoughts. The Headmistress smiled, but the expression didn't reach her eyes. "You're here for the passage to the Eastern Wing, are you not?"

Nobody dared to answer.

"Of course you are," she continued when no response came. "That golden key in your pocket gives you away, Mr. Thorne."

Crow stiffened visibly. "How did you—" he began, but the Headmistress waved his question away.

"I know many things, Mr. Thorne. Some of which would terrify you." She sighed, suddenly looking weary. "The question is not how I know, but rather... what I intend to do about it."

Elyndra walked to the far wall of her office, where an ornate tapestry hung. With a casual snap of her fingers, the wall trembled and then moved, revealing a dark tunnel. "I believe this is what you were looking for?"

Amy blinked in disbelief. Was the Headmistress actually... helping them?

"Why?" Crow asked, suspicion evident in his voice.

The Headmistress turned to face them fully, all traces of amusement gone from her expression. "Because, Mr. Thorne, the Academy faces dangers far greater than a group of students breaking curfew, and I find myself in need of unconventional assistance."

"You're not going to punish us?" Lyra asked timidly.

"Oh, rest assured, there will be consequences for tonight's actions," the Headmistress replied. "But those can wait until you return—assuming, of course, that you do return."

A chill ran down Amy's spine at those words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Iris demanded.

"It means," the Headmistress said, her voice dropping to a near whisper, "that the Eastern Wing is dangerous in ways that none of you—with perhaps one exception—fully comprehend."

Her eyes flickered momentarily to Amy, who felt her breath catch in her throat.

"The Vernal Alignment begins tonight," the Headmistress continued. "The barriers between realities grow thin. The Library you seek may be accessible now, but the path there is unpredictable."

"You know about the Library?" Crow asked, unable to hide his surprise.

"As I told you before, there is very little I don't know about these grounds." She turned toward the hidden doorway, gesturing for them to approach. "The passage will take you directly to the Eastern Wing if you walk straight without detours. From there, you must find your own way to the Library— You still wish to proceed?"

Crow stepped forward without hesitation. "We do."

The others followed suit, though with varying degrees of reluctance.

As the group readied itself to follow Crow toward the hidden passage, Amy pushed herself away from the wall and immediately regretted it. The room spun sickeningly, and she felt herself stumble, her vision blurring at the edges.

Lain noticed immediately, and without a word, she tapped Lyra's shoulder. The girl looked at Lain with a confused expression before understanding dawned on her face, then she broke away from the others to take Amy's side, her arm wrapping around Amy's waist to steady her.

"I'm fine," Amy muttered, though the dried blood beneath her nose and her obvious dizziness contradicted her words.

Lyra didn't respond. Instead, she pressed her free hand gently against Amy's forehead. A soft, warm green glow emanated from her palm. Amy felt the throbbing in her head receding, the sharp pain dulling to a manageable ache. It wasn't gone, but it was much better.

The bleeding stopped completely, and Amy took a deep, clear breath for what felt like the first time in hours.

Lyra's eyes softened as she withdrew her hand. "Take it easy from now on," she whispered, just loud enough for Amy to hear.

You don't have to tell me twice...

Amy nodded. "Thanks," she managed, her voice steadier now.

With one final assessing look, Lyra released her and moved away to join the others who were already gathering at the hidden doorway.

Amy followed, and as she reached the hidden passage, she felt the Headmistress's gaze on her. Their eyes locked in a moment of silent understanding—or perhaps assessment. Amy couldn't be sure.

I need to be careful of this woman...

Just as Amy was about to step fully into the passage, the Headmistress moved closer. "Good luck," Elyndra murmured, her voice so low only Amy could hear, "I expect big things from you, Miss Stake."

The Headmistress then raised her hand and snapped her fingers. The wall slid shut with a heavy thud, sealing them inside the passage and leaving them in complete darkness.

For a moment, there was only the sound of breathing—seven people standing in absolute blackness.

