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Chapter 2.2
CHAPTER 2: THE COLLAPSE OF VARIOUS KINDS OF COMMON SENSE – PART 2 February 10, 2018Tgurneu “Mirepo! How’s it going?!” “The Director, what’s the Director doing?!” Her comrades shouted.
“What does all this mean?!” “Everyone, I received a message from Yukizona-san! He says that there is no need to worry so we only need to wait for a while. The Director and Mattalast-san will also come soon. We have no time to pa.s.s information along! Anyway don’t worry!” Relief spread among the Armed Librarians. They probably haven’t noticed she was lying. They didn’t have to leeway to see through Mirepoc’s poor lie. At the next moment help arrived. It couldn’t quite be called a savior, but it still was someone reliable. “Sorry to have kept you waiting!” A person appeared, leaping to the highest part of the Sixth Labyrinth like a spinning ball. It was the figure of a pet.i.te woman accompanied by twelve guns floating in the air. She was a powerful warrior Mirepoc had contacted just after trying the four strongest – Kyasariro Totona. “You’re late!” Mirepoc shouted while looking up. “I needed some time to prepare for battle!” Saying this, Kyasariro took her position in the topmost part of the Sixth Archive. With her ability of precise and powerful telekinesis she could control twelve guns. The twelve gun spread in the Labyrinth. They shot up the bodies of Guardian Beasts while flying around the atrium from one side. Her ability was extremely strong for a situation where both ally and foe were mixed together. The twelve gun were equal in strength to about twelve average – no, to twenty average Armed Librarians. The Armed Librarians who were in a disadvantage suddenly became dominant, and the Guardian Beasts of the Sixth Archive were neutralized one after the other. The Armed Librarians finally got some leeway. Some of them ran away to support Luik and the rest. Others restrained the fallen Guardian Beasts so that they wouldn’t be able to regenerate. “Just what’s happening, Kyasariro-san?” Mirepoc spoke to Kyasariro who stood at the top of the spiral staircase. “Shut up, you’re disrupting my concentration. Also, I don’t know as well.” “But…” Kyasariro was supposed to be closer to the nucleus than Mirepoc. Yet even she had no idea? “Haven’t you heard anything from Mattalast-san or the Director?” “Nope. I’m not qualified as a First Grade Armed Librarian. They won’t tell me anything important. Don’t slack off, fight too!” “Right!” Mirepoc pulled out her gun for the first time in a while, and shot the Guardian Beasts below. Ten minutes should have pa.s.sed already, yet Yukizona did not come. She also had no idea where Mattalast and the Director were. The battle raged on for a while. The Guardian Beasts were tenacious. Although the Armed Librarian were dominant, they couldn’t eliminate all the Guardian Beasts in the Sixth Labyrinth. Mirepoc also quit her Thought Sharing and focused on fighting. Then, something weird was suddenly said to her. “Mirepo, did you say something?!” Kyasariro shouted. Mirepoc raised her head and answered. “I didn’t say anything!” Kyasariro looked confused and tilted her head. “What’re you saying Mirepo!” Now a voice came to her from the atrium; Tsamuro was shouting at Mirepoc. “I’m not saying anything, what are you all talking about!” “Then who’s the one talking?!” “It’s not me!” “Me neither!” The Armed Librarians were arguing at Mirepoc’s feet. It seemed they were hearing someone’s voice. They mistook it for Mirepoc’s Thought Sharing. Mirepoc couldn’t hear anything. It seemed that about a third of the Armed Librarians were hearing some voice. “s.h.i.+t, what is this?!” Kyasariro shouted. Mirepoc felt the same. She couldn’t understand the situation at all. She had no idea why this fight was occurring. It was the same as the Deep Blue Curse Rebellion last year. No, at the time they understood that their enemies were the Indulging G.o.d Cult. This time they could understand even less. All the Armed Librarians fought while suppressing their urge to scream. Everyone thought the same. What the h.e.l.l was happening to Bantorra Library right now? They had to fight before letting out these doubts of their mouths. During this, a sudden small voice suddenly rose up. “…Ah.” It was Kyasariro. The twelve guns she was controlling stopped in place. “What’s wrong, Kyasariro-san?” “I… know what this is.” During that time, Hamyuts was sitting all alone on her desk in the Acting Director’s Office. In front of her eyes was the message engraved on it. “…” She interlocked her fingers and further laid her chin on them while pondering. She started thinking for a long time. “There’s no use thinking about this. It just had to turn out this way.” Saying this, she leaned back on her chair. “It was just a question of when. It just so happens that it happened today.” She was watching the situation around Bantorra Library using her Sensory Threads. She could see both the fight at the Sixth Archive as well as well as the figures of Yukizona and the rest running around the Library. And yet there she was, without minding anything or taking any actions, she was just sitting. “Everyone’s working hard.” She watched the battle unfold while saying this. “Poor things. No matter how hard they try it’s all useless.” Hamyuts said, laughing from her throat. “I should explain everything to them. About what’s going on and what’s about to happen.” Saying this, Hamyuts took out a brand new machine from under her desk. Kyasariro’s twelve gun stopped in midair and fell. All the Armed Librarians seemed surprised of something. “What’s wrong, Kyasariro-san!” Mirepoc shouted and ran to her. Kyasariro stopped while looking at empty air. Her mouth was half agape and she seemed to be stupefied. “I know, this, I know this…” “What do you know?!” “…I know.” Kyasariro murmured, dumbfounded. “Hey, don’t lose yourself Kyasariro!” “Mirepo! What’s going on?!” The angry voices of Armed Librarians rose from the bottom. Kyasariro was the center of the battle right now. If she became absentminded the Guardian Beasts might break through. Mirepoc shook Kyasariro and waved her fingers in front of her eyes. She made no response. She then suddenly shouted with a shrill voice. “Guys! Run away!” All of the Armed Librarians stopped without thinking. Some of them were so stunned they weren’t able to hear voices properly. They couldn’t understand what she was saying. “Don’t be stupid, what can we do by running away?!” “Run away, guys, quickly, run