“Lady Rose, where’s this book supposed to go?”

“Ah, that’s a history book, so it should be sorted on the second floor in the history section. Since it’s focused primarily on contemporary history, please make sure that it’s sorted into section two properly.”

“O-Of course! Thank you very much, Lady Rose!”

“Ufufu! Not a problem, Lady Minerva! I’m always happy to help when it comes to books!”

As I scurried off after giving the tiny dark-haired noblewoman a curtsy, I couldn’t help but feel just a tad embarrassed. After all, I was a proud graduate of the Imperial Academy, but I could barely wrap my head around the incredible sorting system that Lady Rose had invented.

I’d first heard of it during my third year of study at the Imperial Academy, and though I didn’t really understand the importance of what she’d come up with at the time, I was still rather intrigued. Books had always been sorted alphabetically in the empire, so a sorting system that took into account the subject matter of a book was unheard of.

As a noblewoman who prioritized my studies over court politics, my goal was to become a scholar and work my way up to an archivist. Of course, my greatest dream was to one day manage the imperial archives, but after meeting Lady Rose, I honestly felt like I was a long way from getting anywhere close to my lofty ambitions.

After all, if there was anyone who should be managing the imperial archives, it should be Lady Rose. Not only did her new sorting system make it infinitely easier for patrons of the library to find the books that they were interested in, but the detail of the sorting system was so in-depth that it’d taken into account things that I’d never even thought of.

In fact, I’d honestly consider her method of library organization vastly superior to what I’d been taught at the Imperial Academy. Of course, when this method was first proposed, many nobles strongly opposed it, stating that it would be an insult to the long-standing traditions of the grand archivists that had championed the alphabetical sorting system since the dawn of the empire.

Though I loathe to admit it, I was originally one of those nobles who thought that Lady Rose was nothing more than a mere upstart who wanted to somehow worm her way into the position of grand archivist by introducing something new and unique despite being nothing more than the daughter of a mere baron, but after actually hearing her out, I began to understand how wrong I was.

I’m sure quite a few other nobles realized it too, but because they still couldn’t let go of their pride, they’d ended up forcing her to work at Avalyne Academy instead of allowing her to assume her rightful place as the Imperial Academy’s archivist.

Honestly, it was quite the travesty, and though I’d been offered a rather cushy job at the Imperial Academy’s archives immediately after I graduated, I chose to come here and work under Lady Rose instead.

Despite that, I couldn’t deny that I was having quite a bit of trouble adjusting to the sorting system... Sure, it was relatively simple after it was explained, but the four years of information they’d drilled into my head at the Imperial Academy wasn’t forgotten that easily and it certainly didn’t help that Lady Rose’s sorting system was pretty much the complete opposite of what I’d been taught.

Plus, over the year that it’d taken me to graduate, the system had somehow evolved even more, and it was borderline impossible for anyone to not find a book they were looking for after learning how books were sorted. It truly was a miraculous method that only a goddess of the library could think of.

I felt a shiver of pleasure run through my body as I gently slid the history book I’d been carrying into the small crevice formed by two neighboring books, inserting it snugly and ensuring that both book and bookshelf finally became one. I nodded once to myself contentedly and then stepped back to admire my work.

Ah... How exquisite... There was just nothing in the world that could compare to a full bookshelf with every row packed end-to-end with thick, leather-bound books. Some bibliophiles enjoyed the scent of paper or fresh ink, but the most satisfying thing to me was a bookshelf that was complete and properly sorted.

As I marveled at my beautiful creation, I heard the pitter-patter of small footsteps coming up the stairs behind me before stopping at my left. I looked down at Lady Rose with questioning eyes, and although I respected her, I sometimes still couldn’t believe that she really was the archivist.

When I first saw her during the initial presentation of her sorting method back when I was still a student, I thought she was a child given her tiny stature and cute features, and I’m sure everyone else at the presentation did too. However, when I found out she was actually older than me and by quite a large margin, I couldn’t help but question whether or not that really was the truth.

