Chapter 4
When I looked up, a tall servant was standing in front of me.
I pointed at myself.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yes.”
Everyone in this mansion had been treating me like they’d seen a ghost, so I’d started wondering if they all thought I was some kind of hallucination.
Not a single person had approached me in the past few days.
And now an introvert had taken the initiative to greet me first?
This guy… starts with 100 favorability points.
I took a closer look at the cute servant.
Reta is already pretty tall, yet I still have to look up at him. And he’s fairly handsome too.
There weren’t many people like that in the mansion.
Good.
Ten seconds had passed, and he still wasn’t avoiding my gaze.
Maybe I’d finally get a proper introduction.
Heart fluttering with anticipation, I asked,
“Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
“I’m Pell. I manage the library.”
Pell.
It rolled right off the tongue.
Easy to remember.
And handsome, too.
“So you’ve got a one-syllable name. It’s pretty.”
“Thank you.”
Whoa.
The conversation was actually flowing!
Now’s my chance.
This is how you become friends!
Sure, his tone was stiff, but that’s just standard introvert behavior.
I smiled curiously and continued.
“So what exactly does a library manager do? Make sure no books get lost?”
“Yes.”
“Where do you live? Which direction are the servants’ quarters again?”
“Over there.”
Cue the fanfare!
He’s answering everything!
Who cares if the answers are short? I’ve finally been talking to another human being after days!
“Haha…”
A smile slipped onto my face.
On a lonely, quiet afternoon wrapped in the lazy warmth of the setting sun, Pell, the librarian, had appeared like a miracle.
“Let’s get along.”
I held out my hand.
“…”
He stared silently at it.
Ah.
To lower an introvert’s guard, I hurriedly added,
“You know I lost my memory, right? I’m not the terrifying person I used to be, so don’t be scared.”
I softened my eyes and smiled as if to say,
See? I’m easy to talk to.
Please work…
“…Okay.”
At last, Pell took my hand.
…!
A thrill shot through me.
An introvert had accepted the handshake I offered!
I’d just made my first friend in this novel’s world.
Once we get a little closer, I’ll ask him to introduce me to his friends.
A tried-and-true strategy for when your reputation is terrible.
The classic:
“I know them personally—they’re not like the rumors.”
People are always more influenced by one casual comment from someone they know than by countless rumors.
Well… unless you’re someone like me, whose public image had already sunk to rock bottom.
I’d originally developed that strategy to defend another friend from baseless gossip.
I really don’t have a friend like that anymore…
I waved enthusiastically.
“I’ll come visit the library tomorrow, okay?”
Leverage had told me to check out the study eventually anyway.
And while I was at it, I could befriend the librarian!
Technically it was Reta’s private study, not the mansion library, but it was still full of books and research materials.
Close enough.
“Understood.”
Yes!
“See you tomorrow!”
“Yes, Miss.”
I kept waving until Pell disappeared from sight.
I wanted to walk him back and chat longer, but that would probably overwhelm him.
You can’t rush introvert friends.
You have to approach slowly…
Carefully…
Wait for exactly the right moment when they’re bound to open up to you…
Then—
Strike.
Once that moment came, I wouldn’t miss it.
If I kept treating him well, even the shyest, most people-averse introvert wouldn’t be able to resist forever.
I smiled with satisfaction.
I’m definitely going to become your best friend, Pell.
And once that happened, I’d get introduced to his friends…
Then their friends…
Then their friends’ friends…
Until I’d conquered this entire Count Suspender household.
“Perfect!”
Ah…
For the first time in a while, I felt like I could survive another lonely dinner by myself.
Sob…
A few days later.
It had been over a week since I’d possessed this body.
Rustle…
The library attached to the annex was warm with gentle sunlight.
Dust floated lazily through the air, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
The sound of old, ink-stained pages turning echoed quietly.
Rustle…
Rustle…
Rustle…
No conversations.
Only the endless sound of pages turning, like some kind of library ASMR.