away!!!” Kyasariro held her head and paled. They have never seen Kyasariro make such an expression. Normally she was cheerful and wildly eccentric, acting like a cool, brave warrior on the battlefield. She wasn’t supposed to look like a child afraid from a rabid dog. “Run away, it’s bad news, so all of you get away!” “Please calm down!” Mirepoc tried holding her but was thrust away. Kyasariro then turned her back and ran out of the Archive while screaming. Mirepoc simply couldn’t believe it… Kyasariro running away like that. Mirepoc couldn’t believe it. Kyasariro running away like that. No, would any proud Armed Librarian turn their backs to the enemy and flee? “Kyasariro!” The Armed Librarians raised upset cries. In this situation, if Kyasariro were to withdraw, the battle situation would be reversed at once. Mirepoc tried to go after her. However, a voice at her back stopped her. “Don’t go, they’re coming!” The Sixth Archive was further a.s.saulted by the Guardian Beasts. With Kyasariro gone, their counterattack crumbled and the Armed Librarians were once again at a disadvantage. “s.h.i.+t, I let one escape, Mirepo!” A Blade-Haired Lion came to attack Mirepoc who was protecting the entrance. Now that Kyasariro had left, Mirepoc became the final barrier. “Tch!” She fought desperately with her handgun. However, with her fighting capabilities just stopping it in place took everything she had. The defense of the Armed Librarians was broken. They would not be able to protect any further. Is this it? The moment Mirepoc thought this… A black figure and a white figure came through the door to the Sixth Archive. They kicked at the stairs and reached the floor in one fell swoop. “Everyone evade!” The black figure shouted. The Armed Librarians all simultaneously leapt away. If they were late then they’d be wrapped up as well – they could feel this sense of danger from the echoing voice. The black figure released a dark wave as soon as it landed. All of the Armed Librarians knew its ident.i.ty. Even those who have never seen it in action heard about its power. It was the power of the next Acting Director Yukizona – the Decay Wave. The Decay Wave slid on the floor and stairs, swallowing up the Guardian Beasts. It was the power to render any and all life in the world ineffective. The Guardian Beasts were also obviously helpless. With one blow of the Decay Wave they all turned into a lump of a black, brittle ash-like material. Yukizona started shouting from the bottom of the Sixth Archive. Everyone ceased their attacks and listened to his orders. “Us Armed Librarians will now annihilate the remaining enemy forces. Mirepoc and Rizzly will confirm the situation of the wounded and our present fighting forces. The trainees will search out any noncombatants in the Library and evacuate them. At once!” “Roger!” After becoming so disorderly, the Armed Librarians regained their leaders.h.i.+p when Yukizona arrived. They started fighting more appropriately. The Guardian Beasts were neutralized within minutes. What was he doing where until now? What was going on? These were natural questions, but no one voiced them. Yukizona’s cool-headed commands did not allow any useless questions. “Luik, Marfa, retreat to the Sixth Archive!” After confirming the annihilation of all Guardian Beasts in the Sixth Archive, Yukizona shouted this toward the entrance to the Sealed Labyrinth. “If we retreat the Guardian Beasts will come out!” “It does not matter, withdraw!” Luik and Marfa abandoned protecting the door and rose to the Sixth Archive. The Guardian Beasts coming from behind were dispersed by Yukizona’s Decay Wave. Luik’s body – the one to take the frontline – was miserably b.l.o.o.d.y. Mirepoc and Rizzly commenced with first aid immediately. Yukizona confirmed that there were no Guardian Beasts coming. Then he spoke to his sister Yuri at his side. “Activate the Barrier, Yuri.” “Roger.” Saying this, Yuri held up what she held in her hand. “That’s…” Mirepoc raised her voice. It was one of the Memorial Weapons, the Spinning Doll Ückück. Mirepoc knew that in Bantorra there were two Ückücks. Both of them were embedded with the power to protect Bantorra Library. The other one had been used by Mirepoc herself during the Deep Blue Curse Rebellion. She did not receive permission to use the other one. She didn’t even know what kind of power was within it. “Spinning Doll Ückück, activate. Deploying the Gauze Barrier.” The Doll began to dance. At the same time, a barrier made out of material that seemed like a cloth woven from hazy threads started enveloping the entrance to the Sixth Archive. The Guardian Beasts that tried leaving before the Barrier had been deployed were now obstructed by it. Perhaps it was equal in power to the barrier that once protected Bantorra Library, or possible even above it. “…Did you seal the entrance to the Sealed Labyrinth?” Mirepoc inquired. “The Barrier only stops Guardian Beasts. Humans can still enter. That is the kind of Barrier we spread here.” The Guardian Beasts were staring at Yukizona from the other side. Fire-Eater Crow spat flames and Elephant Soldier rammed its large body against it, but the Barrier didn’t budge. “Do not worry. The Barrier will not break for a while.” Yuri said gently to Mirepoc. She handed her the Spinning Doll that finished its role. “Why did we have this Barrier…” While staring at the Spinning Doll handed to her, Mirepoc muttered in a small voice. This probably meant that they have prepared for this situation. The insertion Magic Right into the Spinning Doll was at the very least 1000 years ago. This meant they considered the possibility this would happen even 1000 years ago. However, Mirepoc and the rest of the lower level Armed Librarians never heard nor thought about the possibility of the Guardian Beasts running loose. Even if it was a one-in-a-million chance, as long as the possibility existed why weren’t they told of it? “…I don’t really get it, but it means we can relax?” Luik asked. He was covered by disinfectant alcohol and hemostatic agent all over his body. “Even this Barrier is not invincible. It will be broken eventually. We need to reorganize and attack the Guardian Beasts swarming inside the Barrier. Command will go to…” Yukizona looked around the Archive, seeking a suitable person. “Gamo, I’m leaving you in charge.” Although being appointed, Gamo was upset. He was quite the veteran and had a high level of a discerning mind, but he wasn’t fit to receive command from Yukizona. “Wait a minute. What are you going