After the trio of idiots left, Saiki Kusuo headed straight to the school library with a clear purpose.
"Hmm, yesterday was the first day of school, so I had to buy some essentials and figure out how to use the jelly machine. Didn't have time to check out the library."
"Heard they've got a great collection of novels here. Maybe I'll find some hidden gems."
"Most people here seem pretty odd, but the resources are top-notch. Coming here was a good call."
At this thought, the corners of Saiki Kusuo's mouth twitched upward. For someone with psychic powers, reading mystery novels was one of the few things that still brought him joy.
The most important thing was the suspense.
With his telepathic abilities, everyday life held no surprises for Saiki Kusuo. If he went to a movie, unless it was a premiere, the thoughts of those around him would spoil the plot. Plus, in a closed space, the voices in his head would be deafening, making it impossible to focus on the film.
So, Saiki Kusuo preferred solitary entertainment, and reading novels was one of them.
He strode into the library. Though he'd briefly scoped it out before school started, his invisibility only lasted ten minutes, so he'd only gotten a general sense of the layout. He hadn't checked out the books yet. The library was massive, easily big enough for the entire school, so the collection had to be impressive.
This made Saiki Kusuo even more excited.
Looking around, he saw the library wasn't crowded—just a few upperclassmen scattered about. After all, most young people had more exciting ways to spend their time than reading in a library.
"Not many people. Perfect."
For Saiki Kusuo, this was undoubtedly a good thing. He quickened his pace, using his X-ray vision to easily locate the mystery novel section.
But then, he faintly heard an unfamiliar voice in his mind.
[I can't reach it…]
"Is she also in the mystery section?"
Saiki Kusuo walked over to the mystery shelves. Standing before him was a girl with long silver hair.
She wasn't very tall, with delicate features and pale purple eyes. Her slender legs, clad in black over-the-knee socks, peeked out from under her short skirt.
The girl was on her tiptoes, trying to reach a book on the top shelf. Her small stature made it impossible, and her skirt swayed as she struggled. Her fingertips barely grazed the book's edge, but she couldn't quite grab it.
"Can't reach it because of her height? Sorry, not my problem. I'm not exactly the helpful type."
Saiki Kusuo thought to himself.
[Maybe the guy next to me can reach it… but I'm too shy to ask…]
[How do I even talk to people? It's been two days since school started, and I barely know anyone in class…]
[What should I do? Should I talk to him? Is he also into mystery novels since he's here?]
The girl glanced at Saiki Kusuo out of the corner of her eye, her face filled with hesitation and a hint of fear of being noticed.
Just as she was torn, the book she'd been trying to reach wobbled and fell into her hands.
"Huh?"
The girl looked surprised but quickly caught the book, as if her efforts had finally paid off.
Of course, it wasn't luck. Saiki Kusuo had used telekinesis to nudge the book slightly, making it fall within her reach.
Earlier, he'd heard her thoughts, learned which book she wanted, and even her name.
Shiina Hiyori, apparently from Class C.
"Alright, helped her out. Saves us both some trouble."
Saiki Kusuo muttered to himself, then turned his attention to the shelves, scanning for a suitable novel.
Borrowing books was cheap, as long as they were returned on time.
His eyes scanned the rows of books. He'd read plenty of mysteries, but he focused on lesser-known titles. Famous ones meant more readers, and his telepathy would spoil the plot. Obscure novels were better, even if their quality was hit or miss.
While many were poorly written, they offered the suspense he craved. Finding a high-quality obscure novel was like striking gold.
His gaze landed on a book he'd never heard of. He reached out to grab it.
[Simmons' Kill Yourself? He picked that? Starts with the gimmick of killing oneself, but then…]
As Saiki Kusuo's fingers touched the book, Shiina Hiyori's thoughts involuntarily recounted the entire plot.
"…"
Saiki Kusuo's face was filled with exasperation.
He'd deliberately chosen an obscure book, but this seemingly quiet girl had read it.
"Maybe it's not as obscure as I thought. Let's try another."
He moved his hand to a different book.
[That one's plot is interesting. He'll never guess the protagonist is the killer…]
[Another book? The doctor faked the alibi…]
[This one's average overall, but the suspense is well done…]