At the dawn of the Seika era,
in order to regulate unwanted messages that presented a bad influence to society,
the Media Cleansing Act was passed.
The libraries armed themselves in order to protect freedom of expression
from the extreme censorship of the Media Cleansing Committee.
The conflict between the two continued to escalate.
In the 31st year of Seika, a girl who was out of her mind accidentally plunged herself into the middle of that conflict.
It wasn't accidental!
U-Um, you are my prince.
Please, at least tell me your name!
Instructor Dojo?
You idiot!
Get back to your duties!
What's up with her?
She's been like that since last night.
I asked her why, but she wouldn't tell me.
I couldn't possibly tell anyone
that the object of my admiration was Instructor Dojo,
and that I've been calling him my prince!
This is what's troubling you, isn't it?
Huh? The Preferment Exam?
You're all Librarians First Class, so you'll be taking one for Chief Librarian.
Whether you pass or fail will depend on a combination of written and practical exams.
The pass rate is about 50%.
50%?
Only half pass?
As many as 50%?
A piece of cake.
That's the kind of thing only people who grew up unaffected by the competitiveness of exams can say!
Right...
You might have a tough time with the written exam.
You should pass the Chief Librarian Exam if you memorize this whole book.
Memorize this whole thing?
Impossible.
Don't worry.
I'll coach the written exam.
What are you doing?
Are you okay?
I'm fine!
It's not every day that you ask me for advice.
I'm not really asking for advice.
So, what do you need?
Well, it's about...
Spit it out.
You want to know how to get ready for the practical exam, right?
You already knew?
Why is this year's practical exam reading a book to kids?
It's like they knew I'm horrible at this!
Won't it be completely embarrassing
if Kasahara passes and you fail?
If it really happens...
Don't say that!
I wouldn't mind teaching you.
Really?
The Operations Department often hosts events for kids.
I'll make a deal for it.
A cake set or something?
One full course dinner.
Drinks included, of course.
Users are limited to checking out ten books at a time.
The limit is five for audio or video items.
However, audio and video items are limited to junior high students, or anyone 15 years of age or older who also holds a library card.
I'm such an idiot!
How could I not have noticed that the person I admire was so close to me?
Not only that...
No! So embarrassing!
Are you listening to me?
Shoot!
I can't even maintain eye contact!
Are you okay, Kasahara?
You're all flushed.
I'm okay!
Maybe you have a fever?
I'm fine!
Really, I'm fine.
Let me go get some coffee.
I'm thirsty.
I wonder what he'd think of it?
The way I made him into a prince?
I'm sure he wouldn't welcome it.
What the hell is this?
How much sugar did you put in it?
Were you a stag beetle or something in your previous life?
No way.
I'm sorry!
I wasn't paying attention!
Are you okay?
I'm sorry!
Let me clean it up!
What's this?
A letter?
That's...
It's 20,000 yen that Tezuka's brother sent back.
I wanted to give it back to you.
What did he say to you?
What's in that letter?
Is that letter the reason you're not being yourself?
It doesn't have much.
Just let me see it.
Really, it's got nothing to do with you.
This is happening right after the last incident.
I'll make the decisions regarding Tezuka Satoshi!
Please don't!
Let me see it!
Instructor Dojo!
Let me see it!
Stop it!
Instructor Dojo?
My body acted on its own!
Oh no! Answer me!
Don't die!
How is he?
He's fine.
He just has a minor concussion.
She said he'll wake up on his own after an hour or so.
Thank goodness!
In any case, you must have had a good reason to throw him in a way he couldn't recover from!
Well...
Would you tell me if it's something you couldn't tell Dojo?
Can you please keep this from Instructor Dojo?
Of course.
I've compared him to my prince so many times.
No wonder he hates me.
Wait a minute.
How did you come to that conclusion?
Because he looked very irritated when I talked about my prince.
He doesn't hate you. At least, not as his subordinate...
Actually, he's almost overprotective of you.
But...
why does he speak so badly of my prince, then?
That's only logical if he's trying to make me hate both of them.
Come on.
Calm down a bit.
You're just confused right now after suddenly learning the identity of your prince.
How do you feel when you think about what you were like six years ago?
I'm embarrassed.
Would you feel better if I told you that I feel the same way?
You do?
Instructor Dojo!
I can't.
I know it in my head, but I still can't face him.
Oh yeah! I just remembered something...
About that letter.
That?
I don't care about it anymore.
Please don't worry.
You can't not care about it!
I realized that I had mixed up my professional and private lives.
Really, I don't care about it!
Forget about it!
Jeez, why do I end up like this?
I'm back.
Welcome back.
You were out late.
Do you want any supper?
No.
I'm going to bed.
He hates me now.
I really made him hate me for sure.
What's going on?
It's story telling time.
Here, help us.
Can you play with me?
No! He's playing with me!
Hey! Wait a minute!
