Tosho Meikyuu:Volume1 Chapter1

Library Labyrinth

You're running.

“Haa…! Haaa…!”

You're running away.

You're in the hexagonal reading room, surrounded by bookshelves on three sides. It's a labyrinth of unlimited archives, like a beehive. With much desperation, you continue to run within the depths of the historical library called the ‘Library Labyrinth’.

“Haa, haa…ugh, ha, haa!”

To simply summarize, your life is in danger.

From the darkness of the labyrinth, a stone spear suddenly shoots out, opening a massive vent in the flank.

You can feel the blood oozing out from the wound, soaking her coat and undergarments. The long silver hair was dyed with reddish black spots, and a slight quivering breathing rang at your ear.

“Haa, I have to run away, run away…!!”

Carrying the dying girl on your back, you continue to run aimlessly in the depths of the library labyrinth, dozens of meters beneath the ‘Library Capital Alexandria’. With the lives of the girl and yours at stake, it is literally a game of tag.

“—Ugh, kahh!”

The blood dripping from the tips of the hair cause the soles of your boots to slide. slipped. You exert your right foot to regain footing, and give a blood curdling scream due to the excessive lactic acid formed.

You are at your limits. You are already gasping for breath, your brain completely devoid of oxygen. Your heart is beating to the point of ripping apart. Despite so, you have to run. If you don't, you will be slaughtered.

By the terrifying demon, the murderer of the Library Labyrinth.

“Are…you? Are you, still there…?”

Perhaps realizing that you’re nearing your physical limit, the girl calls you over your shoulder. The voice is scratchy and feeble, and you can certainly hear the terrifying of death.

“L-leave me be. Here. You can just go, alone…ack, ack!!"

The girl says in a timeworn tone, “Let me be killed.” She wants to use her own life as bait and let you escape alone.

…If you abandon her, you may be able to shake off the killer's pursuit.

"Quiet, haa! Don't talk. You'll open, a wound…!"

But your conviction doesn’t allow you to survive at the expense of others. Even if your life ends, you can never let someone else die for the sake of surviving.

Because five years ago, you lost your beloved parents in this Library Labyrinth.

“Enough, just seeing you, just knowing that you remember me, I shall be content. I-if this continues, you too shall will be killed…ack, ack!!”

The girl is gasping for breath while worrying about your safety. For this reason, you can’t abandon the kind-hearted girl.

“Yo-you? I can't see well anymore…”

“Just be quiet and grab onto me! I’ll get you to the ‘Apothecary's Deep Magic Treatment Room! You’ll be saved there!”

You encourage the girl…but in fact, you don’t know the way back to the surface, let alone the ‘Apothecary’. You lost your direction while being pursued by the murderer.

As the name implies, the structure of the Library Labyrinth is intricate, and it’s not easy to escape once you get lost. If you don't find the elevator that leads to the ground…

You two will die.

"Damn…itttttt!"

You even have the urge to put your trust in God. The girl's life is in peril. At this rate, you’ll be witnessing another death.

Someone is hurt and dying, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

You can only watch helplessly watching from the sidelines as they die, their lives wilting to an end.

Just as you saw you father die.

" …,No…!"

Absolutely not, you think.

You don’t want to experience such loss, such helplessness, such despair again.

“I'll never give up…! I won’t let you kill me! I don't want a repeat of what happened five years ago!”

Yes, that's why you're here.

To obtain the power to transcend the past, you decided to study abroad in the ‘Apothecary’, visited the Library City, and ventured into the Library Labyrinth, the archives where all kinds of books are said to lie.

You wish to transcend your abominable memories and become someone who can save others—the ‘Doctor Magna’.

“This time, this time, I'll save you! I swore that!”

Your thoughts are,

“A cold stone bite shall pierce the entrails.”

Unfortunately, ended simply.

“Execute, stone serpent fang.”

A high-pitched chanting echoes, whoosh! And the sound of the wind follows.

From the faint darkness of the Library Labyrinth, a rock spear flies in rapidly,

And strikes you directly in the leg.

“G—gyyaaaaaaaaaa!!!?”

A sharp hexagonal stone pillar pierces the center of your calf.

The granite spear, as thick as your arm, gouges deep into your bones and muscles, destroying your leg.

Your body loses support, and you fall down with the same momentum you are running with. Your vision spins, and the strong centrifugal force separates you from the girl. You try to hug the body that is moving away from you, thud! and your back slams into the floorboard, breaking your ribs. Despite that, you can’t slow down completely, so you crash hard into the bookshelf.

“Gabbu!? Haaaa…!!?”

The pain is so intense that you can't breathe. You see fireworks before your eyes, the taste of blood spreading through your mouth, and an electric current-like pain surges from your torn leg.

“…I can’t, let you, die…!”

You grab tightly onto the talisman before your chest, and hold together the consciousness that’s being ripped by the pain.

You recall the prayer you used to etch in your heart. For the sake of inheriting the will your father placed in this crystal talisman. You must transcend your past and become ‘Doctor Magna’.

“…I want, to become, someone who, can save other humans…!"

You drag your body, creaking with intense pain, towards the collapsed girl…

“Let’s put an end to this ugly escapade, shall me?”

The cold, clear, icy voice sends a chill down your spine.

Cantera lights flicker in the darkness of the Library Labyrinth. The lights glowed suspiciously as they approach, echoing with the sound of footsteps, and eventually the golden figure of a girl…

No, the murderer's figure came into view.

“Good day, vampire assassin.”

She's a beautiful demon.

Her flowing hair swirls with gold, cascading down from the top of her head, scattering light across her chest.

The shimmering eyes are a deep sea color. Her piercing blue gaze at you like sapphire.

The tips of its hair, brushed by white fingers, float softly in the air.

"Looks like I've won the game of tag."

She lands on the ominous goat-like horns and stops quietly.

A pair of huge, horrifying horns resembling a great demon splits the golden torrent.

The pair of horns split from the side of her head, pointing their shiny, sharp tips at you.

She's a beautiful—beautiful murderer.

"Kuu…!"

"Now, the monster that trampled on that person’s tombstone must die."

The murderer raised her right arm with terrifying grace. Between its slender fingers, she grasps the pale, luminous gray spine of the book.

This is the legacy of the gods that lies in the Library Labyrinth, ‘a grimoire’—a magic book that can transform reality into the unrealistic- the Grimoire.

