Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: The Used Bookstore's NPC
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As I stepped out of the Used Bookstore, blinding sunlight slammed right into my face.
"Eek."
I tried to shield my face from the sudden brightness, but you can't block out light like that.
"Urk."
In the end, the harsh glare seeped straight into my eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"It's been so long since I went outside... I'm just not used to it."
The Old Man's gaze, full of pity, drilled down into me.
"I usually only go out at night."
Nights were quiet and empty of people, making them perfect for wandering around.
And there was more to it than that.
Unlike the old world, everything had changed since the Tower appeared.
The most obvious change was the Sun and Moon hanging from the Tower.
They defied the laws of physics.
It felt like they were declaring that none of your old common sense applied anymore. Was I just overthinking it?
No, it was real. The common sense of the old world had been completely overturned.
Time in this world now consisted only of day and night.
Like changing a light bulb, the Tower swapped out the Sun and Moon at set times.
As a result, there were no more dawns or dusks—no in-between moments.
It would suddenly get dark at the appointed hour, then just as suddenly bright again.
I still hadn't gotten used to it. Even after all this time since the world changed, I just couldn't adapt.
"Sage, you said she's reliable, right?"
A voice I didn't recognize.
A woman who looked extremely businesslike popped out from beside the Old Man.
Angular glasses, black ponytail, and even a mole just below her lips—she was the picture-perfect secretary type.
She eyed me with clear distrust.
I straightened out my disheveled clothes from collapsing onto the ground and carefully adjusted the beret on my head.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat for no reason—a prelude to unleashing my nightingale-like voice.
"Hello. I'm Liv, the owner of the Used Bookstore."
I extended my hand for a shake.
My first impression must not have been great, but luckily, she accepted it without issue.
"Hello. I'm Kim I-seo. But what's this about a used bookstore? What kind of books do you sell?"
I-seo's gaze shifted to the Used Bookstore I'd just come out of.
Her eyes were filled with questions, wondering why such a big place wasn't well-known.
"I buy used Skill Books."
"Ah, so this is that famous place. Hmm, alright. Got it."
The suspicion in her eyes toward me seemed to deepen.
Were there weird rumors about my shop or something?
"Famous" didn't sound like a compliment.
"Is our shop well-known?"
I caught the look on her face like she'd slipped up. My eyes narrowed instinctively.
"It's fine. You can be honest."
"This one's a bit petty, but she's honest. If she's saying it outright like this, she must really be curious."
"Who're you calling petty? I just hold onto things longer than most because my heart's soft."
"That's what people commonly call holding a grudge."
"Tch."
Too sharp for her own good.
As the Old Man and I bickered like always, I-seo seemed to make up her mind and spoke up.
"There's this rumor about a shop that buys up used Skill Books—like a total sucker joint."
She was still glancing at me cautiously as she said it.
"Oh, that's no big deal. In fact, spread it around. The more people who come to sell Skill Books, the better."
It was good if rumors said we were suckers. The word stung a little, but...
Anyway, it meant people still didn't know the true value of Skill Books.
I could scoop them up cheap, which was a win for me.
Imagining all the new books rolling in made me feel great.
"Heh heh."
"You call me an oddball, but what about her? Feels like you've found someone even stranger than me, eh?"
"She's really reliable, right?"
"Good grief. I already told you she is."
Another wave of suspicion washed over me from her eyes.
I just smiled back at it.
The Tower encompassed all areas under its influence.
Beyond the Tower's exterior lay the Abyss—a dense darkness so thick you couldn't see an inch ahead.
No one knew exactly what happened if you ventured into it, but everyone had a vague sense that it wouldn't end well.
We were in one of the Outskirts regions like that.
Since the Tower's influence was weak here, sunlight barely reached, creating a perpetual twilight.
The beautiful sunset over the coastline stirred an inexplicable nostalgia.
I never thought I'd see a scene like this again—one you'd expect outside the Tower.
Though the difference was that it was always sunset here, regardless of day or night or the flow of time.
"Pretty, isn't it?"
"Definitely."
"You could see views like this all the time outside the Tower."
It felt like she was probing, so I just nodded silently.
There wasn't much to do here.
When night fell, monsters would burst out from the darkness, and we'd hunt them.
During the day, under the Sun's influence, no monsters emerged. The Abyss only spat them out at night.
So Players climbed the Tower by day and fought the monsters swarming the Outskirts at night.
NPCs helped deal with the monsters too—not that they were much use compared to Players.
That was why there were so many people. Crowded to the point of suffocation.
I wished my shop had crowds like this.
