Chapter 19 Back to the Library
Daneel first requested Felix that he would leave the next evening. He told him that he had some matters to take care of.
Next, he tracked down Elanev and sat down to make plans with him. Due to being one of the most prominent body refiners in the younger generation and coming from a rather rich and large merchant family, he was quite well connected in the outer city.
In one of their conversations, Daneel had asked him what the matter was over which the fight in front of the library had occurred. It seemed that one of the laborers in a bureaucrat's government provided home had made a small mistake and spilled some tea on the bureaucrat. Enraged, he had ordered the guards to beat the servant to an inch of his life.
Because of being from the slums and not having enough money to spend on treatment, the servant had passed away leaving a family of a wife and 2 daughters.
After getting to know this, Elanev had stormed to the bureaucrat's house and directly assaulted him, beating him black and blue. The guards were spared because they had no choice but to follow orders.
As a member of the government, the bureaucrat had certain rights. Hence, he had immediately passed an order to arrest Elanev.
Typically, orders like these would be overthrown the next day by either the training hall or his family paying a hefty fine due to the power they held. He just needed to lay low for a day or two.
Instead, he had run into that arrogant guard, ensuing the fight.
Daneel personally knew how tough life was in the slums. After finding out that the family was now housed in the training hall, he felt glad that he had chosen the right faction to follow. Only, he believed that the bureaucrat deserved death. Still, he was very glad and impressed by Elanev's actions.
With time, they had grown closer together and were now like brothers. Hence, he trusted him completely and they hatched a plan together.
Early the next day, Daneel sauntered up the steps of the library. The clerk did not recognize him as he had changed quite a bit in the past few months.
Only, he was still wearing old clothes with a few holes in them. As soon it was turn, he walked up to the clerk and carefully counted out 10 silver Lans.
On taking the token, he touched it and gaped at it, as if it were the first magical trinket he had ever seen. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the clerk get a cruel glint in his eye.
His whole objective in over acting like this was to catch the duo's attention and make sure they did the same as before.
Daneel walked towards a podium with a spring in his step. Of course, he did not want to waste the silver Lans he had borrowed from Elanev even though they were doing this to bring the duo to justice.
"System, collect data from all books on magic.", he said, hoping that obtaining more data might result in gaining some EXP or decreasing the time PAM would need to make the technique he wanted.
[78 books shortlisted. Please open each book as they appear.]
After this short reply, book after book started appearing on the podium. He only opened to the first page on each to avoid arousing suspicion. To anyone looking, the expression of crazed excitement gave off the impression that he really was only a green kid who had somehow scrounged up money to come inside and now wanted to see as many books as possible without having the ability or patience to read any of them completely.
Although he elicited a few strange looks, the guard still hadn't come.
[*DING*
Preliminary understanding of mage powers and abilities acquired. 30 EXP awarded.]
Feeling happy, Daneel started thinking what the next topic could be. His thoughts were interrupted when just like before, he found himself in the air again.
"Kid, its you again! I can never forget a face no matter how much it changes. And here I was thinking up a reason to throw you out. I don't even need to tell you anything.", said the familiar guard, marching outside without even bothering to ask whether he had any more money like last time.
After another kick which sent Daneel almost head first into the ground, the guard and clerk smiled at each other and laughed. The rest of the people ignored what was happening and just carried on with their work.
Daneel picked himself up and walked up to the due with fury on his face.
"You can't do this! I enquired the last time I was thrown out and I know that there is no good reason for you to throw me out! I'll report you to the government if you don't give back my money now!", he screamed, making a small commotion and attracting a few people to see what was going on.
The guard guffawed even more before saying, "Try it, kid. You have no proof or backing."
Right as he said this, Daneel couldn't help but get a small smile on his face. Seeing this, the guard immediately stopped laughing and bent to grab Daneel by the waist.
Not expecting this sudden movement, Daneel did not have time to move. The guard was at least Human-2 level, and his speed was not something Daneel could dodge from yet especially given the short distance between them.
Before, he had rummaged through Daneel only casually to take out the silver coin. Now, he did a more thorough search and found a square coin tucked in his trouser, hidden.
"Video recording trinket! Nice try kid. Do you think you are the first to think of this?", he sneered, setting Daneel down and preparing to hit him again.
The look of exaggerated panic and horror on Daneel's face made the clerk and guard smile even more while the crowd watched on.