Darkness.


    Was I asleep? No, it felt too... empty.


    I couldn''t feel the ground beneath me, yet I was standing. I couldn''t feel the air, yet I was breathing. My body felt weightless, like I was floating in nothingness. Maybe I was dead… but could a dead person stand?


    The last thing I remember—


    A strange man stopped me on my way home.


    He claimed he had something interesting to show me. Normally, I''d ignore someone like that, maybe call the cops if they got pushy. But before I could, he said something.


    Something only I knew.


    My blood ran cold. Even my mother didn''t know about that.


    I took a step back, my mind racing. Was he some kind of stalker? A scammer? How the hell did he know?


    Seeing my hesitation, his lips curled into an amused smile. He assured me he wasn''t a bad guy.


    Then he reached out his hand. "Come with me. It''ll be fun."


    I should''ve run.


    Instead, my curiosity got the better of me. If anything seemed off, I''d just leave.


    His grin widened as if he had read my thoughts. Before I could change my mind, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me into an alley.


    I barely had time to react before—


    Shove.


    I fell.


    Everything turned black.


    A strange sound stirred me awake.


    Flapping wings. Pages turning.


    I opened my eyes—or at least, I tried to.


    Blinding white light flooded my vision.


    Instinctively, I raised my hand to shield my eyes. Slowly, the brightness faded, and I lowered my arm.


    Wait.


    Was this… my arm?


    No.


    My "skin" was a transparent, milky white—like a ghost straight out of a horror movie.


    What the hell?


    I tried to speak, but no sound came out. Panicked, I touched my neck. Phew—still there. But why couldn''t I talk?


    I forced myself to focus. First, where was I?


    I looked around.


    An endless white corridor stretched ahead, lined with towering bookshelves crammed with books. A deep red carpet ran down the center, contrasting the stark white surroundings. Above, the sky—or what should have been the sky—was an endless white void, filled with…


    Eyes.


    Countless floating, winged eyes, each one carefully carrying books to the shelves.


    I blinked.


    Still there.


    A slow chill crept up my spine.


    This wasn''t an illusion, was it?


    I squinted, trying to make sense of the bizarre scene.


    Bad idea.


    A sharp pain shot through my head. My vision blurred.


    And then—


    I don''t know how long I was out.


    When I came to, the headache had faded. I forced myself up, rubbing my temples.


    Right. Don''t look at the eyes too closely. Got it.


    Shaking off the unease, I turned my attention to the bookshelves.


    If these floating things were carrying books here, then maybe those books held some answers.


    I reached for one.


    The moment my fingers brushed the spine—


    A swarm of eyes descended upon me.


    What the hell?!


    I stumbled back as they swirled around me. Their unblinking gazes bored into me from every angle.


    They weren''t attacking. Just… staring.


    But there were too many.


    I gulped.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Alright, message received. No touching the books.


    Slowly, I stepped away.


    As soon as I put some distance between myself and the shelves, the eyes retreated, returning to their eerie floating routine.


    I exhaled, my heart still pounding.


    What the hell is this place?


    I decided to walk. If I kept moving, maybe I''d find an exit.


    Or at least someone who could explain what was going on.


    I lost track of time.


    No matter how far I walked, the bookshelves and red carpet never seemed to end. Eventually, I realized I was looping. The intersections weren''t new paths—they just led me in circles.


    Time itself felt meaningless here.


    I didn''t feel hungry. I didn''t feel tired.


    Still, I needed a break.


    Then—


    "Oh, hello. It seems like you''re lost."


    I froze.


    A soft, feminine voice.


    Behind me.


    I hadn''t heard footsteps.


    Slowly, I turned my head.


    Nothing.


    I swallowed hard. I must be hallucinating.


    I took a step forward.


    "Hey, ignoring a girl is rude."


    My breath hitched.


    No. I wasn''t going crazy. That voice was real.


    I clenched my fists and walked faster.


    "Hey, are you deaf?"


    Suddenly, a girl appeared right in front of me.


    "—?!?!"


    I yelped and stumbled backward, landing hard on my butt.


    She giggled. "Serves you right."


    I stared up at her, my mind struggling to process what just happened.


    She looked… normal.


    Well, mostly.


    Her long, light purple hair was tied in two braids. She wore an elegant white dress, like something a scholar from ancient Greece might wear. Her posture was composed, mature.


    But her eyes—


    They were shut.


    Not squeezed closed, but calmly, deliberately shut, like she didn''t need them to see.


    Oh, and also—


    Her chest was massive.


    I shamelessly stared.


    If she were real and I was still alive, I''d probably ask her out. She was exactly my type.


    I sighed dramatically.


    "Thanks for the compliments." She smirked. "And no, I''m not an illusion—" she paused, tilting her head slightly, "—and you are not dead yet."


    I froze.


    "You—!"


    I shot up and grabbed her shoulders. "You can hear my thoughts? And why the hell can''t I talk normally?!"


    "Yes, yes. I can understand your thoughts. And since this is a library, you can''t speak—except for me." She sighed. "But stop shaking me! You''re about to shake all the knowledge out of me!"


    I immediately let go. "Ah—sorry. Got a little excited."


    She huffed, fixing her clothes. "I''ll let you off this time."


