Chapter 17

Chapter 016

Weekend, Saturday.

Even so, I am sitting at the desk in the rarely visited basement level 2 of the library, reading a book.

- "It's the weekend, go out and have some fun!"

But that doesn’t work because a librarian has to work even on weekends.

The library is closed one day a week on weekdays, and my days off are Monday and Sunday, which are the library’s closed days.

In other words, while Friday is the last workday for others, Saturday is the last workday for me.

In the past, I would have lamented this terrible work schedule, but now I actually like it.

It might seem like more people would come on the weekend, but in reality, almost no one comes!

'Basement level 2 is heaven.'

Even though they isolate me, not inviting me to eat with them and making me work only at the desk in the basement level 2, I find it great.

Perhaps the isolation started because the library director told them not to give me too much work, but I’m not the type to get stressed by such things.

There’s no reason for me to be stressed.

There are ten literature books borrowed from the second floor at lunchtime piled up in front of me.

'This is heaven.'

Living as a librarian, reading books in a world where serialized works are ongoing or have concluded.

I can’t work here for life, but if I keep working in this library, I won’t be bored.

What?

You’re asking when I’ll charm the heroines while working in the library?

That’s something that can be achieved by eliminating the protagonist and building up over three years.

'My goal for this year is to kill the protagonist.'

Once I get rid of the protagonist, I’ll think about what to do next.

A guy with powerful abilities who fell to corruption and caused the destruction of Earth by dropping a meteorite deserves to die.

You say it’s a future event?

You say it can change because it’s not a fixed destiny?

Whatever.

Surviving is important to me.

And it’s also important to return to my original world, to Earth.

So, I need to gather information about the protagonist, and this librarian position is surprisingly convenient for that.

I can access students' data in various ways through the 'library card' system.

With the Taeguk Watch linked to the library loan information, anyone can access basic data through the database.

Even the academy president can check basic information like names, borrowed books, and loan history.

'The problem is that the protagonist’s information won’t be registered in the database until next week.'

Just like Do Jihwan, who received his Taeguk Watch and was registered in the database after a week of starting work, the new student protagonist will also take time to be registered.

So,

'I can just read books and have fun until then.'

Whether it’s the opening ceremony tomorrow or Monday, I will continue to read books as a reader today...

"Excuse me, I’d like to borrow these."

"...Hmm?"

A somewhat familiar face appeared in front of me.

Unlike other ordinary people, her hair color was a striking pink, clearly saying, "I’m a superpower."

"Student Council President?"

"Yes, I’m the Student Council President, Yoon Eun-seon."

Yoon Eun-seon, the Student Council President.

She is quite short at 150cm, but her superpower is quite strong, embodying the phrase "small but spicy."

In the typical position of a student council president in an academy story, she is one of the 'heroines.'

The mischievous little pink.

That’s the public perception, but in reality, she is quite competent both in terms of superpowers and politics.

She has been in charge of the student council from the high school to the university level, making her a 'lifetime student council president.'

Yoon Eun-seon was the one who first established the student council and organized it by advocating for its necessity.

Despite the student council being perceived as a 'superpower organization,' she organized it to ensure that superpowered students could enjoy their youth, creating numerous events for the students.

These events naturally became the events in harem light novels where the protagonist and heroines develop romantic relationships, and Yoon Eun-seon herself fell under the protagonist’s spell.

I didn’t expect to meet her here.

If I could persuade Yoon Eun-seon, the chairman would think highly of it, but unfortunately, I’m not a goblin; I’m just a librarian, Do Jihwan.

"Could you place the books you want to borrow here?"

Yoon Eun-seon pointed to the four books on the loan machine.

I processed the book loans calmly and professionally, but I could feel her gaze on me.

What’s going on? Why is she looking at me like that?

Could she be another Baek Seul-hee?

"Ah, yes. Could you place your Taeguk Watch on the recognition device?"

"Yes."

Yoon Eun-seon placed her wrist on the Taeguk Watch recognition device, which looked like a fingerprint scanner.

Beep.

