The glass swung open automatically for me, and the Ars Goetia fell into my greedy hands without much fuss.
"That was an impressive use of mana to bypass a protection charm I'd cast myself," Mistress Grimsever clapped, which was a good thing as I half-expected her to scold me for hacking an Aegishjalmur's lock.
"Um, are all novices supposed to do it this way?" I asked curiously.
She shook her head. "Novices who are invited into the special section are also given a key."
"But we weren't invited," Liara replied.
"And yet Mr. Wisdom has found a way past this complication," Mistress Grimsever nodded approvingly at me. "As I said, impressive."
"So~~o, you wouldn't get mad"—I tucked the book under my arm—"if I did it again, right?"
"Ms. Lockwood," Mistress Grimsever called, "what is the most important trait required of an adventurer?"
"Imagination," Liara answered instantly.
"Some claim that imagination is greater than knowledge. Imagination leads to ingenuity which then leads to cunning, the sort required to trail-blaze unknown realms and face unseen dangers," Mistress Grimsever recited. "Why would I punish a novice who clearly understands this principle?"
"Oh, okay, good to know then," I grinned.
"I'm curious, Mr. Wisdom… What will you do with that tome if you aren't interested in the summoning of demons?" Mistress Grimsever asked.
"As cool as demonology sounds, I've got other plans for this book," I insisted.
Without wasting time, I quickly found the next tome on my list and unlocked its bookcase using the same hack I'd used for the Ars Goetia. I repeated these steps three more times while searching across the special section for those grimoires I needed. Soon enough, the Ars Goetia, Ars Theurgia Goetia, Ars Paulina, Ars Almadel, and Ars Notoria would all fall into my hands.
"Curiouser and curiouser," Mistress Grimsever said as she looked over the books I dropped on her table. "You've found interesting tomes in demonology, divination, angelology, and sorcery… I wonder, do you—"
"Know that they're all part of a single collection?" I finished for her. "Yep, I do."
Liara, who'd been reading the titles of the books along with Mistress Grimsever, let out a sharp breath. "These are the books of the Lemegeton!"
"More commonly known as the Lesser Key of Solomon," Mistress Grimsever agreed. "Now, give me your badge so I might record your borrowing of these books onto the ledger."
She eyed the badge I showed her. It made her frown slightly.
"I would be remiss not to remind you that these are advanced reading material... Perhaps too advanced for an apprentice who's been in the Academy less than a week," she stated.
"Um, if I wanted advanced, then I would have gone for the Greater Key of Solomon," I joked.
Now, while that corny joke made Liara roll her eyes at me, Mistress Grimsever looked like she was actually trying not to smile.
"How are your Latin and Elder Futhark?" she asked.
"I'm fair with the former and excellent with the latter, as you've probably heard," I grinned. I did show off my skills with runes against Doomsday after all. "I've also got Googlie Translate on my status bar."
This joke didn't win her over though. Still, Mistress Grimserver seemed curious enough about my choice to let me keep the books I asked for after reminding me that I had to return them by week's end. "I assume you will be as careful with these tomes as you are with your life… No stains on the pages, please… Especially not 'Cheese Whiz'... damn things are hard to clean off."
"They might get a little dirty, maybe even singed, but I think these books will find their way back to you on their own… Also, I only need them for today," I explained.
She raised an eyebrow at me before understanding dawned on her face. "Hmmm… You are certainly Divah's apprentice… Good luck with the sacrifice."
"Sacrifice?" Liara repeated. "What—"
With a quick goodbye to one of my future teachers—because now that I'd met her, I was seriously considering picking Defense Against Black Magic as an elective—I dragged Liara out of the secret section before Mistress Grimsever could change her mind.
After the 2nd stack's special section, Liara and I made our way past stacks three and four and up to the fifth stack which was little more than a small chapel with an altar dedicated to Mimir, Norse god of knowledge, on its far side. On this altar was a golden brazier, one that hadn't been lit yet as the chapel was empty. I moved over to stand in front of this brazier so I could throw all five books of the Lesser Key of Solomon into it.
"Are you insane?" Liara gasped.
"Jury's still out on that one…" Like all capable adventurers-in-training, I came prepared with the standard survival kit which included the matches I needed to get this bonfire started. "Don't worry… I'm not going rogue. This is part of the ritual."
"What ritual?" Liara pressed.
"Mimir's a Norse god," I reminded her. "And what do you think Norse gods want in exchange for their blessings?"
Liara's face lit up with understanding. "They'd want a sacrifice…"
"As a god of knowledge, the best sacrifice we can offer Mimir is a sacrifice of information, right?" I reasoned.
"But if you're only using them as a sacrifice, then couldn't you have found other less important grimoires?" Liara gazed with longing at the books I'd thrown into the brazier. "The Lesser Key of Solomon is priceless."
"It's because we need this specific 'key' that I have to use these books."
"Elaborate."
"To open a very specific door, one needs the right key."
This vague response earned me a punch in the shoulder. Sheesh, this half-elf could get violent when the mood hit her.
"Look, just trust me, okay." I lit the match. "It'll be worth it."
Before Liara could stop me, I threw the match into the brazier. Sure enough, the books I used for kindling quickly caught fire. Much too quickly, I might add. As if Mimir was far too eager to enjoy this sacrifice I offered him.
Liara frowned. "Mistress Grimsever's going to kill you."
"No, she won't," I grinned at the sight of the magical blue flames exploding out of the brazier. "She let me take the books knowing what I would do with them, remember?"
Liara's doubts lasted about as long as it took for the blue flames to burn as brightly as starlight and then wink out just as flashily, which was when we both heard the loud click that preceded the rumbling of the wooden floor beneath our feet. Then the sound of a steeple bell—one that hadn't rung in nearly a hundred years—filled the air with its chimes.
"Blessed Freya," Liara whispered. "You made the bell ring?"
I nodded. "Told you it might happen."
Finally, the wall behind the altar slid open, and cool light from the room beyond spilled out to greet us.
"You needed a specific key to open this door," Liara repeated.
"Behold," I bowed to her like a magician who'd just revealed his trick, "I give you one of the biggest treasures of the Academy… the Great Library's hidden treasure throve — the Vault of Glass."