Ch.68Intermission: Yoon Daju

Everything ended unbelievably quickly.

I utilized the Librarian’s abilities to the fullest and managed to gather the books I wanted.

[Extinction Scenario: 5000], which provides access to the truth of the world.

[The Wanderer’s Library Escape Manual], the way to get out of this place.

And I decided to grab a few other useful books as well.

But before that, there was something I had to do.

“Dabin. Can I… rest for a bit before we go?”

Choi Serim grabbed my sleeve with trembling hands.

She called out to me in a weak voice, as if she might collapse at any moment.

I said we’d find a way out as quickly as possible, but her condition seems more serious than I thought.

Serim’s condition has visibly deteriorated.

The reason is obvious. She was exposed to too much dangerous knowledge while holding the Librarian’s authority.

Things that would drive ordinary people insane just by looking at them. Facts that normal people would never learn in their lifetime.

No matter how strong-willed someone might be, there exists information that can completely twist one’s existence.

The Librarian of the Infinite Archives inherently has resistance to such knowledge.

But that’s only when the library is functioning normally.

In the current situation…

While it might help to some extent, individual immunity is far more important.

“Cough, cough!”

Serim leans against me and coughs up blood.

Her once glossy black hair is now damp with cold sweat, sticking to her pale face.

She was barely holding on, and now the Librarian’s authority is gone too.

It’s only natural that her body couldn’t withstand it and began to collapse rapidly.

“I’m cold…”

Serim places her hand on my shoulder while shivering.

I gently hold her hand, which is as cold as a winter sea.

Another small hand rests on top of her damp hand.

It still feels strange.

The small, white hand that looks like it has never had even a tiny scratch is mine.

I became a woman without knowing why. And so I became small and weak.

But even this body has become someone’s support.

She must be in a lot of pain, as Serim begins to sob in my arms.

Right now, she’s weakened both physically and mentally.

If we don’t leave the library soon, she might end up like those monks.

Unable to handle dangerous knowledge, she would collapse and live chasing answers that can never be reached.

“Daju.”

I called for Yoon Daju.

“Do you think you could take Serim out with you?”

“Aren’t we all going together?”

“No. Just the two of you.”

Daju falls into contemplation.

I spoke in a gentle voice.

“She’ll feel better soon if she rests outside. She will.”

“What about you, oppa? You’ve found everything you needed here, right?”

“Just the essentials.”

It’s almost time.

To survive definitively in the ‘Final Story,’ mere momentary wit isn’t enough.

As they say, knowledge is power, and I need a few more books.

“Since we’ve come this far, I should look for some more useful books.”

“But, but!”

Daju couldn’t hide her anxiety.

“We could come back here one more time… and look for them then. Can’t we all just stay together?”

I’m not sure if this is another one of her recent strange behaviors, or if she’s just emotionally affected because Serim is sick.

Either way, it’s different from Daju’s usual demeanor.

“You know it’s difficult to get back in here.”

Jung Haewon stepped in at this point.

“Noona. I’ll take care of Serim noona.”

“You?”

Haewon nodded vigorously, saying, “Yes.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to go with Daju.”

“I think that would be better for Daju noona too.”

Haewon’s suggestion does make sense.

Daju has seemed anxious ever since we entered the library, and I’m worried something might happen if I leave her alone.

Plus, she’d have to take care of Serim too.

It’s probably better to leave it to Haewon.

“Alright. Let’s do that. Daju, come with me.”

“Where should we wait for you after we leave?”

“Just rest at the elevator. It won’t take long. Maybe an hour or two?”

As I said this, I handed the book to Haewon.

[The Wanderer’s Library Escape Manual].

As soon as I handed it over, the expected question came.

“How will you get out, noona?”

“Hmm? I have two copies, so it’s fine.”

“But there was only one copy earlier.”

“Hmm. Was there?”

I waved my hand in the air.

With a snap of my wrist, an identical book fell into my palm.

[The Wanderer’s Library Escape Manual].

This is another one of the Librarian’s privileges.

While it’s not possible to easily copy extremely dangerous information, something like this can be done without much effort.

“Well, I could give you another copy if needed.”

Haewon’s eyes widened at my nonchalant remark.

“Wow.”

“Amazing, right?”

“What was that? Magic? Can you really use magic, noona?”

“Now that you’ve seen it, get going. We don’t have time.”

I pushed Haewon’s back firmly.

“Noona.”

“Yes?”

“But how do I use this?”