“Rest assured. At the very least, I'll send you to the underworld with a single blow so that you won't suffer.”

The ‘book’ roars. It emits a gray light. The caster absorbs the mana permeating the atmosphere, compresses it, and inserts it into the grimoire.

All to weave a terrible magic that shall slaughter you and the girl.

“—Activate key Jc102k, chant start!”

In response to the chant that resembles singing, bak! the floors of the labyrinth shatter. Countless stone spears appear through the gaps of the cracked floor, writhing like tentacles seeking their prey.

(…I can’t let myself… get killed in a place like this…!)

“O little king, Eight-footed lizard, Lord of the crowned serpent.”

Facing the fear of the looming death, you clutch onto the crystal talisman.

(…I've sworn to overcome this helpless me, to overcome the despair of five years ago. …!)

In the face of a wounded girl, a terrifying murderer, a looming doom and demise—

“—I swore I would become ‘Doctor Magna’!”

You pull out a page from the gap between the sheet metal armor on your right shoulder.

“—Activate key Lg100b, Veins On!!”

The incantation on the page glows a blueish white as it connects to the ‘Magitzkveins’ based on your nervous system.

You clasp the crystal talisman like a prayer, inhale deeply, and scream,

“Pillar of heaven, foundation of the kingdom!

“That the serpents whose name he controls may be,”

The two overlapping chants echo together in the darkness of the labyrinth.

In magical combat, spellspeed is the quickdraw. If you can finish yours before the murderer, you may be able to defeat the enemy’s magic, and protect the injured girl!

(I'll use magic here! I have to save this girl!)

“O Goddess of Storms who guards the Dragon Field!”

“Become my arm and do as I command.”

The rush of mana through your body scatters a faint light in the darkness filling the labyrinth. You sharpen your mind, trying to control the magical power flowing into the Magitzkveins—

“My sacrifice to thee and…argh, ugh!”

You feel a pain in your nerves.

“G-aaaah!?”

The pain that seems to burn your brain from the inside prevents you from chanting further.

The Magitzkveins based on the nervous system is in a mess due to mental misconduct, and overheats due to loss of magic control.

(I lost control of the, Magitzkveins…, damn it, my magic is…!)

You try to fight the pain that's trying to reap your consciousness, and you want to continue chanting.

“Farewell, assassin—Execute, servant of the stone serpent.”

The murderer's magic lunges towards you in the form of a stone spear waterfall..

“No, no—gyyyaaaahhhh!”

You can’t shield the attack for the girl, and end up devoured by the waterfall of stone spears.

Countless stone edges strike, gnawing at you as they pass you by.

The intense pain that pierces your skin, flesh, bones, brain, and soul burns through your consciousness.

“Kaf…ack!”

Lots of blood gushes up from deep within your throat.

Sparks of various colors suddenly scatter before your eyes, and your vision begins to fade rapidly,

This is the end of your existence—your imminent death.

(…If I have, magic (power))

Your consciousness sinks into the darkness, you’re on the verge of death, and all you can think about is such regret.

The ‘Doctor Magna’ will reveal the mysterious power buried in the Library Labyrinth, and sae people. If there is such a power, you might have been able to save them, indeed.

You could have healed her wounds, fought off a terrible demon, and find a way back to the surface, saving yourself along with the girl.

…But that is a mere pointless fantasy.

For you can't use magic.

Your heart was deeply wounded ever since that day five years ago, when your father was slaughtered before you, and you became repulsed to any form of magic.

You lost your magic to save others, along with your dream to become the Doctor Magna.

(…Father. I, can’t become, a mage like you…)

The despair etched within your heart becomes a sigh of despair, dissipating through the Labyrinth before disappearing.

Farewell.

Your life shall end here.

"—You, big fool!"

Your thoughts sink into the abyss of death, and someone’s voice echoed.

"Thus I told you to run! Do you not understand human works, fool!?"

You hear the voice of a girl with an antiquated accent, one that should have been gone forever.

"Reckless as always. Really you have not grown!"

The muscles join together, and so does the bones, and there is the uncomfortable, strange sound of wounds being healed, "Swoosh" and the unpleasant sound of squirting blood awakens your fading consciousness.

"Goodness, you really, really are an utter fool!!"

Your heart that was about to sleep forever suddenly starts to pump out blood.

Appearing in that vision that is quickly regaining life is—

"…Does this not make me like you all the more? You fool!"

It is a beautiful silver color.

Within the darkness of Library Labyrinth, that corpse…no.

That body shows a glow that can seemingly reflect the pitch darkness.

"Hmph, then I shall forgive you for this. It is heartless to reprimand upon a long awaited reunion."

The hair flutters in the silver wind. Her long, silky, lustrous hair spreads and covers her white skin.

Her shining eyes are jewels of blood. The eyes dyed crimson red due to the fresh blood, are as clear as polished rubies.

"After all, it is because of you that I am able to revive♪."

The blood lumps that dyes her silver hair disappears in an instant, and the heart that nearly gets pulled out from the body suddenly vanishes. The originally tattered skin is now glowing coldly white as porcelain.

"…Now, I have to think of how to deal with the shallow minded that tortured my beloved companion."

The glossy, plum-colored lips curls into a smile, and smiling too are her bright red eyes.

The smile is arrogant, irreverent, and filled of confidence.

"Come, little girl. This true ancestor ‘High Daylight Walker’ shall end this in five seconds."

It seems to shine brightly in the darkness.

"Ku…I can't believe I let a vampire suck my blood!"

The murderer immediately opens the Grimoire once she sees the girl’s revival. The sidelong face is no longer as relaxed as before, and is showing clear anxiety and fear..

"S-Skewer her!!"

The deformed stone receives orders from its master and reaches out countless feelers.

A tidal wave of charging horns closes in murderously, trying to destroy the girl’s body.

"Hmph, so young, and your magic is pretty good…"

But the moment the stone spears are about to touch the girl, she waves her slender arm in a fluid motion.

"It still lacks 200 million years of refinement or so."

Snap! An explosive impact echoes, and the torrent of stone splits in half.

The girl waves her hand, shooting down one spear tip after another.

"W-wha…?"

"Fool, do you think a mere half-blood demon can defeat a Daylight Walker that has sucked blood?"

The girl grabs one of the spear tips that spins as it falls, and shatters it like butter.