to do? Or more importantly, what about the Director?” “Me and Yuri are going to break into the Labyrinth. If you have any questions contact me through Mirepoc.” “Wait, but what about the Director? What’s Matt-san doing?” Gamo persisted. “…These are all my instructions. You don’t have to think about the rest.” “No, that doesn’t explain anything about this situation! What are we supposed to do from now?!” “Don’t ask needless questions.” “They’re not needless at all!” “…” Yukizona went silent in front of Gamo’s angry voice. Mirepoc, Rizzly, Luik and the rest of the people inside the Sixth Archive all felt the same as him. They were told to follow commands. However, Armed Librarians were not machines. What was going on? What were they supposed to be doing? Wanting to know all this was natural. And letting them know that was the duty of a commander. “Let’s go, Yuri.” “…Yes, Brother.” Yet Yukizona turned his back to the Armed Librarians. Was he ignoring the feelings of his comrades, or did he have no choice? They couldn’t tell from his expression which one was right. Yukizona sent his Decay Wave on the Guardian Beasts swarming near the Barrier. The pair of siblings slipped through the Barrier and broke into the Labyrinth. “…What the h.e.l.l are we supposed to do!” Luik hit the floor with his fist. “Where are the Director and Matt-san? It can’t be that just like Kyasariro they…” Rizzly said with an anxious expression. “What’s Kyasariro doing in the first place?” Kalne spoke in anger. Here and there, the Armed Librarians and trainees raised voices of dissatisfaction. Without Yukizona the Armed Librarians became disorderly again. Even Gamo, who was supposed to have a.s.sumed command, directed anger-filled eyes at Yukizona’s back. “We’ve dispersed…” Mirepoc muttered. One year ago, all of them fought to the death in unison to protect Bantorra Library. Not even those who were afraid or doubtful have acted alone. What happened now? The regular Armed Librarians became agitated, ready to flee at any moment, while those who were supposed to a.s.sume command did not fulfill their roles. There were even deserters. The Armed Librarians were destroying Bantorra Library. It wasn’t destruction from the outside. It was as if they caused their own downfall. “…Impossible.” The end of Bantorra Library… It was impossible for the history of 2000 years to end in such an incomprehensible situation. The Armed Librarians were the strongest military organization, protecting both Books and peace. By defeating these Guardian Beasts and putting everything under control, they should return to normal. “Gamo-san, please take command.” Hearing Mirepoc’s word, he regained his composure. He turned to her and asked for information. “Rizzly, Mirepoc, what’s the current situation of the injured?” “There are no dead among the trainees or normal librarians. The only one incapable of fighting is Tena, almost half of our forces are lightly injured, but they should have no problem to fight.” “Enough people to fight.” Gamo and Mirepoc nodded at each other. Yeah. This wasn’t too much when compared to a year ago. They can fight, and they can win. Thus Mirepoc believed. Kyasariro’s escape, Mattalast’s condition, and more importantly, the impossible situation of the Guardian Beasts rampaging. Mirepoc suppressed her imminent anxiety and started moving again. During that time, Kyasariro found herself at the park inside Bantorra Library. She somehow ended up there, absorbed in her escape. There was no one around. The normal librarians ran outside the Library. All customers were also evacuated. “W-what am I doing?” She was panting heavily despite having run probably a kilometer at most. Kyasariro sank down on the lawn. She even threw away all of her beloved guns. She was a.s.saulted by a sudden anxiety and helplessness. “…I-I have to go back.” Kyasariro muttered. Yet her feet didn’t move. It wasn’t due to fatigue; a fear a.s.saulting her mind paralyzed her feet. “Why did I run away? I don’t get it. What’s going to happen?” She tried organizing her thoughts. The Sixth Archive she fought in a short while ago… and the rampaging Guardian Beasts. The moment she thought of them, for some reason or another, memories started floating inside her mind. Perhaps having some relevance to it, the face of her friend Olivia rose to her mind. Why did the face of her amiable friend cause her to feel guilt? Next she thought of Mattalast. As well as something frightening coming out of his mouth. She had the feeling he had told her something, but she couldn’t remember it. That fear was connected to the Guardian Beasts inside her head. She was supposed to know what this meant but couldn’t remember. She didn’t know it but remembered it. “My memory’s gone?” Kyasariro muttered. Did someone use Argax on her? Or was she the one to make use of it? “I remember…” It happened just two weeks ago. Two days before the enjoyable party. She had been holding Argax. She erased her own memories then. In order to escape from the terrible thing she had been told by Mattalast. “Something… something is coming…” Was that the rampage of the Guardian Beasts? No. It was something deeper. The true fear only began with them. “It’s… starting now.” Kyasariro vomited due to the welling fear inside of her. But even if she ejected everything in her stomach, the fear wouldn’t go away. “It’s… starting now.” Gamo distributed orders to his comrades. “The Fifth Sealed Labyrinth is not wide enough for all of us to fight. We will split into three units, attack one after the other in alternation and repeat. We will distribute our fighting forces evenly with the first unit gathered around Marfa, the second around Kalne, and the third around Luik. Me and Mirepoc will stay behind for support and command.” “Roger!” Everyone answered simultaneously. They pushed their unrest and anxiety deep within their hearts and only thought of fighting. They were the world’s strongest army. They couldn’t lose their concentration in a battle. “Don’t think of anyone not here. Focus only on your own duties!” “Yes sir!” “Relax. We have Yukizona. The Director and Mattalast should also be working. Those people will definitely do something. I would also like an explanation, but there are probably some circ.u.mstances preventing them from discussing with us right now. Believe in Yukizona and the Director. All right?” The Armed Librarians all nodded. Although they were uneasy, their trust in those people had never been compromised. “Let’s go…” However, as soon as Gamo tried issuing