A voice echoed in Stiletto's ear, sudden enough to make him jolt.
"System initiated.
Searching for Benefactor...
Benefactor found: 'Library Goddess.'
Processing host...
Determined host: 'Stiletto Wayne James III.'
Transferring data and customizations..."
Stiletto's mouth twitched.
'Why use my government name for this? Well... good riddance!'
The voice went on:
"Transfer complete.
Host identified as: 'Cute Little Gerbil.'
Changing 'Host Stiletto' to the proper identification..."
"WHAT. THE. FUCK! That godforsaken woman.. I swear I'll— Wait..."
A slow grin crept across his face.
'I don't even have to swear anything... I think it was successful. She should be my slave!'
The voice finished:
"Alteration complete...
Loading now..."
Instantly, a sleek blue screen materialized into the air, hovering just above the sheets in front of him.
Stiletto stared at it, immediately noting several things:
-----
[Library System]
(Page 1)
Benefactor: Library Goddess
Host: Cute Little Gerbil
Name: Stiletto du Life
Age: 18
Height: 6'3
Stage: 2
(Page 2) Proceed to view skills?
-----
He clicked his tongue.
Before moving on to the second page, Stiletto paused, confused.
Why did he still have the same first name?
Just as soon as that question surfaced in his mind, he brought his hand to his face with a sigh as he suddenly recalled through his memories.
His father, Baron Daeron du Life, had named him after the weapon he used to slay one of the opposing army's generals during the war.
That single feat had elevated a once ordinary footman into nobility—albeit an earned title—granting his family the luxurious life they now enjoyed.
Stiletto had been looking forward to shedding that name entirely and adopting a new one. He'd always disliked it—especially since it could just as easily refer to a stripper's shoe.
Who knew what his parents were thinking—naming him that.
But it seemed like he would just have to deal with it.
Still, being called the name he was already accustomed to wasn't the worst outcome. It spared him the awkward adjustment period of learning to respond to something different.
Throwing his wandering thoughts aside, the same voice resounded in his ears:
"Cute Little Gerbil, would you like to keep the system's voice enabled? Notifications will use this voice whenever the host performs an action that alters the system—such as slaying a beast, gaining stat points, etc. You have the option to disable or enable this function at any time."
Pondering for a moment, he chose to keep it on—for now. He wasn't exactly fond of the nickname it used for him, but he figured he might learn more by leaving the voice active.
"Keep it on."
"Command processed."
"System... can you give me a background of your features?"
"Very well, Cute Little Gerbil... this system possesses a great number of functions. Firstly, the—"
As the system continued speaking, Stiletto went to press the button for the second page.
"—system is designed to be a multi-faceted support structure that grants the host an immense advantage within their world. With this ability, you can #@!%—■—*@■#!—"
Stiletto froze, his finger hovering just short of fully pressing the button, confusion flickering across his face.
The voice was breaking up.
And the screen in front of him was glitching—badly.
Abruptly, the voice cut out, leaving behind a strange, hollow silence.
At that same moment, the screen began to distort. The sleek blue interface was slowly consumed, swallowed by a deep red that bled across its surface, streaked with tinges of purple.
Slowly, white text emerged against the shifting colors, drawing Stiletto's gaze.
His eyes narrowed as he read:
-----
[Forbidden Library System]
(Page 1)
Benefactor: Library Goddess, ...
Host: ...
Name: Stiletto du Life
Age: 18
Height: 6'3
Stage: 2
Individuals: 0
(Page 2) Proceed to view skills?
-----
Stiletto frowned.
'Why does weird shit keep happening to me?'
He wasn't sure what to make of all this...
It seemed his initial system had been corrupted in some way. He now had more than one benefactor—one whose identity was blotted out. And on top of that, this new system appeared to have no host name and no voice assigned to it.
Most puzzling of all was the peculiar line at the bottom.
'Individuals zero...? What could that even mean? Damn Goddess...'
Deciding to put his bewilderment aside, Stiletto drew in a deep breath.
At the very least, the odd phenomena seemed to have paused for now.
Even so, this new interface radiated an aura that was... ominous.
Steeling himself—and feeling heat creep up his neck—Stiletto pressed the button for the second page.
-----
(Page 2)
[Skills]
{Watchful Eye (Active Ability)-}
Rank: Unique
Description: Grants the user the ability to discern an individual's name, stage, race, age, skills, stats, gender, height, and favorability toward the user. These details can only be seen if the user's stage is equal or higher than that of the target being appraised. The skill has the ability to evolve given that the user satisfies the required conditions.
{Sage (Passive Ability)-}
Rank: Flicker
Description: Allows the user to absorb the skills of others through books. When the user undergoes a qualifying experience, the system converts that experience into a written book. By analyzing the contents of the book, the user can acquire a corresponding skill, whose rank and properties will vary. The Host also gains an intuitive understanding of the acquired skill's function, receiving a description. The system determines what constitutes an "experience" and will notify the Host whenever the criteria are met. This skill is capable of scaling with the user.
{Fallen Goddess (Passive Ability)-}
Rank: Divine
Description: The lonely Goddess sat apart from her peers, surrounded yet somehow isolated. For the first time in her eternal life, she saw—and smelled—something that truly intrigued her. She had long consumed all the Knowledge in the universe, both Good and Evil, her Imagination stretching beyond every boundary. Yet not even the infinite Books floating through the cosmos contained anything as captivating as the sight before her.
After slipping away to visit the curious being herself, the once-bored Goddess felt a new spark flare within her. In that moment, she decided she would make it her personal pet.
But, in the end, the Goddess became the pet herself.
Slave: Library Goddess
Actual name: ...
Distance: 26.2 miles
(Touch the slave's body to claim and reveal the full description.)
(Page 3) Proceed to view stats?
-----
Stiletto was stunned.
It seemed the Goddess hadn't been lying... his three wishes really had been converted.
His first reaction was overwhelming joy—these skills were undoubtedly ones that would benefit him tremendously in his new life.
But the last one... he wasn't sure what to make of it.
Her description differed from the others. Rather than listing abilities or functions, it offered a strange account of what he assumed was her history—and now her present.
Not only did it fail to list the qualities of his skill, but it also seemed he would have to claim her first to unlock them.
It appeared the Goddess had indeed come with him, but her physical body had been transported elsewhere. He wasn't sure where exactly, but it looked like he could track how far she was from him at all times.
'I need to get to her as soon as possible. Who knows where she ended up...'
Stiletto sprang out of bed with a yawn, stretching his arms wide.
'I can't have my pet getting stolen, can I~?'
Spotting a massive mirror across the opulent room, he started toward it, eager to get a proper look at his new self.
However, before he reached it, he stopped short as he remembered what was waiting at the bottom of page two.
'But before that... let's take a look at my stats!'