The inside of Leejeong Bookstore was soft and serene.
The familiar, pleasant feeling that comes from well-maintained things that have seen many years. Over this comfortable feeling lay the unique, mysterious, and profound impression of something that had accumulated a long history.
The small bookstore, less than eight pyeong, was brightly lit with warm light, and new and old books were arranged in a seemingly irregular yet organized fashion.
"Excuse me."
To think I'd end up entering a mysterious place that cooperates with the Disaster Management Bureau like this, a place I'd never even visited when I was working there as an undercover spy.
'Hoo.'
My body doesn't even know where its heart is, yet I find myself worrying if it's pounding for no reason.
As I recall the true nature of this place.
-A place the Disaster Management Bureau visits when acquiring miraculous items related to 'Type, Paper.'
To be precise, it's a kind of brokerage.
Where special books gather.
When the lights of Leejeong Bookstore are off, entry must be avoided.
It has been confirmed that there is an over 80% probability that a Supernatural Being is visiting to make a transaction.
According to the testimony of an agent who once worked as a clerk, if the lights started to go out from the entrance of the bookstore, one had to hide behind the staff-only counter without fail.
But right now, the lights were brightly lit.
I saw the light flicker where my smoke touched it, then turn back on and stay that way.
"Please wait."
And, uncharacteristically for when we move as a team, it was not Agent Choi but Agent Bronze who stepped forward first and walked to the very back of the bookstore.
A counter-style desk.
It was an old-fashioned structure, where the owner's living space would normally be on the other side.
A Beaded Curtain hung down, separating it from the inner area, which was obscured by dark shadows.
Agent Bronze, standing there, bowed his head deeply.
Then.
Pushing aside the beaded strings of the curtain, the right arm of a white Scholar emerged from within.
"…!"
The owner of Leejeong Bookstore communicates with visitors only through Written Conversation with their right hand.
Unless one has a history of working as a clerk here, it is recommended not to attempt to find out who is behind the Beaded Curtain.
The rest of the body, submerged in shadow, was not visible. Only the white arm, the sleeve of the indigo hanbok covering it, and the hand below the sleeve, writing with a brush.
Dong-i, you've come. Have you been well?
"Yes, CEO."
I hear the sound of familiar footsteps and the sound of a new guest. What kind of book are you looking for?
The white hand that had written the neat script gestured politely toward us.
Next to Agent Choi, who smiled and bowed his head in greeting.
The Horned 130666, standing there while hiding its Black Smoke as much as possible. Me.
[Hmph. They know how to create some atmosphere. Of course, that's probably the best they can do in this shabby space.]
Yeah. I had a feeling you'd say that…
"They are my companions. …Agent Grape."
Hoo.
As we had discussed beforehand, I stepped forward.
If a vague request is made at Leejeong Bookstore, a difference in the owner's interpretation may result in receiving a completely different book.
Therefore, it is recommended that the agent who can most clearly describe the required book attempts the purchase.
And in this situation, that's me.
'Let's go.'
I picked up the ballpoint pen on the counter and, below the owner's neat handwriting, wrote as politely and quickly as I could.
Hello, CEO.
What I need.
Do you happen to have any books related to a great being that makes its sanctuary in a repository of knowledge, such as a library or a bookstore?
The Torn Talisman Paper.
I was looking for a paper-type item that could replace the Hanbit Library book checkout slip.
'If I can't mention Hanbit Library directly to a Disaster Management Bureau official because it's inside Segwang Metropolitan City, I can at least do this.'
Describe it indirectly.
And…
Yes. It is in here.
'…!'
It worked.
'Lion.'
And I hurriedly added another sentence.
I would prefer it if it's not dangerous to humans.
Even if it can't be completely harmless, please give me something for which some sort of precaution can be taken.
Because I'm not human.
Since this bookstore introduces books that can be read without fatal harm based on the 'requester,' I added that in the hopes that it might introduce something that was safe only for me.
But…
Of course. A human is making the request, so I cannot introduce a book that is indiscriminately dangerous to humans.
Ah.
'It… judges me as human.'
At least, Leejeong Bookstore does.
I recalled the bookstore's lights that hadn't gone out even when I entered.
....
As long as a human doesn't read the book's contents out loud, it should be fine. Do not worry.
Thank you.
I am the one who should be thanking you for finding the book.
And the white hand disappeared once more behind the Beaded Curtain's darkness.
After a few seconds of silence.
Here you are.
It reappeared with a book.
'…!'
It was a hardcover.
On the clean, old-looking book, the Hangul title was written alongside Hanja…
Along with two unreadable characters.
<■■ Decimal Classification>
[Hmm. It's a book that records the method of classifying books in a library. In other words, you could see it as a book for books, a librarian for librarians.]
'My god.'
A chillingly accurate book had appeared.
