First of all, I have to apologize. This isn't going to be a normal fic. I want to 'isekai' a character into our favorite verse. So, the actual TAMNI story begins from Chapter 2. Until then it's just background lore... Tee hee... I hope you guys don't mind.
Guys, I still haven't decided whom I should isekai the character into... So, if you have any ideas... Now's the time, Jajaja...
Enjoy the fanciful Chapter 1 or Prologue:
Wake up, make breakfast and in the meanwhile prepare the bento.
Finish my club's morning training, finish my classes and head again to the club.
After hanging out with my friends at the club I return home. I bathe and change.
Study a little bit, sit together with my family for dinner and then rest.
In the late nights of autumn, I read books, play games and browse the net.
Sleep.
That's all I did.
There may be something in between the lines, but it's not that relevant.
That's why it's strange if I am not sleeping in my house.
That's right. Without doubt.
Even so, here I am.
Floating aimlessly, I mean.
But it sure felt weird, though. Moving around with no floor, I mean, or even gravity for that matter. It was like I was in some sort of suspension.
But can you blame me for it? Humans aren't sorted out for things like flight, you know.
But this sure was a strange place, I'll give it that much. It was dimly lit and apart from bookshelves, there was nothing really here.
I do not know of the purpose of this place, but it looked like... a library, of some sort. Maybe.
However, the number of books and the height of the shelves vastly surpassed all of those that existed in the human world.
If height is the measure of greatness, then the inhabitants of this place must surely be giants taller than mountains.
This place appeared to be a library big enough and grand enough even for such people.
Each individual book was no larger than those from the human world.
However, the shelves holding them stood like the walls of a valley, or a deep-sea trench- as it extended way down into black nothingness.
So, if a normal-sized person were to appear here, they would look nothing more than an ant that had wandered into this vast library. Like minuscule fishes swimming deep in the black gullet of an ocean.
A quick look above revealed a sight you would see from the bottom of a rectangular well. A fragment of the dark sky. The bookshelves themselves extended into the sky where a red moon lied.
Dyed, vermillion, as if stained in blood.
I still had trouble comprehending the sight before me. A truly impossible feat of engineering.
Such was the sheer immensity of this... for the lack of any other word... godly library.
How can a structure so big exist without crumbling under its own weight? But I'm sure that physics cannot be used to explain the working of this place.
Such a strange dream to be having!
I tried to explore it but to little avail.
There was no way to accurately navigate this place.
Like a boundless 3-dimensional labyrinth, no matter where I went, it looked and felt similar. It was as if I had never moved from my original place at all. And, 'oh', it seemed I could move by just thinking, which was kind of nice...
Still, the sheer size of the place defeated me.
Every time I moved the books on the shelves would be different. That was the only thing giving me a sense of direction, or motion, making me sure I wasn't moving around in circles, or looping for that matter.
I felt like a fish as it navigated the deep seas. No matter where I swam, there simply was no end in sight.
"Interesting!"
And ever since I have been here, I hadn't felt the presence of anyone else for the entire time.
"H-Huh!?"
And that's why when I heard a voice from my blind spot, I couldn't help but get startled.
The voice rang with composure, intelligence, and had a slightly child-like edge to it.
"So, you finally woke up, huh?!"
As I began to move about, I realized that no matter where I moved, I was getting closer and closer to the source of the voice.
"Who are you?"
"People call me many names. Say God... or the Devil. But I lay claim to no such flamboyant titles. I'm merely a Custodian, and you can call me as such. Name's Amazak Ichamak. It's nice to meet you!"
The child-like voice continued. I only understood it was a voice. It seemed it was better to understand it by asking directly.
Am-Amazak what?
Such a strange name to have... I wouldn't be surprised if aliens had that sort of name.
"I am a Custodian. A librarian of sorts. I am tasked with the maintenance of this place. Does that answer your question?" (Amuzak)
A lone figure stood in the middle of this endless realm of books: a shade- or perhaps a silhouette of light- vaguely humanoid in shape.
When did it appear? I couldn't tell.
