Chapter 7 – Butterfly’s Library (4)

Read​ on KatReading​Cafe

 

Countless books—no, perhaps if you think about this library, it might seem like an insignificant fraction of its collection had been borrowed by someone.  

It was a strange ability, but at the same time, it felt like something magical and special that I couldn’t fully understand.  

I didn’t know the exact duration of the borrowing period, so I swam through my thoughts unconsciously, trying to figure out how to retrieve the books.  

*This is a library, and since I’m the only one here, I must be the librarian. So, my job is to lend books, take them back, and organize them.*  

But strangely, I didn’t think of the gold coins and the diamond sword as borrowed items.  

Isn’t that right?  

In reality, you might borrow a book with gold coins, but you wouldn’t borrow it with something like a diamond sword, would you?  

That’s not borrowing—it’s more like buying the library itself, something of immense value.  

At the very least, it wasn’t a lending system but rather a form of selling, permanently transferring ownership of the book. Even if the book’s owner changed, it wouldn’t feel out of place, and that’s why it felt so alien to me.  

So, I sat in the librarian’s chair, staring at the desk, lost in thought.  

It had been about a week, or maybe longer, since I started living in this body—a short but seemingly long time.  

During that time, the thing that puzzled me the most was the reason for my existence.  

*Why do I exist?*  

I wasn’t trying to delve into existentialism.  

It’s just that, whether human or not, everything has a reason for existing. A library, as a building and a space, and the role of a librarian, must have a purpose for existing. That’s what made me curious.  

It wasn’t just about enjoying comfort. So far, only two guests had come here, but both seemed to carry death on their backs.  

Not only that, but I also felt a sense of desolation, which made me think about the outside world.  

Above all, the thing I wondered most was why I had been transformed into a gothic girl in black clothes.  

There must be a reason, right?  

 

*Thud!*  

“Mommy!?”  

Meanwhile, suddenly, books were placed on the librarian’s desk.  

They were *Das Kapital* and *Lolita*.  

“…So that’s how it is. The library’s power. It’s unexplainable, but books, being part of the library, are lent out in exchange for a price, which the library calculates itself. Then, after a period determined by the library, they return.”  

The library’s power was immense, and perhaps the books were influenced by it too. I didn’t know what time the clock indicated, but the books returned in a remarkably short time.  

It was fascinating, but I decided to focus on something more important.  

“Butterflies!”  

Specifically, *The Complete Catalog of Korean Butterflies*, one of Seok Joo-myung’s books and a highly detailed encyclopedia of butterflies.  

During the Japanese occupation in 1940, Seok Joo-myung independently researched the butterflies inhabiting Korea, which Japanese scholars had casually studied and classified into 921 species.  

He reclassified them into exactly 248 species and compiled them into *The Complete Catalog of Korean Butterflies*.  

To classify these butterflies, he collected over 750,000 specimens, becoming a living witness to the Inja River and a hero who showed what it means to embody human perseverance.  

This encyclopedia proved what humans could achieve through sheer determination and was frequently cited in domestic butterfly research books and papers, making it highly valuable.  

Even this book was given to me as if it were brand new, warm and soft, as if it carried the warmth of Dr. Seok Joo-myung himself, allowing me to read it comfortably.  

And eventually, I became so engrossed in the book that I didn’t even care about who came through the door.  

My right hand supported my face, and I read in a relaxed and comfortable position.  

 

*Creak~!*  

The sound of the double wooden doors opening echoed as someone walked in.  

“Bastard… Do you not know why I’m interested in such things!?”  

A man’s voice rang out, so I slightly lowered my head, keeping my eyes on the book, and glanced up to see who had entered.  

“Welcome to the Butterfly’s Library.”  

I greeted the man with a slightly indifferent tone.  

“Uh, um. We meet again… Witch?”  

It was John Menard, the guest who had come before, awkwardly smiling with a hint of intention as he waved in greeting.  

