Tanimaki and the Dragon Hunt (Part 3)

After checking into the inn, they headed for the library in the center of town.

The library had been renovated many times over the years, and its long history could be felt in every part of the building.

The faded marble walls were adorned with elaborate Baroque-style carvings. The entrance, with its modern glass facade, looked slightly out of place, yet somehow the stately grandeur of a bygone era and a touch of modernity blended together in a strange harmony.

When they stepped inside, they found a single beautiful white cat sitting all alone behind a counter so long that it could easily accommodate ten librarians.

Her white fur shimmered brilliantly, like freshly fallen snow sparkling beneath the winter sun. Her perfectly sculpted silhouette was so striking that it was difficult to look away.

“Do you think that’s Bianca?” Debiru asked.

“...She’s beautiful, meow...”

Tanimaki gazed dreamily at the white cat. Now that he had completely turned into a cat, he seemed utterly captivated by her, almost as though he had fallen in love at first sight.

“Excuse me... Are you Bianca?” Mayutan asked.

“Yes, I am. What do you want?”

Bianca was extremely unfriendly.

“We heard that a dragon attacked this town three days ago. We’d like to know exactly what happened.”

At Mayutan’s words, Bianca answered with a mildly annoyed expression.

“A dragon bigger than this library attacked the town without any warning. Though I didn’t know anything about it at the time. I was in the library basement sorting through some ancient documents.”

“You were in the basement... So that’s why you were the only one who escaped?”

“That’s right.”

“What do you think the dragon intends to do with all the adults it kidnapped?”

“Eat them, obviously. But I don’t think it’ll eat them right away. The dragon is about to hibernate for the winter, so it probably wanted to stockpile enough food in advance. I imagine it’s keeping them deep inside its cave and plans to eat them little by little.”

Bianca spoke in a completely matter-of-fact tone.

She didn’t seem particularly worried about the people who had been taken away.

Nor did she ask Tanimaki and the others to rescue them.