Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Melting Shampoo (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
All sorts of terrifying imaginings filled my head.
Like the Mannequin Monster bursting out from beyond the open door.
Or some indescribable being suddenly screaming and charging from that pitch-black darkness...
Or the library eliminating the librarian on their last day of work...
"..."
Once the frightening delusions started, they kept chaining one after another.
In the endless string of unhappy endings, all I could do was tightly grip the monster's tooth in my right hand...
"..?"
As my eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, I could see a white piece of paper I'd never seen before placed on the librarian's desk far away.
'..What paper is that?'
Definitely, when I was working, there hadn't been any paper on the desk.
This means that...
Either some monster left the paper there, or the Bellierd Library staff did.
Given that the librarian's door, which no one but me could open, was open, it was highly likely that the entity who left what seemed to be a note was from the Bellierd Library side.
"..Did you leave a note for me to read..?"
Hoping against hope, I muttered to myself again, but no one answered my question.
'Really, really.. do I have to leave? If I leave.. can I survive..?'
As I'd promised myself to think carefully before acting.
After about 10 more minutes of silence, carefully examining the open librarian's door.
'For now, it seems like there's nothing there..'
Once I was convinced there was no being waiting outside to kill me.
I cautiously got out of bed and quietly started walking toward where the unfamiliar paper was placed.
'..At this hour, they turn off the lights right on time, so it'd be scary as hell anyway..'
8:10 PM.
The Bellierd Library always extinguished all lights precisely at this time.
So the place I was stepping into was shrouded in pitch-black darkness...
'Just grab the paper and hurry back..!'
I just wanted to quickly pick up the paper on the desk and return to the librarian's room—
Flash!
"!!!"
The moment I picked up the paper, suddenly the lights in the Bellierd Library turned on.
Startled as all the library lights came on in an instant, I tripped right there.
Normally, falling backward, I should have landed on my butt...
'..Since when?'
I don't know since when, but I was sitting in the chair I usually sat in during work.
'..What? Was there always a chair here..?'
Anyway, such trivial matters weren't important right now.
Trying to escape the bizarre phenomenon of the library lights suddenly turning on, I turned to head back to my room—
Creak...
"..."
It closed.
The door that had opened by itself...
Closed by itself again. And...
'That's why the other monsters couldn't open the door..'
The place where the doorknob should be had nothing there at all...
'Firing notice, really.. ..They hire at their whim, fire at their whim..'
That's why we need labor protection laws.
Hire at whim, fire at whim.
They didn't even pay proper wages.
I'm not some pet that does their work just for food...
'..But what's this?'
Well, from the start, it was said to work only 7 days.
Feeling a bit of inexplicable disappointment, I glanced down at the paper in my hand and finally realized.
Hello, Librarian.
We sincerely thank you for working at our library over the past week.
Thanks to you, we were able to dispose of the uninvited guests who were disturbing our library.
Bellierd Library is truly grateful for your help, and for even handling chores like cleaning that we couldn't attend to meticulously, we have decided to give you a modest reward.
They're giving me my salary?!
'A horror library giving a reward? This is kinda exciting in its own way.'
Honestly, I was looking forward to it inwardly.
How amazing would a gift from such a horror library be?
Reading the rest of the letter with anticipation...
Before leaving the library, you may take one book of your choice.
Additionally, you can visit our library anytime and borrow books freely.
'..Just one book, that's it?'
A mere book was the modest gift waiting for me.
"..."
It'd be a lie to say I wasn't disappointed.
But I wasn't brave enough to show 'I'm really disappointed' here.
- Any book that would help with future survival would be great.
Since I can't read the writing in this world anyway, I wrote below asking them to roughly recommend a book helpful for survival.
Rumble—
"!"
Suddenly, the chair I was sitting on started moving somewhere with me on it.
Just like that.
'..Shelf 4?'
Somehow, the chair stopped in front of Shelf 4, and as I hesitated for a moment...