    …She was kind of cute when she was mad.


    "Well then," I hesitated, "what''s your name?"


    She smiled softly.


    "I am Libra."


    She paused.


    "Call me Sister."


    Sister? That''s kind of—


    Wait.


    She smirked again, like she knew what I was about to think.


    I groaned. This was going to be a pain.


    "Well then, Sister Libra, let me ask you something. You said this was a library, right? Where exactly am I? And why did you say I''m not dead?"


    She chuckled.


    "Alright, let me tell you."


    She took a step forward.


    "My name is—"


    *A distorted sound filled the air.*


    A chill ran down my spine. My brain… couldn''t process the name.


    I staggered back. "What... was that?"


    "Oh, sorry," she giggled. "I forgot—our real names can''t be heard by lower life forms."


    Lower life form? Me?


    And… our?


    "What do you mean ''lower life form''? And who else besides you?"


    She nodded. "That''s right, you''re a lower life form. If you actually heard our real names, your brain would overload and melt."


    I shuddered.


    "Judging by your reaction, you must be thinking, ''I''m lucky I didn''t hear it,'' right?"


    I nodded. Hard.


    Libra smirked.


    "Then let me properly introduce myself."


    She spread her arms wide.


    "I am the Librarian of Origin, keeper of the Library of Origin—a place that stores all books about everything, including things that have existed, have never existed, will exist, should not exist, and have never existed."


    Everything?


    I felt a lump in my throat.


    Just where had I ended up?


    And more importantly—


    "So, can you tell me how I got here? Oh, and—why do you always keep your eyes closed?"


    "Interesting question," she replied softly.


    "There are many ways to arrive: slipping through a crack in reality, ascending to a higher existence, or countless others. As for me closing my eyes… well, if you''d like your brain to overload and melt, feel free to ask me to open them."


    I shook my head violently. She stifled a laugh behind her hand, amused at my reaction.


    Embarrassing. But back to the main point.


    "I came here because some weird guy pushed me into an alley. When I opened my eyes, I was already here."


    "A guy pushed you… and you ended up here?" she repeated, puzzled. "There are cases of people slipping through unstable rifts, but finding the exact location of one is nearly impossible. Unless—"


    Her expression darkened. A rare flicker of anger crossed her face.


    "It couldn''t be him. What did he look like?"


    I searched my memory.


    "He was about my height, black hair, kept rambling about everything under the sun… and he gave off this really strange aura."


    Her breath hitched.


    "Then it must be him."


    "Him? Who are you talking about?"


    "Our brother. The one who holds the power of the Origin. The one responsible for protecting the balance of everything. He''s trustworthy, but he loves causing trouble for us." She exhaled in frustration. "But why would he bring you here… unless you have something special?"


    Even powerful beings have siblings, huh? But what does any of this have to do with me?


    "Can you explain a little more clearly?"


    "Alright." She leaned back slightly. "It all began when #%@^@!—what we call ''Father''—created the first concept. From that, others followed. More and more were born. And then, he—the one who possesses all concepts—came into existence first. Confusing, I know, but that''s how it is. As for why he brought you here… I don''t know yet. I''ll have to ask him later."


    My head spun. Universes? Supreme entities? My brain wasn''t keeping up.


    "Oh! I just realized how rude I''ve been." She snapped her fingers.


    In an instant, we were somewhere else—a small, simple room. A wooden table. Two crude chairs. Brown wooden panels boxed us in, making the space feel tight.


    "Uh… is this really a room?"


    "Don''t like it?" she asked lightly. "I can change it."


    "No, no, it''s fine!" I said quickly. "I''m just a guest, after all."


    She smiled. "Then please, have a seat."


    I hesitated before sitting across from her. She placed her hands on the table, her voice turning almost playful.


    "Since you''re here, would you like me to tell you a story? This place holds millions of stories from countless worlds. There''s even one about your future."


    "My future?" My eyes widened. "Then can you show me—"


    She laughed. "I''m kidding. Anything related to a guest''s future is forbidden. It might disrupt the flow of time."


    "Ah… right."


    "So, do you want to hear a story about another world?"


    I nodded.


    "But wait—you''re a librarian, right? Shouldn''t you be busy?"


    "I''m just a guardian," she corrected. "Unless something threatens this place, I don''t interfere. The kids handle the rest."


    "By ''kids''… you mean those floating eyes?"


    "That''s right."


    "Alright, enough questions. Let''s hear this story you''re so eager to tell."


    She snapped her fingers. A book materialized on the table. Its cover bore a single title:


    —The Story of Amnesia—


    "''Amnesia''? Like memory loss?" I frowned. "Why would someone name their child that?"


    "Haha, I knew you''d react like that." She chuckled. "It''s not her real name. It''s just what she calls herself—a way to cope with her past."


    "Her past?" I leaned forward. "What happened to her?"


    "You seem excited. I like that." She grinned. "Then sit up straight and listen well. This is a story set long before the old epics, in an age already forgotten in the new era. A time when fragile humans stood against an unknown force to protect their home."


    I straightened in my chair.


    She opened the book.


    "Let me tell you what happened before the girl named Amnesia was born."


    Suddenly, my vision blurred. The room wavered. Darkness swallowed everything—until a brilliant flash of light consumed me whole.