the order for a.s.sault, he stopped his hand. Both Gamo and the other Armed Librarians preparing for battle noticed something strange at their backs. They could clearly hear someone’s voice. There were no traces of Yukizona behind them. There were only Guardian Beasts obstructed by the Barrier. The Guardian Beasts, who couldn’t even let a single bark out. “Did the Guardian Beasts… speak?” Mirepoc recalled – before Yukizona had come, several people heard some strange voices. Did they belong to the Guardian Beasts? No, wait. Can they even speak? And even before that, did they have a will? Weren’t they simple machine-like Magic Beasts that had lacked any will and were only meant for fighting? But they could definitely hear their voices. Everyone there could clearly hear them. It both was and wasn’t a voice. It was and wasn’t a sound. It was also unlike either connecting to someone via Thought Sharing nor the recognition flowing inside one’s mind while reading a Book. It was a transmission without any means. Understanding without any transmission. It was something incomparable and couldn’t be described in words. It was a voice surpa.s.sing human understanding. ‘Do not resist.’ ‘Yield.’ ‘Give up.’ The Guardian Beasts were talking. ‘Follow the destined outcome without any desires, wishes or requests.’ “Wh-what are they saying?” Gamo held his head. Mirepoc also instinctively blocked her ears. Yet she could still hear their voices. ‘Absolve this Barrier. Release us from the Sealed Labyrinth!’ The voices of the Guardian Beasts echoed. Her head seemed like it would break. She was going mad. The more they heard their voices the more they seemed to be convinced by them. They started wanting to stop fighting. “…Fire!” Gamo shouted. All the Armed Librarians that used guns fired at the Guardian Beasts. However, that didn’t kill even a hundredth of the enemies gus.h.i.+ng out from the Labyrinth. “Don’t listen to them, fight, just fight! Marfa Squad, attack!” A squad of Armed Librarians commenced an attack against the Guardian Beasts. Scattered by this a.s.sault, they stopped talking. “What was that?” Mirepoc muttered without thinking. “Who cares! Fight, fight!” Gamo shouted. The Guardian Beasts were monsters created by the Past Overseer Bantorra in order to protect Books. They were, along with the Armed Librarians, the protectors of the Library. Thus they were told. However, Mirepoc was convinced – it was all wrong. It wasn’t something as simple as that. These were neither the protectors of Books nor the allies of the Armed Librarians from the very beginning. What are they? Just what is the thing we call Guardian Beasts? During the same time, Hamyuts was still inside her office. She was fiddling with the machine on her desk. “Aah. Aah aah.” She made noises toward the machine. “…It’s not getting through, I wonder if it’s broken.” This was the same machine that Rizzly had used two hours ago to call all Armed Librarians. One of them was also installed in the Acting Director’s Office. “Oh, do I have to connect this wire?” Hamyuts finally realized it wasn’t broken. Since this was her first time she wasn’t used to it. She reconnected the loose wire and her voice was finally broadcast in the building. “h.e.l.lo everyone, do you hear me? I’m the Acting Director Hamyuts. Please cease all work and listen to meee. All those fighting in the Archive can also leave the Barrier.” Hamyuts had already mostly grasped the situation in the building using her Sensory Threads. She could even see the expressions of those listening to her. She was even able to tell the Armed Librarians at the Sixth Archive widened their eyes. “Well then, where should I start? This will be quite the complicated conversation. What should I start from?” She could hear voices through the Sensory Threads. “Director, are you fine?” It was Luik. How cute of him to worry about me in this sort of situation. “Luik-kun, I’m fine. I’m in my office. There’s no need to worry.” The Armed Librarians inside the Archive started clamoring. “For now I guess I’ll tell the situation to those in the Archive. Umm, the things you are fighting right now are the beings known as the Beasts of the Final Chapter. Long, long ago, at the end of the Age of Paradise… they were weapons of annihilation created by the Future Overseer Orntorra.” Orntorra? Weapons of annihilation? All sorts of voices came clamoring at her. “We have always called them the Guardian Beasts. You were told that they were the protectors of the Labyrinth, created by Past Overseer Bantorra. However, that was a lie. A complete and utter lie.” What do you mean a lie? What’s the Director saying? She heard these voices. “There are things that I must deeply apologize about to you all. Me and all the other Acting Directors of history have been lying to you. We’ve told you many, many lies. About enough to say that everything you know is a lie.” Soon the clamoring died, as if they did not want to miss even a single of Hamyuts’s words. After waiting for all of them to be quiet, Hamyuts started talking. She spoke clearly as to not let a single thing unspoken. “Well then, first I will make a serious announcement. Starting today, Bantorra Library will close down. Including me, all Armed Librarians, trainees, students, normal librarians, and mine workers are all dismissed. All work related to the managing of Books will be stopped.” Uh? An idiotic sound rose through her Sensory Threads. “The one deciding this was not me. Since I’m only the Acting Director, I don’t have that authority. The one to decide this can only be the chief executive of this Library, the actual Director. Starting today, the Director of our Bantorra Library – Ruruta Coozanc.o.o.na – has decided to close the Library.” She could hear Gamo muttering. “…Who’s that? Ruruta?” “Ruruta Coozanc.o.o.na. He was the second Director of this Library. He had kicked down the original founder – Past G.o.d Bantorra – and became the Director of Bantorra Library.” “What are you even saying?” Luik muttered. Hamyuts stayed silent for a while at that point. It was to let all listeners grasp the situation. “Umm, it seems like a lot of you can’t understand. Then let me say this again. Starting today Bantorra Library is closed. All of your work ends today. Everyone, thank you for working hard for so long.” She could see the mouths of Armed Librarians open in blank amazement. Since it was so funny, Hamyuts distanced her face away from the device and held her mouth. “Just in case, I will say this again. Bantorra Library and the Armed Librarians all end today.”
