The College Student - 2

"That's an Anomaly? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"We haven't even gotten close enough to verify the information. How can you be so certain?"

"I just... I just know."

A Sanctum.

The exclusive domain of a Fervent Follower, and an Anomaly created by one personally.

I don't fully understand the nature of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠these places, but I assume a Sanctum is something like a Fervent Follower's home or hideout.

The reason I’m so sure this villa is a Sanctum is simple: the thought that 'this villa is a Sanctum' just occurred to me, completely naturally. That’s all there is to it.

Since this is the second one I’ve encountered, following the Haunted House, I suppose I’ve gotten used to spotting them.

Well, it’s not exactly surprising that this villa is a place called a Sanctum.

A Sanctum is, for all intents and purposes, a Fervent Follower's home turf.

The Fervent Follower I met last time, Nameless, told me as much.

That the moment I stepped into their Sanctum, I had no choice in the matter.

Judging by what Nameless said, a Sanctum must be a place that grants its owner immense power and absolute authority.

Since that college student bitch seems pretty sharp, she obviously would have performed her human sacrifice in a place where she had the advantage.

So, it’s no surprise that this villa is a Fervent Follower's Sanctum.

What is surprising is that this Sanctum itself is an [Anomaly].

Yoo Iseul, deep in thought, said to me:

"First, verify the information. I'll take the lead."

Just in case tentacles or something similar burst out of the villa to attack us.

Yoo Iseul drew her Iron Sword No. 3 and began walking toward the villa.

Once I reached the immediate vicinity of the villa, I took a deep breath and checked the Wiki.

"Is it right?"

"I told you it was."

"...Are you able to use your ability from a distance now?"

"I haven't been promoted to Special Librarian yet. I just had a feeling it was a Sanctum."

Checking the Wiki made it even clearer.

This villa is definitely a Fervent Follower's Sanctum.

Unfortunately, unlike when I checked the Haunted House, not all the information appeared immediately.

...I’ll probably only be able to view the censored parts after I beat that college student bitch to a pulp.

Sigh.

That’s why I told them to promote me to Special Librarian already.

If I were a Special Librarian, I wouldn't have to suffer like this; I could just walk into the Sanctum and recite the cancellation incantation, making Fervent Follower hunting so much easier.

Looks like I'm in for another hellish time.

Anyway, this is the second one.

"This will be the second case of an Anomaly appearing outside of an Anomaly Occurrence Zone."

"To be precise, it's the first official one. The second unofficial one."

The first unofficial case was, without a doubt, that 'Black Smoke' I encountered.

Because that Black Smoke vanished from the world immediately after swallowing me, I didn't even have time to verify if it was an Anomaly or something else, so I don't count it as official.

An Anomaly appeared outside an Anomaly Occurrence Zone.

This is...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

This is a major incident that will shock the world.

"Do you think the Association hasn't noticed yet?"

"No way. It's highly likely they already know this villa is an Anomaly. The Association is actually quite a capable group, despite appearances."

The Awakened Association uses all sorts of cutting-edge equipment, like satellites, and every item at their disposal to detect Anomalies.

The Association, which possesses world-class technology and numerous useful items, hasn't figured out what this villa—built at least six months ago—is yet?

Even I think that’s impossible.

"So they knew and pretended not to."

"They must have had no choice but to pretend not to."

"If it weren't for you and me, South Korea would have been ruined because of that college student, right?"

"If it weren't for me, it would have been ruined ten years ago."

"Ah."

...The fact that she wasn't joking, but being dead serious, is just absurd.

Then again, this person next to me, Yoo Iseul, is the one who saved the country from Anomalies.

No.

She is a hero who saved humanity from Anomalies.

I felt relieved all over again that Yoo Iseul was here.

I almost ended up having to take the fall and catch the Fervent Follower all by myself.

If someone this reliable is with me, no matter how much of a Fervent Follower the opponent is, it’s not that scary—

"Hey, just so you know, there's a high chance you'll have to take the fall alone this time too."

"Ugh... H-how can you say that!"

"How? Like this."

"You should at least do your share!"

"Did you forget when we went into the Haunted House? You did everything yourself. I just took a walk, stepping on flesh."

"..."

That's true.

