Awakening Story Prologue

**WARNING!** This page contains spoilers of the new Prologue that got introduced to the game on July 28th, 2021, as part of the game's Main Story, and its sequel Foreign Secret Records event series. If you want to avoid spoilers or possible confusion related to the game's Main Story, please do turn back.

*The first recollection was played automatically upon login to the game after 2021/11/01 maintenance up until 2021/12/02. Now the prologue is permanently available for reading in the game in **Office** (司書室) → **Register** (図鑑) → **Recollections Register** (回想図鑑). In the Recollections Register, open up the bottom tab **Awakening** (覚醒) → **Awakening Story Prologue** (覚醒ノ物語　序章). Starting from the second on the right are the three Awakening Story Prologue recollections.*

## Awakening Story Prologue 1

*Somewhere in the darkness...*

**Choice 1**

 Where am I...? ここは……？

*A starry night sky full of letters turns to a morning sky, and a mysterious gear appears before you...*

**Choice 1**

 A gear... 歯車が……

**Choice 2**

 A ring...? 指環……？

*There is darkness again, and you hear someone calling you...*

 ......Hellooo! ……………………………………おーい

 Wake up...... 起きて…………………………

 Ah, are you finally awake? あ、目が覚めましたか？

 \*Giggle\* You said something in your sleep. Did you see a weird dream or something? くくっ、なんか寝言を言ってたぞ。変な夢でもみたのかー？

 When we came here to check documents needed for procedures, you were sleeping soundly here...
We are sorry, but we had to wake you up. 手続きに必要な書類の確認に来たら、あなたがすやすや寝ていたので……
悪いですが、起こさせてもらいました

 Huh, your face looks quite pale. あれ、アンタ顔色がめっちゃ悪いぞ

**Choice 1**

 I feel dizzy... めまいが……

**Choice 2**

 I feel drowsy... 眠気が……

 Are you okay? 大丈夫ですか？

 Being busy and all, didn't you sleep well last night or something? 忙しくて昨日、あまり眠れなかったとか？

 If you are not feeling well, you should go have yourself checked up in the infirmary. 調子が悪いなら、補修室に行って診てもらったほうがいいですよ

**Choice 1**

 Yes. I will do tha--- うん。そうし……

*Your vision goes blurry, and soon all you see is black...*

 Hey, are you okay!? おい、だいじょうぶか！？

*To be continued...*

## Awakening Story Prologue 2

 Are you alright? I came to see you. 大丈夫か？　見舞いに来たぞ

 I heard you fainted and I got worried. I heard you aren't ill which I'm relieved about, however... 気を失ったと聞いて心配した。病気じゃないと聞いて安心したが……

 Mori-san was guessing what if it's due to overworking... But he didn't seem to be sure what is the exact cause. 森さんは過労じゃないかと言ってましたが……はっきりした原因はわからないんだそうです

 Certainly it might be because of overwoking... But it's not that you've been overdoing it since we defeated the boss of the Taints, right? 確かに働きすぎなのかもしれないけどさ……侵蝕者の親玉を倒してからはそうでもないじゃん

 Since when have you been feeling like this? いつからこの調子なんだ？

**Choice 1**

 Actually... 実は……

**Choice 2**

 Since a while ago... けっこう前から……

*You explain the situation to the others...*

 Huh. Since considerably long time ago dizziness and fatigue... As well as drowsiness... You say. ほう。かなり前から、めまいと倦怠感……そして眠気があった……と

\*appears\*

 Hey, all of you. We've got a guest. オイ、お前たち。客だぞ

 A guest? Who on earth... 客？　いったい誰が……

\*appears\*

 It's been a while. 久しぶりだな

 Wait a minute, it's you. What's with you coming here? おいおい、アンタ。ここまで来ていったいなんの用だ？

 I came to warn you. It's not only the writers being in danger... Special Duty Librarian, you are also in danger. 私は警告しにきた。文豪が危ない、それだけではなく……特務司書、お前もだ

 According to Faust, the reason why you passed out doesn't seem to be because of a bad condition. ファウストが言うには、お前が倒れたのはただの不調ではないらしい

 What do you mean that the writers and the Librarian are in danger? 文豪と司書が危ないというのは、どういうことだ？

 Let me explain everything in order. 順を追って説明しよう

 After the tainting incident, I was doing research on literature. There are few things I learned from that. 私は侵蝕者の事件の後、文学について研究していた。そこでいくつかわかったことがある

 As you may know, literature creates a notion... A world, when it's read by people and gains audience. 知っての通り、文学は人々に読まれ、親しまれることでひとつの概念……世界を作る

 And when a notion, that is a writer's soul, connects with that world...
That literary work becomes an ensouled book, and a door to this world opens. そこに、文豪の魂というひとつの概念がつながると
その文学作品は有魂書になり、現世へつながる扉が開く

 I learned that this is the mechanism how ensouled books come to be. The writers are transmigrated from those books. これが有魂書が生まれる仕組みとわかった。文豪はそこから転生しているのだな

 I see. We've transmigrated a plenty of writers, but the reason how literary works become ensouled books and how writers become transmigratable have been a mystery for a long time.
Thanks to you for making it clear, it's a big step for our research. なるほど。我々は多くの文豪を転生させてきたが、文学作品が有魂書になり、文豪を転生させられるようになる理由は長らく不明だった
それを明らかにしてくれたのは、研究に対する大きな一歩だ

 However, my talk doesn't end here. だが、話はここで終わらない

 By tainting literature, the Taints disturbed the balance of the world of souls and the world of literature. 侵蝕者が文学を侵蝕していたことで魂と文学の世界のバランスが崩れていた

