A Rising Star of the City

Ch.41: Spider Bud

Monika: ...I'm not sure I'm ready. I've never fought like this before.

The words coming from the girl with a ponytail caused Yuri to sweat while averting her gaze to the side. She held the appearance of the chef from Pierre's Bistro, claiming that she felt more at ease using a small blade. The 'Why?' was never answered whenever it was brought up.

Monika, unlike her, wore a more casual outfit, Dalloc's more exactly.

When she was first told what the Library and its occupants were doing, the expression plastered on her was an almost perfect copy of Yuri's when she was informed. Her attempts to not partake in the receptions, unfortunately, were immediately ignored by the Director, who did not take the request kindly.

In the end, the girl was forced to accept her role alongside her old classmate and confront their opponent.

Yuri tried her best to reassure her but even she couldn't help but feel a wave of pressure against her shoulders, despite having an encounter with the Red Shoes before this battle. Both of them were clearly out of their expertise and their faces did not hide that fact in the slightest.

Next to them, Hod was standing her grounds as she wielded Salvador's blade. Finally, acting as a wall for the trio behind him, Angela's assistant held his sword with both hands.

Hod: I know this is a lot but let's do our best.

The Sephirah's words were trying to calm down her assistant librarians but were quickly tossed aside and left to vanish once both of them looked ahead. The former captain was the first to see it, followed by them and lastly the Patron librarian.

Standing opposite to them was a lone figure hunched over slightly. Their body was covered with dark webs. Their face was covered by the shadows of the barely illuminated world they were currently in, only revealing 2 pair of red eyes alongside a singular one where the forehead should be.

With the help of the brief light showing the librarians the many webs they were standing on, they could see spiders all gathered on the body of the unknown person.

The only part of them that stood out from the darkness was the short, pink hair filled with cobwebs.

To both the Patron librarian and the director's assistant, there was no doubt about it: it was the trapped employee, fully entranced by the Abnormality living inside the book. It wasn't the first time they faced something like this so it didn't shock them as much as it did for the remaining duo.

To them... the sight was an entirely different matter. Seeing the trapped librarian covered with eight-legged arachnids left them with clashing thoughts until one of them spoke out.

Monika: Natsuki?

Hod: ?

Y/N: ...I'm starting to see a pattern.

The faint mumbles of the ex-captain reached no one's ears as he maintained a combat pose. Behind him, the voice of the Sephirah who once worked for the Training team halted both girls in their track.

Hod: Please be careful, we should face her like we should with an Abnormality.

Her words seemed to be enough to make Yuri remember what she had to confront in order to rescue Monika. Her hands tightened around the knife she held.

The latter, on the other hand, couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt built up inside her. Sadly, thinking about it would not solve the issue they were in and so, with a sigh of resignation, she looked at the man standing in front of her.

Monika: You'll save her, right?

Y/N: That's the intention.

Without looking back, he replied before raising his sword in the air. The many eyes of the girl named 'Natsuki' by the assistant librarians immediately locked onto the weapon in her sight.