Since this villa is also a 'Sanctum,' the pattern will likely be similar to the Haunted House.

Therefore, there’s a high chance Yoo Iseul won't be able to do anything this time either.

Ugh.

This is getting complicated.

I think I need to make a plan before we go in.

...

...

...

Eventually, we started planning what to do next inside the car, parked a fair distance from the villa.

Yoo Iseul said:

"There's one thing that's more important than anything else."

"What is it?"

"It's uncertain whether that college student bitch will even be inside when we go in."

That's true.

That Fervent Follower college student is bold enough to visit a convenience store in front of a university in broad daylight.

There's no guarantee she'll be inside the Sanctum.

"Still, canceling the Sanctum summoning itself has value, so shouldn't we go in anyway?"

"...Hey."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering why your brain was working so well today. Which tit did you put your brain in today? Left? Right?"

"Why are you suddenly sexually harassing me, you crazy person! What I said is true!"

"How are you going to cancel ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Sanctum summoning?"

"Well, obviously by beating the college student to death and viewing the censored parts... oh."

She's right.

If the college student isn't inside, the game is over—our defeat.

You can enter a Fervent Follower's Sanctum whenever you want, but you can't leave as you please.

At least, that was the case with the Haunted House.

If the college student isn't inside, I’ll never be able to view the censored parts of the Wiki.

And if I can't view the censored parts, canceling the Sanctum summoning is impossible.

In other words.

Yoo Iseul and I will have to be trapped in the villa forever, until we wither away.

B-but it's okay.

"We just have to wait until Sunday, right?"

"...Sunday?"

"Yes. Since they say this Sunday is the day of the human sacrifice, if we wait inside the villa, won't that crazy bitch kidnap Mr. Park Donghyun and bring him to the villa? Then we can appear like heroes, cut the college student's throat, and rescue Mr. Park Donghyun..."

"What about the broadcast? You're going to abandon it for three days?"

"Ah, shit."

That's right.

If I wait inside the villa until Sunday, I'll be forcibly repatriated by the Omnia Archive Program.

At my continuous blunders, Yoo Iseul sighed and spoke to me as if she were genuinely worried.

"Please, develop the habit of using your head before you act. I can't look after you for the rest of my life."

"..."

I was about to answer "Why not?", but I stopped.

I don't know if Yoo Iseul would like it or hate it.

But I intend to rely on Yoo Iseul for the rest of my life.

Solving Anomalies without Yoo Iseul?

Jiaaaaaaak.

I'd rather be decommissioned; I don't even want to imagine it.

Regardless, the conversation between Yoo Iseul and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me went on for quite a while, but it didn't reach a conclusion easily.

Because no matter what choice we made, there was a risk involved.

"How about we postpone the college student subjugation until Sunday? Wouldn't she definitely return to the villa for the human sacrifice on Sunday?"

"No. Unfortunately, this is our last chance."

"Why?"

"Don't forget our position. Externally, we are would-be murderers who betrayed the Awakened Association and came to kill a normal college student. By now, the Association has probably realized we're acting on our own."

"Ugh... That means, if we don't beat that college student bitch today and return the people to normal..."

"You and I will both go to jail. Though, considering my contributions, I think I'd just be released, and you'd probably rot in prison for just about a month."

This is insane.

"You should have told me something that important sooner!"

"I thought you knew."

"I-I'm not human, so I won't be punished!"

"But you're a South Korean citizen. You have an ID card, too."

"Fuck!"

I'm about to become a criminal overnight.

It's not that I'm afraid of going to prison.

I'm afraid of the situation where I have to forcibly abandon my 'Duty of a True Librarian' because I'm in prison.

I-I shouldn't be doing this.

"Let's just go in, Unnie."

"Do you have a plan?"

"No. But just because we don't go in doesn't mean we'll find an answer."

"That might be true for you."

Ah.

Right.

Come to think of it, I'm the only one in a dilemma.

From Yoo Iseul's perspective, there was no reason for her to risk her life and enter the villa.

Nevertheless.

Clunk.

Yoo Iseul, who had stepped out of the car, walked toward the villa with heavy steps.

She spoke to me, as I sat blankly in the passenger seat with my eyes wide open:

"What are you doing? If you're not coming, I'm going in alone."