Library Wars: Book Of Memories (図書館戦争 BOOK OF MEMORIES)

Seika 32 (2021)

Musashino First Library, Tokyo

There was once a girl who really looked up to the Prince Charming who had once saved her.

So much so that she went again her parents' wishes and joined the same profession.

But as for who her Prince Charming was...

She can't remember the one most important thing: his face.

A normal person would at least remember his face.

Well, call that an idiosyncrasy of hers if you will...

Or would that be her weakness? Or simply her being bird-brained?

Bird-brained?

Birds barely remember things for three steps.

Sounds like someone else I know.

So? Did she find her Prince Charming?

She may have found him... Or maybe not.

The one thing she does remember is the feeling of his hand on her head.

And now she's found a hand that feels exactly the same.

What did you do? What have you done this time?

I didn't... I wasn't...

Liar. You're looking obviously suspicious.

This is how I normally look!

You idiot! Be careful!

Let go of me!

This must be the first time I've seen you get thrown with your guard down, Doujou.

Don't you have a clue? As to why Kasahara-san is acting so weirdly.

That's what I want to know. What the hell is up with her?

That's so silly.

I mean, what if...

I mean IF...

What if Instructor Doujou really is...

Really is the... You know... The one who saved me?

You know... What if?

Your Prince Charming?

I can't believe I've said such an embarrassing thing in front of him so many times!

Don't make fun of my Prince Charming!

Prince Charming?

Someone from the Library Defence Force saved me once.

He was super cool, just like an ally of justice!

I really respect him a lot, and I like him.

Ahhhh I want to die just remembering it! I want to kill myself!

Kill me now...

Before you die, why don't you ask him straight out?

I can't do that!

Then you just have to pretend to still be as clueless as you've been all along.

I mean, you might have gotten the wrong person...

Wrong person?

You don't even remember his face.

Are you sure you tell just based on the memory of how his hand felt?

Even if you say that...

So, when are you going to come clean about being the Defence Force member from back then?

She's come this far chasing after you, Doujou, without knowing so much as your face or your name.

She's braved your hellish training and sports a million bruises from working her ass off everyday.

Doujou, I wouldn't be surprised if even you found that chivalry of hers irresistible and...

The hell I would.

Don't even classify her as "female."

Even if you don't want to classify her as such, I think you might end up doing so all the same.

All the more now that she's physically closer to you.

It's not a matter of distance.

So it's a matter of...

Time?

96!

97!

98!

99! Go all the way down! All the way!

99!

99!

Next! Lunges!

I'll leave this to you.

Marie-chan.

Are you here to study?

I see.

93!

94!

96!

Kasahara!

Yes?

I promise I won't laugh at you or anything. Just get changed, right now.

They're here! From Ibaraki!

Long time no see!

They're Kasahara's parents. They came all of a sudden from Ibaraki.

Wh... Why... Why are you two here out of the blue?

She's too nervous.

What do you mean why?

Because you haven't come home even once since you started work, of course!

Ah... I've been busy with work.

How busy can a clerical job get?

Yeah, it is... Work is pretty tough...

Ah, I'm in a clerical post at the General Affairs Department.

The same department as Shibasaki over there.

Are you an idiot!? Since when were you in the General Affairs Department?

You've been in the Library Defence Force ever since you joined!

And the Task Force, too...

But they wanted to stop me from even joining the Library Corps at all...

If I told them I was in a combat-type occupation, they'd definitely oppose!

So I ended up lying that I was just a clerk...

Tell them the truth right away.

I can't. If they find out, they'll drag me home for sure.

That isn't something a self-respecting adult should say.

That's because you don't know my parents like I do, Instructor Doujou.

Nothing will come of your hiding things from them.

Sometimes, it's precisely because they're family...

That there are things we can't tell them, and things that they just won't understand.

Let's leave whether or not you should tell them the truth aside...

Why don't you have your parents join the library tour?

It'd be a good opportunity for them to learn more about the Library Corps, don't you think?

What?

Oh no, no, no...

I can't... I really can't.

