Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 82: Phenomenal Possibility

"―Want a drink?"

Receiving swift affirmations from the two, I brought them their desired beverages before resuming the consumption of my own sandwich.

Then, with a great sigh, Mia murmured.

"You know, it's so crazy, but it makes me wonder if it means there's a higher chance of finding some cool power with this thing..."

Everybody turned to Mia at the utterance, who glanced at the rest of us in turn and continued.

"Hey, since it's so hot, do you think it'd be a power related to fire? There are people who can summon flames and things like that, right, so is that how they got it? Or is that not how it works?"

"...I mean, maybe. Researchers have done a lot of studies on that, but I don't know."

It's inconclusive due to poor consistency, but supposedly, there floated such an idea that certain supernatural phenomena can induce a spike in people awakening special powers or a higher frequency of magical creatures appearing in the affected area.

And there was a similar theory that the Awakened obtained powers related in some way to whatever it was that made them Awaken.

It made sense. However, strictly speaking, it was pure conjecture.

Still, it had some basis in the fact that magical creatures and supernatural phenomena were proven to be more common in areas with heightened levels of magical activity.

Such areas are classified as regions of high 'magical frequency'―something that refers to how often such phenomena occur within a given area. I think.

Around the time when I found that magical critter, there were no supernatural phenomena that occurred in this region, though, at least not to my knowledge.

In that case, I was extraordinarily lucky.

However, because this heatwave is a product of something unnatural, it could certainly turn out to be the case that even more magical creatures or people with supernatural powers start emerging... If that was the case, and those Awakened people or creatures turned out to have powers related to fire or heat, then I guess it might not be a coincidence.

'I guess that's something we'll find out once the heatwave subsides. Well, either way, it doesn't affect me.'

I would have definitely wanted to get a power like that before, but now that I have the Library and the Protection Service, I don't really need it.

Of course, that's not to say that having a supernatural power wouldn't be nice, but I'm not going to be overly greedy about it.

Well, I didn't even know if it was possible to Awaken twice to begin with.

That wasn't even to mention the Blessing I already had which might restrict me somewhat.

And, besides...

'I still have a long way to go with this as it is. I don't need more powers to keep track of and worry about.'

Wasn't there a saying about one kick practiced ten-thousand times being better than ten-thousand kicks practiced once, or something like that? Anyway, it was that kind of thing.

Unsurprisingly, many Challengers preferred to keep their abilities confidential, so I couldn't speak for those who who climbed the Tower, but even out of all the bizarre powers I have heard of, there has never been one comparable to mine.

My ability to enter the Library―or perhaps more precisely, the Mark that provides me with such an Authority―is truly a one-of-a-kind thing.

At least, that's the sort of feeling I get from it.

Not to mention the fact that, according to the Librarian, we're the only ones doing this kind of absurd job. No one else is doing our work, and that means it's something only I get to monopolise.

I was reluctant and cynical at the beginning... well, I was kidnapped to another world and forced to kill someone to escape, so of course I would be, but I've quickly come to realise and appreciate just how powerful this opportunity I have is.

At this point, there was not a bone in my body that even cared if such capitulation was a result of Professionalism's influence.

I don't need another power.

Right.

I think I'll stick with my current job.

❖─────☆☆☆☆☆─────❖

Gazing blankly at the Status screen before me, a wide smile floated onto my face.

"Ah... finally..."

Enki Valentine | Operations Coordinator

General Physical Ability - Mediocre

General Magical Ability - Nonexistent

Spiritual Synergism - Nonexistent

Protagonists Dispatched : 4

Skills : [Sneak (Level 1)]

Traits : [Professionalism], [Charismatic]

Blessings : [Authority of the Library of Illusory Worlds (Tier Two)], [Grace of the Mother of the Winter Moon]

After three months of daily calisthenic training in Drakon-Rasa and a week of exercising in the university campus' gym on Earth, I finally did it.

My General Physical Ability――has increased to 'Mediocre'.

It certainly left a lot to be desired, but it was unmistakable progress.

Following my return, I did some research and found out that I should have been seeing results in two to three months, so I think it wouldn't have taken as long if I knew what I was doing with my exercises in Drakon-Rasa, but oh well.

Also, though I said one week of going to the gym on Earth, it was actually only a few days―I still needed rest, after all, and some days I was so tired there was no point going. At least the fact I was going with Sami made it easier to bear.

In any case, now that I've reached my goal, I think I can take it easy for a while.