Even now, I was wondering if she really was older than me. I mean, I’m not exactly tall, but she only reaches up to my waist!

“Lady Minerva, may I ask what you are doing?”

“O-Oh! Well, I finished sorting the bookshelf and I thought it looked rather nice, so... I guess I just ended up staring at it, ahaha...”

Lady Rose regarded me with a curious gaze before turning her attention to the bookshelf. She studied the magnificent sight before her for a few moments before nodding, seemingly in agreement. “Indeed. A complete bookshelf certainly is a sight to behold, almost like a jigsaw puzzle of knowledge just waiting to be unraveled and rebuilt again.”

“Yes! That’s exactly it!” I gushed.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have time to dawdle. Tomorrow is the first day of school for many curious and diligent knights and nobles alike, so we must ensure that the library is properly prepared to welcome them. As it turns out, there are still sixteen carts of books we must sort.”

“S-Sixteen!?” I exclaimed, my voice coming out a little louder than I expected. “It’s almost evening, isn’t it? Will we really be able to finish in time!?”

Lady Rose frowned. “In time? I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Well... We’ll be off once the sun begins to set, won’t we?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you need to leave. As a staff member and a scholar, you are free to remain in the library even after your designated work hours.”

I blinked, slowly digesting her words. Everything Lady Rose said was true, but I suppose the fact that I was actually a working adult now had slipped my mind. Honestly, it felt like I was still nothing more than a student who needed to obey the rules of curfew especially since coming here had made me realize that there was still so much more I needed to learn.

“How wonderful...” I murmured. “I’ll be able to spend as much time with these beloved books as I want!”

“Hehe~! I’m glad that I’ve finally found such a kindred spirit, Lady Minerva! Now then, shall we sort these books together?”

“I would be honored!”

We spent the next four hours sorting all of the remaining books. Each cart was full and held around fifty books, meaning that we’d sorted around eight-hundred books by the end of it all. When we finally finished, the sun had already set and the sky was rather dark. Even so, I didn’t notice until much later thanks to the warm light of the library’s magical lamps.

“Whew! We’re all finished!” I exclaimed as I plopped myself down on a cushioned bench. I wasn’t exactly used to physical exercise since I’d spent my days either reading or studying, so even sorting books was quite exhausting.

However, Lady Rose didn’t seem tired at all despite her small stature and seemingly frail physique. In fact, it looked as though sorting all those books had actually energized her.

“How are you not tired, Lady Rose? Perhaps you should take a seat.”

Lady Rose merely smiled. “You know, you are the first scholar who has chosen to work here in a long while. Most noble scholars who graduate from the Imperial Academy are offered jobs there where the pay is better and the positions more prestigious.”

...Well, I can’t say that’s not true. If it weren’t for Lady Rose being here, I definitely wouldn’t have chosen to work here instead of at the Imperial Academy. However, she wasn’t completely right about everything. The Imperial Academy was offering jobs to all its graduates not because they needed the manpower, but because they wanted to keep Lady Rose isolated.

It was a matter of pride and preserving the old traditions that the grand archivist and his followers were so keen on protecting. Even though I’d only started working here not too long ago, it was already clear as day how much better Lady Rose’s sorting system was compared to what they were still using in the imperial archives.

“What about the scholars who graduate from here?”

“Those scholars usually seek work elsewhere, mostly at ducal estates or even back home. Some of them go on to take advanced courses and serve as attendants to ministers or other officials,” Lady Rose shrugged. “In other words, I’ve simply gotten used to the rigors of working here, so having someone to help me made it quite a lot easier.”

“...I see. Well, I’m glad to be of service, Lady Rose.” Though I smiled, I felt a pang of sadness and frustration in my heart. Based on her response, Lady Rose likely didn’t know why no one was choosing to work here and the fact that she was being forced to manage such a large library on her own was just completely unfair.

I bit my lip, remembering how the Imperial Academy even tried to offer me a job as head archivist instead of just an archivist after I declined their initial offer. In the end, I settled for working as a mere scholar under Lady Rose’s wing instead, but I didn’t regret a single thing.

