Watching the male librarian, Horitake was momentarily at a loss for words.
Hey, hey, hey... it's still working hours, you know.
Was it really okay to be so blatantly slacking off and dozing on the job? This man was a librarian! He was the literal gatekeeper of the library. In such a dazed state, someone could probably walk in and steal half the collection without him even noticing.
Don't you worry about your boss docking your pay?
Horitake briefly activated his Spirit Vision to examine the young man. Other than severe mental fatigue and drowsiness, there was nothing unusual about him.
With a self-deprecating chuckle, Horitake deactivated the ability.
I'm getting too sensitive. The guy is just sitting here soaking up the afternoon sun; how could he possibly be a demon?
Ignoring the librarian, Horitake walked deeper into the heart of the building.
As expected of one of Kyoto's largest libraries, the collection was staggering. The building consisted of five floors. The fourth and fifth floors appeared to be administrative areas, closed to the public, while the first, second, and third floors were entirely dedicated to books.
The first floor was the largest, with the subsequent floors slightly decreasing in area as they went up. On each of these three levels, heavy, towering bookshelves occupied the majority of the floor space. They were packed to the brim with volumes categorized by subject and region.
A few reading tables and chairs were placed on the far side near the windows to take advantage of the natural light. This reading area occupied a relatively small portion of the floor compared to the stacks.
Horitake wandered from the first floor to the third, then back down again, occasionally pulsing his Spirit Vision. Yet, he found nothing. No traces, no lingering auras, no anomalies. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary.
As for the fourth and fifth floors, the doors were locked. Since Horitake wasn't in a position to force his way in—and a stealthy infiltration was hardly suitable in broad daylight—he temporarily gave up on inspecting them.
Walking between the aisles, surrounded by the scent of old paper and ink, Horitake's mind began to settle.
There was still a significant amount of time before sunset, and even longer before the library closed. Since he had nothing else to do, he decided he might as well wait here. He would read a bit, rest his legs, and kill some time. Perhaps, while waiting, some useful lead would present itself.
He picked out a book that looked reasonably interesting, moved to the reading area, and took a seat. He laid the book on the table and began to read quietly.
However, he wasn't just reading for pleasure. Horitake kept a fraction of his attention fixed on his surroundings. This library was high on his list of suspects, after all. Even in the daylight, he couldn't afford to become so absorbed in a book that he lost track of the room.
What if he fell into a trap because he was careless? He remembered how he had been caught off guard by that female demon's pink toxic mist during their last encounter.
And so, Horitake practiced a divided focus: half his mind on the text, the other half monitoring the environment.
Minutes turned into hours. The sun dipped lower in the west, and the afternoon faded into the orange glow of dusk, which eventually deepened into the blue of twilight.
Night fell, and Kyoto awakened under the cover of darkness.
Outside, the streetlamps flickered to life, and the warm glow of thousands of household lights filled the city. Inside the library, the electric lights were switched on, providing more than enough illumination to continue reading.
Aside from a slight increase in his internal vigilance, Horitake remained motionless, seemingly lost in his book. To any observer, he looked like a complete bibliophile—a fact supported by the thick volume in his hands, which was now nearly half-finished.
A short while later, the time finally came. The library was reaching its closing hour.
The young librarian from earlier approached. Seeing that a patron was still there, he hurried over with an apologetic expression.
"Pardon me, sir, but the library is closing for the night."
"Huh!?" Horitake acted as if he were being jolted out of a trance, snapping his head up from the book. "Closing already? What time is it? Wait... when did it get dark!?"
The librarian seemed used to such reactions from engrossed readers. He smiled and said, "It's already seven o'clock. We officially close at seven."
"I see... I suppose there's no helping it then." Horitake sighed, playing the part of a man reluctant to part with his story.
The librarian, seeing his interest, offered a suggestion. "Sir, if you like the book that much, you can borrow it and take it home. As long as you pay the necessary deposit and register your information, you just need to return it on time."
Horitake thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I think I'll pass. My home isn't exactly a good place for reading. If I take it back, I might accidentally damage it, and that would be a shame. I'll just come back tomorrow and pick up where I left off."
"That works as well. In that case, sir, allow me to return the book to its shelf for you."
"I'd appreciate that. Thank you."
Horitake handed the book over. The librarian took it and disappeared into the labyrinth of shelves to find its original place.
Horitake stood up, stretched his arms, and worked out the stiffness in his body. He began to make his way out. As he walked toward the exit, he made a point to use his Spirit Vision one last time to scan the area.
It was the same as before. Nothing unusual.
However... a library at night, devoid of people, held a certain chilling atmosphere even with the lights on. Horitake wasn't sure if every library felt this way after hours, but the eerie vibe in this particular building felt unusually heavy.
Quietly, Horitake stepped out of the library, descended the stone steps, and walked to the edge of the street. He couldn't help but stop and glance back at the building looming in the darkness.
Something is off.
He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. But there was a nagging feeling in his gut!
It seemed this library was indeed interesting. The odds were high that the source of the recent disappearances was rooted right here. He was certain he would find something fascinating tonight.
With that thought, he checked the time and the surrounding area.
It was only seven o'clock. Even in this era, seven was quite early for a major city like Kyoto. Pedestrians were still milling about the streets, some finishing work, others heading out for entertainment. Life was still in full swing.
A demon would almost certainly wait until later to make its move.
Then, I wait. He would play the patient hunter and wait for the "big fish" to bite.
But first, he needed to eat. He needed to replenish his stamina.
Turning away from the silent library, Horitake headed toward a nearby restaurant that was still brightly lit and open for business.
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