Marisa stared at me, eyes wide with disbelief, her mouth slightly agape. She looked utterly dumbfounded, her arms crossed, but the way her fingers drummed against her sleeves gave away the fact that she was processing everything I had just said.

After a long pause, she finally broke the silence with a half-hearted scoff. "I knew my English was patchy, but this is ridiculous," she muttered, shaking her head.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. *Okay, let's go through this again.*

"Right," I started, taking a deep breath. "I'm from the Library of Alexandria."

Marisa tilted her head, her eyebrows raised in mild interest. "The *actual* Library of Alexandria?" she asked in broken English. "Lost, what... hundreds of years ago?"

I shook my head. "Not lost. Hidden. The knowledge it holds is too dangerous to be left out in the open."

She raised an eyebrow, still sceptical. "Sure," she muttered, clearly not buying it. "And what's so special about your library then? What books are there?"

"All of them," I replied simply, watching her reaction closely.

She blinked. "All of what?"

"Every single book to ever exist and every book that will ever exist," I said, my voice steady. "Every story, every legend, every bit of information you could possibly imagine—it's all there."

Marisa's eyes widened, her body stiffening. She took a small step back and bumped into the counter, her hand gripping the edge as if to steady herself. Her face went pale, and for a moment, I thought she might faint.

"All of them?" she repeated in a shaky, high-pitched tone. She licked her lips, her hands trembling. "I... I can't—there's no way..."

I nodded slowly, understanding the weight of what I was telling her. "It's true. All the knowledge of the world and beyond. That's why I'm here."

Marisa stood there, trying to make sense of my words, but her disbelief was apparent. I decided to try something. "Here," I said, pointing to one of the spellbooks on her desk. "Pass me that book."

She eyed me warily, but after a moment, she handed it over. I opened the first page, my fingers gliding over the parchment as the contents rushed back to me. "This spell on page six—it's a basic fire spell. And on page ten, there's a barrier spell. But on page twenty-two, you made a mistake. You crossed it out, though."

Marisa snatched the book from my hands, her eyes darting between me and the page in disbelief. "How the hell did you know that?"

"I told you," I said calmly. "Every book is in the library. I remember seeing this one."

She huffed, clutching the book to her chest. "I didn't permit anyone to copy my book. I want it back."

I glanced at the pile of spellbooks she had written, taking one and flipping through it in a matter of seconds. I set it aside and reached for the next, repeating the process.

Marisa blinked, confused. "What... what are you doing?"

"Testing the dialect," I said absently, finishing the last book. "Japanese... I think I've got the basics down."

Her jaw dropped. "What?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch. "No, no! That's not how it works! You can't just read a few books in seconds and, boom, know a different language! That's... that's impossible!"

I sighed, setting the last book aside. "It's one of the perks of being the guardian of the library. I can read the contents of any book in mere seconds."

Marisa collapsed onto a nearby stool, removing her hat and wringing it in her hands. "This is impossible. It's crazy. Madness." She glanced up at me, exhaling sharply. "I think I need a drink."

I could feel the weight of her confusion pressing down on her, and I couldn't blame her. She had just learned something no one else in this world knew existed. I sat in silence, giving her a moment to absorb it all.

Finally, she sighed again, a slight smirk tugging at her lips. "You know what? Why not? I've seen stranger things around here. So... what, you opened a book, and it sent you into another world? That's a bit of a generic excuse, don't ya think?"

I frowned, my expression serious. "The Forbidden Tomes... Believe me, this is no excuse. If these tomes fall into the wrong hands, it could destroy your world."

Marisa waved a hand dismissively. "Gensokyo's always on the brink of destruction. You'll have to wait your turn." She chuckled, but there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "A guardian librarian from another world protecting the lost library of Alexandria, which holds all the information in the universe. Sure, sure. Okay. I'm completely out of my depth here..."

"I need to find the other tomes," I said, my voice firm. "I have to return them to the library."

Marisa rubbed her nose, her eyes narrowing as if deep in thought. "This sounds like an incident to me," she muttered to herself, looking slightly excited. "And I know just the Shrine Maiden who might be able to help."

I raised an eyebrow. "Shrine Maiden?"

Marisa grinned, standing up and adjusting her hat. "You'll see. If anyone can help with something this crazy, it's her."

The sunlight hit me like a punch to the face. I instinctively raised my hand, trying to shield my eyes from the unbearable brightness. My head was spinning, and the heat was... intense. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced in the library. The air felt heavy, thick, almost suffocating. Sweat began to drip down my forehead, and I stared at my hand, bewildered by the moisture.

"Are you... hot already?" Marisa's voice came from beside me, a mix of amusement and confusion. She lowered my arm, inspecting me with a slight frown. "How do you burn that fast? We've barely even started."

I wiped my forehead again, staring at the beads of sweat on my fingers as though they belonged to someone else. "I've never felt like this before..." I muttered, still lost in the sensation. "Is the sun always this... bright?"