Then, as if responding to their presence, candles along the walls ignited in sequence, bathing the narrow stone corridor in warm, flickering light that stretched ahead as far as they could see.

"Did that just happen?" Ash broke the silence, his voice unnaturally loud in the confined space. "Did the Headmistress just... let us go? After everything?"

"I can't believe it," Lyra whispered, eyes wide with disbelief. She turned to the group, her gaze lingering on Iris. "I'm sorry about earlier. I panicked and—"

"Water under the bridge," Iris cut her off with a dismissive wave. Her eyes flicked toward Amy, who was standing slightly behind the others. "You aren’t the one who started this whole thing to begin with."

Amy ignored the comment, focusing instead on putting one foot in front of the other. The healing magic Lyra had used was wearing off, and the throbbing in her head was returning, though not as severely as before.

Seeing that Amy wasn't going to engage, Iris rolled her eyes and turned back to the others. "So what now? We just walk down this creepy tunnel and hope for the best?"

"That appears to be the plan," Zayd replied, already moving forward. "Though I admit, I find the Headmistress's behavior... curious."

"Maybe she planned this all along," Ash suggested, falling into step beside him. "Some kind of test?"

"A test?" Zayd raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I doubt that. The way she spoke..."

As the group continued down the passage, Amy gradually fell behind, her pace slowing as her thoughts raced. The others were engaged in hushed conversation, theories about the Headmistress's motives, and speculations about what awaited them in the Eastern Wing.

[What are you thinking about?]

Amy glanced ahead to ensure the others were far enough away before responding in a whisper. "I just realized. With everything that's happened... Shouldn't there be a new chapter by now?"

[That's... actually something I wanted to discuss with you.]

Amy frowned, slowing her pace further. "What do you mean?"

There was a moment of silence before Libris responded. [I've been... holding the chapter—or more like the chapters update—for a little while now.]

Amy's eyebrows rose slightly. "You can do that?"

[Technically... no. I shouldn't,] Libris admitted, its tone becoming robotic. [It's against my nature. And more importantly, against the rules.]

A cold feeling spread through Amy's chest. The sudden change in Libris's tone made her uneasy. "Then how...?"

[I've been delaying it to give you time. But it's not without consequences.]

A cold knot tightened in Amy's stomach. A creeping sense of wrongness slithered through her thoughts—quiet at first, but rapidly sharpening into certainty. Something's wrong. "What do you mean, consequences?" she whispered, barely audible.

[...]

The unease bloomed into dread.

"Libris?" She glanced ahead to confirm the others were still walking, then, with trembling hands, she pulled open her satchel. "Oh my god..." That was all she could mutter as she stared at the book.

Libris lay inside, but its amber cover was marred by a jagged dark crack that split from the spine nearly to the center.

"What is...?" Amy murmured, gently lifting the book from her satchel. Her fingers hovered over the crack, afraid to touch it. "Is this—did I—"

[It's nothing. Just a warning.]

"Warning? What? For holding the chapter?" Amy's voice rose slightly before she caught herself, glancing nervously toward the others who were now quite a distance ahead.

[Yes, among other things.]

Amy held the book tighter. A thought appeared in her mind. "Is it because you've been helping me?" she blurted.

[...]

"Libris?"

[...]

She stared at the cracked cover, her pulse slowly speeding up. "Why...? I don't understand. Why stop the chapter...?"

There was a silence, a long one. Amy began thinking the book simply wasn't going to speak anymore, but then, it finally talked.

[Because,] it began with that robotic tone. [I wanted to give you time to decide... From the next chapter onwards, your character will be developed more deeply. The narrative will begin exploring your past, or at least attempting to. You needed to make a decision—whether to show your past or hide it.]

"...is that it?" Amy stared at the crack, her heart pounding. "Because of that... You shouldn't have... not if it meant hurting yourself."

[The damage isn't significant.]

"Don't lie to me," Amy whispered fiercely. "I can see it's serious. Why would you risk yourself like this? It's only bad memories..." her eyes darted at the mention of those memories, but she forced herself to keep her mind in the present. "I don't care if the readers see it if that's what you are worried about..."

