Co-Research with Chief Librarian ~Part Sixteen~/Story

## Introduction

 Aka, there's something I'd like to request. アカ、お願いしたいことがあるんですが

 What? That's rare of you to request me anything, Ao. へえ？アオが俺に頼みごとなんてめずらしいな

 Yes, but this is something I can only entrust to you. ええ、アカにしか頼めないことなんですよ

 You see... I'm looking for a book.
Could you help me to find it? 実は……探している本があるんです
一緒に探してもらえませんか

 A book? That's something the information desk can find you right away if you go ask them.
Why are you asking me? 本？そんなの、レファレンスに行けばすぐ見つけてくれるだろ
なんで俺に頼むんだよ

 Because the book I'm searching for is an alchemy book. 探しているのは錬金術の本なんですよ

 Someone has taken it and doesn't seem to have returned it to its shelf.
I thought about using it in my research. 誰かが持ち出したまま棚に戻していないみたいなんです
僕も調べ物で使いたいと思っていたんですが

 Sigh... I see. はあ……そういうことか

 Fine then, if that's the case, I'll help you find it. いいぜ、それなら一緒に探してやるよ

## Searching for the Book

 I wonder where that book could be. If it's not in the shelf, then...
Could it have been abandoned somewhere or something? 本、どこにあるのかなあ。棚に無いとすると……
どこかに置き去りになってるとか？

 But it's an alchemy book. People who could have taken it are limited. でも、錬金術の本ですよ。持ち出せる人は限られています

 The library is big and we've got too few clues. 図書館は広いし、手掛かりが少なすぎるぞ

\*appears\*

 Nnyah... ンニャ……

 Ah, Cat. So you're here. あ、ネコ。そこにいたのか

 ...What. You've got something with me? ……なんだ。なにか用か

 You seem to be in a bad mood as always. いつもより機嫌が悪そうですね

 Nyo, that's not the case. It's just so cold that I don't really want to move. いや、そうではニャイ。寒いので、あまり動きたくニャイだけだ

 Ahh, you're right. On a day like this, it's best to stay confined in a warm place. あ一、そうだよなあ。こんな日は、暖かい場所でじっとしておくに限るよ

 Should we ask Chief to raise the temperature inside the library? 館内の温度を上げてもらうよう、 館長に頼みましょうか？

 ...That would be nice. ……助かる

 Well then, before looking for the book, let's go to the Chief Librarian's office. では、本を探す前に館長室へ行きましょう

## Cat's Paw

 Chief, may we come in? 館長、今入ってもいいですか？

 Ooh, you two came at just a perfect timing. おお、二人とも良いところに来てくれたな!

 Crap... I've got a bad feeling about this... げっ……嫌な予感……

 Just now I've entered the most interesting part of writing out these documents... The Librarian is also helping me out.
But we're so busy we would ask even a cat to lend its paw. 今、ちょうど資料の作成が佳境に入っていてな……司書にも手伝ってもらっているんだが
猫の手も借りたいほど忙しいんだ

 Oh boy... Just as I thought. ああー……やっぱりな

 Understood. Let's help out Chief with his work. 分かりました。館長の作業を手伝いましょう

 Eh? But... え？でも……

 If we all do it together, we'll get done with it quickly. みんなでやれば、すぐ終わりますから

 You're a lifesaver! I'll make sure to pay back the debt. 助かる! 必ずこの借りは返すぞ

 Hmmmh... Well, I'm fine with that. う一ん……ま、俺はいいけど

 Ah, now I remember. Because there rained, the temperature inside the library seems to have dropped.
Cat was feeling cold. あっそうだ。雨が降り出したせいで、館内の温度が下がっているようです
ネコが寒がっていました

 Oh, is that so? I shall adjust the temperature then. Thanks for informing me, Ao. おお、そうか。室温を調整しておこう。助かるよ、アオ

## Cat's Help

 This isn't it... And not this one either...
Hmmh, where has it gone to? これも違う……これも……
うーん、どこ行ったんだよー

 Aka, please don't scatter around the books. Dust will start floating in the room. アカ、本を散らかさないでください。部屋に埃が立ちます

 Are you looking for something? 何か探し物をしているのか？

 Ao is looking for an alchemy book, you see.
The chances for it to be in Chief's office are high, because you read books the most in this library, right? アオが錬金術の本を探しているんだってさ
図書館で一番本読んでる館長の部屋にある可能性が高いだろ？

 Yes... And it's not here.
This why we came search here first. ああ……この部屋には無いですよ
一番最初に見に来ましたから

 I see, so you were in the middle of looking for a book, huh. Sorry for having you help me out with my work. そうか、探し物の途中だったのか。手伝ってもらって悪かったな

 It's fine. I wanted to see if the book could be under the documents, so we killed two birds with one stone. いえ。資料の下に埋もれている本がないか探したかったので一石二鳥でした

 Hmmmh... Where could it be... う一ん……どこにあるのかなあ……

\*appears\*

 Oi. おい

 Could the book you're looking for be this one? お前達が探している本というのは、これではニャイのか

 Ah... That's it, that's the book! あっ……そうです、この本です!

 What, were you reading it, Cat? なんだ、ネコが読んでたのかよ

 Nyo, it was aside the place where I was sleeping. いや、吾輩が寝ていた場所の傍に置いてあったのだ

 Good for you, Ao! 良かったじゃん、アオ!

 Yes. Thank you a lot, Cat. ええ。ネコ、有難うございます

 I do nyot need your thanks... I just paid back the debt from a while ago. 礼にはおよばニャイ……先程の借りを返しただけだ

 Thanks to you two, I also could finish my work. Shall we all take a break? 二人のお陰で、俺の仕事も終わった。みんなで休憩するか

 In that case, I'll go get some treats for Cat. それなら、ネコのおやつももらってきます

 ...Hm. This is nyot bad once in a while. ……ふん。たまには悪くニャイか