Chapter 7

Everyone’s attention was focused on me.

Just then, the food we had ordered began arriving one dish at a time. Everyone swallowed as they looked at the steaming, delicious-looking food. Hands busily moved around the narrow table, arranging the dishes.

Even so, Lord Costance’s gaze remained fixed on me.

Once all the food had arrived, my interrupted introduction finally continued.

“……My name is Vivy Ferren. I’m twenty-five years old.”

“Twenty-five?”

Finn asked in surprise.

“Yes.”

“I knew twenty-five was young, but I thought you were even younger. I thought we were the same age.”

I was pretty sure Finn had said he was…… only twenty years old.

“She’s even one year older than Costance, isn’t she?”

“Th-that so?”

“Who would have thought Vivy was one year older than this old man?”

Elvin also seemed quite shocked, and his voice grew louder. I didn’t like talking about my age because the atmosphere always became like this whenever the subject came up.

“I…… I think we should eat before the food gets cold.”

“Ah, you’re right.”

Fortunately, the subject of my age ended there. We began eating.

The men mainly talked about the military, while the women talked about the various incidents that happened at the library.

“It’s interesting. I always thought that since you were in the navy, you worked only on ships.”

“You’re not entirely wrong. Once you become a naval officer, you have to spend several years aboard a ship. We all did.”

“Really? That must have been difficult.”

“A lot of things happen.”

The conversation gradually became livelier, but Lord Costance and I remained silent until the end. In fact, his expression had darkened slightly ever since I told them my age.

Was he shocked by my age too?

“Anyway, I suppose we should thank Costance today. Actually, the reason we went to the library was because rumors had spread throughout headquarters. People were saying that Costance went to the library every single day.”

Major Lance placed a hand on Costance’s shoulder.

“He always reads in the same seat.”

Katrina answered this time.

“Isn’t he incredibly stubborn? An operations officer has a lot of work.”

“Really?”

“Especially someone as capable and clever as Costance. His workload must be enormous. I’m sure this fellow worked nonstop for two years. His battalion commander took pity on him and gave him a precious week of rest, only for him to spend it reading books at the library……”

“That caused quite a few rumors in the military. People even said that Costance had a secret lover hidden in the library.”

Captain Elvin added that last part.

The problem was that both of their gazes turned toward me at the same time before quickly returning to where they had been.

It lasted only for a brief moment.

My seniors didn’t notice, but I definitely did.

“No way. Most of the people who come to the library are elderly.”

“That’s right. And Lord Costance is always looking at books.”

Katrina and Georgia defended Lord Costance.

The men nodded several times, but they didn’t erase the meaningful smiles from their faces.

“Then how about we hear about Vivy now? I’m very curious about what such a beautiful lady like Vivy usually does and what she likes.”

Finn took this opportunity to ask me a question.

The sharp look in Lord Costance’s eyes immediately softened. The other men also looked at me with great curiosity.

“Finn is right. I’m also very curious about Vivy’s ideal type. Do you prefer older men or younger men?”

Captain Elvin asked me directly.

“What? Ah, well, actually, I prefer older men rather than younger……”

“Oh dear. I feel sorry for all the men twenty-five or younger.”

That poor man who was twenty-five or younger was sitting right beside me.

Lord Costance.

I could feel his normally broad shoulders droop slightly.

Only then did I understand why his expression had been so dark.

The men sitting around the table seemed to already know the truth, and they were having a great time.

I’m going crazy.

……I think Lord Costance likes me.

Anyone who didn’t realize it when he was making it that obvious would have to be an idiot.

For once, I wished I weren’t so perceptive.

But why does Lord Costance like me?

When did he start liking me?

“How do you feel about soldiers, Vivy?”

“Which do you prefer, the air force or the navy?”

“Do you like fleets?”

Lieutenant Finn and Captain Elvin asked me everything from simple questions to the most trivial things.

Even when I tried to avoid answering properly, their eyes were fixed on me, waiting for my response.

“I think they’re good.”

I answered their questions honestly, but I didn’t even know what I was saying.

In other words, I wasn’t in my right mind.

Whenever Lord Costance hesitated even a little, my shoulders would flinch.

Whenever he smiled slightly, I would strangely find myself continuing my answer for longer than necessary.

This wasn’t like me.

Normally, even if someone showed interest in me, I didn’t pay much attention.

But a certain man who had started coming to the library a few days ago was slowly destroying my usual patterns.

“Our Vivy really is beautiful. When she first came to work here, rumors spread throughout the village. There were probably even more people than when Lord Costance started coming to the library. All kinds of men came.”

