ch34

[Chapter 34 - The Villain's Manners]

Five consecutive failures? How is this even possible?

I hid in a corner of the library hallway, dejectedly banging my forehead against the wall. Literally head-butting the wall. Head-butting out of anguish.

Thud. Thud.

It felt like my pride was crumbling along with the wall being chipped away by my horns.

"Why, why, why is this happening…"

How could all my evil deeds be twisted and praised? How could I explain this cursed situation?

"If I weren't a superstar villain with the King's DNA, I'd probably be holed up in my blanket for a week!"

I crouched down, hugging my knees, and quietly sobbed.

"The neighborhood folks who used to ignore me are now overjoyed, the aloof librarians are touched, the mystery novel reading club is searching for my traces… even my orcas are trending!"

A sigh escaped involuntarily.

"I can't give up like this. I swear, I will become the greatest villain in history!"

I pushed myself up and renewed my resolve. Stroking my horns, I fell into thought.

"Come to think of it… the problem was the target of my evil deeds."

Suddenly, a realization struck me.

"That's it! The key is the system, not individuals! I've been tormenting ants all this time, but the important thing was the anthill!"

I jumped up, my eyes filled with determination, and looked around. This was my chance to commit a truly evil deed.

"I have to break the library system itself! Which system in this library is the most important?"

As I looked around, the information desk caught my eye. Next to it was a small box.

'Book Request Box'

"That's it!"

The book request box was the core of the library's operation. The books requested here become the library's new resources! This is the weakness of the system!

"What if I fill the library with books that have no academic value? Wouldn't the image of this sacred hall of knowledge collapse?"

Attack the system. Degrade the library's prestige with books that cause harm, not good!

Looking around to make sure I didn't look suspicious, I approached the desk. The librarian was busy typing something into her laptop and didn't look up.

Without encountering the enemy, I stealthily grabbed a book request form. No, not just one, but several! About ten of them.

"Kakat! Now is the time to plant the seeds of true evil in this library!"

I went to a quiet corner and took out a pen.

"Now, what kind of books should I request? Books with no academic value… like…"

After a moment of contemplation, an idea came to mind.

"Comic books!"

Things I secretly enjoy! Things that don't belong in a hall of learning! The only drug allowed by the country!

"If this place is filled with these comic books instead of all those cultured books, the image of this hall of knowledge will crumble! Kyakyakyat!!"

Swish, swish—

I filled out ten forms. The titles of comic books that I usually enjoyed, or rather, that I had been watching for 'research,' were densely packed.

"Kakat! This time, I will bring the library's authority crashing down! This is an evil deed on a different level than anything I've done before!"

I crept toward the desk where the book request box was. Taking advantage of the librarian's brief absence, I quickly stuffed the forms into the box.

"This time, my evil deed will succeed! A library filled with hero comics and magical girl stories instead of science and history books! Just thinking about it is exhilarating!"

Now the operation was complete. It was time to leave the scene quickly!

"Ah! Just a moment!"

My heart felt like it stopped. The librarian's voice came from right behind me.

"Hiek! I… I've been caught."

"Did you just submit book request forms?"

"Th… that's… I… no! Not me… another villain…"

The librarian had already taken my forms out of the box and was examining them.

"Team Leader! Take a look at this!"

A middle-aged female librarian approached and examined the forms together.

'It's over… I've finally been caught… I'm definitely going to be known as the villain who likes manga…!'

The two librarians' faces were filled with surprise. And then they said…

"This is really great timing! Next week is 'National Manga Day,' and we were wondering what manga to stock up on!"

"Manga… Manga Day…? There's such a day?"

"We've been worried that teenagers don't come to the library often these days, so it's an event to introduce them to the joy of reading through manga."

My mouth opened and closed like a goldfish in a tank.

"This list is really excellent! Our staff doesn't know much about manga, so we were worried, but you've given us such a great list of recommendations! You must have a really deep understanding of manga!"

While I was completely speechless, the two librarians enthusiastically began to create an order list based on my requests.

"Oh, right! We should put your name in the credits on the poster as the idea provider. What's your name?"

"Grimoire…"

"Grimoire! What a wonderful name. Thank you for being the main player in the manga reading project for everyone!"

Ms. Kim wrote 'Idea Provider: Grimoire' in large letters on the poster.

"Th… this… this isn't…"

"Would you also be willing to be a mentor for the library's manga club? I think the students would really like it!"

"What? What club? I'm a villain, I can't be a mentor who teaches others…"

"A villain? Oh, you like works like 'A Villain Lives On'! You're really immersed in the character! Amazing!"

It felt like all the words were going in one ear and out the other. My mind went completely blank.

I gave up even trying to speak. It seemed like the words coming out of my mouth were constantly being interpreted in the opposite way.

"I was trying to fill the library with books that have no academic value and ruin it!"

"That's right! You've broken the stereotype that only academics have value! It's time to improve the perception that manga is also a great form of literature!"

"Gyaaaaaak…! I don't know! Think whatever you want!"

Another fatal blow to my villainous reputation.

• -

I sat at the loan desk, tapping the desk with my fingers. My horns drooped, and a heavy sigh escaped.

I looked up at the library clock. 2:30 PM.

I took out my most treasured secret weapon from my bag.

The best treasure among my supplies, the horn-shaped stamp. This stamp was specially made by Evelyn, modeled after my own horns, and was a villain-exclusive item.

