The Third Library

The Third Library was one of the largest libraries and alchemical workshops of port city Lotto Valentino in the early 1700s, run by the immortal alchemist Dalton Strauss. It survives in the twenty-first century as the Lotto Valentino Third Library, and remains one of the largest libraries in the area under Dalton's continued management.

1700s
The Third Library was accessible only via courtyard, as it was surrounded by buildings on all sides. Though its architecture was elegant, it did not possess the gaudy ornamentation of contemporary libraries. Located on the second floor of the archives was at least one classroom, where alchemy and other subjects were taught to teenaged students. Bookshelves often lined the corridors themselves, not just room interiors.

Considered separate to the main archives were the Special Archives, which contained fossils, skeletal models, ancient tools, original and rare editions of books, exotic plants, and other objects that warranted special treatment. Headmaster Dalton Strauss often conducted clandestine business and meetings in the archives that he could not otherwise conduct in public, usually relating to either alchemy or immortality.

2000s
While the Third Library survived into the twenty-first century, a new wing boasting computers alongside books was built next to the now-historic building at some point before 2003.

Subjects
The Third Library provided its students with a largely normal education, with the majority of class time devoted to schooling typical of normal contemporary academies. Unlike normal academies, however, the Third Library also taught its students alchemy—a discipline that, due to the antipathy of the Catholic Church, had to be taught in secret.

Its alchemy curriculum covered everything from classical alchemy to the 'modern' alchemy of the 1700s, and included: the work of individual alchemists (such as Jabir Ibn Hayyan); important inventions and theories (e.g. the invention of Aqua Regia and the theories it spawned); and the scientific, practical elements of alchemy itself (such as the uses of amalgamated gold and silver).

Student Demographics
Many of the students who attended the Third Library were those who could not officially attend school, the other reason for why the Library's classes were held secretly. One such student was visibly foreign, while another risked exile from the city should his identity be revealed to the public. Another student had committed a crime, while two were witches' sons. At least one student even lived in the library itself, doing odd jobs around the building to earn a living.

In 1705, the school had around thirty students altogether and divided them into classes by age groups of about five years. Professor Renee Parmedes Branvillier taught alchemy and history daily to at least one class consisting of seven boys (later eight) and three girls, all around fifteen years of age. By 1709, the class' demographics have shifted, ranging from a ten-year-old girl to a young man almost twenty years of age.

Chronology
The Third Library was originally built by the ancestors of an aristocrat who lived on an island off the coast of Prussia in the 1700s. The aristocrat and their family continued to contribute funds to the Third Library with full knowledge of its alchemic activities.

The Library is also supported by aristocrat Esperanza C. Boroñal.

1700s
In the summer of 1705, Renee's alchemy class of ten students (including Huey Laforet and Monica Campanella) becomes eleven with the addition of new student Elmer C. Albatross. On the day of Elmer's arrival, foreign alchemists Denkurō Tōgo and Zank Rowan meet with Headmaster Dalton in the Special Archives and ask him about the city's counterfeit money and drug problems on behalf of their master Majeedah Batutah. Huey and Elmer eavesdrop on their conversation.

A few days later, three officers of the City Police approach Dalton in the Library's inner courtyard and attempt to take him into custody on the orders of Chief Larolf Hancletia. Dalton responds by stabbing Renee's neck, and when the wound repairs itself, warns the men to act as if they had never come to the Library in the first place.

Two years later, Huey, Monica, and Elmer are leaving the Library late at night in 1707 when they run into Maiza Avaro, Jean-Pierre Accardo, Begg Garrott, Czeslaw Meyer, and Lebreau Fermet Viralesque on their way in to visit Dalton. Dalton greets the quintet in one of the library's corridors, where he tears out his own throat as a demonstration of his immortality. Maiza immediately asks Dalton to take him on as an alchemy pupil, and studies under him for the next four years. Though Maiza does not partake in the school's official lessons, he makes full use of the Library's research material during his studies.

In the Autumn/Winter of 1709, House Dormentaire representative Carla Alvarez Santoña and several of the Dormentaire soldiers under her command visit Dalton in his Special Archives at the same time Renee's class is in session on the second floor. Once alone with Dalton, Carla informs him that her Dormentaire delegation will be staying in Lotto Valentino for some time, and requests permission for entry into the Library. Though aware that the Dormentaires have an ulterior motive for being in Lotto Valentino, Dalton grants her delegation access to the archives. After Monica's death in 1710, Huey withdraws from the Third Library's school and spends the next year travelling.

In the wake of Huey's disappearance, Elmer retrieves a large quantity of technical notes from the Third Library and gives them to Carla in the hopes that they will make her smile. When her smile proves forced, Elmer continues following her until she finally makes him an official Dormentaire spy.

By 1711, the Dormentaires have assumed control over Lotto Valentino. The Library acts as a temporary refuge for arsonist Gretto Avaro after Fermet brings him to the archives, and Gretto's wounds are treated by Renee. There, in front of Sylvie Lumiere, Fermet, Elmer, and Renee, Gretto asks Maiza to allow him and Sylvie aboard the ship Advena Avis due to arrive in port that day. At the same time, Dalton and Huey discuss Huey's return to the city in the Special Archives, but their conversation is interrupted when Renee—fleeing from Maiza and Gretto's argument—barges into the room. Huey requests that Dalton add him to the Advena Avis ' passenger list.

A Dormentaire ship explodes on its way to port the same day, and the alchemists of the Third Library flee the city through the catacombs over the next several days in order to avoid Dormentaire retribution. Carla and a large group of Dormentaire soldiers convene in the Third Library only to find it void of alchemists, and Carla is forced to entreat with the ire and frustration of her soldiers as a result.

2000s
The Third Library continues functioning as the Lotto Valentino Third Library into the twenty-first century, opening a new wing alongside its historic building by 2003 featuring both books and computers. Dalton maintains his position as Library manager all the while.

Accardo's Descendant visits the Library multiple times in 2003 during the process of deciphering his ancestor Jean's memoirs. Immediately after finishing Jean's memoirs, he returns to the Library once more in order to learn whether or not Jean committed suicide, and learns in a history book of Lotto Valentino that Jean passed away of old age. He is approached by Dalton as he is researching the city's later history, and briefly considers but dismisses the idea that Dalton might be 'Dalton the immortal' from Jean's memoirs.

Staff

 * Dalton Strauss (Headmaster, 1700s; Manager, 2000s)
 * Renee Parmedes Branvillier (Professor and School Doctor, 1700s)
 * Archangelo (Professor, 1700s)

Students

 * Huey Laforet (1700s)
 * Monica Campanella (1700s)
 * Elmer C. Albatross (1700s)
 * Freya (c. 1710)

Trivia

 * The Prussian island from which the Library's financial backer hailed is likely Growerth, the fictional setting of the light novel series Vamp!. Vamp! is set in the same universe as Baccano!.