Even though my hand grasping the book was a black glove stuffed with a formless mass of flesh, I felt a shiver run up from it.
Thank you. This is the book I was looking for. How should I pay for it? Will you make a suggestion?
…Right.
This is where it gets important.
'The price.'
I looked at the owner's white hand that had emerged from the Beaded Curtain beyond the counter.
Leejeong Bookstore accepted a variety of things fitting the value of its books: items, labor, or gold and currency.
'But that all depends on 'who is buying.''
For example, cases where a small amount of currency was accepted were often limited to complete civilians or children.
'From agents, they often received Disaster Management Bureau-related items or did a direct book-for-book trade.'
Right now, we're here unofficially, so it's difficult for us to pay that way.
So.
…How about something like this?
Do you have any thoughts of spending a dream vacation at a wonderful Resort?
Pardon?
It is a theme park Resort that provides top-notch flowers, illuminations, a spa, and VIP services. It's a suite voucher that includes an amenity gift set, and since it's made in a catalog format, it could be treated as a book.
A book, you say.
...The bookstore owner seemed quite flustered, but in the end, after some persuasion, we exchanged the 7-night suite voucher for the book.
The white hand that took the catalog seemed to move in a bit of a flustered hurry.
From behind me, I could hear Agent Choi's shoulders shaking as he held back his laughter…
[My, it seems like a very losing exchange for Mr. Roe Deer!]
No,
'It's amazing that I can use something Contaminated in such a profitable way…'
In crude terms, isn't this a jackpot?
I feel a mix of complicated emotions as I find myself being helped more and more by my identity as the Golden Flower Mascot.
In any case, the important thing is that the book was now in my hands.
<■■ Decimal Classification>
"…Let me see that for a second."
The veteran agent of Team Hyumoo 1 took the book from me and checked and inspected it in various supernatural ways.
To see if it was suitable for what we were about to do.
And finally, he gave his confirmation.
"Yeah. We can use this."
"..."
Our gazes turn to Agent Bronze.
Leejeong Bookstore is not a library. A purchased book is recognized as one's own.
Of course, the owner seemed slightly displeased and not very welcoming of senselessly damaging or throwing away a book in front of him, but…
'Recycling' is always possible.
This was one of the reasons this place was frequently used by the Disaster Management Bureau.
And.
'In the case of certain books, Leejeong Bookstore itself sometimes 'remodels' and sells them for the buyer.'
Like tearing out single pages to make a calendar, or taking just the book cover to create a new value for that book.
And this.
"…CEO."
Sometimes, the clerk takes care of it.
"Would it be alright if I stepped behind the counter for a moment? There is a tool I would like to borrow."
Of course, it is fine. It has been a while. Please sit comfortably and work, Dong-i-gun.
"…Yes. It has been a while."
Agent Bronze, no, the former clerk Mr. Ryu Jaegwan, who had quietly stepped forward, familiarly lifted the counter partition and took a seat inside.
And he lifted the Beaded Curtain, stepping into the Darkness within…
Soon after.
'…!'
An auspicious light flashes.
A white shadow flickers inside the Beaded Curtain, and the silhouette of a man raising a brush is briefly revealed.
The form of Ryu Jaegwan.
Ryu Jaegwan, the one who was a clerk at this bookstore, skillfully took out stationery from a cabinet, neatly opened the book, and separated a single sheet of paper from the front.
Probably the table of contents page.
He separates it, its back clean and blank, and takes it out as a single sheet. He then places the fluttering sheet on the floor and puts a paperweight on it.
He himself kneels and picks up the brush.
Flash.
Through the dimming light, a form that looks like a white shadow inside the Beaded Curtain.
The figure of Ryu Jaegwan, drawing lines, one character at a time, with a brush, shimmers in the beaded strings. A meaning taking shape with all his heart and soul.
And…
Thud.
The moment he puts the brush away and stores it again.
The auspicious light from beyond the Beaded Curtain vanishes.
"..."
Returning to the cozy space of the old bookstore counter, Agent Bronze emerged, pushing aside the Beaded Curtain.
In one hand, he held the book and a freshly completed talisman.
"…It is complete.On the stiff paper, the character "to help, protect" and straight lines were neatly and chaotically completed in red and blue.
An evil-warding talisman.
"…!"
"I wrote it to be as similar as possible, but it is a somewhat unstable form."
Slightly pale, Agent Bronze quietly handed the talisman to his superior, not even wiping the sweat from his temple.
-If you make a talisman at Leejeong Bookstore, the consequential burden on the creator will definitely be lessened due to the nature of the place. You can also receive help from the CEO.
And he had successfully created it.
"You worked hard, Cheongdong. No, Dong-i."
"..."
