Forbidden Knowledge Vol.1 (Marisa Kirisame X Male Reader)

Chapter 33 - The Star-Crossed Lovers

In the heart of Alexandria lies the great Library, a realm beyond time and space, where the keepers of knowledge, power, and truth reside. Here dwell the Guardians of Alexandria—a select few, handpicked from different worlds and epochs. Their pasts are stripped away, leaving behind only a husk of duty. Memories, feelings, and personal desires—all purged. What remains is a vessel of pure purpose, a servant devoted to a singular cause: to preserve the sanctity of the Library and its secrets for all of eternity.

The Guardians are tasked with one absolute mission: to prevent the ten Forbidden Tomes from ever being brought together. These ancient books, each holding unimaginable power, threaten the very fabric of existence. If gathered, they could break the seal that binds the void, unleashing chaos that would unravel reality itself. And so, the Guardians' vigil remains unbroken, ensuring that the seal stays intact, even if it means sacrificing all they are and ever were.

The rules of being a Guardian of Alexandria are simple:

Duty and Purpose. Nothing else matters, and nothing else may interfere. A Guardian's life is dedicated to the Library's preservation, no matter the cost.

Never question the task. The reason behind each mission is not for the Guardian to understand. They are to act without hesitation, without doubt, and deviation.

And the most important rule of all:

Never fall in love. For love brings the risk of defiance, of turning away from duty. It opens the door to thoughts and feelings that distract from purpose. Love is the path to forgetting the sacred charge, a temptation that could lead a Guardian astray, disrupting the balance they are sworn to protect.

The Guardians are not to seek companionship, not to indulge in longing, not to remember the sweetness of affection. To fall in love is to betray their sacred vows, to abandon the path of duty for which they were chosen.

For a Guardian of Alexandria, love is the one forbidden fruit that must never be tasted. It is a bond that can break the seal of their resolve and doom all that they are sworn to protect.

****

The world spun around me, a dizzying blur of colour and sensation. My body felt heavy, my limbs like lead as I lay on the cold ground, stunned by the red light that had struck me. Instinctively, I raised my arms to shield myself from what I expected to be a follow-up attack. But nothing came. Silence.

Slowly, I moved my arms aside, my vision clearing just enough to make out a figure standing over me. A girl—no, a rabbit girl—dressed in a suit jacket, shirt, and tie with a matching skirt. The most striking feature, though, was her long, twitching rabbit ears, standing tall atop her head. Her glowing red eyes pierced into me, and for a moment, it felt like the world was spinning again, making me sick to my stomach.

She pointed her finger directly at me, a sharp accusation in her gaze. "What have you done with all the missing? Talk, culprit!" Her voice was sharp, commanding, and filled with suspicion.

Before I could even respond, Marisa slid around the corner, her Mini Hakkero in hand, aimed right at the rabbit-eared girl. "Not another step, Reisen!" Marisa's voice was steady but filled with urgency. "Let Y/N go!"

The girl, Reisen, paused, her finger still pointed at me, but she shifted her eyes toward Marisa. "Marisa Kirisame... I should've known you'd be involved in this. Is this one of your experiments gone wrong? Did you make everyone at Eientei vanish so you could steal whatever you wanted without resistance?"

Marisa scoffed, clearly insulted. "You think I'd stoop that low? Please! Y/N and I are investigating the incident, not causing it. Do you really think we have the power to wipe entire places off the map and take out big players like that?"