CHAPTER: One shot

Quest in a book.

'Today too I would be late.'

While thinking along with the line of thought I was rushing across the road , then hearing a loud horn from truck I tried to avoid gettting hit but........

"Abed , Abed, ABEDDD!!!!!! "

I was startled by the voice of a guy screaming at the top of his lungs.

"what are you daydreaming for in the middle of the street?" 

Another guy beside him asked.

"N-nothing in particular." I replied awkwardly.

"Gosh it's been two months since you have been acting this way. I know that losing memory can make things awkward for you to talk to us but, it's already been two months. Enough time to even make a total stranger your best pal."

I didn't replied to his words and just kept smiling. Well yeah two months might be enough time to make a stranger your friend, but when I look at them I do not get the feelings of being a stranger from them but a feeling of loss.

"So.... like wanna come over my house to play video games?"

The loud guy asked.

Well what was his name again....ah! Iurik.

"A-ahh, sorry Iurik but I gotta go to the library to complete my studies."

"Man up a bit Abed there is still a month and half left for exams. Well since you did miss the first semester you gotta try hard." The other guy said with a smile.

"Hey Toru you got no right to teach Abed even he got a more completed notes compared to your." Iurik said, givin Toru a reality check."Ah, well sorry about that Abed see you tomorrow." 

After those two left I went towards the public library to get some guide books.

"Good afternoon Abed. Are you here again to read books for free." The old librarian playfully scolded me. 

"Ummm...can I borrow the usual books." I asked.

The librarian pushed up her glasses and replied "Ah, it's on the table at the far left corner of the library. Apparently somebody was also freeloading from our 'charity book centre' like somebody and forgot to keep it in it's proper place."

'You didn't had to reply so sarcastically though' I complained inwardly.

"Thanks old lady." I left for the table after getting the information.

† †† † †† †

'Ummm....isn't the book a bit too light'

I opened the book and to my sheer horror the book was hollowed fromm the centre ........with a letter placed inside it.

"THE FUCK IS THIS ???!!!!!!" I screamed in panic then received a slap on the back of my head.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SHOUTING DURING BUSINESS HOUR ?!" A young girl around my age was screaming at the top of her lungs while holding a thick book, big enough to make a normal person cross Jordan river if hitted with enough force.

'Wait did she slammed this thing on my head ?'

When I didn't replied she started to panick. "Wa-wait did I hitted him a bit too hard? Hey are you alright......hey reply back if you are alright."

"Uh-ah. Wait wah...what happened?" When my system started working again I saw myself being slapped on my cheeks ......too late they were already swollen red.

"Ah you are fine, don't make me panic for no reason."

"It would have been better if you hadn't slapped my cheeks till they were swollen red."

"If you are fine then let's go to business, why were you shouting so loudly in the middle of the library ?"

'You were shouting more loudly than I was.'

"Ummm...you see the guide I was going to borrow was hollowed with a letter inside it, so I was just sho-"

"WHAT ?!! Letters, oh my, a secret love affair in library. So that's why the book was not kept in the correct place.........."

She didn't even let me finish and started writing her own stories about someone having love talks in library.

"So since we found that letter let's read it."

"UH!!!! Are you insane. Don't you know about privacy." I was clearly shocked by her mention of reading the letter. Umm...but well, I was also curious. Aghhh.....it's the fault of the person who kept the letter in the book. Ah, yes I am completely innocent.

I reluctantly opened the letter and was both confused and disappointed.

 “ IT's A QUEST FOR YOU, A QUEST FOR ME.

Well gratz if you found this letter now listen .....oh sorry read properly this quest will help you resolve your unanswered questions. How about it exciting isn't it? So read well.

Task: Find the 'Tsundoku' stash of the librarian.

Difficulty: Easiest.

Hint:Her daughter is standing beside you reading this letter like it's a map for new adventure.”

I paused reading the letter and looked beside me to see the phyco girl who hitted my head and slapped my cheeks.

"Umm... By any chance are you the librarian's daughter ?"

"Ah, yes, why do you ask thought ?"