"Grapes-ie, you see, Bronzie here… the CEO originally called him 'Dong-i' as a clerk nickname here, and then he chose Bronze as his agent name too, you know?"
Agent Bronze sighed but didn't seem embarrassed or uncomfortable.
He just spoke to me, looking a little awkward.
"…I wasn't aiming for it, it just happened to overlap."
Yup. Understood…
"Thank you, CEO."
In any case, we left a polite farewell and exited the bookstore.
With the talisman in hand.
Tinkle.
"All that's left… is the will-o'-the-wisp, right?"
All that remained was the procedure to borrow its power so this talisman could truly have an effect.
"Hmm…"
Just then, Agent Choi's eyes, which had seemed lost in thought, sparkled the moment they saw me.
Mischievously.
"Grapes-ie. That Resort of yours."
...?
"Should we… pull one more job?"
Pardon?
A few days later.
#26Heo-0167 Situation Report (Draft)
Document Title: Reappearance of the 'Golden Flower Mascot' entity.
Author: Sumaeksae Agent*
Incident Summary: Today at approximately 23:15, the reappearance of the so-called 'Golden Flower Mascot' was witnessed at the temporary residence for field agents located on the outskirts of ■■-dong.
The said supernatural entity, which had disappeared from the main office's supernatural protection zone leaving only a simple letter, provided gifts to the encountered Team Hyumoo 3 agents as a 'token of gratitude for the last stay.'
Afterward, it politely proposed to Agent Haegeum that it wished to invite the will-o'-the-wisp it had met before to the Resort.
It guaranteed their safety and said they could bring their friends if they wished.
The will-o'-the-wisp accompanying the agent on-site joyfully accepted. The Team Hyumoo 3 agents present at the time attempted to restrain it through pleas and temptations such as 'let's wait just a little longer,' but to no avail.
Soon after, five will-o'-the-wisp entities, having been summoned and arrived rapidly, gathered together while pretending to pack (no effect), and then disappeared with the 'Golden Flower Mascot.'
Noteworthy Items:
-Risk of estimating the whereabouts of the will-o'-the-wisp is low.
-The gift is currently being analyzed at the Baridegi Workshop.
-Depending on the outcome of this urgent situation, rumors are spreading that the suspended registration of the 'Golden Flower Mascot' as a supernatural being may be resumed.
"…is what I wrote in the draft, deleted, and then pulled right out of the trash to read, Grapes-ie!"
Hoo.
I held back a sigh as I saw off the will-o'-the-wisps who had enjoyed a fantastic vacation at the Resort.
'I'm glad you guys at least had fun…'
Agent Haegeum was looking at me with a dumbfounded expression, and I really wanted to find a hole to crawl into…
Still, the fortunate thing was that the Flower Golden Resort was a really nice vacation spot for non-human will-o'-the-wisps to stay for a day or two (as long as their routes were well-planned). And…
'It's complete.'
The fact that the talisman in our hands was complete.
I looked at the paper torn from the table of contents of the <■■ Decimal Classification> that Agent Bronze was holding.
A talisman completed, imbued with miraculous power.
The five will-o'-the-wisps, who had returned after having a good time at the Resort, had generously filled it with power, and it stood blue and stiff.
Suggestion: To be kept by 130666
"Uh-uh, no can do. This kind of thing is kept in order of seniority, you know?"
I knew it.
He's going to snatch it midway.
I gave Agent Choi a nonchalant nod, then checked my thoughts.
Let's see.
'Most of the other Daydream Team Members are busy with company-related reports right now.'
Apparently, the Dream Collector I proposed caused quite a stir within the company due to its performance.
Even Ho Yuwon wasn't in his seat today.
Though he did pass on a message before.
-Mr. Kwak Jegang from the research team is dying to get in touch with Mr. Noru… should I connect you?
Hmm.
Come to think of it, I was a bit worried he might have gotten into trouble for telling me Director Cheong's whereabouts.
No matter how crazy a researcher he is.
'It's also beneficial to stay in contact.'
After some thought, I decided to leave an email address.
And.
"Then shall we enter that library by ourselves?"
Negative.
No.
We will not enter that way.
'Hanbit Library has too many variables for us to go in by ourselves again.'
Segwang Metropolitan City itself is like that, to begin with.
I don't know how Ho Yuwon will react when I inform him of the decision to restore the Disaster Management Bureau agent's talisman.
And besides.
'In the first place, there is a sure way to enter that high school.'
A method used by both Daydream and the Disaster Management Bureau.
Suggestion: Use the illegal text file of 'Under the Black Shadow'
"…!"
The one that is normally used.
And so, on the very next new moon.
We went to sleep with photos from our high school days under our pillows and entered the ghost story.
Into the nightmare of the new moon dream. To Sekwang Technical High School.
And that one night was enough for all the stories hidden in this school to be revealed.