[Liar...]

"..." Amy bit her lip, but did not retort. Instead, she just stared at the book in silence for a few seconds before speaking once again. "But this—this isn't just about me. You're breaking. Why would you do that? Why would you choose to do that? It makes no sense... Am I really worth it...?"

A long pause. Then, quietly: [I think... I would give my life away for you, Amy.]

Amy felt as if the ground had suddenly vanished beneath her feet. Her expression shifted from shock to confusion, and then to fear. "What? No. That's—that's insane. We barely know each other. It's been what, a month? What do you mean..."

[Is it that surprising? I've only been truly alive for three years, yet these past weeks have been the best of my existence.]

Amy swallowed hard, finding herself unexpectedly wordless. She stared at the cracked cover, emotions she couldn't name surging through her. "But... what about this world? Your dream?" she finally managed. "Aren't you the Manga's Will? You told me that. And becoming human? What about all that?"

[I am easily replaceable—

“You aren’t”

—If the world ends, I die, but if I die, nothing will happen.]

"And what about you being human...?"

[I am willing to give up on it if it's for you.]

Amy stood frozen, staring at the cracked cover of Libris. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, utterly lost for words.

"I am willing to give up on it." Those words echoed in her mind, louder each time. How could it say something like that? How could it be willing to give up everything—its existence, its dreams of becoming human—for her? It made no sense. She just couldn't understand why this book...no— Libris wasn't just a book. It was... something more. More than just a book and more than just someone she cared about. She had had people she called "friends," but nothing ever as genuine as this.

Amy's fingers traced the jagged crack gently, as if her touch could somehow heal it.

Could she do the same for them? She wondered silently. The honest answer surprised her—she didn't know. And that uncertainty bothered her more than she expected.

After spending so much of her life looking out for only herself, the idea of sacrificing herself for someone else seemed foreign, almost nonsensical. Sure, she wanted to save this world and its people, but that was something she would never do at the cost of her own life. Although there was a possibility she died trying, it was only that, a possibility... Death was, after all, the thing that she feared the most in this world.

Yet here was Libris, willing to break itself apart just to give her time to decide whether to reveal her past. Its conviction and emotions, the fact that she couldn't fully return them... It was all too overwhelming. And it honestly scared her, because she found them familiar. Just like her father, Libris was—

"Amy!" Crow's voice echoed down the passage, startling her from her thoughts. "Are you coming?"

She looked up to see the distant figures of her companions, now far ahead. "Y-yeah!" she called back, her voice cracking slightly.

She tucked Libris back into her satchel absentmindedly, but didn't close the flap. Instead, she leaned down, whispering urgently. "Listen to me," she paused, and after gathering her conviction, she spoke again. "Release the chapters. Now. Whatever's coming, I can handle it."

[But your past—]

"I don't care," Amy cut in, resuming her walk at a brisk pace to catch up with the others. "No arguments. I won't let you destroy yourself for me. That's... that's not how this works."

[...]

"Do it now," she insisted, her voice stronger now. "This isn't a discussion. Release them. Whatever happens... happens."

[I can still censor those parts...]

"And make your situation worse by helping me more? Libris, just release them already."

For a long moment, there was only silence as Amy stared down at the book in her satchel. The only sounds were her quickened breathing and the distant murmurs of the others, who had paused farther down the corridor to wait for her.

The silence stretched, growing heavier with each passing second.

Amy's hands trembled slightly as she held the satchel open, her eyes fixed on Libris, waiting.

Finally, as she began to fear the book might never respond, Libris's voice came. [Very well, Amy. If that is your decision.]

Amy felt a subtle shift in the air around her, the same feeling she had when her power increased.

[It's done.]

She felt a strange mixture of relief and apprehension wash over her after hearing the announcement. Not wanting to waste any more time, she closed the satchel. Then quickened her pace to catch up with the others.

They would talk about this later, but for now, she had other, more imminent things to worry about.