BOOM!!! BOOOM!!!!

I could hear bomb blasting in my brain. Well, that sure was a coincidence. Now let's continue reading.

“After completion it's the reward time yaaaaaayyyyy!!

Reward: Picture album among the pile of books.

            I hope you enjoy.”

"Uh ?"

"Uh ?"

I was confused, that's it ? It can't be right ?

"Hey yo...... Ummm?"

"Reika."

"Uh ?"

"My name you dumbo."

"Oh! Reika may I know what is this umm.... Tsundoku stuff."

"Well it's collecting books but not reading them."

"Ah, umm.... Can I look at your mom's Tsundoku stash wait it's called stash right. So can I check." 

'Wait ? Why the hell am I all of a sudden like this ? It's not like we are friends, heck I even found her name only just now.'

"Ok, sure why not."

"Huh"

"Wanna check or not ?"

"Yes ma'am."

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

*********

It was a dark basement like room filled with old books. Soon we reached a room with label

«New books» .

'This might...no this is the place.'

"How long has it been since I entered this room." While Reika was going through flashback, I entered the room. I was flabbergasted by the scene in front of me.

"WOAH! What is this place ?"

The place was full of books cleanly organised.

"Cool, right ?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, no more time to waste let's find the picture album."

Ah, almost forgot.

One hour later.....

"Arghhhhh !!!! Where is the picture album."

Before she started to go berserk I consoled.

"Now, now it not like this room is small in size we still have many bookshelf left."

I was resting while taking support on a nearby wall.

CREAK.

'umm what was that ?'

I checked the wall some more and realised that the wall was hollow. I checked some more and saw a cabinet door hidden by paint.

On the other side of the door was a pile of book in side boxes.

SIZZLE!!! SIZZLE!!!!

The letter in my pocket started heating up. I thought it was my hallucinations at first then....

"Argghhh!!"

"Hey what happened ? Are you okay ? Of course you are not, but just in case."

I took out the letter from my pocket which was currently sizzling hot. The letter as soon as it left my hand started to float, the words written previously started to vanish and new words were being written.

“CONGRATS FOR COMPLETING THE FIRST QUEST!!!!!!

REWARD FOR COMPLETION HAS BEEN SUMMONED PLEASE CHECK THE AREA FOR THE REWARD!!!!!”

'Thats it?'

"Hey what are you doing, can't you read the message about searching the reward from this pile of books."

I was dumbfounded by her words. "Can't you see the paper just floated and the contents were edited real time, how can you not be shocked?!"

"Well don't this kind of thing normally happens in novel and all, why should I be shocked?"

'Yup this lady was not normal at all.'

After accepting that this lady was in a whole another chunni level we started looking for the reward.

"Normally the reward from the hunt in video games would be glowing unless someone picked it up, so search for a glowing book."

After looking around a bit I found a picture album among the pile of books that was glowing.

"FOUND IT!!" I shouted.

"Ah it looks pretty, fast open it."

"Uhhhhhh, why me?"

"Well normally there might be a trap, like mimic and since I am a fragile and weak little girl, you a strong man should do it, right?"

'Fragile and weak little girl. My ass, you must be stronger than me by two folds seeing how you can easily lift three boxes full of books in one go.'

Still I opened the book as I didn't wanted my head to be slapped.

As I opened the book the floating letter got edited again.

“REWARD DISTRIBUTION IS UNDER PROGESSS.

*

*

*

*

*

*

REWARD DISTRIBUTION COMPLETED.”

The moment I opened the book a fragment of a large chunk of memory started to flood in.

- Introduce yourself.

- Hello everyone I am Abed, I became 11 year, my hobby is singing (though I am a terrible singer.) and my favourite subject is literature. I hope we can be good friends.

The flood of memory gave me a huge shock. Soon my vison started to get blurred. I heard Reika voice asking what happened, she looked more panicked than before, before loosing consciousness I looked at the picture album there was a single picture there in one the first page. A picture of me, a lady and a man standing in front of my school, there was something written below the picture

 « Introduction in new school ».

