Chapter 13
What I was supposed to do here.
What I wasn't supposed to do.
How many days I had to endure, and so on.
No information whatsoever was written down, but one thing was certain.
Namely.
‘I mustn't wash my hair here.’
I absolutely must not wash my hair in this place.
‘..Well, I just have to avoid washing my hair. That should be easy.’
I tried to see whether I could obtain any other information from the computer..
‘Why is this the only screen that appears..?’
For some reason, I couldn't click on anything except the email screen.
‘..Can this even be called a computer..?’
I somewhat doubted whether this thing could really be called a computer.
Since I couldn't even be sure this world was inhabited by people, I decided to stop trying to uncover such useless truths.
‘Oh, right. I need to post a survival report in the gallery.’
Then I remembered that I had left a last-words post on the community without reporting that I was alive.
I immediately opened the status window and accessed the community.
--
[Speaking seriously, maybe the newbie really was an anomaly pretending to be human?]
[I'm sorry..]
[Newbie.. Your shift ended.. Why haven't you left a post..]
[A Black person killed him.. I oppose indiscriminate racism]
[YoukilledhimYoukilledhimYoukilledhimYoukilledhimYoukilledhim]
[Fucking death flag..]
[Ha.. Fuck.. No way, right..?]
[Doesn't Belliard Library's working hours only last until 8 p.m.?]
[Is the newbie working overtime? He's a little late~ I'm waiting for you~]
[Special trait of the newbie's last-words post: He wrote it for the anomaly lol]
[??? : Ah, I accidentally killed an anomaly]
[??? : Hello, this is Newbie TV. Today, I'll be cooking an anomaly!]
--
I could see that the community was burning up with activity.
‘Ooh, I'd better write something quickly.’
I felt a little proud seeing the community members genuinely wishing for my survival.
Since I had no intention of becoming a troll.
I immediately clicked the write button and informed everyone that I was alive.
--
[Did you all wait long?]
Sorry.
I had a lot going on, so I forgot to write for a little while.
To get straight to the point. I finished my job as librarian at Belliard Library safe and sound.
I was even given a book as a gift for my not-quite-a-paycheck.
The problem is..
(Photo)
Whoa.. Where is this place now?
At first, I thought I'd returned to Earth, but after looking around, it seems this is another horror-story world.
For now, I've got one more available return, so I can go back if I decide to, yeah.
I'm planning to gather whatever information I can here, then head to a safe zone.
[Comments - 23]
Anonymous 1 : Is this real?? Did the newbie really come back alive??
ㄴ Poster : Yeah, I almost died, but somehow I made it back alive.
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : ‘Somehow I made it back alive’ my ass lolㅋㅋㅋ What a testosterone-fueled man lolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Anonymous 3 : Seriously, prove you're human first ㄱ
ㄴ Poster : How do I prove it?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Take a titty pic and upload it. We can tell whether you're human or fake just by looking at your tits.
ㄴ Poster : You just hurry up and tie up your limbs..
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : They're human, yeah.
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : They're human, yeah.
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : They're human, yeah.
ㄴ Anonymous 4 : Anonymous 1 isn't human, though, yeah.
Anonymous 4 : But where is that place? I thought the kid had managed to return home, but I guess not.
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Honestly, I was fucking happy thinking someone among us had successfully escaped..
ㄴ Anonymous 6 : Ah, fuck, it was a dream!!
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : ??? : Bro? This bastard's smiling?
ㄷㅏㅎHo OIㄷㅏ ㅇI 제ㅉㅗㄱㅈl 보ㄴㅐ
ㄴ Poster : Dumbass lol, you actually believe that?
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : ㅉ ㅗㄱ ㅈIll ㅂㅗ
ㄴ Poster : Even if you sneakily insult me, I'm not mad~ Thanks to the note anomaly that cheered me on to stay alive, I was able to return alive. Thanks, anomaly!
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : ㅉㅗ
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : As expected, newbie is the one toying with anomalies.
ㄴ Anonymous 8 : This thing's really broken now lolㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Anonymous 1 : But is that really true? Just return right away. Why stay there dangerously?
ㄴ Poster : I have to finish sorting this place out before I can use the return button again anyway.
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : This guy was different from the get-go.. How can he even think of using the return button again..? Isn't it over once you get out?
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : ??? : Ah lol Why would he go back when he still has to bite, tear apart, and savor anomaly corpses lol
--
Since there are people happy that I returned, shouldn't I somehow make it out alive this time too?
‘At least I don't see anything resembling an anomaly.’
I continued examining my surroundings with a somewhat lighter heart, and eventually confirmed that there was no more information I could obtain from this room.
‘Should I try opening the door..’
The firmly closed door caught my eye.
I tried to open it to see whether the outside of this place was connected to somewhere like the library.
Suddenly.
‘Ah, I should inspect the door a little more before opening it.’
Just as the door had bled in the world beyond bookshelf 52.
I thought this door might also be one that ate people, so I stepped back from it to consider things more carefully.
And so.
‘Should I try reading a book.’
Since I couldn't think of anything else to do, I sat on the bed and opened the book I had received from Belliard Library.
‘I can't understand a single thing.’
As expected, the language here wasn't written in a script I could read, just like the writing in the rulebook or on the computer.
‘Are there at least any pictures?’
