Chapter 5 (light novel 1)

Libricide
Chapter 5 Extra Episode 01: Bibliocaust
Japanese Name	焚書官
Romanized Name	Funsho-kan
Volume	1
Release Date	November 1, 2008 (volume 1)
Pages	46
Adaptation	Episode 6

For the anime adaptation, see Episode 6.

"Libricide" is the 5th chapter of The Mystic Archives of Dantalian light novel, volume 1. It's divided into six parts and contains one illustration. The chapter is labeled as Extra Episode 01.

Flamberge and a Book Burning Officer called Hal Kamhout are looking for a girl with a lock. They reach an unusual town protected by the policewoman Mabel Nash.

Summary

Not even the light of the moon could brighten the ground. High in the dark sky of a cloudy night, the military biplanes of the enemy country produce a deafening sound. The buildings are destroyed by the giant bombs falling from the airplanes. The town was looking like a hell, the air filled with cries and screams of its inhabitants. A girl watches the chaotic sight below from afar. Fire was consuming everything she loved. She notices the presence of a couple. The man tells her not to worry. After all, when something is broken, you just need to build it once again. The girl in extravagant clothes gives him a strange book. The lock she was wearing produced a cold sound. The person who was watching the bombings receives the item from the mysterious man. She looks down at the Phantom Book written specially for her. The two had already disappeared when she raised her head again.

Part 1

A sturdy man is riding a large-sized motorcycle. A beautiful girl with long silver hair is sit in the sidecar of the vehicle. They reach a small town next to a lake. A big factory could be seen on the other side of the lake, surrounded by several warehouses. The man peeks into the side streets. Rather than lost, he seems to be hunting something. Next to the high walls of the warehouses, the duo is stopped. It’s unusual to see policewomen in that region. Mabel Nash, a female police officer, had received information about a suspicious man riding a motorcycle around town. The girl in the sidecar laughs and teases the man with a sadistic voice. Mabel watches them arguing. She notices the strange appearance of the silver-haired girl.

Flamberge's uncanny appearance draws Mabel's attention.

Except for neck and hands, her entire body is covered by a white outfit sealed by locks, restraining her movements like a straitjacket. When Mabel questions the way she is being treated, the man affirms that she is wearing it of her own will. However, her partner says that she is only suiting his preferences. Mabel interrupts their bickering and asks about their identities. Hal Kamhout is looking for a young man travelling together with a girl that should be wearing a lock and carrying strange books. Hal wears himself as a clergy and carries a huge staff attached to his motorcycle. Without further explanation, he affirms to be a Book Burning Officer. The policer officer lets them go, now certain that Flamberge is not being mistreated. Hal asks where he can refuel his vehicle. There are no gas stations in town, but he will be able to buy gasoline from merchants in a few days. Flamberge complains when Hal decides that they will be camping until then. However, Mabel offers food and accommodation at her place. As someone protecting the citizens, it's safer to keep suspicious people nearby.

Part 2

Mabel leads Hal and Flamberge through the shopping district. Even if people are chatting and laughing, the scene doesn't give off a lively impression. It's like watching the actors of a bad play. Hal notices many brothels around. Although a rural town, prostitutes gathered in the place, aiming for workers and military officers present during the war. Hal heard about dozens of people going missing in the town after the end of the war. Mabel turns pale, denying the rumors and affirming that no one had died or disappeared in the recent years. Hal insists, saying that those deemed as missing were outsiders such as travelers and merchants. He wants to check if the couple he’s searching is related to the rumors.

They stop in front of a three-story house. The police officer welcomes them to her place. Hal and Flamberge meet Mabel’ grandparents in the living room, sit in a woolen sofa in front of a fireplace. The grandparents have an unnatural behavior, smiling like a mechanical puppet. Patricia, Mabel’s sister, also appears from upstairs. The little girl tells the guests to go away. She dashes up the stairs. Mabel follows her. Flamberge maliciously asks if Hal is interested in little girls. Hal doesn’t mind her provocation. He notices that although Patricia hates him, the little girl is showing some emotion.

Part 3

It was past midnight when Hal left Mabel’s house, heading to the hill beyond the heart of the town. Taking a good look at the map, he notices a region inaccessible by car, as if the streets were altered to keep people away. Walking to investigate the place, Hal finds a gruesome view which someone was trying to hide. Remains of buildings, streets turned into ashes, traces of war. Part of the town was probably engulfed by flames during an air-raid. Surely, many lost their lives.

A sweet voice reaches Hal’s ears. The woman is the very model of a prostitute. She looks fake, like the other residents of the town. The man questions what she is doing there and who is controlling her. It's an odd place for a prostitute to attract customers. She has no answer, acting agitated and showing no expression, revealing an inhumanly face with vacant eyes, resembling one of a sculpture.

She thrusts her fingers towards Hal, cutting his cheek. If he had a slower reaction, he would be dead by now. The prostitute keeps attacking with tremendous speed and strength. However, the Book Burning Officer uses a martial arts technique to restrain the enemy by the arm. Going against his warning, the prostitute fights back. Her arm breaks, flying away without a single drop of blood. It’s a piece of wood in the shape of a human arm, with a polished wooden ball as joint. Instead of an open wound, the woman shows only a wooden cross-section. Hal is cut once again, his coat getting soaked with blood. He kicks her to create some distance. She rushes towards him for the last time. Hal grabs her head and pushes it against the ground, shattering it into countless splinters. He examines the remains of the dressed puppet.

