The Aliens' Observation Log
Seoya spread her mana wide, probing the temple's interior, but she sensed no presence whatsoever.
"There's nothing inside this temple. No monsters either."
"Really? That's odd. This place looks like the dungeon's core to anyone. Though, the hunters who entered before did leave records saying they couldn't find the boss monster at first."
They'd called it a temple based on the exterior, but the inside truly seemed designed for worship. The gray stone structure exuded elegance, with mysterious yet beautiful statues lining the corridors at regular intervals—figures whose shapes were impossible to discern.
"Hmm, isn't this it? The library?"
Ji Sein asked, cautiously touching one of the smooth statues.
"The hunter who came in said there was a library with tons of books! And besides this temple, there aren't any other buildings that look important in this dungeon."
"If there's a library like you say, it has to be inside this temple."
Go Heejae affirmed Ji Sein's words. As they scrutinized every wall painting and statue, making their way to the deepest part of the temple, a massive door loomed before them. It was so enormous that pushing it open with brute force seemed impossible.
"This must be the spot."
Go Heejae said confidently.
"I'll open it."
"Yeah."
Kiiiiiik—
Go Heejae furrowed his brow and shoved the door. It groaned open with a creak, revealing the hidden space beyond, though it looked like a struggle even for him alone.
"It's the library."
"A real library!"
Seoya and Jeong Sira exclaimed in unison, delighted.
Just as they said, the towering walls were packed floor-to-ceiling with bookshelves crammed full, stuffed with ancient-looking tomes.
"Books... books..."
The air inside carried the musty scent of old paper. While Seoya hesitated before the unfamiliar sight of a library, Jeong Sira walked right in with glazed eyes, unhesitating. Go Heejae and Ji Sein followed.
Tens of thousands—no, hundreds of millions—of books filled the vast space. Just looking at them, jumbled without any organization, made her head spin.
Jeong Sira pulled the thickest book from a nearby shelf and flipped it open.
"I can't tell what language it is... Bengali? No, similar but not quite. Persian? Yeah, kinda? Wait, no. I saw old Persian once... hmm, it's a bit different. What language is this?"
Seeing Jeong Sira lost in confusion, Seoya approached and peered into the book. Naturally, it was written in characters she didn't recognize. But as her language magic activated, she could read it. The magic worked on text too, after all.
"They appear to have a clear hierarchy. The lowest ranks avoid eye contact with the highest out of fear. The leader holds immense authority. The group leader can exile those who aren't helpful. So everyone strives not to displease the leader."
"What?"
Jeong Sira questioned the passage Seoya had started reading aloud. Seoya continued without answering.
"During mating season, males and females dance to select partners. They switch partners mid-dance until one catches their eye, then move to the same habitat to raise offspring. They show deep affection for their young; the author once witnessed both parents die following their offspring's death."
"Like an animal observation journal?"
Jeong Sira tilted her head and closed the book. It didn't seem to hold anything special.
"Hmm, if we have to find something specific in this library, we're in big trouble."
Standing amid the vast library, Jeong Sira's words had everyone nodding.
"The library must play a key role in this dungeon, but we have no idea what to do."
"Seriously, if they expect us to hunt for a specific book here, we're screwed! Might as well look for a needle in a desert!"
Ji Sein cried out, her face pale. Jeong Sira muttered with a similarly drained expression.
"If we have to find a book here, we might starve first..."
"Agh, no way! Better if monsters show up quick! Where the hell are they?"
As Jeong Sira and Ji Sein traded pessimistic remarks, Go Heejae—who'd been silently scanning something—called to Seoya.
"Hold on, come here. Can you see that too?"
"That?"
Seoya glanced at Go Heejae's face, then followed his gaze. His eyes glowed blue, likely from a skill. It was his passive skill, the same as Seoya's—one that foresaw dungeon and monster wave timings: Beyond Dimensions.
"Ah."
Like when she'd glimpsed Ibin's mana tied to Earth, Seoya focused her eyes and realized what he was seeing.
Amid billions of books, one thick volume with a verdigris cover glowed blue. A system window hovered before it.
Resonating with the target world
Seoya approached as if drawn, pulling the book free. Luckily, it was at a height she could reach—some shelves towered ten times a grown man's height.
"What, princess? Find something?!"
"A special book?"
Ji Sein and Jeong Sira crowded behind her, peering curiously. Seoya slowly opened it.
On the first page, in the same script as before, she read aloud:
"Incomplete book. Records are being added in every moment."
That was all on the first page—a strangely profound phrase. Seoya turned the page.
"They are social and live in groups. They grind stones into tools. Omnivores, they hunt animals or gather plants. They pile and weave plants into habitats. No distinct mating season seems to exist."
"Another animal journal?"
Jeong Sira recalled the earlier book Seoya had read and cocked her head.
"Interestingly, they attempt to hunt stronger animals. Success varies, so their exact place in the ecosystem is uncertain."
Ignoring Jeong Sira, Seoya read on. All handwritten in the same script, but each paragraph in a different handwriting. Hundreds continued like that.
"They trade shiny minerals to obtain needs. They have a special attachment to minerals, striving to collect as many as possible. They even mix minerals to create new ones. The minerals themselves hold no apparent value. Perhaps the author hasn't discovered it yet."
Next page.
"They send offspring of similar ages to the same places for education. Multiple education sites exist, all with similar methods. Offspring seem to dislike it, but adults prioritize education levels, testing them. Offspring lives depend on how well they grasp education."
The more Seoya read, the stranger the listeners' expressions grew.
"They seem to ponder their existence philosophically. Great interest in their world and other lifeforms. They raise and hunt weaker beings but also protect them. They've even been seen treating injured ones, mistaking them for their own young. They craft tools for weaker beings and hunt for them."
The content grew increasingly bizarre. Seoya pressed on.
"Their intelligence is undeniable. They craft body-protecting objects to travel space. They even migrated to another planet after theirs was destroyed!"
Next.
"Relations between groups are poor; they war over territory. But after heavy losses, they seem to form peace treaties among kin. Though calling that flimsy thing a 'treaty' is a stretch!"
"Hey... this can't be... No way this is about animals...?"
Finally, Jeong Sira, pale-faced, stopped Seoya. Go Heejae replied.
"You probably can't see it, Sira, but a system window floats before this book: 'Resonating with the target world.'"
"Resonating with the target world? What does that mean?"
Ji Sein asked innocently, but her uneasy expression showed she grasped it.
Jeong Sira answered stiffly.
"Target world... if it means the world we live in, then Earth."
"Ah, Earth... So this book's resonating with Earth?"
"Yes, so... But this book feels exactly like..."
Gulp. Jeong Sira swallowed hard, steeling herself.
"Doesn't it look like aliens describing humans...?"
"Indeed."
Go Heejae agreed calmly. Ji Sein muttered, flustered.
"I-It's kinda hard to accept..."
"I had some inkling about those aliens, so I'm okay... but seeing it spelled out like this is shocking..."
Ji Sein shivered, arms crossed. Jeong Sira—the only other here besides Seoya who knew of the higher world—fixed her gaze on Seoya.
"It lays bare how other worlds view Earth..."