Chapter 151. < Prologue. (4) >

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Translator: thursdays Editor: Yahiko

The library became brighter in an instant.

The light was just like a white current of water. It moved like it was alive. []. The light-water torrentially poured from Hamustras Apocalypse. The waves of life swept over our surroundings, spilling between the bookshelves.

The light flooded.

[Stage clear.]

The Apocalypse did not stop spewing light. Chwaak! Whooos.h.!.+ The level of the light-water quickly rose, submerging the building-high bookshelves of the Great Library. Even the forbidden books, which had not seen light for a thousand years, were brilliantly illuminated.

A white flood.

A pure white pond.

[Today.]

We stood in the center of the flood of light that drowned the world.

[The 30th floor stage has been cleared.]

The screams of Hunters faraway entered my ears.

Kyaaaak!

W-what is this?!

They must have been caught off-guard by the unexpected flood of light. But thankfully, my reliable colleagues were in the library. There were many of them. For every panicking Hunter, there was someone to console them.

Though I couldnt see their faces behind the bookshelves, I could make out each of their voices.

Good grief! Im dying! I thought my vision was going dark these days, but its completely gone the other way! Eesh. Oh, my. You! Shouldnt a youngun make some medicine for an old man without being asked?

Medicine King.

Yes, b-but we have to distribute medicine to the people who need it first. Im sorry, but you dont seem to need it much, Medicine King What about getting fitted for new gla.s.ses instead?

Alchemist.

Ahh, this is just the stage being cleared. Its merely light. You guys may not have experienced this before, but Ive seen it several times already. A mysterious thing you become accustomed to it the more often it occurs. Anyway, Im saying that you shouldnt act rashly.

Ohhhh! Master!

We believe in you!

Venomous Snake and his peons.

Huh? Oh? Did the 30th floor clear on its own? Aha. Im happy that we saved some time. Guild members of the Ten Thousand Temple, prepare to transmit! We need to catch up on our work as soon as we return to Babylon!

Heretic Questioner.

How troubling. I have no experience working as a librarian.

I know the basics, Kim Yul-ssi. Ill help you.

Please.

The Constellation Killer and the director.

That wasnt all. The Black Dragon Master, the Count, and the Crusaders voices were there, too. Peoples voicessome far, some quite closepa.s.sed through the bookshelves filled with thick hardcover books.

Yes, the whispers of the people in the library all came to me. It was as if the surge of light was drawing in the sounds.

By my side, the small Librarian was shaking.

[Announcing to everyone again.]

[Today, the 30th floor stage has been]

Bzzzzz

A static noise was mixed with the Towers voice.

The Librarian, who had already been trembling, flinched.

[Warning!]

[An abnormal challenge has been detected.]

[Giving a warning to The Corner Librarian.]

Ugh.

The Librarian grabbed my sleeve.

I-it doesnt matter. Ive chosen as the 30th stage. I stand by this as the administrator of the 21st to 30th stages. As the Constellation governing , I acknowledge the stage as being cleared

[Repeating the warning.]

[The Corner Librarian will receive an immense penalty if the stage clear is announced.]

[Confirming whether to proceed with the stage clear nonetheless.]

My sleeves were scrunched with more force.

The Librarians shoulders were stooped in. Usually, he looked bigger than he was because of the oversized clothes he wore. He didnt look big now. He was small. The s.p.a.ce that the Librarian took up in this world was trifling.

Leaning against my chest, the Librarian looked up at me.

I dont care.

He was speaking to both the Tower and me.

I, said Hamustra, Im going to live in this Tower. Please accept my resignation, Lord of Manseng.

For a moment, it was quiet. Then

[Announcing to everyone again.]

The white noise cleared away from the Towers voice.

[Today, the 30th floor stage has been cleared.]

The announcement was received with an outburst of triumphant cheers. The library was still flooded with light, but the Hunters heard the announcement. They were elated by the thought they had finally succeeded.

But there was a voice that only Hamustra and I could hear.

[The Corner Librarian cannot maintain his authority.]

[Starting cla.s.s modification.]

I had heard this phrase a long time ago.

They were the same words as when Preta lost her sh.e.l.l of being the Devil King of Fall Rain.

[The Corner Librarian is being stripped of his t.i.tle.]

At that time, Preta had screamed, No! She had been dismayed at losing her status as a Constellation. She had struggled to stop her descent.

Hamustras reaction now was different.

Without a word, he squeezed his eyes shut.

[Announcing once again.]

[The Corner Librarian is being stripped of his t.i.tle.]

[The Corner Librarian is being stripped of his authority.]

The Apocalypse that Hamustra and I held in our hands slipped. Maybe I should say that it melted away instead. Drip. Drip. The cover of the book turned into mushy slime and plopped down, and the papers became like melted wax as they dripped down too.

[May luck be with you.]

Then, the Apocalypse turned into light and disappeared.

For a while, Hamustra didnt say anything. He quietly breathed in and breathed out. As his small torso rose and fell repeatedly, Hamustra, who had been trembling in fear, slowly calmed down.