Marisa let out a short laugh, but it faltered as she saw my expression. "You're joking, right? You make it sound like you've never been outside before." She paused mid-laugh, her eyes narrowing. "Your library does have an outside... right?"

I shook my head slowly, the dizziness from the heat pressing in on me. "I... think I need to sit down."

She watched as I lowered myself onto a nearby tree stump, my legs barely able to hold me up anymore. The world around me spun slightly as I took a deep breath, trying to get my bearings. "The library is at the centre of the planet," I explained, my voice weak.

Marisa let out a long sigh, rubbing her temple as if she had a headache. "Of course it is. So... you've never seen the outside world? The sun? The sky?"

I shook my head again, feeling the weight of my ignorance pressing down on me. I had spent centuries in the library, surrounded by knowledge, but never once experienced what the books described as "real life."

"Damn," Marisa muttered, crossing her arms as she stared at me. "And here I thought *I* didn't get out enough on some days." She bent down slightly, her tone softening. "Are you okay with keeping going?"

I took one more deep breath, feeling the dizziness subside just a little. "I'll manage," I said, standing up again. "Don't worry about me."

Marisa gave me a side-eye but didn't press further. She yawned, stretching her arms over her head before casually placing her hands behind her head as we continued walking. "You should take it easy," she remarked, her voice casual. "You haven't fully healed yet. No rush."

The silence between us lingered for a while. I wasn't sure what to say—what was there to talk about when everything around me was entirely alien? I had spent so long imagining what the outside world would be like, but nothing had prepared me for this overwhelming sensory overload. The sounds, the smells, the heat... it was all too much, too new.

Marisa broke the silence with a glance toward me, her expression more thoughtful now. "See that up ahead?" She pointed toward a building in the distance, nestled among the trees. "That's the shrine where my friend lives. Trust me, if there's any kind of incident, she's the one to deal with it. Whether she likes it or not."

I followed her gaze, squinting against the sunlight. The shrine stood there, quiet and unassuming. Yet, if Marisa's friend was as capable as she claimed, then maybe there was a chance we could find a solution. Still, I couldn't shake the unease that had settled in my chest. The Forbidden Tomes weren't like any ordinary books—they had the power to alter worlds, and if even one of them fell into the wrong hands, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Marisa glanced back at me, her usual smirk returning as we approached the shrine. "You'll like her," she said, her tone teasing. "She's a real ray of sunshine. Well, when she's not lazy."

I forced a smile, though my mind was still reeling. If this shrine maiden could help, then maybe I could figure out how to find the other tomes before it was too late. But the question gnawed at me: could someone from this world truly understand the weight of what we were dealing with?

As we approached the shrine, I noticed a young woman sweeping the floor, her movements slow and methodical. She wore a red and white outfit, clearly traditional but with a unique twist I couldn't quite place. Her attention seemed focused on a wooden donation box nearby, which she opened briefly before sighing and closing it again, looking a bit glum.

"Come to bother me again, Marisa?" she called out, leaning against her broom. Her voice was casual, but there was a slight edge to it. "Bored already?"

Marisa laughed, hands on her hips as she shot back, "What kind of greeting is that? I'm your best friend, and this is how you treat me?"

"Who told you that?" the girl huffed, yawning. "Suppose it does pass the time, though." Her eyes drifted over to me, and her casual demeanour shifted as she took in my appearance—sweat-soaked, burnt, and probably looking like I had just crawled out of a grave. Her voice dropped to a whisper, her tone a little concerned. "Jesus, is your friend okay?"

Marisa glanced over her shoulder at me, then back at the girl, waving her hand dismissively. "Oh, him? Yeah, he's fine! Right, dude?" She paused, scratching her head. "Uh... hey, what's your name again?"

The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, her judgmental gaze cutting through Marisa's carefree attitude. She whispered, "You don't even know his name? What scheme have you dragged this poor guy into now?"

Marisa gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "That's rude! I'm not running any scams right now. Listen, Reimu, this guy's not from Gensokyo."

Reimu's curiosity seemed to pique a bit as she straightened up. "The outside world? I see... alright, I can guide him back." She turned toward me, clearly expecting me to follow her lead.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" I stammered, stepping forward in a slight panic. "You can't just send me back! I need to find the Forbidden Tomes!"

"The what?" Reimu asked, her expression now one of confusion as she studied me more closely.

Marisa jumped in, trying to smooth over the situation. "Alright, alright, calm down everyone. Marcus, this is Reimu; Reimu, this is Marcus." She gestured between us, a playful grin on her face as if she were introducing old friends. "Reimu, Marcus's situation is... complicated. He's not just some random outsider. He's from the Library of Alexandria. You know, the one with all the books? And apparently, some of those books could, like, destroy Gensokyo if we don't handle them properly."

Reimu blinked, her expression unchanging for a moment as if she was processing everything. Then, in a whisper, she sighed, "I'll get the tea."