"But isn't this a surprise! How in the world did a human end up here? ...No one should be able to enter this place from the outside, you see?" (Amuzak)
I was incredibly confused. I understood that I am dreaming. But why I'm dreaming such a thing is beyond me.
"...This isn't a dream, by the way."
...Just what does he mean by that? Obviously, this is a dream. I mean humans cannot build such stupendously massive structures.
"You seem to have a soul. Does that mean you died somewhere?"
"E-Excuse me?"
Seeing the silhouette tilt its head in confusion while saying that I died. I couldn't help but get creeped out.
"But this place isn't where the dead wind up either. So, why is a stray soul in here?"
"Umm... H-Hey, Wait a second there... What do you mean by me being dead?"
"Fumu. Exactly how it sounds like. Does death mean something else in your world?"
"N-No, I mean. How can that be? Me... Dead? That's not possible. If I'm dead, how else can I be having this weird dream?"
"Well, it's not a dream, for starters. And second, you're free to believe whatever fits you. After all, stuff like that's not important at all..."
"B-But..."
"The real question is how you ended up here?" (Amuzak)
...How I ended up here? Didn't you just say that I died? And what the hell is this place... Is this some sort of afterlife?
"Your guess is near, but at the same time a bit off, Missy. This place isn't the afterlife, if that's what you're guessing." (Amuzak)
Did this creature just read my mind? Or am I being so predictable here?
"I am not reading your mind. You can call it predictive guessing- kinda like mentalism. Is it that surprising? I have read your kind have a penchant for it... But calling me a creature is just rude..." (Amuzak)
The heck...
"Still I guess it's my bad. I should have taken a more relatable appearance before approaching you. Sorry, I guess...But can you blame me? It's been forever since I ever got an actual visitor here." (Amuzak)
"Um... no... There's no need to go that far."
Seeing him apologize made me feel weird. Like I did something wrong. And I was indeed rude to him in my mind.
So, I bowed my head a bit, in response. And when I looked back up.
The silhouette of light was gone, and its place- stood an aloof looking boy in his pre-teens.
Wearing a dark blue pullover and matching shorts, he had a mischievous look in his eyes.
"There... better?" (Amuzak)
"Hmm..."
Indeed, this form of his was more convenient for me to talk to.
"So, you were saying?" (Amuzak)
"Umm... Earlier you said that humans aren't supposed to enter this place. What did you mean by that?" (Amari)
"Oh! That... Exactly what I meant. This isn't a place where some lesser-dimensional consciousness can enter. To begin with, it makes me wonder how you broke out of your book." (Amuzak)
"My book?"
I felt like the more the boy spoke, the more confused I got. Lesser Dimensional Consciousness?
"Your world, I mean. This place is a library. It's a nexus of realities that existed, exists, and will ever exist... You see these bookshelves here: they are repositories of worlds. With each book being a world in its own right." (Amuzak)
Worlds? Where?
"These books are?"
"Isn't that incredible? ...Each page in each book represents history spanning countless civilizations. And you can read and edit it all to your own liking. That's the role given to us Custodians." (Amuzak)
Edit it as required. Wait... if that's true, and if each of these books are individual worlds, then wouldn't that make him—something like God, or the Devil, at least.
"Like I said... I'm neither of those, haha. I'm just middle-management. One of the many many Custodians out there..."
"But still..."
"...Don't worry. It's all very confusing at first, but you really don't have to force yourself to understand it, y'know. After all, I understand that it might be a bit too much for a lesser being like you to comprehend." (Amuzak)
Why, thank you very much! Forgive this 3-dimensional plebian, but was that snarky comment really necessary?
Still, I'd rather understand my situation than being left in the dark as an ignorant dolt.
Lately, I felt like every Dick, Jane, and Harry's been making fun of me.
But still, I have to admit that what he said made a bit of sense.
The details were vague at best, and the more he spoke- the more confused and unsure I became.
"So, Kazuma-san... Suppose what you're saying is true, and that I'm really dead. What will happen to me, now?"