CHAPTER 2: THE COLLAPSE OF VARIOUS KINDS OF COMMON SENSE – PART 2 February 10, 2018Tgurneu “Mirepo! How’s it going?!” “The Director, what’s the Director doing?!” Her comrades shouted.
“What does all this mean?!” “Everyone, I received a message from Yukizona-san! He says that there is no need to worry so we only need to wait for a while. The Director and Mattalast-san will also come soon. We have no time to pa.s.s information along! Anyway don’t worry!” Relief spread among the Armed Librarians. They probably haven’t noticed she was lying. They didn’t have to leeway to see through Mirepoc’s poor lie. At the next moment help arrived. It couldn’t quite be called a savior, but it still was someone reliable. “Sorry to have kept you waiting!” A person appeared, leaping to the highest part of the Sixth Labyrinth like a spinning ball. It was the figure of a pet.i.te woman accompanied by twelve guns floating in the air. She was a powerful warrior Mirepoc had contacted just after trying the four strongest – Kyasariro Totona. “You’re late!” Mirepoc shouted while looking up. “I needed some time to prepare for battle!” Saying this, Kyasariro took her position in the topmost part of the Sixth Archive. With her ability of precise and powerful telekinesis she could control twelve guns. The twelve gun spread in the Labyrinth. They shot up the bodies of Guardian Beasts while flying around the atrium from one side. Her ability was extremely strong for a situation where both ally and foe were mixed together. The twelve gun were equal in strength to about twelve average – no, to twenty average Armed Librarians. The Armed Librarians who were in a disadvantage suddenly became dominant, and the Guardian Beasts of the Sixth Archive were neutralized one after the other. The Armed Librarians finally got some leeway. Some of them ran away to support Luik and the rest. Others restrained the fallen Guardian Beasts so that they wouldn’t be able to regenerate. “Just what’s happening, Kyasariro-san?” Mirepoc spoke to Kyasariro who stood at the top of the spiral staircase. “Shut up, you’re disrupting my concentration. Also, I don’t know as well.” “But…” Kyasariro was supposed to be closer to the nucleus than Mirepoc. Yet even she had no idea? “Haven’t you heard anything from Mattalast-san or the Director?” “Nope. I’m not qualified as a First Grade Armed Librarian. They won’t tell me anything important. Don’t slack off, fight too!” “Right!” Mirepoc pulled out her gun for the first time in a while, and shot the Guardian Beasts below. Ten minutes should have pa.s.sed already, yet Yukizona did not come. She also had no idea where Mattalast and the Director were. The battle raged on for a while. The Guardian Beasts were tenacious. Although the Armed Librarian were dominant, they couldn’t eliminate all the Guardian Beasts in the Sixth Labyrinth. Mirepoc also quit her Thought Sharing and focused on fighting. Then, something weird was suddenly said to her. “Mirepo, did you say something?!” Kyasariro shouted. Mirepoc raised her head and answered. “I didn’t say anything!” Kyasariro looked confused and tilted her head. “What’re you saying Mirepo!” Now a voice came to her from the atrium; Tsamuro was shouting at Mirepoc. “I’m not saying anything, what are you all talking about!” “Then who’s the one talking?!” “It’s not me!” “Me neither!” The Armed Librarians were arguing at Mirepoc’s feet. It seemed they were hearing someone’s voice. They mistook it for Mirepoc’s Thought Sharing. Mirepoc couldn’t hear anything. It seemed that about a third of the Armed Librarians were hearing some voice. “s.h.i.+t, what is this?!” Kyasariro shouted. Mirepoc felt the same. She couldn’t understand the situation at all. She had no idea why this fight was occurring. It was the same as the Deep Blue Curse Rebellion last year. No, at the time they understood that their enemies were the Indulging G.o.d Cult. This time they could understand even less. All the Armed Librarians fought while suppressing their urge to scream. Everyone thought the same. What the h.e.l.l was happening to Bantorra Library right now? They had to fight before letting out these doubts of their mouths. During this, a sudden small voice suddenly rose up. “…Ah.” It was Kyasariro. The twelve guns she was controlling stopped in place. “What’s wrong, Kyasariro-san?” “I… know what this is.” During that time, Hamyuts was sitting all alone on her desk in the Acting Director’s Office. In front of her eyes was the message engraved on it. “…” She interlocked her fingers and further laid her chin on them while pondering. She started thinking for a long time. “There’s no use thinking about this. It just had to turn out this way.” Saying this, she leaned back on her chair. “It was just a question of when. It just so happens that it happened today.” She was watching the situation around Bantorra Library using her Sensory Threads. She could see both the fight at the Sixth Archive as well as well as the figures of Yukizona and the rest running around the Library. And yet there she was, without minding anything or taking any actions, she was just sitting. “Everyone’s working hard.” She watched the battle unfold while saying this. “Poor things. No matter how hard they try it’s all useless.” Hamyuts said, laughing from her throat. “I should explain everything to them. About what’s going on and what’s about to happen.” Saying this, Hamyuts took out a brand new machine from under her desk. Kyasariro’s twelve gun stopped in midair and fell. All the Armed Librarians seemed surprised of something. “What’s wrong, Kyasariro-san!” Mirepoc shouted and ran to her. Kyasariro stopped while looking at empty air. Her mouth was half agape and she seemed to be stupefied. “I know, this, I know this…” “What do you know?!” “…I know.” Kyasariro murmured, dumbfounded. “Hey, don’t lose yourself Kyasariro!” “Mirepo! What’s going on?!” The angry voices of Armed Librarians rose from the bottom. Kyasariro was the center of the battle right now. If she became absentminded the Guardian Beasts might break through. Mirepoc shook Kyasariro and waved her fingers in front of her eyes. She made no response. She then suddenly shouted with a shrill voice. “Guys! Run away!” All of the Armed Librarians stopped without thinking. Some of them were so stunned they weren’t able to hear voices properly. They couldn’t understand what she was saying. “Don’t be stupid, what can we do by running away?!” “Run away, guys, quickly, run away!!!” Kyasariro held her head and