Gakin! The atmosphere rumbles, and the shattered rocks fall from the palm.

"Hiii…!"

"Give it up. The stone spears that cannot penetrate walls can never destroy this High Daylight Walker."

As the murderer’s face winces with fear, the girl said with a heinous smile.

"Now then, what shall you do, human? No way can you defeat I with such a feeble body."

"Ku…seeking light from the Southern Sky…execute, lamp of glittering stone!"

The murderer chanted briefly, reaches her left arm out. The fingertips exude Mana, and in that instant, a strong flash scatters.

Once the vision blinded by the stinging light is restored—the murderer is nowhere to be seen.

"…Escaped? A virtue it is to decide on an early retreat…fine then. It is hard to pursue so."

The girl sees that the murderer has escaped, and disengages from combat mode. With a little sigh, she turns to you, who have fallen.

Your eyes meet the ruby eyes resembling crimson blood, through the hair strands that flutters due to gravity.

"…Goodness, your reckless is the same as always. What will I do if you die due to ‘Altered Shock’? O fool?"

The girl shows a troubled smile and slowly approaches you. For every step the pale bare feet take, you feel a nauseous, sweet corpse stench intensify.""

"…Fufu. Ehehe♪. Now you have finally returned."

The moment the girl’s fingertips caress your hair, the sweet scent finally reaches its peak—

"…My beloved Sōshi."

Your consciousness ends here.

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

Your consciousness awakens as though you have risen from the abyss of death.

"—Haa!!! Haaa, haa, haaa!!"

The gentle morning sun pries your eyes open hard. Pichichichi, the throbbing of your heart resonates with the bird chirping afar, seemingly echoing in your brain.

"Haa, haa—haa—…th-this place is…?"

The devastation that was before your eyes till moments ago is gone without a trace.

The darkness of the Labyrinth is switched with an unfamiliar ceiling, and the sweet stench of a corpse becomes a faint dusty one. The intense pain and high heat that once scorched your body melts comfortably in the cooling air.

You remain seated on the bed, and look around the room…there is an inorganic looking study desk, a bookshelf, a closet, and a large luggage that has yet to be sorted through.

"…Is this…the ‘Apothecary’ tower?"

There are pretty runes rooms ornamenting the brick walls, and a cooling air typical of a high altitude place, causing your memories that were blurred by the nightmare to be reawakened.

"…Is this my room?"

It appears this place is a room in the student dormitory of the ‘Apothecary’, an elite academy.

"…Haa—!! What, it was just a dream…!"

The moment you find that it is just a nightmare, your tension relax immediately, and you sink your head into the soft feather pillow.

Normally thinking, you would have died the moment you got impaled by a stone pillar. You have not died, and it means the tragedy from before is just a dream.

"…Uuu, it hurts…I haven’t sort through my luggage, so does that mean that I fell asleep after arrival?"

Perhaps the nightmare obstructed your sleep, for you feel strangely heavy. Your thoughts are erratic, and the memory from yesterday seems to be entrenched in the mist of forgetfulness.

You finally made it to this Library City Alexandria, and perhaps the long journey by ship left you completely lethargic.

"…I’m really back…back to this Capital of the Library Labyrinth, Alexandria."

You look towards the unfamiliar ceiling of the dormitory, muttering so.

You had always been a student of the ‘Apothecary’ until your tenth birthday. With the rare prodigious talent in magic and the guidance of the premier teachers of the world, you were a potential candidate as a Doctor Magna, one with a bright future before you.

Until five years ago, when you saw your father get slaughtered before you, and you lost your memories and magic.

"…!!"

You shake your head, seemingly to shake off the black mist lulling your unconscious.

The trauma of the painful tragedy stings at your psyche like thorns, as fresh flashbacks and blackouts, tormenting your repeatedly. This happens whenever you try to mourn the face of your father, and try to seek your magic along with the truth.

"…Calm down. It’s fine…"

You mutter like a prayer, and reach to fumble for the talisman hanging before your chest. You hold onto the crystal bound to the talisman, and fiddled its side.

At that moment, the faint bluish-purple Mana glows, gathering in the voice, and an image of a person is formed.

It is the illusion of the artificer who sealed the Mana into this talisman—your Father.

The ghost (image) formed by mana no longer speaks again, nor will it smile. The bluish-purple light that gathers is just swaying slightly, staring at you.

"…I’ll get them back. My lost memories, my magic, and the truth five years ago."

You grip onto the crystal that is glowing a deep bluish-purple, and switches off the projection of the talisman.

Now then, time to wake up and prepare for class.

This is the day when you return to the ‘Apothecary’ after hoping for five years. This is the start of your second life to regain your memories and magic.

Having made such resolve in your heart, you sit up from the bed.

"……Funyuu…?"

And so the sleeping girl that is hugging you slowly opens her eyes.

"…Yes?"

"Munyunyu…goodness, who is it? Which fool dares to obstruct this sleep of mine…oh!"

The crimson eyes resembling blood stare at you, and blink repeatedly.

The ruby-like eyes start to sparkle with surprise and joy-

"…O-ohhh…! What, so you have woken!?"

She squealed with the cute voice of a child, showing a completely elated smile.

"Eh…ha, haa!?"

"Ehehe♪ Good morning~ you~♪"

The silver haired girl under the morning sun looks like an angel fresh out of a painting.

The deep red eyes resembling jewels are accompanied by the pink cheeks with a lingering trace of innocence, smiling moist lips, and silver hair strands fluttering with the cool wind—

"Wh…"

'(Who is she!?)

It’s a perfect beauty that you had never met before.

"What, wh-wh-who are you!?"

The reality you can’t comprehend leaves you confused, and you exclaim in shock.

You probably fell asleep on your first day back in the dormitory, only to wake up and encounter an unfamiliar girl on the same bed, which casts aside all your sleepiness.

You are suddenly awakened, and your mind begins to whirl at full speed, trying to grasp the true identity of the girl…

"Ehehe♪ Umu Umu♡"

"Wo-woah woah, woah woah woah!!!"

The gentle body of the girl embraces you, obstructing your thoughts.

(Wh-what’s going on here!? Seriously, what’s this!? There’s something soft touching my shoulder!)

"Mfuu…it is a bliss I have to be able to say ‘good morning’ upon waking up~…"

The girl continues to hug you, grinning happily. The soft flowing silver hair slides on the bed sheet, giving off a nauseating sweet scent.