"I have no choice. I didn't want to use this! I'll show you the power of this horn stamp!"

I picked up a library card and dipped the horn stamp in red ink. I pressed the stamp firmly on the library card, leaving a pretty horn shape. Next to it, I wrote in tiny letters.

[Indefinite Loan Approved - Grimoire]

What is the essence of a library? It's 'borrowing' and 'returning.' If this cycle collapses, the library loses its meaning!

"Now, I'll use this horn stamp to change the due date of all books to 'indefinite'! If no one returns the books, the library will be left with empty shelves, right? It'll be broke! Kakat!"

After a while, the first person who wanted to borrow a book approached. It was a female college student who looked to be in her early twenties.

"Hello, I'd like to borrow this book."

She handed me a textbook called 'Understanding Modern Psychology.' Normally, it was a book that could be borrowed for two weeks with one possible extension.

"Hmm, do you like this book? Then take it! I'll lend it to you indefinitely!"

"Indefinitely? Is that okay?"

"Of course! I approved it, so you can keep this book with the horn stamp for as long as you want!"

Staaamp-

I stamped the horn stamp firmly on the first page of the book.

"This is a special loan! A book that doesn't need to be returned! Let other insignificant humans know about my grace!"

"Thank you!"

One person, two people…

As time passed, the rumors spread.

"There's a special loan program!"

"A volunteer with horns is doing it!"

"It's an indefinite loan!"

The rumors spread quickly, and in no time, a long line formed in front of me.

"Kakat! Humans are so foolish! They don't even realize they're becoming accomplices in the destruction of the library!"

People brought their favorite books, and I stamped all of them with the 'indefinite loan' stamp.

I must have stamped at least 50 books. Now it's a foregone conclusion that the library will collapse! I can almost hear the librarians' tears and despair!

But two hours later, something unexpected happened.

I saw a familiar face in the distance. It was the female student who had borrowed a book earlier, returning.

"I came to return the book I borrowed earlier."

Wh… what? Returning it after only a few hours?

"But that was an indefinite loan! I told you you didn't have to return it?"

"Yes, that's why I felt even more responsible. You gave me a special loan, so I thought I should read it quickly so that others can see it too. It was a really good experience!"

Another person approached behind her to return a book.

"I came to return it too. A special loan means you trust me to borrow the book for as long as I want, right? I thought I should treat it with that much care. I can't betray that trust!"

"Trust? Who said I trusted you!? I really didn't want the book back…"

Then another returner appeared.

One person, two people…

My horns slowly began to droop. How could this be… my plan was going in the completely opposite direction.

Normally, in public libraries, it's common to return books right on the due date or even be late, but the books I lent were coming back in just a few hours! Quickly, too quickly!

The librarians returned and discovered the situation.

"What's going on? The return rate is much higher than usual today!"

The librarian who was checking the loan statistics couldn't hide her surprise.

"Wow, the return rate for books with the special stamp is 15% higher than usual! This is really an amazing phenomenon!"

The head librarian approached me with admiration.

"It seems the volunteer student came up with a campaign to improve civic awareness. That's really amazing! 'Special Responsibility Loan'… what a creative idea."

"Th… that's not… I…"

"I know. It was an educational attempt to make people realize that it's better to act with their own conscience and responsibility than to always be bound by rules and deadlines, right?"

I was speechless. My plan to prevent returns had actually increased the return rate? How could there be such irony?

The head librarian carefully examined my horn stamp and smiled brightly.

"This unique horn design is really eye-catching. How about adopting this as an official library program? Should we call it 'Grimoire's Special Loan System'?"

An educational program named after me…

"N… no…"

I muttered as if squeezing the words out of my throat. But no one listened to my despair.

"Let's start it as an official program next week! Thank you so much, Grimoire!"

The last hope of invading the library had completely collapsed. I couldn't take it anymore.

I jumped up and left the loan desk. I headed to the central reading room of the library. Anger boiled inside me.

Why, why does my evil always turn into good?

Seven attempts at evil, disguised as seven acts of kindness.

Am I really a villain?

I stood tall in the middle of the reading room and clenched my fists. A faint gray light began to emanate from my horns. Frustration and despair surged through my body.

"No no…!"

The low murmur grew louder.

"No! No! No!"

My voice grew louder and louder, and the people around me began to look at me with puzzled expressions. But I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Why does my evil always become good?!"

The gray light flowing from my horns became more intense.

"I'm… I'm…"

I exploded in a scream that felt like it would tear my throat.

"I'm a villain!!!"

My voice echoed throughout the library. Time seemed to stop. All eyes were fixed on me.

And suddenly, everyone around me simultaneously put a finger to their lips and made a sound.

"Shhh!"

The sound was like thunder.

"Quiet in the library!"

The librarian's cold scolding flew over. In that instant, all my momentum was instantly broken. The gray light emanating from my horns vanished in an instant.

"Ugh…"

Dozens of cold gazes were directed at me. My pride as a great villain crumbled in an instant.

My shoulders hunched involuntarily. My face turned bright red.

What had I just done? Shouting in the library!

I ran to the nearest table and buried my head in it. My body trembled with shame. With my horns drooping, I just collapsed there.

Keeping quiet in the library is a basic courtesy that even a child knows… What did I just do…

"Heeing… This body hates libraries!"

This body had completely, thoroughly, and absolutely failed in the library.

The lesson I learned today is… the path of a villain is long and arduous.

And that you have to be quiet in the library.

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