paled. They have never seen Kyasariro make such an expression. Normally she was cheerful and wildly eccentric, acting like a cool, brave warrior on the battlefield. She wasn’t supposed to look like a child afraid from a rabid dog. “Run away, it’s bad news, so all of you get away!” “Please calm down!” Mirepoc tried holding her but was thrust away. Kyasariro then turned her back and ran out of the Archive while screaming. Mirepoc simply couldn’t believe it… Kyasariro running away like that. Mirepoc couldn’t believe it. Kyasariro running away like that. No, would any proud Armed Librarian turn their backs to the enemy and flee? “Kyasariro!” The Armed Librarians raised upset cries. In this situation, if Kyasariro were to withdraw, the battle situation would be reversed at once. Mirepoc tried to go after her. However, a voice at her back stopped her. “Don’t go, they’re coming!” The Sixth Archive was further a.s.saulted by the Guardian Beasts. With Kyasariro gone, their counterattack crumbled and the Armed Librarians were once again at a disadvantage. “s.h.i.+t, I let one escape, Mirepo!” A Blade-Haired Lion came to attack Mirepoc who was protecting the entrance. Now that Kyasariro had left, Mirepoc became the final barrier. “Tch!” She fought desperately with her handgun. However, with her fighting capabilities just stopping it in place took everything she had. The defense of the Armed Librarians was broken. They would not be able to protect any further. Is this it? The moment Mirepoc thought this… A black figure and a white figure came through the door to the Sixth Archive. They kicked at the stairs and reached the floor in one fell swoop. “Everyone evade!” The black figure shouted. The Armed Librarians all simultaneously leapt away. If they were late then they’d be wrapped up as well – they could feel this sense of danger from the echoing voice. The black figure released a dark wave as soon as it landed. All of the Armed Librarians knew its ident.i.ty. Even those who have never seen it in action heard about its power. It was the power of the next Acting Director Yukizona – the Decay Wave. The Decay Wave slid on the floor and stairs, swallowing up the Guardian Beasts. It was the power to render any and all life in the world ineffective. The Guardian Beasts were also obviously helpless. With one blow of the Decay Wave they all turned into a lump of a black, brittle ash-like material. Yukizona started shouting from the bottom of the Sixth Archive. Everyone ceased their attacks and listened to his orders. “Us Armed Librarians will now annihilate the remaining enemy forces. Mirepoc and Rizzly will confirm the situation of the wounded and our present fighting forces. The trainees will search out any noncombatants in the Library and evacuate them. At once!” “Roger!” After becoming so disorderly, the Armed Librarians regained their leaders.h.i.+p when Yukizona arrived. They started fighting more appropriately. The Guardian Beasts were neutralized within minutes. What was he doing where until now? What was going on? These were natural questions, but no one voiced them. Yukizona’s cool-headed commands did not allow any useless questions. “Luik, Marfa, retreat to the Sixth Archive!” After confirming the annihilation of all Guardian Beasts in the Sixth Archive, Yukizona shouted this toward the entrance to the Sealed Labyrinth. “If we retreat the Guardian Beasts will come out!” “It does not matter, withdraw!” Luik and Marfa abandoned protecting the door and rose to the Sixth Archive. The Guardian Beasts coming from behind were dispersed by Yukizona’s Decay Wave. Luik’s body – the one to take the frontline – was miserably b.l.o.o.d.y. Mirepoc and Rizzly commenced with first aid immediately. Yukizona confirmed that there were no Guardian Beasts coming. Then he spoke to his sister Yuri at his side. “Activate the Barrier, Yuri.” “Roger.” Saying this, Yuri held up what she held in her hand. “That’s…” Mirepoc raised her voice. It was one of the Memorial Weapons, the Spinning Doll Ückück. Mirepoc knew that in Bantorra there were two Ückücks. Both of them were embedded with the power to protect Bantorra Library. The other one had been used by Mirepoc herself during the Deep Blue Curse Rebellion. She did not receive permission to use the other one. She didn’t even know what kind of power was within it. “Spinning Doll Ückück, activate. Deploying the Gauze Barrier.” The Doll began to dance. At the same time, a barrier made out of material that seemed like a cloth woven from hazy threads started enveloping the entrance to the Sixth Archive. The Guardian Beasts that tried leaving before the Barrier had been deployed were now obstructed by it. Perhaps it was equal in power to the barrier that once protected Bantorra Library, or possible even above it. “…Did you seal the entrance to the Sealed Labyrinth?” Mirepoc inquired. “The Barrier only stops Guardian Beasts. Humans can still enter. That is the kind of Barrier we spread here.” The Guardian Beasts were staring at Yukizona from the other side. Fire-Eater Crow spat flames and Elephant Soldier rammed its large body against it, but the Barrier didn’t budge. “Do not worry. The Barrier will not break for a while.” Yuri said gently to Mirepoc. She handed her the Spinning Doll that finished its role. “Why did we have this Barrier…” While staring at the Spinning Doll handed to her, Mirepoc muttered in a small voice. This probably meant that they have prepared for this situation. The insertion Magic Right into the Spinning Doll was at the very least 1000 years ago. This meant they considered the possibility this would happen even 1000 years ago. However, Mirepoc and the rest of the lower level Armed Librarians never heard nor thought about the possibility of the Guardian Beasts running loose. Even if it was a one-in-a-million chance, as long as the possibility existed why weren’t they told of it? “…I don’t really get it, but it means we can relax?” Luik asked. He was covered by disinfectant alcohol and hemostatic agent all over his body. “Even this Barrier is not invincible. It will be broken eventually. We need to reorganize and attack the Guardian Beasts swarming inside the Barrier. Command will go to…” Yukizona looked around the Archive, seeking a suitable person. “Gamo, I’m leaving you in charge.” Although being appointed, Gamo was upset. He was quite the veteran and had a high level of a discerning mind, but he wasn’t fit to receive command from Yukizona. “Wait a minute. What are you going to do? Or more importantly, what