In the first year of the Seika Era (1989),

A certain law was passed.

Seika 1 (1989)

It would later be known as a bad law of the times.

The Media Enhancement Act is Passed

That was the Media Enhancement Act.

It was a law meant to regulate any forms of media that violated human rights,

Or threw public order and morals into disarray.

This censorship law was enforced by the Media Enhancement Secret Service.

They were also known as the Media Enhancement Corps.

After the passing of the Media Enhancement Act, the Media Enhancement Corps began to take up arms in the form of guns.

They took up arms and enforced the censorship with an iron fist.

All forms of media were subjected to censorship,

And the people lost their freedom of expression and their right to knowledge.

In the midst of this, the ones that rose up

Were the libraries under local administration.

based off the real "Statement on Intellectual Freedom in Libraries" in Japan

They legislated the Library Freedom Declaration,

Seika 16 (2004)

The only organization who resisted censorship, The Library Corps, is established

And established the Library Corps.

They became the one and only organization that would stand against the Media Enhancement Corps' unfair censorship.

We do not fight for the sake of fighting.

We fight to protect.

Fire!

By protecting books, we protect the freedom of the people.

That's what the Library Corps is all about.

Essentially, one of the most basic tenets of human rights is intellectual freedom.

Libraries provide the facilities and resources for that very purpose.

The Library Corps believes that the Media Enhancement Act violates intellectual freedom,

And that's why we fight against the censorship by the Media Enhancement Secret Service.

Shibasaki-san is such a charming girl, isn't she?

The Library Corps is divided into the General Affairs Department, which handles day-to-day operations,

And the Library Defence Force, which is our self-defense force.

Furthermore, the Task Force is an elite squad consisting of

The best of the best from the various divisions of the Library Defence Force around the country.

Compared to the rest of the Library Defence Force,

The Task Force undergoes combat training of an entirely different rigour.

This Task Force must be a pretty rough bunch, huh?

Not really...

Although rare, there are times when censorship disputes occur during our library opening hours.

When that happens, library users are directed to take cover in our bomb shelter.

Such censorship disputes are strictly regulated by combat laws,

To ensure that no members of the public get injured.

So please do not worry.

The windows throughout the library are made of bullet-proof glass,

And are capable of withstanding even a shot from a long-distance rifle...

The Media Enhancement Corps have been causing many traffic interferences nationwide.

It seems there have even been instances of them seizing books that haven't been censored.

Let's put out a written protest. I'll contact the Library Association and let them know.

It might be good to use a joint signature to warn them not to mess around.

Please do that.

I somehow have a really bad feeling about their movements of late.

Me too, so I've sped up work on the establishment of that new department of ours.

Soon, huh?

It'll be our trump card against their sly tactics.

Not that it's a department we can openly talk about, given its nature.

Excuse me.

I'm doing some research... Could you tell me where the encyclopedias are?

Follow me, please.

What are you researching?

Book burning.

Book burning?

The burning of books?

Yes.

You never told Mum that you were working in such a dangerous place.

Well, the attacks never enter the library building itself, so...

Can't you get transferred to somewhere further in the backroom, where it's safer?

Everyone works at the same place, Shibasaki whom you saw just now, too.

Well, that's because Shibasaki-san is mentally prepared for it.

Excuse me.

Are you Doujou-san?

Iku's superior?

Yes.

Thank you for taking care of our daughter.

She's always writing in her letters about how she has a really respectable superior.

Hey, you didn't have to tell him that...

If you're about to go for your lunch now,

Why don't you join us?

Please don't stand on ceremony.

We just thought we'd come see our daughter's workplace since we were coming to Tokyo to sightsee.

So you'll be here for a while?

About 10 days.

10 days!?

What's with that loud voice! How disgraceful.

Hey, Iku... About your job at the library...

I know I shouldn't say this in front of your superior, but...

I really can't understand it.

I mean, they're just books. Why do you have to go so far for books that...

I...

I'm not working so that you'll understand me, Mum.

I'm working for myself.

You should always check the index first.