The library in Ragunna was especially quiet in the morning light.
Due to the early hour, the reading area was almost empty.
But then again, whether morning or afternoon, visitors were always few here, the Order's strict control over literary works meant that Ragunna's bookshelves held little beyond dense theological texts and children's storybooks.
And Ray had come precisely for those.
Wasn't Cartethyia obsessed with tales of knights?
These beautifully illustrated storybooks should delight her.
Though Cartethyia looked about Phoebe's age, her actual years...
were probably comparable to Cantarella's, weren't they?
Ray found it hard to imagine someone like Cantarella being so enamored with these fantastical storybooks.
He walked between the shelves, his gaze sweeping over row after row of spines, finally stopping at a few beautifully bound books, all recent popular knightly legends, their pages pulsing with sparks of defiance and hymns of courage.
Though the plots inevitably followed classic formulas: dragon-slaying swords, vows made at dawn, dreams that never faded.
Yet it was precisely these vivid stories, passed down through a thousand years, that testified to the eternal longing in people's hearts.
Some stories were told for generations, perhaps because no matter how times changed, there were always those who believed that light would triumph over darkness, that a knight's sword could cut through any shadow.
When Ray returned to the seating area with a stack of books, Zani was slumped over the table, drowsy.
At the sound of footsteps, she forced her eyelids open, but drowsiness washed over her like a tide, and her head flopped back down.
Watching her like this, Ray couldn't help but smile. "Do you really have to be so diligent? Just treat it as a break. Come have some fun with me."
"What fun?" Zani's voice was muffled, her face buried in her arms. "I can't be too half-hearted about the Second Young Miss's assignment."
Ray casually flipped open one of the books he'd just bought, the pages rustling. "Tell you what, why don't you quit your job? I'll take care of you."
"Oh?" Zani lifted her head slightly, a flicker of light in her eyes before it dimmed again. "Yeah, right. You? Take care of me?"
"Don't underestimate me." Ray said. "My little nest egg is beyond your imagination. I could take care of not just you, but two more, with plenty to spare."
"Really?"
"Of course. Forget about work. Stick with me for the good life. I'll give you a monthly allowance of..."
He deliberately drew out the words, watching Zani unconsciously sit up straighter.
"Monthly allowance of how much?"
"One thousand Bayi a month."
"...Get lost."
"What, too little? Fine, I'll add a zero."
"Hm?"
"One thousand Bayi over ten months."
Zani turned her face away. "I can't be bothered with you."
Ray wisely stopped bothering Zani, letting her nap on the table.
A more pressing question was at hand
How was he going to get these books to Cartethyia?
Ray looked at the books, lost in thought.
After all, he never truly arrived at the Avinoleum Theological Seminary; he only appeared there as a frequency.
So, in this situation, there was no way for him to bring physical objects like books to Cartethyia.
But...
Maybe he could work with frequencies instead?
In the Sonora realm, everything was composed of frequencies.
Perhaps he could find a breakthrough in this fundamental principle.
By understanding the patterns of frequencies, transforming matter into frequencies and then recomposing them, it should theoretically be possible.
Though he said that, there were probably very few Resonators in the world who could accomplish such a feat.
Ray's gaze fell on the tacet Mark on the back of his hand, and suddenly an idea struck him maybe he could ask Anby for help?
"Anby."
He called softly, and the tacet Mark glowed.
The little creature emerged drowsily from the light, rubbing its sleepy eyes as it floated in front of him.
"What's up?"
"Anby." Ray asked. "Are you hungry?"
"Hungry?" Anby rubbed its sleepy eyes, patting its round little belly. "I am a little hungry... Is it lunchtime already?"
"It is about time for lunch." A mysterious smile curved Ray's lips as he held up a book to Anby. "Here, this is today's lunch."
Anby's eyes widened. It looked at the book, then up at Ray in confusion. "Huh? Lunch? A book? H-how am I supposed to eat that..."
"I'm not asking you to literally eat it." Ray explained. "What I mean is, when you devour the Dark Tide, you break it down into frequencies first before absorbing it, right?"
Anby nodded. "Something like that. But eating is different! Good food should be savored!"
"So, could our dearest Anby do us a favor? Break these books down into frequencies and store them temporarily in your little belly?"
"Huh?" Anby scratched its little head. "Why?"
"Because I promised someone I would bring these books to her," Ray said. "If you agree, Anby, I'll take you out for a feast tonight. How about that?"
"Really?" Anby's eyes immediately lit up. "Alright then. But I'm not doing it for the feast, I'm doing it for you."
Just then, a commotion from the street interrupted their conversation.
"Move it! Stop dawdling!"
"The pilgrimage ship is about to depart!"
"Are you a maggot? Hurry up!"
It seemed to be people from the Order of the Deep.
And a pilgrimage ship?
Ray instinctively frowned. The term made him want to get up and see what was going on.
He turned to look at Zani beside him, about to speak, but instead heard her steady, rhythmic breathing at some point, she had fallen asleep with her head on her arms.
"...She fell asleep. I guess she didn't take the Second Young Miss's assignment too seriously either. Or was she just too tired?"
Ray sighed softly and adjusted the jacket that had slipped off her shoulders. "Might as well rest here."
Anby floated over to Zani's side, curiously observing her. "Who's this?"
"Zani, my colleague," Ray said.
"Is that so?" Anby rubbed its chin, looking puzzled.
Seeing this, Ray couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." The little creature seemed thoughtful. "I'm just curious."
"About what?"
"About why every time I show up, there's a different girl by your side."
"..."
Don't ask. Just call him a gal game pro, aiming to unlock everyone's special CG and get the harem ending.
Even if he'd accidentally picked the wrong option on Carlotta's route and ended up on Cantarella's.