"It is a shame. But I'll have to return you to your book. This place isn't meant for humans, y'see. And that's an absolute rule. And it's Amuzak, by the way." (Amuzak)
"Yea, right. But, you know, if I really really died in that place. Just what will happen to me if I were to return there?"
"That's really unfortunate. But if your book has an established afterlife system, I'm sure you'd be alright. Reincarnation isn't bad. After all, it's best to follow the natural order." (Amuzak)
Oi Oi Oi Oi... Hold your phone for a second there.
"...And what happens if there's no afterlife?"
"Then... that will be the end. Oblivion, I guess. Although, we- Custodians- can edit books freely, altering them entirely breaks the original author's fiction. So, we usually don't go around doing that. But such systemless books are very rare. Most of them have some sort of soul-recycling system setup in place. Some of them even have their own little choices of worlds to reincarnate into. Kinda the Isekai genre. I hear its hot stuff in the real world as well... Though most of them are sub-par, of course." (Amuzak)
"..."
What kind of stupidity is he spouting with that pretty face? Oblivion? I don't wanna face oblivion...! Isn't that way worse than dying!?
"Don't be disappointed, Missy. Nowadays, even sci-fi worlds have some kind of resurrection mechanism. Heroes don't usually stay dead for long, see... If there's such a system, I'll make sure to give you a free pass. Apart from that, I can't really encourage people to cheat pre-destined fate, sadly." (Amuzak)
"...I see. It's okay. And, thank you I guess."
I don't like the setting of this dream, but I have to admit that he was putting in some effort.
My ending up here wasn't this guy's fault. And as such, he has no specific reason to help me. But he seemed to be trying... And I should be grateful for that part. Although, I can't understand the reason why, though. Is it because I'm the dreamer?
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll be fine." (Amuzak)
"..."
"So, for starters, what's your name, Missy?" (Amuzak)
That's right. I have somehow managed to not fall into a panic but it's not like I am completely calm, either.
I am just somehow calm, is a better way to say it. I had to settle down a bit.
Alright. Still, it's best to prepare for the worst. I have already died once in this dream... what more could happen?
"...Fu...jimi Amari." (Amari)
I told him my name. It would be a lie if I say I'm not worried. But there was literally nothing else I could do at this point. Apart from giving up and going along the flow, that is.
"Fujimi Amari-san, huh! What a nice name! ...Now, let's see... [ADMINISTRATOR Status: Search name: Fujimi Amari]..." (Amuzak)
I heard him call out something. And in response, a small screen made of light hovered in front of his face. Leaning in to take a better look, it seemed like some kind of indexing program. It kind of looked like an RPG's interface.
"..." (Amari)
"Ara~ Ara~ You said your name is Fujimi Amari-san, correct?" (Amuzak)
"Yea..." (Amari)
"That's strange! I have got a ping from a Fujimi Akari from Utopia Fantasies. Ring a bell?" (Amuzak)
Wait... Who?
"Uhum... I don't know any Akari." (Amari)
"Strange... Then there's Fareeha Amari from the FPS game Great Multiverse: Alliance Commando 2 - Marian Hawke? Are you from this one? ...Not really, I guess... this one has like black hair... Mhm... Fujimi Inari... Anri... Evil God? ...Fushimi Imari... from Metal Gear? Nein... Amari Honjou. Not suitable... Androssi from ToG? Nope... No horn... Hmmm... Strange." (Amuzak)
The boy droned on in a soliloquy. Not really paying attention to my responses.
"Wh-What happened?" (Amari)
Seeing him look a bit confused, I couldn't help but ask.
"I can't find your name on the Register, which is very strange. Missy, how was your world like?" (Amuzak)
"Hmm... well... even if you ask me. Pretty normal, I guess... I am a schoolgirl, and my school Shiritsu Naoetsu Gakkou is located at Minami-Takada cho." (Amari)
"Well... I'm sure you're trying, but that sounds like quite a normal school to me. Are you sure there were no strange incidents?" (Amuzak)
"That's because it is a normal school... So, I'm not sure what you're looking for." (Amari)
"No strange accidents? If not at school, how about your hometown?
