Ch.17Chapter 1. Librarian Do Sa-seo (2)

In this world, Yimemangryang and yokai are not mere spirits.

They are crystallizations of imagination deeply rooted in human history.

Whether born from fear or curiosity, they are things humans have thought of and created in their imagination for various reasons.

And by making these Yimemangryang, yokai, or gods their own, ability users can become like these beings.

“I am the god of storms!”

“I am the god of storms!”

Whether myth or folklore, if it doesn’t actually exist, an ability user can become even a god through the power of mana.

“Ah, I have the power to manipulate electricity…?”

Let’s say there’s an electricity-type ability user who can manipulate electric shocks.

“Hey, Mister Han! We invite you to our Greece! You will become Zeus, the one true god of Greece!”

“Me, Zeus? Isn’t Zeus the one who goes around assaulting women?”

“If you come to Greece, you can actually act like Zeus! It might be a crime in Korea, but Greece is on your side! Greek women will be by your side every night!”

“…What?”

“It’s worth it for you! If you seek asylum in Greece, you’ll get an enormous salary and women will line up for you! First, we’ll dye your hair blonde and get you plastic surgery!”

If this man had grown up exposed to Greek mythology from childhood?

“I am Zeus reincarnated in the modern era!!”

By identifying himself with a god from the past, he can maximize his imagination.

“So Zeus directly throws lightning bolts? Then I should practice throwing spears too.”

The more detailed the mythological information is.

The more media exists where humans have implemented their imagination related to mythology.

“Bring me all Greek and Roman mythology materials in this world! Books, games, comics, anime, movies! Everything!!”

The ability user’s power becomes even stronger.

“I am Zeus! God of Olympus! Those who resist me shall taste 1 million volts!”

“What are you, Pi*achu?”

“Gah! No, that’s not it. Insolent fool!! I am Zeus, God of Thunder! If I win, I shall take you!”

“He’s crazy! He thinks he’s Zeus!”

Negatively speaking, some say they’re consumed by their concept.

“Zeus Thunder!”

Positively speaking, there’s no need to think complexly about how to use abilities—just synchronize yourself with existing mythological combat methods or weapons.

In the original work, this was called [Synchronization].

Identifying yourself with a story or imaginary being, whether from myth, legend, or folklore.

Creating a completely new being might be as difficult as creating a whole new story, but making an existing myth or legend your own is easy.

“Zeus! You are the pride of Greece!”

“No! Zeus should be Jupiter! He is the pride of Rome!”

“Take me, Zeus! I’ll be your Hera!”

This is the common reality of ability users in this world.

‘It’s all about national pride building.’

Looking at this world objectively since I arrived, this is also a kind of scheme to inspire national pride.

‘If everyone builds national pride, then Korea doing the same isn’t excessive nationalism.’

If every country uses their traditions and mythology to build national prestige by applying them to ability users?

Especially if it’s their own national mythology or legend, countries naturally use it as propaganda.

“This is our new A-class ability user, ‘Naval Battle God’!”

“Wait. Why that armor? Are you insulting Admiral Yi Sun-sin?”

“This person’s ability can overlay a turtle ship made of waves onto existing vessels! It creates an invincible ship that can protect the main body from other ships’ bombardment!”

“Hmm. That actually sounds appealing.”

The act of bringing past beings into the future and recreating them as new beings in the modern era—[Synchronization].

It’s clearly different from simply putting a physical enhancement ability user in a national flag-shaped suit and calling them “Taegeuk Captain,” or dressing someone in a national flower-themed suit and naming them “Mugunghwa Guy.”

Making a legendary being your own.

This applies equally to beings known as yokai or spirits, like me, “Goblin.”

Even the nine-tailed fox.

“May I call you Yi-seon? Do you think it’s more important to increase mana, or to improve the ability to use powers… in other words, to have a richer imagination?”

“I think both are important. If you ask which is more important, of course it’s mana.”

“Yes. Mana. It’s important. But sometimes, just having imagination can give humans tremendous power. You could call it a technical aspect. And the subjects for that imagination exist in human history.”

“…Somehow, Librarian Do’s words sound like I’m hearing a new theory, so it’s a bit complicated.”

“Is that so? I’m just stating things as they are.”

I’m just explaining the original work’s concept in my own way.

