There was no doubt about it. I had entered the fantasy novel “Curse is a Blessing” that my professor had instructed me to read.

The novel’s protagonist, Iris, was blessed with the ability to communicate with magical creatures from birth, but the villagers considered this ability a curse. So Iris wandered about, meeting various magical creatures and people while searching for her identity. Though it was an interesting coming-of-age story with an enviable ability, the problem wasn’t the content.

Usually, characters who get transported into novels cleverly solve major events because they know what’s going to happen in advance. But that was impossible for me. Of all times, I had only read up to the point where the climax was just beginning. It was truly a cruel fate to be transported into a novel that was already completely published but unable to become a hero.

Making do with what I had, I created a timeline in my head. Iris’s adventures, the allies she met, the villains with frightening ulterior motives. Various events hazily came to mind, but they didn’t seem particularly helpful. However, there was one episode that stood out vividly in my memory since I had read it most recently.

It was during the late reign of Evgenia VII. A blue flame, signifying divine descent, rose at the Karsa Empire’s temple. However, after hearing the prophecy, the Emperor hurriedly ordered the priests to keep it secret. Finding this suspicious, Iris managed to obtain part of it after much struggle.

‘The five stars that support heaven and earth will set. Soon, the concealed anger will explode, and the whole world will burn in gold.’

Iris, considering this meaningful prophecy a sign of doom, set out on a journey to prevent catastrophe. That was exactly where I had stopped reading.

Although I had entered the novel without knowing the complete prophecy, I thought there would be enough time to prevent doom if I had arrived before the prophecy was delivered.

But I faced reality within three days.

“You need to take down all the curtains in the guest room for washing.”

“Yes, understood.”

“The Count said he doesn’t like this candlestick and that vase, so make sure to change them.”

“Yes!”

Just sweeping and cleaning the vast mansion each day kept me overwhelmingly busy. There was no time to think about the empire’s doom or prophecies when simply making a living was challenging enough. Prevent doom? How? Crucially, I wasn’t the protagonist Iris. Preventing doom was the role of the protagonist somewhere in this world. What could a mere servant who nearly died at the Count’s hands do?

“You seem to be working better than before.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“You’ve definitely changed since returning from Mount Montena. I guess people really do change after a near-death experience?”

“Ha ha, ha….”

After barely surviving a death threat just for spilling tea, my fellow servants welcomed me like family. The amusing part of this touching moment was that none of these people who had worked together for ten years knew my name. Probably because the author hadn’t even given a name to an extra like ‘me.’ That was my position.

Even having a physical description was a luxury. Long dark circles under my eyes, coarse black hair, pale skin – I had entered the novel maintaining every detail of my appearance. Since I didn’t want to use an alias, it was rather convenient that my face was the same. I asked to be called ‘Tae-oh,’ dropping the surname from ‘Yoo Tae-oh,’ the only inheritance left by my deceased parents.

“Tio. Clean the gift candlestick and place it near the portrait.”

“Yes! Leave it to me!”

Of course, I had never once been properly called ‘Tae-oh.’ But that was fine. I was starting to grow attached even to this repetitive daily life.

That’s because none of the events I had expected happened while adapting to this world. It was my mistake to think of magical creatures as mere wild boars attacking villages due to lack of food. Forget magical creatures, I hadn’t even encountered a single animal. Fantasy? What a joke. By now, the strict class system had become so ingrained that I could only bow my head deeply before the Count.

A month had passed like that. Already a month. Today too, the usual routine continued. Sweeping, cleaning, eating, tidying up. Despite the repetitive daily life, fortunately there was no law saying you had to die of boredom. As I became accustomed to the work, I found a decent hobby. Cleaning the library surrounded by the smell of paper. More precisely, it was reading books about magical creatures while pretending to clean.

“I’ll be heading to the library~”

While everyone dispersed to their respective duties, I headed to the library with excited steps. First, I tied back the thick velvet curtains with cords and pushed them to the corner, then opened the windows wide. Then, unnecessarily dragging around the fancy ladder, I took out the books I had been reading yesterday. I carefully placed the armful of books about magical creatures in a secluded corner. Opening the covers of the ten volumes, I noticed the same pristine lettering that looked as if it had been photocopied.

By His Majesty’s command, written by Diabel Asrein.