"Hmmmu. Nope, nothing comes to mind. Haa- There's something..."
"Y... Yes Yes... Tell me."
"Last year, there was a string of weird murders in our prefecture. Random people getting decapitated in public parks and alleyways. It was all over the news last month."
"A murder mystery, then... And it seems to be a pretty grisly one. Makes sense. That must be kinda like the story's prologue- the part where they establish the mystery. Hmm... Hmm... Let's try... [Administrator Status: Search Keyword: Advanced: Murder, News, Death, Blood, Mystery, Prologue...]" (Amuzak)
I saw several results appear on the light screen...
Dark Solar- Wolfsbane (30%), A Shard of Sea and Bone (13%), The Great Gatsby (13%), Murder on the Orient Express (21%), Stephen King's Carrie (3%)... 1322864 trillion results
"...[Administrator: Search: Advanced: Filter: +90% match, Niigata]" (Amuzak)
...No results found.
"...sigh. That's strange, indeed." (Amuzak)
"Did you find it?" (Amari)
"This is really unprecedented. There's no catalog of both yours or your book's existence across the entire nexus. It simply makes no sense, really." (Amuzak)
"I see... So, what becomes of me now?" (Amari)
"Well, I'll have to send you somewhere. I don't know which book, but the rule states that no outsiders are permitted in this space *sigh*" (Amuzak)
"So... you're saying I have to return back into a world, but both of us have no idea of which one?" (Amari)
"...*sigh*" (Amuzak)
The boy seemed to sigh with a troubled face. There is a limit to jokes, you know?
"...That's kinda irresponsible, to be honest." (Amari)
Like, really?!
"Well, what can I do?! I can't defy an imperial edict just for the sake of some fictional character." (Amuzak)
The boy looked as if he was going to have a mental breakdown. Oi Oi... get a hold of yourself.
"..." (Amari)
"But I have to admit that I am being a bit too careless here. But I'm also at my wit's end. What did you expect? Coincidentally, I'm open to suggestions." (Amuzak)
" ...Well, in that case, since you plan on sending me into a random book, can you send me into one where there's no violence? ...I'd love living in a fairy tale or something?" (Amari)
"Umm... About that. Are you sure?" (Amuzak)
The voice seemed to be one level more troubled than before. I was a bit surprised by his face.
"Uhm?!" (Amari)
"Personally, I'm fine with sending you into one, but I'm not sure what effect it'll have on your existence. Most of the fairy tales revolve around the main character too much, and there's pretty much nothing going on for the background characters. So, the impact it would have on a questionable character from another reality is unpredictable. Do you still wanna go?" (Amuzak)
...Who would really want to go after hearing that? Are you an idiot or something?
"Fumu. In my opinion, you should pick up books with much more fleshed up world-building. But those books have their own set of problems as well." (Amuzak)
"Problems? ...Like?" (Amari)
"You see most books don't expect characters from other worlds to enter them. True, the author may insert a couple of crossover characters here and there, but that's the work of the author, and they are basically essential for plot progression. After all, an author can seamlessly incorporate foreign entities into their world by adjusting its contents. He can even expand a book's domain by adding or removing a couple of worlds or habitable planets. In a sense, he isn't transferring characters, but rather making a copy of them based on the original one. It's kinda like fanfiction, I'd say... Unless, the author happens to be a Custodian, as well." (Amuzak)
He waved an isekai book in his hand as he said that.
"So, basically you're saying: if I enter a random world, chances are that I'll stick out like a sore thumb?" (Amari)
"Well, that would be the best outcome." (Amuzak)
"Then, what's the worst?!" (Amari)
"The world may try to purge you as a potential impurity. Each system has its own defense mechanism. Depending on how much of a threat it gauges you to be- you may be killed outright or left completely isolated. Imagine a situation where nothing interacts with you... not even light, darkness, or gravity! Not a pleasant thought, correct?" (Amuzak)
"Then, what should I do? You're saying that I can't stay here, and at the same time, entering one of the books is dangerous." (Amari)
Just when I thought my head would burst from trepidation, I saw the boy's face light up like a bulb.