Soon, her biometric information appeared on the monitor, and the titles of the books she wanted to borrow were displayed.

- Mana Theory [Revised and Expanded Edition]

- How Humans Awaken Mana?

...

Just looking at them, they seem uninteresting.

'In a world where imagination is power, these books are purely academic.'

Whether it’s natural science or technology, they can stimulate human imagination but also limit it.

- Dinosaurs Can’t Fly in Space!

- No romance, no romance.

Most people come to the humanities section to improve their superpowers, but there are also those who come here to explore the metaphysics of mana itself.

Those who are considering the path of a graduate student.

Such people often visit here.

Yoon Eun-seon is slightly in that category.

However,

"...Huh?"

There are four books, but five are being registered.

Finding it strange, I looked closer—

"Are you new? What happened to the previous librarian?"

"Ah, they resigned. They quit on their own."

"I see...."

Is she trying to change the subject?

As I scanned the books, Yoon Eun-seon, looking anxious, avoided my gaze and rolled her pink eyes.

"Are the loans complete?"

"...Yes. You can borrow them for 14 days, and if you need an extension, please apply through your Taeguk Watch a day before the due date."

After answering according to the manual, I glanced at one of the book titles that caught my attention.

- How to Live Without Stress

...

I thought the student council president must be going through a lot.

Reading such a book might be stressful, but she’s probably more stressed about the student council.

'She must have a lot on her plate.'

Just managing the student council is tough, and now with new students joining, it must be even more challenging.

Unfortunately, I can’t help her.

I can only wish her the best.

"Excuse me, librarian."

"Yes?"

"Um, I’m preparing a thesis, so is it possible to do an interview?"

"An interview?"

"Yes. I’d like to know your thoughts on mana."

"I’m just a regular person...."

"It’s fine."

Yoon Eun-seon seemed quite desperate.

"Just a few questions. If it’s inconvenient...."

"No, it’s fine. I was bored anyway since no one’s here. Could you wait a moment?"

I used the tea supplies behind me to make a light cup of coffee.

It’s instant coffee, but she surprisingly likes it.

"Ah, I’m sorry. I made coffee without asking. Would you prefer green tea?"

"No, I like the mix. So, the first question is—"

Yoon Eun-seon sipped the coffee lightly and asked me.

"Mana started spreading in the world when the meteorite fell from outer space, right? Then, could there be other planets where mana is widely spread?"

"Yes."

A definite answer.

"This is a story from my 'imagination.' It’s kind of like a conspiracy theory, but would you like to hear it?"

It’s a spoiler from the original work.

"What if the meteorite that fell to Earth wasn’t from our galaxy but from beyond Pluto? What if this asteroid-like object actually came from another galaxy, another world?"

"Like from Andromeda?"

"Something like that."

The meteorite fell in 1999.

The first observation of the meteorite was at the Pluto point, so no one knows if it passed through Pluto or started from there.

I know.

It’s a meteorite from 'another world,' a Meteor Rain by a 9th Circle Great Mage, teleported to this world’s galaxy.

"I believe in the 'other world theory.'"

"Another world exists?"

"Yes. A chunk of mana from a world where mana exists spread in this world, and children born after 2000 received mana from the womb, making them sensitive to it. The concept of outer space is not outside the galaxy but in a completely different dimension."

"Sounds like a fantasy story."

"Superpowers are also a form of fantasy."

"......"

Indeed.

Even after spoiling the original world’s setting, Yoon Eun-seon, an intelligent character, doesn’t seem particularly impressed.

"Think about it this way. If the 'demonic power' mentioned in the Middle Ages was actually about mana?"

"......Ha. So, making a contract with a demon could make superpowers stronger?"

"Yes, that’s what I think."

"Ha. So, we need to make a contract with Satan, Lucifer, or Belphegor?"

"No, why would we make a contract with them? This is Korea."

This novel.

This world.

"We should make a contract with a gumiho or a hwangwhanmama."

To reiterate, this is a national pride light novel.

And,

This girl is a gumiho.