I flipped through the book this way and that, wondering whether there might be pictures..
‘..I don't understand a thing.’
I couldn't recognize a single thing at all.. ..What is this?
‘Huh? What was that just now?’
While flipping through the pages looking for a picture worth seeing..
I found a piece of writing I could read, so I returned to that page.
‘IY?’
Although every other character was still unreadable, I found it a little strange that the English letters IY appeared here.
‘..Can I enter this, too?’
On a whim, I entered IY into the status window..
--
[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
--
I saw a screen I'd never seen before appear over the status window.
‘What the..?’
I didn't know what this screen was supposed to be.
But then I realized that Belliard Library had really given me a book that would help me survive.
Flip- Flip- Flip- Flip-
I kept turning the pages, searching for more useful information.
‘FE?’
As expected, I found the English letters FE written on the final page of the book.
So this time, too, I entered the new arrangement of English letters into the input field.
--
Mentality : 8 / 100
[Available Returns] : 1
[Available Crafting Attempts ] : 1
Input:
--
This time, a new function had been added to the status window.
‘..Available crafting attempts?’
What could that line about available crafting attempts mean..?
‘..What am I crafting?’
The sudden addition of the words “Available Crafting Attempts” filled me with unease.
Had an anomaly invaded my status window?
If not, what exactly was I supposedly able to craft..?
‘..This is unsettling.’
Feeling somewhat uneasy, I immediately reached into my pocket and gripped Anonymous 10's teeth, which I had prepared in advance, tightly with both hands.
If an anomaly really had invaded my status window..
I was beginning to think that I shouldn't open the gallery and show it my conversations with the others.
‘Please.. Let it be nothing..! Please..!’
Holding the teeth tightly in both hands, I stabbed straight at the “Available Crafting Attempts” button.
“!!”
The teeth I was holding in both hands were suddenly sucked into the status window..
“..?”
I watched them disappear just like that.
--
Mentality : 8 / 100
[Available Returns] : 1
[Available Crafting Attempts ] : 1
Input:
--
‘..What?’
What?
Give me back my tooth.
No, I guess it isn't actually my tooth.. but anyway, give me back my weapon..!
‘..Those were the last teeth I had left..’
Since I had been suddenly kicked out of Belliard Library, those two teeth had been the only weapons I had left..
I was bewildered by the disappearance of my weapon, but only for a moment.
Then I remembered that the book written in an unknown language had contained the words FE and IY together.
Since I thought the two pieces of information in one book might be connected, I entered IY into the input field once more..
--
[■] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
--
‘Oh.. Something appeared..’
I saw the previously empty square suddenly filled completely.
--
[Can the status window get pregnant too?]
(Photo)
Can I press that?
What's that?
I got this thing about available crafting attempts, so I tried slamming it with a tooth..
Suddenly the status window got pregnant.
What the hell is that?
[Comments - 23]
Anonymous 1 : ..???
Anonymous 2 : ???? What kind of screen is that now?
Anonymous 3 : This bastard really doesn't seem human, does he? What kind of screen is that?
ㄴ Poster : I really am human.. Believe me..
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : If someone suddenly showed up and said, ‘I got my status window pregnant,’ would you think they were human?
ㄴ Poster : No.. That's way too distorted. When did I say I got my status window pregnant?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Didn't the newbie get it pregnant?
ㄴ Poster : ..? Well, if you put it that way, I guess it is like that because of me..
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Wow..
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Wow..
ㄴ Anonymous 5 : Wow..
Anonymous 4 : Woooow.. Now he's gone and gotten even his status window pregnant..
ㄴ Poster : Anyone listening would think I've gotten something besides my status window pregnant before..
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : ? What do you mean, newbie? How many anomalies have you gotten pregnant up to now?
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : Exactly. How many anomalies has our newbie fucked? Is a status window really a big deal?
Anonymous 5 : No, fuck; what the hell is that..? What kind of screen is that, seriously???
ㄴ Anonymous 3 : I'm starting to seriously wonder now. Is this guy really human?
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : It doesn't matter, since if he's not human, he can't meet us anyway.
Anonymous 6 : Is there anyone willing to send the newbie a note? I'm scared that if I send him one now, he'll suddenly come looking for me saying, ‘Hey, I'm actually an anomaly.’
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : ㅉㅗㄱㅈI ㄴH가 ㅂㅗㄴHㄹㄱㅓㅣ
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Aww.. Our note anomaly. You want to send him a note?
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : ㅇㅡㅇ
ㄴ Anonymous 1 : Yeah, you know that well. The moment you send him a note, the newbie will rearrange you so that both your eyes are positioned right beside your mouth, just like the emoticon you wrote.
ㄴ Anonymous 7 : ?
ㄴ Anonymous 2 : ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ As expected, newbie's the one to hunt anomalies.
--
When I posted it on the community and checked the reactions, it seemed no one knew anything about the status window's new screen—
Thump..
“!!!!”
At the sudden sound of something falling from the corner, I immediately switched the status window back to the main screen.
As soon as the screen switched back, I placed my finger on the button displaying 1 available return.
‘What? What is it?’
The moment I saw the anomaly, I tried to press the button without hesitation.
‘..What the hell is that thing, though?’
I saw a shampoo bottle lying in the corner of the room.
‘Melting Shampoo..?’