"! Wa-wait-wait!! What, you, who, what’s going on!?"

"Wah wah! Hey, do not move! You have not recovered from Altered Shock…"

Due to excessive confusion, you try to get up from the bed, but the girl’s slender hands continue to embrace you. You kick aside the blanket, shocked by her warmth, insisting on getting up.

"…Nu?"

The thin blanket used for spring and summer slides off the white shoulders of the girl.

The plain silk blanket seeming caresses the soft skin as it flows down with the sound of clothes being removed.

"Woaah!? Wa-wa-wait a sec!"

With a swoosh, the fabric lands on the floor.

The bluish-white morning sun shines upon the speckles white porcelain-like skin.

The girl is completely naked.

"H-hey!!"

"W-Woaaaahhh!? S-sorry!"

You turn aside, and the girl hugs her body, trying to snatch the blanket. It’s a natural reaction from a maiden of that age, but there is a side effect, for it greatly reduces the fabric covering you.

And so the body covered by the sheets slides aside, revealing what is beneath.

"Huh?"

You never expect yourself too to be completely naked.

"…!?!!"

You are completely confused, to the point where you forget how to make a sound.

You try to exclude yourself from the reality you can’t understand, and try to close your eyes…the image of the twin lumps and certain pink things are imprinted beneath your eyelids, severely distorting your thoughts.

(What is this…what is happening!? I committed a great crime on the first day of staying in school! Oh Father in Heaven, Mother in Japan, my body has been stained in debauchery!)

In fact, your body remains pure, and there is no need to brood over a physical sin.

And more importantly, there is something more pressing to deal with.

"Goodness~ when have you become such a lecher…hey now, you may open your eyes, no?"

"D-Don’t wanna! I don’t want to open my eyes! This is definitely a lie!"

"Fool, you dare disobey this order of mine? Hey, open your eyes now!"

"Uuu…?"

You have a proper look at her.

Her body somehow has a pure white silk fabric that seems to cover her skin, and her body is so slender that it might be damaged if you hug her. The fragile and warm body is seated on your lap.

None of this makes sense.

For the tragedy last night—the death of you and the girl should have been just a nightmare.

"…Ah, w-why…?"

(Why is the girl in that dream now on my bed?)

Your thoughts finally catch up to reality, and realize the weirdness of this situation.

You are a boarding student far from your country, and finally reached the Library City Alexandria. You hardly encounter acquaintances in your dream, let alone a female sleeping on the same bed as you.

In other words, the girl before you should simply be from the nightmare you have just conjured in your memories.

(Th-Then why is the girl in that nightmare in my room now!?)

"Oi! Who are you exactly?"

"? Who…wa-wait now, have I been forgotten?"

"Answer me, who are you!? Why are you on my bed!?"

You ignore the words of the panicking girl, and repeat your question. For this girl can’t possibly exist in reality.

The tragedy you witness last night should be a nightmare through and through.

(Who is she…!? She invaded the ‘Apothecary’ tower? A bandit? A succubus? Or was she part of those who killed Father…!?)

You stare sharply at the girl, purging from your mind her body lines that you can see through the thin silk of her robe, the whiteness of her skin reflecting the morning sun, and the smooth texture of her thighs.

"I-I…? I explained to you about myself last night, no? Wh-why do you look so scary…?"

"Yesterday…I don’t remember meeting you! I ask of you again, who are you!?"

You ignore her pleading question, and repeat yourself for the third time.

"…Have you…"

The girl appears to be greatly hurt, and her lips quiver.

"Have you, forgotten about I?"

"…Eh?"

The seemingly blood-filled red eyes falter due to the heavy sadness.

"Th-this is terrible!"

The next moment, she turns half a round on your lap.

"H-Haguuu?"

"Terrible! Truly terrible! I have to get the ‘book’ out! "

"Eh! H-hey, wait, don’t shake your body there!"

You wish for her to leave your thighs due to various reasons, but for some reason, the girl continues to remain seated on your body.

She transfers some feeble warmth and weight onto you as she fumbles for her feet…

Kyubba! She pulls out a ‘book’.

"A-A grimoire!? Wh-what are you trying to do!?"

"Do not struggle, fool! If you shall not obey, I too have my means!"

The girl snaps her fingers, and your shadow starts to shake.

Shadows resembling black belts rise from the bedsheet, immediately slide onto your skin, and ensnares your shoulder and arms, restraining you.

"What!? Restraining magic? Shadow spells!? L-let go!"

You struggle, trying to break free, but the black restrains just won’t budge. Such strange shadow spells is executed without a chant…truly the magic of this girl is way beyond normal humans.

"Ku…! What is a this magic expert planning to do?"

"Shut up! Now read this! Any further, and you shall forget everything!"

She anxiously says so as she brings a book before you.

The cover of the book, inscribed with ‘The Last Prayer of a Thousand and One Pages’ in gilded letters, looks elegant and with a shadowy deep blue, reminiscent of the evening darkness.

This ‘book’ looks very suspicious, but the girl’s expression is imposing enough for you not to resist. The shadows restraining your upper body won’t allow you to do anything other than to read the ‘book’.

"Ku…"

(…She really has overwhelming magic talent. Even if it’s a trap of a magic criminal, I got no other choice but to obey…!)

You gingerly accept the ‘book’, flip open the pages that are made of parchment, and scan the words with your eyes—

And then you discover that everything that had happened is recorded in that ‘book’.

"W-what…!?"

You are shocked, and the black ink coagulate on the white pages, saying the words ‘you are shocked'. Terrified as you are, you then feel fearful about the book that records that you are terrified.

This ‘book’, the ‘Last Prayer of a Thousand and One Pages’, appears to describe the memories all that you (the reader) have seen, heard, thought and felt

"…Phew. It appears you have finished reading."

"Hold on, w-wait! Who are you anyway!? And what is this ‘book’!?"

Allow me to answer this question.

"!? Th-The ink just…!!"

Have you understood what sort of place the Library Labyrinth is now?

The Library Labyrinth is a labyrinth of ‘books’, an archive of antiquarian books that remains asleep in them, books of all kinds that humans can think of. Of the countless books gathered in those shelves, isn’t it to be expected that there are such ‘books’?

Like say, a grimoire that ‘contains the memories of its user’.

"!? The user’s memories…a grimoire that records memories?"