I stood there, feeling out of place and unsure of what to say next. The shrine was peaceful, but the weight of the situation made the atmosphere tense. Marisa casually leaned back, waiting, while Reimu disappeared into the shrine to prepare something.

A moment later, Marisa turned to me, giving me a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Reimu's got this. She's the best at sorting out incidents. You'll be fine!"

Reimu returned with a tray of tea, setting it down between us as we all sat in a small circle. She passed each of us a cup; her eyes closed in quiet contemplation for a moment before she broke the silence.

"So, you're from the outside world, protecting a library with dangerous knowledge that, in the wrong hands, could destroy Gensokyo?" Reimu's tone was steady, though there was a hint of scepticism lingering beneath her calm exterior.

"That's correct," I said, reaching into my robes to pull out the tome that brought me here—Vol. 0: Wishes. The leather-bound book felt heavy in my hand as I held it up, showing it to her. "The tome looks like this."

Marisa, sitting across from me, was already leaning forward, eyes glued to the book. She seemed utterly absorbed, her fingers twitching slightly like she was fighting the urge to snatch it from me.

Reimu glanced at the tome before shaking her head. "Haven't seen any books like that around. How many came with you?"

I thought for a moment. "I believe nine others."

She let out a sigh, setting her cup down as if the weight of the situation was already exhausting her. "And how exactly do you plan on finding them?"

I hesitated. "I... don't know."

"Of course you don't." Reimu sighed again, rubbing her temple. "We can't just fly around with no sense of direction, searching for books all across Gensokyo. It's huge."

I frowned, feeling a growing sense of helplessness. "What do you think we should do?"

Reimu took a long sip of her tea, giving the question some thought. "I'll ask around, see if anyone's seen anything strange, and keep an eye out. That's about all we can do for now."

I watched her as she drank, carefully studying the way she held her cup and took small, deliberate sips. I tried to mimic her movements, bringing the cup to my lips, only to recoil as the bitter taste hit me. Squinting, I shook my head, struggling to comprehend how people could enjoy this.

Reimu caught the expression on my face and giggled softly. "Tea isn't for everyone. You don't have to drink it if you don't like it."

I placed the cup down, grateful for the permission to stop. "Why do people put this stuff in their mouths?" I asked, genuinely bewildered.

Reimu laughed again, and the sound was light and easy. "Don't worry about it. It's an acquired taste."

As I tucked the tome back into my robes, Marisa finally snapped out of her trance, blinking as if waking from a dream. She looked between Reimu and me, seeming a bit disoriented. Clearly, the allure of the forbidden book had caught her attention.

Reimu, setting her tea aside, glanced at Marisa with a knowing look. "You've got a lot of work on your hands with this one."

Marisa smirked, standing up and stretching. "Yeah, guess I do. Keeps things interesting, right?" She gulped down the rest of her tea and nudged me playfully. "Come on, Marcus, Reimu will keep her ears to the ground. But we've got our things to deal with. Trust me, there's something I need your help with."

I nodded, not quite sure what to expect, and made the mistake of taking another sip of tea. I winced again at the flavour, quickly setting the cup down, determined not to touch it again. Social cues were still a bit lost on me, so I didn't thank Reimu or say goodbye, simply following Marisa as she led the way out.

Reimu watched us leave with a long sigh, her expression tired but patient as if already resigning herself to the chaos that was bound to follow.

To be continued.

Reimu finished tidying up, her gaze drifting back to the donation box with a familiar grumble. "She could have at least donated something," she muttered to herself, placing the last of the teacups back on the tray. The encounter with Marcus and Marisa had left her feeling drained and a bit overwhelmed, not that she'd ever admit it. Sighing, she walked over to the donation box, cracking it open to see the small handful of coins clinking inside.

She counted the measly offerings, disappointment weighing heavy on her shoulders. With a frustrated huff, she pocketed the meagre funds, grumbling about how she was supposed to keep the shrine running with donations like this. As she turned to walk away, a strange sound reached her ears—a voice, faint and distorted. Her voice.

"She could have at least donated..."

Reimu froze mid-step, her brow furrowing as she glanced over her shoulder. The voice had come from somewhere nearby, but no one else was around. Slowly, she retraced her steps, ears straining for another whisper. The exact phrase echoed again, barely audible but unmistakable.

Reimu's eyes scanned the area until she spotted something hidden under a pile of leaves near the shrine's steps. Cautiously, she approached, the whispers growing louder and more distinct. Words about money, riches, and desires floated in the air, mingling together in a soft, seductive tone that sent a shiver down her spine.

She knelt, brushing the leaves aside to reveal a book—its cover worn but familiar. It had the same ancient, forbidding look as the tome Marcus had shown earlier. Her heart skipped a beat as her fingers hesitated above it, the air thick with an almost tangible sense of unease.

Reimu swallowed, picking up the book, its weight surprisingly heavy in her hands. She looked at the title, her breath catching in her throat.

Forbidden Knowledge, Vol. 4: Wealth.