Haha

Hamustra hopped in place.

Look at this, Death King.

His long sleeves flapped. The sleeves were so long that he couldnt get them off the floor. As Hamustra jumped in place, the sleeves rose up very slightly but receded back down to the floor.

I-I cant fly.

Hamustra looked at me and smiled.

I can no longer fly in the air. But I loved watching the worlds from above, all day long. It was my hobby. Or looking out at the horizon for weeks. My hobbies have disappeared

Yes.

Many things are gone now too.

Yes.

My dream came true. My dream to enter a story myself came true, and Im happy. I really am, but Im scared. Im afraid. I love you and the others. I care for you all. Im scared that you and the others will not like me. I want to be loved by everyone

Hamustra.

I put my hand on Hamustras shoulder.

Stop dreaming about impossible things.

Lets take it step by step. Your hobbies are gone, but you can find new ones. How about it? Is there anything you want to do to commemorate your fall as a Constellation?

Actually, I have two wishes.

Tell me. If I can grant them, I will.

First, please stop speaking formally to me

That was a wish I could fulfill.

Okay. Sure. Whats your other wish?

My second wish is a little expensive Its so extravagant that you are certain to shudder like there is an earthquake, Death King

What is it?

Hamustra wiped his eyes with his sleeve. He sniffled. A long time later, when he lowered his arm, Hamustra was smiling.

I want to drink a white mocha frappucino venti quadro shot java chip half and half chocolate drizzle

It really was an extravagant luxury.

But thankfully, that too was a wish I could grant.

6.

There was an afterword I want to share.

I see. That was why my wife had died.

Raviel was speaking while wearing a school uniform and drinking cider.[1]

There.

Anyone in the know would understand how miraculous of a collaboration the previous statement was.

Look. [Wearing a school uniform], Raviel drank [cider].

Even the epic creation and destruction of the universe could not approach the sublime quality of that sentence. I was feeling the same emotions as a church member who witnessed with his own two eyes the creation of the

Gongja. Youre shaking.

I-Im not.

Is that so?

Raviel, whom I was holding in a princess hold, tilted her head. Just so you know, it had been over three hours since I a.s.sumed this position. Using Aura was forbidden. Skills, too. I had to hold out with pure brute strength and mental fort.i.tude.

No matter how I look at it, youre shaking.

The tip of Raviels mouth arched up.

Ah. Could it be that Im heavy?

You arent heavy. Youre as light as a feather, Raviel!

What kind of feather? A dinosaur feather? An archeopteryx feather?

Youre lighter than the feather of a newly hatched chick!

Thank goodness. I almost felt so bad that I was going to leave my beloveds embrace. But since you say theres no problem, I will happily enjoy your wonderful grasp.

Raviel put the cider can against her lips. A drop of clear cider was daubed on her lips. Oh, how I hated that drop of cider. I wished it would evaporate. Evaporate and return to the embrace of Mother Nature

To explain the situation, we were on the 29th floor, the world of [The Tale of the Ascending City Side Story].

As Hamustra warned, the side story did not change the history of the outside world. It couldnt be a part of true history. Only the city, with s.h.i.+nseo Middle and High School as the focus, was pulled out like a deserted island to become this stage.

The inhabitants of this world dont notice anything strange, almost magically.

When Hunters like us entered the 29th floor, they were automatically enrolled as middle or high school students. They could live as if they had always been a student in this world. There was also a university, but that was all.

It was literally a university town.

To sum it up, the stage was completely useless except for the fact that you could go to school, but

Public education is a wonderful thing.

That, too, was surprisingly useful.

It is a place where even those who are less wealthy can learn to their hearts content. Isnt it a dreamlike system? Our empire also plans to send talented individuals here for study abroad. As expected, my love is more than qualified to be called the Moon of the Ivansia Duchy.

Um. They probably wont be able to learn much?

That doesnt matter. The purpose of education is to share common knowledge. A nation is an abstract concept that can slip into a delusion with a single misstep, so we must take action to ensure all members of the nation can share the same dream.

The same dream

Mm. Ive been pondering how to put the people of the Tower in harmony with the empires citizens. The imperial citizens who are educated here can bridge the two forces.

Raviel sometimes talked about difficult topics. She was so cool.

Anyway, the reason I was holding Raviel for over three hours was this.

Well, lets continue talking politics later. Right now, I want to savor your punishment.

Right. I was currently being punished

It was obvious why.

I was really surprised, Gongja. Who wouldnt be if you regressed 24 hours while working in your office? I paused for a moment, but I figured out the situation soon enough. Ah, of course. My wife must have died somewhere again.

Raviel pulled out a golden card.

+

[A Regressors Love]

Rank: EX

Effect: For a regressor, love is like poison. No matter how much you struggle, you cant share your time with the one you love. Thus, a certain regressor begged. Please retain my lovers memories. That wish reached the Tower and became true.

