Chapter 1: Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild

"Excuse me!"

A shout snaps me out of my sleep.

"He uh, what?"

Two people, a girl and a guy, dressed like adventurers are standing in front of me. The scary expression of the girl that looks like she's about to beat the life out of me shows how long they've been standing there trying to wake me up, but I can't help it. I'm a deep sleeper, and sleeping's my favorite hobby.

... I shouldn't just outright ignore visitors, so I try to entertain them with a yawn and my best smile.

"*Yawn* Welcome to the Efflorescence Library. How can I help you today? (Hope it's nothing)"

The girl adventurer slams her fists on the reception table.

"You lazy——! Ei, whatever. We need a map, the monster list, and locations of Safe Spots around the Farwitch Labyrinth. And lots and lots of stuff about... (unrecognizable rambling)"

Looking more closely, they're not your average adventurers. This erratic girl's a Spellcaster, with the ominous-looking staff and witch robes. She's even wearing a witch hat on top of her braided silver hair. How cute. The other adventurer was a warrior — a dual wielder to be exact — with a sword on both side of his hips. They've got fairly high-leveled equipments too. Are they here for that labyrinth?

Ah, what a headache.

"(More unrecognizable rambling)... for crying out loud! Hey, are you even listening?"

"Yeah, got it. Some maps, yada yada. But crazy witch girl, this is a library, not the Adventurer's Guild. Well technically, this is an adventurer's guild, 'cause reading's an adventure too. Heh."

"Crazy witch girl!? I'll show you a crazy witch girl!"

"Hold on, Shine. Let's not get too worked up."

"But—"

"Calm down, I'll take it from here."

Oh, swordguy held her back before she could cast some dangerous magic. Good job. Books are fragile.

"Sorry, she's not used to talking with strangers. I'm Green Rivers. We're adventurers from the capital, and we took on a request to investigate the Farwitch Labyrinth. So we tried asking for information in the Adventurer's Guild, but they said we should come here if we're going to seriously enter."

"Tsk."

That receptionist! This is HER job, not mine! I know the influx of adventurers coming here these past years were terrible, but she really is making it a point to send the troublesome ones to me.

"So you want books about the labyrinth? I dunno. This library's only got six shelves. Don't be lazy pricks. I mean visitors, and check around 'til you eventually find what you need. (Please go away now)"

"Like you're one to talk! I'll blast this whole place down to the ground!"

That look. She's serious. Swordguy, please do something about your pet. He's giving me a sorry look? What the hell, swordguy? 'She's not serious,' you're mouthing? She's totally serious! Look, her staff is charging up some dangerous white magic! No choice, I'll defuse this situation myself.

"Shhh, no shouting in the sacred halls of knowledge."

"KEEEEEEEEY!!"

A childish shout echoes throughout the sacred halls of knowledge. Crap. Thundering footsteps come crashing down the stairs and what was supposed to be a punch pokes straight to my face! It doesn't hurt a bit, but the pain is real in my heart.

"No bullyıng our visitors! Hmmp!"

"Geh."

Bobbed red hair tied with an oversized ribbon and a dress that belongs more to the capital than this poor village, who wouldn't fall for her.

Crazy witch girl immediately ignores all definitions of personal space and bear hugs my cutie pie. What's this? Her eternally pissed-off face is melting in front of this adorable piece of sunshine? Wow, duly noted.

"Cute! You're soooooo cute! What's your name?"

She takes up a proud stance. Not even fazed a bit by the witch's hug, she's too cool.

"My name is Ela May, ten years old! My dream is to be the greatest adventurer! Just like my sis—"

"Come here you brat."

I pry her from the clutches of the evil witch and pull her close to me. Whoa, that dagger-like stare's surely visualizing my brutal death and repeating it a hundred times. Scary!

"Hey squirt, were you never told NOT to talk to strangers?"

"But I'm an assistant librarian!"

"Before that, you're ten."

"I'm not a little kid anymore!"

"Uh..."

My sunshine, I don't like the smell of these adventurers. They smell like /Serious/ trouble. With a capital S. Can't you smell it too? You've always been with that sister of yours, so why can't you?

"Don't worry, we're not here for any trouble. We just want books about the Farwitch Labyrinth. Think you can help us?"

So swordguy says. And that witch's fervent nodding isn't convincing anyone either, after that whole 'I'll blast this whole place down to the ground' thing.

"I'll help! I'm the assistant librarian, it's my job to help visitors! Can I, Key, please? Please?"

Those puppy dog eyes! Resist, resist the temptation! It's for her sake! I ain't letting no adventurers take my sunshine away! Resist!

"Fine. Do what you want. Don't go crying back to me when those pricks. I mean, visitors kidnap you."

"Thanks Key! Erm, books about Farwitch Labyrinth? I know lots about that labyrinth! Cuz I'm gonna beat it too!"

"That's great. We're counting on you, kid."

Oi. Swordguy's ruffling her hair. Good, he's retracting it. He probably noticed the dangerous aura I'm releasing.

Ah, they're taking her away. Even that crazy witch girl's trying to cozy up with Ela. But I can't do anything, I'm just a lowly librarian who hates reading. I'm probably at fault for making Ela take the assistant job too seriously.