“Based on thoughts and concepts about beings from myths and legends, you make that being your own. You don’t need to follow the original exactly—you can make existing media materials your own, just like how students develop their abilities based on materials on the first and second floors.”

“Somehow I feel like you’ve given me an answer from a completely different world than what I asked about.”

“…Perhaps, that might be true.”

Oops.

I got excited meeting a heroine from the original work and ended up rambling about the original settings without realizing it.

“I apologize. I just tend to think about these things, so words came out randomly. Contracts with demons or yokai? Haha, please forget about it.”

“What if.”

Huh?

What if?

“If I were to make such a contract… no, more precisely, if I were to make such a being my own as Librarian Do said, what deity would suit me?”

“Nine-tailed fox.”

Respecting the original work.

No need to say anything strange.

“I think a nine-tailed fox would suit you.”

“But nine-tailed foxes are yokai that eat human livers.”

“It depends on how you think about it. The nine-tailed fox is a being that spans all of East Asia, and in China and Japan, it holds a position similar to a ‘god’.”

“I know that too. The white-faced, golden-furred fox. But that’s still a yokai god.”

“What if you became a Korean-style, modern nine-tailed fox different from a yokai god?”

Yoon Yi-seon’s eyes widened in surprise at my words.

“A modern… nine-tailed fox?”

“Yes. Well… like creating fox beads with mana that you can throw and retrieve, or creating fox-fire around you to intercept enemies, or momentarily transforming into a fox and dashing while creating fox-fire.”

That’s the most representative image of a nine-tailed fox that I know.

“I think the concept of eating livers might be a bit excessive in modern times.”

“Eating livers? That sounds like an ancient nine-tailed fox. And even if you think of it as a yokai, there can be plenty of heroes with animal forms.”

Like the billionaire bat man.

“Just because something was considered a yokai or monster in ancient times doesn’t mean it has to be a villain in modern times.”

“A yokai becoming a hero?”

“‘Becoming a hero.’ It has a nice ring to it, but you don’t just become a hero by wanting to be one.”

I placed my fist on my chest.

“Isn’t a hero someone who makes this resonate?”

“So whoever thinks of themselves as a hero is a hero?”

“No.”

I’ll pass on that—there are psychopathic villains who think that way.

“Rather than a manufactured hero, isn’t a true hero someone whom many people believe to be a ‘hero,’ regardless of appearance?”

“…Interesting.”

Yoon Yi-seon checked her Taegeuk Watch with a faint smile.

“Well… I understand. I’ll take it into consideration. It’s strange to call this an interview, but thank you.”

Yoon Yi-seon put all her books into her backpack and bowed deeply to me.

“Take care.”

“Yes, travel safely.”

I waved goodbye to Yoon Yi-seon.

Afterward.

I wondered if other heroines might visit, but none came.

“Sweet.”

Thanks to that, I could read the books I borrowed to my heart’s content.

* * *

A strange sophist.

A man lost in his own world.

That was Yoon Yi-seon’s conclusion about the man wearing the name tag “Do Ji-hwan.”

“He acts like he’s some academy professor.”

Professors occasionally showed such behavior.

Especially those immersed in their own fields.

“Maybe he’s planning to move from being a librarian to a professor position. What an unusual person.”

She had just wanted to hear opinions about mana, but the conversation seemed to not only go off-track but cross dimensions.

Is that how people normally are?

Or was it because he was buried underground with no one to talk to, making him socially awkward?

“…He seems kind of pitiful.”

It was a bit sad seeing him working and manning the desk even on a Saturday weekend.

However.

“…A contract with a demon.”

What he said was certainly a different perspective, and an interesting one.

What is a hero?

“Regardless of appearance and origin, one just needs to exert a positive influence on others. Is that it…?”

She felt like she had received a clear answer about why students study at the academy and what kind of heroes they should become after graduation.

“An interesting person.”

*Inhale*

“And…”

Yoon Yi-seon looked at herself in the mirror and licked her lips.

“A nine-tailed fox.”

In the mirror, Yoon Yi-seon’s reflection showed a nine-tailed fox with fox ears on her head, nine fox tails behind her, and an incredible figure.

But.

“…If I could become like that?”

The reality was just—

*Thud*

Yoon Yi-seon stepped on two AAA batteries rolling on the ground.