Candor Between Smart People, and the Tranquility They Did Not Want Shattered

Night had fallen, and with midterm week having ended some time ago, the Advanced Nurturing Library was especially deserted.

During exam week before, the library had been packed with people day and night.

Quiet was good too. Otherwise, he would have to waste time waiting in line.

Tatsuya Sakuya slowly entered the library and headed straight for the self-service borrowing and return machine. He placed Wilderness Survival: Bear Grylls' Autobiography on the scanner and began the return process.

"Beep~"

With a soft chime, the screen displayed that the return had been successful.

Just as he was about to tap "Borrow Again," the system displayed a prompt:

[This book has been reserved by another student and is temporarily unavailable for borrowing.]

Tatsuya Sakuya raised an eyebrow, a trace of speechlessness flashing through his eyes.

Someone had actually reserved such an obscure wilderness survival nonfiction book at a time like this?

What the hell, was that even possible?

Since the system had already given priority to the person who reserved it, Tatsuya Sakuya could only give up helplessly. He could not exactly hack the library management system over a single book.

He had originally planned to casually hand the book to the librarian at the front desk and leave, but after looking around, he found the desk empty. The librarian seemed to have gone into the back to organize materials.

"Forget it."

Tatsuya Sakuya sighed and resignedly picked up the book, heading toward the shelves deeper inside the library.

He passed through rows of towering bookshelves, and the densely packed books made the surrounding light seem somewhat dim.

The place was so quiet that he could hear only his own faint footsteps.

Upon reaching the "Biographies and Nonfiction" section, Tatsuya Sakuya checked the information, raised his hand, and prepared to place the