I'll be watching them CLOSELY to make sure that they don't try anything funny.

Ela professionally picks out books from shelf, eying them one by one with extra care. I'd watch that "I'm doing my best even if I'm actually just picking out random books I read" face all day.

And, of course, crazy witch girl begins the discussion that would surely spiral into something troublesome.

"I still think that legend's a fake. I feel that travelling for months just to arrive at this backwater village was a waste, when we could be back at the capital to train for an all-out battle."

"Well, that's what we're here for, to investigate. The event wasn't supposed to go this way. Hmm... maybe an otherworlder as well? I guess it's someone who knows the game. Tsk."

"Ha?"

"Nothing. But isn't it better this way? We won't have to fight the Demon Lord anymore."

"But it doesn't feel right! I mean, how can a fourteen-year old girl conquer an S-rank dungeon and defeat the Demon Lord alone? That sounds like a child's fantasy!"

"Still, it's a fact that the Star of Revival's gone, and the monsters aren't going all berserk."

"It's weird!"

"I may have a clue on how it's possible, but nothing sure. Let's just see what we can find here."

Ela slams the books on their table, shocking the both of them. Oh boy, she heard it all. I wanna get something to munch on.

"It's real."

""Eh?""

"My sister is the greatest adventurer in the world, braver than any hero! She beat up the demon lord all by herself! She really did! Of course it's real!"

"What?"

"Your sister's that mysterious person? Can you tell us more about her?"

Those eyes are the eyes of someone getting their first solid lead. Hooray.

"Yup! Erika is super strong! She can kill monsters with just standing! Cool, right? And, and she's super smart! She taught me lots about ca... ce... cameistri!"

"It's chemistry, squirt."

"Chemistry!"

"... I knew it."

Swordguy's pretty shocked to hear those words. Does he know it? At least witch girl's confused about it, like she should.

"Chemis... try? What's that?"

"It's super complex! It's for smart people only!"

"That sounds like an insult, but I'll forgive you cuz you're cute."

She's hugging her again. Ah, my little sunshine, you'll be kidnapped at this rate.

"Where is she now?"

Swordguy, why would you ask that question to that little girl if you know about the legend? He's surprisingly insensitive. Oh no, Ela's tearing up. Curse you, swordguy...

"S—sorry. Let's go, I got all the information I need."

Finally, swordguy says the only reasonable thing any visitor of libraries should be saying. That's right, go away. People who makes my sunshine cry should go away.

"Eh, but we haven't even read anything yet... and I wanna bring this child home..."

I told you! I told you so!

Swordguy brings the stack of books to my desk.

"We'll just borrow these books and read them at the inn with everyone. Can we?"

"... You'll need to register for a library card. 120Gs."

To be honest, I'd rather just give those books away so they wouldn't return here anymore, but Erika would kill me if I did that. He pays up, and I write up the information he tells me on the card.

Name: Insensitive Prick

Age: 6

Job: Kidnapper

Address: Back where you came from

"Here you go sir. Return those books in two weeks, or the authorities shall be notified."

"... Okay. Shine, let's go."

"But I still wanna play with Ela."

"*Sigh* We'll be back. We can, right, Ela?"

"Hm. The library is for everyone."

"I'll be back for you, Elaaaaaaaaaa...."

Swordguy drags the witch girl away with the books, and the library goes silent once more. Ah, look what they did, they sullied Ela's mood. My sunshine is now covered in gray clouds. I walk towards where she sits and rub her sniffing and about-to-cry face with a cloth a kept dear within my pocket.

"You okay?"

"... Why hasn't she returned?"

She's asked this question a thousand times ever since Erika left for that dungeon and never returned. I asked the same to myself as well. Why won't you return? What's keeping you busy? Are you having a long chat with the Demon Lord?

Knowing her, she might very well be.

Erika Mei, the mysterious girl who took on Farwitch Labyrinth said to have a hundred floors and the strongest monsters in this planet, and defeated the Demon Lord with nothing but a bunch of vials and her trusty sword Magistrate. What the hell are you doing, making your sister cry?

"You know, your sister is the strangest person in this world. She's unpredictable, dangerous and very much stupid. But did she ever lie to you?"

"Never ever."

"And what did she say back then?"

"That she'll return with a smile. And that I'll just have to wait."

"Don't you trust Erika?"

"I do! I really do! She never lies! She promised she would defeat the Demon Lord, and she did!"

"That's right."

I ruffle her soft red hair. That's right, my little sunshine. She'll do what she says. One day, she'd return to this village with a smile, and she'll say "Of course I'll come back. Lying is bad, mmkay?" Because that's the kind of girl she is.

"... Thanks, Key. I'm all better now. Sorry for doubting my sister."

"That's the spirit, squirt. Now clean up the mess you made and don't forget to dust the shelves."

"Ehhhhh?"

"Get to it, assistant librarian."

I made her an assistant librarian because I don't want to do housework. But she's happy with it, so why not? As long as that little sunshine stays bright, I'll be fine with being a librarian for the rest of my life...

But I still hate books.