Chapter 1 – Administrator

"Hmm..."

The inadvertent whisper echoed in the silent space.

Erend felt as if he had returned to his mother's womb, submerged in warm water, his body and mind wrapped in comfort.

Just as he was about to sink deeper into this soothing embrace and drift into an endless slumber, a sudden thought interrupted him.

[A suitable candidate has been selected and successfully integrated into the library.]

[You have become the administrator of the library.]

It was a pure thought, one that resonated directly in his mind like a soundless voice, pulling him out of unconsciousness.

"Splash!"

As Erend instinctively stood up, water rippled around him.

Only then did he realize he had been submerged in a pool of water.

Strangely, though he had been soaking in it, neither his clothes nor his hair were wet. His body remained completely dry, untouched by the water.

"What… what's going on?" Erend muttered, confused.

The soft swishing of the water echoed around him, clear and distinct. For now, he set aside his confusion and focused on his surroundings.

And what he saw left him in awe.

A vast, cylindrical space stretched around him, its diameter spanning several hundred meters. Yet, despite its immense size, it did not feel empty. Everything was arranged with a sense of purpose.

Towering bookshelves filled the area, some standing firmly on the ground, others stacked along the curved walls, reaching dizzying heights. The books were neatly arranged, exuding a mysterious, intellectual atmosphere.

A crimson carpet covered the ground, leading through a labyrinth of corridors that extended along the walls and floated in mid-air. The ceiling was open, revealing a breathtaking starry sky, with twinkling lights scattered like gemstones across an infinite canvas.

Erend stood at the very center of this grand library, in a sunken leisure area enclosed by wooden fences. A large fountain gushed clear water, its gentle sound blending with the tranquil atmosphere. Beside it stood a pavilion, a vibrant green lawn, and a rocking bed entwined with flower vines, making it look like something out of a fairy tale.

He was inside the fountain, yet the cascading water never dampened him, as if it were an illusion.

"Where… is this place?"

Erend, having been enchanted by the scene for a long moment, finally gathered his thoughts and voiced the pressing question.

Then—

"Buzz—"

The same thought resurfaced, descending upon him like an unseen force.

His vision blurred, and he closed his eyes involuntarily.

Moments later, when he reopened them, the confusion was gone, replaced by clarity and understanding.

"The Fantasy Library… So, I've come to a place like this?"

This was no ordinary space. It was a realm independent of the world, born from the fantasies, desires, regrets, and imaginations of countless beings.

It existed nowhere and everywhere, bridging the gap between reality and fantasy.

Each book in this library was an entire world, a universe formed by someone's imagination.

Each page contained a life created by a dreamer.

The Fantasy Library gathered these lives, these worlds, preserving them on its infinite shelves.

This was its purpose—to collect fantasies, transform them into books, and make the imaginary tangible, turning countless illusory realms into reality.

However, there was a problem.

"To make a fantasy world real, it must be experienced."

"A life imagined by others remains empty. Without real experience, fantasy is just fantasy—it can never become reality."

"Thus, from the moment the Fantasy Library came into existence, it needed an administrator—someone who would live out these imagined lives and experience these worlds firsthand."

That was why Erend had been chosen.

He was now the first administrator of the Fantasy Library.

"...I guess I've found my new job."

Before arriving here, Erend had been nothing more than a bookstore clerk.

His childhood had been filled with instability. His parents divorced when he was young, leaving him to be raised by his grandparents. When he finally reached college and became independent, they passed away.

His parents had long moved on with new families, leaving him adrift. He never quite belonged anywhere. So, he threw himself into his studies, working part-time jobs to sustain himself.

After graduating with a mediocre degree, he found himself among the countless fresh graduates who were unemployed the moment they left school.

Eventually, he found solace in a small bookstore, where he secured a job as a clerk. It wasn't much, but it gave him a sense of stability.

The last thing he remembered was organizing new book shipments in the store, working late into the night. He had fallen asleep among the shelves.

And now…

He was here.

"Well."

Stepping out of the fountain, Erend gazed at the endless starry sky. The brilliance of the stars reflected in his eyes.

"If reality was unsatisfactory… then I'll leave it behind."

"From now on, I am the administrator of the Fantasy Library."

"Exploring countless fantasy worlds, experiencing different lives… it sounds exciting."

Years of living independently had given Erend a remarkable ability to adapt.

Rather than question his fate, he embraced it.

And just as he did—

"Buzz—"

The unseen force descended once again.

Erend, now aware of the library's nature, understood that this was its way of communicating.

The Fantasy Library had no will of its own—no mind, no emotions. It was a set of rules, a force that acted only when necessary.

It spoke not through words, but through pure understanding, a knowledge that simply appeared in his mind.

And now…

[You have become the administrator of the library.]

[As an administrator, you are granted a gift—an ability most suited to you.]

[Upon completing each life experience, the library will reward you based on the depth and authenticity of your journey.]

[Commencing gift selection…]

Suddenly, the entire library changed.

A soft glow spread across the ground. The bookshelves shimmered, their books radiating dim or brilliant light. Even the starry sky above flickered with intensified brilliance.

Bathed in this radiance, Erend felt something stirring deep within him.

It expanded, grew, and then—

A single page emerged from his body, floating before him.

"What… is this?"

Erend watched in amazement.

The page absorbed the surrounding light and began to burn, its flames golden and bright.

As it was consumed, intricate golden lines materialized in the air.

They wove together, forming a complex, mysterious geometric pattern.

Then, the symbol shot forward—

And merged into Erend's body.

At that moment, instinct took over.

He understood.

This was his gift.

A power uniquely his.

And the beginning of his new