about the Director?” “Me and Yuri are going to break into the Labyrinth. If you have any questions contact me through Mirepoc.” “Wait, but what about the Director? What’s Matt-san doing?” Gamo persisted. “…These are all my instructions. You don’t have to think about the rest.” “No, that doesn’t explain anything about this situation! What are we supposed to do from now?!” “Don’t ask needless questions.” “They’re not needless at all!” “…” Yukizona went silent in front of Gamo’s angry voice. Mirepoc, Rizzly, Luik and the rest of the people inside the Sixth Archive all felt the same as him. They were told to follow commands. However, Armed Librarians were not machines. What was going on? What were they supposed to be doing? Wanting to know all this was natural. And letting them know that was the duty of a commander. “Let’s go, Yuri.” “…Yes, Brother.” Yet Yukizona turned his back to the Armed Librarians. Was he ignoring the feelings of his comrades, or did he have no choice? They couldn’t tell from his expression which one was right. Yukizona sent his Decay Wave on the Guardian Beasts swarming near the Barrier. The pair of siblings slipped through the Barrier and broke into the Labyrinth. “…What the h.e.l.l are we supposed to do!” Luik hit the floor with his fist. “Where are the Director and Matt-san? It can’t be that just like Kyasariro they…” Rizzly said with an anxious expression. “What’s Kyasariro doing in the first place?” Kalne spoke in anger. Here and there, the Armed Librarians and trainees raised voices of dissatisfaction. Without Yukizona the Armed Librarians became disorderly again. Even Gamo, who was supposed to have a.s.sumed command, directed anger-filled eyes at Yukizona’s back. “We’ve dispersed…” Mirepoc muttered. One year ago, all of them fought to the death in unison to protect Bantorra Library. Not even those who were afraid or doubtful have acted alone. What happened now? The regular Armed Librarians became agitated, ready to flee at any moment, while those who were supposed to a.s.sume command did not fulfill their roles. There were even deserters. The Armed Librarians were destroying Bantorra Library. It wasn’t destruction from the outside. It was as if they caused their own downfall. “…Impossible.” The end of Bantorra Library… It was impossible for the history of 2000 years to end in such an incomprehensible situation. The Armed Librarians were the strongest military organization, protecting both Books and peace. By defeating these Guardian Beasts and putting everything under control, they should return to normal. “Gamo-san, please take command.” Hearing Mirepoc’s word, he regained his composure. He turned to her and asked for information. “Rizzly, Mirepoc, what’s the current situation of the injured?” “There are no dead among the trainees or normal librarians. The only one incapable of fighting is Tena, almost half of our forces are lightly injured, but they should have no problem to fight.” “Enough people to fight.” Gamo and Mirepoc nodded at each other. Yeah. This wasn’t too much when compared to a year ago. They can fight, and they can win. Thus Mirepoc believed. Kyasariro’s escape, Mattalast’s condition, and more importantly, the impossible situation of the Guardian Beasts rampaging. Mirepoc suppressed her imminent anxiety and started moving again. During that time, Kyasariro found herself at the park inside Bantorra Library. She somehow ended up there, absorbed in her escape. There was no one around. The normal librarians ran outside the Library. All customers were also evacuated. “W-what am I doing?” She was panting heavily despite having run probably a kilometer at most. Kyasariro sank down on the lawn. She even threw away all of her beloved guns. She was a.s.saulted by a sudden anxiety and helplessness. “…I-I have to go back.” Kyasariro muttered. Yet her feet didn’t move. It wasn’t due to fatigue; a fear a.s.saulting her mind paralyzed her feet. “Why did I run away? I don’t get it. What’s going to happen?” She tried organizing her thoughts. The Sixth Archive she fought in a short while ago… and the rampaging Guardian Beasts. The moment she thought of them, for some reason or another, memories started floating inside her mind. Perhaps having some relevance to it, the face of her friend Olivia rose to her mind. Why did the face of her amiable friend cause her to feel guilt? Next she thought of Mattalast. As well as something frightening coming out of his mouth. She had the feeling he had told her something, but she couldn’t remember it. That fear was connected to the Guardian Beasts inside her head. She was supposed to know what this meant but couldn’t remember. She didn’t know it but remembered it. “My memory’s gone?” Kyasariro muttered. Did someone use Argax on her? Or was she the one to make use of it? “I remember…” It happened just two weeks ago. Two days before the enjoyable party. She had been holding Argax. She erased her own memories then. In order to escape from the terrible thing she had been told by Mattalast. “Something… something is coming…” Was that the rampage of the Guardian Beasts? No. It was something deeper. The true fear only began with them. “It’s… starting now.” Kyasariro vomited due to the welling fear inside of her. But even if she ejected everything in her stomach, the fear wouldn’t go away. “It’s… starting now.” Gamo distributed orders to his comrades. “The Fifth Sealed Labyrinth is not wide enough for all of us to fight. We will split into three units, attack one after the other in alternation and repeat. We will distribute our fighting forces evenly with the first unit gathered around Marfa, the second around Kalne, and the third around Luik. Me and Mirepoc will stay behind for support and command.” “Roger!” Everyone answered simultaneously. They pushed their unrest and anxiety deep within their hearts and only thought of fighting. They were the world’s strongest army. They couldn’t lose their concentration in a battle. “Don’t think of anyone not here. Focus only on your own duties!” “Yes sir!” “Relax. We have Yukizona. The Director and Mattalast should also be working. Those people will definitely do something. I would also like an explanation, but there are probably some circ.u.mstances preventing them from discussing with us right now. Believe in Yukizona and the Director. All right?” The Armed Librarians all nodded. Although they were uneasy, their trust in those people had never been compromised. “Let’s go…” However, as soon as Gamo tried issuing the order for a.s.sault, he stopped