NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16 - The Librarians
Scene 016: The Librarians
Wendy was left speechless. “This is… incredible.”
I had to agree. Never in my life had I seen anything like it.
Can we even call this a library? In front of us, stretching out from the Stairway of Truth, loomed a towering wall over 20 meters high, expanding endlessly in both directions. Even the grandest libraries would pale in comparison, their shelves mere dollhouses beside these mountains of books. This was Mekahel University’s pride: The Wall of Truth.
“Look!” Wendy pointed to a nearby shelf. “There’s a cat here.”
And sure enough—a cat, with only its tail and back legs visible, wriggling frantically between the books. Unable to watch it struggle, Wendy moved in and gently tugged the cat out.
“Mrrreow!”
Pop!
The cat came loose, and the recoil sent both Wendy and the cat tumbling backward.
“Kyaa! Are you… okay?” Wendy asked, scooping up the peculiar-looking cat, whose whiskers spread out like a catfish’s.
But that wasn’t all.
“Tsk… My neck hurts. Do I look okay to you?” the cat grumbled, startling Wendy.
“W-What the…?”
“Hah… Call insurance. I can’t work like this.”
“I-Insurance?” Wendy repeated, bewildered.
The cat sprang from her arms, landing with a huff on the floor. “Oof, I’m done for. It’s bad enough being stuck working here forever.”
“”W-What should we do? The cat… it says it’s injured…”
I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of Wendy. The cat glanced around, playing up the drama as it took in the situation. This was the perfect chance to practice my traits control. I focused on a feeling buried deep within.
[You have activated the trait ‘Wrath’!]
In an instant, I channeled my anger toward the creature.
“Ahh! Hot!” it yelped, jumping up on two legs in shock.
“W-What was that?” Wendy gasped as I quickly reined in my anger.
[You have activated the trait ‘Patience.’!]
[‘Wrath’ subsides gradually.]
Much better. It seems that with the cat, I needed to be able to touch it, unlike with Mondri. I looked at the cat, puzzled, and said, “I’m looking for a book.”
“W-Who are you?! I don’t take orders from strangers!” it retorted, waving a paw dismissively.
I pulled out a purple reader’s pass issued by Mondri and showed it to the cat.
“P-Purple?! A purple card?!”
The cat’s reaction was stronger than I expected. Its eyes widened as it examined the card.
“Yes…!”
The cat quickly pulled a small golden bell from its apron pocket and shook it vigorously.
Ding, ding, ding.
The sound echoed through the library, sending a warm glow across the endless expanse of shelves.
“Look over there…” Wendy pointed to the shelves, her eyes wide.
One by one, countless lights began converging—cats adorned with bells around their necks, each donning an apron.
“W-What’s going on?!”
“Who sounded the alarm?”
“Where’s the rapid-response team?”
“They’ll be here in five minutes!”
Cats hurried over, appearing to communicate through their bells like walkie-talkies.
“They’re so cute…” Wendy murmured, though their brisk coordination felt more like a military exercise. The cat with the catfish mustache stood stiffly, cowering as a larger cat arrived.
“Hey, was it you who sounded the bell?” it demanded.
“Y-Yes, sir.”
“Were there any mice?”
“No, sir.”
“Then why did you ring it? The alarm’s for mouse invasions only!”
“W-Was it? My mistake.”
“Step back! Were you slacking off on the shelves again?”
“N-No, sir!”
The large cat turned toward us, finally noticing our presence. “My apologies. I didn’t realize we had visitors. May I see your reader’s pass?”
“Um…”
I held up the purple card, and the large cat squinted, then widened its eyes in shock.
“M-My deepest apologies! One moment, please!”
The black cat raised its voice. “Everyone, line up immediately!”
The cats in aprons formed a perfect line. The black cat saluted me—a gesture I never expected from a cat.
“Librarian Myocheol-soo, guarding the entrance to the Great Wall of Truth. It’s an honor to meet you. I didn’t expect you’d visit during my shift.”
So this was the power of the purple card. Mondri had said it was special.
“This reader’s pass was created especially for you, Count.” he explained. “Whatever book you seek, you’ll find it here.”
It seemed this was a VIP pass.
“So, what brings you here?” Myocheol-soo asked.
“I came to borrow some books.”
“‘Borrow? Impossible! Every book here belongs to you, our master. If it’s not here, we’ll acquire it and add it to the collection.”
I was a bit surprised. The Ruelberta family wasn’t just a major donor to Mekahel University; they owned the library.
“The Director should arrive shortly.”
“I’m already here,” a voice replied.
Myocheol-soo turned to see an old cat with long whiskers and brows, radiating an air of wisdom. His apron was black, unlike the others.
“It’s an honor to meet you. May I ask your name?”
“Tristan Ruelberta.”
“Oh, so you’re Tristan. I am Myoil, director of the Great Wall of Truth.”
Director Myoil knelt, and all the other cats followed suit.
“I heard you were looking for a book, Tristan. Do you know its title?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then what is it about?”
“I’m looking for books on ancient magic.”
Myoil’s whiskers twitched thoughtfully. “Ah… Most intriguing. Very well. I, Myoil, shall personally guide you to our collection.”
With that, Myoil leaped gracefully, making the world around us invert.