Julia spoke as though she were bragging about herself.

Unlike me, who had carefully hidden my thoughts and only spoken politely, Julia continued like an enthusiastic storyteller.

Thanks to her, the men’s expressions became even more curious.

Even Lord Costance, who had remained calm the entire time, was no exception.

He even stopped using his fork and looked at Julia.

“It was the first time we’d ever seen so many men come to the library.”

“……It wasn’t that many. They just came because they were curious about my face.”

I had been quietly listening, but I interrupted.

“What are you talking about? They filled the entire reading room. Don’t you remember that some of those men were famous nobles from the area?”

“Really? Th-that many……?”

“From young boys to middle-aged married men. There were all kinds. At the time, it was hard to tell whether this was a library or a social gathering.”

Georgia added more details.

“So what happened?”

Even in the middle of all the conversation, Lord Costance asked a question.

“What?”

Perhaps Julia hadn’t expected Lord Costance to ask anything, because even she stopped talking for a moment.

“Did any of them harm Vivy?”

“Ah, well…… Of course, there were a lot of confessions, but I heard Vivy rejected all of them. Right, Vivy?”

“I-I rejected all of them.”

“Even so, she had a hard time for several days. Some men wouldn’t give up even after Vivy rejected them and kept flirting with her. One of them even waited until Vivy finished work and followed her……”

Julia shook her head as she remembered what had happened.

“That sounds difficult. You must have had a hard time.”

Major Lance spoke sympathetically.

The atmosphere suddenly became gloomy, and I didn’t know what to say.

“B-but it’s all in the past now. I’m fine.”

I gathered my courage and tried to chase away the heavy atmosphere.

When I forced myself to smile, Julia also nodded and helped lighten the mood.

“That isn’t something that can simply be brushed aside.”

Just when it seemed the cheerful atmosphere was returning, Lord Costance spoke.

He turned his head and looked at me with concern.

“If anything like that happens again, tell the police.”

“Th-thank you for worrying about me.”

“You can call me, too. No, please call me.”

Lord Costance ruined the atmosphere that I had worked so hard to restore.

He was completely serious.

What he said wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t something that could simply be ignored.

But it had already been a year.

The man who used to follow me every day had stopped coming a long time ago after Julia threatened him and the library director warned him.

Even so, Lord Costance was worried as though it had happened only yesterday.

“Come on, Senior. Didn’t she say it was already in the past? Besides, you’re at the library every day now. What kind of idiot would do something like that?”

“Finn is right, Costance. Ah, by the way, Major Lance, how about we order some alcohol now?”

Finn and Elvin stepped in.

“Alcohol sounds good! Would the ladies like a drink as well?”

“We’d be happy to.”

No one rejected Major Lance’s suggestion.

“What kind of alcohol do you like, Vivy?”

“Something that’s not too strong, please. I can’t drink very well.”

“Ah, then I’ll recommend something. Something mild.”

I felt that I couldn’t avoid answering Finn’s question, so I reluctantly replied.

He didn’t pressure me to drink. Instead, he chose something that looked weaker than the other drinks.

The alcohol we ordered arrived quickly.

As the alcohol went down our throats, conversation became even more frequent.

I had mostly been listening, but I cautiously took a sip.

The bitter taste made me frown.

The smell of alcohol immediately rose to my nose.

Unlike everyone else, who quickly emptied their glasses, the amount of alcohol in front of me remained almost unchanged.

Whenever my mouth felt bored, I picked up some of the leftover food and ate it.

The gathering wasn’t as boring or uncomfortable as I had feared.

The conversation around the table was actually quite interesting.

Major Lance and Lieutenant Finn were both witty speakers, but Captain Elvin was no less entertaining.

How long had we been talking?

“Really? Is the garden really that beautiful?”

“It is especially beautiful at night. Ah, why don’t you go and see it now? Just the two of us.”

At Major Lance’s suggestion, Julia’s face turned red.

She had liked Major Lance for quite some time.

There was no way she would refuse.

“Then let’s go now.”

“N-now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“N-no! Not at all!”

At Major Lance’s quick decision, Julia suddenly jumped up from her seat.

It was so sudden.

I wasn’t the only one who was stunned.

Everyone sitting at the table stared blankly at Major Lance.

Major Lance calmly picked up his coat.

Before leaving, he lightly tapped Elvin and Finn on the shoulders.

I wondered what that meant.

And not long afterward, I understood.

“……Everyone has left.”

Before I knew it, only Lord Costance and I remained.

I don’t remember what excuse the remaining captain and lieutenant used to drag their seniors outside.