Calm down!
Let's start story time!
Can you come and sit down?
Who's going to be the last one to sit?
Just you watch, Snow White.
Oh my, that's a delicious-looking apple.
I'll take a bite.
Don't eat it!
It's poisonous!
Oh my, who's telling my secret?
No way...
Is this the same woman who pawned my watch?
What did you think?
You were really good.
I can't possibly imitate that.
If you think I'm good, you still have a long way to go.
But at least you learned the point of view of the children.
The point of view of the children?
What's this?
Those are the written exam prep notes you made for Kasahara, aren't they?
I'm not giving them to her!
I made them just in case!
Why don't you give them to her?
I'm sure she'd appreciate it.
No.
I'm sure she hates me.
She hates you?
Who, Kasahara?
Yeah.
She avoided me again the other day.
What's so funny?
I was thinking about how similar you two are.
Damn it!
I can't focus at all.
Maybe it's better for me to pack up and move back home.
What are you doing up so late?
I'm quitting the Library Force and going home.
I'm serious about it!
Go ahead.
You won't stop me?
I said I'm quitting the Library Force.
Say hi to your parents.
Get me something as a souvenir.
At least pretend that you feel for me, idiot!
Wait a minute!
What the hell are you doing in the girls' dorm, you pervert!
No! It's me!
Instructor Dojo?
Why are you here?
Well...
What's this?
That's...
It's...
I summarized the points for the written exam.
For me?
Toss it if you don't need it.
I won't force you to use it.
Thank you!
I really appreciate it!
I wanted to avoid making a laughingstock out of our group by having one person fail the exam.
Man, I was actually going to secretly leave it under the door.
Why are you crying?
Because I thought you'd never talk to me again.
Why would you think that?
Because I thought you hated me.
That's my line!
You're the one who kept avoiding me!
Kasahara, do you know why the sunflower is used in the Library Force's logo?
The sunflower?
Isn't this a chamomile?
A chamomile?
It's also known as that?
It's often used in aromatic oils and herbal teas.
It has a sweet and refreshing fragrance.
I get it!
The flowers on your rank badge are also chamomiles.
Commander Inamine is the one who suggested to use this flower on the rank badges and the Library Force logo.
His late wife liked it.
Commander Inamine's wife, eh...
This flower stands for "Energy in adversity."
Not all of our tasks are fun.
We sometimes go through tough times.
I won't ask what happened between you and Tezuka Satoshi.
But you're still my valuable subordinate.
I will protect you with everything I have if I need to.
Instructor Dojo...
Good luck with your exam.
We are now commencing the Preferment Exam for the rank of Chief Librarian.
Who's being bad?
Give me the scepter.
Let's start story time.
It's the Horse Ghost.
Try drawing the attention of the children by reading lines from a climactic scene.
He's so tall!
The children's point of view?
Yup.
No, I just stood because they climbed on me when I was standing...
That's what the children's point of view is.
I get it!
They wanted to climb because they wanted to see from this height.
It's okay.
You can do it.
The fox jumped and jumped, but it couldn't reach the grape.
He should bring a ladder.
Wasn't he smart?
It's not that this fox was stupid, but that you're all very smart instead!
I hope you become people who wouldn't give up on your grape.
Hey kids, we'll do a puzzle together!
Go ahead and open the boxes.
Take everything out of the box!
Can you find the nuts and the leaves drawn on the poster boards?
Find them all!
This is it!
No it's not!
See this?
Sycamore nuts look like this.
And this leaf is from a cherry tree.
These are all trees you see around this library.
How's your student?
Perfect.
It's highly original, and it makes the kids want to learn, of course.
It's a very skillful session.
Yeah!
Both your names are on it!
Of course mine is.
I'm aiming to become the first female commander in history.
Seriously?
It doesn't sound like a joke at all coming from her.
Instructor Dojo!
Thank you for the written exam prep notes.
I probably would have failed without them.
You cut it close with the written exam, but you were way ahead of everyone else on the practical exam.
It's unusual for you to take first place.
Enjoy it while you can.
Um, this is for you.
To thank you for the notes.
What's this?
It's chamomile aromatic oil.
You heat it and let it evaporate, then enjoy the fragrance.
Also...
I'm graduating from my prince.
I'll stop searching for my prince and getting excited about him.
I will grow up to be properly recognized by you, and not by my prince.
And I will have the same chamomile as you.
Do as you like.
It smells good.
I like that fragrance too.
By the way, you mentioned a chamomile tea as well.
Yes.
Would you take me to a place where we can have chamomile tea?
Huh?
I want to see it in full blossom as well if possible.
Is this...
Because I had chamomile on my arm, and I still didn't know the real thing.
It's probably a good thing to learn from a teacher who knows about plants.
It's almost like he's asking me out!
What?
I'm sorry!
Excuse me!
Damn it!
I think my heart is going to burst!