Silvia loved reading. That was common knowledge.

Whenever the sun dipped toward the vast, endless sea, Silvia would sit quietly alone in the empty courtyard. She’d open a book she’d spent the morning hunting for—one that sparked her interest.

Today, in the deepest, dustiest corner of the long-abandoned imperial library basement, Silvia found a yellowed old book thick with grime.

Its title was *Who Knew I’d Be This Kind of Hero!*

—A strange title.

That was Silvia’s first thought when she spotted it and pulled it from the dust.

Curiosity. Doubt. Novelty.

She blinked, gently brushing dust off the cover with her clean little hand, then blew lightly.

“Cough… cough…”

Dust swirled up; Silvia coughed twice. Once it settled, she opened the book in the dim, deserted grand library of Loinsbergen—the former Hitchcock Empire capital, abandoned since the great war.

After skimming two or three chapters, disappointment filled Silvia’s expressionless face.

—Silly nonsense, zero depth. How could this book be in the empire’s greatest library? Did they accept anything?

—Truly disappointing.

She prepared to close *Who Knew I’d Be This Kind of Hero!* and leave the basement for better, profound books upstairs.

But, as if bewitched, her gaze drifted back to it.

Only because the protagonist mirrored a boy from her memories.

—Maybe… I should try reading on?

Silvia scanned the room, spotting a relatively bright spot—a bottom bookshelf, empty but dust-coated, just like the book.

No one visited the basement; that’s why dust clung everywhere.

She walked over, pulled a handkerchief from her pocket.

Bent down, blew away piled dust, then wiped the shelf clean. Once decent, Silvia sat right there and opened her book.

Time flew; night fell in a blink.

A kerosene lamp now sat beside Silvia. By afternoon, skylight had dimmed too much. She’d scoured the whole library for this barely working lamp to keep reading.

Page by page, sheet by sheet—until she flipped the final cover. Silvia froze. The book was finished.

She looked up at the pitch-black sky through the skylight. Deep night had come.

Head bowed, she quietly packed her things.

The grimy handkerchief. The nearly spent kerosene lamp. The small stash of sweets and juice she’d brought.

—Silvia adored juice and sweets.

And the book, *Who Knew I’d Be This Kind of Hero!*

Once packed, she shouldered her bag, cradled the book, and left the library basement—and the grand library itself.

The silent, empty library square. The desolate, abandoned flower beds. Tiny Silvia walked alone under moonlight. But after a few steps, she stopped. A woman stood nearby.

Even at this hour, she wore formal attire.

A glittering imperial crown on her head. A robe of purple, gold, red, and white draped her shoulders. Magic stone rings adorned her fingers. At her waist hung the imperial sword—the symbol of supreme authority.

Violet hair. Violet eyes. Kianna Heinkeksfield, highest ruler of the new Sornton Empire—the Violet Orchid Empress—stood alone, unguarded, right before Silvia.

Silvia’s eyes flickered. She lowered her head, silently preparing to pass by like a stranger.

“The book in your hands…”

Silvia halted.

“Could I borrow it to read?”

The Violet Orchid Empress spoke.

Silvia hesitated. She glanced at the book she held—the one from the basement—then at the Empress’s beautiful face, so close.

Memories of happy times surfaced. Passages from the book echoed her, the Empress, and him.

“Can’t… you let me see it…”

“…No…”

“Then…”

“…Here…”

Halting words. Clumsy grammar. Silvia handed the book over with both hands.

The Violet Orchid Empress took it one-handed, surprised.

“*Who Knew I’d Be This Kind of Hero!*… Another Hero’s tale? Why haven’t I seen it?”

Silvia shook her head.

“…Not… a Hero… but… an ordinary… boy…”

She spoke brokenly. Years of practice still left her struggling for full sentences. But with his help, she could finally make herself clear.

Silvia paused, then continued.

“…His… profession… is Hero… but… I… don’t think he’s a Hero… More like… a normal… boy… an ordinary person…”

“He just… has to do it… because of his job…”

“…Bothering… helping others…”

“But isn’t a Hero meant to solve others’ troubles?” The Violet Orchid Empress’s eyes clouded with confusion.

Silvia shook her head again.

“…But…”

She started to speak, then fell silent.

Kianna frowned, puzzled, as if searching for words.

What was she thinking?

Kianna didn’t know. Maybe not even Silvia did.

Silvia only felt an unspeakable emotion clogging her heart, making it ache.

“…Sigh…”

She sighed, then spoke.

“…The protagonist’s… name…”

“Rogied Diflute.”

Kianna stood frozen, gripping the heavy book. Her hands trembled. Her eyes dimmed; she bit her lip.

“…So coincidences exist… Another Hero. Another ‘Rogied Diflute’… Silvia, tell me—the ending? Did he leave the one he loved… or stay?”

Kianna’s gaze burned with hope. She prayed for the latter.

But.

Silvia shook her head—firmly.

Kianna clenched her fist, arm rising high, ready to hurl the book into the ruined flower bed—to erase it forever.

A hand caught her wrist.

Kianna looked down. Her old friend stood on tiptoe, stopping her.

“…This book… has no ending…”

“…No ending? Why?”

“Because…” Silvia’s face twisted in pain.

“Because… it went paywalled. I didn’t have… premium coins…”

Kianna: “…”

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