Please don’t be so surprised. I’m merely a book that record memories and preserve them.

I’m not as high ranked as ‘a book that can turn lead into gold’, and I’m safer than ‘the book of the strongest vampire’, nor am I as malicious as ‘the vampire-hunting demon’ book.

I merely wish to provide a little assistance to your story as a book.

For you wish to find the ‘book to regain your memories’ so that you shall know the truth that happened five years ago.

"—!!"

You have a feeling that your inner thoughts are being viewed by others, and quickly close the ‘book (me)’.

"Ah! This lecture of I is not finished! Do not close the book on your own!"

The girl says in a reproaching tone as she sees that you try to throw me away. However, you’re unable to answer her due to your deeply etched trauma.

(…Calm down…! I should have been prepared for this…!)

So you quietly mutter in your heart.

You know very well the wonders and horrors of the Library Labyrinth.

In the Library Labyrinth, where all kinds of books remain in slumber, there are ‘books that can save people’, and ‘books that can destroy people’. Such incidents are deeply etched in your memories.

Just as five years ago, on October 16th, the night your father was murdered.

"Mmuu, it seems you have lost quite the bit of memory. No other choice now. I shall explain."

Kyupan! With a mysterious sound, the girl frisks out another ‘book’.

She opens a soft cover book with the words ‘Origami Set to become an Origami Master’, and puts her slender fingertips on one of the pages.

Biriri! A sharp sound echoes, and she rips the page out.,

"! Yo-You tore a grimoire? What are you trying to do…!"

"’Knife’."

The girl cuts you off, and gives an order to a torn page.

The next moment, the page before you starts to fold at an alarming rate.

No, it isn’t really appropriate to call it a ‘fold’. No matter how many times the paper gets folded, it’s impossible to start glowing metallic in the process.

"Explanation one. The Library Labyrinth contains all kinds of books."

The moment the girl says so, the thing that is supposed to be a page transforms into a knife.

It does not simply fold into the shape of a knife. There’s no other way to describe it as one, given the sharp glow of the metallic blade.

"T-the ‘book’ page becomes a ’blade’…"

"This ‘Origami Set to become an Origami Master’ book is a ‘book that can transform into daily necessities’. Given human (your) standards, I shall say it is a rank D replica, perhaps?"

The girl continues to explain as she fiddled with the knife with her fingertip. The metal blade reflects light every time it spins, showing you a frosty glint.

"Wh-What are you planning to do with the knife—"

"Explanation two. You have been basked in the blood of a true ancestor (I), and you are now subordinate to a High Daylight Walker."

Shink.

The knife flies straight into your left chest.

"Eh, ah, yee?"

Things develop too fast that your thoughts can’t comprehend.

Your heart that’s stabbed converts your rattled feelings into a direct shout.

"—It hurts!!!!!!?"

Of course it does. It’s normal to feel pain. Your chest is stabbed through by a sharp blade.

But you notice something very abnormal.

As you scream in pain.

"I-it…doesn’t hurt?"

"Fool. Your heart is merely stabbed. Do you still feel pain?"

As the girl says, you don’t feel pain.

Red mist rise from your wounds, instantly regenerating within, and your wound is healed without pain. All that is left is the knife on your chest, and a pricking sensation of a mosquito bit.

"…Why? Why don’t I feel pain even after I got stabbed?"

"Pain is merely an alarm system. For a subordinate of a true ancestor that can revive even when flattened into minced flesh, you have two or three hearts. As described, you do not feel pain or ticklish at all, no?"

"No, it’s still ticklish even though it’s not painful. And humans only have one heart here!...no, wait! What did you just say?"

"A true ancestor. But, the actual term is ‘HDLW (High Daylight Walker). Vampire lords that won’t be extinguished even when faced with direct sunlight. Of them all, the highest ranked of them all is I"

"What…did you say…?"

She calmly ¬states this startling fact, which leaves you speechless. Of all the monsters running rampant in the Library Labyrinth, the vampire should be one of those requiring the most caution.

"A High Daylight Walker shall not be destroyed with merely a stab in the heart. I can be crushed into minced meat from heavy pressure, but I can still regenerate. For I am a nigh(t) high class existence no one shall compare."

"What kind of stupid pun is this!?"

You can’t help but retort, and the knife that’s stabbed into you slips off, giving off a slight ticklish feeling. The blood flowing from your skin continues to simmer.

"Hmm? Fine, so be it. Enough with the funny puns for now. Do you understand the situation now?"

"Ah…eh, situation, as in…"

"Your body was stabbed through completely, on the verge on death. It was not a knife that stabbed you, but stone spears, 39 of them, not 1."

"S-stone spears…w-was the dream yesterday not a dream?"

"It was I, as a High Daylight Walker, who saved you. In other words, you received my blood, and your blood is mixed with a vampire. So are you not a vampire?"

"Does the sun not rise from the east?" the girl said so with such a matter-of-fact tone. The fact hinted by these words is too heavy for you.

"…Oi, then, am I…"

"Umu. You have become a vampire. But, you are just 30% of one, no?"

"Uu, uuu…uwwwaaahhhh!!"

You scream.

"Y-You’re lying! I don’t believe this, this lie! I aim to become a Doctor Vampire…not a half-hearted vampire!!!"

"Half-hearted vampire…halfwalker? Fufu, you do love your cold jokes♪."

"Shut up! My life’s a mess now! I’m now one of the monsters, and my body can’t be exposed under the sun now!!"

"No, you are a High Daylight Walker like I. It is fine to keep walking, though you shall be scorched."

"I don’t mean physically! How am I supposed to write to my mother and little sister back home!? ‘PS: I’m not a human, I’m a vampire’? Seriously? They’ll disown me?"

"Do not panic. That can be discussed later. Explanation three is most important".

"What most important? What’s more important than becoming a monster? How are you going to compensate my body!? My heart!!?"

You point at the knife on your chest, questioning the girl loudly.

Vampires are highly dangerous creatures, and they are correspondingly highly repulsed. As long as you are discovered by those around you to be a vampire, you shall be executed as a best case scenario, and in the worst case, ""a fate crueller than death"".

You have strayed from being human, and can no longer become a normal one. Your life thereafter…or rather, the remaining 70%, shall be of one as a half-dead, half-monster, and half-walker.

Ahh, so pitiful you are. Killed by a monster, revived as a vampire. How many more of such unfortunate, unlucky situations are there?