How many new Skill Books could I buy then? Heh heh.
As I entertained that silly thought, a hand suddenly rested on my shoulder.
"It's been a while, huh?"
My head creaked around like rusty hinges at the familiar voice.
"Hey?"
"Hey yourself. Someone still hasn't paid me back."
A woman in a wide-brimmed black hat came into view.
Her pitch-black eyes seemed to pierce right through you.
Sleek brows and sharp features. She was a beauty, no question.
Great Merchant Ber—that was her identity. To me, though, she was just a pretty debt collector.
"Why didn't you answer my calls?"
"I don't have any money. I even starved yesterday."
She approached, radiating displeasure.
I instinctively backed away.
I flailed my arms wide to keep some distance.
But her natural build advantage crushed my attempt in seconds. She grabbed me.
"Why don't you have money? Didn't I give you a good amount?"
"I spent it on books."
"What about the Tower subsidies?"
"Those went to books too."
Ber smacked her forehead with a loud thwack.
"You have to eat and live first."
"A few days without food won't kill me. That money was better spent on books..."
"Argh! You little punk!!"
My cheeks stretched out to the sides. She pinched hard—it really hurt.
"Ow, that hurts!!"
"It's supposed to hurt. You need to get your head straight."
The Old Man shook his head and chimed in.
"Didn't you say yesterday you had plenty of money?"
"Yeah, and I spent it all on books. That was my entire fortune. Good thing the subsidies came in right then—I almost missed out on those books."
Sighs came from both sides.
They looked at me like grandmas staring at a foolish grandchild, wondering what to do with this dunce.
"Then you could've paid back less yesterday. I didn't need to give you that much."
"No way. Money matters have to be precise. Trust breaks if you're sloppy about it. It's my principle!"
Though if she hadn't offered a proper amount, I'd have just bolted.
"Reading a lot doesn't make you smart, huh."
"The difference between wisdom and knowledge, maybe."
I thought it sounded cool, but their reactions were ice-cold.
As I sulked, the Old Man spoke up.
"She'll pay back the money once this job's done."
"No need for that."
"It's worth at least that much. And we'll throw in that book I mentioned before."
"No objections here."
Jackpot. I accepted immediately.
Now Ber spoke.
"If you do this job right, I'll call it even on your debt."
"You too?"
"I was short on hands anyway. As the one in charge, I owe you some reward."
Ah, so Ber was overseeing Outskirts security this time.
"And don't dodge my calls anymore!"
"Got it."
"You didn't block me, right?"
"O-Of course not."
I'll unblock her as soon as I get home.
Ber narrowed her eyes at me.
Cold sweat dripped down.
Just then, a saving shout rang out.
"Whoa, it's coming!!"
Heads turned at the cry.
At the boundary line along the coastline, darkness began to roil.
From the shadows, arms made of three segments burst forth.
Soon, they summoned monsters in full form.
Monsters with abnormally short legs compared to their arms.
One after another, they multiplied.
They spun their arms like wheels and charged at us with terrifying speed.
"Alright, everyone fall back."
"Get back here, all of you."
The Old Man and Ber pushed the gathered Players to the rear.
While the crowd retreated, I alone stepped forward.
Whispers reached my ears.
Doubts aimed at me, prejudices from the word "NPC," the resulting scorn.
But those words would soon turn to cheers.
They'd even set the stage for me.
Now it was my time.
I waded forward into the seawater up to my ankles.
With a casual wave of my hand, butterflies emerged from my fingertips and fluttered around.
One, two—they kept multiplying as they danced in the air.
Until there were ten in total.
I was thrilled to finally use the skill I'd gotten yesterday.
Once you read and comprehend a Skill Book, you can use the skill right away. The key is true comprehension.
It has to be complete understanding.
No matter how much you read without getting it, you won't acquire the skill.
That's why people think Skill Books are one-use.
I pointed at the monsters like a gun with my finger.
"Bang."
At the light sound from my lips, the butterflies shot forward in a straight line.
And then unfolded a hellscape of eternally burning flames.
"Inferno."
⟨ Inferno ⟩
I murmured the invocation softly.
Flames spread across the seawater like oil igniting—in an instant.
The monsters writhed in agony, crumbling to ash and vanishing.
They'd barely emerged into the world, not even touching solid ground, before they were gone.
"Whew."
I blew lightly on my index finger, as if extinguishing a candle.
The flames engulfing everything vanished like a lie.
I turned to check the reactions of those behind me.
The noisy crowd from moments ago had fallen into utter silence.
It was quite satisfying.