In that picture I looked happy. Soon darkness covered my vision.

*********

When Abed was opening the picture album suddenly information unknown to me came to my head. 

'How can this be possible?'

When I looked towards Abed I felt something strange, as he was muttering something while looking at the picture album. Then he collapsed like before, no this time he was having a seizure.

*********

When I woke up I was confused wondering what happened. My head was hurting like somebody hitted it with iron rod.

"Ah, you are awake."

"Where am I?"

" In my room, you just collapsed while having seizure. After calming down the seizure I brought you to my room."

"Uh, WHAT?!!"

"I said you had a seizure."

"Not that, but why to your room?"

"So, should I have left you there with no proper ventilation, atleast thank me for saving your life."

"Ah-um thanks."

"What's with this weak 'thanks', do it properly would you."

"Ah sorry."

"No need."

"Umm can I ask what reward you got well mine was a fragment of my lost memory."

"Uh WHAT???!!! You lost your memory?"

"Yeah some time ago in an accident while I was going to school, the only memory I had was my name, parents name and school name."

'Ummm this guy is surely a weirdo' thought the weirdo.

"Well I got some unknown information but can't say it to anyone or I will forget everything about that quest something and the info too."

"Oh. Tsk"

"Wait did you just clicked you tongue."

"No, ah well I'll get going, see ya and thanks for today's help."

"Hey wait why the rush what about the other quests and give the picture album you ........ Damn it he left too fast. Well I'll ask him tomorrow anyway."

*********

Shit that was close. I almost had seizure due to running.

"Now what's with this picture album, there are seven more pages but all are empty. What about the letter."

With that I took out the letter bout something was weird.

“ QUEST GENERATION UNDER PROGESSS PLEASE CHECK LATER!!!!!!"

"Well I'll check it tomoCHAPTER: One shot

Quest in a book.

'Today too I would be late.'

While thinking along with the line of thought I was rushing across the road , then hearing a loud horn from truck I tried to avoid gettting hit but........

"Abed , Abed, ABEDDD!!!!!! "

I was startled by the voice of a guy screaming at the top of his lungs.

"what are you daydreaming for in the middle of the street?" 

Another guy beside him asked.

"N-nothing in particular." I replied awkwardly.

"Gosh it's been two months since you have been acting this way. I know that losing memory can make things awkward for you to talk to us but, it's already been two months. Enough time to even make a total stranger your best pal."

I didn't replied to his words and just kept smiling. Well yeah two months might be enough time to make a stranger your friend, but when I look at them I do not get the feelings of being a stranger from them but a feeling of loss.

"So.... like wanna come over my house to play video games?"

The loud guy asked.

Well what was his name again....ah! Iurik.

"A-ahh, sorry Iurik but I gotta go to the library to complete my studies."

"Man up a bit Abed there is still a month and half left for exams. Well since you did miss the first semester you gotta try hard." The other guy said with a smile.

"Hey Toru you got no right to teach Abed even he got a more completed notes compared to your." Iurik said, givin Toru a reality check."Ah, well sorry about that Abed see you tomorrow." 

After those two left I went towards the public library to get some guide books.

"Good afternoon Abed. Are you here again to read books for free." The old librarian playfully scolded me. 

"Ummm...can I borrow the usual books." I asked.

The librarian pushed up her glasses and replied "Ah, it's on the table at the far left corner of the library. Apparently somebody was also freeloading from our 'charity book centre' like somebody and forgot to keep it in it's proper place."

'You didn't had to reply so sarcastically though' I complained inwardly.

"Thanks old lady." I left for the table after getting the information.

† †† † †† †

'Ummm....isn't the book a bit too light'

I opened the book and to my sheer horror the book was hollowed fromm the centre ........with a letter placed inside it.

"THE FUCK IS THIS ???!!!!!!" I screamed in panic then received a slap on the back of my head.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SHOUTING DURING BUSINESS HOUR ?!" A young girl around my age was screaming at the top of her lungs while holding a thick book, big enough to make a normal person cross Jordan river if hitted with enough force.