his hand. Both Gamo and the other Armed Librarians preparing for battle noticed something strange at their backs. They could clearly hear someone’s voice. There were no traces of Yukizona behind them. There were only Guardian Beasts obstructed by the Barrier. The Guardian Beasts, who couldn’t even let a single bark out. “Did the Guardian Beasts… speak?” Mirepoc recalled – before Yukizona had come, several people heard some strange voices. Did they belong to the Guardian Beasts? No, wait. Can they even speak? And even before that, did they have a will? Weren’t they simple machine-like Magic Beasts that had lacked any will and were only meant for fighting? But they could definitely hear their voices. Everyone there could clearly hear them. It both was and wasn’t a voice. It was and wasn’t a sound. It was also unlike either connecting to someone via Thought Sharing nor the recognition flowing inside one’s mind while reading a Book. It was a transmission without any means. Understanding without any transmission. It was something incomparable and couldn’t be described in words. It was a voice surpa.s.sing human understanding. ‘Do not resist.’ ‘Yield.’ ‘Give up.’ The Guardian Beasts were talking. ‘Follow the destined outcome without any desires, wishes or requests.’ “Wh-what are they saying?” Gamo held his head. Mirepoc also instinctively blocked her ears. Yet she could still hear their voices. ‘Absolve this Barrier. Release us from the Sealed Labyrinth!’ The voices of the Guardian Beasts echoed. Her head seemed like it would break. She was going mad. The more they heard their voices the more they seemed to be convinced by them. They started wanting to stop fighting. “…Fire!” Gamo shouted. All the Armed Librarians that used guns fired at the Guardian Beasts. However, that didn’t kill even a hundredth of the enemies gus.h.i.+ng out from the Labyrinth. “Don’t listen to them, fight, just fight! Marfa Squad, attack!” A squad of Armed Librarians commenced an attack against the Guardian Beasts. Scattered by this a.s.sault, they stopped talking. “What was that?” Mirepoc muttered without thinking. “Who cares! Fight, fight!” Gamo shouted. The Guardian Beasts were monsters created by the Past Overseer Bantorra in order to protect Books. They were, along with the Armed Librarians, the protectors of the Library. Thus they were told. However, Mirepoc was convinced – it was all wrong. It wasn’t something as simple as that. These were neither the protectors of Books nor the allies of the Armed Librarians from the very beginning. What are they? Just what is the thing we call Guardian Beasts? During the same time, Hamyuts was still inside her office. She was fiddling with the machine on her desk. “Aah. Aah aah.” She made noises toward the machine. “…It’s not getting through, I wonder if it’s broken.” This was the same machine that Rizzly had used two hours ago to call all Armed Librarians. One of them was also installed in the Acting Director’s Office. “Oh, do I have to connect this wire?” Hamyuts finally realized it wasn’t broken. Since this was her first time she wasn’t used to it. She reconnected the loose wire and her voice was finally broadcast in the building. “h.e.l.lo everyone, do you hear me? I’m the Acting Director Hamyuts. Please cease all work and listen to meee. All those fighting in the Archive can also leave the Barrier.” Hamyuts had already mostly grasped the situation in the building using her Sensory Threads. She could even see the expressions of those listening to her. She was even able to tell the Armed Librarians at the Sixth Archive widened their eyes. “Well then, where should I start? This will be quite the complicated conversation. What should I start from?” She could hear voices through the Sensory Threads. “Director, are you fine?” It was Luik. How cute of him to worry about me in this sort of situation. “Luik-kun, I’m fine. I’m in my office. There’s no need to worry.” The Armed Librarians inside the Archive started clamoring. “For now I guess I’ll tell the situation to those in the Archive. Umm, the things you are fighting right now are the beings known as the Beasts of the Final Chapter. Long, long ago, at the end of the Age of Paradise… they were weapons of annihilation created by the Future Overseer Orntorra.” Orntorra? Weapons of annihilation? All sorts of voices came clamoring at her. “We have always called them the Guardian Beasts. You were told that they were the protectors of the Labyrinth, created by Past Overseer Bantorra. However, that was a lie. A complete and utter lie.” What do you mean a lie? What’s the Director saying? She heard these voices. “There are things that I must deeply apologize about to you all. Me and all the other Acting Directors of history have been lying to you. We’ve told you many, many lies. About enough to say that everything you know is a lie.” Soon the clamoring died, as if they did not want to miss even a single of Hamyuts’s words. After waiting for all of them to be quiet, Hamyuts started talking. She spoke clearly as to not let a single thing unspoken. “Well then, first I will make a serious announcement. Starting today, Bantorra Library will close down. Including me, all Armed Librarians, trainees, students, normal librarians, and mine workers are all dismissed. All work related to the managing of Books will be stopped.” Uh? An idiotic sound rose through her Sensory Threads. “The one deciding this was not me. Since I’m only the Acting Director, I don’t have that authority. The one to decide this can only be the chief executive of this Library, the actual Director. Starting today, the Director of our Bantorra Library – Ruruta Coozanc.o.o.na – has decided to close the Library.” She could hear Gamo muttering. “…Who’s that? Ruruta?” “Ruruta Coozanc.o.o.na. He was the second Director of this Library. He had kicked down the original founder – Past G.o.d Bantorra – and became the Director of Bantorra Library.” “What are you even saying?” Luik muttered. Hamyuts stayed silent for a while at that point. It was to let all listeners grasp the situation. “Umm, it seems like a lot of you can’t understand. Then let me say this again. Starting today Bantorra Library is closed. All of your work ends today. Everyone, thank you for working hard for so long.” She could see the mouths of Armed Librarians open in blank amazement. Since it was so funny, Hamyuts distanced her face away from the device and held her mouth. “Just in case, I will say this again. Bantorra Library and the Armed Librarians all end today.”
