Wasn't this the very book he'd unearthed in his former world?
Both the style and the patterns were identical.
The only difference was that the once-yellowed cover had been replaced by a vivid crimson hue.
Not the kind of red from dye, but the true crimson of flesh and blood.
Is this my golden finger?
Something... feels rather off about this.
As Ruboo muttered to himself, suddenly!
An utterly spine-chilling wail erupted from the blood-red tome.
Ruboo looked up in alarm.
Instantly, a multitude of hideous, ferocious, and savage... wait, terrifying spectres emanating malevolent auras materialised from every corner of the cover, struggling desperately to break free from the book's confines.
Yet no matter how they tore the book to shreds, escape remained impossible. Finally, amidst the rustling pages, they were sucked back in, their faces frozen in terror and despair.
All was quiet once more.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Just as Ruboo, feeling as though he'd watched a horror film, was about to let his heartbeat settle, the seemingly normal book ahead suddenly stirred and flew towards him.
Ruboo caught it instinctively, glancing down to see a line of blood-red text on the cover, its menacing words glowing with an abyssal black lustre.
[The Book of Supernatural Containment]
That was the name of the book in his hands.
Feeling no immediate danger, Ruboo flipped past the cover to the first page, where a single, brief inscription stood:
[Observe, Control, Contain]
Instantly, he seemed to see an endless horde of vengeful spirits wailing and reaching out for mercy.
Ruboo blinked, and the vision vanished.
Puzzled, he turned to the second page, where a list of entries came into view.
From top to bottom, it listed [Number 000], [Number 001], all the way down to [Number 999] and beyond.
On the third page, the introduction to [Number 000].
Here, Ruboo found information about himself.
[Number: 000]
[Name: Ruboo]
[Type: Human]
[Physical Constitution: 1.1]
[Spirituality: 0.1]
[Abilities: None]
[Containment Level: 0]
[Description: As the nemesis of all supernatural phenomena and the bearer of the Book of Containment, you wield the world's most potent authority. Naturally, this entails corresponding obligations.]
"What does this mean?" Ruboo murmured to himself, somewhat perplexed.
No sooner had the words left his lips than the Book of Paranormal Containment in his hand erupted in a dazzling radiance.
Unable to resist, he was sucked into the pages of the tome.
One minute, two minutes, three minutes...
A torrent of information concerning the Book of Supernatural Containment flooded into Ruboo's consciousness.
When he finally opened his eyes again, everything became clear.
Unnoticed by everyone, including the witch Muriel, Ruboo had summoned the supernatural tome in reality—visible only to himself.
It was precisely this book's existence that allowed him to traverse into this world and continue living.
Not only that, it granted him the power to survive safely within this bizarre and fantastical realm.
As its name implied, the Supernatural Containment Book contained all things supernatural and mysterious that defied the ordinary.
As its master, each time Ruboo contained a supernatural entity, he gained corresponding containment points.
Containment points could enhance his physical prowess and spiritual essence, while also granting him corresponding abilities.
This was undoubtedly a great boon for Ruboo, who was about to live with a large group of witches.
His only dilemma lay in how to contain these entities.
After all, so-called supernatural entities are most likely inexplicable phenomena like ghosts and malevolent spirits.
How was an ordinary person like himself supposed to handle them?
Moreover, whilst relishing the pleasure of allocating points, he must also shoulder the containment tasks—due every ten days, though they could be accumulated.
This perfectly mirrored the relationship between privilege and obligation described in the introduction.
Bloody hell!
This is forcing me to fight tooth and nail against all things supernatural for the foreseeable future.
Who knows if the future might bring change.
After all, physical constitution, spiritual essence, abilities, containment points—all are subject to change.
Even gender.
If I so desired, I could simply select one from over a hundred constantly updated categories—no need for any gender reassignment surgery.
Missions couldn't possibly remain static forever.
If one day the entire world's paranormal entities were to be contained, would one be expected to sacrifice oneself?
Ruboo picked up the Book of Paranormal Containment, flipping through its pages. Beyond entries like [ID 001] and [ID 002], the pages lay blank—as if awaiting completion. He took comfort in the thought that this might be some sort of qualification test.
Suddenly...
The Book of Containment flared crimson, transmitting a message into Ruboo's mind.
[Containment Target Detected]
Containable target?
Ruboo scanned his surroundings, his gaze finally settling upon Zoe and Murtagh.
The term 'paranormal' surely encompassed witches possessing supernatural powers, didn't it?
Contain them?
You must be joking!
Never mind whether he could defeat them now.
Even if he could defeat her, he'd be reduced to ashes by a coven of witches afterwards.
Besides, Zoe is so beautiful—how could he possibly kill his girlfriend?
Ruboo shook his head, dismissing the warning, and withdrew the Book of Containment back into his mind.
Ten days remain anyway. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
...
Louisiana, New Orleans.
As a port city in the American South and the state's largest city, New Orleans enjoyed a robust economy. However, following the devastating hurricane that struck in 2000, its population experienced a precipitous decline that has yet to recover.
Of course, this applies only to the general populace.
Owing to historical circumstances and its vast surrounding marshlands, New Orleans is intertwined with nearly every ghost tale, strange legend, and voodoo myth in American folklore.
While the vast majority are fabricated, some hold truth.
Take witches, for instance.
Following the Salem witch trials, descendants bearing the bloodline of the Salem witches relocated to New Orleans, where their lineage persists to this day.
Today, at the entrance of a New Orleans institution known as the Robichaux Institute for the Exceptional Young Lady—in truth, a school for witches—a new student arrives, accompanied by... a male servant.
After delivering Myrtle, he vanished.
Ruboo glanced at Zoe, who stared at him wide-eyed, looking utterly bewildered. He shrugged and pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong~
The door swung open automatically the moment the chime sounded.
"Come on."
Ruboo dragged two large suitcases, leading Zoe into the white, rustic residence.
The moment they entered, the interior was shrouded in gloom, utterly silent.
It felt as though they had entered a haunted house.
Recalling this was the legendary witch's dwelling, Zoe nervously called out, "Is anyone there?"
Thud!
The front door slammed shut of its own accord.
As Zoe turned to look, a dark shadow flashed past the corner of her eye.
Startled, she called out again, "Is anyone there? Is anyone home?"
There was no reply.
At the same time, one eerie black figure after another darted rapidly in and out of various corners of the room.
Zoe grabbed Ruboo's arm and looked around uneasily. "Ruboo, did you see that?"
"Of course."
Ruboo nodded calmly.
The freshers' welcome ceremony, then.
Though somewhat gloomy, it does suit the witch's character, doesn't it?