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Translator: thursdays Editor: Yahiko PR: LightBrin
1.
The protagonists living inside stories sparkled like constellations.
I had no interest in the constellations that shone in the night sky. My stars were the characters. Their stories were my resplendent constellations. Ah. There were countless stars in space and infinite stories in the universe.
-I want to see the stories a little more.
Thoughtlessly, I touched the light of the stars.
-Just a bit more.
That was all.
2.
Silence settled in the library.
The Great Library of All Things. A place where each book contained a world. Countless people lived in countless worlds, and each of them had a story. Here, two characters from one of the books, [The Epic of Lefanta Aegim], were present.
“……”
The Constellation Killer quietly looked down at the director.
“Did you say you are one of the people who killed me?”
“Yes. Kim Yul-ssi.”
“What a strange thing to say.”
The Constellation Killer’s voice was dull.
“My death was recorded 153 years, 7 months, and 9 days ago. The name of the one who killed me at that time is the Sword Emperor.”
The Constellation Killer pulled out an old notebook. That diary was the last stop that [Kim Yul] ever reached, a vow that he would only leave behind the traces of his past but never remember his past himself.
“The features of the Sword Emperor as recorded in the diary are different from yours.”
Just like how my skeletons would never let go of their daggers after being swallowed by the Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation, the Constellation Killer only had one old notebook.
“Are you the next generation of the Sword Emperor?”
“……”
“From my understanding, the Sword Emperor is not the type to apologize to anyone. He is not the type to seek an apology, either.”
The director must have realized.
“I judge that you are not the next generation of the Sword Emperor and you are not someone who has killed me. You have no reason to apologize to me.”
That he was already late.
“Therefore, I do not accept your apology.”
“……”
“Firstly, my name is Lefanta Aegim. My epithet is the Constellation Killer. You looked at me and called me Kim Yul. However, nowhere in the diary is it recorded that I was ever called Kim Yul. Have you mistaken me for someone else?”
“Kim Yul-ssi.”
The director’s voice was shaking.
“Kim Yul is the name you had before you were called Lefanta Aegim. It is a name from long ago, before you obtained the diary. The world that you used to live in was…”
“It is no use.”
Someone came to my side and muttered. It was the Librarian. He whispered to me so quietly that the Constellation Killer and the director could not hear it.
“It’s a touching scene. I can admit that. On one side, the victim sealed in time. On the other, the bystander frozen by time. Ahh. The scene is as beautiful as a painting…”
I looked at the Librarian.
[The Corner Librarian rejoices but also despairs.]
He was wearing a peculiar expression. He seemed sad yet also happy. While his eyes woefully looked down, his breath was flush.
“However, Death King, Too many things happened too late. The Constellation Killer can never be saved.”
“……”
“It doesn’t matter if he accepts an apology now. The Constellation Killer remembers nothing. His appearance and mindset are completely different from those of Kim Yul. How can he receive an apology for something he does not remember? How can he forgive someone for something he cannot recall?”
“You,” I said quietly. “You know that I’m a regressor, right?”
The Librarian smiled.
“Of course.”
“How? Do you regress whenever I do?”
“No, that is not how it works. In particular, your [Returner’s Clockwork Watch] skill is so special that even a Constellation cannot easily approach its dignity. But I, like other Constellations, have a clever power.”
The Librarian flicked his finger. Snap! Then, a book flew at us.
+
[The Tale of the Ascending City]
+
The book was the one that the Constellation had shown us when we first set foot in the Great Library.
“Remember this? It’s the book of your world. We cannot call it an Apocalypse because it has not perished.”
The Librarian’s eyes perked up.
“Now, guess. Whom do you think I would designate as the protagonist of [The Tale of the Ascending City]?”
“……”
It was obvious.
“Me.”
“Right. That’s correct!”
“Is everything related to me recorded in that book? Do you know what skills I have, when and how I regress, and all?”
“Ahh.”
The Librarian smirked and flipped open a page of [The Tale of the Ascending City].
“The kiss of time that you shared with Raviel Ivansia… The love and intimacy were truly sweet! You resolved the situation in a completely unexpected way. It became one of my favorite scenes.”
“……”
“Of course, the ‘trauma’ you experienced this time is also in this book. That is why I allowed that person to enter the library though he does not have an epithet.”
The Librarian was referring to the director. Even now, the director was desperately trying to explain to the Constellation Killer who he was and what had happened. However, the Constellation Killer’s expressionless face did not change.
“You’ve worked hard, Death King,” said the Librarian.
“You made an attempt. You tried, and you did your best. But it’s already too late for the Constellation Killer. It is a rule that the best ending is difficult to reach, no matter how hard the characters try. This is the normal ending that is allowed for the Constellation Killer.”
The Librarian was sad, but… He seemed even more happy.
“Except for the bad ending, it is an acceptable ending for the Constellation Killer to reach. Though, sadly, the Constellation Killer won’t know it himself. Your efforts, the orphanage director’s regrets—everything is futile. Ahh. The Constellation Killer will remain as a weapon that slaughters Constellations. Forever…”
“No matter what move I make?”
“Yes. No matter what you do.”
The Librarian slowly began to put [The Tale of the Ascending City] in his breast pocket. At that moment, I reached out and grabbed his wrist. The Librarian flinched.
“If you’re that confident…”
I looked straight down at the Librarian.
“The two of us. Shall we make a bet?”
“A bet…?”
“I can connect Kim Yul’s timeline with the Constellation Killer’s. Just as Kim Yul became the Constellation Killer, I will make the Constellation Killer become Kim Yul. Then, he’ll be able to receive the apology from the director.”
“Don’t be thoughtless. Did I not tell you? It’s simply impossible…”
“That’s why.”
I gripped the Librarian’s wrist tighter.
“Let’s make a bet.”
“……”
“You said he’s one of your favorite characters. The Constellation Killer. I’ll bring back his memories by any means possible. You should help, too. Well, you don’t have to do too much to help. Just as much help as you gave to send me to [The Epic of Lefanta Aegim].”
“Hmm.”
The Constellation’s eyes narrowed.
“What if you fail even after I help? What will I gain?”
“You can do whatever you want with me for ten years.”
The Librarian faltered.
“You said you wanted to pluck my eyebrows and keep the hair? You can. I think you wanted to cut my nails. Do that, too. I’ll let you do everything you want, so you can play around to your heart’s content for ten years.”
The Librarian’s eyes shook.
“Anything, you say?”
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