Part 4

Hal returns to Mabel’s house at sunrise. The police officer had already left to work. He finds Flamberge and Patricia sleeping together. The silver-haired young woman had won Mabel’s sister over by reading a fairy tale book. The little girl was worried about Hal. After all, other visitors had disappeared. The Book Burning Officer is wounded, but it's nothing serious. He seems to pity Patricia for a moment. As always, Flamberge teases him, asking if he’s jealous because she spent the night with a little girl. The duo leaves the house.

Part 5

Although the factory has many machines active, the place is quiet. The few workers present never questioned their unauthorized visit. Hal had looked through the archives about the city. Ammunition, bombs and gun parts used to be produced on site. Now, as evidenced by a storehouse nearby, puppets were being manufactured. There’s a mountain of boxes. Inside them, the inhabitants of the town, including men, women, children, even prostitutes. Hal and Flamberge discuss about a technique that allows a sorcerer to control puppets. Something like that was applied to the workers around, and even to the prostitute Hal met last night. The puppets are replacing the townsfolk. That explains why Mabel affirmed that there were no casualties in the recent years. Because of that, the town will remain unchanged for eternity. Flamberge questions why someone would do that. Hal tells her to ask directly to the culprit. He points his staff to Mabel.

The police officer appears from the shadow. The day before, Hal had purposely ridden around the town, telling everyone they were looking for someone. When Mabel stopped them, they knew she had probably met the Biblioprincess. That’s how Hal discovered that she’s the puppeteer. Mabel asks if he’s referring to a beautiful armored girl with a lock. Hal changed his expression for the first time, showing immense hatred. Mabel finally reveals the Phantom Book she was hiding behind her. She had conducted the ceremony described in Rahōto Reihō Kaigen to make puppets obey her. The first ones were using the deserted factory to increase their numbers. Mabel wishes to protect the town by creating stand-ins of those who died in the air-raid. During the war, explosions and flames took the lives of a large fraction of the population. From 3,000 inhabitants, fewer than 400 survived. The police officer keeps justifying her actions, affirming that the townsfolk accepted the puppets. After all, they could be with their loved ones again. However, Hal explains that the puppets can only follow her commands. When they are placed in an unfamiliar situation, they become hostile. That’s why outsiders were disappearing around the town. Mabel is protecting the shadow of the past. Because she is weak, clinging to the past and refusing to accept changes, the town was taken by an illusion. The police officer acknowledges that, but she believes that it’s too late to go back.

With a shout, she wakes up the boxed puppets. They soon fill the narrow pathway. Hal knows that he has no chance against them. Before the puppets can reach him, he removes his glove, revealing a beautiful crimson jewel on his right hand. With the golden keys that suddenly appear in his possession, he opens the Long Lost Library. The Book Burning Officer removes an old book from the void revealed on the body of Flamberge, the Silver Biblioprincess, who laughs loudly like a maniac. He loads his long staff by positioning the book at its tip. The object is a destructive weapon which spouts out flames by using the magic of Phantom Books as fuel. Mabel falls on her knees while watching the factory and her puppets being enveloped in fire. Hal finally points his staff at her. She affirms that the person who wields the staff of Surtr will eventually be consumed by his own flames. Hal accepts his destiny as a Book Burning Officer. He uses the weapon to shoot the Phantom Book and its owner without mercy.

Part 6

With eyes slightly wet with tears, Patricia is sit in the dark room by herself, in front of the stove. Her grandparents had stopped moving. Hal arrives shortly before dusk, carrying the police officer on his arms. As a Book Burning Officer, his job is to erase all Phantom Books and everything that comes in contact with them. He burned the part of Mabel’s mind which was corrupted by the Phantom Book. She wouldn’t remember anything after the moment she received the Rahōto Reihō Kaigen. Hal lays the unconscious policewoman on the sofa and turns around to leave the house. Patricia runs after him to express her gratitude. The little girl knew that they were playing dumb, living a long dream. For a moment, she has the impression that the man smiled, although his face had the same sour look. Hal sets off with his motorcycle without looking back. Flamberge teases him from the sidecar, pointing out that he was happy, smiling from ear to ear. As always, Hal tells her to shut up.

Trivia

• Libricide and Bibliocaust are terms used to describe the destruction of books.
• It's the first chapter, excluding special chapters, without Hugh and Dalian.
  • It also marks the debut of Hal, Flamberge and the Professor.
  • First time Rasiel appears in a non-special chapter.
  • First time two Biblioprincess appear in the same chapter.
  • First time a library of Phantom Books is opened other than the Labyrinth Library.
  • First time a chapter is labeled as "Extra Episode".
• During the World War I, the main German bombing campaign against England started in January 1915 until the end of the war in 1918. About 51 air raids were carried out by airships and 27 by airplanes, resulting in circa 1,400 ground casualties. Mabel affirms that around 2,600 died only in her small rural town.
  • Night air raids took place as from September 1917, when the improved British air defenses forced German forces to abandon daylight attacks. Although the night protected the aircraft from interceptions, it also complicated navigation and landing.
  • The heavy bomber Gotha G.IV was used during these night raids. As described in the chapter, it's a large-sized, two-engine, white military biplane with giant wings. In the anime adaptation, the airplanes are even decorated with the Iron Cross, a military mark in the German Empire and later in Nazi Germany.