You share a timeline with your beloved. When your lover regresses a day, you go back a day. When you regress a day, your lover regresses a day. This is the covenant of the ring. This is the marriage of time.

May luck be with you both.

However, the skill only works when you and your beloved love each other.

+

Right.

Because of [A Regressors Love], when I died, Raviel also regressed 24 hours. When I was killed by the Constellation Killer, Raviel underwent the regression, too.

Of course Raviel knew that I died.

According to the Golden Silk, who was working as a servant for the Ivansia duchy, Raviel muttered, I dont know where, but a b.i.t.c.h just touched my wife, as soon as she regressed.

With a blank face. A blank expression.

The Golden Silk felt cosmic horror that day.

Im sorry

No. You neednt apologize, Raviel said calmly. From what you say, youve worked more than hard enough. Didnt you try desperately not to die? If you died regardless, I couldnt blame you.

R-right?

Ahh. I couldnt blame you if you jumped ahead to the 50th floor when you just made it to the 29th floor, picked a fight with the strongest person on the 50th floor, and pulled an aggro move on the entire floor. My love, everything you did was perfectly reasonable. Nothing about it was reckless at all. I understand.

Im really sorry

Are you truly sorry? Do you know what you did wrong?

Raviel pinched my cheek. Streeetch. My cheek lengthened like fresh mochi.

I was moved.

Ahh, Raviel is pinching my cheek.

My eyes beheld the sight of her in a school uniform. I held Raviel, in the uniform, in my arms. Was this really a punishment? Wasnt this a reward, instead? Maybe Raviel, my G.o.ddess, was praising me under the guise of discipline?

This is no good. This man

Raviel lamented.

Your eyes have gone bad. Though your slightly strange tastes are charming, this has become serious.

I love you, Raviel.

I love you, Gongja.

Ah. The scent of cider.

I liked it

I was so happy

-f.u.c.k.

The uninvited guest clamored behind me.

-Do I have to see this s.h.i.+t every time these guys meet? Huh? Cant be, right? This is kind of bad, isnt it? Love is said to be caused by hormones, but these two take that to the next level. What did I do wrong in my past life to witness this h.e.l.l?!

[s.h.i.+ny thinks that you must have committed many sins.]

-F-f.u.c.k

A hero ought to ignore the peanut gallery.

While listening to my story, Raviel toured around s.h.i.+nseo Middle and High School. I talked about who had killed me, what his past was, what he lost, and what he gained back. Raviel examined the cla.s.srooms and the rooftop as I led her.

Mm.

Raviel nodded.

Good job, Gongja. This was worth your time.

She understood. While I endured pain in my arms and heaven in my mind for three long hours, if I had to choose between my arms and my brain, I thought that it was an overall win. A huge win.

Now, I should see the mug of the man who killed you myself.

Raviel. I said this earlier, but that person is probably your ancestor

Thats even more disgraceful. An ancestor should kindly leave the work to their descendents, but he dared to touch the moon of the family? The current Ivansia belongs to me. I must crush him according to the family rules.

Sorry, Constellation Killer.

Im sorry, Kim Yul.

Youre dead meat now.

And.

Raviel smiled. On the rooftop of s.h.i.+nseo Middle and High School, the setting sun in the sky shone a red light on Raviels lips.

I want to greet the one who has raised you.

Will you take me to them, Gongja?

I nodded.

Yes.

Then, with Raviel still in my arms, I whispered.

Transmit.

Light enveloped us.

In the next moment, we were at the library on the 30th floor.

Though it had only been a few days, the library changed a bit. First of all, accessible and restricted areas were strictly divided. The bookshelves in the accessible area were decorated with ordinary books, and Hunters leisurely read at the tables.

It was a tranquil scene.

On the tables where the Hunters sat were coffee cups or gla.s.ses with drinks.

Ah.

Hamustra, who had been going around the tables, noticed and approached us right away. Instead of his loose-fitting clothes, Hamustra was wearing a neat employee uniform.

Welcome, Death King. Oh? The Silver-Plated Heart has come, too. Such dignified guests have all come together!

A library cafe.

Hamustra had decided to work here for now. Though he didnt feel confident enough to go down to the city on the first floor, he had decided to slowly interact with the Hunters and live as a human.

Yeah. Is Kim Yul around? Raviel wanted to see Kim Yuls face

Mug, my wife.

Raviel said she wanted to see Kim Yuls mug.

Hamustra beamed.

Its worth travelling so far to see Kim Yuls face. I understand. He should be organizing childrens books right now, but Ill call him.

There was still a lot to talk about.

Who had taken over to manage the Great Library after Hamustras downfall; how the Medicine King came to foot the bill to set up the cafe like he had bet everything; why, even now, the Medicine King was wearing a bartender outfit at the cafe counter and making coffee; etc. etc.

The story was far from over, but

There would be other opportunities to talk about them.

Then, Ill show you two to your seats!

Like always, that story would continue on a stage a little higher than the last.

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[1]: Cider, as many of you Koreaboos already know, is lemon-lime soda and also slang for something great.