After all, if I’d been tempted by prestige and power, I would’ve missed out on all the knowledge that Lady Rose had been intent on cramming into my brain immediately following my employment.

“Forgive me, but you appear slightly conflicted, Lady Minerva. I suppose you received an offer from the Imperial Academy yourself, yes? Are you regretting your choice to work here now? If so, I can certainly write a letter of recommendation for you and have you transferred by the end of the month.”

I leapt to my feet, my eyes widening as Lady Rose abruptly made such a strange declaration. “O-Of course not, Lady Rose! Ever since I started working under you, all I’ve felt was admiration! I will be eternally grateful to you for the knowledge you’ve imparted unto me!”

“...Really now?” Lady Rose raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconvinced. “The scholars who’ve sought work here usually quit after a week or two. You’re the only one who’s stayed for so long.”

“I applied to work here solely because of your presence, Lady Rose. When you first announced your new sorting system, I thought it would be nothing but churlish, especially after laying eyes on you, but once you explained it, I was deeply moved. There is no one in the world who loves books more than you, Lady Rose, and I mean that with all my heart.”

Lady Rose shook her head. “Come now, Lady Minerva. You know that’s not true. After all, you love books just as much as I do, don’t you?”

“I...”

“After all, you wouldn’t have chosen to work with me otherwise.”

Can I... Can I really say that I love books just as much as Lady Rose? Do I really deserve to say something like that when I’d spent three years of my life just dutifully regurgitating whatever they taught me at the Imperial Academy?

“You can.” Lady Rose declared as if she had read my mind, her radiant golden eyes staring straight at me. “You seem to be mistaken about something, Lady Minerva.”

“W-What’s that...?”

“I know. I know all about what they’ve been doing ever since I unveiled this method of sorting books. They’re afraid of me, and not just because of that. It was also I who introduced the concept of paperback books for commoners so that we could reduce the cost of literature and proliferate it.”

“W-What!?” My eyes widened in surprise. I’d thought that my admiration for Lady Rose had peaked, but this new piece of knowledge changed everything. She truly was the goddess of the library. “That’s incredible! Because of your work, the literacy rate of commoners has been steadily increasing within the past two years!”

Lady Rose nodded. “Yes. My dream is to spread the wonder of books and the love of stories to everyone in the empire and beyond, but it doesn’t seem like those who work at the imperial archives are in agreement with me. Many of them prioritize their positions and have lost sight of what it truly means to be an archivist.”

I nodded in agreement. After learning of what the archival officials at the Imperial Academy had been doing by giving out lucrative job offers to new graduates, I’d begun questioning whether my dream of managing the imperial archives was even worth it anymore, but I didn’t have any other lofty ambitions, so I just stuck with it.

“But not you, Lady Minerva. That’s why I believe you have the right to say that you love books as much as I do. However, if you will permit me to impose for a brief moment, I have but a single humble request.”

“W-What is it, Lady Rose?”

“As a fellow bookworm, won’t you help me?” Lady Rose asked, stretching her hand out toward me. “I want to create a world where anyone can read as they please. A world where books are freely accessible by all, where commoners and nobles alike can sit together at the same table and discuss their favorite novel. But I can’t create an entire world alone.”

Her build was small and she looked so fragile that a gentle breeze might throw her off her feet, but deep within those golden eyes burned a powerful flame of ambition that sought to swallow up the empire’s archival community and reduce it to cinders only to make it rise again like a phoenix from its ashes.

“That’s why I need people like you, Lady Minerva. Will you do me the honor of being the first member of my bookworm revolution?”

I felt my chest tighten and my heart race. ...This is it. This is what I was looking for. A dream worth pursuing. That ideal world... I want to help you create it, Lady Rose. I want to be a scholar who can hold my head up proudly!

Obviously, there was only one thing I could do.

I reached my hand out toward Lady Rose’s and shook it, cementing our conspiratorial friendship.

“The honor is mine, Lady Rose!”