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

## Introduction

 Oh, good you came. Sorry, but I'd like to entrust you with another job.
This is a part of a collection that a certain collector gathered over many years. おお、よく来てくれたな。すまないが、また仕事を頼みたいんだ
これは、とある収集家が長年かけて集めたコレクションの一部だ

 Due to certain circumstances, some rare books got disposed and we had them donated to us.
I was gonna get to work on unsealing the box just now, but... I just got an urgent call.
Could I get you to deal with it? 事情があり手放すことになった稀覯書（きこうしょ）を寄贈してもらえることになってな
箱の開封作業を始めたところだったんだが……先ほど急な呼び出しがあったんだ
本の手入れを引き継いでもらえるだろうか

\*appears\*

 Achoo... Achoo!
...You haven't finished speaking with them yet? クシュン……クシュン！
……まだ話は済まないのか

 Oh, Cat. Sorry for making you wait.
What's the matter, caught a cold? おお、ネコ。待たせて悪いな
どうしたんだ、風邪をひいたのか？

 Nyo, seems the book smell is assaulting my nyose.
I'll head outside first. いや、どうも本の匂いが鼻を刺激しているようだ
吾輩は先に外に出る

\*appears\*

\*appears\*

 These books are all pretty darn old.
Check it out Ao, this one looks super fancy and expensive. これ全部、相当古い本だな
見ろよアオ、これなんかすごく高そうだ

 Wow, it does. It's inside of its own paper box.
I've never seen the name of this publisher it was sent from, either. 本当だ。紙箱に入っていますね
発行元の出版社も、見たことのない名前です

 You two better be careful with those.
Those documents are important and rare enough to be priceless, okay? ２人とも、大切に扱ってくれよ
代えのきかない貴重な資料だからな

 You've sure got a lotta requests with this order.
We'll take care of things for ya, so get the heck outta here, Chief! 注文が多いなあ
俺たちが手入れしておくから、館長はちゃちゃっと行ってきてくれよ

 Yes. And please don't forget the presents. はい。お土産を忘れないでくださいね

 Ah yes, no need to worry, I'll take care of those.
Have at it, fellas. ああ、それなら任せておけ！
それじゃあよろしく頼むぞ

## First Edition

 Although the books are old, the spine and page edges are relatively unharmed.
They seem to have been taken very good care of. 古い本の割に､背も小口もほとんど痛んでいません
大事にされていたみたいですね

 Uwah, these books are like 100 years old, apparently.
How did they even get their hands on these? うわー､これなんか100年前の本だ
よく取ってあったなぁ

 No matter how well they were kept, they're still made of paper, so it's impossible for them to avoid degradation over time.
I usually want clean ones at hand so I would buy new ones. 大事にされていたとはいえ､紙で出来たものですから､経年劣化は避けられませんね
僕ならきれいなものを手元に置いておきたいので買い換えますが

 Eh? These are from the first print?
Wow, there are people who go out of their way to collect them. え?　これは初版本?
ふーん､わざわざ集めてる人もいるんだ

 Is there a high value placed on the books which were first printed with movable type? 最初に活字になった本に高い価値があるんですか?

 We wouldn't know the difference, so.
Let's ask Chief when he gets back. 俺たちには違いがわかんねーから
館長が戻ってきたら聞いてみるか

 Yeah.
Before that, let's finish maintaining the books. そうですね
その前に本の手入れを終わらせておきましょう

## The Appeal of First Editions

 I'm back. Oh, that mountain of books somehow got all cleaned up. Good work, everyone. 戻ったぞ｡お､山積みだった本がすっかり片付いているな｡みんなよく頑張ってくれた

 Seems the air's also been cleared.
...I can finally be at peace. 空気の入れ換えは済んだようだな
……やれやれやっと落ち着ける

 Hey, Chief.
Do you know about first prints? One of the books we were organizing was one of those. なあ､館長
館長は初版本って知ってる?　整理してた本の中にあったんだけどさ

 Really, so the donated books were first prints.
It's a very precious document, the people who come to this library will be pleased with it. そうか､寄贈してもらった本は初版本だったのか
貴重な資料だ､図書館へ来る人たちが喜ぶなあ

 Why would they be delighted? どうして喜ぶんですか?

 Because first prints are very special.
The binding, illustrations, type, all the writer's preferences are incorporated into them. 初版本は特別なものなんだ
装幀､挿画､印字の具合にも､作者のこだわりと工夫が詰まっている

 So that's why some people go out of their way to collect them. だからわざわざ集めてる人がいるのか

 This book had a paper attached to it that said "a dedication" on it.
I wonder if this was handwritten by the author. この本には｢献呈｣と書いた紙が付いていました
これは作者の手書きですね

 That's an unexpected treasure!
Even the items stuck in between the pages are full of important memories.
Let's save that piece of paper, as well. それは思わぬお宝だな!
頁の間に挟み込まれた付属物にも､大事な思い出が詰まっているものだ
その献呈紙も保管しておこう

## Memories of Books

 With that, all the books have gone onto the bookshelves. さて､これですべての本が本棚に入ったな

 The first edition publications have also been stored in the archives. 初版本も書庫に入れておいたぜ

 So that some of the books will be able to be viewed by visitors to the library, we put them in cases.
I hope they are pleased by them, just like Chief Librarian said. いくつかの本は､来館者に見てもらえるように
ケースに入れておきました
館長の言うように喜んでもらえるといいですね

 Oi, seems like a new delivery just came earlier. おい､先ほどなにか荷物が届いていたぞ

 What did you say? Did you receive it? なんだって?　ネコが受け取ったのか

 Nyo. There's nyo way a cat like me could.
The Special Duty Librarian received it. いや｡吾輩が受け取れるわけがニャイだろう
特務司書が受け取った

 Oh, you brought it to the room
The sender is... the person who donated the books.
Were there still books left? おお､君が部屋に届けてくれたんだな
送り主は……本を寄贈してくれた方だ
まだ本が手元に残っていたのか?

 Nah, this is a box of sweets! いや､でもこれお菓子の箱だぜ

 After donating books, they went to the trouble of donating a gift as well?
I wonder why. 本を寄贈してくれた上､わざわざ贈り物をして下さったんですか?
どうしてでしょう

 This card was attached.
"I am so glad there is a place that will host my grandfather's collection.
I would be happy if people visiting the library could enjoy them." こんなカードがついていた
｢祖父のコレクションを引き継いでくれる場所が見つかってよかった
図書館を訪れる人に楽しんでもらえれば嬉しい｣

 Ah. The owner was concerned about the strange books. あー｡持ち主が変わった本の事を心配していたんだな

 Chief Librarian was saying it's the duty of a library to hold on to old books from the past. 過去の資料を引き継いでいくのも図書館の役割だと､館長も言っていましたね

 Yeah, that won't change even in the future, I'd say.
Now then, we've finished a good day's work. ああ､それはこれからも変わらないだろう
さて､ひと段落したし､今日はこの辺にしておこうか

 Alright, then it's fine to open this box, right?
Inside is... Madeleines! I'll go pour us some black tea. やった､じゃあこの箱も開けていいよな
中身は……マドレーヌ!　俺が紅茶を淹れてきてやるな

 Alright, then I'll clear the desk and bring the tea set. じゃあ､僕は机を片付けて､ティーセットを運びますね

 You worked hard as well, so let's have some snacks. 君もご苦労だったな｡さあ､お茶の時間にしよう