"It is not the exact number—you have approximately 8 hours or memories left."

"Huh?"

…My apologies, there are.

Truly, there is something more terrifying than losing your humanity.

"Explanation three. Your memory shall continue to wilt. The memory you shall remember is approximately eight hours. Once eight hours elapse, all the prior memories shall be erased."

"M-my memories only last for eight hours?"

How many of such horrifying matters exist in this world exactly?

Your memory shall only last for eight hours.

How is it any different from living a life of eight hours?

"Yo-you’re kidding!! I should have only lost the memories of five years ago!!"

With a shrill scream, you deny those words that are basically a death sentence.

It is true that you, who had witnessed the death of your dearest kin, is emotionally scarred, and you lost your memories prior to five years ago, along with the use of magic.

But on the other hand, to you, the five years are basically three times as packed as other people. You should be able to remember clearer than anyone everything that had transpired since five years ago.

"I still remember my name, my birthplace, and the return why I returned to Alexandria! Everything happened before eight hours ago!!"

"—But you have forgotten this name of I, no?"

"Ha, wha…!?"

Posed with this question, you’re speechless.

For if she’s not a fictional existence, but a vampire out of reality, surely you have met this girl beyond your dreams.

"Have you not forgotten how you encountered I, why I got injured even as an Nosferatu, why I was carried by you, why you were hunted by the demon, how you were on the brink of death?"

Please understand, no? Your murder is not a work of fiction. It is reality.

Unlike an unconnected fantasy, a reality requires a past and a future.

But you have forgotten what happened before and after your death.

Should you not feel fearful about this?

"—For this name of mine is Arteria. Arteria Arteria Al Athanasia Almnasia Ausanasia. The silvery night of the Library Labyrinth. The High Daylight Walker,"

"…!"

It was undoubtedly your first time hearing a vampire’s name.

In other words, you had once forgotten the name of the vampire who called herself Arteria.

And eight hours longer—surely you shall forget her again.

"…You’re joking, right? My memory…only lasts for eight hours?"

"Truthfully. The oblivion spell that binds you shall take away your memory approximately every eight hours. All your memories and personality that existed at that time will be irreversibly lost to this world."

"…My memories, will disappear in eight hours…?"

"In other words, you shall die once every eight hours…the memories when you encountered I last night, when you protected I from being killed by the demon, shall never be regained once again."

"…!"

The empty darkness in those crimson eyes is telling you, "This is an undoubted fact." Once you hear Arteria’s grim, deep voice, you start to understand reality.

"My memory…my life has only eight hours left…"

You are attacked by a swirling daze.

You seek the footsteps of your deceased father, and come to this boarding school to regain the magic you lost, only to encounter such a tragedy on your first day. It is no wonder that you may be driven to death by despair.

"…If you shall continue, you shall die from losing all your memories. This ‘Last Prayer of a Thousand and One Pages’ shall save you from that prison of forgetfulness."

"…’The ‘Last Prayer, of a Thousand and One Pages’…?"

The vampire (Arteria) picks up the ‘book’ (me) that was thrown away, handing it to you.

It is the grimoire you can rely on, given that your memory is cursed.

Thus, I shall write down your current predicament, along with the power of this ‘Last Prayer of a Thousand and One Pages’.

1. Your memories shall be reset once every eight hours.

2. If you remain within the range of the magic power of this ‘book’ (me), dozens of centimeters, all your precious memories shall be recorded in this ‘book’ (me), and all the memories of this ‘book’ shall be instantly duplicated to you.

3. Whatever you can’t remember, prior to eight hours ago, will not be written.

These three clauses are very important, so please do remember.

Also, please remember, or rather, resolve yourself.

4. Unlike my original, I’m merely a replica, and I only have a thousand pages.

If you finish the storage of all thousand pages,

You shall be trapped forever in the prison of oblivion.

This ‘Last Prayer of a Thousand and One Pages’ can be said to be your memory.

Thus, before this ‘book’ (me) is finished, you need to find a way to preserve your memories.

Before you end up forgetting everything.

"…A thousand pages, of memories…!!"

With a quivering voice, you read out all the clauses inscribed in this ‘book’ (me).

You are cursed by a spell to lose your memory every eight hours, and once you are trapped in this cage of oblivion, it is absolutely impossible to escape on your own.

And thus, you shall never become the Doctor Magna, unable to discover the truth of the incident five years ago, and can only be trapped in endless forgetfulness, repeating the hellish death forever.

(If I can’t undo the curse within a thousand pages…!)

Yes, your existence (memory) shall be vanquished.

"…As that ‘book’ (me) says, your memory has only another nine hundred and fifty pages left. It is most likely impossible for you to challenge the Labyrinth alone and find the memory preservation book."

"…!"

"But rest assured. You shall have this High Daylight Walker Arteria with you. With this honor and authority of I, I shall never let my beloved kin be forgotten in the darkness of oblivion."

"…W-what do you mean beloved kin? I don’t intend to be a companion of a vampire!!"

"Then what will you do? It is impossible to find a grimoire that can break the spell without going deep into the Labyrinth. Do you intend to go alone, where magical beasts roam, traps lie in wait, and even magical criminals lie in ambush? You will be slaughtered just as you were last night."

"Th-that’s, but…!"

You can’t help but refute the term beloved kin, but the High Daylight Walker coax you with calm words. You can’t help but think that there is some nefarious ploy within those bloody red eyes.

"To venture deep into the darkness, you are too lacking in refinement whether as a vampire or an explorer. Do not feel bad, for you may rely on this Arteria. Without the power of a true ancestor (I), you will not survive days."

"So I have to obey a vampire…? Did you curse my memory for this purpose!? Did you give me this ‘book’ (me) and an immortal body just for this purpose…!?"

"The one who bound your memory is not I. I would have used a charm eye if I wish for a mere servant. I shared my blood with you because I love you."

"I-I have no reason to talk about love with a vampire!"

"You have none, but I do. I have a reason to save you…but it seems there is no time for long time. It seems a visitor shall be meeting you."

"Visitor? I don’t have an acquaintance who’d meet me so early in the morning…!"

—Knock knock.

Suddenly, the knocking of the door at your wall interrupts you talking.

"—Oiiii, Sōshi Okutsuki!! Oi oi!! Are you awake? You haven’t woken up at the opening ceremony. I’m here to pick you up as your class representative nya!"

