Gathering Intel and Devouring the Magic Book

Whether it was a cursed book, a grimoire of black magic, or some outer god relic, it didn't matter. It was dangerous, plain and simple.

For some reason, just looking at it stirred an intense urge to open it. It felt exactly like when I'd first seen the box.

If I just open that book, maybe I can unravel all the secrets of this world and drag everything back to its original romance fantasy genre.

Normalize the world. Return it to the peaceful daily life I wanted.

Really? Of course.

With great power, that's a piece of cake.

"Whoa, shit."

I shook my head.

A chilling whisper had just slithered through my mind.

Looks like my instincts were spot on. That book was the culprit.

To provoke this kind of impulse just by looking at it.

What? Unravel the world's secrets?

"Bullshit. What the hell are you?"

I snapped in irritation at the book that had tried, even briefly, to dominate my emotions.

Thank goodness the impulse wasn't strong enough to completely devour my reason. I shook it off easily with just a head shake.

I couldn't recklessly touch some unknown hazardous object like that. I'm not an idiot.

The best I could do now was confirm its existence ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and quietly back off to plan my next move.

But I'm a special existence, right? A chosen one transmigrated into a novel.

I could probably control that power.

Yeah. I can do it.

The book holds the answers to everything. The moment I open it, I'll reach the world of success, and like magic, everyone will welcome a happy ending.

Smack!

"I'm losing it."

I slapped my cheek hard enough to make a sound. The stinging pain spread, snapping my hazy reason back into focus.

This thing was seriously dangerous.

I'd been averting my eyes, but the impulse crept up anyway, slyly tightening around my throat.

A turmoil bubbling up from the depths of my emotions, so intense I might not even realize how I was resisting it.

Should I bail while I can still fight it off?

That's when I realized my mistake.

"How the hell do I put that thing back in the box?"

Am I a moron?

To box it up, I'd have to touch the damn book no matter what.

Touch a magic book that felt like it would suck my soul out just by looking at it? That's suicide.

I rolled my eyes every which way, avoiding even glancing at it while racking my brain for a solution.

Then my gaze landed on a plain white book sitting alone in the corner of the table.

Unlike the black book that had tried to swallow my emotions, this one gave off no vibe at all.

Just an ordinary book.

Staying put like this wouldn't solve anything, so trusting my gut, I snatched up the white-covered book in a flash.

Thankfully, nothing happened.

I backed away from the table, putting some real distance between us.

I wanted to bolt from the room, but I had to figure out how to clean up this mess I'd made.

Once I was away from the book, the emotional storm quickly subsided.

Ugh, having my emotions forcibly manipulated like that. Honestly, it was so repulsive I nearly puked.

"You're just a bunch of paper scraps—what the hell can you do to me?"

I flipped the black book the bird before examining the book I'd grabbed.

A very ordinary, worn parchment notebook.

I flipped it open and scanned the contents.

This was Duke Kairon of the North's diary.

"Can't resist peeking at someone else's diary."

Maybe my reason was still numb from that emotional rollercoaster, but for some reason, I felt instinctively compelled to read on.

The diary ended there.

It felt like staring at a chaotic bulletin board of disjointed info.

I calmed my confusion and mulled over the contents, piecing them together.

So.

The Magic Book is the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠culprit, and the duke is likely the victim?

But he's already assimilated with it. While he still had his wits, he came here seeking the witch's help?

At the ball, when he encountered Ariel, he was already mad and targeting her.

"My head hurts."

Not even sure if I'd sorted it right.

Reading more of this lunatic's memoir might drive me nuts too, so I closed the book.

My left hand felt heavy.

Looking down, the black book—clearly tossed far away—was in my grip.

"What the—"

Goosebumps exploded across my skin.

A quick scan of my surroundings: somehow, I'd crept back near the table.

I hadn't even noticed.

Manipulated?

Not just emotions— it controls the body directly too?

This is cheating.

A voice echoed in my head.

'Do not defy your instincts.'

A somewhat arrogant tone.

Maybe because I'd already touched it, but the urge to open the book surged now, incomparable to before, dominating my mind.

"Fuck... screw this."

Reflexively, I clenched my left hand, crushing the book like scrap paper.

No way in hell I'd let it have its way.

I had zero intention of handing control of my body to this goddamn paper wad.

Fortunately, aside from the insane impulse, it didn't have the physical force to compel my limbs.

Grit my teeth and hold on, and I could endure it somehow.

'Absorb the power. Make the great knowledge yours. Seize everything you've desired.'

Bullshit.

Obvious shortcut to a ruined life.

Sure, I've fantasized about a spectacularly fucked-up life.

But not like this.

No thanks to a life where I can't even write properly like Kairon.

I resisted the whispers as best I could.

Controlling my hand's constant twitching was exhausting.

The lack of outright force pissed me off more. It felt like I wanted to open it.

'No need to resist. Accept it. Make it yours. Absorb the great power.'

The sweet whispers persisted.

Instead of temptation, fury boiled up at the promise of immense power.

"I said no, quit your bullshit!"

Absorb it? Fine, if that's what you want.

Humans have only one way to absorb things.

I brought the Magic Book to my mouth and bit down with all my strength.

If it tears, opening it won't matter, right?

This is human nutrient absorption.

Crunch.

Something shattered.

Huh? That sound from paper or leather?

The supposedly tough cover tore away softly.

That's where my memory cuts off.

When I came to, the book was gone.

My mouth felt sticky.

"Mm..."

Honestly.

It tasted good.