This can't be good. Crap, this dream's feeling way too real. I'd like to wake now, myself.
"Tada~ I've got a perfect solution..." (Amuzak)
"...What?" (Amari)
Seeing his jovial face, I couldn't help but grow apprehensive.
"Just think of it, if an author can adjust their fiction's reality to accommodate a new character. You just have to enter one of my personal works, right? ...That way there'll be no backlash, I can guarantee that much as its creator..." (Amuzak)
"...Ueeh?" (Amari)
"Hey, what's up with that look? I may not look like much, but my book is still one of the bestsellers I'll have you know." (Amuzak)
"...Really?" (Amari)
"Now, with that settled. Let's decide where to send you..." (Amuzak)
"...Can't say I'm really motivated here. But I don't have a choice, do I?" (Amari)
"Well, there's Oblivion, for starters..." (Amuzak)
"...I'll pass on that one. Arigato-gozaimasu~" (Amari)
"Just as I thought..." The boy smiled mischievously. It was a face that made me want to slug him. But considering the effort he's putting, I perhaps should not. "...Let's discuss this over a cup of nice warm tea..." He said.
In the end, I gave up. Wait... What did he mean by tea-time?!
I saw Amuzak-san snap his fingers, and lo! ...We were no longer in that freakishly-huge library.
"This place always cools me down." (Amuzak)
"Just WHAT was that?!" (Amari)
I couldn't help but scream.
"Oh, it's teleportation. Or, if you prefer a scientific term- a relative retrograde shift in space-time." (Amuzak)
"Oh, for the love of, can you please give me a heads-up before you do something like that? Great... Now I feel like hurling somewhere... And, where is this place?" (Amari)
We were in a room with some ornate architecture and furniture going on. It looked similar to those teahouses where noble ladies meet and greet each other.
That's the sort of aristocratic air that it gave off.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Just force of habit. And, this is Tokiwadai Middle School's Cassiopeia Tea Club. My favorite lounge..." (Amuzak)
No, you aren't... that's not the face of someone apologizing. And Cassiopeia Tea Clu-
Just as I was thinking something, the door to the room opened, and a lilac drill-haired girl sauntered in. She was flanked by two other girls in similar attire. Perhaps, this academy's uniform. One of them was a Yamato Nadeshiko, and the other one was a silver-haired cutie.
A clique? Or perhaps the people from this club?
"Are you sure that we should be here?" (Amari)
"Why shouldn't we be? ...You don't have to worry a bit." (Amuzak)
Well, you say that... but still...
I wonder if I should apologize to them for intruding upon their space. You know, even I would pop a blood vessel if I had random strangers pop up in my clubroom and start acting like they own the place.
"Either way, it wouldn't be of any use. They can't see or sense us. So, why bother?!" (Amuzak)
Standing next to the fireplace, Amuzak-san was rather carefree as helped himself to some of the club's tea.
Now that he told me, it really seemed like they took no notice of us. And by the way, the room felt a little weird as well.
It was like the room was made up of faint, muted colors- like smoke from a hidden candlestick had subtly toned down all vibrant colors. If someone were to ask me to sum it up in one phrase: it felt like I was looking at the world through a thin grey veil.
"We are in a different plane of existence than them, aren't we?" (Amari)
"BINGO... you got that right! Aren't you quick on the uptake? ...Tea? Coffee?" (Amuzak)
"Oolong tea please!" (Amari)
The boy nodded as he poured me a cup of steaming hot oolong tea. The club seemed quite stocked, to be honest.
"Uhmmm... a bright smell that cleanses and refreshes the palate, and a fresh organic taste that rejuvenates the soul. I must admit that Tokiwadai's got all bases covered with regards to high-grade tea." (Amuzak)
I accepted the cup and sipped it.
"cHaaah..." (Amari)
While I had no experience with drinking high-class tea, even a normal girl like me could tell that this was some seriously good stuff.