"Hey, d'ya hear?"

While I was resting, Sami, who had momentarily disappeared, approached with a smirk.

"What's up?"

"I heard it from some guys by the lockers. Apparently there's a guy on campus who's Awakened."

Naturally, my eyes widened at the claim.

The possibility of someone Awakening or stumbling across something supernatural was only mentioned the other day, but has something like that really happened?

"What, really? Is that confirmed?"

"Nope. I asked, but they said it's only a rumour. There was a fire in one of the student dorms, and supposedly it was caused by someone's powers. I guess, because it was a fire, people think it's related to the insane heatwave going on."

Hearing that, my excitement immediately cooled.

"Oh. Isn't it just someone who's really bad at cooking then? The fire alarms in the student dorm blocks go off all the time."

It would be a lie if I said I wasn't at least a little bit disappointed.

After all, even if I had gained a physics-defying power myself in the form of this job, I still had never seen someone with real supernatural powers on Earth, not with my own eyes. That's why, I would have liked to believe that there really was someone who Awakened that kind of power in our own university, but well, the likelihood was exceedingly low.

A fire in the student dorms?

Just because there was a magical heatwave recently, it doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Chances are, it's just someone who doesn't know how to cook. Like me.

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There's no need to blow things out of proportion and be so conspiratorially-minded, now.

'Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. I just thought it might be cool to see someone like that... Even if someone did Awaken, I probably wouldn't meet them.'

In any case, three weeks remained until I returned home, and there was no need to concern myself with unrelated or irrelevant matters.

I've been feeling great recently, and now that my Physical Ability has increased, I could even consider myself over the moon.

So, the best thing to do is simply continue on as usual.

Isn't that right?

❖─────☆☆☆☆☆─────❖

One day, whilst I was eating dinner in the Library, something occurred to me.

"Librarian. About the creation of Illusory Worlds and Protagonists―I asked you before, but you said you couldn't answer due to lacking Authority. Is that the same even now I'm at Tier Two?"

Unblinkingly-- or rather, without hesitation, she responded.

"Certainly! My answer remains the same. My apologies..."

Since I more or less expected it, I wasn't disappointed. Nodding, I continued.

"That's fine, but can I at least ask you when I might be able to find out?"

Tilting her head as she swayed around on her stool as usual, she put on an exaggerated frown.

"My apologies, I'm afraid I cannot say! All those sorts of enquiries can only be answered by the Spirit of the Illusory Library... As for when you might be able to meet them... it will most likely be when your Authority increases to Tier Three. We will require that much World Stability, after all!"

For the first time, I had received such important news.

"Really? That means it shouldn't be too long..."

'It took three Dispatches to raise from Tier One to Two, so would it take another three to raise from Two to Three? Maybe four or five, but I can't imagine it taking any more than that.'

In response to my mutter, her frown inverted and she twirled around, waving her arms.

"Certainly! After recruiting you, Enki, the Illusory Spirit was depleted of energy and went into a sort of catatonic hibernation! Every time you successfully complete a Contract, a small portion of the World Stability absorbed by the Library is converted into mana, which is used to sustain the Spirit!"

"Oh, I see. So, by the time I achieve Tier Three Authority, enough World Stability should have been accumulated for the Spirit to recover to the extent where it can hold a conversation?"

"Certainly, yep!"

'I see... does that also mean, the more Contracts I clear of higher Difficulty, the quicker the Spirit will be revitalised? Since they'll provide more World Stability upon completion. Maybe it would only take one or two Dispatches then, depending on which Contracts I cleared.'

At least, it only made sense to me that higher Difficulty Contracts would have Protagonists that have been syphoning World Stability for much longer, if that was truly how the rewards worked.

Nodding, I resumed eating for a short while before pausing and turning to the Librarian again.

"What about the Tower? Can you tell me anything about that?"

My tone as I asked was nonchalant―I didn't expect the Librarian to have an answer for me, and the reason I never asked a question like this so directly before now was simply because I never saw this Library and the Tower to be related.

Still, I couldn't deny that such a possibility had been on my mind recently.

So, throwing that random question out there without any expectations, I turned right back to my food.

"My apologies, but I do not possess the required Authority to answer this question for you either."

However, the answer that left her lips stopped me.

"...What?"

Staring at her half-obscured, apologetic face, gazing right into the centre of that blindfold of hers, I asked the Librarian with unblinking, widened eyes.

For some reason, she was no longer bouncing about with joy.