Liuli lowered her head and glanced at her own palm.
If things really went as Serveyia said, these hands would soon be able to release spells of their own.
That thought filled her with excitement, and even increased her curiosity about exploring the Ancient Records.
Although she couldn’t say what she might find or understand from the Ancient Records, it was a rare opportunity—whether to learn about the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox of the past, or to imagine her own future.
The Library of Saint Laia was located at the top of a small hill within the academy.
From the outside, it didn’t look particularly special.
But Liuli knew very well—being one of the top noble schools, the collection inside was not to be underestimated, even if it couldn’t be called vast as a sea.
Perhaps to keep Liuli from getting lost, from the moment they entered the Library, Serveyia took her hand.
Although there weren’t many students in the Library, being held by Serveyia’s hand in public still made Liuli a little shy.
She tried to shake off Serveyia’s grip, but found Serveyia was holding on especially tightly.
Rather than expressing her displeasure, her attempt felt more like she was acting spoiled.
After a few failed attempts, Liuli compromised.
Let Serveyia hold her hand, then.
Serveyia had already seen her more embarrassing sides anyway.
And besides, perhaps two girls holding hands wasn’t such a strange thing after all—at least, it didn’t seem unusual in Saint Laia?
The few students nearby didn’t show much surprise at seeing Liuli and Serveyia holding hands.
It was as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
Was she just being too sensitive?
“Serveyia, where are we going?”
Liuli remembered Serveyia’s warning and asked in a small voice.
Since the Ancient Records were so important, they probably wouldn’t be on just any public bookshelf.
In that case, if she wanted to find the book, maybe it was best to find the person in charge of the Library?
“Let’s find the Librarian first.
Even if you’re a Princess, little fox, without the Librarian leading you, you can’t enter the Core Area.”
“Serveyia, would you call this mutual defense?”
“Mutual defense? Interesting term, little fox. But actually, it’s not so much about mutual defense. The books in the Core Area are simply too precious. Some are even unique copies. If any were damaged, it would be a huge loss.”
“So many precious books… where did they all come from?”
Liuli didn’t doubt Saint Laia’s wealth or political influence.
But for items like these, or rather, collectibles, it didn’t feel like something that could be easily obtained with just money or force.
“Some are the property of Shareholders, some are works of Graduates, and some were offered by those seeking to exchange treasures for something from Saint Laia.”
“Exchange… What do they exchange?”
“What else? A precious Entry Quota, of course.”
“Entry Quota… you can exchange something like that?”
“Of course. To Saint Laia, an Entry Quota is nothing much. Trading it for a valuable Ancient Record is an exceptionally good deal.”
Serveyia answered Liuli’s question calmly, as if she were speaking of something ordinary.
“Even though it’s a noble girls’ school, not all students have to be nobles. How many noble girls enroll in a year anyway?”
“And don’t forget money, little fox. Do you know why Saint Laia is so wealthy? While the governments of various nations offer some support, in truth, that support is a drop in the bucket.”
“Even with high tuition, relying solely on noble students can’t keep Saint Laia running. At such times, exchanging some Entry Quotas for certain benefits is the most normal thing in the world.”
“In that case, the amount of money involved must be enormous.”
“Of course. After all, it’s one of Saint Laia’s main sources of income.”
“But… why?”
Liuli hesitated, as if searching for the right words.
“What is it about Saint Laia that draws people in?”
“Little fox, what do you think defines a noble?”
Serveyia didn’t answer directly.
Instead, she threw a new question back at Liuli.
“Um… Bloodline and Title of Nobility?”
Liuli didn’t know how her question related to Serveyia’s, but since Serveyia asked, she obediently replied.
“It’s Title of Nobility, aura, and Heritage, little fox. For wealthy people who wish to become nobles, the first two are easiest to achieve. But Heritage is not something that can be built overnight. So for those who want to become nobles quickly, only one option remains: Marriage Alliance.”
“Marriage Alliance… seriously?”
“Of course. They’re all young and full of passion. Sparks of love can fly at any time. As for how likely it is to succeed—that’s not for us to consider.”
“But why would a family want to send their daughter here for a Marriage Alliance? They can’t possibly send a male noble into…”
“Who says it’s impossible?”
“?”
Liuli almost thought Serveyia was joking.
After all, for a girls’ school, the idea of smuggling a man in seemed bizarre.
“Serveyia, are you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious. Many nobles have tried to send their sons here, even willing to pay enormous sums to do so.”
“But… a girls’ school would never allow men to enroll, right? Or…”
Liuli couldn’t help but think of herself.
She hadn’t forgotten how she had come to Saint Laia in the first place.
That is to say, if Saint Laia could turn her into what she was now, did that mean they also had the power to turn other men into women?
Liuli felt as if she had just realized an unbelievable secret, and her expression turned to shock.
“That’s right. In the past, we really did admit such people. After all, the tuition they could pay was simply too much to ignore. Given the opportunity, of course we wouldn’t refuse.”
“So… they were all turned into…”
Liuli didn’t finish the sentence.
To be honest, she wasn’t sure if she should even say it.
The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
“Yes, but all of that is clearly written in the contract ahead of time. Strictly speaking, it’s a consensual transaction. Of course, to ensure the safety of the young ladies, students who entered through special channels are strictly supervised. Naturally, that’s also included in the contract.”