Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Bellierd Library (2)
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Working in this library, the excessive silence kept giving me chills.
After pondering those chills...
'Yeah, no wonder they creep me out...'
I finally realized why this silence terrified me.
Why was the stillness so chillingly quiet?
Simple.
Inside this library...
there were no sounds of wind blowing, birds chirping, branches tapping against the windows...
nothing from nature at all. Only pure 'silence' existed.
'Now that I get it, it feels a bit better.'
They say humans are creatures of adaptation, right?
Snapping out of it, I'd been here for about five hours? (I didn't do much, but holding down the fort counts as work.)
Once I figured out why the eerie silence was scary, it didn't feel quite so frightening anymore—
Thud...
'Ah... it's fucking terrifying...'
Suddenly, the sound of something dropping.
The moment I heard it, I checked the Rulebook right away.
No rule about objects falling, so I thought about ignoring it...
But then I spotted a book that had fallen from Shelf 32, way over there.
'...As the librarian, do I have to pick it up and put it back...?'
Better to tidy it up now while no one's around, I figured...
Whoosh...
I carefully stood from my seat and walked over to Shelf 32, where the fallen book lay.
Arriving in front of the shelf marked '32', I felt a fleeting sense of accomplishment, like I'd achieved something major.
But as I bent down to grab the book and slot it back—
Thud... thud...
"...!"
I realized footsteps were echoing from somewhere.
I shoved the book haphazardly into the empty space in front of me and hurried back to the librarian's desk.
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
The reason we get scared reading creepypastas is human 'imagination'.
Humans, with our endless imagination, unwittingly conjure horrifying images from vague descriptions.
That's why creepypastas evoke fear in so many ways...
And right now, I was facing the embodiment of one looming before me...
'Ah... please... let nothing happen... pleeease...'
Thud... thud... thud... thud...
I deliberately avoided looking toward the footsteps.
To not give away my fear, I kept my head down and buried myself in the Rulebook...
Thud... thud... thud... thud...
The footsteps grew closer...
Thud...
Thud... thud... thud... thud...
The owner of those footsteps dropped something into the return basket at the librarian's desk, then left.
'...Just someone returning a book?'
I had no idea who it was.
Man or woman?
Even human?
I knew nothing.
'What? That's it? No big deal.'
Being a librarian here seemed easier than expected, so I decided to grit my teeth and last a week.
'Lucky there are no patrons.'
Feeling lighter despite my kidnapping, I felt a bit foolish for relaxing.
'Humans adapt, after all... yeah...'
Maybe because I was alone.
No one to lean on, just clinging to this Rulebook...
'...What if this Rulebook is lying? Then what?'
Really, there's no proof it's telling the full truth.
Take Rules 9 and 10—they contradict each other.
That's evidence the whole thing might not be reliable.
'Please, no patrons tomorrow, or the day after... just none all week...'
Lost in such thoughts, I picked up the recently returned book to check the back.
I had to do my job, after all.
'17.'
I stood to place the book marked '17' on Shelf 17.
'One hour left.'
My first day as librarian was ending in an hour.
Vowing to jot down my observations in the room's notebook and pen, I approached Shelf 17.
'Should fit here... huh? What the—?'
The book in my hand had vanished.
Did I drop it on the way without noticing?
Questioning myself for being so distracted, I turned back to check the path.
And there...
"..."
Someone—no, something—was reading a book identical to the one I'd held.
"..."
A person.
Definitely looked human.
Two legs, two arms.
The visible form was unmistakably human...
Flip...
But the hand turning the page had only three fingers.
And though it stood like a person, both leg ends had no feet at all.
Thump-thump-thump-thump
First time facing something not human—my heart pounded wildly.
I wanted to scream and run, but...
Quietness is rule one in a library, so I decided not to cause trouble.
Thanking my lucky stars that the thing, face hidden by the book, ignored me.
'I-it's... not... that... bad... yeah... not really.'
Some relief, at least.
When I first thought 'grotesque creature', I pictured eight legs, three heads, three meters tall—overwhelming visuals.
But this one wasn't that bizarre.
'Still... the face... better not look.'
About the same height as a normal person, similar build—I'd take comfort in that.
Eye contact seemed risky, so I kept my gaze down and returned to the desk.
Glancing at the clock upon arrival...
'30 minutes left.'
Half an hour till shift end—I took solace in that, feeling a bit upbeat.
'What's it reading?'
The patron had stood there for minutes, engrossed in the book.
The thought that I didn't need to fear these library visitors crept in... wait—
'...I definitely didn't hear footsteps approaching earlier.'
I backtracked to where I'd turned around en route to Shelf 17.
I hadn't heard anyone approach me then.
And this patron had no feet.
Meaning it floated silently through the air...
Yet the patron returning Book 17 had clear footsteps.
'These grotesque creatures come in all varieties.'
I concluded there were many types.
'...But they don't attack librarians...'
...
Ding~ Ding~ Ding~
The alarm clock chimed.
Right at 8 PM, it rang—must signal the end of shifts.
'Finally over.'
I check the clock to start work, but the alarm handles the end—pretty convenient.
If only they'd asked before kidnapping me, this place would be perfect.
"Haaah... done..."
I hadn't done much, but it felt exhausting.
Back in my room to shake off the day's fatigue...
"...When did they take it?"
My leftover lunch bento was gone, replaced by a fresh one on the desk.
"Menu's... yeah, same as lunch."
Identical contents inside.
A slight chill hit me, but starving after barely eating rice at lunch, I popped the lid and shoveled it down, mentally recapping the day.
"Followed the Rulebook... met a grotesque creature..."
Not much to sum up.
But muttering helped keep my sanity, so I kept at it...
"Haa... what am I even doing..."
Doubt crept in about my actions...
"Haa... next thing you know, the Status Window pops up."
It appeared.