 The world of literature is stable as you purified literature, but the world of souls is still unstable.
That instability is worsening with time. 文学はお前たちが浄化して安定したが、魂の世界は不安定なまま
その不安定さは時間とともに悪化している

 This is the reason why I came here. To tell you this fact. これが私がやって来た理由だ。この事実を伝えに来た

 I'm starting to understand what you are getting to... 話がみえてきたぞ……

 The writers are able to exist in this world because the Librarian constantly keeps using their alchemy powers. Am I right? 文豪がこの世に存在していられるのは常に司書がアルケミストの力を持っているから。そうだろう？

 ...Nyes. Just like I can exist in this world thanks to Chief Librarian's powers.  ……ああ。吾輩が館長の力でこの世界に存在しているようにな

 Because the world of souls is unstable, the Librarian's powers are under heavy burden.
And that is emerged as poor physical condition, is what you are trying to say? その魂の世界が不安定なことで、司書の力は酷使されている
それが体調不良に現れてしまっているのではないか

 That's right. As the world of souls is unstable, to keep transmigrating writers will require more power and it causes exhaustion. そうだ。魂の世界が不安定になっていることで転生し続けることにより多くの力を必要としてしまい、疲弊している

 If that supposition of yours is true, the Librarian won't get well as long as this problem remains unsolved. その仮説が正しければ、問題を解決しない限り司書は治らないということになるな

 Yes. If anything, the Librarian's alchemy powers itself might weaken, and it will be difficult for the writers to continue to exist in this world. ああ。それどころか司書のアルケミストの力自体が弱まり文豪がこの世に存在し続けることが難くなってしまうかもしれない

## Awakening Story Prologue 3

 Eeeh, Librarian and the writers are in danger! ええーっ、司書たちが危ないじゃん！

 It seems that the situation is grave indeed. It's a big help that Faust informed us about this, however... 事態は深刻なようですね。ファウストが知らせてくれたことは救いですが……

 Hey, is there anything we can do? なあなあ、なんとかならないのか？

 If the source of this all is that the world of souls is unstable, shouldn't it be enough if we stabilized it? 魂の世界が不安定だからってことが原因なら、安定させればいいのでは？

 You're right, but we alchemists can only tamper with literature... Man-made notions.
The only one who can tamper with a human soul, that are naturally-occurring notions, is the very owner of that soul. そのとおりですが、我々アルケミストは文学……人工の概念にしか干渉できません
人の魂という自然由来の概念に干渉できるのはその魂の持ち主だけでしょう

 In other words, do you mean that the writers themselves must do something about it? つまり、文豪自身がなんとかしないといけないってことですか？

 Yes. Fortunately, the world of literature and the world of souls are connected.
If the writers delve, they should be able to find a way to the world of souls. ええ。幸いなことに、文学と魂の世界は繋がっています
潜書すれば、たどり着くことができるでしょう

 However, that place is a very unknown world to us. I can imagine that it will be probably dangerous... だがそこは、我々にとっても未知の世界。危険であろうことは想像に難くない……

 How far can a writer go all alone...? Is this something that the writers can do anything about in the first place? 文豪ひとりで何処までできるか……そもそも文豪がなんとかできる話なのか？

 We don't know yet, but we just gotta try, right? Just like we've purified literature up until this day. わからないけど、やってみるしか無いんじゃないか。これまで文学を浄化したみたいにさ

 You're right. Both of you, can you go call the writers? そうだな。ふたりとも、文豪たちを呼んできてくれないか？

 Got it, we will try ask a few guys. わかった、何人かに相談してみるよ

*Aka and Ao hurry to go find some writers...*

 Are you nyot going to delve, Goethe? ゲーテは潜書しないのか？

 For the time being, I would like to devote myself to research as an alchemist.
I have faith in all the fellow writers. 私は、当分はアルケミストとしての研究に徹したいと思います
文豪の皆さんのことは信じていますから

 Another method than delving... Is now what I shall look for to save the Librarian. A way so that the writers, including myself as one source of this issue, wouldn't be dependent on the Librarian's powers. 今は、潜書とは別の手段……司書さんを救うために根本的な原因私を含め、文豪の方々が司書さんの力に頼らずにいられる手段を探そうと思うのです

 I agree. It will be also a big help to us if you could do that. そのとおりだな。我々としてもそのほうが助かる

 I will also help you. 吾輩も協力しよう

**Choice 1**

 Thank you. ありがとうございます

**Choice 2**

 Good luck. よろしくお願いします

 Special Duty Librarian, please do relax. We've got your back. 特務司書、君も安心してくれ。俺たちがついている

 The outstanding alchemists will give it their all. We will find means for sure. 凄腕のアルケミストたちが全力を出すんだ。必ず手立てを見つけるよ

*Aka and Ao found Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, who was brought to Chief Librarian's office...*

 I see, I understand the situation. なるほど、事情はわかったよ

 That being the case, I will do everything I can. So, where can I get to that world of souls? そういうことなら、僕は協力を惜しまない、その魂の世界にはどこからいけるんだい？

 Akutagawa, you will be delving into your own ensouled book. As soon as you've completed the preparations, please do head to investigate. 芥川、お前の有魂書に潜書することになるだろう。準備ができ次第、調査に向かってくれ

 We want to know what there is in that world. We rely on you. その世界に何があるのか、確かめたい。頼んだぞ

 ~The End of the Awakening Story Prologue~ ～覚醒ノ物語 序章 終～

*The story continues in Awakening Stories.*