The Hero is An Academy Librarian

Hildegard’s mother refused to back down!

"What right do you have to stand in my way? You aren’t even an actual professor in this school, are you? A mere librarian does not have the right to stop me from doing anything!"

Rita hummed.

"I might not have the right, but the law does. Hildegard is still under investigation for murder, and as a result of that, she cannot be allowed to leave this library under any circumstance."

Rita knew that she couldn’t really stop Hildegard’s mother here, but by using the investigation, Rita was doing her best to buy as much time as possible for Hildegard. At least this way, Hildegard’s mother might calm down a little and listen to what they had to say first! But Rita was surprised when Hildegard’s mother brought out two documents from behind her and thrust them to Rita with a frown on her face!

Rita collected the documents calmly, and she looked at them with a critical gaze as Hildegard’s mother started to speak.

"Those documents are direct orders from the Aquinas City Guard Eastern District. The first is a complete absolution of all criminal charges involving Hildegard. The City Guard concluded their investigation, and they were able to find that Hildegard was not guilty of any crime since another student used a skill called [Synchronization] on her and forced her magic to activate. The second document is an enforcement of the Magical Guardian Act of the High Council. As Hildegard’s official registered guardian, it is within my right to decide where, when, or how Hildegard is to be at all times until she turns eighteen. And since my daughter is not yet a fully fledged adult, it is within my right to take her back home with me right now."

Rita read through the documents in her hand with a frown, and the longer she read, the deeper her frown got! Everything here was legitimate and completely legal! The first document that showed Hildegard’s innocence had been stamped by the magical council, and although this was meant to be something they would celebrate, it only made Rita feel irritated at that moment! Behind Rita, Hildegard was also starting to feel sick as she realized that she was slowly being pushed into a corner, and Hildegard felt her breathing speeding up in fear!

The second document that showed Hildegard’s legal responsibilities was actually a lot more serious than what Rita thought they would be! If Hildegard had just been a regular girl with regular magic, then maybe there would be some room for manoeuvring around this particular document, but the fact that Hildegard was a third-class magical risk made this document impossible to ignore! As Hildegard’s guardian, Hildegard’s mother was responsible for anything and everything that Hildegard did until she turned eighteen!

That meant that Hildegard’s mother held some responsibility for the explosion that had happened in the school recently, and if the City Guard hadn’t found Hildegard innocent, then her mother would’ve also faced punishment for neglecting Hildegard for so long!

Rita closed her eyes and let out a long breath as she felt a helplessness settle into her heart. There was really nothing that they could do here. Rita turned to look at Hildegard’s mother again.

"Ma’am, I really think we should have a seat and talk this through over some tea. I understand your anger, but Hildegard is at a critical point in her education. Pulling her out of school now is going to affect her far more than you think."

Hildegard’s mother frowned as she grabbed the documents back from Rita, and then she spoke in an annoyed tone.

"Don’t try to tell me what will or won’t affect my daughter. I raised her myself for seventeen years, and I know what’s best for her! If you stand in my way, I’ll let the City Guards know that you were obstructing, and they’ll be here to arrest you immediately!"

Rita huffed in irritation, and she realised that there was really no reasoning with this woman! If only Hildegard was already an adult, then this would’ve been so much easier, but the fact that she was still a minor only added to the issues! Rita turned to Hildegard, and she saw the young lamia girl hugging herself with a desperate look on her face! It was obvious that Hildegard didn’t want to go anywhere, but Rita knew that there was really nothing they could do about this. A mother wanting her daughter to return home with her was perfectly normal!

Rita let out a small sigh before saying:

"Hildegard... go pack your things."

Hildegard’s eyes widened in shock!

"W-What? Wait, Rita. I... I don’t want to go back home. I want to finish the school year. I was so close. A-Are you really going to let her take me back?"

"There’s nothing I can do, Hildegard. You being here right now is already against the law. If your mother wants to take you back home, then you have to go back home."

Hildegard felt an intense surge of anger rising from deep inside her when she heard this, and she yelled out loudly at the two women!

"But why do I have to go!? I already told you I want to finish school! I’m on a scholarship! I worked for this myself! Mom, can’t you stop this now? Your daughter just wants to finish school! Just a few more months and I’ll graduate! Why are you trying to take me back -!"

SLAP!

A resounding slap suddenly echoed through the library floor, and Hildegard’s face snapped to the side! A stinging sensation travelled across Hildegard’s cheek, and the young lamia felt her eyes open wide in shock! Hildegard’s mother had moved faster than Hildegard could react, and the slap had landed on Hildegard’s face with all the anger boiling inside her mother’s body!

There was a surge of rage in Hildegard’s mother that was far greater than what Hildegard was feeling, but Hildegard’s mother didn’t bother to raise her voice! Instead, she spoke in a low, calm tone that somehow carried even more venom!

"Do you think life is a fucking joke, Hildegard? I have worked hard to take care of you for seventeen years. All on my own. And you think you can simply get up and run away because you want to chase animals through the silver deserts? You need to wake up, Hildegard. You’re not like the other children! You can’t have the same dreams and aspirations that they do."

"And why not!?"

Hildegard suddenly shouted at the floor in anger, and her mother spoke up in a hard tone that nearly tore a hole through Hildegard’s heart.

"Because you’re a dark mage, Hildegard."

Hildegard flinched as if someone had just slapped her! Even if Hildegard had already gotten used to hearing this from nearly everyone else in the world without reacting at all, hearing it from her own mother was something that Hildegard couldn’t bear at all! Hildegard looked up at her mother’s stern face, and she felt a surge of despair go through her as she realized that she had been foolish!

Why did Hildegard think that she could go around the world as a researcher? Did Hildegard really believe that anyone would accept her with her affinity? Nothing was going to change even if she graduated from the academy. It would just be the same hate and scorn that she would face for the rest of her life! Hildegard swallowed desperately as she slowly came to terms with what she truly was, and Hildegard’s mother spoke up again. This time in a lighter tone.

"Go get your things, Hildegard. We’re leaving."

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