"Okay... on to the business, then. Please take a seat." (Amuzak)
"H-Hai..." (Amari)
Seeing Amuzak-san sit in the club president's chair. I reflexively took the chair opposite his. Sitting like this, it felt like I was his client or something.
"Well, aren't you?" (Amuzak)
"...Excuse me?" (Amari)
"O-Okay, that aside. These are some of the material that I wrote. Sadly, these here are all published and as such it'll be very hard to make changes. But you're free to select from the unpublished ones here." (Amuzak)
He sorted the books that seemed to appear out of thin air into two different piles.
I nodded seriously. My life depends on what I choose here.
"And don't worry... I have a reincarnation system in there. So, you can die easy." (Amuzak)
H-Hey... that's not something you should be saying with a smiling face.
But I decided to focus on the matter at hand.
TOARU MAJUTSU NO INDEX SSS: ZAN-BANASHI.
TOARU MAJUTSU NO INDEX SSS: ONSEN NO FUKOU.
TOARU MAJUTSU NO INDEX SSS: DENPA ONNA NO DENSETSU.
He produced three unpublished books. Apparently, I was to choose from these.
On the table, I also saw: Toaru Majutsu No Index volumes, and a number of copies called Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, and A Certain Scientific Accelerator. Those were a lot of books, but apparently, they were all published ones.
"Inside... I have put a small gist of the plot: a special touch for my impatient editor. You can just refer to those so that you can better understand the world you choose to be reincarnated before you make a choice." (Amuzak)
Why did Amuzak-san look so old when he mentioned his editor? I could only wonder at this conundrum.
"...That so?" (Amari)
I read through the set of small pamphlets Amuzak-san had made for his editor's ease of access. It was true. The summary of the plot was neatly wrapped up within them.
This world didn't seem bad, overall. It was steeped heavily in 'All-Myths-are-True' trope, but it wasn't an unlivable place.
Then, I'll just select this one...
I pointed to TOARU MAJITSU NO INDEX SSS: ONSEN NO FUKOU.
After all, it was set in a future where there was no conflict, and all harem factions lived harmoniously in tandem.
You can say it was like the OVA that comes after an anime. All the fluff and fanservice with no serious stuff inside.
An adequate place to be reincarnated into.
"An excellent choice! If it is at that time, then I really don't have to make many alterations. Almost all the characters in there, apart from Team MC, are basically props, without much further use. Saves me quite a lot of trouble, Fujimi-san." (Amuzak)
"Exactly. I would like to be a background character, if possible." (Amari)
I think adventure and badassery won't suit me. I just want to live a serene and peaceful life.
"Got it! How about this little Miss Redhead here? She doesn't even have a name. She's like the innkeeper's daughter. The only scene she's got is when the MC accidentally touches her boobs." (Amuzak)
"Getting felt up is not fun, but I'm sure that I can put up with it. As long as it doesn't happen frequently." (Amari)
If getting touched a bit is the price of a quiet life, I'd willingly pay the price.
"I promise that that's the only time you get lewded, haha." (Amuzak)
"..." (Amari)
"Just kidding. You don't have to look at me with such frosty eyes. Ahaha. For a moment, I thought I was gonna get squashed like a roach there..." (Amuzak)
*sigh*
I could only sigh at his carefree antics. And, so...
"Okay. I'm ready. Send me there whenever you're ready." (Amari)
Finally, I made up my mind. It's time for action.
"O-Ohhh... You made up your mind real quick." (Amuzak)
"Well, I had my heart prepared for this since the first time I met you. So, there really wasn't a lot of deliberation needed at this point..." (Amari)
And all of this is a dream, anyway. So, I didn't bother...
"That so...?" (Amuzak)
I nodded honestly in response.
"And, by the way, before you send me off, I have to ask you a question. Is that alright?" (Amari)
But before I was set on my way... there was something that I sincerely had to ask him.
"Sure! Shoot away!" (Amuzak)
"Why did you go this far to help me? I mean, you are a God that erase my existence with a blink, right? ...But instead of doing that, you went through so much trouble to help me... Why?" (Amari)
That was the only matter that bothered me the most. Why would someone so powerful like him pay any heed to me- an existence not very dissimilar to a pebble on the roadside? ...I'm thankful for him helping me. Don't misunderstand!... But what drove him to this extent? What were his motivations?