"Heh?...ah."

It is then that you notice the looming death threat approach you.

Now then, let us recap the situation.

1. It appears you missed the opening ceremony.

2. You brought a half-naked pretty girl (and a vampire to boot) into the boys dormitory, where females are forbidden.

3. You are completely naked, and you have a sharp knife stabbed into your left chest.

Now here comes the question. What will others think if they see you in such a state?

"…Ah…ahh…ahhh!"

(S-someone will assume this is a knife incident due to a love dispute, and the fact that I became a vampire will be exposed!)

Ding dong! 100% correct.

Hurry and put the High Daylight Walker beneath your bed and wear your clothes soon.

" Sōshi Okutsuki~? Hurry up and wake up nya~! You haven’t applied to leave~, so you should be in the room, right~? I’ll get scolded by the teacher too if you don’t hurry and wake up!"

"So-sorry prez(?), I’m ashamed to say this, but I just woke up! I hope you’ll give me some time to change clothes…eh…ahhhh!?"

…You want to change clothes, but your uniform (originally) is now a piece of reddish black torn fabric that’s dyed in blood.

After all, it got skewered along with your body when you fought the demon.

"S-Sōshi Okutsuki? Why did younya make such a terrifying sound!?"

"I-it’s nothing, somehow, I can’t wear the uniform(rob I’m supposed to wear! Well, this is troublesome, really troublesome!"

It so happened that you hadn’t sorted out your luggage. Aside from the clothes you wore yesterday, the other clothes are all completely packed in the large truck.

(Kuu…is there something I can replace in response?)

"W-wait, don’t get off the bed like that! Use this bedsheet as a bedshirt…"

"Shut up, and stop it with the lame puns! I’m in a grave crisis!"

"Mu, you call I to shut up? For I am providing suggestions to you!?"

"Nyafufu? Sōshi Okutsuki, who are you talking to nya? You need permission from the dorm supervisor if you want visitors to stay in here nya…"

"It’s nothing! I just overslept. Talking to the wall! The wall!"

"Wh-who do you call a wall!? See, there are some lumps at least!"

"Wait, vampire!? Enough with the ridiculous words. I’m telling you to shut up!"

"Mgu mgu…then I shall talk!"

(For some reason)Arteria suddenly got angry and yelled, waving down her left arm. You instinctively duck ago, and the supersonic fingertip let out a supersonic blast that hit you and sent the doorknob flying.

The cheap brass lock shattered with a thud.

"What!? Wh-what are you doing!?"

"Nya-nya nya nya nya!? Are you alright, Okutsuki? I heard something loud. Are you hurt nya!? E-excuse me then!"

"Woah, prez, wait…woaahhh!?"

The class president is very startled to hear this sudden shatter, and call out worriedly from outside. You try to rush over to the door and pin it back, without caring that you may be tripped by the blanket…

Reality is often disappointing.

"Ah, Sōshi Okutsuki! Are you alright…nya?"

The cute cat ears distinct to girls of the cat tribe opened the door and showed herself from behind. She sees you, and her red lips show a friendly smile—

"…Funyyaa!!"

Whoosh! And like a rising flame, her face is immediately flushed red.

Hm, well, the reason is very simple. As aforementioned many times before.

You are completely naked.

"—Funnyyyyyaaaa!!!"

"You—fooooooooolllllllll!!!"

The cat-tribe’s shirek and the vampire’s shout echo in unison, ringing throughout the boys dormitory.

The girl, who has turned bright red up even at the cat ears atop her head, is too shocked to look away as she stands there, staring at your little self with her amethyst purple eyes.

"Ahhhh! Wh-what do I do now…haaaaaaa!!"

You instinctively try to hide your crotch, but you realize that to hide your dignity as a human being, there will be no way to hide the knife. As narrated before, a vampire will be executed.

(Damn it, which one!? Which one am I supposed to hide!?)

You don’t know whether to protect your social dignity or your life…and yet you can’t decide due to the confusion, and can only remain rooted.

Just to mention this beforehand though, you already lost both your dignity and your life.

"Nafu, nyafu, funyanyaa…"

The girl with cat ears who calls herself the class president appears to be greatly confused, her hands covering her mouth as she let out cat-like sounds. It might be more helpful if she covers her eyes instead of her mouth…but it appears she has lost a normal cognitive ability.

"H-ho-how long are you going to stand there!! Ehhh, turn away!!"

Within the highly chaotic room, the first to regain calm is the strongest type, Arteria. The vampire (Arteria) looks away from you and leaps towards the cat girl…

And bites her neck with sharp bloodsucking fangs.

"Gn-gnyaaa! Gyafu, funya—"

The girl gets bitten on the neck, and seemingly jolts as she tries to escape from Arteria’s grasp. Perhaps her arm strength can’t defeat a High Daylight Walker after all, or perhaps there is some supernatural power at work—

"Nya, fuu…"

In a mere few seconds, she falls limp to the floor, unconsciousness.

"Fuchu, hum, chuu…haa."

Arteria consumes lots of the girl’s blood, and then slowly lets go of the body. The saliva that stretches between the slender neck and the lips reflects the morning sun, and silently snaps.

"…W-what…!"

"Nm, this much should be enough!"

"Va-vampire!? Why did you suddenly do that! If you suck that girl’s blood, won’t she become a vampire like me…wait, did you come to the ‘Apothecary’ for this reason?"

"Huh? What nonsense are you saying, would I convert a mere demi-human girl as my subordinate? The only human that received the blood of this High Daylight Walker is you."

"Si-since you only turned my into your underling, why did you suck her blood? "

"Why else? I suck the blood of this girl to understand her real identity."

"I know you sucked her blood! But what has that got to do with knowing the true identity of this girl?"

"…Did you asking that I am a ‘blood sucking monster’?"

"Huh? What misunderstanding? What else does the word ‘vampire’ mean…!?"

"It’s true that I do consume ‘blood’, but what I really absorb is knowledge, you see?"

"Eh?"

A fine finger sways in the air, drawing two words before you.

‘Blood’ and ‘lore’.

‘Bloodline’ and ‘bloodlore’.

They might sound similar, but the terms themselves are completely different.

"High Daylight Walker, king of the undead, the eternal princess, descendant of Kain, the twilight without dawn, Princess of Calamity, the silver Night of the Library Labyrinth—such are the many names I have, but this is the easiest to understand."