I’d been faithfully showing up at the library every day.
Even though I hadn’t actually read a single book.
I planned to visit Reta’s private study later.
Honestly, I was procrastinating because I didn’t feel like doing any actual work.
My biggest priority right now was becoming friends with Pell.
Unfortunately…
The person in question didn’t seem particularly interested in me.
All he ever does is read. Is he a bookworm or what? At this rate he’s going to marry a book.
You’re the one who approached me first!
Naturally, I had a lot of complaints.
Pell sat absorbed in a book.
A terribly boring-looking ancient language text, no less.
I sat with the window behind me.
Watching the handsome introverted librarian was much more enjoyable than reading.
He really is handsome…
If he’d been born in modern times, he’d probably be a celebrity.
His jet-black hair swayed softly.
I wonder what shampoo he uses.
…
That was a stupid question.
Never mind.
This was basically the medieval era.
He probably just used soap.
The maids always rubbed fragrant oils into my hair, but he was just a servant.
No way he’d have access to that.
His eyelashes are pretty long too.
And why was his skin so nice?
He probably didn’t use cosmetics either.
How could a servant afford them?
Once we became friends, maybe I’d secretly buy him some.
I’d choose a plain-looking brand so it wouldn’t stand out.
Then I’d casually say something like,
“I just have way too many cosmetics anyway, haha.”
But why does he read so much?
To gain knowledge?
To climb the social ladder?
Sorry, Pell…
But in a rigid class society, studying alone isn’t going to get you promoted.
That would probably hurt his feelings if I actually said it.
Better keep that one to myself.
…More importantly, how long am I supposed to keep having these conversations in my own head?
I’d come here to talk to people.
Unable to endure the silence any longer, I whispered,
“Pell. I’m bored.”
Without taking his eyes off the book, he replied,
“Please remain quiet in the library.”
“Okay. Then let’s talk outside. The weather’s so nice today~”
“I am the librarian.”
“Please? Let’s go outside! I’m so bored I’m going crazy. Just ten minutes, okay?”
If persuasion didn’t work…
Begging was the only option.
Surely he wouldn’t refuse such a small favor from someone he wasn’t even close to.
Unless…
He simply didn’t want to be friends with me.
But he was the one who’d approached me first.
So he’ll grant my request in the end.
Finally, Pell closed his book and stood.
“…Let’s go outside.”
“Yes!”
Pell led the way out of the library.
I followed close behind, chatting nonstop.
“Pell, what’s your hobby?”
“Reading.”
“You don’t like exercising? You look pretty fit.”
Just look at those arm muscles.
If I hadn’t already been desensitized by all those “Look at my idol’s abs.jpg” photos my friends constantly shoved at me, I probably would’ve stared.
“I exercise regularly to maintain good health.”
“That’s cool! You should teach me sometime.”
“Very well.”
As I steadily gathered more information about my introverted friend, several other servants approached from the end of the hallway.
Maybe Pell’s broad frame had hidden me from view.
The servants, who normally fled in terror whenever they saw me, hesitated before greeting Pell.
“H-Hello… newbie…!”
“…”
Ignored.
Pell walked right past them without saying a word.
I couldn’t help admiring it.
“Wow.”
His social skills were unbelievable.
His retreating back practically declared,
“I’m not being excluded by the world. I’m excluding the world.”
A voluntary loner, huh?
I’d met plenty of people like that back at the retirement home, so it wasn’t exactly shocking.
“I got ignored again… Huh?”
The servants awkwardly muttered among themselves.
Then they noticed me standing behind Pell.
And immediately bolted.
“W-We are sooooo sorry!”
After the terrified servants disappeared…
I sprinted after Pell and barely caught up.
“Huff… Huff… Pell! Weren’t those your friends just now? Why didn’t you greet them?”
“I didn’t feel any need to.”
“Why not? It’s nice to get along with people.”
Pell looked at me as if he genuinely couldn’t understand the question.
“Do I have to? I don’t really see why.”