I nodded in acknowledgment.  

“Yes.”  

“Haha…”  

Though it wasn’t his first time here, he looked around the library like a child experiencing something new, pure and awkward in his reactions.  

I remained seated in the librarian’s chair, watching the grand and beautifully lit interior of the library, and didn’t approach him as he continued to marvel at the sight.  

Instead, he came to me.  

“Nice to see you again, Witch. Um, has the book returned to the library?”  

A small smile appeared on his short, dark hair as he faced me.  

“Yes.”  

I answered briefly and firmly.  

He seemed pleased with that, his smile widening even more.  

“Thank you for letting me know, Witch. Hahaha!”  

“You’re welcome. If there’s anything you need, let me know.”  

“Oh!!!”  

“—?”  

He exclaimed as if he wanted something more, then quickly composed himself, bowing slightly before heading up the wide wooden central staircase to the second floor.  

The wood creaked as it pressed against other parts of the floor, creating friction and the sound of “creak, creak.”  

“May you find the book you’re looking for…”  

I forgot my line for a moment and spoke awkwardly, a bit late.  

I don’t know if he heard it or not.  

Of course, it wasn’t that important to me.  

What mattered was that I had adapted to the library, proving myself with the right lines.  

Rather than just welcoming guests without any response, I thought it would be more interesting and unique to react like a human, truly embodying the role of the library’s owner and librarian.  

So, this wasn’t meaningless.  

 

While I was thinking this, John Menard began reading several books on the second floor.  

And his reactions weren’t very positive.  

“Sigh… This isn’t it.”  

Every time he turned a page, the sound of paper rubbing against paper and flesh, along with the fluttering of air resistance, echoed softly through the library.  

“I felt something. It was like… a thread was controlling me.”  

His soft muttering echoed throughout the library.  

Strangely, he didn’t seem to realize he was doing it.  

It felt too natural to be a deliberate action.  

Then, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled repeatedly, as if trying to induce something.  

“Ugh—!”  

At that moment, he seemed to feel something, letting out a brief sound of surprise before swallowing it back down.  

Then, leaning on the railing, he began reading a book while taking in the grand view of the lower floor.  

“This is it. This is it. Yes.”  

The book he was reading was a novel.  

Whether it was the librarian’s ability or the witch’s power, I unconsciously knew it was a novel.  

And he repeatedly exclaimed in admiration.  

“This guy, hiding something this good and not telling me sooner. This guy…”  

He hugged the novel tightly to his chest, smiling brightly as he descended the stairs to the first floor, intending to borrow it.  

When he showed me the book, I asked for payment.  

“If you wish to borrow it, please provide ‘the appropriate’ price.”  

“Then take these gold coins!”  

This time, instead of a sword, he showed me a pouch filled with an enormous amount of gold coins.  

“Accepted.”  

As I placed the gold coins down, they emitted a bright light, illuminating the library before evaporating and dispersing into the air.  

“Thank you!!! Thank you so much!”  

Genuinely grateful, he repeatedly bowed, expressing his thanks. I gave him a small smile and watched him leave for a moment.  

“May that knowledge suit you well…”  

This time, I didn’t forget my line.  

And so, he left, and at the same time, a notification appeared before my eyes.  

 

[Guest: John Menard]  

[Nationality: United States of Greater America]  

[Borrowed Item: *Gwangyeom Sonata*]  

[Author: Kim Dong-in]  

[Payment: Gold Coins]  

 

After he left, the library fell silent again, leaving only me and the butterflies.  

I felt a little hungry and thought of what I wanted to eat.  

“Ramen.”  

Then, a large bowl of chewy, plump ramen with plenty of seaweed and toppings appeared.  

It was a hearty bowl of ramen, complete with boiled eggs, green onions, generous toppings, and even two pieces of seaweed.  

I slurped up the ramen.  

*Flash!*  

And then, a burst of light appeared before my eyes.