This sentence was written in nine out of ten books about magical creatures. The name written in elegant cursive was that person from the novel “Curse is a Blessing.” Professor Diabel Asrein. Though I had paid attention to him since his appearance as an ally to the protagonist Iris, his reputation was truly remarkable now that I was actually in the novel.

Moreover, his research topics were incredibly diverse. Observation records of Level 1 magical creatures, endangered magical creatures, magical creature remains that could be used as medicine, whether magical creatures could be domesticated. Most of the books in the spacious library were Asrein’s works.

It went beyond impressive to the point where one could sense a strange obsession with magical creature research. Seeing the traces of how he had conserved margins to pour vast knowledge into a single book, it was impossible not to feel admiration.

That’s why whenever I looked at Asrein’s books, the desire to research again would well up. I shouldn’t be cleaning here. Magical creatures must be waiting for me….

Of course, I hadn’t just waited around for a turning point in life. I had devised various methods to meet Asrein during this time, but he was too prestigious to encounter easily. If this were modern times, I would have contacted him by email long ago, but I couldn’t carelessly write a letter because he was nobility.

Just as I was about to read the book with resignation today, a familiar voice came from outside the door.

“Tio. Are you here?”

A neatly dressed maid poked her head between the bookshelves and our eyes met. I hurriedly closed the book and stood up.

“Ah, Sister Retvan. What brings you here?”

“I came to tell you since you don’t seem to know yet.”

Retvan scurried over, crouched in front of me, and put her index finger to her lips. Shh. At her brief sound, I likewise extended my index finger to my lips and nodded. Having secured my promise, she looked around once and said:

“An important guest is coming tomorrow.”

“How distinguished a person is coming that you’re like this?”

Until now, the mansion had always run quietly no matter what guests came. But seeing the usually composed Retvan so excited, this was no ordinary guest. As I tilted my head with round eyes, she lowered her voice as if sharing a secret.

“It’s Professor Asrein.”

“P-p-professor?!”

“Shh…! You need to keep your voice down.”

I dropped the book in my hands as if struck by lightning. Were there any other people named ‘Asrein’ in this world? With my mouth hanging open as wide as my shocked eyes, I covered it and asked again.

“Is it really the person I know?”

“Yes. The author of the books you’ve been secretly reading in the library. You know him well, right?”

“…Of course I do….”

How could I not know when I had just been reading Asrein’s book until moments ago. I had sworn that someday I would leave this filthy Count’s house and go to meet him. And now that very person was coming here himself. Unable to easily calm my excitement, I bit my fingernails and my eyes gleamed ominously.

“As…I mean, what brings him here?”

“Apparently magical creatures have appeared in the territory managed by Count Ameli.”

“Wow….”

I could hardly believe that I would soon meet the professor I so greatly admired. As I stood there dumbfounded with my mouth hanging open stupidly, Retvan let out a light laugh.

“Who knows? You might get a chance to talk with the professor.”

“Come on, no way.”

Unlike me firmly declaring it impossible, Retvan continued wishing me luck until the end. Even after she left the library with work remaining, I sat in place for a long while.

As Retvan said, I don’t even hope to have a conversation with Asrein. I’d be happy just to meet face to face and greet him. It’s questionable whether I, who had already earned Count Ameli’s displeasure, would even be able to stand before Asrein.

Sighing as if complaining, I picked up the book I had dropped on the floor. Opening the cover, I saw Angelus University’s slogan below Asrein’s name.

“Those who desire shall seek, and those who seek shall obtain….”

Reading aloud this sentence full of intellectual curiosity reminded me of the thought I had right before dying.

Just once, I want to do proper research. I want to learn under a professor who has both passion and knowledge in equal measure. My desire remains unchanged even now.

I still vividly remember the excitement I felt when I encountered the Opalus in Montena Forest right after coming to this world. Rather than ending my life serving some human called a Count or whatever, I want to have my breath taken away meeting new magical creatures eye to eye.

Suddenly Retvan’s passing words echoed in my ears.

‘Who knows? You might get a chance to talk with the professor.’

Right. This might be the last chance to change the course of my life. I’ve had enough of living to please strange people in my previous life. If not now, if not me, who will pull me out of this boring prison? I jumped up from my seat and muttered grimly like a knight heading to battle while organizing the books.

“I must catch the professor’s eye.”

It was time to end this tedious life as a servant that had continued for a month.