Unlike the annals, the registration papers were not neatly organized, so finding them took some time. About ten schools had been founded every year then. It was not until four in the afternoon that they finally uncovered a sheet of parchment with worn edges and spreading stains. Almost putting their heads together, Rosa and Luke studied its faded writing. But as Rosa read the disciples’ names one by one, her expression suddenly hardened. Sensing something wrong, Luke tilted his head toward her.
“What is it?”
Rosa was staring at a single name. It read:
Daeior, R. From Daeior, the Giant Mountains.
Setilla too was frowning a little. Her remarkable memory had led her to a discovery of her own.
“Daeior… This person is banned from the library, isn’t he?”
Rosa sprang up and looked at her.
“May I see another annal? There’s something I want to find.”
“The annals are open to the public. But if you don’t know the year, it will take a very long time.”
“I know it.”
Daeior had remained in Delphinad for about five years after Sidin disappeared. Then he too had vanished, under a ban from the library. The reason was that he had stolen a library relic. That was what the very annal Rosa had asked to see recorded.
While they searched page by page for Daeior’s name, Setilla left to attend to her work. Luke looked at Rosa with a strange expression.
“How did you know?”
Rosa had her arms wrapped around herself, as though she were cold. It took a long time before she answered.
“My name is Kyprosa Daeior. This man is my great-uncle. Randri Daeior.”
Luke’s mouth fell open.
“Your great-uncle? You mean he’s family?”
Rosa nodded and bit her lip hard. At the taste of blood, a view of home came to her for the first time in a long while. To Rosa, home was the raw smell of earth as the snow melted. Sometimes that smelled like blood.
“So that was why I was banned.”
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