BELLRAM V01 - Ambivalence of Light and Shadow I

BP001-P23 - Orange Juice 3

Meia did not have time to really read anything, but at least to get an overview. She took her glass with her and strolled along the shelves, starting from the left. Here and there she pulled out a book, skimmed the synopsis and put it back again. Every now and then she drank a sip.

A blanket lay ready by the fireplace on the sofa. On the table of the armchair next to it was a reading lamp.

~In winter it is certainly good to read here. Although Mr. Monet had sounded as if he was not here in the winter.

At the end, she took a narrow staircase to the circular walkway to the top. There were many ladders, but this staircase was the only one.

Once at the top, she looked at everything here as well.

It seemed that all the books from here on were non-fiction. A novel or something similar could no longer be found.

When Meia arrived at the owl figure, there was a stack of books lying conspicuously on a small reading table by the railing. These, too, all looked quite technical and apparently dealt with complex subjects. There were no pictures on the covers and she would already have to look up the title of the book on top. The title was: 'Plate tectonics'. That was all it said. The book literally screamed: 'Please read only if you have studied in this field'. The books below were no better. Most of them seemed to be from the field of earth sciences. Mainly they covered cartography, geology, and mineralogy. The only book that was even remotely interesting was titled 'Archaeological Finds of Jena'.

Meia concluded that someone wanted to read the books or already had. Possibly this person also wanted to or had copied something from them, because next to the books lay paper and writing utensils. Assuming that no one was allowed to enter this room, Mr. Monet was probably the one who had left them here.

~Does he really read this kind of stuff?~

Meia brushed her fingers over the top book.

A line trailed down into a thin layer of dust.

"Hm."

The books had been here for a while.

~I guess it's just to look as if~.

"Miss Arvis?" asked a voice from below in rising volume.

With a step to the balustrade she could be made out that it was the maid.

The next moment she spotted her, too.

"I'm here to pick you up."

"Yes, I'll come down."

~Am I out of time already?~

It was disappointing to have to leave already. Meia had not even been able to look at half of it.

There were so many books she had not been able to see. The real novels must have been at the top.

"I still have to change," Meia explained as she walked down the stairs.

" I have already been briefed on this, and I will help you with it."

Once downstairs, Meia held the glass out to her.

"What should I do with this?"

"You can leave it here."

With Meia still mourning the books, they left the reading room.

Back in the hallway, the maid pushed the single door shut until the latch clicked loudly into place, then she pulled out a thick set of keys and double-locked the door.

"Overnight, the reading room must remain locked. It is an order from Mr. Monet."

The maid only said this to pass the time while Meia waited.