It was something I couldn't find an answer to, despite thinking a lot about it.
"Hmm... If you ask me 'why', then why indeed? ...I thought it was natural to help anyone in need. Perhaps, this is what you call the Reverse Psychological Effect!" (Amuzak)
"Reverse Psychological Effect?" (Amari)
"The effect of fictional characters influencing their own writers. So, in a lousy way, I just wanted to be a hero, I guess. Kind of like the one I'm writing... Lame, right?" (Amuzak)
"Is that so? ...I wouldn't call that lame, though." (Amari)
I thought he would have a complex reason behind his actions. Like something that we, humans, couldn't understand.
But, while his answer made me a bit disappointed, it also made me happy. For the first time, I felt relatable to him as a human.
"Off you go, Missy. You wouldn't want to see this old man blushing, do you?!" (Amuzak)
With that... I saw him open the book, and strike a line from the text. I was able to read the lines.
["Gomen... Okaa-chan", As Kamijou screamed as he tried his best to get away from an angry Misaka Mikoto's electric fist, his bad luck manifested in form of an aluminum soda can, causing him to fall over and sink his head into the breasts of the innkeeper's daughter.]
["Gomen... Okaa-chan", As Kamijou screamed as he tried his best to get away from an angry Misaka Mikoto's electric fist, his bad luck manifested in form of an aluminum soda can, causing him to fall over and sink his head into the breasts of Fujimi Amari-san, the innkeeper's daughter.]
The moment he wrote that down... my body felt light.
It was as if I was being summoned somewhere.
But just before my consciousness blacked out... I looked at the boy and smiled.
"Thank you!" (Amari)
It's finally time to wake up...
"Ah! She left, huh." (Amuzak)
Now left alone, Amuzak Ihcamak let out a sigh.
Contrary to the front he established before the girl, he had come to genuinely like the girl, despite their short exchanges.
He missed her already.
And as such...
He opened his book, TOARU MAJITSU NO INDEX SS: ONSEN NO FUKOU, the one where Fujimi Amari was sent to replace an innkeeper's daughter.
And at the end of the book, he decided to write...
[And that was the end of their misfortunate honeymoon trip. All is well when it ends wel-]
But as he attempted to write it, his pen got stuck at the last syllable. He simply couldn't complete the last word.
"Wha?" (Amuzak)
This was impossible.
He could write no more. No matter how hard he tried to move his pen, the letters refused to appear on the paper.
"What?" (Amuzak)
Amuzak wracked his brain for an answer. And that's when another abnormal development took place.
The sentence he wrote... disappeared. Along with the contents of all three books. All gone without a trace.
"What's happening?" (Amuzak)
He picked up the book and turned the pages. The result was baffling.
To think a book would rebel against its writer and not just any writer, but a Custodian on top of that.
The probability of that happening wasn't even 1%, it was exactly zero.
So, how did it happen?
It was at that time that Amuzak understood.
"OH, OOHH, OOOOOHHHHHH..." (Amuzak)
Her appearance in the Library was strange, but he paid it no mind. Treating it as nothing more than an anomaly.
Such a stupendous oversight. One that a rational Custodian should never make.
"What a grave thing I did!" (Amuzak)
With that... against his will, Amuzak was flung into a shelf, back in his original reality.
As his mouth tasted iron, only the endless labyrinth of books was reflected in his eyes.
Notes:
That concludes the Chapter 1 of the Story. I hope people read this and review what they think. Your insights would be very helpful.
I do not know whether I'll be updating this regularly, but I promise to do so when I have time.
Also, I'm looking for a beta-reader. I have no idea how to look for one here... So, anyone interested is very welcome ^^
Btw... I don't know how many people have caught this but the name Amuzak Ihcamak is Kamachi Kazuma written in reverse. So, kudos to any who found out that as well.
Take care, and have a nice day...
VG signing out~