My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 154

Chapter 154: Secured Place
“Did you actually study this?” His voice was filled with disappointment.

Lucia bit her lip, her pride taking yet another hit from his blunt words. He wasn’t even trying to tear her down—it was just how far ahead he was in this field. Talking to him made anyone feel like they were lagging behind.

“I did, but it’s not my main focus,” she explained, her voice trailing off. “It’s a complex topic. Teleportation only works with a huge structure and a lot of preparation, so for someone like me, who’s focused on offense spells, it wasn’t all that useful.”

He understood her reasoning. She looked young, and studying magic took up a lot of time. It made sense to focus on a specific area rather than trying to learn everything.

Asher’s silence stretched on, making her more uneasy. She wasn’t used to being ignored or left without a response.

Unable to shake the feeling, she decided to explain herself further, her words tumbling out in a rush.

But before she could embarrass herself further, he raised his hand, cutting her off.

“I want to see it,” he spoke up.

“See what?”

“The portal. I want to examine it.”

“That’s not how this works,” she shook her head. “Even if we go there, it’s only 50% complete. You won’t be able to get anything useful from it.”

“I don’t care,” he replied firmly. “Just take me there.”

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes, but a knot of worry formed in her stomach. If he found out what he wanted, he might leave before she could get the answers she needed.

Then an idea popped into her mind.

“We will go after you visit the Arcane Repository first,” she pointed out. “It would be more beneficial for you to understand how our arcane arts work, and you could give me a better explanation of that siphon spell.”

Asher didn’t immediately dismiss the idea. It was a reasonable suggestion.

“Alright, I’ll head there right away.” He stood up without hesitation, not bothering to look back. He remembered the direction and began to trace his steps.

On the way, he cast another spell to ensure no one would bother him along the way. His growing popularity made him a target for attention, and the last thing he wanted was a crowd forming around him.

Finally, he reached his destination. The building had no windows or other entrances, just the main door. It looked sturdy and metallic, a clear barrier meant to deter anyone who wasn’t meant to enter.

He could feel the traces of numerous defensive spells woven into the door. They were powerful, but he knew they could all be shattered with ease if he chose to. However, he hadn’t come here to cause trouble—his purpose was to learn.

CREAK!

The heavy metal door groaned as he stepped inside. The doors themselves were at least ten inches thick, and the walls surrounding the whole structure were reinforced with layers of enchanted steel. It felt more like the entrance to a giant vault.

The lobby after the entrance was modest in size, with walls intentionally designed to be as plain as possible. The gray, unpainted surfaces gave the room a utilitarian feel, as if meant to strip away distraction and focus all attention on the figures within.

Positioned across the floors were at least thirty bronze statues, each clad in full armor.

Their polished metal surfaces gleamed in sharp contrast to the muted stone walls, standing as silent sentinels. Each statue held a long spear with effortless authority, their shields emblazoned with bold insignias.

‘Without the emblem Lucia gave me, they’ll attack on sight. I wonder how strong these things are?’

‘Not the time for it,’ he muttered, shaking his head as he brushed aside his curiosity.

He reached into his robe and pulled out the emblem. The metallic token felt warm to the touch, faintly pulsing with magic. He raised it high, the intricate runes glowing.

Two of the bronze statues stirred to life with a low, grinding noise, their movements rigid because of their metallic frames.

They stepped aside in perfect unison, their spears lowering as the wall behind them began to shift. With a deep rumble, the stone split open from the middle, revealing a hidden passage beyond.

Asher pocketed the emblem and stepped forward, only to find himself in a narrow, dimly lit hallway.

The walls here were adorned with glowing runes that pulsed faintly, casting flickering shadows as he walked.

Finally, the hallway opened into a vast chamber that resembled a library. Shelves packed with ancient tomes and scrolls lined the walls.

A few sorcerers were scattered across the room, seated at long tables cluttered with books, glowing crystals, and half-drawn diagrams.

They noticed him immediately. It wasn’t every day that someone new entered this sacred space, let alone someone like Asher—the newly appointed vice principal whose unorthodox ideas had already disrupted the established norms of Arcane Arts.

“May I help you?” A woman approached, her voice calm and steady. She was dressed in a black robe, her foxkin heritage clear in the way her brown hair framed her face and the pointed ears that peeked through.

“I’m here to find books. I prefer the basic ones, or those that are meant for beginners,” he clarified.

“Beginners?” The woman’s confusion deepened. She hadn’t witnessed the fight between him and Abir, as she had been occupied elsewhere, but the rumors of Asher’s overwhelming power had spread quickly. It didn’t make sense for someone with his reputation to be seeking beginner-level material.

Not wanting to prolong the conversation, he quickly made up a story to avoid further questions.

“Foundation is everything to me. So I want to see how the Arcane arts here differ from mine.”

She nodded, understanding his point. “That makes sense.”

“Please come with me, I’ll guide you to the section with related books,” she gestured for him to follow.

As they moved deeper into the library, it became obvious that whatever knowledge he was seeking wasn’t considered urgent. The books were tucked away in a quiet, dusty corner.

“I’m sorry if it’s a little dusty. This area isn’t usually visited by other sorcerers,” she apologized, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

She was responsible for the condition of the library, and the neglected corner made her uncomfortable.

He didn’t mind at all. This area was far from the main section, quiet and undisturbed, which was exactly how he preferred it.

There was even an old wooden desk nearby that he could use, making it the perfect place to focus without distractions.

The foxkin began explaining to him how the books were organized. They weren’t sorted in a way that made finding useful information easy. He would have to manually sift through them to determine what was relevant and useful to him.

It wasn’t a problem for him, though. In fact, it gave him the chance to build a deeper, more well-informed foundation in the Arcane Arts.

With everything set, he picked up a worn out book and began reading. But before he could get far, a small voice interrupted him. “So, you’re the new infamous sorcerer I’ve been hearing about.”