'Wait did she slammed this thing on my head ?'

When I didn't replied she started to panick. "Wa-wait did I hitted him a bit too hard? Hey are you alright......hey reply back if you are alright."

"Uh-ah. Wait wah...what happened?" When my system started working again I saw myself being slapped on my cheeks ......too late they were already swollen red.

"Ah you are fine, don't make me panic for no reason."

"It would have been better if you hadn't slapped my cheeks till they were swollen red."

"If you are fine then let's go to business, why were you shouting so loudly in the middle of the library ?"

'You were shouting more loudly than I was.'

"Ummm...you see the guide I was going to borrow was hollowed with a letter inside it, so I was just sho-"

"WHAT ?!! Letters, oh my, a secret love affair in library. So that's why the book was not kept in the correct place.........."

She didn't even let me finish and started writing her own stories about someone having love talks in library.

"So since we found that letter let's read it."

"UH!!!! Are you insane. Don't you know about privacy." I was clearly shocked by her mention of reading the letter. Umm...but well, I was also curious. Aghhh.....it's the fault of the person who kept the letter in the book. Ah, yes I am completely innocent.

I reluctantly opened the letter and was both confused and disappointed.

 “ IT's A QUEST FOR YOU, A QUEST FOR ME.

Well gratz if you found this letter now listen .....oh sorry read properly this quest will help you resolve your unanswered questions. How about it exciting isn't it? So read well.

Task: Find the 'Tsundoku' stash of the librarian.

Difficulty: Easiest.

Hint:Her daughter is standing beside you reading this letter like it's a map for new adventure.”

I paused reading the letter and looked beside me to see the phyco girl who hitted my head and slapped my cheeks.

"Umm... By any chance are you the librarian's daughter ?"

"Ah, yes, why do you ask thought ?"

BOOM!!! BOOOM!!!!

I could hear bomb blasting in my brain. Well, that sure was a coincidence. Now let's continue reading.

“After completion it's the reward time yaaaaaayyyyy!!

Reward: Picture album among the pile of books.

            I hope you enjoy.”

"Uh ?"

"Uh ?"

I was confused, that's it ? It can't be right ?

"Hey yo...... Ummm?"

"Reika."

"Uh ?"

"My name you dumbo."

"Oh! Reika may I know what is this umm.... Tsundoku stuff."

"Well it's collecting books but not reading them."

"Ah, umm.... Can I look at your mom's Tsundoku stash wait it's called stash right. So can I check." 

'Wait ? Why the hell am I all of a sudden like this ? It's not like we are friends, heck I even found her name only just now.'

"Ok, sure why not."

"Huh"

"Wanna check or not ?"

"Yes ma'am."

*********

It was a dark basement like room filled with old books. Soon we reached a room with label

«New books» .

'This might...no this is the place.'

"How long has it been since I entered this room." While Reika was going through flashback, I entered the room. I was flabbergasted by the scene in front of me.

"WOAH! What is this place ?"

The place was full of books cleanly organised.

"Cool, right ?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, no more time to waste let's find the picture album."

Ah, almost forgot.

One hour later.....

"Arghhhhh !!!! Where is the picture album."

Before she started to go berserk I consoled.

"Now, now it not like this room is small in size we still have many bookshelf left."

I was resting while taking support on a nearby wall.

CREAK.

'umm what was that ?'

I checked the wall some more and realised that the wall was hollow. I checked some more and saw a cabinet door hidden by paint.

On the other side of the door was a pile of book in side boxes.

SIZZLE!!! SIZZLE!!!!

The letter in my pocket started heating up. I thought it was my hallucinations at first then....

"Argghhh!!"

"Hey what happened ? Are you okay ? Of course you are not, but just in case."

I took out the letter from my pocket which was currently sizzling hot. The letter as soon as it left my hand started to float, the words written previously started to vanish and new words were being written.

“CONGRATS FOR COMPLETING THE FIRST QUEST!!!!!!

REWARD FOR COMPLETION HAS BEEN SUMMONED PLEASE CHECK THE AREA FOR THE REWARD!!!!!”