Plop..
A book I'd never seen fell onto my hand, and at the same time...
"..Huh?"
My vision started to blur.
Realizing this sensation was similar to using 'Return', I instinctively knew that the moment to leave Bellierd Library had truly come.
"Thank you for everything until now."
Muttering a final word of thanks, I slowly closed my eyes.
Before I knew it, my body was in a soft place...
'..Soft?'
I should have gone to a place that couldn't be soft... soft..?
'What?'
Due to the sudden anomaly, I immediately opened my eyes...
And found myself lying on an unfamiliar bed.
And...
'..Did I return?'
In a normal room with a computer and furniture like a wardrobe.
Of course.
'..This isn't Earth, huh.'
Anyone might think this ordinary room interior was on Earth.
But with no windows whatsoever in the room, I instinctively knew it wasn't Earth.
'Where the hell is this place..'
Just like at Bellierd Library, the chilling silence confirmed it wasn't Earth.
'First, information..'
No matter where this was, to survive, I needed to find something like a rulebook.
I quietly got out of bed and scanned the room thoroughly, but...
Not seeing anything like a rulebook, I first opened the status window.
'Oh? Return uses increased?'
Happy that I now had a way to escape this place if I wanted.
'Then I can gather info more comfortably.'
Before pressing the return button, I decided to check out as much info as possible here.
'Let's see.. where might the info be.. hmm.. hm?'
While searching around for a rulebook like that.
Suddenly.
Wondering if I could access the internet here too, I turned on the computer...
'..What's this?'
There, traces of the computer owner exchanging emails with someone remained.
'..Should I read them?'
Subject: Not all products arrived.
I clearly ordered Cool Cleaning Shampoo and 3 refill packs, but only one shampoo arrived.
Hello, customer. We have confirmed your inconvenience.
We will send 3 Cool Cleaning refill packs to the address you provided.
Subject: Ah.. what is this?
Now I see this shampoo isn't the one I ordered either, it's a different one.
After washing my hair with it, my hair is tangled and stiff as hell.
Ha..
Hello, customer. After reading all your inquiries, we checked the product we sent you.
We found that the item you received was swapped with another customer's.
It may sound strange, but the mis-shipped shampoo is extremely dangerous, so please repackage it and return it to the address below. Thank you.
At this time, please enclose a memo saying 'We do not provide black thread. Sorry.' in the packaging.
It may be a hassle, but please return it within 3 days.
Subject: Are you kidding me right now?
If it's your mistake, come pick it up yourselves, why should I return it?
Don't you have hands or feet? And since your company made the mistake, why should I write an apology like 'Sorry'?
Are you messing with customers right now?
I don't want to use your company's stuff anymore, just refund me.
Not returning it. Annoyed, I threw the shampoo in the trash, so know that.
Hello, customer. We read your inquiry and understand your anger.
However, you must return the shampoo unconditionally. If you've already thrown it away, somehow recover it and return within 6 days.
This is for your safety.
Please return it before it's too late.
Subject: Are you insane?
My hair is all ruined because of that shitty shampoo I used yesterday, you think I'm joking?
Just refund quickly and get lost~
Oh, by the way, the trash can I threw the shampoo in isn't at my house, so I don't know~ where the shampoo is now~
We understand there is no longer a way to recover the shampoo.
Do not wash your hair for the next 2 weeks under any circumstances.
Please refrain from going out as much as possible.
The smell of that shampoo won't fade for 2 weeks, so be careful.
Subject: What the fuck is this?
Why did my hair become like this??
Anyway, I'm going to the hospital now, so prepare to be sued, you fucking shitty retarded company.
It says rain is falling nationwide today. Do not go out under any circumstances.
Additional reply: If confirmed, please reply.
Additional reply: Customer?
Subject: Thank you for the great product 😀
Thank you for the great product 😀
We do not provide black thread. Sorry.