The Library on the Sea
The library on the sea was created by the humans who once ruled this world, and it gathers all the wisdom of every language. Many rulers and ordinary citizens were drawn to this library in search of wisdom, and the surrounding sea was always bustling with ships arriving from afar.
Where those humans have gone, the librarian, a black-tailed gull, does not know. He is the only one here now. There is no director, and no humans visit. Occasionally, migratory birds stop by to rest their wings.
The collection in this library continues to grow even now. The librarian, the black-tailed gull, patrols the bookshelves every morning. Sometimes, he finds a new book inserted with its spine sticking out slightly.
The librarian, the black-tailed gull, quietly pulls out the book he found, attaches a classification number label, and returns it to the spot where it was inserted. That spot is always the exact location for that classification number.
One time, the librarian, the black-tailed gull, spotted something unusual outside the window.
On the calm sea, as always, a small boat folded from white paper was floating.
The librarian, the black-tailed gull, opened the window, flapped his wings, and flew out into the sea breeze. After circling in the nearby sky, he dove down to the paper boat, caught it with his beak, held it firmly, and flew back into the library through the window.
It was, by all appearances, just a paper boat. Who could have folded it and set it adrift in this world where there are no longer any humans? And why did it reach the library on the sea?
The librarian, the black-tailed gull, carefully unfolded the boat, taking care not to tear the wet paper. Then, he saw that something was written inside.
It was a script he had never seen before. He did not even know if it was writing. However, the librarian, the black-tailed gull, could understand it. He realized that this was entirely new wisdom that could not appear on the bookshelves because it did not fit into any of the library's classification numbers.
Holding the new wisdom brought by the paper boat, the librarian, the black-tailed gull, realized that he had now become the director of this library.
When he looked out the window again, the quiet sea, unchanged as always, was reflecting the sunlight.
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