'Thats it?'

"Hey what are you doing, can't you read the message about searching the reward from this pile of books."

I was dumbfounded by her words. "Can't you see the paper just floated and the contents were edited real time, how can you not be shocked?!"

"Well don't this kind of thing normally happens in novel and all, why should I be shocked?"

'Yup this lady was not normal at all.'

After accepting that this lady was in a whole another chunni level we started looking for the reward.

"Normally the reward from the hunt in video games would be glowing unless someone picked it up, so search for a glowing book."

After looking around a bit I found a picture album among the pile of books that was glowing.

"FOUND IT!!" I shouted.

"Ah it looks pretty, fast open it."

"Uhhhhhh, why me?"

"Well normally there might be a trap, like mimic and since I am a fragile and weak little girl, you a strong man should do it, right?"

'Fragile and weak little girl. My ass, you must be stronger than me by two folds seeing how you can easily lift three boxes full of books in one go.'

Still I opened the book as I didn't wanted my head to be slapped.

As I opened the book the floating letter got edited again.

“REWARD DISTRIBUTION IS UNDER PROGESSS.

*

*

*

*

*

*

REWARD DISTRIBUTION COMPLETED.”

The moment I opened the book a fragment of a large chunk of memory started to flood in.

- Introduce yourself.

- Hello everyone I am Abed, I became 11 year, my hobby is singing (though I am a terrible singer.) and my favourite subject is literature. I hope we can be good friends.

The flood of memory gave me a huge shock. Soon my vison started to get blurred. I heard Reika voice asking what happened, she looked more panicked than before, before loosing consciousness I looked at the picture album there was a single picture there in one the first page. A picture of me, a lady and a man standing in front of my school, there was something written below the picture

 « Introduction in new school ».

In that picture I looked happy. Soon darkness covered my vision.

*********

When Abed was opening the picture album suddenly information unknown to me came to my head. 

'How can this be possible?'

When I looked towards Abed I felt something strange, as he was muttering something while looking at the picture album. Then he collapsed like before, no this time he was having a seizure.

*********

When I woke up I was confused wondering what happened. My head was hurting like somebody hitted it with iron rod.

"Ah, you are awake."

"Where am I?"

" In my room, you just collapsed while having seizure. After calming down the seizure I brought you to my room."

"Uh, WHAT?!!"

"I said you had a seizure."

"Not that, but why to your room?"

"So, should I have left you there with no proper ventilation, atleast thank me for saving your life."

"Ah-um thanks."

"What's with this weak 'thanks', do it properly would you."

"Ah sorry."

"No need."

"Umm can I ask what reward you got well mine was a fragment of my lost memory."

"Uh WHAT???!!! You lost your memory?"

"Yeah some time ago in an accident while I was going to school, the only memory I had was my name, parents name and school name."

'Ummm this guy is surely a weirdo' thought the weirdo.

"Well I got some unknown information but can't say it to anyone or I will forget everything about that quest something and the info too."

"Oh. Tsk"

"Wait did you just clicked you tongue."

"No, ah well I'll get going, see ya and thanks for today's help."

"Hey wait why the rush what about the other quests and give the picture album you ........ Damn it he left too fast. Well I'll ask him tomorrow anyway."

*********

Shit that was close. I almost had seizure due to running.

"Now what's with this picture album, there are seven more pages but all are empty. What about the letter."

With that I took out the letter bout something was weird.

“ QUEST GENERATION UNDER PROGESSS PLEASE CHECK LATER!!!!!!"

"Well I'll check it tomorrow."

' I want to recover my memory fast, though I feel weird having a fragmented memory, I, now have a way to recover it '

Then I started rushing towards my house while making sure not to push myself as I was already tired.

'I wonder what should I cook for dinner.'

———————————————

rrow."

' I want to recover my memory fast, though I feel weird having a fragmented memory, I, now have a way to recover it '

Then I started rushing towards my house while making sure not to push myself as I was already tired.

'I wonder what should I cook for dinner.'

———————————————