The method of using the [Escape Manual] is surprisingly simple.

Despite being called a manual, there’s no need to memorize complex content or follow it line by line.

“Just open it.”

“Oh.”

Haewon, carrying Serim on his back, turned the cover of the book with his free hand.

Flash-

The two of them disappeared in a burst of light.

And Yoon Daju remained by my side, her trembling eyes fixed on the library floor.

I called out to her.

“Hey, Yoon Daju.”

To explore the library, I need someone else besides myself.

No matter how good my resistance is, the Librarian’s knowledge is still beyond human capacity.

When I think about the newly acquired information, it feels like floating alone in the middle of outer space.

And then countless images begin to flood my mind.

Seven.

Black holes filling the sky.

Broken letters circulating inside them, and past and future events jumbled together, affecting the current timeline.

For this reason, I can only use fragmented memories.

Also, I need someone to help me if I get lost and fall into unconsciousness.

Daju needs to fulfill that role well.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“…”

I’m not sure if she’s okay right now.

People who’ve been in the apartment for a long time all seem to be in bad shape.

Just as I was about to approach to check on Daju’s condition,

“Oppa.”

Daju spoke up.

As if she had been organizing her thoughts, she met my gaze again.

“I have something to tell you. Can I?”

“What is it?”

“…It’s about my past memories. I’ve been forgetting them, but I just remembered.”

Daju continued without taking a breath.

“UntilnowIcouldforgetbecauseItoldSerimunnibutifIdon’tsaythisandmoveonIthinkI’llgocrazytoo… So… I’m telling you.”

“You want me to listen?”

“Probably.”

“And it’s something you have to say right now.”

“Yes.”

Her voice was full of conviction, unlike before.

I sighed and sat down on the library floor.

“Alright.”

Choi Serim and Yoon Daju.

The relationship between these two who have spent a long time together seems to be one of codependency.

As Serim’s condition worsened, Daju also started acting strange.

It seems Serim was using her ability to manipulate thoughts to bind Daju’s past memories.

Come to think of it, Daju started acting strange from that time—when Serim was struggling.

If so, what kind of memories were they that needed to be bound?

I have some guesses.

The moments when Daju occasionally behaved as if she had become a different person.

“I’m not sure where to start, but I’ll just say whatever comes to mind.”

To the rambling Daju, I handed a book.

It’s something I had used with Serim before.

[Jack Usher’s Notes].

As Daju took the book, her thoughts began to be automatically recorded in it.

It would become much more accurate and organized than if she spoke directly.

…

An hour later.

I put down my bag in front of the elevator.

Thud!

A heavy sound echoed through the corridor.

“What’s all this?”

“Books. I’ve gathered what we need.”

Haewon pondered for a moment, then asked accusingly as if something unfair had occurred to him.

“Wait. Come to think of it, when we were looking for the library escape method earlier, and now too. How could you find the necessary books so quickly? Why did we have to search through books one by one doing all that grunt work?”

“Back then, there was no method. Now there is.”

“That feels unfair somehow…”

Instead of answering, I examined the inside of the elevator.

Serim was sound asleep leaning against the elevator wall, and Daju was crouching on the floor, apparently tired.

Meanwhile, Haewon grumbled as he moved the bag into the elevator.

“Noona, you’re definitely strange. During the fight with the monks too. Did you awaken some new skill or something?”

“Awakening? Stop playing Dungeon Fighter Online so much.”

“What? How did you know I play DFO?”

“Just. You look like you do.”

I pressed the elevator button while giving an indifferent reply.

Swoosh.

Unlike when we came here, the elevator moved with a smooth sound.

After a long time, we returned to the 7th floor.

Walking through the clean corridor that looked no different from usual, it felt almost like coming back home.

“I didn’t think we’d come back here.”

Serim, who had regained consciousness, muttered.

With a slight smile, her eyes fixed on me.

I responded with the same expression.

“Indeed.”

Knock knock.

When Daju knocked on the door, it opened after a while.

Heo Yoon greeted us weakly from the doorway.

“You’re back.”

Her tone was as if greeting someone who had returned after years.

It had only been a few days since we left for the library. Her once confident and spirited demeanor was gone, replaced by fatigue that filled the empty space around her eyes.

“Hyunmin is gathering supplies in the storage room. I’m glad at least you all returned safely.”

“Noona, did something happen?”

“Hmm? Happen? No. Nothing happened. Just… Just lived through it.”

I asked, but Heo Yoon only trailed off without elaborating.