Chapter 8: The Secret Collection And The Crisis In Southeast Asia


TL: Akabane


***


A place useful for creative activities: .......


I had been feeling a bit suspicious about those words, but Suzune took me to a place that was surprisingly the epitome of wholesomeness, without a shred of suspiciousness.


"This place is ......."


"This is the library. Actually, I've been a member of the library committee since this year, and this is my favorite place these days."


"Well, I'd say it's definitely useful, but ......"


"I'm sorry. Was it a disappointment?　Would you have preferred the infirmary or something?"


"No, I'm rather relieved. ......"


Because of Suzune, I was on the edge of my seat wondering if she was seriously going to take me to the infirmary, but the choice of the library was honestly a relief. It's dark under the lamp, or whatever you want to call it, but surely if I brought my laptop computer here, I could write quietly and gather materials, regardless of whether they would be useful for my sensual novels or not.


"Sorry, I misunderstood you, Suzune-chan."


"Misunderstanding ......?"


Suzune looked up at me with a puzzled expression.


"Oh, I'm relieved that Suzune-chan is a more sensible girl than I thought."


When I answer that, Suzune puffs out her cheeks in a bit of disapproval.


"Senpai. I may indeed be a little more careless that ...... than other girls, but I still pay attention to what people think of me."


"Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry for saying something weird."


Even so, Suzune goes by the name of the best lady in the school. Even if she is in fact a pervert, she must have the ability not to let people think so.


"Well, then, let's go in. ......"


Saying that, Suzune leads me into the library, and I follow her.


I realize now that this is the first time I've been in the library since I entered the school. I always buy the books I want to read at the bookstore, and I had heard from a friend that light novels like the ones I read are not available in this school's library.


The moment I entered the library, I could smell the faint scent of mold and dust. The back half of the library, which is about the size of two classrooms put together, is occupied by bookshelves, and two or three students are reading at a large table in the front.


Suzune went to the counter first, greeted the student who was on reception duty today, and walked to the back where the bookshelves were. In the quiet library, even the sound of my footsteps and Suzune's footsteps echoed in the room. When Suzune comes to the bookshelf at the far end of the library, she carefully folds the hem of her skirt and squats down in front of it, and I squat down next to her.


"Here it is ......."


She kept her voice down and pointed to the bottom shelf of a huge bookshelf that went all the way to the ceiling.


"What's wrong with this place?"


"............."


Suzune didn't answer my question, and for some reason, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I looked at the bookshelf. The shelves seem to be lined with books on the cultures of Southeast Asian countries, and looking at the spines, there are books such as "Indonesia and Islamic Culture" and "Religious Travels in Cambodia," which, though I hate to say it, do not seem to be the type of books that high school students would tend to read.


I tilted my head. Why did Suzune bring me here?　At least, I didn't feel those books would be very useful for my novel.


Suzune was still dyeing her cheeks at me. Then, she finally opened her mouth when she looked at me with her face bright red.


"Umm, it's my collection. ......"


"Collection?　Suzune-chan, are you interested in foreign cultures?"


But Suzune shakes her head with a blush on her face.


Her expression seemed to be saying that she didn't want me to explain. What could make her look like that in this wholesome space?


At any rate, I looked at the spines of the books that I would likely never read again and pulled out one of them.


And the moment I rolled up the first page, my heart almost stopped.


"Suzune-chan, this is?!"


I said, and she looked around in panic and put her finger to her mouth.


"S-Senpai, you're being too loud ......."


"I'm sorry, I'm sorry ...... but ......."


The one I picked up was surely a paperback book about Southeast Asian culture. I checked the cover again, and sure enough, there was a picture of what looked like Angkor Wat and a stiff title. But when I turn to the first page, it says, "Immoral supplementary lessons in Suzuka's case, Franz Shoin."


I knew it, this girl is a pervert.......!


I hold my head with my hands. Apparently, Suzune is working on other works besides mine. ......


Suzune looks at me, almost in tears, as I make a dumbfounded face.


"I told you because you're my Senpai... Please don't look at me with such disdainful eyes..."


"No, no, I don't despise you. I mean, why is such a book placed in this healthy library......?"


"Well, it's ......"


And then Suzune turns away from me with a slightly batty look on her face.


"S-Senpai, did you see the box marked "donation box" placed at the entrance of the library just now?"


"Eh?　Oh, oh, I remember there was one ......."


"That is a box to collect unwanted books from students. The library board members have the books in those boxes censored by the teachers before they are put on the bookshelves in the library as donated books."


"No, censorship, there's no way these books will pass censorship."


"Censorship is just a name. In reality, the teacher only looks at the covers of the large number of books in the library and stamps the ones that are okay as 'donated books'."


"You mean, Suzune-chan switched only the covers of the books that looked like the donated books and mixed them with the donated books?"


"Yes, that's right. ......"


A perverted schemer was right in front of me. Using this trick, she could proudly display Suzune's favorite novels on the bookshelves of the library. The reason why she mixed them on the shelf of Southeast Asian culture is because this shelf is located in a conspicuous place in the library.


"But, you know what? What are you going to do with all this stuff in the library?"


"I'm going to read them ...... and don't get caught ......"


"What .......?"


I looked at the female student on the library board sitting at the far counter. She was looking at a library book with a bored look on her face.


I see, Suzune is sitting there on her duty day and secretly reading the collection. ......


This is the reality of Suzune, the most popular idol and lady in the school. ......


"You don't have to take that risk, why don't you just bring it from home?"


I ask, but Suzune shakes her head vehemently.


"I can't hide it in my room. It seems that my brother sometimes sneaks into my room and ransacks ...... it. So, and ...... it's kind of more exciting to read it here with everyone's eyes on me than to read it in my room."


And Suzune casually confesses her brother's outrageous sexual proclivities and her own outrageous sexual proclivities as well.


My mouth was agape, but then I thought to myself,


"Wait a minute. ......"


Well, Suzune said something about a collection earlier.


I suddenly realized that she had a collection of books lined up there, and I pulled out a handful of them and flipped through the covers.


[The Devotion Behind the Baseball Manager's Back.]


[Tokyo Pervert Schoolgirls]


[My friend's brother is my tutor ......]


OH......NO.......


An important Southeast Asian culture was in danger of being eradicated by Suzune. ......


"Senpai......."


"What the hell......."


"Umm, I am so grateful to my Senpai that I can't thank him enough. I'd like to help him in his creative endeavors, even if it's only in a small way."


Suzune gazes at me with eyes straighter than a crystal ball.


Suzune. How can you be such a pervert with such a pure heart ......?


Suzune dropped her eyes to the bookshelf, pulled out a book from her collection, and held it to her chest.


"Senpai, since you're here, why don't you read a little and then go home?"


Suzune tilted her head and smiled slightly as she said so.


Cute .......


I know she is saying something outrageous, but her cute smile makes it seem as if it is somehow a very healthy thing to do.


In the end, I couldn't say no and agreed to her proposal .......



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