Arteria states her other name as she gives a somewhat ominous smile,

"’The thing that devours human knowledge(talent eater)’. This really is an appropriate name."

—The talent eater, ‘ability devourer’.

"De-devour abilities…the ability to suck knowledge…?"

"Truly. For I can devour memories through bloodsucking and strength myself, turning the abilities to mine. For example, by a mere drop of blood, I can amplify the healing ability by billions of times, and regenerate myself instantly."

"Ah! Did you gain my natural healing when you regenerated yesterday?"

"The target of blood sucking is not limited simply to healing. The arm physical strength to fight off the demon was originally taken from you. The ability of the true ancestor (I) allows I to absorb physical strength, intelligence, and even magical power. Thus, I am the High Daylight Walker—the strongest bloodsucker in Labyrinth, the silver night of Library Labyrinth."

"…!"

You have a feeling that there is an evil glint in Arteria’s brilliant eyes, and can’t help but gulp. The girl wearing a pure white robe looks so adorable—but she’s still a monster after all.

"Well, due to various reasons, this ability of I is heavily restricted. I cannot be as reckless as before…but I can know of your past with just a drop of blood…ahm."

Arteria wipes your blood clean from her fingertips.

"So, 'Sōshi Okutsuki'?"

She calls out your name, which you have never told her before.

"…What!"

"I know more than just your name. Your birthday is on October the sixteen, and you turn sixteen this year. You leave your mother and little sister in Japan far away, and decide to come study alone in Alexandria to investing the truth about your father’s death, follow in his footsteps, and become Doctor Magna…it appears you suffered lots over these five years.?"

"Y-You really absorbed my memories…!"

You only divulged your information to the ‘Apothecary’, your boarding location in the Library City Alexandria, but the vampire actually states so nonchalantly. This is the ability of the knowledge sucking monster, the talent eater.

"…Th-then, you know who I am because of my blood that flowed out…"

"I absorbed it. First thing to think of, how did I bring you into this dormitory? How did I know the dormitory room number, and where the boys dormitory of the ‘Apothecary’ is?"

"Th-that’s right…then how much do you know about me?"

"I shall need enough blood to kill you if I wish to absorb the memories deep within you. A few drops will suffice for shallow memories. Given that you lost that much blood, there is nothing I do not know about you."

It is as though she had looked deep into your heart—no, like she is reading a story she has firmly grasped as she looks at you.

"…For I still remember, Sōshi."

The bloody eyes narrow, showing conflicting emotions that are hard to determine.

"…Well then, now you understand the reason why I know you. Now that I absorb this girl’s blood, I have also extracted the bloodlore."

"…Y-You didn’t shoot down the doorknob just for revenge…no, you saved me, but how would I have known how to react if you hadn’t said so beforehand!"

"Well, helping aside, ninety percent or so of the reason is revenge."

"So it’s all malicious!? B-because of you! Someone just saw some troublesome places…wooooaaaaaaahhhhhh!!"

You finally remember the reason why it feels cooling at your lower body (fully naked) and you hurry onto the bed, covering the groin with the blanket.

"Uuuu…I showed something unbelievable to a classmate I met for the first time…!!"

"…Wh-why is it a little expanded…?"

"It’s morning! Don’t force me to say it! And don’t observe me!!"

You continue to cup your head under the blanket and cry, remorseful about your folly. Arteria tries to console you as she says with a somewhat unnatural voice.

"…W-well, do not worry about this. After all, I did absorb the memories...and that is not your first time. It seems this girl has met you before."

"…Eh? She knows…me?"

You sit up on the bed and turn to look at the girl who has collapsed on the floor. As aforementioned, only a mere few knows who you are in the Library City Alexandria.

(…When did we meet? When I reached the port yesterday? Or does she know me from five years ago…?)

You start to observe the girl’s appearance.

The body that’s no taller than 160cm is wearing a dark blue robe of the ‘Apothecary’. The sheet metal armor that covers her left shoulder to the upper arm has an intertwined olive crest embedded on it, so she probably is your classmate.

The problem here is that you don't recognize the cute, self-assertive cat ears on her brown hair at all. Cat folks aren’t uncommon In this Library City Alexandria, but…

"…I can't remember. Though I think she’s a student at the ‘Apothecary’…"

"An advice to you. Judging others by their appearance is not just a vice, but also suicidal. It’s one thing if you are back in an island country in the Far East, but this is the city of the Library Labyrinth."

"…!"

The ‘most powerful vampire (High Daylight Walker)’, who looks appears to be in her mid-teens, shows a sarcastic smile. Her slightly curled lips show her sharp bloodsucking fangs.

"But it is troubling that you have forgotten. It is difficult to transfer the memories absorbed through blood t others…enough with that. I shall narrate, and that book ‘me’ shall record."

Arteria says, and starts to give information about the girl.

"This little girl is called 'Calmia Loadtokson'. She is the class president of your new class, one of two people who greeted you at Alexandria Harbor yesterday."

"So since this Calmia girl who greeted me, does she know about my relationship with Father?"

"No, as far as I can tell, it seems she does not know. If she is related to the feuding enemy, she would have known about the incident five years ago. She probably has nothing to do with your father’s killers."

"…Yeah, it’s not going to be that easy to find any clues about the incident five years ago…"

"But this little girl appears to have abnormal magic resistance. She shall be awake in a few minutes, so you should wear your clothes soon and try to lie your way out of this situation."

"She’ll wake up in a few minutes…eeeeeeeehhhhhh!!? Wait, you mentioned that way too late! I can’t think of any excuse for the time being! And I don’t have any clothes to wear!"

"Fufun? Have you forgotten the function of this ‘book’ (me)?"

Arteria looks bemused as she takes out the ‘Origami Set to Become an Origami Master’, rips off a page and chants, "Apothecary Robe’.

The ‘origami paper’ instantly transforms into a brand new robe.

"…I didn’t have to be seen naked if I had used the ‘Origami paper’ to begin with? "

"You never said you wanted to use it, no?"

"Gr-grrrr…"

You bite on your lip and stare at Arteria with resentment. One word of advice, the sooner you learn how to use this 'book' (Me), the better.

This is the capital of Library Labyrinth, the Library City Alexandria, where all forms of books humanity can imagine remain in slumber.

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