Antagonist Protection Service

[―Ahem! It appears an oversight was made in the recruitment process, but fret not! I shall explain everything to you whilst you are undertaking the Contract!]

As the Librarian spoke to me telepathically, I hastily made my way to wherever the knights were going. 

Thankfully, because the exit they left through had no branching paths and was relatively short, I was able to soon catch up with the crowd.

We arrived at a wide open, stone brick arena with a compact dirt floor and various training dummies dotted around the place. To the side, some racks of various weapons, long straight wooden benches, and what appeared to be huge sacks of sand caught my eye.

'Is this what they meant by training...?'

It didn't seem so bad, so I couldn't quite understand why they were speaking like that. Well, I didn't have long to wonder.

"Newbie! Go over there and ready yourself! No dallying!"

Spotting a knight call out to me, my eyes followed the direction of his thumb pointing towards an adjacent chamber. I took it to mean I was supposed to do something in that room, so I moved my feet as he ordered.

Entering this new area, what I found was effectively a changing room, a place with more benches and a few dozen mini-compartments like cubbyholes. 

'I think that's a toilet over through there too, right?'

Other than a shower, which I suppose wasn't something that could exist in a place like this, I realised it was akin to a gym locker room. Watching some other knights store their belongings, I thought to do the same and put my backpack in an empty cubbyhole.

Since I only had it with me to stock some food prior to this, that's all the contents it had, so I likely wouldn't need it anyway.

Taking a moment to breathe deeply and gather myself, I soon headed back out to the training area. 

Seeing that most of the other knights were still idling around and gossiping, I decided to just take a seat on one of the side benches for a moment.

Meanwhile, I asked internally.

'Uh. Hey. Can you hear me? You said you'd explain...'

In the subsequent moment, denying a flicker of anxiety that was powerful yet fleeting, an overenthusiastic voice was returned.

[Certainly! To introduce myself again, I am the Librarian of the Library of Illusory Worlds. The purpose of the Library is to oversee and manage, as the name implies, Illusory Worlds!]

'Right... Is that the place I was in before? And an Illusory World is like the place I'm in right now?'

[Certainly, that's correct! Whereas my role as the Library's Curator is to oversee the state of these Illusory Worlds, your role is to maintain their stability!]

"What?"

Unintentionally, I blurted that out. Fortunately, I was sitting away from that crowd of knights, so there were no problems. Lowering my voice, I whispered, not bothering to conceal my exasperation.

"Listen, I didn't apply for any kind of job, okay? Whatever you brought me here for, I'm not doing it, so bring me back."

[But you can't! P-please... These Illusory Worlds are relying on you to save them!]

"What the hell are you--"

[F-furthermore, my apologies, but bringing you back is also impossible...]

As those words echoed in my ears, my body froze.

"..."

Not a single thought flowed through my mind, not a sight, not a sound was registered in my eyes or ears, and only one thing continued in that paused perception of the world.

[Ah! But, fret not! That doesn't mean you're stuck there forever!]

That damned voice. 

Rather, the high-pitched voice of that damned girl.

Even though it was damned, and damned it absolutely was, it still, nevertheless, provided a hope, no matter how slim.

[Once you complete the Contract, the syphoned World Stability will be returned, and we will have gathered enough mana to transport you back!]

"I don't understand anything you're saying..."

Contract, World Stability, whatever either of these terms meant, I needed an explanation. She mentioned it before as well, didn't she? But, what exactly did it mean?

'...Well, it shouldn't matter, should it? So long as I can get out of here, I don't care.'

At this point, I still had no idea what the hell was going on, but if there was something I could do to go home, I should unhesitatingly take the opportunity and do it. Otherwise, according to those words, I might even be stuck here until I die.

At least, that was the implication.

Thinking like so, I let out a rough sigh and scratched my head.

"Damn it... Fine. I'll just do it to go home, alright?"

[Ah! Certainly! So so, a Contract--]

The Librarian's voice, which had evidently raised a tone in jubilance of my acceptance of her so-called 'job', was interrupted.

"―Seriously! Who the hell do you think you are, huh?!" 

On the other side of the training arena, intense yelling resounded. 

I couldn't see through the crowd of knights in front of me, but it sounded like one of the younger knights was trying to start something; curious, I made my way to a space where I could squeeze a glance.

At the same time, the Librarian cleared her throat and continued.

[Ahem! So, seeing as we do not exactly have all the time in the world, I shall take the liberty to explain things succinctly!]

"Hah! Aren't you just a squire?" 

Through the small gaps in the crowd, I barely managed to catch a glimpse.

[Throughout all Illusory Worlds, balance is maintained with World Stability―Something that is essential to any Illusory World's subsistence.]

"A worthless, puny squire, natheless, you think you have the right to treat me like this?! Do you know who I am, you witless rat? I'm the Hero, did you get that?! H-e-r-o!"

A golden-haired young man, or maybe just a manchild, bearing a special-looking emblem on his gold-and-blue-themed knight's outfit, which appeared of far superior quality than mine even at a glance.

[World Stability is maintained by existences known as Antagonists. Whenever an Illusory World faces turmoil that may perturb the balance of World Stability, the presence of the Antagonist is what keeps everything in check!]

"I-I'm sorry, Sir Hero...!"

Before him, a smaller-statured guy, probably only about sixteen or seventeen years old, was stuck bowing his head at ninety degrees. 

That newbie, having his chest poked and prodded by the other, evidently gritting his teeth seemingly in an endeavour to not upset the aggressor any further...

[On the other hand, there is an existence of being which, antithetical to the Antagonist, was born for the sole purpose of destabilising that vital World Stability, syphoning it greedily and selfishly, like leeches, nothing more than ruinous, malefic parasites... Such existences are what we, the Antagonist Protection Service, are to deal with.]

"Hah! This brat... Tsk! Guess that's what you expect from a lowlife peasant bastard like this, eh, plainly uncouth, the vulgarity. Suppose I should graciously teach you some proper manners myself, huh? Isn't that right? You know, being the Kingdom's sole Hero and all. Wouldn't you like that? So? Are you going to thank me or not? This upstanding role model of yours is going to show you how things are done, yes? Aha. Well? Get on with it. Kneel."

[These existences―are known as Protagonists.]

"N-no, thank you..."

"Ey, ey, come now. No need to thank me. It's all a part of the Hero's holy duty, isn't it?"

"Ah... Please..."

"Shut it and raise your head, peasant squire. You requested for me to teach you a lesson on courtesy to your superiors, so that's exactly what I'll teach you. Isn't it what you want? Won't you then thank me? Come on, be grateful, huh? Hah!"

[And the duty of our Service, our Library, by the will of our founder the Illusory Spirit...]

"..."

"Tsk. Disgusting vermin. Are you going to say something or not? How did a bastard scum like you even get accepted here? Well? Answer? Or not. Do you want me to give you a scolding as well as a lesson? Because if that's what you want, well lucky for you, I'm very benevolent. I'm more than willing to accommodate, you know. All you need to do is beg a little. Maybe plead? Hey, I don't know, just get on your knees already, do you understand me? Or, for such a dirty street rat, maybe your ears are also clogged with mud as well as your filthy veins. Want me to do you a favour and clean those out too? Your dull head might also work a bit better if we unscrew it and screw it back on, maybe there's some rotted garbage and fetid rat dung lodged in there somewhere too, I know you wretches must love to bathe in that, right?"

[――Is to eradicate such cancer.]